The General Hewitt – Portland Bay 1856

When I read pioneer’s obituaries, a ship comes up time and again, the General Hewitt.  The ship, also called the General Hewett, was a convict ship and later an immigrant ship, sailing to Moreton Bay in 1854 .  The voyage I will focus on was to Portland Bay in  1856.  And what a voyage it was.

On May 5, 1856 the Geelong Advertiser’s correspondent in London wrote:

LONDON. (1856, July 16). Geelong Advertiser and Intelligencer (Vic. : 1851 – 1856), p. 2 Edition: DAILY. Retrieved February 26, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article93142901

The General Hewitt left Plymouth, England on July 5, 1856 and arrived at Portland on October 9, 1856.   Many of  the passengers would become some of the finest pioneers of the Western District and the South-East of South Australia and beyond.  A mix of English, Scottish and Irish, the passengers were described as being “of a very useful and eligible class”

The General Hewitt also carried much needed supplies from the home country, whiskey, brandy, gin and champagne.  There was also some practical cargo such as clothing and haberdashery, garden seeds and glassware.

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. (1856, October 13). Portland Guardian and Normanby General Advertiser (Vic. : 1842 – 1876), p. 2 Edition: EVENING.. Retrieved February 10, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64567020

The single females from the ship were available to hire from £15 to £26 for a domestic.  Married couples could be employed at a rate of £40-£45 .  While most of the immigrants were “suitable” there were some crew members that were not, resulting in an eventful voyage, with a mutiny attempt no less.

DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE. (1856, October 13). Portland Guardian and Normanby General Advertiser (Vic. : 1842 – 1876), p. 2 Edition: EVENING.. Retrieved February 13, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64567019

The drama did not stop once the ship arrived at Portland Bay.  Four crew members, left the ship on a raft.  Ten others had been locked up and five on the ship were refusing to work.

POLICE COURT. (1856, October 17). Portland Guardian and Normanby General Advertiser (Vic. : 1842 – 1876), p. 2 Edition: EVENING.. Retrieved February 13, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64567053

On October 14, the two men accused with assault , William Jose and Joseph Barrow appeared in the Portland Police Court, as did the 10 men refusing duty.  Their names included Able Seamen  Millard, Gash, Parry, Gudridge, Gashar and Howson the sail maker.  They received four months hard labour.

POLICE COURT. (1856, October 15). Portland Guardian and Normanby General Advertiser (Vic. : 1842 – 1876), p. 2 Edition: EVENING.. Retrieved February 13, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64567037

The General Hewitt’s arrival was kept the Police Court busy.  On October 15, one of the immigrants, Henry Haley appeared for being found in the Government Immigration Depot without permission.  Four more crewmen appeared for refusing duty, Daniel Newbury, Joseph Steel, George Rumbellow and William Dowell.  Their sentences ranged from 12 weeks to four months imprisonment.

The trial of William Jose and Joseph Barrow for the assault on Captain Christopher H. Loutitt continued.

POLICE COURT. (1856, October 17). Portland Guardian and Normanby General Advertiser (Vic. : 1842 – 1876), p. 2 Edition: EVENING.. Retrieved February 13, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64567053

Advertising. (1856, October 17). Portland Guardian and Normanby General Advertiser (Vic. : 1842 – 1876), p. 3 Edition: EVENING.. Retrieved February 13, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64567048

The General Hewitt was already low on crew when, on November 7, two more absconded, the steward, William Thomas an John Carroll the cook.  They had the diggings in their sights, but instead they ended up digging roads.

POLICE COURT. (1856, November 10). Portland Guardian and Normanby General Advertiser (Vic. : 1842 – 1876), p. 2 Edition: EVENING.. Retrieved February 13, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64567197

A Police Constable kept watch on board the General Hewitt to  prevent any more crew jumping ship.  Captain Loutitt travelled to Melbourne in search of more crew.

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. (1856, November 27). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 – 1956), p. 4. Retrieved February 13, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article7140721

Sixty-two years after the arrival of the General Hewitt, the death of John. S Andrew aka John Forster, brought to light more about the crew of the General Hewitt.  John Andrew was a crew member that bolted, ending up at Muntham near Casterton, were he remained for the rest of his life.  According to John’s obituary, other men of the district that were members of the crew included Messers Rooking and Gasperino.

Passed Away. (1918, October 10). The Casterton News and the Merino and Sandford Record (Vic. : 1914 – 1918), p. 3 Edition: Bi-Weekly.. Retrieved February 13, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74222260

The obituary of William Rooking outed by John Andrew as an escaped crewmen

OBITUARY. (1901, June 14). The Horsham Times (Vic. : 1882 – 1954), p. 3. Retrieved February 26, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article73027645

Now to the passengers.  As I’m currently tied to home, I didn’t think I could get access to the General Hewitt’s passenger list, so I thought I would find some of the passengers using Trove and a bit of Googling followed by a cross check with the PROV Online Shipping records.  While I did not come close to the “363 souls” on board, I did find around 70. Some of  those continued to live in the Western District or just across the border in the South East of South Australia.

Then, a need to double cross check  and a feeling of guilt about omitting the other 290 or so passengers, I thought I would give Ancestry.com.au a go.  Using the Victoria, Australia , Assisted and Unassisted Passenger Lists 1839-1923, I searched with General Hewitt in the Keywords field and the year 1856 and the list came up.  Early excitement faded rapidly when I realised the work another 290 names was going to bring and the transcribing of the passenger list was far from perfect.  The Cameron family had become the Cameau family, to name just one discrepancy.

As I’ve pottered away on this post for a few weeks, I have decided to just feature those passengers that had their voyage on the General Hewitt mentioned in their obituaries, plus a couple of others I found on the Glenelg and Wannon Settlers site.  Maybe, one day when I am stuck for something to do, I may start working my way through the other “souls” and share them with you.

