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Edin.
:'
.n,
I of t.e n ~Jish that: I had a s kcd my r,t.'anclmothel' and mot.hc r mor-e about t.he I r chi ldhood and e a rl.y life.
In case a g r'andc hf Ld 01' ot he r descendants
may be curl ous to
lealn
some details
of my uneventful
life,
I feel an urg e to Jot d ovn a few teminisce nc e s ,
Gl'andn',a and mot.he r a lthough
be long i ng to thli! Vi c t.otLan e ra e n j oyed a
deal
fl'eedom in t
i i- youth,
even though cocktails
wete
motel
c ars no. 'exist(1(iJ,t,
and ae rop Iane s the f re a m of a few caaz y propbe t s ,
Foth WCle
d e v o t.e e s ,of,;\,th~; ~'coJc! bath f i r st thing
in the mor n ing ",
This was insti Ll.ec' into
t:bfi,
c h i Lclre n f,I'om', cUl.:eal.'l-iest
yc ars ,
Although
they .,eIe not g re at; r e aclez s of an,'It.h i ng
but;
t.ho :;:ible, and ~eligious
books and nev s pa pe r s , both \~el'e \;011
ecluc a t.e d
a ud '1Cl;' Li bcza I minded.
81'cat
of
3l'd :-'Ul'ch
!:.fi.
unkn
ovn
,
Tho 52nd ann i ve rsar-y of my matrLage
\dth
John Loc kha r t: Gibson
me d a Li s h ) s e o rus
a good date on wh i c h to c omme nc e these
jott:in:::,s.
chari ot:" rus he s along so fast: it is Hell t o put a g ood intent;ion
19{+O.
(g01<1
r~ciin:
'Tirws
he
Hinged
i n t: 0 act: i on •
[elvin8
f ot: me.
into
past
has
a luay
s
flom
e a rLi
e s t ye a rs
had a
s t.rong
f a sc
l nc t l o..
: 'ar Y } :,;OCt8 ',;i 1kin nee ;~a1'C!r:~anmy rna t.e rna 1 g iandmot.he i: \;as the 14th y oung e s t:
c h i IeI of ,:icl:anl
Eanlrr:an and his w i f e r:essy n~~ Woolt'ych,
a l::el'c!tant of s or-o
r t.a nct i ng in :",ov01';)001 whe rc ;'Ll1:'" ?l:oobe tca s b or-n on 31st .Jan 1815 t.hc ye ar- in
v.h i c h ',"aLel'loo vc.s f oug ht: on 15t~, ";1.,r,2.
~,be clLed at the re s Lder-c e of he i
d~t..:.::~-:lE:l·;'1'3. t.:~lL£.:l· ~.~.
!~l·i(it.:t
en. 23th ~'al'ch 1392 agt:d 77.
\Ins burLecl
ir~
..J.
c~;~'Ct;(:l'~'.
:al'C:r.-:3.i1 .x.r-c hant:
i
:'cl",arcbuco
;:'l'azi ~,' .~'.) ',,'h:c:: ::is 50115 HCl.'e sent to lealn
c o Lon i a I t rade , _Seyel'al die<.i_,9f
I
z
Ls
b
ano
Tl:G
had
a
bia
nc
h
hous
e
t
n
r
-;c_,c;c'>-':'f],c;-
_.:/~llO::J fE:VE:l. ~.'!.'•• G.!:. iHL;on a'1'811 knovn men:nant
at Ips"ich-in
r.:~(lcll(:-of 19th,,:~
~~;n!-:~ly'_lc:xem1:e::E:C!,Sl'amiJ::as brot.he rs ion Ll verpool , -!-stte used to quot.e - irrc-,-'bl OlT-::~~~:Cob,' ';;;e bl'Ot:~::::l' ::um',
":aic! bE:l' brot.he rs (John,
CharLes , I:enlY, SChJaId and
~
eJUr.;U5 be i ng ria c.c s I re mernber) s e eme d to he r like old rr.en, some must have be e r,
.l
~~
25 y cc r s olden than s r,e va s ,
.Ia mes settled
in Adelaide
in the 1830's,
of him
,.'
moto anon.
3t. :--icholas,
Li ve ip oo l has the church
those
Hatdma n s mor-e than
~
<;;:?
100 ye ars 0:-;0 attendee!
ar.d t.hcze proba b l y could be founel in the Pa ri sh r;egistel:
."'.,..
ruc h i nf orr-a t i on ,
C0f.1;JUlS01'~' g over-nme n t; rcg i s t ra t i on of b i t t.h , marri age s and
cI.:~aU~s die! not: COT.C into f or-c c unti 1 about 11330, c hurc h r e g i s t.e rs be i ng the
:-01c: rc- c ord of \:;:<2$U ove n t s ,
(;l'an(lJ~fl hac! t,;oo s i s t.e rs , one 'Jas a L1S Chat'les
~'l'jt:t;1i:;.
:-:b(~ aLs o llClC! a c ou s i n Al l c i a s urna n: Unkn01Jn.Cne
of glunckils
o a rLl o c t.
ro c o l Lcc ti oriz ".-<!~; ;)0f.'ping uud c r. a ehawn ~JindOi, b l i nd I1t the ho arse
(v i t.h [(:010,0;:(1
hL1C"
<1.;,;:015 ~;rit:h f o a t hc ro d Hin;3s
at its
f oui
c crners
) d rawn
by s i x b l ac k hOl'S(:S.
~.
(J lef"C'::~bul' t.ha t: s ort of tl~in0 in the' 1G70's hc r'e in El'isbane~
which had b roug ht:
;;(':1'
f a t.hc rt s body f tom f:an.'o;'gatc,
t.ho spa in Yot-ksh iic \,hel'e he hac! died of g our ,
;>athinc
in these
mi ner'a l s pri ng s and drLn k i ng of them used to be called
'tak.Jng
t::~0 ~;at:el's'.
Gl.'anclma eot: on 1.eI1.1Jith
my f a t.he r,
I l'emembel' no Cl'OSS worcts
n ot quarr-o 1s and she l! veel ~~ith us f rorn the time I ~as t.hre c yoars
old both
in
Ips,;icl!
And ;':Out:l T'l'isbai~c.
-;l,(! spoke velY little
of he r e arIy
o i f e but judging
by t:l~::: t.:,~o Spode china
coffee
mug s (one in my possession
and one in liilda
Fos se r s ")
and Oth81' t h i ng s such as lovely
bits
of black silk
velvet
(uncut
pile)
the Hal'dr.~ans
pel'€! ve l I off.
The vho Ie Spocle tea and coffee
set ~ith
no tnade n:ake vhich
d o rot.o s its e a rIy rranuf ac t ure is 01: ~;ras in Adelaide,
ptobab Iy w i t h one of the
I"cr;;al'ois.
Cn t:La death
of o Id !'~'S. ;~al'dP.1an in'Livel'pool
it Has sent
to he r son
Ja~c,s the mcr'c han t. in Ac.e La i dc ,
vi
;
,
--..
Gl'and:na man'ied
in 1835 Hi lliam Hi lkin,
a gre at; fl'iend
of het' br-otrhe rs (\.f .~~. had
tw i n s i s re rs the image of each ot her,
I mention this
by the way as it is of
Lnt.cr-e s r to me whel'e twins l'ecur
in our family.
I have twin sons \'ialtel' and
A.D.
Loc kha rt; Gihsor: and my pa re rria I gl'andmothel'
t-l.'S. A'le x Hor'aco BUl'kitt
had
L"';;ins '.110 d Le d vo ry young am! uel'e bur ied at Dunw l c h Es se x ,
The cemetel'y
is
nO~J underthe sea)
a handsome man judging
by the ml n i a cur-e by Ttll'neau in my
possession.
:;Qf;j(:hm~
r,8V0J,' knew for this
mar-ri age t.urncct out badly and they
r o par-a t.ecl,
Tv o d aug ht.ers I'(:l'e the issue.
i"al'ion bor-n July 1837 and Elizabeth
Pardrnan. (r4!f~S i e) b orri 2nd ~;e;Jt:. 1833.
'"0
;::c!-;"al'd,Hal"~ll!!an:
••h o 'lived
at: Che s t ez: evidently
a Tl owed Cta ndma an income.
I've
he r- say he hac! been vel'Y kind to he r and it probab Iy wa s money left
hez: on
his death
that
b oug ht; the Land on Rl ve r TelTace,
vu l tur'e St. and built
OUI: ole!
home 'Flee1:l.ood'
wh i c h on he i- death
wa s left
joint 1y to he r 1:I;rodaug hre rs ,
She
had enough to live
on c omf or-t a b Ly and paid my school
fees.
About 1848 - 49
(:1:andma and hel' 1i tt le daug ht.e r's came out to Acle la ide to keep house fat' he r
brothel'
James hard man, qui te an adventUl.'e'
in those days.
The shi p ca Ltcd at
St Helena to replenish
its vatel'
supply and moche r l'emembered seeing
'Longwo()d'
the house in ,.;hich Na po Leon had lived
and clied in 1821.
hear-d
I ne vez- he ar-d 'Wh~thel' 'Uncle Har-dman! at that
time was a bac he Lcr O~' widm.et',
anyway he IT'.aI.'l'ied 1:IJice, his f i rs t; ~.ife died e arIy
leaving
S son
'James L>,dclon'.
