A convict-free colony please

Unlike every other state in Australia except Victoria South Australia was not founded as a convict colony. In 1834 the British Parliament passed the South Australia Act that decreed that the new colony would be convict free and in 1836 the first ships arrived with government officials and new settlers.

At some time in the early years of the settlement my husband's 4th great-uncles, Alexander and William Honeyman, travelled to Adelaide by ship from Tasmania. The brothers were born in Falkirk, Scotland and had travelled to Sydney, New South Wales in 1821 with their mother to join their father. (There is much more to this story but I'm cutting to the chase.)

The father had died by the time the family arrived and both boys were placed in an orphanage when their mother remarried. Details are vague but it appears that the boys later joined whaling ships that sailed out from Sydney and Hobart.

In February 1845 there was a petition, a memorial signed by South Australian residents, asking for a guarantee that the state of South Australia would remain convict free and it was published in the newspaper together with the names of the signatories.

South Australian 14 February 1845

On the list is one of the brothers, Alexander Honeyman, who was living at Port Adelaide at the time.

The irony is that the father of Alexander and William (and their sisters Annie and Margaret) was a convict!! William Honeyman Snr was transported to New South Wales in 1816 for robbery. And their older sister Annie had married a convict in Tasmania in 1828 (and died in childbirth the same year).

I suspect that if Alexander and William had been told that their father was a convict (he was in prison and then transported when the boys were just toddlers) they would not have talked about it because in those days a convict background was shameful.

There must have been a lot of people with secrets in the early days of colonisation.

Western Front (part 4)

Our last visit to the Western Front was to Bellenglise. The nearby towns of St Quention and Bullecourt are well-known but the 4th Australian Division memorial is at Bellenglise because that was the point reached by the division before it withdrew for rest just before peace was declared.

We couldn't find the memorial and finally asked a local who hopped into his little van and led us down a rough track to the site. We would never have driven down the track! And there was only one small sign tucked away on a side street. It's not even marked on Google maps.

4th Australian Division memorial, Bellenglise 

4th Australian Division memorial, Bellenglise 

4th Australian Division memorial, Bellenglise 

We were particularly interested in the Bellenglise battle site because Phil's grandfather, Roy Phelan, was badly injured there late in 1918 (he was hit on his head with shrapnel but recovered fully despite losing a large piece of his skull). I've read his unit's diary and as far as I can work out Roy was near the present village of Pontruet at the time.

Swede harvest in fields at Pontruet near Bellenglise. 

Western Front (Part 3)

We travelled further south to the Somme valley and Villers-Brettonneux in particular.

The farmland was looking beautiful and it is difficult to believe the devastation of the war years in this area 100 years ago. The Australian National Memorial and the new Sir John Monash Centre (behind it and underground) were very impressive of course but I was particularly interested in finding a name on the memorial panels. My grandmother Dorothy Wyllie nee Taylor's brother, David Edgar Taylor' was killed in action at Pozieres 5 August 1916. His body was never identified so he is listed among the missing at Villers Brettoneux.

David Edgar Taylor, memorial panel, Villers Brettoneux

Australian National Memorial, Villers Brettoneux

The 1st Australian Division Memorial is at town of Pozieres and there is a very moving memorial at 'Windmill' just north of Pozieres.

1st Australian Division memorial, Pozieres

1st Australian Division memorial, Pozieres

Memorial at the Windmill site. The old village windmill was a significant site in the battle of Pozieres.

Dozens of small white crosses form the shape of the rising sun symbol next to the Windmill memorial at Pozieres.

Pozieres and ANZAC

We looked for, and failed to find, a military cemetery at Franvillers in the Somme valley. My grandfather Duncan Smith's cousin, James William Hillgrove was buried there in May 1918.

Western Front (Part 2)

About eight kilometres south of the Belgian border, in France, is Fromelles. In July 1916, in just one day, 5300 Australians and 1500 British men were wounded, missing or killed. This is the memorial at that site.

Australian Memorial Park, Fromelles with V C Corner Cemetery in the background.

Australian Memorial Park, Fromelles

We visited the Rue du Bois cemetery near Fleurbaix, about 3 km from Fromelles, to pay respect to Phil's great-uncle, David Ray Leed from a farm at Mologa in Victoria. He was killed in action 15 July 1916 aged 22.

