New Site – Settlers in the Glenelg & Wannon Region of SW Victoria

Today I heard the South West Victorian content on the Ballarat & District Genealogical Society website now has a stand alone site.  Entitled “Settlers in the Glenelg & Wannon Region of SW Victoria” there is plenty of information for those with Western District families.  Hosted by Daryl Povey, I have used the site so much in it’s former guise.  Daryl intends to keep expanding it too. Some of what you can find includes:

• Articles
• Maps
• Town Histories
• WW1 Memorials
• Pastoral Runs
• Links, lots of them

I first “met” Daryl through the Rootsweb Western District of Victoria mailing list over 10 years ago and I quickly found he has a vast knowledge of Western Victorian history.  If anyone has a question for the list, Daryl is never far away with an answer.  He has helped me out a number of times.  It is also worth joining the mailing list if you have Western District links.  It doesn’t have as much traffic as it used to, social media has something to do with that, but you will find some wonderful people like Daryl, just an email away willing to help with your queries.

As a result of the changes, the Casterton & District Historical Society now has a new link.  I have updated my Western District Links page with the new sites.

From Stone Country to High Country

If I wasn’t the ggg granddaughter of James Harman, I would be just as happy to be the ggg granddaughter of his brother, Walter.  He broke away from Byaduk farm life to pioneer in the High Country of Victoria at Ensay.

There are many things to like about  researching Walt.  He and wife Lydia Poynton chose beautiful names for their children. They also liked to be photographed and I have been lucky enough to view some of those wonderful snaps. Also, Walt’s obituary was rich with history and is the kind I wish I could find from James Harman’s death.

Walter was born in December 1845 at Melbourn, Cambridgeshire, England to Joseph and Sarah Harman.  It would be unlikely he remembered a time when older brother James, 15 years his senior, lived in the family home.  While in England he would not have had much to do with any of his older brothers as by the time he was 8, four of them had left for Australia.

In 1854,  Walter sailed with his parents, Joseph and Sarah, sister Sarah and younger brother Alfred for Sydney aboard the “Queen of England“.  We now know the family went to Western Victoria and were in Byaduk by 1863.

In 1872, aged 27, Walter married Lydia Poynton, daughter of John Poynton and Lydia Walton. Immigrants from Lincolnshire, England, the Poyntons lived in the Macarthur area. The following year Walter applied to the Lands Board for a license on 300 acres near Macarthur.

In 1879, he applied for the land next door to the earlier allotment, a further 44 acres.

LOCAL LAND BOARD. (1879, June 7). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 - 1953), p. 2 Edition: MORNINGS.. Retrieved February 20, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63398356

Walter and Lydia started their family without haste, with Eunice Walton Harman born the year after their marriage.  Another nine children followed over the next 15 years.

Eunice Walton:  Birth:  1873 at Byaduk; Marriage: 1893 to  Benjamin Miller Lucas;  Death: 1954 at Heathcote Junction, Victoria.

Susannah Nash:  Birth:  1875 at Byaduk; Marriage:  1898 to William Condon;  Death:  1957 at Bairnsdale, Victoria.

Nathan:  Birth: 1878 at  Byaduk; Death:  1892 at Omeo.

Henry: Birth:  1880 at  Byaduk; Marriage:  1922 to  Eva Gertrude Jamison; Death: 1954 at  Bairnsdale, Victoria.

Louisa Mulberry:  Birth:  1881 at Byaduk; Marriage: 1900 to John Phiddian; Death: 1946 at Kyneton, Victoria.

Julia Georgina:  Birth:  1882 at Byaduk;  Marriage:  1915  to  Arthur Frances Lousada;  Death:  1929 at  Malvern, Victoria.

Selina Victoria:   Birth: 1884 at  Byaduk;  Death:  1977 at  Kew, Victoria.

Seth Livingstone:  Birth:  1884 at  Byaduk;  Death: 1892 at Omeo.

Golder Alberta Arlettie:  Birth:  1886 at Byaduk;  Marriage:  1923 to Solomon Kerrison; Death:  1963 at Melbourne.

John Joseph Stanley:  Birth: 1888 at Omeo;  Marriage:  1916 to Daisy Edith Masters;  Death: 1959 at Bairnsdale, Victoria.

This brings us to the wonderful names of the children of Walter and Lydia.  Eunice Walton takes her second name from her maternal grandmother Lydia Walton.  Susannah Nash was named after her maternal aunt Susannah Poynton.  Susannah married John Nash in 1869 but she died in 1875 aged just 34.  That was the same year Susannah Nash Harman was born. Lydia’s other sister Mary, also named her daughter Susannah Adeline Skipworth in the same year as her sister’s death.

My favourite name is Julia Georgina.  Julia is such a beautiful name and it may have come from her older cousin Julia Harman, daughter of James.  Selina Victoria is another of my favourite names.  Louisa Mulberry takes her second name from her paternal grandmother, Sarah Mulberry and John Joseph Stanley was named after his grandfathers, Joseph Harman and John Poynton.  I have absolutely no idea where the name Golder Alberta Arlettie may have come from!

The art of child naming carried on to the next generation, with grandchildren of Walter and Lydia having given names such as Stella Camilla Ina May, Edison Winslow, Harold Ornamen Tennnesyn, Cyril Montrose, Aldith Lorraine, Alban Harcourt, Beryl Maitland, Rodney Raeburn, Wilbur Henry, Athol Elwyn, Winton Harman, Jewel Victoria, Molly Lousada and Gloria Felicity Cambridge.

Just when it seemed Walter was settling into a life in the Western District, around 1888  Walter Harman packed up the family and made the long trip to Ensay in East Gippsland, Victoria’s High Country.  It is the move which  interests me, both the reason for travelling to the other side of the state and how they made the trip of over 600 kilometres, including the route they travelled.  The Ensay district did sound enticing as this article from 1888 suggests:

In Gippsland. (1888, April 7). Australian Town and Country Journal (NSW : 1870 - 1907), p. 44. Retrieved February 20, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71096208

In 1843, Ensay Station consisted of 38,400 acres.  An article from the Bairnsdale Advertiser and Tambo and Omeo Chronicle in 1917 cites the total acreage at Ensay Station at that time as 11,000 acres.  Over time land was sold off to the likes of Walter Harman.

When I started researching the Harmans and I found the first references to Omeo, about 40kms north-west of Ensay, I imagined that Walt and his family went alone.  As my research continued I discovered the Condon family from the marriage record of Susannah Nash Harman and William Condon in 1898.  William was born in Portland in 1870, the son of William Charles Condon and Susan Baker.