ARTHUR, JOHN & PHILLIPPA   - John and Phillippa Arthur did not stay in Victoria long after their arrival, moving to Callington about 60 kilometres east of Adelaide. PROV Passenger List Index:  http://tinyurl.com/c8a8jfj

OBITUARY. (1912, August 3). Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 – 1954), p. 42. Retrieved February 27, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article88699759

ELIAS AND JOHN BATESON:  Elias and John from Cambridgeshire took up work with Edmund Kirby (father of John Kirby) at “Spring Bank” near Sandford. PROV Passenger Index: http://tinyurl.com/am9k8f7

BEST FAMILY:  William and Letitia  Best and their family of seven children were from County Cavan, Ireland and settled at Heywood.   PROV record – http://tinyurl.com/c2l5ekh

The obituaries of three of the children follow:

John was 20 at the time of his arrival at Portland.

First Issue, August 20, 1842. (1907, October 14). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 – 1953), p. 2 Edition: EVENING. Retrieved February 13, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63967003

Margaret Best married James Bell a member of another of Heywood’s pioneering families.

OBITUARY. (1933, September 18). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 – 1953), p. 3 Edition: EVENING.. Retrieved March 6, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64283449

Letitia Best married Donald Rankin.  After her marriage she lived in Harrow, Western Australia and Heywood.

OBITUARY. (1941, August 25). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 – 1953), p. 2 Edition: EVENING. Retrieved February 28, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64401403

COULSON FAMILY – Christopher and Mary Frances Coulson were originally from Yorkshire and later London.  They sailed on the General Hewitt with their four children aged 4 to 14 .  I have previously written about Christopher in the post  I Wish I Were Related To Christopher Coulson.  One of their sons, Francis married my ggg aunt, Harriet Martha Diwell, daughter of William and Margaret.  PROV Passenger Index:  http://tinyurl.com/babw5x2

The obituary of Christopher Coulson Snr.

PERSONAL. (1904, July 28). The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 – 1931), p. 6. Retrieved March 6, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4991780

Passed Away. (1916, April 10). The Casterton News and the Merino and Sandford Record (Vic. : 1914 – 1918), p. 3 Edition: Bi-Weekly. Retrieved February 28, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74485266

BREEZE FAMILY:  Or is it the Breese family?  As listed on the PROV Index, Thomas and Ann Breeze and their children were aboard the General Hewitt.  However the following letter indicates their name have been Breese.  PROV Index:  http://tinyurl.com/avj5sse

The letter is from William G. Breese, son of Thomas and Ann.  William was just seven when he arrived at Portland Bay, but 73 years later he was able to recount the voyage particularly the attempted mutiny.

Nautical History. (1929, April 18). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 – 1953), p. 2 Edition: EVENING. Retrieved March 10, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64269148

DWYER, EDMOND – I am yet to find the fate of the General Hewitt , however Edmond Dwyer’s obituary states the ship was destroyed by fire after one more trip to Australia.  The General Hewitt did make one other trip to Australia landing at  Port Adelaide in 1858.

Edmond’s obituary is also useful in that it mentions other passengers on the ship  – the Heaneys and Messers Roulston and Waters.  I can find each of these passengers but I cannot find a passenger under the name of Cannon he mentions.

There were three other Dwyers on the General Hewitt, but I have not been able to find if they are linked to Edmond.  They were:  Catherine (22), Johanna (27), Denis (29)

PROV record http://tinyurl.com/azt5jac

Obituary. (1930, March 20). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 – 1953), p. 2 Edition: EVENING. Retrieved February 13, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64291851

HADDEN, David and Mary –   Listed on the Passenger list as Haddon, David and settled in the Carapook area.  PROV Link http://tinyurl.com/asvck8q

HEANEY, Robert and Jane – From Ireland, Robert and Jane pioneered at Condah for 52 years.  PROV Link http://tinyurl.com/a5rgakf

Infections Diseases in Animals. (1890, August 20). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 – 1953), p. 2 Edition: EVENING. Retrieved February 26, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63629135

Passing of the Pioneers. (1920, February 5). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 – 1953), p. 3 Edition: EVENING.. Retrieved February 26, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64020779

LAVERY Family:    Patrick and Rose and children Ann, Mary and Bernard were from County Armagh, Ireland.   PROV Index:  http://tinyurl.com/ba6juo3

Patrick and Rose celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary in 1900.

SOCIAL. (1900, February 27). The Horsham Times (Vic. : 1882 – 1954), p. 1. Retrieved March 7, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article75063691

Obituary of Patrick Lavery.

OBITUARY. (1905, November 24). The Horsham Times (Vic. : 1882 – 1954), p. 3. Retrieved February 27, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article72818770

Rose Lavery passed away only days before her fellow General Hewitt shipmate, Mary Lear (below).

OBITUARY. (1903, August 11). The Horsham Times (Vic. : 1882 – 1954), p. 3. Retrieved March 7, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article72841100

LEAR FAMILY:  Thomas and Mary and their children William, Thomas and Mary were from Devon, England.  They had another seven children after their arrival.  PROV Index:  http://tinyurl.com/cdeuklp

There was a “take two” with Thomas Lear’s obituary.  The Gymbowen correspondent wrote an obituary published in the Horsham Times on February 18, 1919.  The issue of February 21, 1919 set a few facts straight.