Rue du Boix Cemetery, Fleurbaix

Butterfly at Rue du Boix Cemetery, Fleurbaix

Ray Leed's headstone, Rue du Boix Cemetery, Fleurbaix

Every war cemetery has a cemetery register and a visitor book, safely stored in a niche with a metal door. It's a very impressive arrangement. Phil signed the book at Rue du Boix Cemetery, Fleurbaix.

We then found 'V C Corner cemetery near Fromelles to find the name of my grandmother, Dorothy Wyllie nee Taylor's cousin, John Henry Brown from Cobden who was killed in the action on 19 Jul 1916. His body was never identified so his name is on a panel in this cemetery.

John Henry Brown, listed among the missing, on a panel at 'VC Corner' cemetery near Fromelles.

VC Corner Cemetery, Fromelles

VC Corner Cemetery, Fromelles. 

VC Corner cemetery in the background and the sign on the right says 'German Front Line 19-20 July 1916'

Western Front (Part 1)

We planned our trip to locate several important sites of the WW1 battles on the Western Front.

Phil has a great-uncle who died near Fromelles and I have a great uncle who also was killed in action but his body was never found or identified but his name is listed on a panel at the memorial at Villers Brettoneux in the Somme valley. And Phil's grandfather was severely injured at Bellenglise near Bellecourt. There are also several cousins of our grandparents who died.

First we went to Ypres (Ieper) in Belgium (the ANZACS called it 'Wipers' but it's pronounced something like 'eepra'.) There is a museum in the main square there called 'In Flanders Fields'. It's very well presented and it was sad to see the detritus of war on display.

Excellent displays

Two older Belgian or French veterans were very interested in every display.

Then it was time to walk down to the Menin Gate War Memorial to the missing in action for the ceremony that is performed every night. There were hundreds of people there and the ceremony is quite moving because the crowd is silent. Each night is slightly different and the night we were there there was a bagpipe band.

We also visited The Huts cemetery near Ypers where Phil's grandmother Annie Phelan nee Sims' cousin is buried. Joseph Hector Percy Chappel was killed in action 20 October 1917. This cemetery, like every other cemetery under the control of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, was beautifully maintained.

'The Huts' cemetery, Belgium

The farm next to 'The Huts' cemetery. Percy is a long way from his parents' farm at Pine Grove in Victoria.

Phil standing next to Percy Chappel's headstone.

Trove Tuesday: In which Bessie Phelan recognises a wanted murderer

It was early in May 1895. Bessie Phelan, 26 years old, was working at Ford's Bakery in Sydney Road, Coburg (a suburb of Melbourne), serving customers. She lived with her parents, Daniel and Jane, and five siblings. Her father had not long retired from his job as a Chief Warden at Pentridge Prison just up the road. Another brother, William (my husband's great-grandfather), was teaching at Balmattum in country Victoria.

Then began a series of incidents that ended up being reported in newspapers across the country and even in New Zealand.

Bessie had been reading the news in the paper that morning and it included the story about a man wanted for the murder of his wife and her mother in Collingwood (also a suburb of Melbourne). A man came into her shop to buy buns but only had a sovereign so she told him she couldn't change it and suggested he go next door to get the change. While he was gone she read the newspaper article again because she thought he resembled the description of the wanted man.

Coburg Leader 11 May 1895

After Dooley left the shop she sent word to her father, the ex-warden, who told the police and a hunt began. They were joined by more and more men as word quickly spread around Coburg. Daniel Phelan was in the group that found Dooley and they set off after him 'in hot pursuit' and he was caught and taken to the police station. Unfortunately he managed to swallow what turned out to be arsenic and he later died.

Coburg Leader 11 May 1895

All of the newspaper reports comment on Bessie Phelan's skill in recognising the wanted man, especially because he had dyed his hair, moustache and eyebrows. Apparently Bessie noted Dooley's thick upper lip and missing tooth.

Coburg Leader 11 May 1895

The Coburg newspaper waxed lyrical and called Miss Phelan a heroine. The journalist suggested that there should be some Government reward for her "quick-witted observation and action". 