(1888, April 28). Australian Town and Country Journal (NSW : 1870 - 1907), p. 33. Retrieved February 19, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page5096395

Later, thanks to newspaper reports of  Henry HARMAN’s court appearances in the trial of Ronald Griggs, I found John Henry CONDON, father of Lottie Condon.  While John was born in Omeo, he was the cousin of William Condon, Susannah Harman’s husband.  Not only that,  John Condon’s wife, Frances Ethel HUGGINS was born at Mount Eccles, near Macarthur in the Western District.  Frances’ mother was a SKIPWORTH, from Macarthur and her grandmother was a POYNTON, sister of Lydia Poynton, Walter Harman’s wife.  That sister, Mary, was also in the area with her husband, Thomas Skipworth. Phew!

Confusing maybe, but it shows five families living in the Omeo/Ensay area all with links to Byaduk/Macarthur and all connected through marriages over three generations.  Oh yes, Mary Poynton’s daughter Lydia Skipworth took along her new husband Andrew BAULCH from Tower Hill, near Warrnambool.  By 1890, his parent James Baulch and Ann Hulm were living at Bairnsdale.

So, the next question was who was the trailblazer that made the first big move to the High Country, or was there a convoy of families making the move at the same time?

Using the years the children were born as a guide, the first family to make the move appears to be Henry Condon, older brother of William Condon with his wife Agnes Huggins, aunt of Frances Ethel Huggins.  Married in 1885, their first child was born at Omeo in 1886.  Agnes’ brother James Huggins and wife Elizabeth Skipworth had a child in Macarthur in 1886 with the next child, Thomas Leslie born in 1888 at Omeo.  This is also the same year John Joseph Stanley Harman was born at Omeo.

The obituary of John Tomlin Poynton, nephew of Lydia, talks of his move to the High Country in 1888 with his brother Edward with yet another family tie in, this time to the Skipworths.

PASSED AWAY. (1943, July 19). Gippsland Times (Vic. : 1861 - 1954), p. 1. Retrieved February 14, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63255330

From 1886 to 1888 a  stream of Condons, Poyntons, Huggins, Skipworths and Harmans left the stone country for the high country.

Walter, with help from Lydia, worked quickly to establish a Sunday school at Ensay and they were a major force behind a State school being opened in the town.  In1890, Walter was one of the first trustees of the Ensay Public Cemetery.  The name of the Harman property at Ensay was “Systonholme”.  This name paid  tribute to Lydia’s birth place, Syston, Lincolnshire, England.

Like his brother James, Walter was a lay preacher for the Methodist Church and would travel by horseback spreading the word of John Wesley.

In 1892, tragedy struck the Harmans in quick succession.  Seth died in July aged 7 and Nathan passed away in August aged 13.  The boys were buried at the Omeo cemetery.  Their death certificates are just another two on my long list of “must get” certificates, to see how the boys died so close together, although one would assume it was illness.

I love this photo of  Walt and Lydia.  Despite the stiffness and lack of emotion of early photographs, there is a warmth here with the two seeming very comfortable in each others company.  They were a team and this is clear from the photo.  I would like to thank Linda Thatcher for allowing me to use this wonderful photograph.

Walt and Lydia Harman (photo courtesy of Linda Thatcher)

In Walter and Lydia’s later years, they moved into “town”, taking up residence in the Melbourne suburb of Malvern.  In 1923, they were living at 11 Jordan Street with their house named “Systonholme” , a reminder of Ensay. Daughter Selina was living with them and Julia and her husband Arthur Lousada moved from their home in Toorak to 113 Tooronga Road Malvern, only two streets from her parents.

In 1926, Lydia passed away at the age of 79.  Walter had lost his beloved wife, the woman with whom he had  pioneered and raised 10 children.  A  family notice was placed in “The Argus” at the time of her death:

Family Notices. (1926, September 11). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956), p. 17. Retrieved February 20, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3808510

In 1928, two years after Lydia’s death, Walter and daughter Selina placed an “In Memoriam” notice in “The Argus” and the pain was still clear.

Family Notices. (1928, September 15). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956), p. 13. Retrieved February 20, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3957034

Faced with life without Lydia, Walter  returned to live at Ensay, his other great love.  On October 22, 1936 Walter passed away at “Systonholme” Ensay.

Family Notices. (1936, October 23). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956), p. 1. Retrieved February 20, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11928521

His obituary from the “Gippsland Times” is a fitting tribute to such a wonderful pioneer who gave so much to his local community, while ensuring a comfortable life for his family.

PASSING OF AN EARLY PIONEER. (1936, November 5). Gippsland Times (Vic. : 1861 - 1954), p. 3. Retrieved February 14, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article62986267

As yet I have not found an obituary for James Harman but the words written of Walter may give a clue to James himself…”his sterling Christian character, his genial personality, and his extreme kindness to all whom he met”.  There are many similarities between James and Walter, despite their age difference and the fact the lived on opposite sides of Victoria including their devotion to the Methodist Church and their community involvement.  Both brothers played a role in establishing schools in their respective towns.  The obituary also reconfirmed the Harman’s journey from N.S.W. on arrival in Australia to Port Fairy and then Byaduk.

While Walter Harman is  remembered as an Ensay pioneer, he also lived in Byaduk and district for 25 years from the age of 18 to 43, which one could describe as his “formative years”. There was plenty of time for the characteristics, passions and wisdom of his brothers to rub off.

Back to Hamilton February 24, 1923

After months of planning, Saturday February 24, 1923 was the first day of the “Back to Hamilton” celebrations, an event which ran until the following Sunday, March 3.

"BACK TO HAMILTON.". (1923, February 19). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 - 1953), p. 2 Edition: EVENING.. Retrieved February 21, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64101957

A variety of activities were planned including band recitals, back to school visits, ancient and modern dance socials and terrier coursing.

Visits to beauty spots around Hamilton were a feature as were “picture entertainments” .  I wonder if that included films of “Beauty Spots” as proposed in the following article.  Such a film was discussed during a meeting of the National Roads Association who were looking at development of roads through the Grampians to enhance tourism .  It was thought that a  film would be a way to show off the area and reinforce that good roads were necessary throughout the Grampians.  It was suggested the film be screened during the “Back to Hamilton” celebrations.