Obituary. (1919, February 18). The Horsham Times (Vic. : 1882 – 1954), p. 5. Retrieved March 8, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article72993062

Obituary. (1919, February 21). The Horsham Times (Vic. : 1882 – 1954), p. 4. Retrieved March 9, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article72993152

 McCABE, John and Mathilda:  John and Mathilda, from Ireland, had 10 children after their arrival in Victoria.  They settled in the Sandford district.    PROV Index:  http://tinyurl.com/d785kzx

McLACHLAN, Mary and Alexander :  The interesting thing about Mary McLachlan’s obituary, that appeared in many newspapers, is that it names her as a passenger on the General Hewitt, with her son.  However I can find Alexander on the passenger list but not Mary.  PROV Index:  http://tinyurl.com/d39sg4u

PERSONAL. (1900, January 15). The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 – 1931), p. 4. Retrieved February 13, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article29526830

Alexander passed away only six months after his mother.

MR. A. MACLACHLAN. (1900, June 27). Border Watch (Mount Gambier, SA : 1861 – 1954), p. 2. Retrieved March 6, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article81040451

McCANN, PETER AND JANE and MARY SMITH McCANN:  Peter and Jane were from Ireland and settled around Sandford.  Mary Smith McCANN also sailed with Peter and Jane.  I am not sure if she was a daughter of the couple as she was six, Peter was 22 and Jane was 30.   PROV Index:  http://tinyurl.com/botobco

McFARLANE FAMILY:  Andrew and Jane and children George, Elizabeth, Margaret and unnamed infant.  The McFarlanes did not linger in Victoria very long, moving first to Sydney and later Brisbane.  Their first child born after they moved to Queensland was the first child born in Queensland after its proclamation.  PROV Index http://tinyurl.com/c3kx3dk

PASSING OF THE PIONEERS. (1913, December 20). The Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 – 1939), p. 238. Retrieved February 28, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22219423

The McFarlanes also offer a lesson:  Even though a person/s disembarked in a particular port, it does not mean they stayed in that general area or even that state.  The McFarlane’s made it from Victoria to Queensland after only two years in the Australia.

MACKINNON, Lachlan:  Lachlan MacKinnon, originally from Argyllshire, Scotland, arrived with his wife and frankly, proving he was on the General Hewitt has almost done my head in.  He does not come up in a search on the PROV Index, in fact no MacKinnons do.  There are McKinnons that sailed on the General Hewitt, but no Lachlans.

Looking to the Ancestry.com.au index, there was a Lachlan McKenzie and several other McKenzies with christian names the same as the McKinnons found on the PROV Index.  The PROV Index has no McKenzies arriving in 1856.  Given the aforementioned dependencies at Ancestry, do I assume the McKenzies are McKinnons and the Lachlan McKinnon listed is really Lachlan MacKinnon?

,

OBITUARY. (1906, September 5). Border Watch (Mount Gambier, SA : 1861 – 1954), p. 3. Retrieved March 6, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article77583891

 

McKINNON FAMILY:  John and Catherine and their children PROV Index  http://tinyurl.com/bn45olf 

NEATE FAMILY:  James and Anne and children Margaret, Julia, Emily, Henry, Albert and Catherine.  PROV Index:  http://tinyurl.com/ad5l7hu

No Title. (1909, May 19). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 – 1953), p. 3 Edition: EVENING. Retrieved February 17, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63988049

POLAND, William and Eliza.  William and Eliza arrived in Portland with an infant and went on to have another six children and became two of Portland’s best known pioneers.  William esd the manager of “Burswood” owned by Edward Henty.  PROV Index:  http://tinyurl.com/clrhd58

 

First Issue, August 20, 1842. (1912, October 18). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 – 1953), p. 2 Edition: EVENING. Retrieved March 10, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64003159

 

ROULSTON, ROBERT AND JOSEPH:  Trying to pin down Robert and Joseph was difficult.  Edmond Dwyer mentioned the Roulstons as shipmates and name being well known in the Condah district.  There were also Roulstons at Heywood and I found a reference to that family and the Heaney’s (above).  The Heaney family lived in Heywood for 10 years after arriving on the General Hewitt then moved north to Condah.  Robert and Joseph appear on the PROV Index as Roulstone: http://tinyurl.com/az4b9mt

Heywood’s Pioneers. (1938, September 29). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 – 1953), p. 5 Edition: EVENING.. Retrieved March 10, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64280358

 

STARK, JAMES AND ELIZABETH :  Newlyweds James and Elizabeth spent their first years in Australia at Penola, South Australia before moving to Lake Mundi near Casterton.  PROV Index http://tinyurl.com/d8n7h6t

OBITUARY. (1917, April 28). Border Watch (Mount Gambier, SA : 1861 – 1954), p. 5. Retrieved March 10, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article77664546

WATERS, JOHN and ELLEN: John and Ellen are on the index as Walters.  They settled in the Nareen district.  PROV Index:  http://tinyurl.com/av27lhf

CONCERNING PEOPLE. (1913, April 16). The Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 – 1929), p. 6. Retrieved February 28, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article59253916

PORTLAND RED CROSS. (1917, May 10). Portland Observer and Normanby Advertiser (Vic. : 1914 – 1918), p. 2 Edition: MORNING. Retrieved February 28, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article88675915

WATERS, MALACHI AND MARY:  Malachi and Mary moved around, firstly to Horsham for work and later Portland, Digby and finally Wallacedale. PROV Index http://tinyurl.com/av27lhf

Established August 1842. The Portland Guardian,. (1902, March 12). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 – 1953), p. 2 Edition: EVENING. Retrieved March 10, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63992048

WILSON, Robert:  Robert sailed with his sister Mary Ann on the General Hewitt.  A year later Mary Ann had already lost track of her brother.  PROV Index:  http://tinyurl.com/a48edrr

If one of your family members sailed on the 1856 voyage to Portland Bay on the General Hewitt, please let me know in the comments.