Coburg Leader 11 May 1895

As I was researching this story I read a number of articles published in newspapers all over the country but they all called our heroine 'Miss Phelan'. As there were five Phelan sisters I didn't know which one was working in the bakery. Then I read the Bendigo Advertiser and it gave her name as Bessie, who was the second daughter. And just this week I was looking at the New Zealand equivalent to Trove - Papers Past- and I found Bessie named in an article published in an Auckland paper. So the lesson to learn from this is to widen your search to interstate papers and beyond.

The other thing I found out from the reports was that Bessie was working in a bakery. I had no idea that she was working.

Trove Tuesday: In which Fred Smith builds a private bowling green

FTW Smith, Mowbray
The Examiner, Launceston, 17 Feb 1950

When I was a teenager I sat down with my grandfather, Duncan Smith, and asked him to name all of his cousins. As he did so I wrote them all down and since then his list has proven to be accurate, including the order of births. What is amazing to me is that he had 69 cousins (as well as 7 siblings).

One of his cousins was Frederick Thomas Walker Smith. My grandfather told me that Fred lived in Tasmania and a son was killed on a ship in the Second World War.

So I set out to do a search on the newspapers at Trove and as a result I now know quite a bit more about cousin Fred.

The article above, and numerous other reports, told me that Fred (known as Pop) was a very keen lawn bowler. So keen in fact, he built his own bowling green but was disappointed that when he didn't get many players keen to play on his green.

The Examiner, Launceston. 17 Feb 1950

In 1950 Fred also retired from his job as chief line inspector in Northern Tasmania for the PMG having worked for the department for 42 years. He appears to have been well respected.

FTW Smith retires. Examiner, Launceston, 14 Jul 1950

By my calculations that means he started work as a linesman in about 1908 at the age of about 22. Fred was born in Dunmunkle near Minyip, Victoria in 1885. His parents were Sampson Smith and Elizabeth Walker who were farmers. His parents later moved to Caramut where they had a shop. Fred had nine brothers and sisters.

In 1917 Fred's father died and later that year Fred was employed to help install the first telephone lines on King Island in Bass Strait.

Telephones.— For many years the establishment of a telephonic system on the island was considered by the majority here more or less in the light of a harmless vision, the materialisation of which was not only considered but its utility,
even if possible of realization, was greatly questioned, it being contended that even if such a system was in existence it would only be used on rare occasions, and other arguments of an equally convincing nature to those maintaining them. An idea of the value of this last named argument may be gained by anyone
frequently visiting the post office where at any time of the day from morn to dewy eve, and later, the system may be heard and seen in constant operation. In all innovations there is always a minority who, by virtue of possessing some imagination, are enabled to see a little further ahead than others, and the matter under consideration was no exception to the invariable rule, as it is now many years since tentative efforts were made by the few in the direction of bringing the matter within the realm of actual fact. As this has now been accomplished, the believers and their efforts and the disbelievers and their witticisms having became matters of ancient history recorded in these pages and elsewhere, it is needless to make further reference to them except to say that their efforts for and against, the scheme constitute a rather interesting and instructive chapter in the historical development of the island. Coming to the actual establishment of the system it may'be interesting to some of our readers, even at the expense of some repetition, to restate some of the main facts in connection with the actual work, and also some further, particulars which have not yet been laid before our readers. 

On Friday, August 10, 1917, Line-foreman F. T. W. Smith and his party arrived and commenced party and commenced operations on the Currie to Wickham line the following Monday. Lineforeman L. N. Kerslake and his party arrived on Sept. 28, and soon commenced operations on the Pegarah Road line including that portion of. the Surprise Bay line to the turnoff on the south road, the remainder of this last named line being completed by Mr Smith after dealing with the northern section. On January 29, this year, Mr S. E. Robinson, the mechanic, made his appearance on the scene of activities, and on February 23 Asst. Electrical Engineer G. J. Braithwaite, accompanied by Lineinspector P. Bryan, arrived here on his inspectional visit and the work was, we understand, finally passed, being entirely satisfactory. On April 1 Mr Smith and his party took their departure, and exactly one calendar month later Mr Kerslake, his party, and Mr Robinson having put the finishing touches to the work returned to Tasmania. This is, very briefly stated, an account of the principal events in connection with the erection of the sixty and a half miles of telephone lines that the island now possesses, which, when the right men took the matter in hand, was completed in slightly under nine months, the work including as it did some pretty tough going, more particularly on the Pegarah Road line. While the success of the telephonic system here, from, the financial point of view has yet to be demonstrated it is nevertheless opined that its utility to the community generally is no longer regarded as doubtful, and for this reason alone its existence is fully justified. 
[King Island News, Wednesday 17 July 1918, page 2]

Fred Smith married Ethel Grace Radford and they had lived in Mowbray near Launceston and raised five children. Their three sons all enlisted for service in World War 2 - Sam was serving as a seaman on the 'HMAS Hobart' when he was killed in July 1943**, Jack was a Prisoner of War in Burma but returned to Launceston after the war ended, and Arthur also served in the AIF.