Roads to Grampians. (1923, January 30). The Horsham Times (Vic. : 1882 - 1954), p. 3. Retrieved February 23, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article72743674

Over the first weekend, Hamilton was full and visitors were enjoying the celebrations in fine weather.

BACK TO HAMILTON. (1923, February 26). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 - 1953), p. 2 Edition: EVENING.. Retrieved February 21, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64101997

Many visitors arrived by train and were welcomed by bands playing “Home, Sweet Home”

"BACK TO HAMILTON.". (1923, February 27). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956), p. 11. Retrieved February 23, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1879114

Crowds gathered in the Hamilton Botanic Gardens to listen to band recitals in the bandstand on Sunday February 25.  On the following Tuesday, children gathered in the gardens for sports.

BANDSTAND, HAMILTON BOTANIC GARDENS

Councillor Noske spoke to the gathering declaring “Hamilton was destined to become a great town” and the council’s focus was on closer settlement.  A parade was held on the Tuesday afternoon which included Thomas Cawker of Casterton driving a four-in-hand coach, old pioneers his passengers.

Back to Hamilton. (1923, February 28). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956), p. 14. Retrieved February 23, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1879269

The “Back to Hamilton” was a roaring success, with a profit of £189/11/9.  A very healthy sum for an event which one would imagine was not for profit.  I wonder where the money ended up?

Miscellaneous. (1923, April 9). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 - 1953), p. 3 Edition: EVENING.. Retrieved February 23, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64102283

It was during the following year, 1924, when a committee  formed to organize a “Back to Horsham”, gave some clue how such a big profit came about.  While a similar event in Stawell was mostly subsidized,  Hamilton visitors were charged for many events, including a trip to a dry Wannon Falls.

Back to Horsham. (1924, August 5). The Horsham Times (Vic. : 1882 - 1954), p. 3. Retrieved February 23, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article72749147

A Memorial Coincidence

Eight years ago, almost to the day, we decided to visit the newly opened Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial in Ballarat.  My great-uncle Bill Hadden was a POW in Changi and I wanted to find his name.

It was a warm evening and I was about 8½ months pregnant and apart from another couple browsing through the names, we were the only ones there.  We walked along the row, found Uncle Bill’s name then continued to the end.  As we made the return trip, I noticed the couple had stopped near Uncle Bill’s name.  As I paused nearby for a last tribute, I overheard the couple talking.  They looked puzzled saying they couldn’t see a Bill or a William.  They were pointing right at the list of Haddens on the memorial.  I realized they were talking about Bill Hadden and I immediately understood their predicament.  Uncle Bill’s real name was Thomas Horace Hadden, not William as many people over the years probably thought.

I asked the couple if they were looking for Bill Hadden and they were.  I explained he was the T.H.Hadden on the memorial.

Who were these people?  I certainly didn’t recognize them as cousins.  As it turned out, the lady was a daughter of one of the men incarcerated with Uncle Bill in Changi and he had even attended her wedding.  They were en route from Birchip to Melbourne and thought they would drop in at the memorial to look for her father’s name.  Unbelievable.  To think they were there at the same time I was.  Also if I hadn’t been there at that time, they would left wondering why Bill Hadden’s name was not on the memorial.

STOP PRESS!. (1942, February 16). Cairns Post (Qld. : 1909 - 1954), p. 5. Retrieved February 15, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article42332207

This is a pertinent time to remember that visit eight years ago.  On February 15, 1942,  70 years ago, Singapore fell to the Japanese and Bill Hadden of the 2/13th Australian General Hospital was taken prisoner. In the days after he would walk through the gates of Changi prison.

MORE NAMES OF AUSTRALIAN POW's AT SINGAPORE. (1945, September 14). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956), p. 2. Retrieved February 15, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article975785

In Malaya prior to the capture, Uncle Bill wrote a letter home to his great-aunt Henrietta Harman of Byaduk.  Answering the call of the Australian Women’s Weekly, Henrietta sent the letter into the Weekly with it published on January 31, 1942.

LETTERS FROM OUR BOYS. (1942, January 31). The Australian Women's Weekly (1933 - 1982), p. 2. Retrieved February 15, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47812486

This is a wonderful insight into the lead up to the events of 70 years ago today.  How could Uncle Bill ever imagine at that time the “…greater hardships before it is over” would  be 3½ years in Changi prison.  It has also give me a small glimpse of Henrietta’s life.  Even though I did not know her, I never would have picked her as a “Women’s Weekly” reader.  Maybe it was the incentive of a £1 prize for all letters printed.

May we also remember at this time the brave nurses of the 2/13th AGH,  evacuated from Singapore just prior to the fall.  In particular, those nurses on board the ill-fated “Vyner Brooke” .  The ship was attacked from the air on February 14, 1942.  Survivors found themselves on Radji beach, Banka Island.  They were discovered by Japanese troops who walked 22 Australian nurses and one female English civilian into the sea and shot them.  One nurse,Sister Vivian Bullwinkel survived and would herself become a P.O.W.

 them

Australian nurses who were POW's

I grew up familiar with the name Sister Vivian Bullwinkel.  On Anzac Day, as we watched the march on T.V., Nana would proudly tell me Uncle Bill knew Vivian Bullwinkle during the war.  It was not until I was older that I gradually became aware of her heroics and the horrific acts she saw.

I also grew up familiar with the name “Changi,” again because Nana would talk of Uncle Bill being in “Changi” during the war.  It probably was not until Uncle Bill, Nana and their two sisters Rose and Alma visited Singapore and the infamous prison, that I had any inkling of what it really was.

Uncle Bill & sisters on their Singapore trip.

As I have read more, I have learned more of  the existence of Uncle Bill’s and thousands of other Australians during that time.  I now know why Nana was so proud of her brother “Billy”.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

I have only touched on the sinking of the “Vyner Brooke” and the events on Banka Island.  Through the Australian War Memorial’s Twitter feed (@AWMemorial) I found a link to the items in War Memorial’s collection which relate to the “Vyner Brooke”.  They can be found at http://tinyurl.com/88qw486.  It is sad scrolling through the photos of fresh-faced young women newly enlisted and thinking they never came home.

An article from the Sydney Morning Herald of September 18, 1945 tells the story of Banka Island through the words of Sister Vivian Bullwinkle.