La ce r he mal'l'ied
Fliti1da
Howar'd (who with he r s i s rer- Kate had kept a school).
Little
James died
in the 1860's,
his Bible was sent to my brothel'
James \-laltel'
FU1'kitt
born 1868, who facetiously
used to say 'Cl'andma did wha t she could by
n arni ng me .Jarnc s , but Adelaide
and Brisbane
al'e f ar: apart t ,
I 'Will add heze what;
I have he ard of these
people
in Adelaide.
On t'Wo occasions
about 1868 pcrha ps a
little
eal'liel',
about 1871 'Aunt Polly'
as we called
OUl' Aunt t,:a~'ion Wilkin paid
visits
to Adelaide
and had a happy time staying
at 'Clenelg''Whel'e
'Cnc~e'
Hal'C}mar:'s
~_house
,.as and then at 'Dip Ac re s ! his lovely
place
in the cfty.
Kate'Ho'iJai'd,:'
=,__ O-~_-~--~'=-~
h i s uife's
only s Ls t.e r earIy
took up he~'_abocle" •.ith-the
we-11-off me~'cliaRt:.. ,.;.hr!n·:---·
"
r~'ol<cri Hill mine wa s cl i s c ovoa-ed 't:ncle'
took s haze s 'Which soon made h i m "ealt:hy.
::0 d i e cl about '_877 -8.
I l~:rp.r.bel' hoa r i.ng that
he, his 'Wife and ~:r.te EmJan! hnct
,'::l'(~al actvent.ino s escaping
;:l'O:n Paris
to El'usse Is at the t.I mo of the Commune
ri ot.s a f t e r t.ho ?l'anco :'I.L:~sian :ial' of 1871.
Gl'am!ma also paid a visit
to
Ac'<:laide at: ,,~;ich t:iJ;:c s ho a s ke d f ot: the t"o Spocie coffee
cups ra t hor mugs as
thele al'e no ~auccls,
she said the tea and coffee
sets
seerred intact.
~~i~
Spo:Je t.va and coffee
set had no tl'ade mark , which s h ows its age, be f or-e tl'ac:8
~':ll:~S ',~01'e u s oc!,
S~1e bl'O\.:,,:!·it us c h i Ichcn
lots
of pre s cnt.s , one fOI' rno a plett~lJ
,:-:i;:-,-:-cc' l,at,
.:: b(:.J.u!:i:ul doll
a11(! cxqu i s i t:e c h i na d o Tl t s tea set
a l so an atlc.nr,:-<::~:: (:: ,\'i;', ~; Co, ;-'<-".' felcicc>iitz
f:~~' f i ts t: i n t.i oduct.Lon
to ~,:ebQI 0\'(.,1 ":lich t.c.ci r
1,";)_::
~.!,-::('. :.:t.:(T Aunt: ~011:! :~.:lclto Io avo :lQl' hus t and ove ry :$as .'~10 1;'[\$ ~~(,nt t,)
>'_1 [l'O!:: A~!cl.J.i~:c a::c: on Al:nt:s death s ho got: r1000.
;'ati :'(<1 ;1aicf a '1(,1':' f Iy i ng visit
to fl'isbane
about 1892.
l'.3te c a c:e in
t;,e: bulk of the ;:al'd~,ar. money on ;'ati Lda 's death.
::;l1e t.he n posed as a lilC1y
1:tJ',Jr,tifu1 and .cave litel'all:,.'
to c haa-Lt l e s ,
1,0' husband met h01' uhc:n at a ,'£clic.:il
::{)~l~l'QSS in Ac.oLal clc
·'<1t:2ar.r!
f or
,r1'anda:a r'e tnunccl f rorn Adelaide
to Li vc rpoo l about 1850 pr-obab Iy Hhen 'U~:cle' ~al'l'i e d ;·'atilc1a
!;()c;,a~'d. lot he r was put to a b oar-d l ng school
at Sout.hp crt; (Lanc )
leapt by the :,:isscs
Sharp.
She ~Jas a eli ligent
student
as is s h own by hc r prLz e s
s ome of I~hich vc sti 11 p os so s s ,
She had a happy chi Iclh ood as had he r sistet'
;·at·ion
(Aunt Po TIy ) Hho be ing delicate
spent much time at: fru-m house.
OUI'
r:'Ot;!,E'l'S g oclmot.hoi- va s t,:iss
:::11cn Lea t.ho r
on of sever-a
j
maiden
ladies
Hho lived
5
J
in Li ve r poo l ,
In 1892 out fami ly had a thl'i 11 on being sent an adver-t; in a
!.:elbourne
riews pa pe r- (The Aagus ) l'equesting
Ht's. ~JalteI.' BUt'kitt
nee Elizabeth
i-ial'clr.'lanIn ll<in to communicate
nith
a certain
f i rm of solicitors
in Llverpoo L,
At t.ho same time a Bri sbane solic i tal.' }~' Andt'e,~ Th ot-ne had haard f r orn the
Livel'poal
s o l i c Lt ors I.'e mot.he r, and kn o••ing that
my name had been Bur'k i t t, be
rang John and all
wa s well.
The upshot
of the little
exc Lt oment; Has that
mot he r
l'oceived
!:50 left
heI.' by Ellen
Leathel',
this
Ie gacy not to be paid unti 1 afteI.'
the death
of all
the sisters.
Jim used to laughingly
say 'pin your faith
to
leather'.
'
@~,c?i~~-el'
had bec orno engaged
to a young man.
He emi~l'ated
to Sydney.
l_lhen L~e ';i'oto,- cii~6ut' mar-ry i n-; n.ot.ho r , g randrna ve ry Hisely
decided
to accompany
11oJ: to Aus tna
:'and btLng 11CI' Oth81' d aug ht.crs , Hhen mothel'ancl
the y oung man
rnot; a ga l n they came to the conclusion
that
they Hel'e not int:enc1ed f or: each ot.he r,
Izrv i rig come s o f ar: Gl'anclma t houg ht: cho wou Id stay a fe" ye ars and on the aclv l co
of Captain
Henl-Y O"~(Jilly
a ,;reIl known nav i g a t or- t or the old Aus t; , Un lt.ed ~team
~:avigation
Co, 1:0 "ham she had a Ic t t.or of Int.roduc t t on they came on to Bt'isbane.
I ''le though>-t:..b~t
qui t:e pos s i bly 131'anclmahad not the money just
then fOl' r-e t urn
passages.
YOtll~
opened a school
f or- sma 11 chi Lclte n in Hodg s on s Tel'l'ace
Geot'ge
:~t: no xt; to Q'ld...---Ciubwh l c h wa s ne o Ly bui It. ~l'isbane
in those days ~as a 'lee place,
convicts
clankin
the s tne e t s mor-ning and evening
going- to and' f rom '<ol'k.
Pal'liarnent
and Goverr,ment
Houses at end of Ceor'g e St then being bui It.
Above
I have saie! Hoclgs on s Tel'l'ace
,,'as next; Qld Club, but at that
time 1861 the club
hac! not been bui It.
Lp swi c h was a more i mport ant; tmm than
BI'isbane
and it hael
the Aus tn-a 1 i an Club a Laag e b r i c 1< bili le!i ng uhet'e the s qua t rers
c ong r'eg a teel •
Gl.'andi:la and hel' claughtel's
made many pleasant
fl'iends
one being l-':I:s. O'Rei lly who
li vcd at ']o.-;ontpeliel"
PoI'eakfast
cr-ock and La t er: in a t;10 s t orey house at the
A.lT.S.:':.CO's
111:a1'f Eal'y St.
I have a distinct
memor-y of a rew Yeal' Eve in that:
home w he n I wa trche d f r om an attic
Hindo\J, a vc l rcue ~ith
band p Lay Lng ell'iving
(:
~
~
About
l~a
round
the
s tne e t s and
bon
f i r'e s ,
._=
_.', --".0,<_.-
livedo.
...•.
(,:
f~
-..~.;."-~",l,;,
'"
;:~
.,
~l
~
i
The O'Rei lly chi Idl'en ",el'e Chal'les
•..
rho mar-rt ed a Mi..ssDank of Sydney and
-in-' ---~.i
the l-..IO s t oie y brLc k house his father
latel'
bui It at West End,' 'Toonal:bin'
~'tt.
standing
in many ac re s (n ow a R.C. sc b oo l ) ,
The d aug ht.e r' Fanny later
became
~f
second w i f e of Judge FilIal'.
Othel' friends
"el'e ~l.' & HI'S Hebb who built
'Cintl'a'
~
BI'eakfast
c re e k ,
~~othel' has told me that many a time the Lad s and lassies
~~
wl1ked t.he te a nd ba c k f ot: jolly
dances,
cabs 01' indeeel any conveyance
being
~
non o x i s t.a n t ,
!'l'. \,ebb Has agent: fOl' the A.~:.l'.