Fred Smith's wife died at Launceston in 1949 and he died in 1970 at the age of 84.

Now I have to find out about my grandfather's other 68 cousins!

* Update: "Shortly after the articles were in the Examiner a Mowbray Bowls Club was formed with him as first President then the next two years Mr. Andy Burleigh was President and then Keith Brain took the reins. There was always one weekend a year that was Pop Smiths Charity day when all funds from the bowls day were given to St Giles (Home for Crippled Children set up after Polio epedemic)." Thankyou Bev Perkins

** On 20 July 1943, Hobart was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine whilst en route to Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu, as part of Task Force 74. The torpedo struck aft on the port side causing considerable damage in the vicinity of the wardroom. Thirteen officers and sailors were killed and another seven injured. She made it to Espiritu Santo under her own power the following day where she underwent temporary repairs. Source: http://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-hobart-i
See also: https://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/3975981931

Eastern Beach, Geelong

Eastern Beach swimming enclosure, Geelong
Snapshot in Phelan album, c1938

The photo above, in a family album, was taken in the late 1930s, shortly after the swimming enclosure at Geelong was opened. Someone in the family must have been there on holiday. The enclosure was the last constructed in Victoria and is the only one that remains. It was restored in the 1990s and is as popular as it has ever been. The buildings and landscaping is art deco and very beautiful. It now has heritage protection.

There is a concrete lined pool for young children and the boardwalk encloses eight acres of the sea so swimmers are protected from sharks. It is also a very popular area for big events, wedding photos, and family picnics. The foreshore on Corio Bay faces north, one of the few north-facing beaches in Victoria, so it is naturally sheltered and warm when other beaches are windswept.

Eastern Beach Geelong. View to the north.
Copyright Wendy Kerby

Eastern Beach swimming enclosure, Geelong
http://www.intown.com.au/locals/geelong/attractions/eastern-beach.htm

This post is in response to the theme photo for the Sepia Saturday group. The diving platform looks very similar to the one in Geelong that was constructed at about the same time. Visitors to the group welcome.

Theme photo for Sepia Saturday.
Manly Swimming Pool, Brisbane, in 1936.

One death, two death certificates

A surprise letter arrived in the mail today. It contained the death certificate of my father-in-law who died in Perth, WA on Christmas Day 2017.

Neil was 94 years old and in good health so his death was unexpected. But that's not the surprise.

He had travelled to Perth from Victoria on the train with family to spend Christmas with his grandaughter. He became ill on the train and died in hospital after a very brief illness. He had expressed a wish that he be buried rather cremated so the process of returning his body to Victoria was initiated by family.

You won't be surprised to learn that there was a bit of paperwork involved. We put it in the hands of the undertaker in Neil's home town in Victoria who had to liaise with an undertaker in Perth. A body can't be moved across state borders without a death certificate so the undertaker in Western Australia organised that. We also discovered that bodies cannot be transported by road to Victoria from WA - they must be transported by air. From any other state (including Tasmania) they can be transported in refrigerated vehicles.

So after several weeks the necessary paperwork was completed, the body transferred and many friends and family gathered to celebrate his long and worthwhile life. Neil was buried with his wife, Shirley, who had died earlier in the year.

My husband is one of the executors and he is starting to prepare the usual documents in order to apply for probate. One of the required documents is the death certificate of course, which the Victorian undertaker had passed over to us, so you can imagine my surprise when a second death certificate, also issued from Western Australia, arrived in the post today. There was no covering letter but I note that the registration number is different. All the other details are exactly the same except that the new certificate has a place and date of burial.

Now we're left with a quandary. There are two death certificates.

Will the probate office want both, or just the second one? We'll find out no doubt.