The Australian War Memorial also have pages for The Sinking of the Vyner Brooke and Vivian Bullwinkel

In The News – February 8 – February 13, 1901

I have an interest in the weather, not just today or on the weekend,  but also historically.  I  participated in Melbourne University’s Climate History newspaper tagging project which involved tagging newspaper articles at Trove  which reported weather events.  This was an  interesting exercise and what did became obvious was the cyclical nature of the weather.  If it has happened before it will happen again, droughts, floods and storms.

Taking it further, I also have an interest in how such weather events effected my ancestors. That is why the Victorian bushfires of 1901 are of interest.  The weather was very similar to two days in my lifetime,  Ash Wednesday February 16, 1983 and  Black Saturday February 7, 2010 and in each case, fires spread across Victoria.  When I look at the  Department of Sustainability Bushfire history of Victoria, I am surprised the fires of 1901 are not mentioned.

The first reports came through on February 8, 1901 of the destruction.  The following article from The Argus describes the weather of February 7, 1901.  The descriptive language used takes the reader to that day.  The heat was oppressive, the wind was strong and dust storms crossed the state, causing an unnatural darkness.

HEAT AND GALES. (1901, February 8). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956), p. 5. Retrieved January 29, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10533956

Fires had sprung up in the Western District.  Early reports from Branxholme were tragic with one death, stock killed and houses lost.  I have family links with three of the families who lost their homes, the Millers, Storers and Addinsalls.  George Miller, a racehorse trainer, lost his house and stables and no doubt his horses.

HEAT AND GALES. (1901, February 8). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956), p. 5. Retrieved January 29, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10533956

The two-day race meeting at Ararat was held under stifling conditions.   A fire started at the course on the second day and horses were burnt.  Later the wind picked up and ripped iron off the grandstand roof, sending the ladies within running for shelter.

HEAT AND GALES. (1901, February 8). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956), p. 5. Retrieved January 29, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10533956

Fires spread across Victoria including Warrnambool, Alexandra, Wangaratta, Buninyong, Yea and Castlemaine

DESTRUCTIVE BUSH FIRES IN VICTORIA. (1901, February 8). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 6. Retrieved January 30, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article14337694

Reading the following article about the fires at Byaduk , it really hit home how my Harman and Bishop families may have been impacted.  Even if they were lucky enought not to lose their homes, the scenes would have been unforgettable.

TERRIBLE BUSH FIRES. (1901, February 9). The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931), p. 7. Retrieved February 7, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4818069

In 1901, my great-grandmother Sarah Elizabeth Harman, gg grandfather Reuben James Harman and his parents James Harman and Susan Read were all living at Byaduk.  Not to mention various gg uncles and aunts and cousins, both Bishops and Harmans.  I wonder how they coped.  Did 18 year old Sarah take refuge in a dam or creek with her Grandmother Susan?  Was 70 year James Harman still fit enough to help fight the fires?  These are questions that I will never know the answer to. All I know is they were lucky enough to escape with their lives.

DESTRUCTIVE BUSH FIRES. (1901, February 9). Bathurst Free Press and Mining Journal (NSW : 1851 - 1904), p. 2. Retrieved February 7, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64452557

The Australian Town and Country Journal accounts for 10 homes lost at Byaduk.  The Free Presbyterian Church was lost and the hotel caught alight but it seems it was saved.  The homestead of Richard Thomas Carty at “Brisbane Hill”, a large property at Byaduk, was destroyed.  The Cartys rebuilt and the replacement homestead “Dunroe” still stands.

THE VICTORIAN BUSH FIRES. (1901, February 23). Australian Town and Country Journal (NSW : 1870 - 1907), p. 38. Retrieved February 7, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71463761

This photograph gives us some idea of the devastation.

THE VICTORIAN BUSH FIRES. (1901, February 23). Australian Town and Country Journal (NSW : 1870 - 1907), p. 38. Retrieved February 7, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71463761

Portland was also under threat with fire circling the town.  The fire did not stop until it met the sea.

VICTORIAN BUSH FIRES. (1901, February 11). The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931), p. 5. Retrieved February 7, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4818536

Buninyong near Ballarat was one of the worst areas hit as was Euroa and district.

BUSH FIRES IN VICTORIA. (1901, February 9). The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), p. 3. Retrieved February 7, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23853766

THE VICTORIAN BUSH FIRES. (1901, February 23). Australian Town and Country Journal (NSW : 1870 - 1907), p. 38. Retrieved February 7, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71463761

By January 11, aid for the homeless was on the agenda and at  Branxholme a public meeting was held to discuss such matters.  Authorities discovered the fire near Branxholme, which was possibly the same fire that hit Byaduk, was started by a travelling tinsmith fixing a trough at Ardachy Estate.

THE BUSH FIRES. (1901, February 11). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956), p. 5. Retrieved February 7, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10534297

Nearby Macarthur also had losses as did Princetown on the south coast.  At Timboon, bullock teams from the local sawmill were lost.

FIRES IN VICTORIA. (1901, February 12). South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), p. 6. Retrieved February 7, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article54558042

The fire was so strong and relentless that old residents were drawing comparisons to Black Thursday of 1851.

TELEGRAPHIC. (1901, February 12). Kalgoorlie Western Argus (WA : 1896 - 1916), p. 32. Retrieved February 7, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article32205605

Today and for the past few days, the temperature has struggled to reach 20 degrees. Three years ago the temperature was more than twice that.  The weather will be like today during future summers, but I also know there will be days again like February 7, 1901, February 16, 1983 and February 7, 2009.  It is the nature of the weather.  Let us hope the devastation of each of these past events are never repeated.

What the Dickens?

Today marks 200 years since the birth of writer Charles Dickens.  Growing up in Hamilton in the 1970s and 80s my limited diet of Dickens consisted of a production of “Oliver” circa 1978 by the local theatre group and repeats of an old version of “A Christmas Carol” on one of the two TV channels. Oh, and there was a street in Hamilton called Dickens Street, presumably named after Charles himself.    As there is a Burns, Tennyson, Shakespeare, Byron and Chaucer Street in Hamilton, it made sense to think Dickens Street was part of the theme the early town leaders had  happening.  Or did it?  Those other guys are poets anyway.

Having missed a copy of the first edition of a book by Hamilton researcher John McKay in 2007,  The Streets of Hamilton , Western Victoria,  Australia: A History of the People behind the Names, which had a limited print run, I was lucky enough to have Dad snare a copy of the revised 2nd edition in 2009.  It is a terrific book, and as I am familiar with all the street names, it was interesting to read who the streets were named after, with some surprises.

