Mrs. Lee regularly helped at fetes and other events as well as making donations of flowers, beef broth, newspapers and magazines to both the Bathurst Base Hospital and St Vincents Hospital. She supported many of the Anglican Church activities as the family was Anglican.

Benjamin was educated at the Kings School, Parramatta and later managed several of his father's farms. After returning from England in 1854 he set himself up as a general draper in Maitland.

In 1861 he was appointed as Chairman of the Hunter River New Steam Navigation Company until 1874, at the same time holding squatting runs in New South Wales and Queensland. In 1873 he sailed to London as our Commissioner of International Exhibition there.

A silver five-piece coffee and tea service was specially made in 1873 in Birmingham and sent out by sailing ship to the Colony of New South Wales and presented to Benjamin in 1874. It was presented to Benjamin Lee by his constituents of West Maitland on his retirement from political life - August 1874, prior to leaving for Bathurst.

Then came his Bathurst appointment as Police Magistrate and visiting Justice to Bathurst Gaol in late 1874. Henry Parkes had him appointed police magistrate with a salary of £500.

The following year he was appointed Bathurst's local Mining Warden. His father Benjamin Lee, Snr, died in 1879. From 1881 he also became the Bathurst Coroner.

The Bathurst Free Press on April 4, 1888, announced that a telegram had arrived from Sydney stating that Mr. B. Lee, M.P. for Bathurst has been appointed Acting Deputy Stipendiary Magistrate for Sydney in place of Mr. Marsh who has been granted further leave due to ill health. In 1889 he was transferred to the Water Police Office before being appointed as a Stipendiary Magistrate in 1890.

Benjamin Lee was in Bathurst when it was progressing at a fast rate. For example, he was in attendance in the School of Arts on April 4, 1876, for a public luncheon to mark the opening of the Bathurst Railway Station which had been opened by the N.S.W. Governor, Sir Hercules Robinson.

On Friday, December 5, 1890, the Bathurst Free Press records a proposed presentation to the Magistrate who had served Bathurst for nearly fifteen years. The newspaper went on - "A pretty and substantial compliment is about to be paid to Mr. Lee, S.M., by those among whom he dealt out justice as an P.M. during a very lengthy period.

It is in the shape of gold, keyless, English, hunting, lever watch, accredited by an A class Kew Observatory certificate.

The case on the outside bears Mr. Lee's monogram and the inscription within speaks for itself: "Presented to Benjamin Lee, Esq., P.M., as a mark of their esteem and respect for him as a magistrate and citizen. 1890." Accompanying the watch is a heavy 18 carat gold Albert chain."

The silver fob watch remains with his descendants today as part of the Lee collection and was used by Benjamin who as part of his job witnessed hangings and floggings at the nearby gaol which was located opposite Webb's Emporium on land that became Machattie Park.

Another item that was given to the departing magistrate was in the form of a decorated engraved silver Vesta (matches) box which was hand engraved - "B. Lee, Esqr. Bathurst".

An ornate silver medallion inscribed "The Elms - Bathurst" obviously belongs to Benjamin Lee, Junior, from his days in Bathurst and refers to the Lee home located in Russell Street.