A twig on the Alford tree

It's taken a while, over 30 years, but I finally got around to having another go at finding a twig on the Alford tree. I first started looking for William James Alford in the pre-computer days and failed but when I checked this week I found him quite quickly. I thought he was a twig but it turns out it was a branch.

William's father, James Alford, had migrated to South Australia with his brother and sister-in-law, William and Ann. They came from a town in north Devon called South Molton and travelled to Australia on the ship 'Rodney' arriving in February 1855. Within the next twelve months William and Ann moved to Brighton in Victoria but James stayed a little longer. He had met Honora Fallon, from Sligo in Ireland, who had arrived in South Australia the previous year. They married at Encounter Bay near Victor Harbor, 26 October 1855. We don't know what work James did at that time but he had worked as an agricultural labourer in Devon so maybe he did the same type of work.

Their first child, William James, was born 26 Jul 1856 at McLaren Vale and in December of that year the family moved over to Brighton, Victoria and lived with William and Ann until their house was built next door. James worked at making bricks.

James wrote a letter home to his father, Jacob, in South Molton and mentions his son:

Brighton March 29^th 1857

Dear father

I write you these few lines hoping [hoping] they will find you and your family in as good health as we remain at present thank God.

My dear father we received your kind letter and sent you the answer of it 7 months ago. We wish to write to you agin [again] to inform you that we left Adelaide and came to Melbourne. We have been here 3 months. We are living at present with Wm [William]. We bought a peace [piece] of land from William Wise 7 lbs [£] and we are going to build a home on it next week. I am working with Mr Thomas Dewson since I came to Melbourne at making bricks. My wages is 3 lbs [£] per week the living is very reasonable flour is 12 … beef and mutton from 3 to 4 per lb, butter 3 per lb eggs 3s per dozen, tea 2s per lb, cheese from 1 to 2 s per lb.

Houses and land are very dear hear [here] also clothing and boots and shoes, so is furniture

Dear father you said in your last letter that sister Mary and Richard was coming out here. I should like to know whether they are coming or no. Give our kind love to Ann and Mary, there [their] husbands and all the children. William and Ann also the 2 children send there [their] kind love to you all. William James is growing a fine little boy. He is now 20 months old and he can walk all round the room by the chairs and call his dada...

And that was the last we knew of William James. The Alford family grew, James had a store at Brighton until at least 1871 and then they moved to land at Parwan near Bacchus Marsh in Victoria. Later they ran a store at Maddingly, Bacchus Marsh. James' wife, Honora, died in 1880 and James married again in 1882 and  some more children were born.

William James must have been with his father in the Bacchus Marsh area because this notice appeared in the paper in 1899, inserted by his sister Mary Ann who was six years younger and his nearest (in age) surviving sibling.

The Argus 29 Apr 1899 (and also The Australasian 6 May 1899)

So I searched the New Zealand newspapers online at Papers Past and found quite a few newspaper notices following his death. It seems that William James Alford had died at the Wellington Hospital because he had cancer of the liver. His occupation was a Sergeant Bombardier in the Permanent Artillery and must have been well respected by others in the Artillery and he must have been a member of several Lodges.

Evening Post, New Zealand 4 Mar 1899

New Zealand Times, 3 March 1899

Evening Post 4 Mar 1899

William James' wife, Emma, inserted a thankyou notice a few days later.

Evening Post 8 Mar 1899

I also found a notice announcing the marriage of Emma and William ten years earlier. The only notice I found was in the Auckland newspaper so maybe William was living there at that time and he certainly had property in Auckland when he died.

Auckland Star 29 Jun 1889

The family gets bigger.  I found the births of two children. Ruby Eleanor Alford was born 1890 and Arthur Vincent Alford was born in 1892. At the time of his death the Alford family was living at 14 Sussex Square but his probate papers mention a house on land in Albert Rd, North Shore, Auckland and land with two houses in St Aubyns Rd, North Shore, Auckland. (Both streets are in the Devonport area of Auckland) He was living in Auckland when he was promoted from Gunner to Acting-Bombadier a year before he died.