Society
be f or'e a prope r
\.'
~f'.
o f f i c c H3f: e s t.a b l i sho d ,
Hi s son Erne s t; af uervard s became n.anag e r in 1888 and
::~
h i s g r a r-cls on Aubrey
\Jebb also wa s manago r in the 1930's.
Amongst the y oung men
: f 13; i s l-c r o ~-:(:J',: :'-::1"'1':1 30): a :~(~::,Cila.I1t:, Th orra s rit'd
in l':eS51S Gibes
fl'ight.
.Ia rr.cs
:'0':":'-,>1~ f10::1 '_'),'1
a Lr.o a :I~:c~lail::, a nd ',:altnt'
t:(!~JQl'd F.a'Jlins
EUll<it:t "ha ha d
:') 1:,-. t'!"'"'''';''.nod
[t'::;'(1 t~',(! ;~10c. ~(!JE!!::l'ai'!; ::::E:pt:of vi c t.orLa (whe re he hac!
'::-'_'1',"_"
n t : YI":'~_c.:'\
: t: , :::Clr,bi~ and Cc.o Lor.g :':0 t.he s e rre Ix.pa rt , in Q1c!, just
bo l ng
i,'a:,:>} ~tcd 1.'! ('C;!, ':;llL2r~
:,:1',;c:':I,<!1::';\s :;UpE:l i u t.c nclan t, , The fit'st
Te10~laph
('ffiet'!
~.
i:
in !,J'i :-':~,1J',,) t.r.a t: is in ~ld ,123 c;:E.nc:ci in a disused
chapel
in \vi l1iam St bet'':~(':1
'.~
01,,' :~t:. J0:-:ns c hurc h and the pr-c scnt: COY. Pri n t ing Office
f orrnorIoy
used by
:',,'-1. '", --':;r1:3:I.cll
kn ovn f ot his activities
in onc our-ag Lng l:l1migl'ation.
J Hill
-',
!'(~I':C:;:'1.(:l' t;!-,€,.:
tbl'ce
stone
StE<lS l cacl i ng to the little
ve s t.I bu Le in w hore ,~as a
~
c oi-n t.r.j. ;;';1([ a d001' ope n irig into
a 10113 room 1<ith 1011[; t.ab Le on ,•.hich ,,'el~ t.e Legra p h \
i ns t.iunv.r.t s tic;dn8
dot and clas h on the coils
of \ in pa per: (called
tape)
um-o l l Lng
f tom SOlI: of hl'as!:; s Land s and 1~01.-! cl'owded ,;it!! c Ie rk s the p Lace 1~as.
Tho
'
tr~a'l!y ab ove r;:0nti ono d took
'I:essie'
and ;,:al'ion 1,.,'i lkin and a f rLe nd Sliza
Srni Lh
(::;istC!l' of .r s , C':~eil1y)
to pa r t i e s and f or: wa l ks ,
It ,,'as not s~fe to ventul"i}
as fell' as ','icL:h<l!ll TC1'l'ace Hithout:
Ft'otection
f or: f aar: of b Lac ks ,
In those
CklYS
l:;w c:le:ar::<.'lS t.ha t: tnado d to a nd f rorn Sydney (the Dlack ::;~"<1n
being nanc of one)
~l
00
:";':-'"
J
<:.
a rri
V(!(:
in
E.l'iscane
about
Sp s rn, on Sunday.
The young
men
:_;,ill
nt.i11
the
d oor' in
St.
.Johns Churc h so that
on he arLng the whistle
of the s t.e arre r: touncl i ng
Ta ng a roo Pot r-t' (then
a vel'y narrov
passage
they c ou Ld easi ly slip
out; and go to s oe
'lho wa s on bOO1'cI and heal' t.ho news f rorn the south.
On 28th [leC. 18(,3 ~Ia1tel'
rlll'ld t:t =.nd l':J i z abe t h I~al'clr.:an \1ilkin
Hel'e rnar-rLed at o Ic: st. .Johns in ~H I Li a m :,t
ty the Rev. To~lin.
Afte~ the death
of ou~ mothe~ amongst her papels
,ms
J:ound the c ert.Lf Lca t;e of a c cre mony pe rf or-mecl the day bc f ore at St. Stephens
R.e.
c luuc h -::lizacct:1
St.
This rrus t; have t.a ke n place
i n l t ne little
stone church,
n ov (',940) a Ir.ior.t: a ru i n , ,,:',ich s t.and s beside
the Cathedla1
of s arnc narr.e and sic!
~()
GC: test:
PS\-E~':i.1:);;' on l y
c:::::::r>le of Cot.h i c a t-c h i t.e c t.ute in Aus t.r a l l a ,
Fathel' at
t:~',[lt. t1
"·\1~~.~~l'~:~::::
Ly ,;1 ~:~1~r: Tcr.n i c on '.-!ood ,;ho bo Lcng cc! to an old :~.e:.. f arni ly
~:u;);',O\C. :,':,] sL;.]~:(;d ",l,' r o (!J:J~l.J.CCV~at ro l l g i on , nOllE.:.of us evc r ho aicl ot:
1.,;['
':c:.:,,:,,',' .J:~< ::';~ :.-:t' ,,5 ',:c. could
j~td'je fat::'l',:~l' !',(!vr:n t roub Led about
any re l ig i on ,
.; CCI'
lCi~E?r.L(:l
:Ii::; 2,Oillr: to ,I scr-v ico only once,
that
Has Ang ll c l an a t: o Ld St.
';:I(;~,~:-;I in ~t:rt:11(;y "\: .:1L jUllct:ion
of r'elboUl'I1C St (opp cs l t.c I'a Lac o l.ot.c l ) clernoL«
5s:-,(!<!
lnn,'3 a[;oA~ 1"elbo,~1':1Q and ::::t;anlcy Sts.
WeI€!
ra I scd the olel brick
c hurc h
i:,;ot 101,Cl' arid J.0"\18l' than t.ho s t.te c t; level
unti 1 at last
a numbe r of steep tc oode n
steps
led dOlm to it.
;0-:0'"19LfO a small rnemorI a I chapel
in Grey St pe rpe t.ua t e s it.
;'1(~
, Aunt 'POLLY'" (?'al'i on 'rli lkin)
Dliza Smi th (Lat.e r ~::t's. Th os , Binl)
and Aunt Farin y
(
I'ul'ki Lt ,.el'e mot.he r 's bl'iclr;smaidstheil'
f roc ks Hel'e of whi te varIe t an (a fine
1.
muslin)
w i t.h a pink satin
V~" s t rLpe , m:eathes
of roso buds In t nc l r hail'.
Fa nn y
[.
"hose
prope r name Has F'l:ances Amelia hac! come f rorn London to vi c t.or-La with hez:
~
f a t.he t: (A'le x , Hor-ace EUl'ki tt)
and hel' bzot he rs Waltel' and small Ar t hur- in 1853
~
in the 500 on vessel
'Ivanhm.'
She had had a knock about
life
at the gold
~
diggings
at Eendigo and Ballal'at
often
in tents.
She had only one year: at: school
f:
most of hel' education
having
been got ft'om a d Ic r l onar-y and encyclopaedia:
In
~
a mor'n ing he i- f a t hez. set hot: lessons
to Hl:ite f rom thes b ooks ,
thus she had a
(1
lot of out of t he way and curi ous in f or'ma t i on , This with gl'eat Hit made hel' a
c ha rm l ng c ornpan i on ti 11 she wa s over 90.
Hel' g te a t.e s t; ft'iends
"in t.:elb6ul'ne.'lJere-c,'"
"ii.,:,',:""""
-~-:J.'.'6, 1"1'5.
E'l Ie r'y (he wa s afterwa~'cls
the a s tn-onomc r but ~.hen clown on his"t}-l~l<~,;, __,- f
had .p.Layod. the fiddle
in the otc he s tn'a of a' theatl'E!)
The Ellel;Ys sometimes '-stayed
~'
at Hi lliamstmm
,.hel'e convicts
wel'e bu i lding a br'e a kwa t e r' and Auntie
has told
me
tt
t:ha t s he and ;'1'3 Ellel'y
used to make par-ea Is of ca ke 01' f t'u it and when a "al'del'
~~
was not 100kin3 d r op them ne ar- convictsThe aunts Hel'e ve~'y pte t t.y especially
~
Fa nny w i t.h big blue eyes and beautiful
complexion.
t-!othel'S Hfldding caused
some
~~
s t.t i: in t.h os e d i st.a n t: anr.l quick days.Ia mos lloneyrnan 'Jas be s t; man and Tom Bin!
t.ho :::l'oo.'!l~r·,(n- C;001';',0 !:au'is
a mer-c har.t lent: his CiH"l'iar,O and pail' and many
lY'l!,ed tn r.:<l~'-C:the ('aj Cl s uc c c ns ,
l:oti1cl"s
d i os s "a" v h l t,e s i Lk (rrade at Ilu::t:ons
t:!~(J be:;t:
::::~r',:;: ,:it:~ ';1 (;<1t!i :,,~ c,l'all~',C b Lc-ss cr: a nd Cl 'l or.r; tulle:
veil.
