Author: Merron Riddiford

Jim’s Gone A-Droving

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In the 1970s, I visited a Western District drovers’ camp with my father.   I remember the weathered stockmen, their battered caravan, and wiry dogs.  It was not uncommon in those days to drive up behind a mob of sheep being slowly moved along the grassy roadsides.

Then, drovers moved stock to find feed when grass was scarce, but in the early years of settlement, the only way to get stock to and from market or from the ports was to use a drover. Known for their hard-drinking and foul mouths they were often away for months at a time.

My ggg grandfather James Bishop was of those hardy breeds.  He herded cattle from Adelaide to the Western District and moved sheep for the local stations for around 30 years.

Jim was born in Dorset in about 1825.  I am still to find how he came to Australia, but I first catch up with him in this country when he married Sarah Hughes on October 26, 1852, at Adelaide.  They had one child in Adelaide, Mary Elizabeth, but she died aged two.

James and Sarah then moved to Ararat, where James tried his luck on the goldfields.  Charles was born in 1856 in Ararat, followed by my gg-grandmother Elizabeth on September 12, 1857.  Her birth certificate shows James’ occupation as a miner.  James and Sarah had one more child at Ararat, George in 1859.

Not long after, the Bishops moved back to South Australia with two children born in Mt Gambier.  Peter Fraser mentions in Early Byaduk Settlers that James Bishop went to Byaduk around 1865.  This is backed by the birth of Mary Bishop at nearby Macarthur in 1865.   In 1870, Jim selected 16 acres of land at Warrabkook between Byaduk and Macarthur.   Robert, Louisa, and Alice were born at Macarthur, and William was born at Byaduk.

CHILDREN OF JAMES BISHOP & SARAH HUGHES

Mary Elizabeth – Born: 1853 Adelaide, SA.  Died: 1855 Thebarton, SA

Charles – Born: 1856 Ararat, Victoria.  Died: 1916 Macarthur, Victoria; Married:  Sarah DANCER

Elizabeth– Born: 1857 Ararat, Victoria.  Died: 1890 Byaduk, Victoria; Married:  Reuben James HARMAN

George – Born: 1859 Ararat, Victoria.  Died: ?; Married:  Mary HUGHES

Harriet – Born: 1860 Mt Gambier, SA.  Died: 1922 Merino, Victoria; Married:  James ELSTON 1882

Ellen– Born: 1862 Mt Gambier, SA.  Died: 1931 Byaduk, Victoria; Married:  Frederick Watson HINDES 1885 Married:  Abraham CLARKE 1905

Mary– Born: 1865 Macarthur, Victoria.  Died: 1889 Byaduk, Victoria

Robert– Born: 1867 Macarthur, Victoria. Died: 1945 Port Fairy, Victoria; Married:  Edith HARMAN 1901

Louisa – Born: 1870 Macarthur, Victoria.  Died:  1915 Strathmerton, Victoria; Married:  Jonathan Thomas REEVES 1892

Alice – Born: 1872 Macarthur, Victoria.  Died: 1894 Byaduk, Victoria

William James – Born 1874 Byaduk, Victoria. Died:  ?

Peter Fraser tells of  Jim droving cattle overland to the Adelaide market and I have found several references to Jim’s droving in The Argus.  “Pastoral Intelligence” notes in The Argus updated readers on the weather, crops, and stock movements, among other things.  Jim is mentioned on August 4, 1890, droving fat cattle from Muntham, between Coleraine and Casterton to Warrnambool.  The same article mentions the weather as being very cold with constant heavy rain over the previous 24 hours.   Tough conditions for a drover of any age, but at 65 Jim must have found it incredibly tough.

A month after the Argus article, Jim’s eldest daughter Lizzie (Elizabeth) died of consumption (TB) aged just 33.  Only a year before, daughter Mary also died at age 24.  Of 11 children born, Jim had lost three of his daughters.  Also, his wife of 33 years, Sarah,  died in 1885 at only 51 years.  Another daughter, Alice, died before Jim’s own death.