The biggest of those was that Dickens Street, Hamilton was not named after Charles Dickens, rather his son Alfred D’Orsay Tennyson Dickens.  Why?  Because he lived in Hamilton? What?  The son of one of the world’s most famous novelists could not have lived in Hamilton, my hometown Hamilton, a million miles from the world of Charles Dickens.

Unbelievable but true.  In fact, I find it a little mind-boggling that Alfred Dickens walked the streets of Hamilton 100 years before I did.

Alfred came to be in Australia as his father has sent him off to make his fortune, just as he did with his youngest son Edward Bulwer Lytton Dickens (aka “Plorn”), who lived in New South Wales.

UNLUCKY PLORN DICKENS. (1939, November 4). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 13. Retrieved February 6, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-

Alfred’s travels led him to Hamilton where he set up an auctioneering business with Robert Stapylton Bree known as Bree, Dickens and Co.  They were in partnership from 1875-1882.

John McKay mentions a property at 82 Collins Street, Hamilton  which Alfred rented before building his own home next door.  The house is very familiar to me and I have been along the street  many times, so to think that the son of Dickens lived there is almost unbelievable.

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It was an accident which claimed the life of his wife, Jessie Devlin, that saw Alfred Dickens leave Hamilton.

(1878, December 23). The South Australian Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1858 - 1889), p. 5. Retrieved February 6, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page2115990

Alfred packed up his two daughters and went to Melbourne.  He was known for his elocution skills and he began giving lectures on his father’s works.  It was on a trip to New York as  part of a speaking tour to England and the U.S. that Alfred died.

MR. ALFRED T. DICKENS. (1912, January 4). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956), p. 7. Retrieved February 6, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11643665

First Issue, August 20, 1842. (1912, January 5). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 - 1953), p. 2 Edition: EVENING. Retrieved February 6, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63999947

I feel a bit ripped off that it took so long to find out about Hamilton’s brush with Charles Dickens.  But I feel I am not alone.  There would not be many people who either live or have lived in Hamilton that  would know the story of Alfred, except for local historians and those who have read John McKay’s book, of course.  Maybe we would know more of him if he had lived out his years in Hamilton, which it appeared he was preparing to do when Jessie met her death.  So on this day, the birthday of Charles Dickens, let us also remember Alfred and his time in the Western District.

St Stephen’s Church, Portland

During our recent trip to Portland, while the fish were biting, I managed to sneak away for a walk around the town of Portland.

One building I visited was St Stephen’s Anglican Church on the corner of  Julia and Percy Streets.

St Stephens Church Portland

The foundation stone was laid on March 24, 1855.

St Stephens Church Foundation Stone

The Portland Guardian and Normanby General Advertiser reported on the laying of the foundation stone.

Local Intelligence. (1855, March 26). Portland Guardian and Normanby General Advertiser (Vic. : 1842 - 1876), p. 2 Edition: EVENING. Retrieved February 3, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71571938

I wonder if the reporter still had a job after overlooking the lunch that followed the ceremony.

I was impressed that the organisers of the day were able to secure Lieutenant Governor of the Colony, Sir Charles Hotham for the event.  However, after reading some articles about Hotham at Trove, and fitting the Portland visit into his timeline, I realised then he probably was trying to get as far away from Melbourne as possible.  The heat was on.  I would also imagine the Henty brothers’ connection to the church may have also been a factor.  Incidentally, Hotham was dead by the year’s end, having caught a chill, which exacerbated his already failing health.  This extract was published in the Empire (Sydney 1850-1875) on the same day as the report on the foundation stone ceremony and the tone is similar to other reports on Hotham at the time.

VICTORIA,. (1855, March 26). Empire (Sydney, NSW : 1850 - 1875), p. 5. Retrieved February 3, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article60180148

Despite the church receiving a bell in 1864 from Stephen Henty, it was not until 1907 that the bell was hung.

St. Stephens' Church Bell. (1907, July 5). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 - 1953), p. 3 Edition: EVENING. Retrieved February 3, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63966019

Some histories of the bell may tell a different story of the bell’s origins as local historian Noel F. Learmonth had to admit in his article of October 29, 1951.  After reconfirming the story from 1907 article, he went on to say:

ST. STEPHEN'S BELL. (1951, October 29). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 - 1953), p. 4 Edition: MIDDAY.. Retrieved February 3, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64429927

Entrance of St Stephen's Church, Portland

A SHORT HISTORY OF ST STEPHEN'S CHURCH FROM 1869 TO THE PRESENT DAY. (1943, August 30). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 - 1953), p. 4 Edition: EVENING. Retrieved February 3, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64386337

I wish I had read this article before I visited.  I would have like to have seen Stephen Henty’s stained glass window.

Interior of St Stephen's Church

The organ on the wall of the altar has been in place since 1882.

In 1953, the church celebrated its 97th anniversary.  The Portland Guardian of May 14, reported on the event and included an extract from one of Noel Learmonth’s books  “The Portland Bay Settlement”.  A nice touch was when the congregation sang “Happy Birthday” to the church.

St. Stephen's Church 97th Anniversary celebrated. (1953, May 14). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 - 1953), p. 3 Edition: MIDDAY. Retrieved February 3, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64434755

If you are interested in more history of the St Stephen’s Church, an article from the Portland Guardian of August 30, 1943, “A Short History of St Stephen’s Church from 1869 to Present Day” is worth a look.  It also includes a list of the 1943 members of the Ladies Guild.

Sarah Harman – From Country to City

I knew all about the brothers of Sarah Harman before I knew anything of her other than she travelled to Sydney with her parents Joseph and Sarah Harman aboard the “Queen of England” in 1855.  Finally I decided the time had come to find out more about Sarah.

I quickly discovered she had married George Adams in 1885 and they had one daughter in 1886.  For some time I thought that was Sarah’s story.  It was while searching the Victorian Pioneer Index 1836-1888 using only “Harman” in the “Mother’s name” field,  that I realised there was more to Sarah than I first thought. I have found this method of searching to be very successful over the years and has unearthed many unknown children and marriages of  the females on my tree.

In the index I found children born at Byaduk to Sarah Harman and a Walter Oakley.  I then found the marriage of Sarah to Walter Oakley in 1864.  Suddenly, Sarah had five children and not one and another spouse.  Sarah’s story had become very different.

Sarah Harman was the only daughter of Joseph and Sarah Harman to come to Australia and she was eldest of the children to travel with them.  Sarah was born in Melbourn, Cambridgeshire in 1843 and was 12 when she immigrated on the “Queen of England“.