New Zealand Herald 11 Jan 1898

Ruby Alford married George Francis Watt in New Zealand in 1914 and died in 1949 aged 59. She had a daughter called Nina born in 1915 who died in 1933 and a son born 1923.

Arthur worked as a carpenter and enlisted in the army in WW1. He served in Egypt and France. He also enlisted in WW2 and served in the home militia. According to his army papers he married in 1940 but the name of his wife is not given. Arthur died 17 Feb 1979 in Auckland, New Zealand.

William's widow, Emma, married again in 1900 to Berry Osgood Cozens. She died in 1935 aged 70. She must have been born about 1865 making her ten years younger than William James Alford.

Trove Tuesday: Margaret Alford nee Stone

Margaret Alford nee Stone

My mother-in-law had fond memories of her Grandma.

Margaret Alford was born Margaret Stone in Bagdad, Tasmania in 1860 where her family were farmers. Her parents were Joseph Stone and Margaret Foster and she had two older brothers when, in March 1863, the family moved across the Bass Strait to Victoria, selecting land at Woodstock West and building a house they called 'Alva'.

Margaret's older brother, Joseph, died when Margaret was five years old. Five more siblings were born in Victoria but one, a sister Joanna, died at three when Margaret was nine years old. I don't know the cause of death for either child but their deaths must have had an impact on young Margaret.

'Alva' homestead, Woodstock West

In May 1882 Margaret married a local farmer, Thomas Alford, at the Bible Christian Church at Woodstock West. The bride walked to the church from her home.

Thomas Alford married Margaret Stone
Bendigo Advertiser, 5 May 1882

Thomas and Margaret Alford lived at Warragul, then moved back to Woodstock until 1897 when they moved to Warragul again. Thomas' brother, sister and parents also lived at Warragul. Thomas and Margaret had eight children.

Margaret and Thomas move to Warragul, Victoria
Bendigo Advertiser 8 May 1897

In 1903 the family moved to Mologa, near Pyramid Hill in central Victoria, and built a house on their farm they called 'Myall Marsh'.

Margaret's father had died in 1890 at the age of 63. He'd never fully recovered after a horse kicked him three years earlier.

Death of Joseph Stone

In the next few years there was a series of accidents involving Margaret's siblings and children:

Margaret's brother James had married Thomas Alford's sister, Eliza but she died in 1892 of Tuberculosis.

In 1901 Margaret's brother. George Henry Stone, also had an accident. He was 25 years old. Unfortunately it seems to have had a lasting effect because he committed suicide in 1907.

George Stone seriously injured.
Bendigo Advertiser 2 March 1901

SAD SUICIDE AT NEWBRIDGEWoodstock West, 21st JanuaryQuite a gloom was cast over the district on Saturday when it became known that Mr. George Stone, well-known respected farmer, had been found early in the morning hanging from a rafter in a stable at his farm near Newbridge. The body was quite cold, and it is presumed death must have taken place the previous evening. The deceased, who was only 30 years of age, was connected with the Methodist Church mid Sunday School, and was also a prominent member of the Rechabite Order. Some few years ago the unfortunate young man met with a serious accident, having been found in an unconscious condition, the result of a fall from a horse, the effects of which were at the time severely felt. Deceased was engaged carting wheat to the Shelbourne railway station, and had delivered a load on Friday. After partaking of lunch with his sister he proceeded to prepare for Saturday's work. An inquiry was conducted on Saturday evening before Mr. W Greene, P.M. and a verdict of suicide whilst temporarily insane was recorded. The funeral took place Sunday afternoon at Newbridge Cemetery and was largely attended. The service at the grave was conducted by the. Rev. A. Uglow. Much sympathy was expressed for the relatives and friends. Bendigo Advertiser 22 January 1907

In 1903 Margaret's sister had her leg amputated. The family story is that it was done on the kitchen table and that Isabella sufferered from epilepsy after the operation. Margaret's daughter, Ella aged 18, went down to Woodstock to care for her. Isabella died in 1916 at the age of 52.

