Of Tragedy and Valor
Malen Rumbelow (2nd)

Malen Rumbelow (Malen 2nd) was born at Mildenhall, England on 15th June 1846.  At the age of eight he accompanied his family to Port Adelaide on the barque Pestonjee Bomanjee.

The whaling industry was nearing an end when they arrived at Encounter Bay at the start of 1855. The family settled in Maud Street, near the school and post office. 

Malen’s fourth daughter Caroline noted that where the township of Victor Harbor now stands was a sandy waste when her family arrived from Port Adelaide in 1855, with only one house which was occupied by the Trooper. This house was on the point where the present causeway commences and was known as Policeman’s Point.

He married Mary Glassenbury at the Independent Chapel at Encounter Bay on 22nd August 1863. Malen built a weatherboard cottage called “Crystal Palace” above where the Rumbelow fishing shed was located. The stone house, "Yeltanna" (meaning cool place), was built around 1880.

In 1864 Malen Rumbelow Snr, his father and his brother-in-law, Cain Jelliff founded a fishing business at Encounter Bay. Malen was a natural boatman and fish and crays were plentiful. Alice (Mrs Cain Jelliff) helped by carting the catches to Adelaide and hawking the fish, starting  a family tradition that has continued through the generations.

Cain Jelliff and Malen (2nd) are credited with organising the first Regatta and Water Sports event held at Victor Harbor on New Year’s Day in 1869. This tradition continued for many years and was held on the Works Jetty near Granite Island until the late 1940s.

Mary and Malen had nine children; Willian Henry, Malen (3rd), Godfrey (2nd), Alice, Rose, Cain, Maria, Samuel and Grace.

On 1st July 1905, some 3 months after the death of his son, Malen died of asthma, emphysema and cardiac dilation. It is said that he was so deeply affected by the death of Malen 3rd in April he lost the will to live.

Mary continued to live at Encounter Bay until the time of her death on 27th July 1923. She died of a cerebral hemorrhage and was buried in the Victor Harbor Cemetery. She was almost 78 years of age at the time of her death. 

Adventure with a Shark

• West Gippsland Gazette (Warragul, Vic. : 1898 - 1930) 

•  Tue 12 Jun 1900 

A NARROW ESCAPE. 

Mr. Rumbelow, of Encounter Bay near Adelaide had an exciting experience with a shark on Tuesday. 

He threw overboard some shark bait, which was almost instantly snapped by a shark, about 15 feet in Iength, and after rushing through the water with the line at a tremendous rate, the monster reached the end of its tether, the jerk causing it to be thrown right out of the water. 

Mr. Rumbelow sent a bullet into it from a gun which he had on board, when the brute turned and made a savage rush for the cutter, smashing the bow, bulwarks and eventually snipping the line. It then made off. Fortunately, the craft was a ten tonner, for otherwise serious results would have followed.