Jim just kept droving.  In October 1892, he was moving cattle from the property of the Powers at Byaduk to Framlingham near Warrnambool this time in humid conditions.  Two months later he was moving heifers during a cold December.

PASTORAL INTELLIGENCE. (1892, December 16). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848-1954), p. 6. Retrieved July 12, 2011, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8493210

The last article I find about Jim is on February 15, 1893.  He had taken horses from William Melville’s Weerangourt station at Byaduk through to Ballarat.

Jim died just two years later in 1895 at Hamilton, aged 70, leaving behind four sons and three daughters.

 

 

Western District Volcanoes – Are They Sleeping?

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Twice in the past week, I have gone deep into volcanic Western Victoria.  I passed the Grampians and its rock formations, Harman Valley at Byaduk, Mt Napier, and Mt Elephant at Derrinallum.  Along with the dry stone walls that weave through the countryside and the rocks that still litter the landscape, the volcanic activity of the past is evident.

Lake Surprise, crater lake, Budj Bim (Mt Eccles, Victoria)

Since my travels, an earthquake at Korumburra in West Gippsland on Tuesday and a perfectly timed conference in Melbourne, has seen the Western District volcanoes in the news.  Questions are being asked about the likelihood of them erupting again.  Speaking at the Congress of Geodesy and Geophysics, University of Melbourne Professor Bernie Joyce reminded us that the last volcanic eruption at Mt Gambier was 5000 years ago, yet these volcanoes normally would erupt every 2000 years.  According to Professor Joyce we are overdue and contingency plans should be made in readiness for a possible eruption Back in 1902, similar issues were raised.  It was a year not dissimilar to 2010/11 with volcanic eruptions and earthquakes being reported all over the world.

NATURE’S UNREST. (1902, September 13). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848-1954), p. 14. Retrieved July 7, 2011, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article9079350

I have found newspaper reports of earthquakes at Yea, Castlemaine, Moe, and Goroke in the same year.  Also, South Australia experienced several earthquakes in the latter part of 1902.  A large earthquake in September felt over most of the state, saw chimneys brought down.  The Bathurst Free Press and Mining Journal reported with some relief that the earthquake was not felt in Mt Gamble (sic), obviously meaning Mt Gambier

The Earthquake in South Australia. (1902, September 22). Bathurst Free Press and Mining Journal (NSW : 1851-1904), p. 2. Retrieved July 7, 2011, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64341983

Just as well, as panic would have prevailed.  Earlier in July, Mt Gambier authorities had tested the temperature of the famous crater lake, Blue Lake, in light of earlier South Australian quakes

TEMPERATURE OF THE BLUE LAKE. (1902, July 9). The Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901-1929), p. 6. Retrieved July 7, 2011, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article55696129

So what was the explanation to the seismic activity back in 1902?  A paper by H. I Jenson, a student at Sydney University, explained a relationship between sunspots and seismic activity.

I

INTERVIEW WITH MR. E. F. PITTMAN. (1902, September 22). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842-1954), p. 7. Retrieved July 7, 2011, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article14506300

Could the Western District volcanoes erupt again was a question being asked at the time.  Professor David from Sydney University said in 1902 that although science was not advanced enough to fully predict, he did not expect any volcanic eruptions in any part of Australia in the near future unless there was stronger earthquake activity. Professor W Howchin of Adelaide University was sure it could and cited other extinct volcanoes which had gone on to erupt. The last word goes to Professor W.G Woolnough, a noted volcano expert of the early 1900s.

LECTURE ON VOLCANOES. (1902, August 12). The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889-1931), p. 6. Retrieved July 7, 2011, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4868528

Crater lake, Tower Hill, Victoria

In the News – July 1, 1891

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As Victoria’s banks closed on July 1, 1891, to celebrate 40 years of Separation, some were questioning the relevance of the holiday.