SOURCES:

Ancestry.com.au

Glenelg and Wannon Settlers

Victorian Public Record Office  – Index to British Assisted Immigration 1839-1871

Trove Digitised Newspapers

Autumn Fashion

The first two months of Autumn in the Western District produce some of the year’s best weather.  There are warm days but a chill is felt in the night air.  By May however, we begin to get a taste of what lies ahead with more wet and cold days.

During the mid 19th century, ladies had to rely on reports from London and Paris for their fashion news.

In 1848,   the “London and Paris Ladies Magazine of Fashion” predicted coloured velvet trimmed for Autumn dresses.  Velvet was also a popular for bonnets.

FASHIONS FOR OCTOBER. (1848, February 1). Geelong Advertiser (Vic. : 1847 – 1851), p. 1 Edition: EVENING. Retrieved February 24, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article91458993

Bonnets trimmed with  fruit were out for Autumn 1851, but flowers such as forget-me-nots were fashionable.  Dresses with open or short sleeves were accessorised with bracelets, emeralds and “medal” charms the suggestion.

FASHIONS FOR SEPTEMBER. (1850, December 26). The Cornwall Chronicle (Launceston, Tas. : 1835 – 1880), p. 943. Retrieved February 24, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article65576052

The styles for Autumn 1853 changed little from the Spring before.

PARIS FASHIONS FOR OCTOBER. (1853, February 12). Colonial Times (Hobart, Tas. : 1828 – 1857), p. 3. Retrieved February 24, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8772971

Sleeves were changing in shape during the mid 1850s.  Also, with the change of season, velvet was replacing ribbon on bonnets.

FASHIONS FOR OCTOBER. (1856, January 1). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 – 1956), p. 6. Retrieved February 24, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article482710

 

A sample of Autumn fashion advertisements from the 1860s.

Advertising. (1861, April 5). Portland Guardian and Normanby General Advertiser (Vic. : 1842 – 1876), p. 2 Edition: EVENINGS.. Retrieved February 24, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article65446138

Advertising. (1866, March 15). Bendigo Advertiser (Vic. : 1855 – 1918), p. 2. Retrieved February 24, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article87959303

Advertising. (1868, April 9). Bendigo Advertiser (Vic. : 1855 – 1918), p. 1. Retrieved February 28, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article87895148

L.Robinson & Co. of Collins Street, Melbourne had the latest imported Paris fashions for Autumn 1870.

Advertising. (1870, April 23). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 – 1956), p. 8. Retrieved February 24, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5818692

Miss S.H. Heazlewood kept the Portland ladies in the latest styles for Autumn 1884 and she offered a dress making service too.

Advertising. (1884, May 17). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 – 1953), p. 3 Edition: MORNING. Retrieved February 25, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63342665

Not much has changed almost 130 years on.

Not Possible. (1886, April 23). The Colac Herald (Vic. : 1875 – 1918), p. 2 Supplement: Supplement to the Colac Herald. Retrieved February 25, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article90352809

In 1889, furs and cloaks were hitting the shops but outside the weather was anything but cold.

LADIES’ COLUMN. (1889, March 1). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 – 1953), p. 3 Edition: EVENING, Supplement: SUPPLEMENT TO THE PORTLAND GUARDIAN. Retrieved February 25, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63592223

Two weeks later,  the weather was a little more Autumn like.

LADIES’ COLUMN. (1889, March 15). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 – 1953), p. 3 Edition: EVENING, Supplement: SUPPLEMENT TO THE PORTLAND GUARDIAN. Retrieved February 25, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63622402

A “pretty” apron from 1892 with a handy pocket and a cheap price tag.

FASHION’S FRIVOLITIES. (1892, February 26). The Horsham Times (Vic. : 1882 – 1954), p. 2 Supplement: SUPPLEMENT TO The Horsham Times.. Retrieved February 25, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article72722663

Colourful straw hats were in vogue for Autumn 1904.

ABOUT HATS. (1904, March 18). The Colac Herald (Vic. : 1875 – 1918), p. 7. Retrieved February 25, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article87354212

Jeanne Paquin was a French fashion designer known for her tailored gowns.  In 1905, her influence was evident in the fashions reaching Australian shores.

WOMAN’S WORLD. (1905, March 24). The Horsham Times (Vic. : 1882 – 1954), p. 1 Supplement: Supplement to the Horsham Times. Retrieved February 26, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article72815249

The following dress  from 1907, in a chiffon Panama material, gives us some idea of the sewing skills that have sadly been lost today.  Horsham ladies did not have to go to the city to buy such a dress.  They could order a Buttericks  pattern from M. Thorp & Co of Melbourne.

LADIES’ COSTUME. (1907, April 12). The Horsham Times (Vic. : 1882 – 1954), p. 1 Supplement: Supplement to the Horsham Times. Retrieved February 26, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article72939046

Shades of purple were popular in 1913, especially for hats and veils.

FOR WIVES AND DAUGHTERS. (1913, March 26). The Colac Herald (Vic. : 1875 – 1918), p. 4. Retrieved February 26, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article93194629

By 1914, Horsham ladies not handy with the needle were able to buy fashion equal to their city counterparts without leaving town.

AUTUMN MODES. (1914, March 17). The Horsham Times (Vic. : 1882 – 1954), p. 3. Retrieved February 26, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article72900577

Those that suffered for fashion’s sake, would have pleased to see the back of the tight skirt.

OR WIVES AND DAUGHTERS. (1914, April 1). The Colac Herald (Vic. : 1875 – 1918), p. 3. Retrieved February 27, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74224403

FOR WIVES AND DAUGHTERS. (1916, February 23). The Colac Herald (Vic. : 1875 – 1918), p. 3. Retrieved February 27, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article75256133

Autumn hats for 1917 had few trimmings, although the white felt hat embroidered with Greek dancing-girls sounds far from plain.