Isabella Stone's leg is amputated.
Bendigo Advertiser 23 Jun 1903

Isabella is recovering.
Bendigo Advertiser 13 August 1903

In 1904 Margaret's mother, also called Margaret, died at the age of 71. Both of her parents appear to have been highly respected.

In January 1906 Margaret's son Arthur died when he was 18. He drowned in a dam near their farm at Mologa after presumably suffering cramp. His younger brother could not save him.

In  WW1 Margaret and Thomas' son, Tom Alford, enlisted in the army in March 1916 and served in France. He returned to Australia in 1919.

In 1922 Margaret's son Charles (Dick) Alford died aged 20. He was thrown from a gig. His leg was badly broken but there were other internal problems and he died five weeks later.

A year later, in 1923, Margaret's daughter Ruby (Hare) died at 34 from appendicitis leaving seven young children.

Margaret and Thomas Alford with family

Thomas and Margaret Alford

In 1919 Thomas and Margaret moved off the farm, leaving it in the charge of their sons Tom and Ralph, and moved to Honeysuckle St, Eaglehawk.

Margaret Alford

In this photo Margaret is wandering alone through a garden and even though she was much loved by her family it is tempting to think that she was remembering those in her family who had died.

Margaret herself died in 1932 at the age of 71. Her husband had contracted influenza and decided to go to their daughter Ella Pickles' home to recuperate.  It was while nursing Thomas that Margaret took ill and she never recovered. Thomas died eight years later. Both are buried at Pyramid Hill.

The Argus 1 March 1932

This post highlights the amazing resources at Trove at the National Library of Australia.

Sepia Saturday: The Millaira stud

George Henry Alford, my husband's great-uncle, was a very complex person and his life was complex as well but I'm not attempting here to write his biography. This post is in response to the theme photo for Sepia Saturday this week, an advertisement  featuring a horse.

In the late 1800s George's father was a successful dairy farmer at Warragul in Gippsland, Victoria and George himself was a fine judge of cattle and horses. Throughout his life George committed to a diverse set of business opportunities - farming, real estate, a stable of trotting horses, a livery stable, a boarding house - as well as serving the community on any number of committees, judging at shows (including the Perth Show in 1918) and was a councillor of the Brighton council.

This is an advertisement for the boarding house he had at Warragul.

Gippsland Gazette, 29 June 1909

But I think George's main interest in life was horses, trotting horses in particular. There are many, many newspaper articles mentioning the results of shows where George's horses gained prizes and trotting races where his horses placed well. The photo below is held by Museum Victoria and shows George with one of his trotters 'Alarm Bells'. In newspaper articles a lot of his horses have 'bells' in their names so I think the line must have been fine racing stock.

George Henry Alford and his champion trotter 'Alarm Bells' [Museum Victoria]

During World War 1 George and his family was living in the Brighton area near Melbourne. George worked as a real estate agent and had also built up a stable of horses that he called the Millaira stud. It was very well-known throughout Victoria and beyond. The family home was a substantial two-storied building and George was an elected member of the Brighton Council. But all was not well. Two of his sons were serving in France with the Australian Army (they returned in 1919), and his other son accidentally shot himself (dead) in 1916 and George himself was not well. So he put the Millaira stable of horses and the fittings on the market.

The sale was mentioned in newspapers in Hobart, Perth and Sydney as well as in Victoria and the results were very satisfactory.

The Australasian, 25 May 1918

Daily News (Perth), 30 May 1918

George must have held on to a few horses because there is another notice of a sale in 1926 and this time the reason given is that his son is not interested in carrying on the business. George was 64 years old and must have decided he couldn't keep it going himself but he lived until 1942 and I can't imagine he lost his interest in trotting and horses.