The Portland Guardian reported there was some indifference among business owners as to whether they closed or not.  Some shops did decide to open their doors.  The writer proposed this may have been some indication of how each trader felt about Separation day.

The Portland Guardian, (ESTABLISHED 1842.) With which is incorporated The Portland Mirror. (1891, July 1). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876-1953), p. 2 Edition: EVENING. Retrieved July 1, 2011, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article65386464

On the same day two years earlier, the Guardian had again raised the worth of the Separation Day holiday.  This time, a character of Charles Dickens, Melvin Twemlow is used to make the writer’s point.

The Portland Guardian,. (1889, July 1). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876-1953), p. 2 Edition: EVENING. Retrieved July 1, 2011, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63623718

Forward to 1894 and there was barely a mention of Separation day, but it did not go by without comment

Established August, 1842. The Portland Guardian, With which is incorporated The Portland Mirror. (1894, July 2). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876-1953), p. 2 Edition: EVENING. Retrieved July 1, 2011, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article65407317

Byaduk’s First Shoemaker

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The Harmans arrived in Byaduk around 1863, one of the early families in the area.   Peter Fraser’s Early Byaduk Settlers credits family head, Joseph as the first shoemaker in Byaduk.  He may not have been alone for long as Bailliere’s Victoria Post Office Directory of 1869 lists both Joseph Harman and John Hurrell as shoemakers in the town. Joseph had worked as a shoemaker in Melbourn, Cambridgeshire as well as an agriculture labourer.

Joseph Harman was born in Melbourn around 1805 and married Sarah Mulberry in 1827.  Their first son James died as a baby, but Sarah had another 12 babies over the next 22 years.  The 1841 and 1851 Census both show the family living in Drury Lane, Melbourn.  In 1852, they said goodbye to their newly married son James and his wife Susan who were sailing for  Australia.  In 1854, they again said their farewells as their next three sons, George, Jonathan, and Reuben followed the path of James and Susan to Australia.  However, by the time the boys arrived in Sydney, Joseph along with Sarah and youngest children Sarah (10), Walt (9), and Alfred (2) were themselves sailing for Sydney.

The Harman family sailed on the “Queen of England” on September 30, 1854.  To that point, there are four children I cannot fully account for, Mary Ann (born 1829), Arthur (born 1842), Ann (1848) and Elizabeth (1849).  I have found death records for two other children of Joseph and Sarah, but not these four.  I do feel confident I may find Mary Ann and am now following a lead on her.

The Queen of England arrived in Sydney in early January 1855.  The five Harmans disembarked and reunited with the three boys who had been in New South Wales for two months.  I lose them for a couple of years, although Joseph’s death certificate states he resided in  New South Wales for two years.  I am looking around the Maitland area for them.  By 1858 they had reached Port Fairy and, after six years, the family reunited.

Joseph died at Byaduk in 1893 at the ripe old age of 89.  Sarah had died 13 years earlier.  Joseph’s obituary in the Hamilton Spectator perhaps gives some insight into Joseph’s character and maybe even relations between him and his sons.  It stated that Joseph was a Methodist, who became a Presbyterian.  Considering James and George’s standing in the Methodist church, I wonder how this decision by Joseph was accepted.

Both Joseph and Sarah were buried at the Byaduk Cemetery. While there is no visible headstone for the pair, there is a large plot enclosed by a rusted wrought iron fence I believe is their resting place.  It is surrounded by graves of other Harman family members in a picturesque corner of the cemetery.

A View of the Byaduk Cemetery

Mr Mortimer’s Daughters Postscript

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Today, while browsing my Twitter timeline,  a post come through from Sally Shine who tweets as @CanIFindThem.  Sally mentioned she had found a person she was looking for on the Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries website.  Of course, why had I not gone there in my search, albeit brief , of Gwen Mortimer’s death.

Across to the site I went, entered the surname Bos, with the exact name search box ticked, and bingo, there she was.  Gwen died on February 9, 1989 and there was also an Anthonius Franciscus Bos.  This may be my Mr A. Bos.