It is
r."; le)',:.
:"~,t,
""
"~I:":'," ',';~,)tl:l~ :,;e'l"t: :'l'){" lb! ~':',op to fi)c het' veil
o t.c , ill
.,'
:':;1.:(:
.::'
\.rJ~(::~<-, f:~·(:.~.~:;) ·.~·.:-r :'1.;.~ :;"c(.nDL.:~;lI!:y anc! l-.c'dl: of t.hc d re s s rrak i r.g
:"':'.11 t,::"'-::;\:, tit :CS:'1S ,-li;;:':::,~ .::, ,:(~~::'~~'
a leaclin;
dra por: in Queen St.
~he also
r:nc!(; f::; s l s t.ci. ':;'fics
ciJ,c:ss
i n lSf,S.
:ihcn on 31d Oc t: she lI:ill'l'ied ChaaLe s
~rI~;<1j'(1 ~;();,l:C?I
(ut St:. t,21'y5 '-~aL~;al'oo Ft.)
mot.he rt s \;eclclint.; cake ,~as btough t
by ~a:)t:. C'~cillj'
[I oIT' Sydney
1<110I think
Imf he r to the a Lt.zn: whe re El'anc!ma
~avc her: awa y ,
Deal' little
Aunt Fariny 70 ye ars a f t.erwat-d s told me wha t; a jolly
Hec1r.lin:= it ,.as Il"itll danc i ng in the evening
and that
just
as the bz-Lclesma l d s wel'e
s t.art i 1":;3 f 01' the c hur-c h it Has noticed
that
he r In'eath
Has avry , so cha~'actel'i s ti c of ho r c1io,l'e3al'd f or: dl'CSs.Nothel'
and Aunt Polly
fell
in love vith
f a t he rs
sm~et: little
s i s t e r d i r'e c r l.y she stepped
off the s t.e a mer,
They Hel'e
SHeet
l;'or.:cn and f i r'm fl'ier.ds
to t.ho encl.
The honeymoon Has spent at Cassim's
Cleveland
Lotol,
th!? happy pail' tl'avellecl
in the c a r'tLa ge drawn by a pail' of uhite
h orse s
t.ha t: hac! been used in the L.OI'11in3 (Ca s s i m a l'errl8l'kable
man vas a native
of
;'.:lUl'ituis
and hac! been a convict
but some time pr'Loi: to 1863 had gained
his
fne>edom bo c a us e dirri ng floods
in t ho DI'emel' & Rl'isbane
rI vor's and tl'ibutal'y
ctee ks he hac! rianag od to d e Li vc r' the mail f cr Fng Land in Bl'isbane
in time to
c a t c h the ou t.g o i n g s t.e arner,
Cassim's
c r Lme must have been a vel'y light
one as ,.'lien
T st:lYE,:d many tiLICs in c h i IdhoOCf[Hith John a f t.e r OlU' mar-rl ago he Has t ho mi Irl e s t:
'~'
I
f!~
r
<,
b.
/'
r'ecl kindly
man fond of c h i Lchen r'u Ied and bullied
by his w i f e Ann an Iri s h
twrnan)
Fat.her: just
befol'c
his rr:al'1.'ia~Ei had been appointed
Telegl'aph
r·:astel' at
. Ips\~ich.
The Te Le g ia ph de partmoo t "Ras most Lmp or'Lan t: in those clays and cho
officC:l'S
he Id a much h ig har s t a t.us , in fact
all
the head officials
in Cov ,
r\rJ,li:I1't:;l:anls
m.1.C: ....
o nt.Terne n fl'01O,
t.ho clays of colonial
louts
\Wl'C to f o Ll oo ,
':"c'l":'::l.L!;-'"
~:;"tC.:::: "~l'C
i;'(!il~;'; ,)1..J.:,;1<:c!
ar:.d built
and La t.o r \,'l'1en the c a b Le b,ndod at:
:~':'1.1;i;-, l'(.l'C.::l~;~':~,
!;tation::
cad,' in
~::istencL,
as the 1:01'SE.:code
cd only
;: f-:.:~: ~:\.:r:'::lC.;r: ;;'i :.:::.
Al:U-,l11:,
f a t.l-crs y oung o s t; "ul'otllc,.' mlS stationed
at t.'a\JlmoCY.:
0.\.-,','C.
:_,t:.:1I:i~:-::5.
:'aU-:c:l' s:...
q::~!l.inLc.:c.!ocl
t.ho laying
of the cable
aCl'OSS t hc
~,.::.:.1 t.o ;\~'it::,' ::<:J..,t.· ;:y parcr.t s 1.;8~;L1.n t.ho ir i::.:lll'icC! li-::" at: t.he r c s Lclcnce n b ovo
,.'"
(1r·C'·J
i c ",(~,,- ,.- ,,--', cf f i c o 1"1 "1'; -'1':1--'
s t: • 'I)S· .•i c h
-[',c' »os
a nd.".... t.c Le g ra pl:
,<'
l'"1
-- r
Gf~jCl..l:;
,:i~:', r.,;::.:·(.<):t::a;:1c r c s Lc.c.nc c r 0:1 Cl s c c ond s t.oiey Wo_l'eboth L';1ct01 Ol>e roof ,
'-'''1'1'' ·;~'l"'r:
<.:'!,,-'
~1!Vl'(iE:rl 1",1 '-('J'"
h i u·
....
h c l os- e t'oa l l nnu.J.
s
Tl ic--r c iWl'G a 1<'11':-(;
d i n i nr
.100i.:,
a ls o l:iLc~~'::n nr:cl rnai clr: roorn ar,d bath 100;:1 on 1st f l cor, ups ca irs Cl 1.:l1'[D
(I,.'al:il"~ roor» and 4. laq;~ be.ciao oms , baths
',(:1(:
taken
in'bcc!l'OOI:1S.
In those days
(;0':c'lI~~ent::
1;(:1;13 c ompos od of :::nSlir,l1 ~cntlemen
built
c orrmodi ous r-e s l clence s
f ot: th-:dl'
of f i c i a l c ,
Cul' h omo at the office
~.as in evcry Hay c omf ort.a b Ie ,
In
the y a id at U,C: back ope n i ng i n t;o r::l1ensbol'ouSh
St Hel'€! b ig brl c k stables
0:'C1'
,~hicI1 "Wl.'E.: Lof t s for hay f or: the h ors e s used by the mes s engo'rs ~ho d e Li ve r-ed
t.o leSl'a •..s ,
manne
~i.'it:<lin,
t.o
•.• _ 1"-
:
.•...
_...
l..
JC1
. .l.
1.__'
•\ . \.
....•
' ••
",.L
~ I...••
~
__' •••
"-'\ 1• _ •
J,.-..
.•. .L •••.i
..
"J
•
\
-
cm
L
J
J. .)
J
J.
I
•
ri
1.·
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•
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'-"
t;
On 6th October 1864 I vas born.
Dr. Rowlands Mother's
medical man happened to
be out or tovn so 01'. Challlnor
attended
to the ease.
When some years
later
Dr. Chaliinor
died I was told he was buried
in his dl~SS clothes.
"I was
christened
at St. Pauls by Rev. John ~oseley.
~~ sisters
and brother
born at
r-'
the Telegraph
office
Ipswich were:
Constance
Louisa
James WaIter
Hari on Fanny Ethe 1.
:
Jane Gertl."'ude.
.-_~:.:-'~.. ._:! .•.~,I~
j.
.: .;
-
-.:
•
.f~_
-----
N"\'~~-
I· can remember lots
of happenings
vhen I vas yourict: , My first.
pair o.f k.i4 gl:<l~_sF
admirlng-AImie
Gibsons
(later
Mrs Boddingtori)'lo~l}"bi;avncurls
from our pev
(;
behind heI:s in St. Pauls.
A very distinct
memory wss the arrival
of JaDlBs
;:.~
Honeyman vi th his bride
(married
that day)
Frances Ame11a (AWlt Fanny) in a
carriage
and pair.
From the stir
made I now gathel' that their
man'iage
vas
quite
unexpected.
The ceremony had been perf01'med at the congregational
Manse
by Rev. Edllard Griffith.
They returned
to Brisbane
the same day and lived
in
a small house on the ri-ver bank in Stanley
St near Tribune St surrounded
by a
love ly garden.
Uncle had a fev good pt c eure s and statutes
vhich I asked about
and thus was introduced
into tha rea lm of art and so my mythology.
I once
escapect out of the f ront; door in Ipswich vith
6d tightly
gz-asped in my hand and
vent a fev doors down the street
to an Ind ian photographer
Biggingee
SOl'ab~er
poochee and asked him to take my likeness
llhich done he said,
'Oh I must give
you your change'
vhereupon
hand I ng me six pennies.
I still
have that photogt'aph
I was fond of running
across
the street
to the Bank of Austt'alasia
vhere the
clerks
made much of me.
A great
game vas to tm'ow a doll,
(I specially
t'emember
black Chassie)
from the 2nd storey
verandah and watch a passel' by pick it up,
ring the bell
and hand it to housemaid.