FOR WIVES AND DAUGHTERS. (1917, January 24). The Colac Herald (Vic. : 1875 – 1918), p. 6. Retrieved February 27, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74519149

By the end of January 1917, autumn and winter clothing was appearing in the shops, the last thing shoppers wanted to see during a hot summer.  Coat frocks were in and the coatee was flattering for ladies of all shapes and sizes.

WOMEN TO WOMEN. (1917, January 24). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 – 1956), p. 10. Retrieved February 27, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1592469

WW1 limited the supply of precious stones for jewellery, with diamonds becoming rare and in turn expensive.  Charm bracelets and three stone engagement rings were popular and wedding rings had narrowed.  Earrings were rarely worn and when they were they were a simple stud.

Colours were of subdued tones, fitting for the times.  Suits had few trimmings, relying on a smart cut for style.

WAR-TIME JEWELLERY. (1917, April 4). The Colac Herald (Vic. : 1875 – 1918), p. 5. Retrieved February 27, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74520158

Tyler’s of Bridge Street, Ballarat. advertised in the Border Watch of Mt. Gambier a fair distance to travel in 1922 for the latest autumn fashions.

Advertising. (1922, April 21). Border Watch (Mount Gambier, SA : 1861 – 1954), p. 4. Retrieved February 28, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article77674135

Some distinctive 1920s styles.

AUTUMN FASHIONS. (1923, March 21). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 – 1956), p. 6. Retrieved February 28, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1884490

There was plenty of colour on offer with the Autumn fashions of 1926, from rosewood to smoke greys and everything in between.  Imitation fur trimmings were popular on coats and handbags.

OUR WOMEN’S CORNER. (1926, March 23). The Horsham Times (Vic. : 1882 – 1954), p. 2. Retrieved February 27, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article73002991

A Coolie coat from 1927.

FASHION FORECASTS. (1928, April 3). The Horsham Times (Vic. : 1882 – 1954), p. 10. Retrieved February 27, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article72625587

Styles from Autumn 1934.

The Fashion Parade. (1934, February 17). The Australian Women’s Weekly (1933 – 1982), p. 23. Retrieved February 27, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article46465428

Geoffrey Turton, aka Petrov, was an Australian magazine illustrator and cartoonist.  He worked on publications such as the Bulletin and Smiths Weekly, but also the Australian Women’s Weekly.  The following is an example of work from the Weekly, depicting Autumn styles from 1935.

The Fashion Parade. (1935, January 26). The Australian Women’s Weekly (1933 – 1982), p. 8. Retrieved March 4, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47208042

There was plenty of choice available for Autumn 1935, with ladies able to choose the look they preferred.

The Fashion Parade. (1935, January 26). The Australian Women’s Weekly (1933 – 1982), p. 8. Retrieved February 27, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47208042

The Fashion Parade. (1936, February 22). The Australian Women’s Weekly (1933 – 1982), p. 8. Retrieved February 27, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article46942701

Friday March 19, 1937 was the date for the opening show of E.S. Finkemeyer’s Autumn and Winter fashions.

AUTUMN AND WINTER SHOW 1937. (1937, March 26). The Horsham Times (Vic. : 1882 – 1954), p. 4. Retrieved February 27, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article73110816

Black worn with accessories in a new red, “rebel red”, was a fashionable look for 1940.

Treatment of Skirts Shows Variety. (1940, March 6). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 – 1956), p. 11. Retrieved February 28, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12429983

A promotion for Australian woollen garments during Autumn 1941.

Fashion triumph for AUSTRALIAN WOOLLENS. (1941, March 29). The Australian Women’s Weekly (1933 – 1982), p. 21 Section: Autumn Fashion Book. Retrieved February 27, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47483414

A cardigan perfect for those cooler March evenings.

Advertising. (1941, April 26). The Australian Women’s Weekly (1933 – 1982), p. 5. Retrieved February 27, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47484959

During WW2, when French and Italian fashion houses closed, America came to the forefront of fashion.

AMERICA LAUNCHES AUTUMN FASHIONS. (1944, November 28). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 – 1956), p. 8. Retrieved February 28, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11372401

Sewing patterns from 1945.

Fashion PATTERNS. (1945, April 14). The Australian Women’s Weekly (1933 – 1982), p. 21. Retrieved February 27, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47118096

The following two suits sure have that 1940s war-time look about them.

FASHIONS FOR THE AUTUMN. (1947, February 19). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 – 1956), p. 4 Supplement: Woman’s Magazine. Retrieved February 28, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22409723

This crêpe dress from 1950 was in contrast to the 1947 fashions, above.

No Title. (1950, April 25). The Horsham Times (Vic. : 1882 – 1954), p. 3. Retrieved February 27, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article72801557

In 1955, Tweed fashions for ladies emerged, not just tomboys, as did the jersey dress that washed like a stocking.

TWEED… is a Lady. (1955, February 22). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 – 1956), p. 4 Supplement: THE ARGUS SUPPLEMENT OF EXCLUSIVE MYER FASHION. Retrieved February 28, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71634754

The 3-T Gersey Frock. (1955, March 1). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 – 1956), p. 12. Retrieved February 28, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71642613

Max Factor cosmetics were 40 years old when this glamorous Myer advertisement appeared in the Australian Women’s Weekly.  Hollywood starlets such as Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor had made red lips sexy.

Advertising. (1955, March 25). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 – 1956), p. 21. Retrieved February 27, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71641049

Trove Tuesday – A Lost Kaf

I hope the kaf was reunited with his/her owner

This is True!. (1939, August 17). Albany Advertiser (WA : 1897 – 1950), p. 6. Retrieved March 5, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article70410510

Trove Tuesday – Accidental Tourists

I was enjoying this story until I reached the last sentence…

FIGHT WITH A KANGAROO. (1922, November 13). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 – 1953), p. 2 Edition: EVENING.. Retrieved February 25, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64026993

Passing of the Pioneers

February Passing of the Pioneers has obituaries from some of the Western District’s early colonists.  They include Fanny Fisher and John Kelly, both born in Tasmania. They each lived in Victoria for 79 years by the time of their deaths.