I had looked on the Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust website earlier this week, and I did find an A. Bos at Fawkner Park, but no Gwen.  It has now reminded make better use of the Delicious “Cemetery” tag I have.  If I am unsuccessful on one cemetery link, it is quick and easy to click on another, as they are all listed in one spot and I won’t overlook any that are relevant.

I really like the Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries site because not only does it cover several cemeteries, there are also different search options: by surname, first name, date of birth, date of death, location of grave. I have also searched for June and John Taggart and  found both their cremation records.

Later on I noticed a tweet telling me Sally Shine is the current GeniMate, so I was glad to read about the person behind the enjoyable and useful @CanIFindThem tweets (and she has a cute profile pic).

In the News – June 24, 1861

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The Portland Guardian and Normanby General Advertiser reported on 19 June 1861, a meeting at Hamilton of the Separation Movement.  It was the first meeting of its kind in Hamilton, following on from a successful meeting in Portland.

SEPARATION MEETING AT HAMILTON. (1861, June 24). Portland Guardian and Normanby General Advertiser (Vic. : 1842-1876), p. 2 Edition: EVENINGS.45 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article65446763

Many well-known gentlemen of the district were there, men whose names are still evident in Hamilton.  Messers Skene, Learmonth, McKellar, and McPherson were all present.

Despite a campaign that went into 1862, the move to separate was unsuccessful.

An article in The Portland Guardian on 30 March 1953 reflected on what might have been if separathttp://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/title/109ion had occurred.  The proposed new colony was to be called Princeland, with Hamilton as the capital and Portland as the major port.  I would have been born in Hamilton, the capital of the state of Princeland, Australia.  Imagine!

Talk of separation did not subside, as seen in this article from The Guardian in 1921.  A push in the Riverina area to separate in the early 1920s again saw the suggestion for the south-west of Victoria to also separate.

“WAKE UP, HAMILTON.”. (1921, January 31). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876-1953), p. 2 Edition: EVENING.. Retrieved June 24, 2011, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64023185

Mr Mortimer’s Daughters

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Once again the Trove digitised newspapers have helped me out.  A casual search of “Mortimer” in The Portland Guardian threw up the death notice of Henry Mortimer published on September 13, 1948. Henry Mortimer was the younger brother of Mary Mortimer, my gg-grandmother who married William Hadden.  Henry was born at Cavendish in 1868 and married Sarah Ann Duggan in 1887.  They had four children, Edwin, George, Queenie, and Lillian.  Queenie died as a baby.  In 1898, Sarah died leaving three children under 11.  The following year Henry remarried to Florence May Hardy and they had a further eight children, Grace, Amy, Beryl, Lance, Gilbert, Gwenda, David, Frances.  Florence died, in 1915, possibly as the result of the complications of childbirth as David was born in the same year.  She was only 38.

Up to that point, I had found that of the female children, Lillian had married Leslie Quarrel, Grace married David Wilson, Amy married John Taggart, Beryl had passed away as a baby and I had not found a marriage for Gwenda.

When I found the notice, there were two things that stood out.  Olive (Amy Olive on her birth record) was not married to John Taggart and Gwen was married. Olive was also known as June Olive just to complicate things.  I had previously found her married name, Taggart, via the death records and on the Australian Electoral Rolls, where I found John William Taggart’s full name.  Who then was C. E. Cara?

Family Notices. (1948, September 13). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876-1953), p. 2 Edition: EVENING. Retrieved June 21, 2011, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64416130

Another search of the Australian Death indexes found Clarence Edgar Cara who died in 1947, while a further search of Trove found his notice of probate.

Advertising. (1947, May 9). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848-1954), p. 16. Retrieved June 21, 2011, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22425225

This was most interesting and lead me to the National Archives of  Australia site to search naval records.  I found him there as a member of the Royal Australian Naval Reserve with the rank of Lieutenant.  It shows Clarence was born on June 11, 1899 at Penzance, Cornwall (this brought visions of rollicking pirates!), and his wife was listed as June Olive Cara.

