James Henry Vagg (known as J.H.) was one of Cobden’s first settlers and oldest pioneers. He was the oldest surviving son of George Tilly Vagg and Ann Harding, who were the first of the Vaggs to migrate to Australia from Somerset in 1842.

Born in Connewarre in 1846, he arrived in Cobden in 1866 with his bullock team. There were few houses and the nearest railway station was Geelong. Land in the Cobden area was being thrown open for settlement.

J.H. selected land at Cooriejong, later known as Scotts Creek in 1871. At the Shire Council meeting of November 1876, a plan for the main Cobden-Port Campbell Road was proposed to pass through the selection of J.H. Vagg and this is the route still used today.

James Henry married Sarah Monk (the daughter of George and Sarah Monk) in Cobden in 1867. She was born in Leicester, England in 1848 and migrated to Australia with her family in 1852. The Monks had also settled in Connewarre before taking up land at Ewan’s Hill, Cobrico.

J.H. VAGG MEMORIAL PARK

June 1934: Cobden and District Progress Association discussed the development of the land in front of you, formerly about 1.5 acres.

The idea was to approach the Lands Department with a view to making a public park and playground of the area. The proposal obtained the blessing of Heytesbury Shire Council a few days later. However, the Lands Department wanted to auction the land because it was valuable. The help of Cr K McGarvie MLA was sought to have it reserved as a playground.

Councillors, representatives of Cobden Butter Factory, the Progress Association and town citizens attended the Lands Board sitting in Cobden in May 1935 to oppose the proposal to sell the land known as Market Square. Every speaker said the land should be kept as a public open space for the people of the town. Council offered to act as a committee of management and supervise improvements.

In June 1935, Heytesbury Shire Council was informed the land had been set aside for recreation purposes and placed under Council as the committee of management.

At its December 1935 meeting, Council agreed to name the reserve the ‘J.H. Vagg Memorial Park’ in recognition of James Henry Vagg and the work he had undertaken for the town and the district.

In April 1936, Council decided three councillors, together with two citizens, should form a committee to control the park. After a public meeting, Messrs Donald Cameron (son-in-law) and Percy Vagg (son) were appointed to the committee. In January 1937, more than £34 had been raised to plant trees in the J.H. Vagg Memorial Park.

J.H. VAGG MEMORIAL GATES (SWIMMING POOL)

The memorial gates were opened at a garden fete at the swimming pool on Saturday November 5th, 1938, ten months after construction began.

The Shire president told the crowd that the gates had been erected at the pool entrance by the sons and daughters of the late J.H. Vagg in memory of their father and the work he had undertaken for the advancement of the town and the district.

Children of James Henry Vagg and Sarah Monk

• George John, 1867-1954
• Leslie Ernest, 1869-1961
• Eleanor May, 1871
• Emily Gertrude, 1873-1898
• Sarah (Dolly), 1875-1941
• Herbert Charles, 1877-1950
• Lillian Harding, 1880-1880
• James Lewis, 1882-1966
• Percival Alfred, 1885-1968
• Henry Wilfred, 1887-1888
• Elsie Gwendolyn, 1890-1978