The Harman family arrived in Byaduk around 1863 and by then Sarah would have been 20.  The following year she married Walter Oakley, son of  Henry Oakley and Susan Bullock.  Walter had family links to Port Fairy and Sarah may well have met him during the time the Harmans spent in the town.

The children of Sarah and Walter were:

SUSAN – Born 1865, Byaduk; Marriage Robert Warwick Cruikshank, Birchip 1892; Death 1949, Wangaratta, Victoria

JOSEPH HARMAN – Born 1867, Byaduk;  Marriage Annie Margaret Simpson, 1891; Death 1957,  Blackburn.

HENRY – Born  1868, Yambuk

ALFRED JAMES – Born 1870; Marriage Kathleen Maud Hodgson, 1910; Death 1951,  Stawell.

To this point it would seem that Sarah was going to live life similar to her older brothers, living in Byaduk and raising a family.  However for Sarah there was a turning point.  Sometime between the birth of Alfred in 1870 and 1884, something happened to Walter Oakley.  What, I am not sure.  I have never found a death record.  He just seemed to disappear.

One of the great things about writing a blog, is you get to meet people with similar research interests.  After my post A Small find at the Vic Expo, I heard from Brad who is a Oakley descendant.  He told me of the family story that Walter had disappeared while on a trip delivering live horses to India.  While this a family story, it is not outside the realm of possibility.

Thousands of horses left Australian shores for India during the mid half of the 19th century and naturally there were perils.  This is an incredibly interesting part of our history which led to Australia’s own breed of  horse, the Waler.  The story of live horse export in Victoria is worthy of  its own post at another time.  I like the idea that this is how Walter met is demise, a tragic but romantic end.  Whatever happened, he was gone and Sarah was alone.

Have you found the marriage record of a family member and wondered how on earth did he/she meet that girl/guy?  Sarah’s marriage to George Adams, is one such occasion.  How did Sarah from Byaduk, meet George from Melbourne, 12 years her senior, in the 1880s.  Certainly not online dating!

In the last day or so since I started writing this post, I have added Kerryn Taylor to my circles at Google+.  She is a descendant of  George Adams and Catherine Barry and  told me George’s father Edward was living in Cambridgeshire when the Harmans were still in Melbourn.  The 1851 England Census lists him living at Bassingbourn, just down the road.  Maybe this link to the old country is the reason why George was in Byaduk and in the life of Sarah Harman.

Who was George Adams?  He was born in Essex, England in 1831 and immigrated to Western Australia  around 1852.  He married Irish girl, Catherine Barry in 1853 in Western Australia.  After the birth of one child, they headed east for Melbourne, where a further six children were born.  Two more children were born in Western Australia in 1868 and 1870.

I pick them up next in 1884.  Catherine passed away in Parkville on May 4.  George is listed as a builder and contractor.

Family Notices. (1884, May 14). Illustrated Australian News (Melbourne, Vic. : 1876 - 1889), p. 78. Retrieved January 19, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63184969

The next record of George is the following year, 1885, with his marriage to Sarah Harman.   Not a lot of time elapsed between the death of Catherine and his remarriage, but that was not that unusual.

One child was born from the marriage of George and Sarah.  Sarah was around 42 at the time of the birth.

SARAH SELINA (“Sadie”) – Born 1886 at Kensington;  Marriage Harold Charles STONE, 1915; Death 1977 at Kew.

While it seems that George and Sarah returned to the city, in 1888, George had a listing at Byaduk in that year’s Victorian Post Office Directory, his occupation listed as builder.   He may have kept his work options open. It may also be why George was in the Byaduk area to start with, to build something.

In 1921, George passed away.  He was  91.  The first family notice to appear was from Sarah and “Sadie”.

Family Notices. (1921, January 18). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956), p. 1. Retrieved January 31, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1733023

The following day a notice appeared from the children of George’s first marriage to Catherine Barry.

Family Notices. (1921, January 19). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956), p. 1. Retrieved January 31, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1733152

Then three days later another, more detailed family notice  presumably again from George and Catherine’s children, but unlike the first it gives the instructions to copy to the Hamilton papers as in the first notice from Sarah and “Sadie”

Family Notices. (1921, January 22). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956), p. 11. Retrieved January 31, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1733627

Are we beginning to see some tension between Sarah and her step children?

George’s Will gives some sign that his children from his first marriage may not have played a big part in his life during his second marriage.  Firstly, Sarah’s son Joseph Harman Oakley and son-in-law, Harold Stone, husband of “Sadie” were executors of the Will.  Sarah was to receive all the household furniture, ornaments and the like as well as all George’s property in his estate.  Upon Sarah’s death, everything was to be sold and distributed as George had nominated.  Aside from his oldest son Edward who was to receive £75, all of his living children from his first marriage were to receive only £20 each.   On the other hand, “Sadie” was to receive the balance of the estate, which sounded as though it would be quiet a considerable sum.

Sarah passed away 10 years later in 1931.  She was 87.  Or was she?  According to her death notice she was in her 90th year.  Her cemetery record lists her as 89.  Her birth record on the England and Wales, Free BMD Birth Index lists her birth in 1843.  The 1851 census has her at seven and as her birth was registered in the last quarter of 1843, this would mean she was turning eight in the year of her census.  The Assisted Immigrants Index lists her age as 12 in 1855, which again fits.  In A Life Cut Short, I posted an article from September 1929 which has Sarah’s age at 85.  Again, if Sarah’s birthday was in the last quarter, this also fits.  I would assume the information for the article came from her brothers.  With 1843 looking like the correct birth year, Sarah should have been 87 at the time of her death, her 88th year, almost 89th but certainly not 90th.  Poor Sarah, what woman would want two years added to her age!

Family Notices. (1931, July 4). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956), p. 15. Retrieved January 31, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4406027

Both Sarah and George are buried at the Fawkner cemetery.

There is something about Sarah’s story that attracted my attention.  Her address at 5 Brixton Street, Flemington. My first thoughts of Flemington are, of course, of the famous racecourse but having driven through the area several times, it also the historic feel of the suburb that comes to mind.  Also, not far away were the Newmarket Saleyards, the City Abbatoir and the Melbourne Showgrounds.  Racing stables were in back lanes and cattle would be herded through the streets en route to the saleyards.  Sarah would only have to step out onto Brixton street for a reminder of country life, horses being led to the track, cattle mooing, drovers’ dogs barking and the smell, well it was bad.