Chang a chinese
giant vas shown at
The SChool of Arts Hall next to the post office,
we never lI1issed seeing
him
alight
from an omnibus and walk up the back vay to the Hall.
MYexcitement
~a8
great
the afternoon
I vas taken to see him in the Hall.
My first
outing at
night llas to see a Panorama of the Franco Prussian
Way (1870) French soldiers
in bl
blue uniforms
and canncn belching
gun powder.
A panOl'ama was pictures
in a huge
canvas which unrolled,
but I am now hazy as to vhether
the figures
mobed in front
of the canvas
(vhich I think was the case)
or were just painted
an.
Ipswich
in the 1860's vas hoping to be the capital
and a gay place with the first
Club
much frequented
by the squatters
(a fine t"wo storey
verandahs
and a ga1~en) and horse races often.
brick
house
vi th wide
./ The Duic8of Edlnburgh~ Queen Victoria '8 second son, aftolvards
Duke of Sax
"COburg Cotha during his visit
to Austrsl1acame
to Ipswich in 1868 to open
the first
l'al1vay In qld which ran from there to Gl'ancheater (then callQd
Bigges Camp) CObb 6. Co ran big four horse coaches twice a day between Ipswich
and Brisbane.
I got IllUChamusement watching the arrivals
and departures.
The coaches left from the Post office which vaa undel' same roof as Talegl'aph
Office.
Each coach besides a driver had a guard to look after the luggage
stacked on the roof ~ which had two rails round It "to keep the carpet bags
fran fa lUng off.
carpet bags were hideous. They had stout leather bottoms
and handles"i with ,sides of real pattorned carpet fitted
into iron tops whic h
locked ~ '>'dobb~'&co'S horses were the best that could be bought.
I longed to
go in a 'coac'h :aricl see where Brisbane was. vOI'y far avay I thought~ but the
tvo at' tm'ee' times Mothel' took me with her we travelled
by steamer ("The Emu"
The Brisbane and "The settler"
with a huge stern vheel being names I remember.
.,
This voyage I thought a great adventure, dl rmev vas served in a large cabin
decorated with medall1ony'~
which were paintings of ft'uit,
stewards to vait.
'-',
It was a pretty trip dawn the Bl"emerX'iver which is a tributat.'y of the
.. ..
Brisbane River.
At the junction of the rivers thel'e was a stone wall to
prevent the banks from et.'oding, bui It by convicts.
The steamers moored at
the Mal'Ystt.'eet A.U.5.N Co's shar-f , My fit'st memoryof being in Brisbane vas
mother and I staying with DI"and M!.'sLansdown in a house 'facing the' rivel' just
near Victoria Bridge. Thi s was the l"8sidence of the madica I man In chal'ge of
the General Hospital which stood where the SupI'emeCourt now is opposite the
present Lennons Hotel (1940) The only bit of the Hospital now standing is the
well built stone cottage at the corner of Geot'ge and Ann Sts now a c8t'etakel'S
residence.
From the LanLt~ownshouse the wood pial'S of the very first bridge
could be seen.
This collapsed about 1860 directly
after the Ipswich coach
in which my father In lav Mr JaJPes Gibson vas Lt passenget' had passed oVer.
On another visit
to 81'isbane \18 stayed at a boat'ding,'house kept by Miss Lamont
at Pe_tl'ies Bight an the high hill
(now entirely
cut do,wn1940) oPposite t~c :_,-.
Custan House. The hill on which the angl1can cathedral
is bullt_hl_ tho __ A~Ys
sloped very steeplydOiwn to the brln-k -of-thai'ivet'.
A gl'aSS- track--for'nhlcles
had been cut along the hill to lead to Fot'titude Valley (so called because
immigrants from the ship 'F01·tltude'
settled
there)
It. large outCI'OP of l'ock
in the l"lver served as a fine island f01' flahing man roving there in dinghies
Manyacre s since those days have been b lasted and dredged off the tt P of
Kangaroo Point, the river then being very narrow just there.
Mysister
Constance Louise died when a baby.
Jim born on Thanksgiving SUnday so called
because on that day prayers vere offered after the l'ecovery of the Duke of
Edinburgh. (he had been shot at by an Irish Fenian at A picnic at Clontal't
in Sydney.)
Ethel and ~rt1~e
came along quickly.
Weall were christened
in St. Pauls which church we attended sitting
in the middle pevs with OUl'
backs to Brisbane str , The Gibsons sat a few seats in front of us. Annie's
(Mrs. Boddington) brown curls I gt'eatly admired and thought LiIUe and GI'ace
the pink of young Led Lo s , I specially
loved seeing gentlemen who V01'8grey
or shiny b lack bell-toppers
after they calJlfit Into a pew pI'ay into them befat'6
putting them under their seats.
So vary funny.
I'll
never farget my fh'st
g limp!le of Getety when "'''9 wero a 11owed to see the new baby, a wee l'ed head
was snuggling on mothers arm.
I believe Constance had red hair.
our great
grandfather
Alex Sheafe Burkitt's
hall' vas red.
It is recorded that his wife
made him use a lead comb hoping It would make it darker.
Wllliam Wtlkin
mother's father also had reddish hair which accentuated the procl~ity
In our
.....
:
family, no cousins had a hint of it.
our nln'se. took us comstlmes to watch
~'.
L',
steamers loading bales of wool or ootton, vhich vent crashing down a long slide
from the stare to It..U.S.N Co's wharf.
I often spent the day with Lucy Rowlands
t,".;
(Mrs Harry Haley) who lived in an old rambling house opposite Prssbytel'lan
church.
Ill'. Rovlands vas beloved but died early in Ufe leaving 8 children with
a helpless mother.
Miss Rowlands their Aunt Unie
entirely
educated the g11'l5 ',f.
~~
r.
~r-:
"'
'c;
.~
iJ~
-----------------------------------------------------------------
1
~
and was a mother to them. She was austere but dear, an English womanof the
Victorian era.
I loved going to the Rowlands, plenty of roam, trees to climb
and all nice and fx-ee.
I t'ather dreaded a day at the Gibson's at the Bank of
N.S.W. thenat corner of Brisbane and
sts, now 1940 moved higher up Brisbane
stt-eet.
One of Otn' amusements there waa bathing in the big plunge bath, with
• plug,quite
a rarety
In those days, moat bathrooms in the mid 19th centruy had
a galvanised iron tub.
The scrimages tetween boy.:and girls aa to who would
get the bath rO<llllfirst
at the Bank were fast and furious.
I was in awe of Ht's
Gibson, the.~~inirig room table was so long and such a number sitting
rO\Uld with
a prlmho1lSe~.id_ handing vegetables etc, I felt very shy and afraid of doing
somethins. ~'ong(l1tt1G
dl'€aming that one day I would be one of the family)
MrGibson put every one at ease at once, a dear'old
fellow tlthough not so old
then.
I also spent days with Nina Wilson (whose father had known of Grandma's
brothers)
Mr. G.H. Wilson had a wholesale business and was well off having built
a fine t'wo storey house with a wonderful fl'uit garden. ~e way and another my
first
7 years ~re very happy 1864-71 when father was made superintendant
of
the Brisbane office.
A large 2 stOl.'ey brick house with attic called 'BU1'llngton'
(still
standing In 1940 notwith9tanding the lower stot'ay being under water in
the great 1893 floods) was our first
hane in Brisbane and I dal'8Say was chosen
because it 'fas just across the river by AHce straetfel'ry
back from the Telegraph office
in William street.
from there we moved to 234 Vulture st owned by
Joseph Baynes whose grandson Kenneth Rossiter is married to Kathleen Nee Fostar
my niece.
234 was a doubla brick house, the Baynes' family living in the section
furthest
up the hi 11, the least nice I always thought. In $apt 1891 thenew
Telegraph and Post offices
in Queen St ware completed, thet'e was a rumoux' that
we ",-e1.'8to inhabit the upper store, which was a tht'ill,
but lt came to nothing
it may have been in consequence of this t~~t we moved to Vulture street.
Burlingtnn House in Stanley st lay rather low- while in Baynes' house I first
_.at~ended school. this was. kept by the Misses Johnston (Beatrice- and Adel~Jde) _ - _ I ..
their mother keeping house.
It was just across the raod in a large paddoek,
- _
-the -house overlooking what ln those days was called -'The sWamp' pax-!: - C)t:" - -" - . i
Stanley st beyatmd ita junction with Vulture st where a quite large brook crossed
the stl-eet (stanley)
with a bridge over it, this in very wet lieathel' overflowed
making all round about swampy. Hence 'the swamy' as that part ofstanley
street
from Vulture st to Boggo Rd (now Annerley Rd) was called.
I enjoyed school, we
had cubby houses on the hill just beyound Baynes houses and played like other
children.
This seems a suitable place to mention 'Aunt Pollie and Eric White.