At the time of his enlistment in the Reserve, they were living at 65 Victoria Street, Sandringham.  By the time he died in 1947 they had moved to 11 Ebden Avenue, Black Rock, where June later lived with John Taggart.  It states that Clarence had died on April 6, 1947 but no reason was given except that Repatriation had accepted that his death was due to the war and that June would receive a pension.

A Google search of Clarence Cara found him on the Australian National Maritime Museum website.  It listed the registration of Clarence’s Certificate of Competency on December 31, 1920 in Adelaide.

I thought I would search Trove for John Taggart.  I found his and June’s engagement notice.  June was proving she was not one to settle for the local Portland lads. Her fiancé was not just John William Taggart but Captain John William Cray-Taggart of London and Rangoon!

Family Notices. (1949, July 25). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848-1954), p. 6. Retrieved June 21, 2011, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22766958

I also found two notices of Hotel transfer in The Argus.  The first was the transfer of the license of the Yambuk Hotel to John and June in 1950 and the second was the transfer of licence for the same hotel in 1951 by Olive and John to Phillip Harrison.  The 1954 Electoral Roll finds them at back at 11 Ebden Avenue, Black Rock and John’s occupation was listed as Saloon keeper.

HOTEL TRANSFER. (1951, December 6). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876-1953), p. 3 Edition: MIDDAY. Retrieved June 22, 2011, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64430297

Gwendoline Lorna May Mortimer was and still remains difficult to find.  She was born in Hamilton in 1908.  My next encounter with her was the 1931 census, where she was living at the Homeopathic Hospital in South Melbourne which in 1934 became Prince Henry’s Hospital.  Her occupation was home duties.

Henry’s death notice gave the lead to the surname Bos.  I found Gwen on the 1942 Electoral Roll living in Brighton but no other person with the name Bos at the address.  Again in 1954, she is the only Bos living at 24 Spencer Road, Killara, New South Wales.  There are, however, others with the Bos name living in the area.  After searching death records, Trove, and WW2 records, I still have not found Mr A. Bos.  I am suspecting that he may not have enrolled to vote.  I am leaning toward an Abel Bos who died in Victoria in 1970.  I have not been able to find Gwen’s passing.  But the search continues.

Without Henry Mortimer’s death notice, I would not have discovered much of this.  I would not have known of June’s (Olive, Amy) first marriage or of Gwen’s marriage to Mr Bos.  Aside from this Henry’s notice offers the place of residence for his children at the time of his death and names of his grandchildren and great children that would have been difficult to find otherwise. From this information, further searching of the newspapers has given me leads to Naval and hotel records and more.  Thanks again Trove!

Colonial Ploughing Matches

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BYADUK PLOUGHING MATCH

The Byaduk Farmers Club held their annual ploughing match on June 14, 1881. The venue was the farm of the Christie brothers and 13 competitors displayed their finest ploughing techniques.

James Harman was a keen competitor of ploughing competitions and on the day won the Champion class.  His plough of choice was the Lennon made in North Melbourne by Hugh Lennon.  Only the year prior the Lennon plough had made news with the capture of the Kelly Gang.  The armour forged for the gang had been made out of Lennon plough boards.

Reuben Harman, James’ younger brother won the B class.  Reuben was 41 at the time and died only two years later.  He was also a fan of the Lennon.  Another Harman, Arthur came second in the C class with a Hornsby plough and along with his uncle Reuben won a prize for best crowns.

“BYADUK PLOUGHING MATCH.” The Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 – 1946) 18 June 1881: <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article137816092&gt;.

