In the summer of 1909, the line of the Metropolitan Southern railway was being cut. A large granite boulder was found during excavation work (see image). It was initially thought that the boulder might be used to commemorate a Colonel Joseph Belt.
However, when it was discovered that the boulder had been blasted into two equal parts, the other half was ear-marked as a memorial for Ninian Beall, who it was thought was long-overdue to be commemorated.
Beall happened to also have been Joseph Belt's father-in-law, as Belt had married Beall's daughter Hester.
"Thy servant of strong arm and Christian voice whose works helped to make possible the building of our nation"
It was also remarked that...
"If the name of him whom we honour today has been long in the shadow of dark forgetfulness, let us hope that the deference here paid him may serve to bring that name into bright sunshine of a worthy memory, to be illuminated always."