The Argus, 1926

I suggest you trot on over to Sepia Saturday to see what other bloggers have contributed.

Sepia Saturday: Ready for school

Suitcases or travel is the theme this week over at Sepia Saturday. Well, I can't find a family photo featuring a suit case but I have found a couple with another type of case. It's a school case. I used to have one of these in the 1950s but these photos are from a generation earlier.

Lena Alford ready for school c1930.

Lena (left) and Mary Alford ready for high school.

Sepia Saturday: A bus holiday

In 1947 sisters Shirley (22) and Mary Alford (20) went from Victoria to Adelaide, South Australia on the Overland train. They stayed in a bed and breakfast place in central Adelaide and for two weeks toured to various spots around Adelaide, Mt Lofty and Victor Harbor by bus and tram every day. Shirley said they had a really good time and still remembers is vividly, including a great meal they had at the Victor Harbor Hotel.

The photo shows Shirley (left), Mary next to her and two nurses from Bendigo they met on the trip. I like the dresses they are wearing, very sweet and stylish, and their hair styles are similar as well. Today's young travellers are much more informal. Note the name on the bus, 'Miss Touralia', and the bus company is Cosgrove's.

Shirley and Mary Alford (left) with unknown friends, 1947.

Shirley married in January the following year and Mary several years later. Both were school teachers in country Victoria.

A letter from William

I've written about William Alford's skill with the plough before - you can read it here - but today I found another reference I want to share. In 1869 William was living at Laanacoorie in central Victoria, and wrote a letter to his father, Jacob, who was living in South Molton in Devon in England. The local paper published a section of the letter, in which William talks about the weather and crop yields.

North Devon Journal, 9 Dec 1869

And at the end of the article they add:

Alford was always particularly fond of ploughing, and has, during the past year, been awarded no less than 8 prizes for ploughing in Australia! This success speaks well for a Moltonian and one who is now renting 500 acres of land. 

Do you think the proud father might have contacted the newspaper office and boasted a little?

I found the article on the British Newspaper Archive website. You normally have to register and pay to view, but I have registered and view for free at the library of the Genealogical Society of Victoria. I wasn't expecting to find a reference to William Alford because my search terms were 'Jacob Alford' and 'South Molton'. The newspaper archive is like Australia's Trove - a fantastic and growing resource.

Sepia Saturday: Pinnies and pets

The theme this Sepia Saturday is 'aprons'. I remember when I was about six or seven, my friend Mary Gamble and I were in her kitchen and her mother was teaching us how to do up the bows at the back of our aprons. Well, actually, we didn't call them aprons, we called them pinnies. And, when you think about it, doing a bow behind your back is quite an accomplishment. And I remember when I was about 12 or 13 in our sewing class at school we made our own bibbed aprons (and matching hats) to wear in cooking class.

Every woman I knew wore an apron - my mum, my nana, my gran, the mothers of my friends - but now hardly anyone does. Maybe for a barbie, or if we're cooking something really messy, but they are made out of a plastic or a designer-linen. Not lovely, soft, cotton, hand-made aprons with frills, lace, gingham, rick-rack or gathers like our mother's.

As I looked through my albums to choose some photos of people wearing aprons they seemed to fall naturally into a theme. Can you guess before I tell you at the end?

My great-grandmother, Martha Taylor, at Cobden with her house cow.

My husband's aunt, Elva Alford, at Mologa feeding her pet lamb.

Lily Rowe nee Stone, at Bendigo with her pet dog.

My mother-in-law, Shirley Alford, at Mologa with a champion milking cow.

My husband's aunt, Joy Phelan, at Mitiamo
with her pet chicken. It's been for a ride
 in the pram I'm guessing.

Yes, you guessed it. People wearing aprons while they're with their pets.