Alexander LEARMONTH:  Died February 8, 1874 at Hamilton.  The Learmonths were one of Hamilton’s most noted families.  Alexander was the eldest of four brothers to immigrate to Australia and in time their paths led to  Hamilton.  Alexander arrived in 1857 and immediately took an interest in the town’s affairs.  He  founded the Hamilton municipality and was the first Mayor of the Borough, holding the office for six years.  The contribution Alex Learmonth made to Hamilton in those early days was immense.

OBITUARY. (1874, February 24). Portland Guardian and Normanby General Advertiser (Vic. : 1842 – 1876), p. 6 Edition: EVENING. Retrieved February 20, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64743791

Alexander was a trustee of the Hamilton Mechanics Institute.  After his death, funds raised built an extra room named the Learmonth Memorial Hall.  He also served as a territorial Magistrate, Coroner, Government Auditor and many other offices, too many to list, but all are in his full obituary.

HAMILTON MECHANICS INSTITUTE, Gray Street

 

John KELLY:  Died February 7, 1914 at St Helens.  John Kelly, born in Tasmania, was one of the oldest residents in the Port Fairy and Yambuk district when he died in 1914.  He had been in Victoria for 79 years, having arrived aged three.  He first resided at Casterton, then near Port Fairy and later he ran a general store at Yambuk.  His wife passed away 41 years before him and he left seven children.

John Wishart GIBSON:  Died February 10, 1914 at Colac.  John Gibson was a Geelong importer before purchasing a large amount of land in and around Colac.  He was a keen golfer and enjoyed playing the Port Fairy Golf Links on his summer holidays.  John’s wife Grace signed the 1891  Women’s Suffrage Petition at Highton.  They had five children.

Fanny Mercer FISHER:  Died February 25, 1914 at Dobie.  Fanny Richardson was the oldest resident in the Ararat district at the time of her death, aged 81.  She had been in Victoria for 79 years and that was also thought to qualify her as the oldest lady colonist in the state.  Apparently she shared the title with a Mrs Pearman and Mrs Creswick until they both passed away.  Fanny, born in Tasmania, was the daughter of David Fisher.  He took up the position of manager for the Derwent Company bringing him, and later his family, to Geelong in 1837.  A letter from David appears in Letters from Victorian Pioneers.  In 1850, Fanny married James Richardson.

Mr John Henry JACKSON:  Died February 2, 1915 at Casterton.  John Jackson was born in Longford, Tasmania in 1829.  At 14 years, he travelled to Victoria to work for his uncles Samuel and William Jackson near Sunbury,  When his uncles purchased “Sandford Estate” from John Henty in 1847, John rode from Sunbury to Sandford by himself aged 18.  He remained there for the rest of his life.  John married Marianne Bowtell in 1855 and they had two sons and three daughters.  John was one of the earliest J.P.s in the area and was a Honourary Magistrate.

John HOWELL:  Died February 17, 1915 at Orford.  John Howell was born in the Port Fairy district around 1843 to Irish parents.  He selected land at Orford in 1867 and remained there until his death.  He never married, and thanks to his thrift was a donor to many worthy causes.  He left three brothers and five sisters.

Reverend Mother Josephine:  Died February, 1915 at Ireland.  The Reverend Mother Josephine was one of the founding members of the Brigidine Convent in Ararat, arriving around 1888 from Ireland. With  guidance from the much admired Mother Josephine, the convent school, was highly regarded.  Marian College still operates today. Sadly, after a trip home to Ireland, Mother Josephine passed away on the ship during the return voyage.

Jane O’MAY:  Died February 17, 1916 at Buckley Swamp.  Referring to my Family Tree Maker program, I found Jane O’May defined as the “Paternal grandmother of husband of 1st cousin 4 x removed” of me.  Jane was the wife of William Kirkwood.  Their grandson William married my 1st cousin 4 x removed, Sarah Ann Reed in 1903.  Sarah was a niece of James Harman and Susan Reed.

First Issue, August 20 1842. (1916, February 23). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 – 1953), p. 2 Edition: EVENING. Retrieved February 22, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64013668

 

Hugh CAMERON:  Died February 1934 at Drumborg.  Born in Portland around 1855, Hugh Cameron moved around the Western District for several years,  finally settling at Drumborg.  He lived at Condah, Willaura, Telangatuk and Branxholme.  He married Mary Cameron of Toorak and they had five boys and two girls.

Mrs Ellen HICKEY:  Died February 4, 1937 at Portland.  Ellen Hickey lived in Portland for most of her 76 years, but moved to Moonee Ponds for the last 13 years of her life.  During her time in Portland, where her husband Thomas Hickey ran a livery stable, Ellen attended All Saints Church.  After the move to Melbourne, Ellen enjoyed returning to Portland for her annual holiday.  She left Thomas, five sons and two daughters.  A son John, a veteran of the Boer War, predeceased her.

Samuel ARTIS:  Died February 1938 at Port Fairy.  Samuel Artis was born around 1858 and worked for the Belfast and Koroit Steam Navigation Company  for many years and was at one time, foreman of the wharf.  Samuel was also an expert on the history of Port Fairy.

Mr Frederick H. BEST:  Died February 29, 1940 at Winslow.  Frederick was born in England in 1849 and arrived in Portland with his parents, in 1852.  He began work as a tanner at 15 and work around Australia and New Zealand for the following 10 years.  He married Louise Cardinal at Woolsthorpe in 1875 and set up a tannery business at Winslow.  It became the biggest tannery outside the larger cities.