DUST, FLIES, SMELLS, AND NOISES. (1935, August 9). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956), p. 3. Retrieved February 2, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11756155

The Australian Electoral Roll (1903-1980) shows George and Sarah living at 5 Brixton Street in Flemington in 1903.  George died in the house and Sarah lived there after his death.  I like that when Sadie married Harold Stone, they moved into 7 Brixton Street next door and some stage Sarah, in her later years, moved in with “Sadie”.  In the same year as Sarah’s death, her son Joseph Oakley is listed at 5 Brixton Street in the Australian Electoral Rolls (1903-1980).

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Google Street View, points to the painted terrace with the fence as 5 Brixton street.  I’m always a bit wary of where the place the marker lands. If only I could see the street numbers.  I have not been to the house myself but it is on my “to do” list.  Only a couple of months ago I was only about one kilometre away, but with a grumpy driver and child from a day out in the city, I didn’t think they would have appreciated being dragged off course to look at yet another house.  Also the grumpy driver thinks one day we will be arrested  photographing strangers’ houses.  Back to Street View, if you pan around the street, you will see what I mean about the ambiance of the suburb.

Having read George’s Will, it reveals he did own a number of properties, so he may have owned 7 Brixton street, Sadie’s house, also.  In fact he may have owned the entire terrace.  Being a builder, he may have even built the terrace.  As this extract shows, in 1885 land was being offered for sale in Brixton Street.

UNDER THE HAMMER. (1885, February 20). North Melbourne Advertiser (Vic. : 1873 - 1894), p. 3. Retrieved February 1, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66154356

The Will states that Sarah was to receive “the rents and income which may arise and be derived from my lands and tenements and from all property in my estate…”.  Also if  “she shall so desire to permit her to reside in any of my messauges or tenements”.  Electoral rolls also listed George has having lived by “Independent means”, so he must have lived off the rent of his properties.  Secretly I used to hope that it meant he was an SP bookie, living so close to the track and all!

So ends Sarah Harman’s story.  A woman who looked set for a life like that of her sister in-laws, a farming wife in a small country town, surrounded by her family including her brothers, nieces and nephews.  A twist of fate would see her live 50 years of her life in the growing city of Melbourne, away from her brothers, but I’m sure never far from their hearts and minds.

If anyone is interested in more information on George Adams, I have found a website with a very good story of him at Adams Generations.

William Hadden – Wealth for Toil – Australia Day 2012

I have made it just in time for in the Australia Day 2012 blog post.  Thanks to Shelly at Twigs of Yore, geneabloggers have the chance to share the occupation of an ancestor while considering the line “wealth for toil” from “Advance Australia Fair”.  The requirements are:

To participate, choose someone who lived in Australia (preferably one of your ancestors) and tell us how they toiled. Your post should include:

1. What was their occupation?
2. What information do you have about the individual’s work, or about the occupation in general?
3. The story of the person, focusing on their occupation; or
   The story of the occupation, using the person as an example.

I love occupations.  The  first thing I look at on a census or electoral roll is my relative’s line of work.  Maybe it is just because I’m hoping for something other than a farmer.  So I jumped at the chance to share an occupation.   Of course I have plenty of farmers and large number of butchers, including my grandfather and two great grandfathers.  But they didn’t cut it for me.

Who were workers that fitted the “toil” definition?  I have already done a post on Jim Bishop, the drover who I do believe toiled against the elements and probably for little reward.  One definition of “toil” is to labour continuously.  Taking that into account there could be no other person to write about than station hand William Hadden, my gg grandfather.

William Hadden did not make monetary riches from his work, but he had the wealth of his family on whom his work depended and the knowledge that he was putting food on the table.

William was born in Haddington, East Lothian,  Scotland and immigrated with his parents, Charles and Agnes on the Marco Polo in 1854.  William would have been around 17 when he went to work at nearby Mokanger station with his father Charles.  That was the beginning of a love affair with the land and in particular Mokanger.

In 1870, he married Mokanger servant, Mary Mortimer at the station. They also lived at Mokanger and children were born there.  Mokanger was their life.  Except for Sundays, the day of rest.  That was the time to attend St John’s Presbyterian church at Cavendish, Williams other passion.

While sheep station work can be seasonal, William most likely had an ongoing job.  There is always plenty to do on a sheep property.  Lambing, marking lambs, shearing sheep, crutching sheep and dipping sheep!   Also at Mokanger, William’s father Charles Hadden worked as a boundary rider and father in law, James Mortimer was a ploughman, just two further examples of jobs on a large station.

William loved his work at Mokanger station so much, he was there into his eighties.  I am not sure if he was still in paid employment then, but he was there overseeing the dipping and crutching.  I think that qualifies as having toiled.

William’s value of hard work  and love of the land, was passed to his children, along with his quiet, unassuming nature.  Son John, also worked at Mokanger,  James worked at  Mt Sturgeon station and Henry worked at Mooralla station as a boundary rider.

My favourite story of fourth son, my great grandfather Thomas Hadden relates to work. Each Sunday during the 1920′s and 30′s, my great grandmother Sarah, would pack a week’s worth of food in a tin for Thomas to take away working on the roads.  This must have been incredibly hard work and having to leave the family for a week at a time, must have made it harder.  Likewise, Thomas and Sarah’s children, including my Nana, portrayed the same values and ethics as the Haddens before them.

Thomas Hadden, son of William Hadden

William Hadden was happy to work for a wage for so many years, but as I have mentioned, it put food on the table.  He was an honorable servant to the owners of Mokanger, first the Chirnside brothers and then the Gardiner family.

As long as I can remember, I have considered the hard-working  trait displayed by the Hadden family to be thanks to their Scottish heritage, something they were proud of.  I don’t know why that is but the following is an excerpt from an article on St Andrew’s Day, 1922, which supports my theory.

ST. ANDREW'S DAY. (1922, November 30). The Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 - 1929), p. 6. Retrieved January 26, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63739163

William Hadden probably enjoyed “Advance Australia Fair” penned by a Scot, P. J. McCormick.  Happy Australia Day!