Other notable Byaduk residents to win prizes were William and Alexander Christie and Peter Fraser.  Thanks to Peter Fraser, then an 18-year-old, we now have the book Early Byaduk Settlers, a recollection of his life in Byaduk.  Following the match, the participants enjoyed the annual dinner at Hardy’s Temperance Hotel.  As the Harmans were staunch Methodists, the venue would have been seen as most appropriate.

Ploughing matches were a popular activity for farmers in the late 19th century.  They were an opportunity to display skill, show off the latest farming implements and to gather socially with other farmers.  The first ploughing match was held in the Portland area in the 1850s and they appear to have peaked in the 1880s when Inter-Colonial Ploughing Matches were held at Werribee Park and Ballarat.  The sketches below depict the 1882 event at Werribee Park where 3000 spectators were attendance, including several parliamentarians.  Farmers came from New South Wales, South Australia and Tasmania.

INTERCOLONIAL PLOUGHING MATCH. (1882, August 5). Illustrated Australian News (Melbourne, Vic. : 1876-1889), p. 120. Retrieved June 15, 2011, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63185745

By the mid-1890s, the papers were lamenting the demise of the ploughing match.  This was put down to a number of reason including the move of young people off the land and more advanced implements.  The writer sees horse racing as no match to the social and competitive nature of the ploughing match, which were also free of the “curse of Australia”, gambling.  In the 20th century, the rise of the tractor meant ploughing by horse became almost unknown.  The skill required to plough was not as great as that of horse ploughing and there was no longer a need to demonstrate one’s abilities.  Field days today, allow for the display of the latest farming equipment and techniques filling a void left by the end of ploughing matches.  The following article from The McIvor Times & Rodney Advertiser but was also published in the Portland Guardian.

“Ploughing Matches.” The McIvor Times and Rodney Advertiser (Heathcote, Vic. : 1863 – 1918) 23 January 1896: 1 (Supplement to the McIvor Times.). Web. 1 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article90151643

Ploughing match results offer another insight into the lives of our Western District families.  They often have a comment on the highlight of the day and list the farmers’ place of residence.

In Search of the Extraordinary Monster

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The cold snap this week has given me a chance to revisit the book by James Bonwick Western Victoria, It’s Geography, Geology and Social Conditions: The Narrative of an Educational Tour in 1857.  Although I have read the book several times, I still enjoy flicking through to my favourite parts.  One of those is the description of the Belfast (Port Fairy) Methodist Church

“…this building has come in for it’s share of carvings, in the shape of wreaths, flowers, vases, etc.  There is John Wesley’s benignant countenance regarding his incoming followers, and a noble shell expands over the front doorway.  An extraordinary monster is beheld crouching beneath the shell.  What he is, and what he does there, is a solemn mystery, known only to the artist.  Guesses as to character and description seem to run into one line, that it (is) neither more no less than the representation of the Arch One, who certainly looks uncomfortable with the shell and John Wesley over his head.   The mason may have intended it to exorcise the neighborhood, or to terrify little children into good behavior at chapel” (p84)

When I first read this book I penciled in a visit to the church when next in Port Fairy.  The fishing port town of Port Fairy is one of my favourite places in Victoria and is a summer playground for many in the Western District.  I  didn’t know on my many visits to Port Fairy in the 1980s, that I had a link with the town.  The Harman family had lived there in the 1850s and as Wesleyan Methodists would have no doubt attended sermons in the church.

While spending a few days there a couple of years ago, my small research assistant and I, walked to the church. I was keen to see the carvings as described by Bonwick and I was pleased to see they lived up to his description.  It is a little difficult to make out in the photo, but the “extraordinary monster” is in the bottom centre of the shell, its mouth is most easily seen.  John Wesley is depicted in the stone above the shell.  The carving directly above the door cannot be clearly seen here. Wire netting had been placed over the carvings in an attempt to protect them.

We were lucky enough to run into a church volunteer doing repairs and he allowed us to go inside the church.  The interior is still in its original condition.  I allowed myself to imagine the sermons of the 19th century with a  preacher placing the fear of God into his parishioners with talk of fire and brimstone.

