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ROBERT DYER GILLARD a sergeant in the army arrived in Victoria in 1854.
Robert, born in 1830, came from Somerset and was the son of Vincent Gillard and Mary Dyer. He died in Victoria in 1905 at the age of 75 years.
Since Robert was born before the advent of birth certificates in England in 1837 there is no reference available from this source as to which Parish he was born in. However, copies of most of the Somerset Parish records are held at the County Centre at Taunton and a check there unearthed just one Vincent, presumably Robert's father.
This Vincent Gillard was the son of another Robert Gillard and of Elizabeth Hill who married at Martock, Somerset on April 15th 1792.
Vincent was one of three children. The others were Joel 1794, and Ruth 1796 - Vincent was born in 1803, which would have made him 27 years of age when Robert Dyer Gillard was born.
Robert's mother, Mary Dyer was part of a wellknown family in Somerset with many of the Dyers living in the Martock Parish.
The name Dyer, like Gillard is also of French origin, the early spellings were Deiere, Deyere, De'ighere, Dyere then Dyer. The Dyer best remembered in Somerset History was Richard Dyer, Mayor of the Cathedral city of Wells, Somerset in 1442.
Vincent lived on an orchard property in Martock owned by his father Robert. The 1840 Tithe Record of Martock shows:
Landowner: Robert Gaylard; Occupier: himself
Lot 707 House, Office
Lot 708 Orchard
Lot 974 "Wet" Moor
Landowner: Robert Gaylard; Occupier: Vincent Gaylard
Lot 671 Cottage and Garden
Lot 670 Orchard
(Note: Spelling variation from Gillard in baptisms to Gaylard in "Rate system").
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Even though Vincent was born in Martock and lived there in 1840 he didn't marry Mary Dyer there, nor was his son Robert Dyer Gillard baptised there. So we have to suppose that he married and had his family baptised out of the Parish and then moved back to Martock where he lived on an orchard property owned by his father Robert Gaylard.
Moving back from Robert Dyer's father Vincent to his grandfather Robert, we know that he was born in 1765 and married Elizabeth Hill in Martock on April 15th 1792, and that he was the second son of William Gillard born in Martock in 1725 and married Barbara Cox as William Gaylard in Martock on August 26th 1754.
From William Gillard/Gaylard the line runs back through Thomas Gillard born 1680 in Martock who married Elizabeth Popp in Martock in 1716.
From this point, our Tasmanian pioneer George Gillard and Robert Dyer Gillard have a common line of ancestry back to Nicholas Gaylard. They are respectively the great-great-grandsons of the brothers Robert Gillard (1687) and Thomas Gillard (1680). Also both of these Australian emigrants are members of the ninth generation down from the founder of the English family (Nicholas Gaylard).
To avoid back-tracking to family Chart #1 the full chart relevant to Robert Dyer Gillard is shown here, but for the first five generations the entries are the same as on Chart #1.
Robert Dyer Gillard was the father of Eugene Thomas Vincent Gillard born in Victoria in 1862. "E.T.V." was the Station Master at Stawell in Victoria and spent most of his later life there. He married Lucy Challis Hinwood. The children born of this marriage were:-
Eugene Thomas Vincent, born 1891
Robert Clarence, born 1893
Lilian Janet, born 1894
Redvers William, born 1900
Oliver James, born 1906
The first Eugene Thomas Vincent Gillard and his wife worked hard to provide the children with an education much beyond the average level applying in those times. Their efforts were well rewarded. The first born Eugene Thomas Vincent gained an arts degree from Melbourne University and was to become the Senior Inspector of Schools for Victoria.
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Robert Clarence Gillard (Bob) was a well-known man in the Post Office. He was also a first-class singer and was a member of the famous Sundowners Quartet.
Lilian Janet took up teaching and for a long number of years was an infant mistress.
Redvers William Gillard (1900) gained a Bachelor of Commerce degree and various other accounting qualifications and was Auditor General for the State of Victoria until 1966.
The youngest son Oliver James Gillard was perhaps the best known and most successful in his chosen field. He graduated Bachelor of Arts 1927 and Bachelor of Law 1928. He was a leading Barrister and K.C. before his appointment as a Justice of the Supreme Court in 1962. He was knighted in 1974.