William McKENZIE:  Died February 2, 1949 at Newfields.  Born at Carranballac Station in 1868, William McKenzie was the youngest of 13 children.  He worked as a shearer through the Western District and N.S.W. before taking up dairy farming around the turn of the century.  William married Augusta Schmidt in 1896.

On the ALG Trail

It must be said, I am an unabashed Adam Lindsay Gordon fan.  Stories of his horsemanship got me in the first time I visited Blue Lake around age seven, during the mid 1970s. As a horse girl, the idea of a man and his horse jumping over the edge of the lake was fascinating .

Unlike school children of the first half of the 20th century, Adam Lindsay Gordon’s poetry was not on the curriculum by the 1970s and 80s. Therefore, my introduction to his poetry was the 1946 edition of  Poems of Adam Lindsay Gordon found in a second-hand book shop.  By then I had heard of his horse racing deeds, his tragic and untimely death and visited his cottage in the Ballarat Botanical Gardens.  How did a dare-devil horseman write such tender words?  How could a hardened horse-breaker, find beauty in the death of a steeplechaser in The Last Leap?

“Satin coat that seems to shine

Duller now, black braided tress,

That a softer hand than mine

Far away was wont to twine

That in meadows from this

Softer lips might kiss

..

All is over! this is death,

And I stand to watch thee die,

Brave old horse! with ‘bated breath

Hardly drawn through tight-clenched teeth

Lid indented deep, but eye

Only dull and dry”

(Extract from The Last Leap, first published: Sea Spary and Smoke Drift, Gordon, Adam Lindsay, Melbourne : George Robertson, 1867.)

ADAM GORDON. (1911, July 1). The Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 – 1929), p. 8. Retrieved February 7, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article58447919

During our recent visit to Nelson, we crossed the border into South Australia to visit nearby Port McDonnell.  Just out of the town is Dingley Dell Conservation Park, site of  Dingley Dell Cottage, once a holiday home of Adam Lindsay Gordon.  On the day, the temperature was in the low forties and a Total Fire ban, forced the closure of the cottage.  That was disappointing as the cottage houses some great ALG memorabilia, but we still could explore the grounds.

Gordon spent a lot of time writing while at Dingley Dell during the years 1864 to 1868. He published his work “The Feud” in the Border Watch in August 1864 and wrote poems such as “The Song of the Surf“  inspired by the rugged limestone coast.

In 1912, ALG’s widow, Margaret Park, then Mrs Peter Low, recalled Dingley Dell in an interview published in the Chronicle (Adelaide)

ADAM LINDSAY GORDON. (1912, March 30). Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 – 1954), p. 39. Retrieved February 8, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article88693399

This is the cottage in 1891.  It was still owned by the Gordon family at that time.

DINGLEY DELL circa 1891 Image Courtesty of State Library of South Australia B16893 http://images.slsa.sa.gov.au/mpcimg/17000/B16893.htm

Again, around 1907.

DINGLEY DELL, circa 1907 Image courtesy of the State Library of South Australia B45883 http://images.slsa.sa.gov.au/mpcimg/55000/B54883.htm

The day we left Nelson,we continued on the ALG trail  to Mt Gambier’s Blue Lake, site of Gordon’s legendary leap.  Set in a volcanic crater, Blue Lake itself is full of mystery and on the day the water was eddying and swirling. Add the tale of  Adam Lindsay Gordon and it was almost haunting.

During Gordon’s life, and the early years after his death in 1870, despite having some published works, his poetry largely went unrecognised.  It was publications after his death that, by the late 1870s, saw him gain critical acclaim in Australia and overseas and his star began to rise.

The Argus. (1877, October 18). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 – 1956), p. 4. Retrieved February 19, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5941600

Searching newspaper articles from his life and beyond, it was the mid 1880s that the legend of Gordon really took off.

Try as I might, including searching the Border Watch every year from 1861 until 1885, I could not find any articles from during his lifetime about the “famous leap”.  Obviously there are limited editions of the paper, particularly through the 1860s.  For example the August 30, 1864 edition in which Gordon’s “The Feud” was published is not available.

It was 1881 before I could find any reference at all and it was written as though the leap was common knowledge. Surely I could have found some mention over a 20 year period, even in with limited editions.  Even obituaries at the time of his death did not mention “Gordon’s Leap”.   The  December 31, 1881 issue of the Northern Argus (Clare, S.A.)  included the article Notes of a Holiday to the South East described Gordon’s feat at Blue Lake.

NOTES OF A HOLIDAY TRIP TO THE SOUTH-EAST. (1881, December 13). Northern Argus (Clare, SA : 1869 – 1954), p. 3. Retrieved February 17, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article97285462

A  Letter to the Editor in the Border Watch of August 28, 1886 was the next reference I found,  proposed the erection of a monument to Gordon.  From that time on there was rarely an article written about Adam Lindsay Gordon that didn’t mention his leap.

THE POET GORDON. (1886, August 28). Border Watch (Mount Gambier, SA : 1861 – 1954), p. 2. Retrieved February 16, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article77547978

This touching letter from H.W. Varley of Adelaide came with “a couple of guineas” enclosed.

THE GORDON MEMORIAL. (1886, September 15). Border Watch (Mount Gambier, SA : 1861 – 1954), p. 3. Retrieved February 7, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article77548266

Despite a number of men present on the day of “the leap”, consensus could not be reached on the exact point Gordon jumped the fence.  Nor could they agree to the exact nature of the leap or the horse Gordon was riding, was it Modesty of Red Lancer? Even the exact day is unclear.  The Mt Gambier Aquifer Tours website, suggests it was the day after the Border Handicap Steeplechase during the winter of 1864.  I found the results of that race in the Border Watch of July 29, 1864.  The race was on Wednesday July 27, 1864.