Advance Australia Fair!. (1938, January 26). The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1954), p. 1. Retrieved January 26, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2451050

A Tragic Night – January 24, 1882

Late on January 24, 1882, Mrs Ellen Gamble of Colac was lonely.  Calling at her son’s home, a few doors from her own cottage, she tried to persuade him to drink rum with her.  He refused, so she suggested her six year old granddaughter, Mary Ann,  go home with her for company.  Thankfully, the child was already asleep and her mother refused.  Ellen returned to her empty home and continued to drink.  Her husband lived elsewhere in the town, probably because of her intemperance. At some point in the late hours of the day, an incident occurred, most likely involving a candle, which would see her small weatherboard cottage quickly go up in flames.  After the fire was doused, little remained.  That night my ggg grandmother made the news.  It may not have been the first time, but it would be the last.

A WOMAN BURNT TO DEATH. (1882, January 26). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956), p. 8. Retrieved January 19, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11530343

ACCIDENTS AND OFFENCES. (1882, February 22). Illustrated Australian News (Melbourne, Vic. : 1876 - 1889), p. 22. Retrieved January 23, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63185567

How did a woman, in her late 50s and mother of seven come to live this seemingly lonely, drunken existence?

Ellen Barry was born in Ireland around 1823, the daughter of Edward Barry and Johanna Gould.  It was some time before I had any leads on her arrival in Australia, but I knew it was early as I had found her marriage in 1844 to Thomas Gamble.  Thanks to the website Came to Port Phillip by 1847, I was able to find out more not only of her arrival, but her character.

There are three “Ellen Barrys” listed on the site.  One is a 17 year old from Tipperary, Ireland arriving  in December 1840 aboard the “Orient” with her older sister Mary.  I decided to trace Mary Barry and found her marriage to Robert Walker in 1841, time spent in Colac in 1852 and her death in 1905. Her parents were recorded as Edward Barry and Johanna Gould.  Through Mary, I had found my Ellen.

The girls were bounty passengers. Something that made me think I had found the right girls was a report on the voyage.  Mary, 19, and a group of up to 20 girls were disruptive during the trip and Mary’s bounty was withheld from the immigration agent, Mr Marshall.  Allegations included them causing problems among the married couples and distracting the crew from their work.  One can only imagine the behavior they were engaging in.

Port Phillip. (1841, January 21). Australasian Chronicle (Sydney, NSW : 1839 - 1843), p. 2. Retrieved January 24, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article31730577

Bawdy Irish girls where not the only cargo on the ship making the news.  A pipe organ for St Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney was a much anticipated arrival, as reported in the “Australian Chronicle” (Sydney 1839-1849) on January 26, 1841. Sadly too, it came to a fiery end in 1865 when the Cathedral was destroyed by fire, as reported in the “Maitland Mercury & Hunter River General Advertiser” on July 1, 1865.

DESTRUCTION OF ST. MARY'S CATHEDRAL, IN SYDNEY, BY FIRE. (1865, July 1). The Maitland Mercury & Hunter River General Advertiser (NSW : 1843 - 1893), p. 3. Retrieved January 24, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18696838

Also on board was a pure bred Durham bull imported by none other than immigration agent, Mr Marshall.  It appears to have been better cared for than the  human cargo.

Port Phillip. (1841, January 4). The Sydney Monitor and Commercial Advertiser (NSW : 1838 - 1841), p. 2 Edition: MORNING. Retrieved January 24, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article32187808

After finding a reference to Ellen in the book “St Mary’s Geelong: It’s Founding Community“, a check of the “Orient” passenger list was called for as the Biographical Index in the book, lists Ellen,  (Helen in the book) as arriving on the “Thetis” in 1842 with a sister Mary.  The passenger lists can be viewed online at  NSW State Records.  The list for the “Orient” shows Ellen, 17 and Mary, 19 from Tipperary, Ireland, Roman Catholic, neither able to read or write and their occupations were housemaids.  The passenger list for the “Thetis” had only an Anne Barry aged 27 from Clare, no Ellen or Mary.

Ellen stayed in Melbourne after her arrival and in 1844 she married Thomas Gamble at St Francis Catholic Church, Victoria’s first Catholic church.  Their first child, Matthew, my gg grandfather, was born in Newtown in 1845.  “St Mary’s Geelong: It’s Founding Community” mentions early church records showing his birthplace as the Newtown which became Collingwood.

Edward was born in 1847. The Ancestry Australian Birth Index shows his birthplace as Ashbourne, near Woodend.  I tend to think it is Ashby, Geelong, later to become Geelong West, as third son Mark Thomas was born in 1851 at Kildare, Geelong, now also known as Geelong West.

Soon after, the Gamble family moved to Colac, as brickmaker Thomas had a job opportunity in the town.  The move would see him set up a brick making business in Colac.

Thanks to the wonderful Geelong and District database, I was able to find the also wonderful, award-winning online  Colac Court of Petty Sessions register 1849-1865.  It is a pleasure to read the digital images of the register and to see the original handwriting.  Ellen appeared seven times from 1851 to 1860.  Most offences stemmed from drunkenness.

•  December 1851 she faced the Colac court for being drunk – charge dismissed.

• Monday October 9, 1854 she faced court for being drunk on Rices Licensed Premises – fined  £2

• Jan 2, 1856 unknown charged fined  £2

• May 30, 1857 fined 2/7 for breaking glass?

• July 5, 1857 – drunk and using obscene language – dismissed

• July 22, 1857 drunk in a public place £1  fine – if not paid “to be locked up for one week”

• October 30, 1860, drunk

Ellen was aged from 25 to 34 during this time and by 1861 she had seven children, the eldest 15 and four under five.  She had babies in 1851, 1856 and 1857, when five of the offences were committed.

It seems Ellen left a legacy.  Her son William Gamble faced court for a domestic dispute with his wife’s sister and husband.  A grandson, Robert Gamble, faced court for petty crimes and at one stage was in imprisoned in a reformatory and escaped!  Another grandson, Joseph Henry Gamble, my great-grandfather also battled with alcohol, committed petty crimes and died alone, estranged from his family.

That brings us back to 1882 and the night Ellen died in such sad circumstances, which saw her reported in the papers as either an old or elderly woman.  Sadly her final newspaper account was not a glowing obituary such as those posted at Passing of the Pioneers.  She was a pioneer, one of the early ones, normally held in high regard, yet Ellen was  remembered as an old drunken woman who died in a fire.  To date I have found 12 different newspaper reports on her death and I am sure I will find more, not only of that fateful day, but her earlier activities.

There is a reference to Ellen in the book Wild and Wondrous Women of Geelong, this time as a victim of an attack by another woman, but I doubt it was without provocation.  This is how I like to remember Ellen, one of my favourite ancestors, as a “Wild and Wondrous Woman”.