Wonnangatta Murders - Barclay and Bamford

Barclay and Bamford

James ("Jim") Barclay was employed as the station manager in about 1916. He usually lived alone at the station. Aged in his late 40s, he had previously lost his wife to tuberculosis and left his newborn child James (also "Jim") to be cared for by relatives. Stephenson describes him as a "hardy and competent bushman ... a contented man of simple tastes." His nearest neighbour was Harry Smith, stepson of the original owner, with whom he had a good relationship.

In December 1917 Barclay decided to employ a cook and station hand. English-born John Bamford had lived at Black Snake Creek, 12 miles (19 km) from Talbotville, for twenty years. By 1917 he was aged in his late 50s and was variously described as "surly" having a "wicked temper" and being suspected of "having strangled his wife". However, Keith Leydon and Michael Ray suggest there is no evidence of this. What Barclay thought of him is not known, but Talbotville storekeeper Albert Stout is known to have warned Barclay not to be "drawn into arguments with Bamford". With the First World War raging and few men available for labour in the bush, it's likely Barclay had few choices regarding employees. Alan King, a stockman, stayed at Wonnangatta in late December 1917 and recalled that Bamford seemed to be on good terms with Barclay.

Barclay and Bamford were last seen alive in late December 1917. They had been to Talbotville to cast their votes in the so-called Reinforcement Referendum, the second of the two plebiscites held in Australia during the First World War to decide whether to introduce military conscription. It is not known how they voted, only that they agreed on the vote. They stayed the night with Albert Stout in Talbotville, before leaving for Wonnangatta at about 10 o'clock on the morning of 21 December.