Now I suggest you take off your apron, grab a cuppa, and check out the Sepia Saturday webpage to see some of the other contributions to the theme.

Trove Tuesday: Commonwealth Games in Perth

Australian Women's Weekly, 28 Nov 1962

The British Empire and Commonwealth Games [now that is a mouthful] were held in Perth (Western Australia) in 1962 and my husband's grandparents, Mary and Ralph Alford, went over from Victoria. They travelled overland both ways by train, met up with several relatives and explored some of the areas around Perth prior to the Games. They went to the stadium several times, including the opening and closing ceremonies, and out to Canning River to see the rowing one day. It was quite an adventure for a gentle couple from the quiet farming community of Mologa.

Mary and Ralph Alford, Commonwealth Games, Perth

Mary wrote a travel diary but here I'm only posting her record of the days they attended the Games. They stayed with a host family near the stadium in Floreat Park. The square brackets enclose my comments.

Thursday 22 Nov 1 [1962]

Floriet Park is a good suburb (Toorak!) all new brick houses, nice lawns & gardens. We are fortunate, too, to be so close to the Games Stadium [at home of Fred and Ellen Black of 36 Alderbury St, Floreat Park] Our room is very nice & roomy with D.B. & plenty of hanging space in built-in wardrobe, also empty drawers for our use. Mrs B comes from Ireland, has 4 attractive children & Mr B is an Auditor in Govt Dept , also helps organize Games (so were pleased to take Games guests. Took bus into City this morn, Did some shopping (flask and sun hat), sat in the lovely upstairs lounge in National Bank (where Gordon ... works), signed visitors book. Made to feel like honoured guests with our Games visitors' badge on. Saw the Duke [of Edinburgh] go by. Hurried back for dinner.  Mrs B[lack] filled our flask with tea, and took us up to the Perry Lakes Stadium. Our seats were near main entrance so saw everyone come in & go off - the VIPs, bands, athletes & others taking part in the march, marching girls very spectacular. A very hot day & the first couple of hours a bit trying but a breeze sprung up later. Our rubber cushions saved the day! ( Our Melb Olympic ones) & back rest. A wonderful sight to see all the crowds, the flags of other Empire countries, the athletes marching behind their banners, the naval army & pipe bands, the youth clubs all marching in also the State Governor, Prime Minister, the Duke arrive in separate cars & go out again at end of the day. Were disappointed not o be able to hear the choir of voices better as the amplifier system was poor. "The Heavens are Filling" was one of the numbers sung. Heard the Duke's speech, beginning " I have a message from the Queen". An exciting day. Met some lads this morn who'd driven from Ireland.

Opening Ceremony [WA library]

Sat

Very hot day. Mrs B drove us down to stadium for 10 am session for athletes. After waiting around for the gates to open, it was given out that there was no morning session. Owing to the extreme heat, the heats were run off yesterday, leaving only the finals today. So we trudged home & ate our sandwiches there when time came. Had a shower & relaxed - a good thing for us.

Mr B took us again for afternoon session. We had good seats & could see the finishing post. (Here the dearest 2 pounds ten shillings so ought to be good.) Hot at  first but shaded later under the T.V. stand. Saw the high jump. Aust 1st & 2nd (Hobson & Porter)... Betty Cuthbert failed to get a place. Saw the 6-mile, Dave Power 2nd to Canadian.

Dave Power, Australian Women's Weekly, 28 Nov 1962

Mon 26

Pleasant weather. Mrs Black took family and I for a dip in the surf this morn. Left Dad [Ralph] at Stadium where he got a ticket for Chris [Ralph's sister]. We came past the Games Village. After dinner Mr B drove Chris, Dad & I to Games. Saw men's discus throwing, Selvey of Aust, a powerful thrower won easily. Saw the 3-mile race (Snell of N Z, Clarke Aust 2nd, Kill Canada 3rd). Heats of 880, heats of womens 220 ( Aust has 4 in final) Womens high jump (Aust 1st, 2nd, 3rd). Bigger crowd than Sat. Plenty of room in some stands facing sun. We had a good position near No. 1 & shade part of time.

Tuesday 27

Out to Canning River for rowing 10 am (sun very hot on stand). A pretty spot and ideal calm stretch of water for the events. Aust won 1st race, the eights from N.Z. & England. Saw Duke there. It was the finals of all the rowing, 4s, pairs, singles, 8s and coxless 2s & 4s. Buses all crowded back to Perth & city crammed. Didn't get meal until 2 pm. Both tired out. Sat in Nat Bank lounge a while and watched Diving on T.V. Did bit of shopping, cup of tea & back home for rest. I was too tired for tonight's cycling so Chris took my ticket & Mrs B went too. Played games with girls. Left foot sunburnt after paddling in sea then sitting in hot sun this morn.

Thurs 29

Warm & cloudy. Went the athletics after dinner. Drizzling fine rain set in & after getting wet through went home to changed, had our flask of tea & returned in plastic coats - lucky to get car rides each way. Folks are very kind and helpful. There were finals of mens 220 yards, womens 220 yards, mens 440, hop, step & jump, javelin (women), hurdles (men) and the marathon 26 miles started and finished in the Arena. (D Power 2nd).  A huge jet made slow swoops over the Stadium as we arrived & nearly deafened everyone & broke windows in a nearby house with the vibration. 50 or 60 treated for noises in all. Further showers but cleared up. We took newspapers back & distributed to others to keep them dry, also umbrella. Cool evening. I donned a skirt.

Sat 1st Dec

Closing day of Games

Lovely weather. Dad & Chris went to morning session. I washed & packed up, took all morn, morn session to clear up heats of various events.

After dinner Mr B drove us to the Stadium which was packed, a change from the rest of the week when stands half empty. We were opp. side of arena, close to the Pole vaulting, a spectacular event, & not far from discus throwing, more difficult owing to the wind. Mens relay - Aust dropped baton. Womens Relay provided us with perhaps our biggest thrill when Betty Cuthbert running as the last leg, coming from a late start passed her opponents with a magnificent turn of speed & won the race for Aust. The crowd just roared its delight. (Betty had shown poor form in her previous race.) Finals of mens hurdles, 880 yds race, Womens long jump - Aust 1st & 2nd. Pole Vault took all day. Aust 1st & 3rd. Finals Womens hurdles Pam Kilborn 1st also in long jump.

Betty Cuthbert, Australian Women's Weekly, 28 Nov 1962

Closing ceremony com. just after 4 p.m. Boy Scouts picked up papers off arena first. Red coated Army Band marched in (also the Navy Band in white and the Guard of Honour then the standard bearers of the various nations, followed by the vast army of athletes all mixed up together. (Fun was caused by some of them with banners made of anything they could pick up - an old bag on a stick, a roll of toilet paper, one carrying a Peters Icecream tray, another with 'Blocks of Land for Sale', another dark chap rode a bike in and out. But that was later.) The Duke mounted the dais & declared the Games over after the Games flag had been lowered with ceremonial & presented to Games Chairman for keeping till next Empire Games at Jamaica.

The Choir of 700 voices sang 'Waltzing Matilda', also a specially composed song by Mary Durack, 'Will ye no Come Back Again', "Now is the Hour', etc, accom. by Police Band, and the crowd joined in. Also 'Auld Lang Syne'.

3 cheers went on all around the vast arena, someone in a red coat jumped up on the conductor's stand & conducted the cheers! The Duke finally entered an open car & was driven all around the arena as close as could get to the people & everyone stood up & yelled & cheers and he smiled & waved cheerfully. Then the crowd swarmed over the arena mixing with the athletes & everyone & thus ended a wonderful display and the 1962 Empire Games.