The church was new when Bonwick visited.  On September 5, 1855, The Argus ran an article from the Belfast Gazette.  It reported the laying of the foundation stone for the Wesleyan church on August 21.  Many townspeople gathered for the occasion, with the Reverend Hart beginning proceedings with prayer, scripture reading, and song.  The ceremony then proceeded to the laying of a time capsule.  That honour was given to William Witton a long-term resident of the colony.  Witton was about 45 at the time and had been a builder in Melbourne before taking up the life of a grazier in the Western District.  His obituary credits him as the builder of the first Melbourne offices of the Bank of Australasia and for being one of the driving forces behind the foundation of Wesleyan churches throughout the colony.   

According to the Gazette, a bottle containing “the  Belfast Gazette and Banner of the week, and an inscription, of which the following is a copy:  “The foundation stone of James street Wesleyan Church, Belfast, laid by William Witton, Esq., on Tuesday, August 21,1855. Minister, Rev. R. Hart; chairman of the district, Rev. D. J. Draper; president of the Conference; Rev. W. B. Boyce: building committee, Messrs. Tillotson, McMahon, Bellett, Cole, and Scott; treasurer, W. W. Watson, Esq. ; secretary, W. N. Hosking, Esq. ; contractors, Messrs. Barnes, McGut, and Trevaskis.”  I thought it was unusual that local sculptor Walter McGill was not mentioned among the contractors, but I now believe that Mr McGut is in fact Mr McGill.  McGill was an interesting character who was not only a sculptor and stonemason but also a phrenologist and has been credited for making the death mask of Captain Moonlight.

Next time I visit the church I am going to look for the foundation stone, and hopefully get some better photos!  The church is now classified by the National Trust, which describes it as “one of Port Fairy’s finest buildings”.  I would have to agree with them.

ENDNOTE:  My small research assistant, now seven, has since resigned from his position.

Misadventures, Deaths and Near Misses

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You have found your ancestor’s date of death, but you are wondering how they died.  You could buy a death certificate, but a certificate for all relatives can be a costly business.  Newspapers are the answer.  With the growing number of Australian newspapers available to search at Trove, there is a good chance you may find an article on your relative’s demise.  In turn, it may lead to an obituary which can also be a wealth of information, but I will discuss those in a future post.

When I began reading old newspapers, I was amazed at the number of deaths and accidents reported, compared to today’s papers.  It seemed even the smallest of accidents could make newspapers right around Australia.  Death reports were explicit and sparing little detail.  However, despite the nature of these reports, I do find them intriguing reading and they can show when, where, and how a family member died.  Also, accident reports show information that you may never have found otherwise.  I may never have known that my great-great-grandmother lost the top of her finger or my great-great-aunt was bitten by a snake.

Horse related accidents were naturally common whether falls or buggy accidents.  As the years passed, motor cars were the culprits, with many stories of them rolling or hitting trees.  The increasing number of motor cars also caused some problems for those still using horses as their main source of transport.  Fire was a common cause of death or accidents.  Candles, coppers, and fireplaces all increased the risk of burns.

Following are some examples of deaths and accidents involving my family members found in the papers at Trove:

Charles Bishop worked at Weerangourt Station, Byaduk,  but I found he also died there.  While chopping wood in 1916, he suffered heart failure and died at the age of 60.   I found this reported in four newspapers.

I feel sorry for poor James Elston.  He died at only 21.  The first article I found on him was in 1901, eight years before he died.  James had broken his leg, but this was the fifth break in two years.  He was sent to the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne.  The Barrier Miner published in Broken Hill reported the accident as a possible record-breaker.

A Marino Boy Puts Up a Record. (1901, August 29). Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW : 1888-1954), p. 2. Retrieved June 4, 2011, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article44302344

In March 1908, James was back in hospital.  He had been thrown from a buggy and fell on a fence.  As a result, he fractured his spine between the shoulder blades and was crippled, his condition critical.  In January 1909, it was reported that James had succumbed to injuries at the Hamilton Hospital.