Wewere at 234 VUlture st the mart'iag. of Edwln Welch to mothet's only sIster
Marion Wilkin was performed in the drawing room. Welch was a widower wlth three
ch l Idr-en, Vincent x then about 8, Ted 6 and Belle 4 (Isabel) Aunt Pollie first
11ved at River Terrace then Bundaberg and Mackay. Father warned Auntie that
Welch had a nasty Qemper and had ill treated hls fit'st wife a Miss Lord of Dalby
but being at this time about 34 she persisted
and lived to be sOrt'Y. I remember
Welch as a pleasant man, good company as he played the piano and sang well. He
had been a mlddy and been at siege of $ebastapol (~'imean War 1854) I have a
dim memory of marvellous tales he told of the doings of the middles after fall of
the town. His two brothers were in the navy. I remember captain George Welch
being at our ham 'Fleetwood' on several occasions, he had bt'ought his only non
who was consumptive to Hackay about 1875 where he died.
Another brothel' Camnander
Welch was personagl'sta with Q Victoria.
Until he l.'etired he commandedthe
Roya1 Yacht: 'Vlctol·ia& Albel't t and may be seen in many photographs of the
Royal f ami ly as Li ke his bl'oth'3t" Edwin as two peas,
A story l'elated of him
was that he Lcc kad the then Prince of Wales(Edwal'd vll) in a cabin fot'
disobedience
a proceeding the Queen quite appr-oved, The wives of these
t ru-ee welch men had to l1ev apart ft'om the it, husbands, all had vile tempers.
The wi fa of Geol'ge Welch and Auntie cOl'l'esponded fOl' yeal's.
Eric Hardm&n
W;lc~ Aunts only chi Id was bcrn in 1874 at "Fleetwood" Vultux'e st OUt"house
a tel which she retuxned to Mackay.
'
i
a
r.::
8.
Welch got so cz-ue I (taking
Auntie by chin and knOcking her head against
wall unti 11 she could hardly
see) that Grandma sent the steamer
fal'e to the maid.
who later
helped her when Welch was absent
to b oaz-d the coastal
steamer and cane to m
my fa ther' s house whel'e she was welc omed• Aftet' a time she learned
te legl'aphy
and post office
work and opened the first
Post and telegraph
office
in South Brisbane
at intersection
of stanley
and Sidon Sts next Ship Inn later
a brick
Post office
was erected
at intersection
of Stanley
and Dock sts.
tben as population
became dense
the office
was moved to Logan rd Wolloongabba and a post master was appointed
f~'
mails.
saving
bank w~'k etc.
and Auntie kept the telegl'aph
wot'k.
She is mentlcaed
in SpencerBrown~~.
memoirs.
She was able to boar-d Eric with Jas.
Ket'r well known
headmastel'
of ,o~d :.Not'ma1 school and afterwat'ds
at Ipswich grammar school. (Donda Id
Camel'on MAheadmaster)
We heard of Vernon, Ted and Belle Welch ft·om time to time
but. had no dea ihlgs 'wl th them.
Eric went into Insurance
wot'k and on the whole
did well.
I t'ecOlUlt this
to show how Er'lc is 0\.11'1st cousin.
A book in use at Miss Johnstons'
school" was Magnel1s' Questions
and Answsl'es on all
r:,".
sorts
of things.
this
with a good teachet'
opened up a lot of SUbjects
and made a
child
well infot'mad.
also the child's
Guide to Knowledge.
Little
At'thU1'S' Histot'y
of England and Mt, Markhams' Hist~·y
of England mostly Questions
and Answers. Father
k~
subscribed
to the S.BI'lsbane
Libl'at'y in Stanley
st whel'e later
when I went to scbol
in town I spent many hOUl'S In the ladies
l'eading room looking
at magazines etc ••
The congl'egarional
sunday school which we attended
t'egulal'ly
had a fine
library
from
'.
which I often
bon:owed a book , so read 'Qaeeby"
'The Daisy Chain' by Charlotte
Young .:
'Little
Wome' and books by ALar. Books V81'e expI'essions
so we vel'e taught
to cherish
them
Annua Is were 'Boys own Paper'
'GoodWot'ds' (Chattel'
Box" "Chambers Miscellaneous'
We had only kerosene
lamps at that time by which light
we played Lotto,
Snap, Question
.
and answel'e c ar-ds was a favo\.l1'i te.
Effie and Gel'ty when of school age played whist w ;:
1ti:kx with their
fl'iends
Nell1e
(now Mrs. Holland)
and lv'aud Foster
to mother's
hot'rot'
\'
These four had a comfot'table
p~sse under oUl'fhous~,,~hel'e
theY,~J?-8l!t-~~()U1's_:wlth th~~~~
whi s t , We had a muscia 1 box which on being wound played tunes!and
a kaUedoscope
.
~,which was e trubu l.ar' metal affair
with a round box a~t one end lii'which'we're'
bi'Okeri-'~-r~~'iodd shaped bits
of coloured
g Ia s sq theseon
being cur-ned round f·Ot'mad-beautiful
pa t tre r'n s seemingly
different
with each movement.
I was fond of a dolls
house with
Ht', 'Ht'S Smith and t'110 children
and governess.
I aimed to have It furnished
pel'fe~t~>,
ly knives
f ork s , carpets
piano,
table
napkinsthings
all as in ones own home. Ft'lends
gll'Ve me little
things
fot' the dolls
house which ended by being quite
a howpiece.
When
we were young we played 'Nutzin
May' London Bridge is br-okan down 'Ring of Roses'
We are thl'ee
LoI'(.\S who come from Spain'
I wi 11 l'emember seeing
B1.ondin a tight
rope walker crossing
Breakfast
CI'eek.
Grandma Wilkln who gave us l'e l1gi ous Insevuc elon was gl'eat
In Dr Watts'
Hymns; 'It's
the voice of the sluggard
I heard him
complain'
'How doth the litter
busy bee'
'Let dogs delight
to bark and bite'
'Abl'oad
in the meadows to see the young lambs' We also read MarkhamsHish
of ang , questions
a
and Answers a book used by mother at l-l1sses stnqnrI Sharp8s'
Scho l Southpot't.
Lanc s ,
How poor-Ly books of those days compat'e wi th got-ge ous chi ldt'ens books now on mal'ket.
Tlu-ee volume novels wel'e in vogue, mostly love yar-ns ,
Three books 1 vel'e a nuisance J
Alphabet
fot' ~eginners
vent
'A Is an archer
sho shot at a ft'OS. B Is a butcher
who
had a great
dog' down to Z is a Zany who looked a great
fool.
Hothel' taught
us all music including
Jlm on a piano which had a front
of fret
wot'k
(Ner red si Lk, this
old piano either
brought
by Grandma from England 01~
or bought at Davidson Hart, heard 'The lv',aldens Pt'ayel" The Vesper Hymn' canary Bird
Quadri lie'
labouriously
picked on by each of us youngsters
in turn.
My hands W8I'e
too sma11 for bri lliant
executibn
but aftel'
the drudgery
past
I was interested.
I
learnt
singing
from Eppie Thompson ft,om Mt's.Wllkln and was said to sing nicely
unti I
Bessie Gibson came along with her full
sympathetic
voice and no one asked me 'to
oblige'
After
I was teaching
at Mt's O'Conn~'s
school
I paid for piano lessons
from·
Mrs Herman Knapp a pup I 1 Of Halle',
these aftel'noons
I thoroughly
enjoyed and learnt
..~
the beauties
of diffel'net
composers.
Effie and Gel't also
leal'Ilt
ft,om Ml.·s K.
~>
,>
:.~
~
From Baynes' house we moved to a cottage
on Rivel' Terrace -and tMn to Cleveland
~or 6 months or so while
'Fleetwood'
was being built
with money left
to Grandma by
a brothel',
Charles.
On our return
to town I attended
Mt's Finlay's
school.
Grandma
also saw that we brushed
our teeth and had clean nails
fot' school.
When she thoU8ht
necessary
she administered
su lphur' and treac le which we called
'sweetbrimstone'
Sundays were strictly
kept best dress and hat fot' 11 o'clock
service.
Sevel'al drunk men
might be seen near Ship Inn. Sunday closing
of hotels
~ot having been thought of,
so although
drinking
has not dec ltned peoples'
susce peab t 11ties
are not shocked
by men lying about dead drunk on the Sabbath ••• The stone cottage
Mrs Finlay
occupied wasin''i\nn
si:: opp , present
Canberra Hotel.
I have a Certificate
of Merit
July 1876. Mt's"F--:w.s a "terror'
with hube hand. Mr.'s Bocock a daughtel' assisted.
Both wha't chlldi:en':~et'm
scotty.
I do not kn<m why I left that sohool maybe it closed
but 1878 finds me-at Mrs O'Connors school in Synol Hall,
Edward st exactly
whel'tl
tunnel
is.
In 1871 Mt's O'Connor had come to open the Girls'
Brisbane Gx'ammar School
but got to loggerheads
with a master of the Boys school.
Mt,. Crompton who saId he
could not teach'blushing
sixteens'
She then with Alice,
Kate and Janet
opened fm'
herself.
I was a di ligent
student
profel"l'ing
to read rather
thatn play tennis,
just
being introduced
here.
In 1881 I won the silver
medal .it fm' Geogt'aphy in the
Junior
Sydney Univ. exam, this un iv , held a Junim' and Senior exam here every yeal'.