Outside of his role in the judiciary, Sir Oliver has been most prominent in community affairs, especially with youth organisations - in scouting, as Chairman of the Churchill Trust and also as Chairman of the Youth Advisory Council. He served as Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of Victoria from 1965 to 1968.
His most distinguished career culminated in March this year with his appointment as Chancellor of Melbourne University - a position of great honour, historically occupied by the States most gifted men, including Sir Robert Menzies Australia's longest serving Prime Minister.
A fitting testimony to the accomplishments and personality of Sir Oliver Gillard was recorded by the Melbourne Herald on May 12th of this year (1978) on the occasion of his retirement from the Bench. This article is included here as a highly suitable reference to one of several descendants of Robert Dyer Gillard who have served the State of Victoria with so much distinction.
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By law courts reporter COLUMB BRENNAN
SIR Oliver Gillard, senior judge of the Supreme Court, retires from the bench tomorrow with strong feelings that we are overburdened with laws.
"You can't do a damn thing without people coming along and saying you must not do it." he says.
"By the year 2000 there will be so much legislation in the community that the little man will be enmeshed.”
His Honour explains that he does not wish to discuss controversial matters when he steps down from the bench; but he feels he should not remain silent about the burden of legislation.
"Unless somebody like myself says it. It is likely to remain unsaid.'’
For Just on 50 years his stately figure — 193 cm. (6 ft. 4 in.) in his prime — has been part of the law courts scene.
His disposition to speak authoritatively, from a great height on the bench or on the ground has made him something of a legend — quite different from the humorous, warm-hearted man his friends know him to be.
Stories, true and mythical, abound about him.
Once when he was sitting at Geelong, his court was delayed because two barristers had been trapped by a flash flood on the road from Melbourne.
After they had apologised, His Honour remarked: "When I came down, I had no trouble at all."
"Yes," one of the barristers muttered to his colleague at the bar table. "But we can't walk on water."
Just before the courts broke up for Christmas one year, a young barrister noticed a ladder leaning against the flagpole on top of the Supreme Court dome.
"Looks as though Sir Oliver has taken off on his holidays already," he said.
But the lordly manner is part of the man. He could not change it, and he smiles when it is joked about. It stood by him in many a hard-fought case at the bar and kept him In a position of authority in a score of public activities.
Apart from his achievements in the law, Sir Oliver Gillard, now 71, is Chancellor of Melbourne University, former Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of Victoria, former chairman for 10 years of the regional committee of the Winston Churchill Trust, chairman of the Chief Justice's Law Reform Committee since 1973, chairman of the State Youth Council, and a member of the Diocesan Council of the Anglican Church.
There was no silver spoon in his mouth, and he does not conceal the fact.
He talks warmly of the days when as the son of a retired railwayman he did his leaving at Shepparton High.
"There were only four of us in the class and not many resources to educate us.” he says.
At the Bar he practised in every Jurisdiction from crime to constitutional law and frequently appeared in important industrial cases. He was reputed to have the largest practice in Melbourne.
When he was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1962 he was probably the most versatile man on the bench.
Two sons, E. W. (Bill) and Roger Gillard. both established barristers, carry on the family tradition.
Sir Oliver and Lady Glllard will leave by ship on Tuesday for a holiday In England.
Courtesy Melbourne Herald May 12, 1978
[Sir Oliver died in 1984.]
[The chart above shows descent from Nicholas Gaylard to Robert Dyer Gillard and then to only some of his progeny. Another of Robert Dyer's several children was William Edgar, father of David Michael, father of Garry Gillard, author of these webpages. Click on the images for larger size.
Jeff Gillard got it wrong between the fifth and seventh generations. The William (son of Thomas Gillard) he shows having children in fact died when he was 2 years old. There was another William of the same generation, son of Robert Gillard (b. 1687) who was the father of Robert Gillard (b. 1725) who married Barbara Cox and who was the father of another Robert who was the father of Vincent Solomon who was the father of Robert Dyer. I've forgotten exactly how I know this. I would have been told by a relative.]
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