MOUNT GAMBIER RACES. (1864, July 29). Border Watch (Mount Gambier, SA : 1861 – 1954), p. 2. Retrieved February 17, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article77009190

This makes sense as the leap apparently occurred after a bet was placed by Gordon on a “square up” race with the first and second placegetters, Robert Learmonth and William Trainor.

BLUE LAKE LOOKING TOWARDS THE AREA (ON LEFT) OF ADAM LINDSAY GORDON’S LEAP

The obelisk was finally placed at a site suggested by William “Billy” Trainor one of Gordon’s closest friends and confidants.  It was right that the American Billy, a former circus performer, was at the laying of the foundation stone as was John Riddoch another of Gordon’s confidants.  In the last years of Gordon’s life, he corresponded extensively with Riddoch sharing his deepest feelings.  The letters were published in 1970 in  The Last Letters 1868-1870:  Adam Lindsay Gordon to John Riddoch.

MEMORIAL OF A. L. GORDON. (1887, July 9). South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 – 1900), p. 5. Retrieved February 8, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article46794085

The same view toward the monument taken around 1930.

Image Courtesy of the State Library of South Australia B72412 http://images.slsa.sa.gov.au/mpcimg/72500/B72412.htm

From Mt. Gambier we crossed the border back into Victoria and the Western District.  We were soon heading for the “Fields of Coleraine”.  Coleraine racecourse was one often frequented by ALG.  Part two of the five-part Hippodromania is the verse “The Fields of Coleraine“

On the fields of Col’raine there’ll be labour in vain

Before the Great Western is ended,

The nags will have toil’d, and the silks will be soil’d.

And the rails will require to be mended.

..

For the gullies are deep, and the uplands are steep.

And mud will of purls be the token,

And the tough stringy-bark, that invites us to lark,

With impunity may not be broken.

(Extract from “The Fields of Coleraine”. Published in Sea Spray and Smoke Drift, 1867)

Unfortunately, keeping with  racing parlance, heads were turned for home and there was no stopping at Coleraine (I suppose I had called a rest stop at the Casterton Historical Society, 30 minutes earlier), so I have no photographs of the obelisk in Gordon’s honour beside the Glenelg Highway, east of Coleraine.  A little further on is the Coleraine Racecourse and opposite is Mt Koroit homestead, former home of John Kirby, owner of 1911 Melbourne Cup winner The Parisian.

Before Gordons’s death, he spent time in Ballarat and that is where my ALG trail ended but where it will resume at another time.  However, it was during his time in Ballarat that Gordon suffered his greatest loss, the death of his 11 month old daughter Annie.  He plunged into deep sorrow and moved to Melbourne where he wrote his last poems, his melancholy evident.  Alice’s death, a bad race fall and ongoing financial difficulties saw him sink to his lowest ebb.  He eventually took his own life on Brighton Beach on June 24, 1870 at the age of 36.

When Adam Lindsay Gordon died,  little was written about him, save for coroner’s findings and the standard obituaries, but this moving piece, from the Australian Town and Country Journal  months after his death, by the “Wandering Bohemiem”, a literary writer, brings to light a man many of his Western District contemporaries never saw, and a side only those  of the “supreme brotherhood” would truly understand.  The extract of verse, taken from “A Song of Autumn” published in 1870, was apparently the last he wrote. Clearly written with his dear Annie in his heart it shows the depths he had sunken to.

LITERATURE. (1871, February 18). Australian Town and Country Journal (NSW : 1870 – 1907), p. 18. Retrieved January 20, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article70464980

And Eastward by Nor’ward

Looms sadly my track,

And I must ride forward,

And still I look back,—

Look back — Ah, how vainly!

For while I see plainly,

My hands on the reins lie

Uncertain and slack.

..

The warm wind breathes strong breath,

The dust dims mine eye,

And I draw one long breath,

And stifle one sigh.

Green slopes  softly shaded,

Have flitted and faded —

My dreams flit as they did —

Good-night!— and — Good-bye!

(Extract from  “A Basket of Flowers”, Bush Ballads and Galloping Rhymes, Bush ballads and galloping rhymes /​ by the author of “Ashtaroth”. [A.L. Gordon]. Melbourne : Clarson, Massina, and Co., General Printers, 1870.

SOURCES:

Adam Lindsay Gordon Craft Cottage

The Adam Lindsay Gordon Commemorative Committee Inc

Brighton Cemetery

Brooklyn Daily Eagle Online

Dingley Dell Cottage

Mt. Gambier Aquifier Tours

Trove Australia

Trove Tuesday – The Hamilton Ghost

I have previously written about paranormal activities in Hamilton for Trove Tuesday, when residents thought War of the Worlds had come to town.  Now I bring you the story of the Hamilton ghost.  Well, actually four stories but not all of the same ghost and on one occasion the Hamilton apparition drifted out of town to Macarthur.

What I like about these stories is that the ghosts were not the transparent style of apparition, but rather the classic white sheet type made popular by 19th century theatre.  There is a varying amount of tongue in cheek used in the reporting, but on each occasion there were a number of people scared out of their wits.

1941

Hamilton’s Ghost Walks. (1941, July 21). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 – 1953), p. 2 Edition: EVENING. Retrieved February 18, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64401002

1922

A “GHOST” SCARE. (1922, June 6). The Horsham Times (Vic. : 1882 – 1954), p. 4. Retrieved February 19, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article72732250

1898

Established August 1842. (1898, September 14). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 – 1953), p. 2 Edition: EVENING. Retrieved February 19, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63674221

1876

THE HAMILTON GHOST. (1876, May 13). Clarence and Richmond Examiner and New England Advertiser (Grafton, NSW : 1859 – 1889), p. 4. Retrieved February 19, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article61905173