Medals being given f,ot' highest
mal'ks in each subject.
'Ibe Qld schools
did remal'kably
well.
My sistel's
Effie and Gertt after
attending
the S Bds State
School in
came
to Mrs e'Connors.
Prizes
I gained at school were 1878 English,
French composition
and spe lling.
1880 GeDgraphy English and crec lan and Roman Histories.
Phys. Geot'1881
We lived a The Point at Cleveland,
lessons
in morning and roaming out in aftetTIOon.
At that time 111e Point was separated
ft'OO\ Cleveland
by a wide creek over which was
a rickety
bridge
often c over-ed at high time, so the admonition
was 'be quick and
get back before
tide l'i5es'.
111e coach that Kert' drove came to Point by a highet'
!'osd on left
in between was a fascinating
salt
swamp full
of
quael' gl'owths
and wee fish.
'Fleetwood'
was on a lovely site
in those days. A del1ghtfulhouse(built
of ttX lath and plaster,
cool in aummer) we H,ved there
over 50 ye ar s till
the death of our mother ,~hen it was sold and proceeds divided
tetween her 5 chi ldren
and Eric Welch acc or-dLng to Grandma's will.
~mx
Effie(l"arion
Fanny Ethel)
was married on 3rd Oct 1890 to Charles
Edward Foster whose
father
C.H. Foster
had big hsrdusl'e
StOl'8. Gertrude and Naud F were br Ide smal ds ,
(thin whi te muslins
ove r green) Charlie
had been ad uca t ad at 'l\1ermyton' BlU.'woodad
tom'od Eur-ope thoroughly.
His prospects
were ver-y bright.
111ey 11ved at Bay View
Terrace
Clayfield.
their
own home where Hi Ida , Kathleen and Connle were b or-n, but
somehow (as I have noticed
in the BUl.'kitt family nothing
financial
prosper'ed with
him after
he married
into our family)
Effie was II 'brick'
of a wife,
hard working
and most careful,
but often they wel'S in straits.
Chal'lie after
his fathel's
insolvency
xkimm XkUH when dr88aed down got a job as manager of Pennys Bros Too'ba but after
some years
had an account
of health
so he Came to Well Pt. to gr<m fruit
which was,
too hard vor k for him. He sold that fal'm and built
at Cm'inda and was vet'y happy in.
a job which the firm of John Cameron & Sons land agents asked him to take.
In the
end the dear fellow
had to have both eye l'emoved by L.L.G. his nephew, nevel' one
murtmn' fmlm him.
Ef!ie
on 14th l-larch 1935 his dearly
loved dropped dead at telephone
one evening and year after
1935 Connie a deal" daug htrer- died after
an operati on in
Sherwood Hospital.
I always in my mind likened
Chat'lie to Job. ~anwhlle
In 192
Kathleen
Hi lne 2nd daughter
of Chal.'lie and Effie D181Tied Kenneth Roasiter
at St.
Matthew church Sherwood 16th August 1922.
Has lived at Lockyer ever since and had
child
called
Meta.
At school breaking
up 1881 I took the part of At'thul' in a scene fran King John.
I was amused to t'ead yeat's after
in Spencer Browns' Memoirs _hat he said about u;
In 1881 Jim won a State
Scholarship,
3 years free tuition
at a Grammar SChool. ~
gained several
prizes
fot' maths, also CUps and ha it' brusheS fot" winning si:~:'~.
:.(
,0
.J
~ar(l'
made a friend
at school Florence
$aniOl' whose father
had come to start
First
girl
we had seen wearing black
lisle
stockings.
The sent ei-s returned
to England about 1881 and after
a little
cOl'I'espondence
we drifted
apI'at.
William
58niot' edited
The Field.
About this
time the fashion
was to weal' white
stOCkings with rather
wide l'ings of dark blue Ol' of l'ed tunning
round the leg ••
When we lived
in Stanley
St we attended
St Andl'es Chut'ch with stood opposite
Vlctoria
Bridge at Send befOl'e level
of stl'eet,
it vas pulled .own and atine
edi flce erected
in Vulture
st.
After we moved JO Vultut'e
stl'eet
we went to the
Congregatlona
crun-ch In Gt'ey at it vas neal'el;"t\the minister
Rev Samuel savage
livednear~~8
and was fl'iendly.
Later we attended
St Milrys Kangaroo point where
I wasmalTI~<fI, 3rd' March 1888 by Rev At'ch. Benjamln Glennie
BA, also Effle
on' 3rd oce. 1892.
We attended,Congregational
Sunday schoo l whel'e Bible instruction
was most
Intel'estlng~
The Annual 'Tt'eat'
was held on 24th May (Q.Vicotl'ia's
Birthday)
in Botanic
Gat~ens to which place the pupils
marched 4 abreat
behind a banner.
I loved this
outing.
Sunday sbhools
from all
.subua-bs assembled
in Gat'dens.
About 2500 children
each with its tent and e oppev boiling
fot' tea.
Out' .
amusements were simple.
In 1881 an Ita lian opera Co (Montague TUt'nel') played
In Theatre
Royal Elizabeth
sc , Uncle Honeyman took me twice,
such a thtill,
singing
and acting
wet'e good. Princes
Edwat'd and Geol-ge visited
Bt'isbane in
f;~-'
'Bacchante'
(sons of PrIrtce of Wales later
Edwal'CIVll which was coounanded by Ad fh
Adrnira 1 Clanwi lliam son in law of Governot' Kennedy.
We was Princes
sever-a I times'~
they p Lantre d tt'ees
at Boys G. RH School.
They had a tutot'
Rev. Dalton and lessons);
most days.
In 18183 Kt'akatva a volcano
on a small island
in SUnda SbJ.'aits
~
et'upted
killing
Lrmumetab Ie natives.
The effects
of this
wel'e seen all
ovel'
~
I~,
southern
hemisphel'e
in falling
fol.' weeks of fine dust even as far off as N.Z.
and lux'ied sunsets.
A 3yeal' dl'OUght was expel'ienced
in Aust. 'Whethel' it had
~?:
any connection
with volcanic
d l s tnn-bance ask me NOT••• Als on 14th Feb(Valentines'~
~.
,Day) 1884 aftel'
a shor-e i 11ness OUI' dal'ling
fathet'
died.
The cex'titicate
7581d'-_:-::-1=zr
entel'ic
fever but John thinks
form my 'deScl'ipti911 of the clots
of blood he __, __- ~_
spat up it must have been pneumonia.
Dt's wel'e awfully
ignOl'ant in those days
About a month befot'e he had been to TUl'kish Baths (whel'a Albel't Hote 1 now stands):;
and caught
a cold he could not throv off,
he had not before
taken a T bath.
~
I'll
nevel' fot'get
hi S de11ri um trying
to get out of bed and ta lklng of cables
~
and telegrams.
The vot'ld seemed to end fot' me. He was a most agreeable
tather
~;~
full
of fun.
I wi 11 remember putting
on his bl'east when in coffin
a lovely
whit:e rose,
first:
bloom from a bed of 6 t'oses he had nevly dug and planted.
The 't;
officers
of the Telegraph
el'ected
an obelisk
in S. Bl'isbane cemefel'y to his
"~
memor-y, he was veIl
liked.
FOI' years and years aftet'
a phoe cga-aph in the Head
office,
of this
obelish
of Grey Abet'deen mat'ble vas the only thing there not
connected
with business.
At this
time I was studying
with F.ft.
SWamrick fot'
~.~
the matric.
~hich I passed in March. In JunE! I went to 'Cal'l'ington'
5 mi les out
:,;
of Toowoomba to be governess
to the 4 little
git'ls
of Hon. F'!:ank Prirnt'ose.
1-11."5.'"
p was a queEn' wanan fot'8vel' changing
her g over'ne ss , At xmas she wrote me insult~1
.!}
ing letters
saying
I vas 'listless
and uttel'ly
incompetent'
so Uncle Honeyman
had to threaten
het' with a lawyers
letter.
After I had sat far the exam Uncle
Horaco who had been down on business
tolk me back to Bundabe1'g whel'e I spent
8 happy
3 months learning
to ride.l>!r Caulfield
and Aunt Janie (athat"s
fi1'st
cousin
were t'iving
with uncle.
eoffee
In Ceylon had fat led and he had cane to
Qld seeking
a job which afterwards
he got as P6lynesion
Inspectot'
and lived a
shor-e time at SWan Hi 11 Brisbane.
My bl'other
Jlm having come to end of his 3
yeOl'S at school,
got into Q.N. bank. When fathel'
died Uncle Honeyman was touring
,_
NZ. He sent a t e Ie gr-am from Rotaraa.
He and fathel'
were firm friends.
Another
.~'.
fl'iend
of fathet's
was AH Campbell Inspector
of State
SChools,
formerly
2nd
master at Ipswich Gl'am School. whel'8 he had taught: John Lockhart Gibson ari th.
and physics.
He lived opposite
us in Vultul'e st and when he depal'ted
fOl'
America he gave father
the black mal'ble clock Gel't now has and allowed me to
','
take any books fl'om his shelves.