Robert McClintock died from heart strain and tetanus as a result of chasing a fox.  This was in 1913 and Robert was only 18.  I decided to search Trove with the phrase “chasing a fox” and it threw up many articles about deaths and accidents incurred while chasing foxes.  Some had fallen from horses, others accidentally shot by themselves, or others died the way of Robert McClintock.

Jane Diwell’s death in 1909 demonstrates the dangers women faced doing simple housekeeping tasks.  Married to Samuel Hazeldine,  Jane was in a back shed at their home in Murtoa boiling up beeswax and turpentine, when her clothes caught fire.  Despite desperate attempts by her husband to save her, she died from her burns.  Samuel received severe burns to his hands.

Frederick Hazeldine of Murtoa was watching the eclipse of the sun in 1910 when the 10-year-old slipped off a fence and broke his arm

Frank Coulson was only 17 when he met his fate in 1935.  His body was found near Digby.  He had sustained a fractured skull and his pony’s saddle and bridle were lying close by.  Different articles tried to offer an explanation to his death from having been kicked in the head by the pony or haven fallen awkwardly as the pony jumped a fence.

George Gamble lost his life after a cave-in at the Colac Brick Works in 1910.  He was dug out but later died at the Colac Hospital,

Mary Jane Hodgins (Mrs Matthew Gamble, below), my great great grandmother,  lost the top of her finger in an accident involving a horse.  Notice that this took place in Colac, Victoria, but was reported as far away as Maitland, New South Wales

GENERAL NEWS. (1877, September 1). The Maitland Mercury & Hunter River General Advertiser (NSW : 1843-1893), p. 7. Retrieved June 4, 2011, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18829977

In 1906, Amy Margaret Bubb, Mrs Benjamin Combridge, was bitten by a snake that had hidden in a mattress.  Her daughter Amy was darning the mattress and noticed something she thought was mice, moving inside.  She called her mother who hit the mattress and was bitten by a black snake on the wrist.  Young Amy ran to the neighbours’ house almost a kilometre away through paddocks and returned with a Mrs Arklay.  By this time, Amy Sr’s arm was black.  Mrs Arklay made an incision and drew black blood from the wound which saved Amy.  This article ran in Tasmania and Adelaide as well as The Argus.

I had known that my great, great, great grandfather William Diwell had died in a fall at the Merino Flour Mill in 1871, but I have since found that he was severely injured three years earlier.  In 1868, the Merino school-house verandah was falling down, so William volunteered to remove it.  Part of the verandah fell on him and he was pulled out suffering a severe head injury.  By all accounts, if the full verandah had of fell on him he would have been crushed to death.  He was 43 at the time and I think he may have been lucky to make it 46 when he did die.

The most gruesome article I have read about one of my family members is that of my great, great, great grandmother Ellen Barry, Mrs. Gamble.  Ellen was a feisty Irish woman, often in the courts and rather fond of a drink.  One night in January 1882, Ellen was home alone in her cottage in Colac, when a fire broke out.  The next day, the coroner found that due to Ellen’s propensity for a tipple, it was most likely she had knocked a candle that started the fire.

A WOMAN BURNT TO DEATH. (1882, January 26). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848-1954), p. 8. Retrieved June 5, 2011, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11530343

These few examples prove how much you can find out about your ancestor’s death, not to mention their life before death.  If you are using Trove, it is useful to search all the papers available because as Mary Jane Hodgins’ accident shows, incidents can be reported interstate.  You can use filters to narrow your search down, particularly if you have a specific date.

In a future post, I will share some of the other articles I have found which don’t relate to my family but show the value of these stories in developing an understanding of how precarious life could be for those living in the 19th and early 20th century.  We can also learn how death was considered in those times by the style of writing and the depth of description.  Most importantly for family historians, our ancestors become more than just a one-dimensional date on a page.