I got soma old atlases
etc which unfot·tunately
were sold to daa Ier-s ot' would have Deen valuable
by now ••••
f;
i~
m
But now beg~n to go to S Brisbane
State School in Edward st then to Nm~l
. and on to Ipswich Grammar to board.
Jim paying fot' him. He was getting
spoi It a
at home. Jim was a good chap. About this
time James St George Caulfield
won a s
scholarship,
his parents
co~d
not pay fot' him to board so out- Jim took that b
bUl~en and at end did not get even a note of thanks.
Reg Roe of BBGSsaid Jlm C
was a queer boy.
About 6 months befOl'e he died father
had got 1.2500 (same
~
sum as Aunt Fanny , Uncles Hot-ace and At'thul') from estate
of late James Cochl'ane
husband of late Augusta Fathers
Aunt who by tl'ickel'y
left
him 1.60,000 howevet"
thats
ano~er
story
(see notes on But'kitt
fami ly) Father hoped by investments
this
wouid:lncl'ease
his Income. Aftet' his death Andl'ew McDlal'mid and Uncle .
.
','
.. ~.
Honeyman put"tt
into l'otten
things
and gr-adue Lly it was lost.
Fathers
income
had been l~a1sed. just
before
he died and the Govet'nment very handsomely,
in
giving
mother a years
salary
did it on the hlghel' rate,
although
he had not
been paid the higher
income. He had insured
h l s life
fot' a ftn'thet'
1.1000 in
AMPand paid fust
one premium. A reward fOl' the business
he had brought
tMs
t
Society
by selling
men to join,
'the only WUl'e provision
they could make fOl'
the it, wives'
he used to say. In 1886 Pink and White TelTaces at Rotot'ua,
~
destroyed
In tt'emendous eruption
and eat'thSQake,
hot e Ls engulfed
and several
:~;
~l
persons
killed • Part of this
year I was teaching
!Atin at Frs. e'ConnOl's school!"
and latel'
had an ~11 day job.
In 1887 Lady Bl'asseyvisited
Brisbane
on bar
~
yacht
'Sunbeam'
to found a branch of St Johns Ambulance. When the yacht,
lying
"
in t'iver
off AUce st was opened fot' inspection
we decided
to see ovel' her.
On board we met Annie and her brothel'
Jl.Glbson lately
arl'ived
to pl'actlse
het'e.
Annie invited
me to Bellevue
Cottage and we went driving
in Johns buggy. We
ii'
a Lso met at pat'ties
and so on until
we became engaged in December 1887. John
!.i,'!.;...•
soon took me to 'Arley'
Toowong to meet Mt, and Mt's Aroher,
who unti I they
.
were drowned in 'Quetta"
were dear friends.
Getting
a few clothes
and l'ushing
~.
here and there
it was a hectic
tIme ti 11 we were mal't'led on 31'd March a
~\
Saturday
very quiet.ly
only family entet'tained
but notwithstanding
we t'ecei~cLn
nearly
100 presents.
A weeks honeymoon was spent at Cl~bHotel,To~oombatheIL
. we settled
in Bellvue
Cottage Ge6t-ge St next "Bellevue l-:otel which John had
when he al'rived
from Edlnbut'gh,
taken on a lease •• we spent many weekends at
"
Culterfe
11 l-l..any, a house on Bay which is father
had built
in 1884.
We atten4ed
Fti
St Johns Cathedral
then in GeOl'ge se , I might add here that
Effle and Get'tt'ude
~
were my bridesmaids
wearing white muslins and black hats.
Joh gave them on the
f,l
occasion
presents
of brooche s shaped as horse shoes,
one studded with pearLs ,
;;
the other wi th pearls
and pink c ora 1. My dre s s was la'eam Jap si lk wl th handsome
I::.
!:
net panels
vOl'ked with white opaque bugles.
I tt'avelled
in a navy sel'ge stitched
~;
with yellow and a navy hat.
In TOO\JOombaI met 01' Sheafe quite
an oddity who
when it suited
him stayed at Chiefswood and spoilt
his liver
with alcbhol.
Bellevue
cottage
was small and rat l'idden when lease was up in Feb 1889 we
moved to 'Carlton'
on Wickham Terrace
at top of Ct'8ek St. Soon after
this move',
.~
we had an adveneur-e with a Police
sergeant.
Waking about 3.30 I haat'd a slight
~
noise as if finger
nails
were moving over a stat'ched
shirt
front
(at that period
j
everyday
shit'ts
had stiff
fronts
similat'
to those vot'n nCM only wi th full eve in g ~
dr-e s s ) listening
intently
I said,
I hear breathing
with that up jumped a JD8nand ;
rushed down back stairs,
John caught up with him at gate.
Dr. F. Marks who lived
I
i
next door verified
the mans assertion
that h., was Senior sergeant
of beat,
we k
I
kept him till
art'ival
of police.
He was tt'led
fot' being illegally
on pl-emlses
,
t
l~
ti
H,
Iii "
r
!
~:t~!~b:X::!~s~om!5
s~t~~;':~k~!
~~~l~o~;;!h!~:/:nw::l!
:~~:;e~,we~:.fOund
Severa 1 persons
11vlng in board ing houses a long the !elTace
had remarked to each
other
that
on a cry of 'thirf'
being raised
a Pi11ce SQrgeant was a. once on
scene'
He got only 6 months. While at Tat'race
I used to ride.
We kept four horses
a buggy and dog cart.
In sept of this yeal' 1880 we were ovel'Whelmed by John
having an entlt-ely
unexpected
haem01'l'hage.
I mean no symptons led us to anticIpate anythIng
of the kind.
To this day it has not been decided
bleeding
came from his tht'ost
or lungs.
I began one evening after
dl~er.
He had dl'iven
v=
!
~
b
~.
:-;;
f:
~
~
~:
-:':
to HSC to see a child.
While ~aiting
far or Jeffrey
TU1~er the SUperlntendant
'~hom he ~as going to drive
to a Medical meeting his mouth filled
~ith
liquid
~hen <Xl spitting
out he sa~ In Ught
of dog cart
lamps was blood,
not~lthstandin8
he drove himself
back to Terrace.
He instructed
100 how to
inject
ergot which at
once checked
the hllemol.'t'gage.
The bleeding
occur-rod for 10 weeks and ~o or
three
times eve ry 24hours.
As weathel' was hot it ~as decided
he should be moved
to Toowoomba. 01'. Hill came with us, a nurse and. Bessle Gibson.
We stayed at
a badly run boaz-d I ng house in Rus se Tl St. We l'eveived
greatest
kindness
from
folks
and attention
from Or Sheaf and Robet'ts 01' Hi 11 came up sevel'al
times and
Dr. JosepT\';-Bancroft.
John was kept in bed on mi lk kiet,
losing
1 to 2 O8S of ki
b 1000 tn"24houl's~
Night sweats were vel'y sevex'e.
In December he was got into
a 'chair·
and his tm:oat
examined as well as a Genel'al Px'actitionel'
could do it ••
in case a spot should be d Lac over-ed when Ox'. Bx'ady a tlu:oat
specialist
of
Sydney would be asked to come to cauterise
it.
Fr om that day no more bleeding
oCcur1~d Then began a terrific
cough and spitting
of clots
of blood stained
phlegm.
I was r-ac kad with anxiety.
In march 1890 we came to 'Caulterfell'
Manly
John put on we ight and made x'.pid strides
towards l~vovery.
In may we returned
to 'Cal'lton'
and John decided
to do only f:ye wn:r:k. I hardly
left
him pinning
my faith
to 3 drops of creosole
in milk aftel'
each meal.
In Dec we went to
Annidale
for 3 months and in Apri I 1891 John went to see 01'. Skil'ving
in Sydney
who haftel'
a thorough
overhaul
said he could scarce Iy believe
he had had such
a bout of bleeding.
John had grown a beard,
so 01' SS did not recognise
him
I
on entel'ing
the consulting
l'OOlD, at last
he exclaimed
'Good God YOU'I~ not Gibble1
I must now rnenti on Wardl'op Matthew Hi 11 (Ward le) a very old family
friend
of
.,
the Glbsons.
Wardles father
was chairman
of the Caledonian
Railway and At'chie
1
Gibson
(grandfather
Gibsons brothel')
was Secretary.
Wax'Clie ~as a cour eeous
~
gent leman of the old school
educated
at Mw:chiston
(same school as Uncel
t.
Honeyman attended)
and a true
friend
to us all unti I he went to Scotland
in
~
1912 and died 1920. 'ChiefSlJood'
was his home when in Brisbane,
our sons and
__
g.:..._
Gl'izel
owe more that
they realise
to his example and klndly
talks.
Waltei; and .-- ~
d Lck sa~ him in England and Scotland
when they ·"ere over at the 1914':"18 war.'
He left
trhem each 1.50 1n his wi 11 and to me 1.100 whlch John persuaded
me to
~
fOl'ego as Wardle had some not well 'off ne1ces whom I later
thought
vel'e not
~
too poor' Well I weIU~,
~r
~
~
.C:'
.!: