Who
was Katie Jillett?
Katie
Jillett was the great grand-daughter of two convicts and the great great
granddaughter of a First Fleeter.
Her great great grandparents were Edward Westlake and Ann Wood. Edward was a First Fleeter.
Her great grandparents were Robert Jillett Convict and Elizabeth Creamer (Bradshaw) came free and Thomas Shone Convict and Susannah Westlake born on Norfolk Island.
Her grandparents were Thomas and Mary Ann Jillett from Oatlands in Tasmania. And Captain George Phillips and Catherine Warwick.
She was
the paternal grandmother of the children of Valerie Annesley, Dale Herron and
Wilfred Herron.
Her life
can best be written as a trilogy.
Part 1 Prior to her marriage in 1910,
Part 2 Her life with
Claude Annesley
Part 3, Her life with Samuel James Herron.
Part 3 Her life
with Samuel Herron was told by her son second James.
However
the first segment of her life from birth to marriage includes her family. Her father and his brothers had a partnership
known as Jillett Bros. That business was
involved with sheep farming, breeding, and grazing in the Tambo area of
Queensland. A dynasty that lasted for over
100 years.
Katie
lived her life in the Outback. She in
herself was a pioneer in the Gunnewin area.
She was an accomplished horsewoman.
Her life
with Claude Annesley was not a bed of roses.
He was living a lie. He was not
the person he said he was. Perhaps this
huge "lie" was one of the reasons that she became estranged from her
Jillett cousins.
Or was
it as she had told her son, she had a disagreement with her father's first
wife? That was not the case, it is
doubtful she ever met the woman who her father married in 1921, shortly before
he died.
Was it
because she was not included in any inheritance? Is that why she didn't want to meet her
cousin Jack?
That is
not the case either, as her father left her quite a substantial sum of money
when he died. In fact the same amount of
money may have been how she and her life partner Samuel Herron purchased a
property.
The one
puzzling aspect of her story, however, involves her daughter Valerie. It is said that her husband Claude,
"took Valerie" and she was raised by another family.
But from
Valerie's personal papers, provided by her family, it is clear that Valerie
aged 9 in 1924 was living with her Aunt Eileen in Brisbane, not with her
father. Perhaps he took her with him, as
an older child, as she recalls living at Bowen, when he was the lighthouse
keeper.
Katie
spent the last years of her life, living in Roma, and quite often travelling to
Dalby to live with her eldest son, Dale and his wife Ethel, possibly to assist
with the children[1].
She is
recorded in the 1954 census to be living at Patten Street Dalby with the
family, however she actually died on 24rd October 1953.
(Records must have been taken over a 12 month period at that
time)
Her
eyesight had failed, and she wrote to Dale and Ethel on 13th
October.
c/- Post Office
Alpha
To my dear Dall,
Your letter came some time ago,
but I was in hospital, with a cut foot and when I came out I came straight out
to Jim and Emily. Those strangers I was
staying with, well the less I say about them the better. He was very nice to me, but she was extremely
bad tempered and very cranky. I don’t
quite know how to answer your very kind offer about getting a home for me. I don’t see how it is to be done at the
present time, we will have to let it stand over for the present time as Wilfred
is away up at Bundaberg, he likes living there and has rented a furnished house
there, and seems to want to stop in a little seaside place 8 miles from
Bundaberg, I’ll send you his letter in this.
So I’ll give it a go, if I can manage to get up to him. I’m a bit nervous about travelling on my own,
but I suppose I’ll get there somehow.
If I don’t see you and Ethel
again, Dall, and anything happens to me all my things in boxes which are at
your house are to go to Jim. I’ve told
him he will have to go over an collect them when Jim finishes on a few more
jobs he is going to sell all his plant (he has big plant now) and try and buy
or earn somewhere about Kingaroy or those parts, he wants to give up this
slavery if he can. I’ll stay with
Wilfred (while I can see) goodness knows what will happen later on.
I will have to stop now, tell
Ethel I would just love to see the baby thank you Dall for all the trouble you
have gone to for me. If I can only reach
Wilfred we will go out to Bundaberg for a while.
I’ll write again before I go away
from Alpha Dall, so will say cheerio for
this time.
Lots of love to you, Ethel and
children, from your always loving Mother[2].
Katie
died of a heart attack in the main street of Alpha on 24th October
1953.
She is
buried at the Alpha Cemetery and the headstone has the incorrect spelling of
her name.
Both
Arthur and Henric were in Melbourne to begin a drove of a mob of sheep back to
Queensland.
Her family settled inland from Rockhampton. With
that, travelling 346 miles from Rockhampton, the Jillett Brothers contribution
to early Queensland history began.
Today,
it is not possible to drive the direct route that they took as the Carnarvon Gorge National Park is sited
on the lands they would have crossed from Springsure to Tambo.
The extent of the Sheep journey is at the end of this story. However the family lived at Tambo.
Her life with Claude Annesley
From their son Dale
After
their marriage in 1910, Claude and Katie made a misguided attempt at sheep
farming on Dunk Island (which they rented for £26 per year). Claude then joined
the A.I.F. His health suffered in the
bad weather in France and has discharged as medically unfit in 1916. Claude and
Katie selected a soldier settler's farm at Gunnewin between Roma and
Injune. The government gave soldier
settlers 600 acres (roughly one square mile) and £600 to construct fences, dig
a dam and build a hut. Unfortunately, the soldier settler's farms were not very
economical. It was generally believed that
you needed about three square miles.
Dale says the canny ones put in a bit of fencing, dug a dam and built a
rough humpy, then took off for the city with the £600.
By 1910,
Katie was no doubt fearing that she might be "left on the
shelf". She was a young lady of 22
years of age, and her sister Eileen had recently married.
She
appears to have caught the eye of a dashing young Englishman, from a rather
aristocratic family.
They
announced their engagement:
"The
marriage will shortly take place of Mr Claude Harold Annesley, only son of the
late Hon Arthur Annesley, St. Peter's Kent, England, and Isabelle Jillett,
daughter of Mr and Mrs A.C. Jillett, Weatherdane, Tambo.
They
were married by the Rev Dobson on 4th May 1910
They
moved to Bowen, along with her brother Reginald.
Their first child was Hazel Dorothea Annesley born
1911. She died shortly afterwards. She is buried in the Bowen
Cemetery in grave 449, no headstone, just a marker.
The family lived and farmed in Bowen, and unfortunately
the house they were living in, was burnt.
They had
another daughter Valerie Mary in 1916. She was born at Palm Lodge, Bowen.
That
same year Claude enlisted into the Army.
He was sent overseas, and it must have been rather difficult for Katie
with a young baby, and her husband serving on the Western Front.
Around
this time they were living in Rose Bay in Bowen, North Queensland.
Where did Katie and Valerie
go while he was in the Army?
Claude was training from
March to November 1916 and didn’t leave Australia until January 1917
The
census records show that a Katie Isabella Jillett was living with her father in
Water Street Brisbane in 1917. Katie Isabella Annesley (incorrect
transcription) was also living at the same place.
It would seem that she lived with her parents while Claude was at War. Why two records of the same name? perhaps one should have said Catherine Isabella Jillett, her mother.
It would seem that she lived with her parents while Claude was at War. Why two records of the same name? perhaps one should have said Catherine Isabella Jillett, her mother.
Her mother, Catherine died
December 1918 and was buried at Toowong Cemetery in Brisbane.
Claude
returned from war, having been discharged over numerous medical occurrences.
Her
returned to Australia, and was offered a Soldiers Settlement at Mt Hutton,
Gunnewin, and was recorded as living at Orallo in 1919.
When
Claude returned from the war, they took up a soldier’s settlement. Claude
expressed his concerns over the valuations of the lots. As it seems that many soldier settlements really were the worst lands available, and expecting soldiers to eek out a living from such bad blocks, was a common problem across Australia.
Life in
the bush was very tough, in those pioneering days.
Claude and Katie had another child, Claude Dalgleish Annesley born 18th July, 1921.
Claude and Katie had another child, Claude Dalgleish Annesley born 18th July, 1921.
Not much was known about the events of this time
period, although family stories indicated that Claude had left Katie either
before the baby was born or just afterwards.
But in 1922 a year later, Claude was certainly living at Gunnewin. In fact he was before the courts, for killing his neighbour’s calf! As the following newspaper articles describe. The Queensland government also undertook some works on the bore on his land as per their archives.
But in 1922 a year later, Claude was certainly living at Gunnewin. In fact he was before the courts, for killing his neighbour’s calf! As the following newspaper articles describe. The Queensland government also undertook some works on the bore on his land as per their archives.
66990
|
LAN/AZ239; PRV9892/1/561
|
198
|
File - public works undertaken
|
Files
|
Mt. Hutton Annesley bore
|
Series
ID: 14043Works Carried Out by the Public Estate Improvement Branch
|
Queensland State Archives Item ID66990, File - public works undertaken
|
Circa 01/01/1922 c 31/12/1922
|
The marriage did not last, for
whatever reasons, and it was thought by Jim and Dale[1]
that Claude left when Katie was expecting Dale, around 1921. Their older daughter was with her mum after
Dale was born.
[1]
This
information is incorrect, as Claude registered Dale’s birth at Roma and he was
arrested and faced court over killing his neighbours calf in November 1921)There are many
questions unanswered at this point in time about why and when he left Katie and
the children.
The family story now becomes quite clouded.
The facts are that Claude and Katie separated possibly in 1923. By
that time their daughter Valerie was around 8 years of age.
Valerie was also living for
some a time with her Aunt Eileen in New Farm. It would seem that she
lived there in her early school days, perhaps from age 7 years, but after Dale
was born. She wrote many letters to her mother, asking to come home, so
she could help out with “Boy”. The letters are a sad recount of her
relationship with her mother.
By 1923
Katie was in a relationship with Samuel Herron. Sam and Katie had
two sons, James and Wilfred. They remained on the land at Gunnewin.
By the time she was around 9 years
of age, in 1924, Katie and Claude had gone their separate ways.
He was in Bowen, and involved with
various sporting organisations. He was a
cricketer, known as "The Hampshire Crack". It appears that Valerie, from her own account
was living with him, when he was at the Lighthouse.
Claude had his daughter Valerie with him, at the
Lighthouse[1],
and perhaps at Scartwater. He left Valerie in the hands of some
drovers. Valerie was living on the Lighthouse, as she recalled rowing a
row boat from the island to the mainland. She would have been around 10
years old at the time.
“Valerie was left with some friends of Claude’s the Hansen’s, who were a droving family and he left for New Zealand. She did not have much formal education”
Valerie was apparently not living with them at all, and around 1930 she made contact with the family. Valerie in her letters to her mother was unaware of her two half brothers.
There is one thing in life that no-one
can change - History!
What has happened in the past remains there. Stories can be uncovered, discoveries made, but trying to remove what has happened is impossible.
What has happened in the past remains there. Stories can be uncovered, discoveries made, but trying to remove what has happened is impossible.
No doubt in days gone by, our ancestors lived their
lives to the fullest, and they would never have thought that matters they tried
to hide could be uncovered.
Researching my
father-in-law, Dale Herron’s natural father, involved consistently facing
huge brick walls. Dale had a wish
throughout his life, and that was to find his father. The man he never
knew existed until he was around 10 years old. He didn’t even know until
then, that he had an older sister Valerie.
All that Dale had to go on, was his parent’s wedding
certificate. A document, written in 1910, which clearly indicated that
Claude Annesley was born in China, and that his parents were Hon Arthur
Annesley and Ellen Jennings. He was never able to find anything about his
father.
He thought that he had perished in the earthquake in
Napier around 1932, where he went after working on a property Scartsdale owned
by the RSL in North Queensland.
Dale was born Claude Dalgleish Annesley, and changed
his name to Dale Herron around 1946. His step father Jim Herron was very
good to him throughout his life.
He knew his father was from an aristocratic family,
and that he had turned his back on his family and came to Australia for a
different life.
Right!
The Annesley Family are very notable, and indeed are
very much part of the aristocracy of England and Ireland. It became my
mission, to find Claude Annesley.
In 2009 it was
particularly exciting to find Claude had lived in New Zealand. His will was
obtained, and letters he had personally written to his solicitor read, and we
felt sorry that he had died a lonely old man.
But, he had his
ashes thrown to the wind, so there was no headstone for us to visit, to honour
him.
It was
extremely difficult to try to put Hon Arthur Annesley and Ellen Jennings
together. Katie had kept a small cutting relating to one of the Annesley
‘s who married in 1912, in her personal diary.
From
this information, it was assumed that he was either the son of the Hon Arthur
Annesley who had died in France in 1882 or perhaps the son of another Arthur
Annesley, 11th Lord Valentia.
Was he Claude
Harold Annesley or Harold Jennings Sedgwick?
Claude Harold Annesley by his own admission provided
information about his life prior to arriving in Australia. He nominated the
names of his mother, his father, and where he was born.
From his World
War One Australian Army Records he nominated that he had been in Boer War, and
had suffered from malaria. Very few
clues indeed.
He married Katie Isabella Jillett in 1910.
Claude Harold
Annesley was born in 1883, and on his marriage certificate it mentions that he
was born in China. His parents Arthur and Ellen Annesley were listed as being
both deceased.
He listed that he was born in Chao Ching Chekiang,
China. The closest to that information is the town of Shaoxing, Zhejiang
Province, China.
Ellen Dumergue Jennings married one Rev James Henry Sedgwick on 24th October 1881 in Hangchow, in the Cheh-Kiang province of China.
She was listed on the Miscellaneous Foreign Marriage
records at the National Archives, and she was in China.
Ellen Jennings Marriage Certificate
They were married by Bishop George Evans Moule the
Bishop of China at the time. Witness Arthur Elwin. This Arthur Elwin was the nephew of William Elwin whose daughter married William Bradshaw Junior.
She did not marry Hon. Arthur
Annesley. James Henry Sedgwick was a
missionary from a family of Anglican ministers, as was Ellen
Claude and Katie had three children, Dorothea, (deceased), Valarie
and Claude.
He enrolled in the Australian Army in 1916 in Bowen
Returned from the Army and he and Katie lived on a
Soldier’s settlement in Orallo, near Roma in Queensland. He left sometime
after 1923 and took Valarie with him
Then he simply vanished!
No mention at all of a life led in England, other than
he kept a Wedding Notice relating to
Hon Annesley who married in England in 1912.
Claude left Australia in 1927 and went to New
Zealand. While there he managed to
"marry" bigamously two other ladies, and partner another.
He died in 1963, and on his instructions to his
solicitor, at the time of making his will, conveniently forgot that he had a
wife in Australia, as well as two children.
What would make someone go to such lengths?
He had something to hide.
His father was a learned and respected Missionary, who
was posted to China and Palestine. His
mother was from another family of Anglican clergy.
His father bought him a commission in the Army, and he
served in the Boer War. He was a 19 year
old Lieutenant.
But he managed to, on several occasions, steal a sum
of money in excess of £2,000 from the Army Pay Office. He was caught, court Martialed and cashiered
out of the Army. His records were torn
up, as it was custom at the time, and the King revoked his right to any Medals.
He then, hopped on a ship, left London, and arrived in
Sydney in 1903, with his life story in place.
He managed to hide the truth for more than 100
years. But there was one particular
aspect of the deceit that is unexplainable.
In 1916, his parents witness to their marriage in
China was Bishop Elwyn.
In 1916 a Mr Elwyn, solicitor from Kent had written to
Claude Annesley, in Bowen. Now how did
he know his name? Then in 1921, he wrote
again to the Australian Army records trying to locate Claude.
The Army gave him the address in Gunnawin in 1922.
Letter to a daughter 1924
At some time young Valerie was sent to live with her Aunt Eileen in Bulimba, where Eileen was living with her husband Reginald Judd, and her daughter Eileen Mary.
It appears that Valerie went to school in Brisbane, and she often wrote letters to her mother
A letter from Valerie Annesley[1] to her mum
Dear mummy
I am getting on all right at school. I am in first redbook. I hope you and boy are getting on all right. I would like to come home again to you. Have you still got Black and the cats and have you still got my pony. I liked those things you sent me for my birthday. My hair grew long and aunty cut it off again. When she cut it she put a saucepan over my head. Aunty said that she was going to send my saddle back to you soon because it is getting spoilt down here. When I come back home I can teach Dal[2] his abc and I would like to know how old Dal is. Can he walk properly yet. Bisy said that he would like to see Dal Bisy asked me if Dal could ride a horse yet. I came top of the class last exam Our teacher went away not very long ago and we got a new teacher I like the other teacher the best. I am often wondering how Dal and you are getting on and if that old tree beside our hut is still there and if you have got a horse on those blocks beside the road in that paddock where we had a little garden, where we had the pumpkins and corn grew have you still got that little garden beside the cow-yard and have you still got the pigs. Aunty has got a lovely yard down here and she has a lovely house and aunty had electric light. Aunty says that I am a great help in the house she said that I could be a great help to you. Edith is a real nice little baby and aunty made her a lovely little dress and it is real pretty when it is on her. Not very long ago we went to the exhibition and I went on the merry-go-round and then we saw some monkeys and we gave them chocolate and then we had some thing to drink and then we went home. I hope you are all well. Your loving Val
The reply
Gunnewin Roma 27th May 1924
My dear Valerie
I am sending you a small present for your birthday, you will be 9 years old on Monday the 2nd of June, and mummie wishes you many happy returns for your birthday. I hope you will learn all you can at school and then you can come back to boy and mummie, but I would like you to stay a little bit longer. Your little taffey pony is very fat and fresh, I am keeping her for you.
With best love from Boy and Mother
(Katie wrote this letter to Valerie in 1924, and there is no mention that she has another child at that time, James was born in 1923)
An Inheritance
Katie's mother died in Brisbane in 1918, and was
buried at the Toowong Cemetery.
She died 21st December 1918 and is buried at Toowong Cemetery
Brisbane. Por 1 Sect 152 Gve 1
It was rather sad to find that vandals had smashed the headstone[3]. Another was ordered.
Her father, Alfred Jillett married for a second
time in Sydney in 1921 to Myra Selina Rex.
He died shortly thereafter, and is buried at Manly Cemetery in
Sydney. A double plot had been
purchased, but his wife remarried soon after and is not buried there.
Her
father, left a will. In that will he
left both his daughters the sum of £500.
Quite a large amount in those days.
Did Katie Know?
It is quite possible that Claude's lies unravelled
around him.
The timing of the letters from the Solicitor in
Kent, the birth of their son, and the death of her father occur at the same
period of time. 1921/1922
Most puzzling is his involvement in taking their
daughter to Bowen.
By 1923, Katie and Samuel Herron have formed a
relationship.
Sam may have supported her during a very difficult
time.
Whatever the situation, it also might explain how
she and Sam were able to purchase the property .
Katie got on with her life. Her reason for not wanting to meet her
cousins at Chatham is certainly unclear.
Perhaps the whole family knew of her
predicament.
Katie was an excellent horsewoman.
Her Sons' Memories - This was from her son Dale Herron in 1993
The
following information was provided by Dale Herron to his grand-daughter Jo Anne
Herron and formed part of the biography that she wrote about him in 1993/4. It mirrors the stories that her second son,
Jim also recalled in 2002.
My
Mother Katie Isabella Jillett
The backgrounds of both Claude
and Katie were very different. Claude
was an English Blueblood and Katie was raised in an Australian farming
family. Claude was the son of Hon Arthur Annesley, St Peters, Kent, England,
and Ellen (nee Jennings) Annesley.
He forsook a life of English
luxury deciding that mustering cattle around the Australian countryside seemed
so much more fun.
Katie was the youngest daughter
of Alfred Charles and Catherine Isabell (nee Phillips) Jillet.
Alfred was a grazier of "Broadmeadows",
in Victoria and Catherine was the granddaughter of Captain Phillips, a
respected and famous English ship builder and owner. They were married in November 1878 in Hobart
Town. Several years later Alfred and
Catherine decided on a change and moved to Western Queensland.
They took on the pioneering spirit when the
call of the north came. Alfred and Catherine selected a property near Tambo
which was to become known as "Greendale" station. Because of the Jillets' love of the land,
"Greendale" remained in the family for over 100 years before it was
sold to a large company. The Jillett
family also owned two other outback stations called "Mimidowns" and
"Chattam".
Claude Harold Annesley and Katie
Isabel Jillett were married at Tambo in 1910.
It is not known how Dale's parents met, but it was most probably in
western Queensland when they were in their late teens.
At the time of their meeting,
Claude was working for a grazier, and Katie was living with her parents at
Greendale Station. Katie’s mother died when she was young and she did not get
on with her stepmother. Whether this had
an influence on her rebelliousness and rambunctious nature is not known - maybe she was always going to be a
rebel.
After their marriage in 1910,
Claude and Katie made a misguided attempt at sheep farming on Dunk Island
(which they rented for £26 per year). Claude then joined the A.I.F. His health suffered in the bad weather in
France and has discharged as medically unfit in 1916. Claude and Katie selected
a soldier settler's farm at Gunnewin between Roma and Injune.
The government gave soldier settlers 600
acres (roughly one square mile) and £600 to construct fences, dig a dam and
build a hut. Unfortunately, the soldier settler's farms were not very economical. It was generally believed that you needed
about three square miles. Dale says the
canny ones put in a bit of fencing, dug a dam and built a rough humpy, then
took off for the city with the £600.
At her
son's wedding 1946, with Sam Herron
,
Samuel James Herron - Katie's Life Partner
Samuel James Herron was born in 1900.
His parents were William James Heron and Catherine Mary Evans.
William James Heron was born in 3rd May 1864 in Tartaraghan, Newry, Armagh Northern
Ireland.
His parents were Samuel Heron and Sarah Cosgrove. Samuel and Sarah were married in Newry
Ireland in 1863.
William Heron aged 25 arrived on the
Ship Cloncurry, to Maryborough on 13th August 1886.
It is quite possible that both Samuel and
Sarah Heron emigrated to Australia.
William, worked in Tambo, after his arrival.
Catherine Mary Evans emigrated on the ship Aberdeen on 19th April, 1885 as a domestic
servant. Her records indicate she had a
brother at Clifton.
On 11th December, 1889 Catherine Mary Evans, had a son, George Knight
Evans.
His birth was only registered in his mother’s name and her name was
shown as Kate Evans, then in 1890 his birth records were changed to
Herron, although no father’s name was ever on the birth certificate.
On the 20th January 1892, William James Heron married Catherine Mary
Evans at Tambo in Queensland. Harry
Shaddock and Mary Watson witnessed the marriage.
Children
After their marriage, a number of children were born.
1.
Sarah was born 16 October 1892
and died 16th January 1893
2. Florence Ethel Herron was born 31 December 1894. She married Edward Stephenson
3. Grace Kathleen Herron was born 6 November 1897 and married William
Robert McGregor in
1928
4. Samuel James Herron was born 1900[1] - 1959 partner of Katie Isabelle Jillett
5. Margaret Ella Herron was born 31 July 1902 married Edgar Harold Stephenson in 1924 at Cronje
6.
William Francis Herron was born
27 October 1906 married Esther
Isabella MacLean
Throughout their life the family lived and worked in Western Queensland
In 1895 according to a report in the "Western Champion and General
Advertiser for the Central-Western Districts" of 4 June 1895, James Herron
was one of many men who signed a statement issued by Mr Dulhunty, the manager
of Birkhead Station and his claims regarding having been badly treated on his
trips to Tambo.
In 1900 J Herron was appointed as Trustee for the Cemetery Reserve
In 1901, J Herron was nominated as a Trustee for the Recreational
Reserve in Tambo
In 1903 they were living in Albert Street Tambo, where he was a butcher.
In 1905 James Herron was in Roma as a butcher
In 1908 they were at Yingerbay, as a farmer
In 1913 the family including George Knight Herron were living at
Yingerbay
In 1915, 1917 and 1919 still at Yingerbay
In 1925 Jim and Catherine were on Yingerbay and the son James on Mona
Vale at Gunnawin.
In 1926 James Herron was at Mona Vale in Gunnewin.
Life in the Outback
The Herron Family lived
at Yingerbay, in the heart of prickly pear country. The children went to school there, and the
family tried to eke out a living in the terrible conditions.
Their
son George was mentioned in 1913, bringing the body of a fellow farmer to Roma
after a ploughing accident.
Often when hearing family stories from our relatives, their memories
focus on their own memories of those in their immediate family. Sometimes it is easy to forget that these
people were once young, struggled with the day to day world in which they
lived, and faced enormous challenges of living in the era they did.
But they socialised, they found entertainment with friends and family
members who lived and worked where they did.
From the archives, much can be
gleaned of their day to day lives.
In 1914, James Herron provided the luncheon at the Yingerbay Races held
on Boxing Day.
In 1915, the Herrons were involved with a dance in order to raise funds
for the Belgian fund.
The fund was set up to provide support for the many Belgian families
displaced by World War I. Groups all
over the country carried out similar fundraising events.
Sam's brother William, "Willie" had success with his
"Irizzly roosters"
James appeared to undertake all sorts of work in order
to survive, as the Overseer's report indicates.
Jim using the horses to plough
Sadly their life at Yingerbay came to a close when
they were unable to pay the rates on the property.
The
property was advertised for sale, with a description of the improvements.
So many
families had their dreams and aspirations squashed. Of interest is the Stephenson family who had
a selection close to the Herron lands.
The
Herron and Stephenson families were joined by the marriages between the
children.
Yingerbay - From the Past
Caption for first photo
reads: School House at Yingerbay (Roma District). Fifteen years ago the
attendance was about thirty children. The school was closed two years ago owing
to the abandonment of selections in the neighbourhood. Second caption: A
Selector's Home in the pear lands, north of Blythdale (Roma District). The
small areas of the holdings and the constant clearing of pear make the
settler's struggle a hard one. Third caption: An Abandoned Homestead near
Yingerbay (Roma District). The selection is now densely infested with pear.
Fourth caption: This shows ten year's growth of pear. The land was free in
1915.
James and Catherine Mary Herron moved
from the Roma area, and in 1925 Catherine was living at Buranda with George. In
1943 along with James and George she was at Salisbury St, Buranda.
James died in 1945. At the time
the family were living at 61 Ness Road Salisbury.
Catherine died in 1947
In the Words of her Son - Dale
Herron
Dale left school at an early age
to help with his family's finances.
These were the depression years and the Herron family was slowly going
bankrupt. They had to send their oldest son Dalgleish, out to work.
Neither Dale's mother nor his
stepfather had stable jobs, but sometimes Samuel was able to get casual
work. At the same time, both Samuel and
Katie were busy building their new farm and there was no time left for much else.
Dale's leaving school was an economic necessity, essential to the family's
survival. The children added to the
family's income by shooting kangaroos and wallabies. A reasonable income was earned from the good
aim of Katie, Dale and James.
In 1933, after struggling in the
depression, Katie and Samuel lost their farm when they couldn't afford to keep
it. They moved to a share farm at Oralla
and then to Moorooka in Brisbane. Here,
they weren't able to shoot any wildlife to keep themselves, so had to resort to
other means. After a short period back at school, Dale left to find work.
He remembers the time very
clearly. It was January 1936, and he was 14 years old. The effects of the
depression meant that work wasn't easy to come by. He reasoned that his best
chance was to get work helping to build the Storey Bridge. In Dale's words,
"Every
day only a certain number of people were chosen. The first day I woke up at
6a.m and went to line up, but there were hundreds of men in front of me. The second day, I woke up at 5a.m and the same thing happened again. On the third day, I asked Mum to wake me up
at 3a.m, and when I arrived at the place where I was to report, I found out
that I was near the front. Lucky
for me, because out came the foreman and
said 'I'll take the first six big blokes!'
I stood on my tiptoes and was selected.
I was then told to ride over to what is now known as the Storey Bridge
and report for work. When I arrived I
seemed to be the only one who had any guts as all of the other blokes seemed to
be too scared of heights. My first task
was to climb up to the top of the bridge and help the men up there. Growing up with the family I had, I knew that
I was to do as I was told, as that was the way I was brought up."
Dale was paid quite a wage. He
worked as a welder's assistant but it seemed that the higher up that you
worked, the more money that you were paid.
What he didn't realize in those days was that with the money he was
earning, he was able to help his family very much.
Unfortunately, welder's
assistants weren't issued with eye protection and the arcing and flashing from
the electric welders caused eye trouble. In spite of the good pay, Dale was
forced to quit this job after about nine months. Being resourceful, he quickly
secured another job as a machine operator at a plywood mill near Yeronga. He lasted at this job for about 12 months,
leaving because he couldn't stand the shiftwork.
The family then moved to the
Goomeri-Tansey area in 1938 where they tried share farming on a dairy farm. The
arrangement wasn't particularly lucrative as the whole family was only paid £19
per month with milk and butter thrown in. Dale figured that you could make more
money for the same effort. He bought a 1925 Willys Overland one ton truck and
went ring-barking and fencing in the South Burnett region between Goomeri and
Gayndah. With a lot of initiative and effort, he was earning at least £2 per
day, when the basic weekly wage was about £3 per week.
During this period, Dale also did
some work at a farm owned by Fred Schossow. He spent three weeks digging a well
with Fred and also doing some ploughing. He still remembers being down at the
bottom of the dig and seeing the stars shining in the middle of the day. Dale
reckoned old Fred was a slave driver, although he said Fred worked harder than
he did.
Being in timber country, and
being experienced at mill operations, Dale was offered a job at the Mannembar
plywood mills as a lathe operator. He quickly rose to chief hand because of the
experience he gained at the Brisbane plywood mill. This didn't go down too well
with the older hands who had been there for years.
So, Dale coerced one of the truck
drivers to let him drive the timber jinkers. Remember that Dale was still only
18, but by this time he had a wealth of experience in life and was very able at
getting a job. At first, the driver only allowed him to drive the truck out
when it was empty but he couldn't drive it back loaded. With a yen for hard
work and knowledge, Dale quickly learned to handle the loaded monster across
creeks and gullies and through rough logging tracks. Eventually he got to drive by himself. Not
only did he drive, but he was also fitting in two trips a day whereas old Wal
only did one trip a day. There was a lot
of incentive for hard work and long hours when each trip was worth 30 bob
(£1.10.0)
THE
WAR YEARS:
Dale enlisted in the 5th Light
Horse regiment at Gympie in March 1940 under the family name of Herron. All of
his army papers and medical reports recorded his name as Dalgleish Herron. His mother was able to contain her son's
military ambition for a while because Dale was working in the timber industry
which the government had declared as "protected".
Workers in these specific
industries had to remain in those critical industries rather than do military
service. By this time, the family had
moved back to Brisbane, having given up on the share farming.
In 1941, Dale moved to
Murwillumbah and signed up in the armoured regiment despite his mother's
protestations. On the first parade, all
men who could drive a truck were asked to step forward. There were only very
few of them. They were immediately promoted to the rank of Lance-corporal and
told to draw a truck from the workshop. They were then ordered to teach the
other fellows how to drive in a 600 acre paddock. Dale remembers it as hot and
dusty. Dale quickly moved to driver-mechanic, gaining good training in vehicle
mechanics along the way. In 1942, the unit was posted to Geraldton in Western
Australia.
In 1943, despairing of seeing
action, Dale volunteered for the "Independent Companies", a euphemism
for the commandoes. He underwent
training in New South Wales and was then sent to the jungle training centre at
Canungra, being assigned to the 2/11th commando unit in Ravenshoe.
His initial overseas tour of duty
was in Papua New Guinea and Dutch East Indies (Indonesia). He was wounded in
the leg and sent back to Sydney to recuperate.
Dale wanted to join the 2/6 regiment, the same unit as his younger
brother Jimmy. However, army policy did
not allow blood relatives to serve in the same unit. They reasoned that if a
soldier was wounded, then his brother could endanger the rest of the men by
trying to save him.
Consequently, Dale was posted
back to his original unit and sent back into action via Lae, Biak, Moratai,
Helaman and Brunei. He saw little action in this period and mainly carried out
operations with American units.
In June 1945, on Labuan Island in
North Borneo, Dale was seriously wounded in action. He was with a group of Australians clearing
out a much larger concentration of Japanese.
He remembers it as not the best day of his life. Earlier in the day he
was wounded in the hand. His officer, Lt. Ross, for whom he had a great
respect, was badly wounded by machine gun fire.
Dale dragged him to cover but the enemy would not let them get away to
safety. Dale then managed to get around
behind the machine gun posts and "take them out". However, he could hear Japanese yelling. He
doesn't know to this day whether it was an officer yelling orders or whether it
was just soldiers trying to get away. He
remembers hearing running and next a grenade landed near the place where he was
hiding.
Dale suffered severe bullet and
shrapnel wounds which resulted in his evacuation to Australia on the first
flight to leave the island. He spent several months in recovery and was eventually
discharged from the Army in November 1945, pronounced medically unfit. Even today, Dale suffers from the physical
pain suffered during the war. He still
has pieces of shrapnel in his eye. He received notice on 28th April 1947 of his
MID award (Mentioned in Dispatches) and service medal from the Army.
IMMEDIATE POST WAR:
On leaving the Army in 1945, Dale
found it difficult to get a job because he was partially blind. So he undertook
an upholstery course at the Technical College in South Brisbane. He graduated and took a job with a small firm
in Brisbane. He had always set high
standards for himself. However, he felt
frustrated and constrained working under other people, especially when they
failed to measure up. Deciding that he couldn't get along with the foreman, he
left and pursued his own path in his chosen trade. This was to last for approximately 10
successful years, before having to retire for health reasons.
The 21st January, 1946, is a very
special date for Dale. This was the day
when Dalgleish Annersley formally became Dalgleish Herron by way of deed
poll. (The deed poll is a registration
process which people have to go through to change their name). Prior to this he used the name Herron when
enlisting in the war. Dale's only
sister, Valerie Isabel, decided against the change of names and later
married. She died on 25th March 1986.
After the war, Dale married Ethel
Margaret Schossow, daughter of Fred and Margaret Schossow, on 3rd August
1946. Remember the "slave
driver" for whom he dug the well!
Ethel was born at Harrisville on
25th November 1922, where she spent about 13 years before living and working on
her parents farm in Tansey, via Goomeri.
Farming was the only work that Ethel knew in her life, putting in the
work of a man on her parent's dairy farm.
Ethel had just turned
twenty-three when she moved to Brisbane to start work. Her first job was as an assistant nurse at
Fellnaw Private Hospital. Dale spent a
lot of his time complimenting his new wife on her beautiful hair which reached
down to her waist, and her beautiful looks especially when she was all dressed
up. Out of this marriage, five children were conceived and born - Ronald James John Dale Alan Frederick , Maree Ann and Hazel Joy
MOVING:
Dale and Ethel decided to move
away from Brisbane. Dale opened an upholstery shop in Dalby in March 1949. He
originally chose Kingaroy but couldn't find suitable premises to rent. Someone suggested checking out Dalby. It was
a wise move.
In this same year, he and Ethel
bought their very first house in Pratten St.
This was the era of shortages after the war and even though the
government attempted to peg prices on essential items such as housing, a black
market was operated. They had to pay a premium to the builder, having to buy a
stove from him for £300.
Just ten months later in January,
he had to close the shop down when he contracted jaundice which later turned
into hepatitis. On 21st August 1950,
Dale started up his business again. He had a wife and three children whom he
had to support. Maree was born during
this period and it was now even more important for Dale to have a growing
business. After 6 very prosperous years
in the upholstery business, Dale had to give it up again due to more health
problems. In late 1956, Dale, Ethel and
the four children also left Dalby and chose a nice peaceful area on the
Queensland coast, Hervey Bay.
Dale opened another upholstery
and furniture shop in Pialba (a suburb of Hervey Bay). This business was not very successful as
Hervey Bay was a slow growing area and there was not much demand for an
upholsterer.
Within six months, the Herron
family moved to Brisbane and settled in the suburb of Boondall. This time Dale decided on a totally different
career and opted for a small crops farm.
This venture however proved a
little optimistic. His sons were not
able to help him very much as they were too young and also had to attend
school. Ethel helped in any way
possible, but she had her hands full looking after her young family. Hazel was
born just prior to moving to the farm.
The small crops farm paid its
way, but for the amount of effort required it wasn't worthwhile. Dale tried to
supplement the farm income by taking on a parcel run but this proved
uneconomical. Dale was always willing to give something a go but was astute
enough to know when to cut and run if it didn't turn out.
So once again the Herron's
decided to move on. This time they
settled for a while at Redcliffe while Dale went to work for Butler Bros., a
large hardware store in Brisbane. Dale
decided that he was spending too much time and money travelling to work and
bought a house at Nundah.
It wasn't long however before he
left Butler Bros., after 6 months, and went to work for a Sandgate Fruit and
Vegetable shop working as a buyer. He felt fruit and vegetables was his forte
rather than hardware.
Each move for the Herron's seemed
to get them a little further ahead, but the pattern seemed so similar to Dale's
early life - moving, moving. moving.
Also, Dale felt much better working for himself. He had proved that he
was more than capable of achieving on his own. He knew that his high standards
and hard work would win through in the end and he would reap the benefits of
his own sweat rather than someone else growing rich on his efforts. Ethel had
faith in her husband's ability and supported him wholeheartedly.
THINGS
GET BETTER:
Dale and Ethel thought hard over
their next move. Their family was growing up.
They fulfilled their ambition of owning their own business by buying the
major grocery store in Gympie Road Bald Hills in 1959. This was the most successful venture Dale had
ever undertaken, but unfortunately the long hours took a toll on him and his
family.
Dale now had to decide which
business path to choose. Remembering the
good times he had had on the land, Dale decided to buy another farm in Boondall
in 1960. This farm was only about half a mile from the previous one. However, the owner wanted too much. By a stroke of luck for Dale, ill-health
forced the owner to sell and since Dale was the only one who had showed any
interest, he approached him with a more realistic price. Sold!
Back into the farming business. Dale understood the land and growing
crops. Also by now, he understood a lot more about running a business.
His sons were now at an age where
they were near to entering high school and Ethel impressed upon Dale the need
to remain settled. Also his sons were old enough to help considerably around
the farm. It was hard work and long
hours for everyone. But those efforts brought good rewards such as buying a
boat to go fishing when harvesting permitted it, holidays at Hervey Bay and a
new car.
Whilst on the farm, Dale felt
confident enough to buy a second business.
This time he bought a milk run and was assisted in running it by his
eldest son Ron. As a consequence, the hours
got longer. There was a host of stories from that milk run, not least of which
concerned the old Vanguard ute used as the milk truck. If the gears didn't jam at least once a day, it was a good
day. His favourite story would be the
one of the annoying dog.
"Every
morning when we went on the milk run, there would always be an annoying black
dog which would race out to the truck and start barking. Everyone used to say to me, ‘Dale everyone
knows when you're delivering the milk, because that rotten dog starts to bark
its head off.' Well anyway one day Ron,
my eldest son and I decided that we had had enough. I told him that when I yelled out `Now' he
was to swerve the truck and head for the dog.
The next morning when we were on the run, I told him to get ready. As usual out came the dog and I yelled
'Now'. Ron swerved to hit the dog, but
we didn't hear much of a clunk. Both of
us thought that we had actually achieved what we had set out to do. The next morning when we out on the run,
there was no sign of the blasted dog, so Ron and I were happy. For the next few days we were congratulated
by many people for what we had done. The
owners of the dog didn't know that it was us that had killed his dog. Lucky for us.
About four months later after everyone had gotten used to the silence,
out came the bloody dog again. We now realised
that we must have missed the dog, and had only managed to scare it. We then realised that there was no way to get
rid of it."
The milk run lasted about 12
months before Ron decided to go off and become a wool classer and Dale sold the
milk run as his other sons were still studying at high school.
Whilst at Bald Hills, Dale joined
Aspley/Bald Hills sub branch of the R.S.L.
He had always been a member of the R.S.L. and served a term as
vice-president while at Dalby. When he moved to the farm at Boondall, he
remained with the Aspley/Bald Hills sub branch and was elected as president. He
is especially proud of his initiative that began the dawn services which are
still held at the Pinnaroo Lawn Cemetery.
The 1960's was a very successful
time for the Herron family. Eventually,
Dale's sons grew up and left home and so a change in his business methods was
required. The previous farmer had a small plot of flowers which the Herron's
allowed to become more or less neglected.
Ethel nurtured a few of them along which were sold at the gate with
other fruit and vegetables. She then
entered some into a flower show at Sandgate one weekend and came home with an
armful of prizes. Well, the wheels
started clicking, and with their sons growing up and leaving home, they decided
that they needed a change in business direction. So why not paddocks full of flowers for
commercial sale! This turned out to be a
wise decision as it was very financially rewarding and required less intensive
work.
THE
KIDS LEAVE:
In 1971, Dale and Ethel sold the
farm for a housing development. This was
the longest time that they had ever stayed in one place. Since the farm was being sold for development,
Dale sold everything which was not nailed down including old buggies and paraphernalia
which was on the place when he bought it. Dale and Ethel were probably some of
the original conservationists and recyclers - nothing was thrown away because
there was a use for it somewhere. This
was the start of the "collector's era" and Dale still tells of his
astonishment at the interest and prices he got for some of the "junk"
around the place.
The family now consisted of Dale
and Ethel and their two daughters. Ron
was married and living at Bracken Ridge - an early settler there, John was living
and working in Canberra and Alan took up the sheet metal trade, was married and
living at Redcliffe. The Herron's now
moved to Clontarf, at Redcliffe.
Their strong interest in flowers
and plants continued and they were making a good living in the final years
leading up to their retirement. Dale
had over 4000 cacti growing in pots at his home in Lucinda street, Clontarf,
many of them very rare. Both Dale and
Ethel became very active and respected members of the Redcliffe Show
Society.
They have won numerous awards for
their exhibits and both are highly regarded as judges at shows all over south
east Queensland. Dale has virtually lost
the sight of his left eye, the one injured in the war. Unfortunately, he has
glaucoma in his good eye and unless lighting conditions are good, cannot take
up all of his judging commitments. Ethel
is usually called upon to take on the extra workload. Dale's love and appreciation of plants has
kept him fairly healthy and active even to this day.
JUST
DALE AND ETHEL:
In 1978, Dale unfortunately
suffered a small heart attack whilst moving a small motor off his boat. He always had a strong interest in fishing
and has owned several boats. He always
enjoyed the days he spent out on the water fishing and he and Ethel still go
fishing although the conditions need to be good.
Dale's family nagged him into
taking it easy. His mother, Katie, died
at the age of 58 and he always
maintained that the Jillett's never lived long and therefore he needed to pack
as much into life as possible. The nagging must have helped because he is now
72 (1993) and has learned to settle down a little more and enjoy less active
hobbies. So, Dale took up the hobby of
coin collecting. With a lot of study and
very astute buying and selling, the value of his coins is presently worth thousands
of dollars.
He always used to show his eight
grandchildren his precious collection when they were younger. They would listen intently and would always
have questions the length of your arm.
Some of them still have an acute interest in coins.
After decades of suffering from
his war wounds, Dale was granted a full TPI war pension in 1985. These days he
is enjoying life with Ethel and has a very deep interest in his grandchildren.
Two of his granddaughters are mad horsewomen which gives pleases him as his
mother was a fanatical horsewoman who rode at shows many times with the
(in)famous Lance Skuthorpe. He believes
that Katie sometimes spent too much of the family money on horses.
These days, Dale and Ethel like
to spend their time with their plants. On Sundays they enjoy the early morning
rises when they pack their gear into the car and head off to the fleamarket
market to sell their plants.
Dale and Ethel instilled into
their children the need to work hard and play fair. Much of Dale's enthusiasm
and ambition must have rubbed off onto his children. Each left home at an early age and made
themselves independent. None of them has ever been unemployed and three of them
own and operate their own businesses.
EPILOGUE by Jo-anne Marie Herron:
Dalgleish Herron is my
grandfather.
Dale
was named after Tom Dalgleish, the chief engineer who built the jetty at
Bowen. Claude Annersley was employed in
the office of the construction company and he and Tom became very good friends. Bowen was a very large port in the early
1900's and the jetty was the longest in Australia.
Dale
met Tom in 1932, when Tom bought 7,000 acres near Roma to run sheep. Being an
engineer, Tom was quite clever and built his own wireless and radio mast, well
over 100 feet high. This was the first time that Dale had heard a radio. He
says, "I put on the head phones and could clearly hear the broadcast from
Adelaide."
Dale
was 11 years old at the time and was not aware that his real name was
Annersley.
This
biography was written with the help of Dale and Ethel, their second son and my
father, John Dale. I have a great love
for my grandfather and in writing this biography I have a deeper understanding
and appreciation of how difficult his life has been. My family has an interesting
and wonderful history of which I am justifiably proud.
Throughout
his life Dale created his Family Trees, and never did he mention his mother’s
elder brother Alfred. Katie must never
have told the family anything about him.
He was 9 years older, and it seems he was given the family property,
Greendale.
Katie
also mentioned that she did not get along with her step mother, but she was a
married woman before her father remarried, and he did after her mother’s death.
She
also indicated she should have inherited the stations. The truth is that she was left 500 pounds in
her father’s will, and as happened in those days her brother was left the
station.
Dalgleish
Herron was born 18th July 1921 at Roma Hospital. He was named Claude Dalgleish Herron on his
birth certificate, registered by his father Claude Harold Annesley.
Katie and Sam's 3 sons served in
World War 2
Wilfred's war records are not currently available. He served overseas and in Japan.
QX500170
|
ONE PATROL TOO MANY
Description of
action at The Pocket – Labuan Island, British North Borneo – June 1945.
As told by Trooper Dale Herron
The
10th June 1945 was a fine sunny day on Labuan Island, British North
Borneo - 3 Section of D Troop – 2/11 Australian Commando Sqn. was sent out on
patrol to find a large group of Japanese soldiers.
As
we started to go up a steep hill, our scouts disappeared from the edge of the
road. Lieutenant Ross, who was in command of the section walked up the road. As
he approached the crest of the hill, two or three machine guns opened fire on
him. Lt. Ross was hit and fell on the shoulder of the road – Trooper Paddy
(forget his surname) was hit and killed.
The
section took refuge in a creek running west to east – Corporal Hall and I saw
Japanese soldiers running towards the creek – we ran down the creek to meet
them - they went to ground. Corporal Hall went back to get the Bren gun and two
magazines (60 bullets) and gave it to me. The Japs jumped up and were running
in a crouching position toward us, I opened fire on them and they all hit the
ground. Corporal Hall got up on his knees to check how many I had hit.
Immediately he was hit by rifle fire in the shoulder or upper chest. I pulled
him into a safe position, he crawled back up the creek to the main body of 3
Section. I crawled over to Corporal Connors who had a better view of the
Japanese.
An
enemy soldier popped up and shot Corporal Connors in the forehead; he died
immediately. I killed the soldier with a short burst from the Bren gun as he
was reloading his rifle. I went back and joined the main body of 3 Section in
the creek.
Lt.
Ross was calling out instructions to our radio operator. I decided someone
should try and rescue Lt. Ross – the longer we stayed in that position, the
more casualties we were going to suffer.
As
I climbed up the hill pushing the Bren gun in front of me – I got to within
four or five yards of Lt. Ross – he told me not to come any further as they
(the Japs) were waiting for me (how correct he was).
I came under heavy machine gun and rifle fire.
Lt.
Ross pointed out where the machine gun was firing from. When they stopped
firing, I fired a burst of nine or ten bullets into their position – they did
not return fire.
Another machine gun opened fire on me, it was
so close I could feel the heat and smell the cordite and blast from the muzzle
of the gun. The bullets were going over my head as I was in a depression in the
ground. I reached up and forward to break a branch off a shrub so I could get a
better view and copped a bullet through my right hand. It was a mess, broken
bones sticking out the back of my hand. I saw an enemy soldier aiming a rifle
at me, as I tried to swing my machine gun, I received a terrific whack to the
left side of my head. I thought I was dead, but could hear rifle fire and Lt.
Ross saying “Sorry old man”.
I
did not move and pretended I was dead – I knew he would not miss a second time
from that distance. Fortunately the Bren gun was pointed at him; I came up
fast, he pointed his rifle at me – no time to aim, I pressed the trigger and he
was thrown backwards.
As I crawled over to Lt. Ross to give him my
water bottle, I felt a jarring pain in my chin. I had copped another bullet.
Lt. Ross had massive bullet wounds to his lower chest. I felt very sorry for
him, as I liked and respected him. As I lay there, I tried to stop the bleeding
with an old sweat towel. How could I on my own, with a smashed right hand, drag
Lt. Ross down the hill to the safety of the creek?
Suddenly it was silent and I could hear
Japanese officers and N.C.O’s talking and giving orders. “Hell” I thought,
“I’ve only got twelve or fifteen bullets left in the magazine”.
I looked up and saw a Japanese Corporal or
Sergeant throw something at me. I realized it was a grenade. It stuck in the
ground four or five feet from me – all I can remember is a flash and smoke and
a lot of pain to my face, eyes, and mouth. Fortunately I placed my right hand
over my right eye – otherwise I would have been totally blind for life. I was
covered in blood and couldn’t do much about the bleeding.
Reinforcements and three Australian tanks
arrived. Lt. Ross was dragged down the hill to the creek but died soon after.
I crawled down the hill and was immediately
placed on a stretcher bearing jeep and taken to a casualty clearing station and
taken by aircraft to the 2/6 Australian General Army Hospital on Mouratai
Island. The doctors, sisters and nurses were wonderful to me and I cannot speak
to highly of their care. After many months I was brought back to Concord Army
Hospital Sydney. I was discharged from the army – medically unfit 8 November
1945 at Redbank Queensland. 1443 days in the A.I.F. – I was also a member of
the 5th Light Horse Regiment, Gympie for about six months before
joining the A.I.F. – Number Q6087.
Trooper
Dale Herron was awarded a M.I.D (Mentioned in Dispatches) for his action on
this day.
A Soldier's Night
- Dale Herron (as he wrote it)
In bad
dreams and broken sleep
Please
Lord - my soul to keep.
His
weary spirit breathes again
His
aching legs seem all pain
At last
the burning sun sinks in the west
And the
darkness will bring relief and rest.
Then
memories come all crowding back
And as
they gather they roll away the years
And I
can see once again the jungle track
A long
line of weary men - the shadows - the fears
The
twilight jungle broods of things unknown
Especially
of mines the enemy has sown
Often on
warm summer nights
I toss
and turn in broken sleep.
As I lay
here in the rain - wet and mud covered
Trying
to keep rifle and ammunition dry
Dreaming
of my father and mother, sister and brothers
And the
muddy hole is filling that I just dug
I curse
and wonder what I'm doing here
Trying
to remove the horrible slimy leeches
And
wishing I was back on the sunny Australian beaches.
A
Country Girls Grief 1944 - Dale Herron (as he wrote it)
She
waits by the river beneath the spreading gum
Where
they rode and galloped their horses and had such fun
She
knows it's only a sad dream and he will never come
For they
are apart and no one knows the pain in her heart
For he
sleeps forever in a grave in a foreign land
And she
will keep forever a slim golden band
But
lingering dreams and memories of days gone by
When
riding all alone she has many a silent cry.
For Beryl "Bub" Haden
Buried at Quilpie Sept 1998.
Wilfred Patrick Herron
Wilfred Patrick Herron married Gweneth Joan Bauer on 27th August 1955, in Barolin St Methodist Church at Bundaberg at 12.30pm. Gweneth was the daughter of Clive Bauer and Mabel Tasker.
Jo-Anne Gweneth Joan Bauer, was born 8/10/1936 at The Lady Chelmsford Hospital Bundaberg. She changed her name from Gweneth Joan Herron to Jo-Anne Herron
She died of a cerebral haemorrhage - ruptured aneurysm
Wilfred (Wilf) entered the Military Services with the Aust Imperial Forces 9th March 1946 - 30th June 1947 Interim Army 1st July 1947 - 2nd April 1948
His Service Number is QX500170
The total period he served was 756 days
Active Service Australia 254 days
Active Service overseas 491 days (British Commonwealth Occupation Forces - Japan)
Discharged Date 2nd April 1948
Military service Between 9th March 1946 - 2nd April 1948 - Aust Imperial Forces, BCOF (Japan)
Wilf had an interesting life in regards to school and work.
From 1933 to 1935 he attended Horseshoe Lagoon State School at Roma with his two brothers. They lived at Orallo, Roma
From 1935 - 1937 he attended Salisbury State School in Brisbane and lived at Keats St Moorooka
From 1938 to 1940 he attended Tansy School and Manumbur.
He worked in various locations including
Wilfred Patrick Herron married Gweneth Joan Bauer on 27th August 1955, in Barolin St Methodist Church at Bundaberg at 12.30pm. Gweneth was the daughter of Clive Bauer and Mabel Tasker.
Jo-Anne Gweneth Joan Bauer, was born 8/10/1936 at The Lady Chelmsford Hospital Bundaberg. She changed her name from Gweneth Joan Herron to Jo-Anne Herron
She died of a cerebral haemorrhage - ruptured aneurysm
Wilfred (Wilf) entered the Military Services with the Aust Imperial Forces 9th March 1946 - 30th June 1947 Interim Army 1st July 1947 - 2nd April 1948
His Service Number is QX500170
The total period he served was 756 days
Active Service Australia 254 days
Active Service overseas 491 days (British Commonwealth Occupation Forces - Japan)
Discharged Date 2nd April 1948
Military service Between 9th March 1946 - 2nd April 1948 - Aust Imperial Forces, BCOF (Japan)
Wilf had an interesting life in regards to school and work.
From 1933 to 1935 he attended Horseshoe Lagoon State School at Roma with his two brothers. They lived at Orallo, Roma
From 1935 - 1937 he attended Salisbury State School in Brisbane and lived at Keats St Moorooka
From 1938 to 1940 he attended Tansy School and Manumbur.
He worked in various locations including
1940 - 43
Lowes Service Station Ipswich Road, Brisbane and lived at
Salisbury
1943 - 45 South Brisbane Tobacco Co, Stanley St South Brisbane and lived at Salisbury
1946 - 48 Army
1948 - 51 Fencing Contractor at Roma
1952 - 53 Fencing Contractor at Alpha
1954 - 57 Canecutter at Bundaberg and lived at Burnett Heads
1957 - 58 Bundaberg Harbour Board and lived at MS 108 North Bundaberg
1959 Sullivan Tug Co as a deckhand in Bundaberg
1959 - 61 Tugmaster at Bowen Constructions
1961 - 62 Tugmaster and Crane driver Mc Donald Constructions
1962 - 76 Cane Harvesting Contractor Mackay and lived at 10 High St, Mackay
1976 - 82 Pete's Nut Products at Walkerston, Mackay
1983 - 84 Wormald (Part time) and lived at 6 Pugsley St Walkerston
1984 - 85 Evans Avenue
1943 - 45 South Brisbane Tobacco Co, Stanley St South Brisbane and lived at Salisbury
1946 - 48 Army
1948 - 51 Fencing Contractor at Roma
1952 - 53 Fencing Contractor at Alpha
1954 - 57 Canecutter at Bundaberg and lived at Burnett Heads
1957 - 58 Bundaberg Harbour Board and lived at MS 108 North Bundaberg
1959 Sullivan Tug Co as a deckhand in Bundaberg
1959 - 61 Tugmaster at Bowen Constructions
1961 - 62 Tugmaster and Crane driver Mc Donald Constructions
1962 - 76 Cane Harvesting Contractor Mackay and lived at 10 High St, Mackay
1976 - 82 Pete's Nut Products at Walkerston, Mackay
1983 - 84 Wormald (Part time) and lived at 6 Pugsley St Walkerston
1984 - 85 Evans Avenue
A Family of True Queensland
Outback Pioneers
When Katie and Claude chose their block at
Gunnewin, in 1919 and attempted to make a "go" of it. Hard work was required.
The Authorities sited Soldier Settlements in
unsuitable lands. Most failed. Lands quite likely chosen by Government
workers, with absolutely no experience with the land. Soldier's thought it was a reward for
enlisting to fight their country. They
soon learnt differently.
Their hardships mentioned in the poem at the Memorial.
The
Women of the West by Dale Herron
I am
haunted by the faces of the lonely bush wives,
Who toil
by the sides of their men for most of their lives
In the
drought stricken land outback.
The long
weary years have stolen their health
They
will never know the meaning of wealth
Their
youth and grace have faded away
And year
by year they work and pray
The
heavy silence of the bush sinks into their breasts
But they
carry on and do their best
The dust
and heat have stolen their beauty
But
uncomplaining with love and dignity they do their duty.
Katie,
and her family represent one tiny portion of Australian pioneers. Once shunned by society for their convict
links, now applauded, as they should be, by the current generation, many of
whom try in vain to find a convict ancestor.
Not all
families were as successful as Katie's grandfather, and his sons. Indeed Katie's life was anything but
easy.
Living a
lie, as she must, losing the daughter that she bore, but managing to create a
family environment, with the help of her life partner, for her sons.
What
better way of showing his appreciation to his step father, than by legally changing his name in 1946 as
Dale did. He only knew himself as Dale
Herron. The only father he knew was
Samuel.
The
Jillett Family, Queensland pioneers in a time when this country really was
"riding on the sheep's back"[2]
The Jillett Brothers - Their daily diary notes in 1879.
His daily notes
Thursday 28th August 1879 Started from Melbourne to go to Bridgewater. Arrived 10pm.
29th Aug. Fri. Came 11 miles camped 4 o'clock in a bend of very good feed for horses.
30th Sat. Came about 21 miles. Camped on a reserve 3 miles. Plenty horse, well.
31st Sun. Camped about 13 m from Kerang at 5 o'clock. Repaired my extenuations.
1st Sept. Mon. Arrived at Kerang about 1 o'clock and camped for the day, Plenty grass. Had some fine rain. Got my pedal extremities wet and changed my things.
2nd Tue. Camped all day. Cook left and got another. Got 3 m from Mt. Amos
3rd Wed. Camped about 15 mile from Swan Hill.
4th Thur. Came to Swan Hill crossed Murray and camped on the bank. 40 m from Kerang.
5th Fri. Came about 16 m. Camped on a brackish creek.
6th Sat Reached Wyckool on the Edward ready to cross in punt. Plenty mosquitoes.
7th Sun Crossed the punt and reached Yanga in the afternoon. Any amount of grass.
8th Mon Stayed at Yanga and had a row on the lake.
9th Tue Went out to Carter's hut and camped.
10th Wed. Mustered the weaners out of a paddock 5 m by 3 m and drove them 7 mile.
11th Thur Drove them about 13 m and returned to Yanga.
12th Frid. Went into Balranald. Had fine rain.
13th Sat. Took horses at Tom 12452
14th Sun, 15th Mon, 16th Tue, 17th Wed, 18th Thurs Rained
19th Fri, 20th Sat, 21st Sun, 22nd Mon Rained
23rd Tue Punted 12648 sheep across at Balranald and came 2 mile.
24th Wed Camped at Paika Creek 12 m from Balranald
25th Thur Travelled 5 mile
26th Fri Came 6 m across a Salt Bush plain. Rained heavily.
27th Sat. Notice to "Glen Emu", Tysons,. 12 miles Camped at Box Creek 30 m from Balranald. Salt bush plains. Cold wind.
28th Sun Travelled 8 m over Salt bush plains. Camped at "BAby Clump" Good grass
29th Mon Came 7 m S.B. Plains. Notice to "D Block" F.T. Parkers. Camped at boundary near Byrnes Hotel. From Balranald 45 m
30th Tue Came 7 m to boundary of "Glen Emu" S.B. Plain. Camped on a scrubby rise 1/2 mile off the road to East.
1st Oct. Wed Found 2 horses four miles from camp. Gave notice to "Till Hill" 10 miles and camped ay boundary. S.B. Plains. Came 5 m - 2m from Hatfield.
2nd Thur Rather warm in afternoon. Came 7 m S.B. Plains, Camped 1/2 mile off road East. Fine grass.
3rd Fri. Came 7 miles S.B. Plains Camped 1/2m to west of road. Now on watch.
4th Sat. Hot day came 6 m S.B. Plains. Camped in a corner of the road.
5th Sat Came 10m Greater part scrubby. Hired 2 new shepherds. Took horses about 1/2 m for water.
6th Mon Came 6 m. 1 mile scrubby remainder S.B. Plains. Shepherded all day. Strike in camp, Henric gave notice to "Clare Station" (Campbells). Camped near Victoria Hotel at boundary. At watch fire 21/2 hours more.
7th Tue Came 6 m At "Claire: rained all last night. Flooded out of tent continued all morning. Got wet, scrubby country. (100 miles from Balranald).
8th Wed Came 5 m. Scrubby with open patches. Notice to "Hanford" Taylors. Camped boundary. Fine day.
9th Thur. Came 6 m. S.B. Country with belts of scrub. Roads very near. Camped in a corner. Good feed.
10th Fri. Came 6 m. S.B. Plains. Good grass. Windy and dusty. Camped at brush yard.
11th Sat. Strong storm last night. Fine rain. Notice to "Kilfera" 14m Macdonalds. Fine feed. Came 10 m camped at the A well. Boundary of Kilfera in a corner.
12th Sun Came 6m SB Plains. Carted wood 1 1/2 m. Camped on a straight fence
13th Mon Came 7 m Open plains, fine feed. Camped at brush yards near out station of Kilfera. Passed "Freshwater Well"
14th Tue Came 6 m open plains. S.B. Camped at brush yard 1 mile into Hanford St.
15th Wed Came 6 m part S.B. Plains rest scrubby. Camped at an old yard.
16th Thur. 6 m open plains. Camped at old break. Took horses 3 m to water. Thunder storm during night.
17th Fri. 11m scrub. Camped at boundary of "Lake Victoria Station" Went to give notice but could not get to it for water. Rained steadily all night.
18th Sat. 6 m open plains. Notice to "Lake Victoria (Phelps) 12 miles. Rained most of afternoon. Horse fell. Camped at yard at "Pidgeon Lake"
19th Sun 71/2 m plains. Camped at Victoria Lake. Fine feed.
20th Mon 7 m plains. Henric gave notice to "Tarrawena" (Learmonth) station. 12 m camped at 2 m from boundary and he went on to Tom 20m
21st Tue (195 m from Balranald) 6m First part rather scrubby rest plains. Came on "Lake Tarrawena" Henric came back. Coffey left. The Doren Easter installed as head cook.
22nd Wed 8m Plains fine grass. Camped at yards. Warm and windy weather.
23rd Thur. 11m plains. Camped on the Talywwalka Ck about 1 m from road to the West. Very hot. Now just through Tarrawena on the "Tintinalagy" Staughton - a cattle station.
24th Fri. 6 m rather scrubby. Camped at Talywalka Cr (220 m from Balranald)
25th Sat 7m plains Notice to "Belila Station 13 m Chirnsides Camped in the creek 1m from boundary.
26th Sun 8m Sandy and scrubby. Camped in a bend
27th Mon 6 m Scrubby Camped in a small lake.
28th Tue 5 m scrub. Camped on a wire fence. Windy, Had a moonlight ramble after the horses
29th Wed. 6m Rather scrubby. George came to see us and Henrice went with him to Wilcannia. Camped at a yard on the creek. (252m from Balranald)
30th Thurs 9 m open country. Went back tot he bridge for stores. Camped on a lake.
31st Frid.2m plains. Camped on a lake 1 m into "Murtee Station" Martins.
1st Nov Sat 6 m Part plain scrub. Waterson counted sheep 172 short. Camped at yards near station.
2nd Nov Sat 7m pretty open. Camped at yards near creek.
3rd Mon. 6 m Part plain part scrub. Camped at a break
4th Tue 7m plains. Rained steadily all day. Camped in the backwater of creek
5th Wed. 8m plains. Camped on a lake near a well.
6th Thurs. 7m plains. Camped about 5m into "Cutawra Stn" Herne & Wragges on a lake (52m from Wilcannia)
7th Frid. 12m plains. Camped on the backwater.
8th Sat. 3m plains. Camped at boundary of "Nelyambo" Campbells. Thunder storn. One of George's men out all night.
9th Sun 6m Camped on a fence at a bank. Notice to "Buckamby Stn" Mogrides.
10th Mon 6 m open country. Camped at a corner, wire fence and lake. Thunderstorm. The last mile today on Buckamby, then came on Nelyambo again. Storm at night. Sheep got off camp (79 mile from Wilcannia)
11th Tues. Went to Thom's sheep at "Currunyelped Stn" 25m
12th Wed. 6m Rather scrubby. Camped in the backwater
13th Thurs. 6m open country. Camped in a corner. Saw Mr. Clarke. Camped near boundary of "Winbar Stn".
14th Fri. 6m scrub. Camped in the Darling River in a corner on Winbar Stn. Free fight in the camp.
15th Sat 6m Open and scrub. Camped on the backwater
16th Sun 6m Open and scrub. Camped on the backwater.
17th Mon 6m round, 3m straight open. Camped on the backwater. Hot day.
18th Tues 3m scrub. Camped in a corner, wire fence and backwater. Tom caught up. Little rain.
19th Wed 6m scrub and open. Very windy. Camped in a wire corner. The "King of the Darling" left.[1]
20th Thur 8 m open and scrub. Camped at yards near the Darling River 1.5 miles from "Louth".
21st Fri 6m scrub and open. Burst up among the men. Camped in a corner, Fence and creek
22nd Sat. 6m open. Camped at boundary of "Gundabooka Station" Smiths
23rd Sun Shifted Tom's camp 6m and came back to Henric on Winbar Stn 19m, about 3m from Louth. (from Wilcannia to Louth 167m-Balranald to Louth 442m)
24th Mon 7m Scrub and open. Camped in a bend of river Passed Mother Ward's shanty today.
28th Fri 6m open. Camped in a corner about a mile from the river on the outside road
29th Sat. 4m open Camped at boundary of "Yanda Stn", Hattons. Brown's old mare got bogged and had to haul her out.
30th Sun 6m open Camped in a creek. Very hot today
1st Dec Mon 6m open "Jandra Station" Armitage, Fletcher manager
2nd Tue 6m open and plains. Camped on a wire fence 1.5 from river
3rd Wed 6 m Camped in the middle of a paddock, a round camp.
4th Thurs. 5m open and plains. Camped at boundary of common.
5th Fri. 5m open. 110 in the shade. Crossed the punt at Bourke and camped near the town. Harry Blackman fell of the bridge while under the influence of liquor and was drowned. (67m from Louth, 509 from Balranald)
6th Sat. 6 m round from Burke 3m open. Camped near "Port Burke" home station on a creek. O'Shannasseys.
7th Sun 6 m open. Camped on a creek.
8th Mon 5m plains. Camped on river
9th Tue 6m open and plains. Camped on river
10th Wed. 5m open and plains. Camped on a water hole. Very warm.
11th Thur 7 m plains. Plenty roly poly and grass. Camped on "Carne Stn" Wilson
12th Fri 6m Cane swamp scrub and open. Reached the Warrigo R at midday. (From Bourke 41m) Camped on river.
13th Sat 6m open Got bushed. Camped on river. Donald Robertson left the sheep and went to the river but could not find his way back.
14th Sun 3m open. Camped on river. Donald made his way back to the camp at sunset.
15th Mon 4m and plain. Camped on river. Heard several dingoes yelling in the night.
16th Tue 5m rather thickly timbered. Camped at a dam in wire yards near river.
17th Wed 5m thickly timbered and open. Camped on a wire fence near the river.
18th Thur 4 m open Camped on the river near the outstation of "Carney".
19th Fri 4m open. Camped on the river.
20th Sat 5m open and plains. Hunted for horses but could not find them. Camped at boundary of "Dareller Stn" Wilsons (From Bourke 81m) at Ford's Bridge tonight
21st Sun. 7m scrubby and hills and plains. Camped at a dam in the river.
22nd Mon. 6 m Crossed over to west side of river. Plain and timbered country. Camped on the river.
23rd Tues. 7m scrubby and open and scrubby sand ridges. Camped on the river
24th Wed 4m Scrubby and open. Camped on the river
25th Thur 6m scrubby and open. Very warm day. Camped on the river.
26th Fri 4m open and scrubby. Camped on river. 2m on "Balalie Stn".
27th Sat 5m open and scrub. Camped at a dam about 2m from Conway's Hotel.
28th Sun 6m open. Camped on river.
29th Mon 5 m Crossed over to East side of river and scrubby and open Camped on river close to "Engonia" (From Bourke 133m)
30th Tues 7m open and thick lignum. Camped on river
31st Wed. 6m open and plains. Camped on river near "Balalie Home Station".
1st Jan 1880 Thursday 7m open and plains. Camped at a wire fence on the river. Passed a Pub today. A good deal of Yidy poly on the plains. Dog in sheep in night but did not do any damage.
2nd Fri. 6m plains. Passed Barringun into Queensland and camped on the river on "Owen Huon Station"
3rd Sat 11m Started the sheep at 3 o'clock am. Plains and timbered country. Camped about 2m into "Tinninburra" Station. Took horses 5m to water to Touin Ck and camped with them. Henric came in the night and we returned to the sheep with the horses at 2 o'clock
4th Sun 5m plains. Camped on the Touin Crk, 1m from boundary of "Tininburra Station"
5th Mon 7m open and scrubby. Camped at boundary of "Thurrulgoona Stn" in a wire corner. Took horses into station for water.
6th Tues 6m plains. Arrived at Thurrulgoona and came 1.5m past. Camped on a creek. Mr Morphatt counted the sheep 12381. (From Bourke 188 m from Balranald 699)
7th Wed. Started with 9,000 sheep out to a tank, came about 4m and camped as there was a fire ahead.
8th Thur Came to the tank. Rained in afternoon. Had round camp. Watered from 6 o'clock till daylight. Delightfully muddy.
9th Fri. Shepherded the sheep about. Fine open country. Plenty of grass.
10th Sat Same caper. Henric went into station.
11th Sun 2,000 sheep started into station. Henric went in with the waggon and I stayed with the remainder of the sheep. The men with the 2,000 got bushed and I tracked them up. Henric came up soon after and we got within 1m of the station and camped. I went to station for tucker. Watched about 3.5 hours.
12th Mon. Sheep came into station.
13th Tue Went down to George's camp.
Cheque No 38822 (Payment for the sheep)
After travelling with over 12,000 sheep some 681 miles from Melbourne to Cunnamulla, taking nearly 5 months, they were on the move the very next day.
14th Wed. 12m Started from Thurrulgoona Station and came to Touin Crk. 12 m.
Later in the year, after their father had bought Greendale, they left on Sunday 29th August by ship, to Sydney. On Tuesday 31st August they boarded the "Kielawarra" at 5.20pm
On Wednesday 1st Sept they Passed Mermaids reef at 9.20. Passed South Solitary at 5pm. Off Clarence R at 8pm.
Thursday 2nd Ploughed through the bar at the mouth of the river at 11.50. Arrived at Brisbane at 1.3-pm Sydney time. 1.35pm Brisbane. time.
Frid 3rd Looked through the gardens at Government House. Plenty tropical plants. Some very large bamboo growing to a height of 50 ot 60 ft. Very warm day. Started from Brisbane at 8 o'clock.
Sat 4th Entered the Mary R at 8.am Reached Maryborough at noon. A very scattered place and very dusty.
Sun 5th Left Maryborough at 7.30am Anchored at the bar about 50 miles form Rockhampton at midnight.
Mon 6th Started at 9a. Arrived Rockhampton at 12 o'clock
Tue 7th Came to Sandy Ck 13 .5 m from Rockhampton
Wed 8th 14m in morning. Coarse grassed country 2.5 to Westwood. 30 m from Rockhampton.
Thur 9th 9m to Gogango. 6m to Rockly, the last 6m through scrubby hilly country.
Frid 10th 10 m to Herbert's Crk. Scrubby and very hilly. Had to walk up most hills and had to lock a wheel coming down some of the steepest. 5m to Dawson River 7 m to Duaringa. Nearly all the way through dense scrub. 67 m from Rockhampton
Sat 11th 7m to Wallaroo. Scrubby. Caught a kangaroo 11m to Bridgewater Crk. 3m to Dingo Crk.
Sun. 12th Heavy shower last night. Found horses 2.5 miles from camp. 2m to Dingo town. Henric shot a snake 7ft long. 7m to Stanley 3m to Spectacle. 100m from Rockhampton. 2m to Walton.
Mon 13th 8m to Duckwood, 6m to Blackwater Crk, 2m to Blackwater Town, 7 m to a creek.
Tue 14th 15m to Comet 140 from Rockhampton
Wed 15th Thunderstorm last night. Heavy rain at 2 o'clock this morning. Flooded out of bed. Got up and made a fire. Felt extremely happy. Dried clothes in morning and came 9 m in afternoon. Heavy road, sand and blacksoil.
Thurs 16th 7m to a creek which took 3.25 hours . Road to bad to go on.
Fri 17th 8m to Minerva Crk. 8m to The Graveyard
Sat 18th 8m to a Creek, 11m to a creek. Plenty wallabies about.
Sun 19th Camped all day.
Mon 20th 4m to Springsure (55m from Comet, 195m from Rockhampton) 4m to a creek.
Tue 21st 12 to a creek, 9m to a creek
Wed 22nd 12m to the Swamp 7 m to a creek
Thurs 23rd 7m to Solomons. Got a spell this morning 10m to Buckley R. (61m from Springsure, 116 from Comet, 256 from Rockhampton) Today we came over the pinches, bad road all the way.
Frid 24th Met some horses from Greendale. 8m to a Water hole.
Sat 25th 10m to "The Devil's Elbow. 2m to a creek
Sun 26th 8m to the old house. 8m to the well
Mon 27th 13m to the Dam across the Gorge[1]. 5m to a deserted Pub, 3m and smash went out starboard hind axle. 116m from Springsure.
Tue 28th Henric started for Greendale this morning. Short of provisions.
Wed 29th Ate the last of our Johnny cakes for breakfast, but got some flour from a carrier.
Thurs 30th Baked the last of our flour. Tom came with a dray in the afternoon
Fri 1st October 6m to a creek, 8m to the Long Waterhole.
Sat 2nd 8m to the Barcoo R, 10 m along the River.
Sun 3rd 3m to Tambo, 13m to Greendale. Warm Day.
With that, travelling 346 miles from Rockhampton, the Jillett Brothers contribution to early Queensland history began.
Today, it is not possible to drive the direct route that they took as the Carnarvon Gorge National Park is sited on the lands they would have crossed from Springsure to Tambo.
The diary continues in 1886.
1st May, With Tasman, started from Greendale for Isisford - also Henric to Ravensbourne, Lavern Hills, Thornleigh, Smith Lagoon, Albilbah, Tolundilly Creek, Isis Downs *8376 sheep), Thornleigh Creek, Isisford, Abington, Alice Downs, Blackwall, Northampton, Enniskillen, Greendale.
1st January 1887: 13 September 1888, he went from Tambo by coach to Charleville, then a train to Roma, Brisbane to Sydney by steamer “SS Kubota” and steamer to Melbourne.
15th November, 1888, Mother (Mary Ann Jillett), Fran and Amy and Arthur started from Melbourne to Launceston in “”SS Flinders”, caught the mail train to Hobart and were met by father (Thomas) and Uncle Shone.
14th January, 1889, Left Hobart on train for Launceston. Caught the “SS Paten” at Launceston. Arrived in Melbourne 15th January. Left Melbourne “SS Rondo” 19th January. Jarvis Bay towed by steamer “Kim” “SS Behr” towed them to Sydney. Left Sydney on “Behr” to Brisbane, 28th January, Maryborough to Rockhampton, left by train to Alpha, by buggy to Tambo. Alfred came for me in the buggy 8th February 1888.
26 March 1889: With Tasman and 10624 wethers for Cassilis and Tom. Enniskillen, Northhampton, Blackall Reserve, Home Creek, Patrick Creek, Alice Reserve, Barcaldine Reserve. Wire from Alfred to return to Greendale with the sheep as they had rain. 18th April 1889 Lagoon Creek, Patrick Creek, Blackboy Creek, Home Station Creek, Alice Downs, Skeleton Creek, Blackall Reserve, Northhampton, Greendale with 10264 sheep.
11 June 1889: Greendale: With Tom, started for Cassilis with 5 horses. Northhampton, Alice Downs, Home Creek, Barcaldine, Stainburn Downs, Aramac, Muttaburra, Lerida, Katandra, Mills Creek, Sesbania. Cassilis on 24th June 1889. Edward camped out lambmarking at Cassilis.
31st August 1891: Left Cassilis for Melbourne. Richmond Downs, Hughenden by coach, Townsville by train, Sydney by Leura, train to Melbourne, “SS Flora” to Hobart
19th October 1891: Phoebe (wife) Alfred and I (Arthur) to Richmond with Tom. Coach to Hughenden, Townsville. Left in “Arrawatta” for Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne 3rd November 1891.
On 10th March 1892 he married Phoebe Broadribb (a cousin on the Shone side). However, 2 months later a Phoebe of the same name marries William Thomas Francis Moore on 21 May 1892. Further research shows that there were two ladies of the same name. The other Phoebe who married William Moore, her a father William and her mother is Elizabeth Curry. Our Phoebe's mother is Emma but both Emmas have the same father William Broadribb.
In 1896 Arthur was busy in Melbourne. He was the master of the hunt, leading the hounds when Lord Richard Nevill, the ADC to the Governor was thrown from his horse and injured.
1st May, With Tasman, started from Greendale for Isisford - also Henric to Ravensbourne, Lavern Hills, Thornleigh, Smith Lagoon, Albilbah, Tolundilly Creek, Isis Downs *8376 sheep), Thornleigh Creek, Isisford, Abington, Alice Downs, Blackwall, Northampton, Enniskillen, Greendale.
1st January 1887: 13 September 1888, he went from Tambo by coach to Charleville, then a train to Roma, Brisbane to Sydney by steamer “SS Kubota” and steamer to Melbourne.
15th November, 1888, Mother (Mary Ann Jillett), Fran and Amy and Arthur started from Melbourne to Launceston in “”SS Flinders”, caught the mail train to Hobart and were met by father (Thomas) and Uncle Shone.
14th January, 1889, Left Hobart on train for Launceston. Caught the “SS Paten” at Launceston. Arrived in Melbourne 15th January. Left Melbourne “SS Rondo” 19th January. Jarvis Bay towed by steamer “Kim” “SS Behr” towed them to Sydney. Left Sydney on “Behr” to Brisbane, 28th January, Maryborough to Rockhampton, left by train to Alpha, by buggy to Tambo. Alfred came for me in the buggy 8th February 1888.
26 March 1889: With Tasman and 10624 wethers for Cassilis and Tom. Enniskillen, Northhampton, Blackall Reserve, Home Creek, Patrick Creek, Alice Reserve, Barcaldine Reserve. Wire from Alfred to return to Greendale with the sheep as they had rain. 18th April 1889 Lagoon Creek, Patrick Creek, Blackboy Creek, Home Station Creek, Alice Downs, Skeleton Creek, Blackall Reserve, Northhampton, Greendale with 10264 sheep.
11 June 1889: Greendale: With Tom, started for Cassilis with 5 horses. Northhampton, Alice Downs, Home Creek, Barcaldine, Stainburn Downs, Aramac, Muttaburra, Lerida, Katandra, Mills Creek, Sesbania. Cassilis on 24th June 1889. Edward camped out lambmarking at Cassilis.
31st August 1891: Left Cassilis for Melbourne. Richmond Downs, Hughenden by coach, Townsville by train, Sydney by Leura, train to Melbourne, “SS Flora” to Hobart
19th October 1891: Phoebe (wife) Alfred and I (Arthur) to Richmond with Tom. Coach to Hughenden, Townsville. Left in “Arrawatta” for Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne 3rd November 1891.
On 10th March 1892 he married Phoebe Broadribb (a cousin on the Shone side). However, 2 months later a Phoebe of the same name marries William Thomas Francis Moore on 21 May 1892. Further research shows that there were two ladies of the same name. The other Phoebe who married William Moore, her a father William and her mother is Elizabeth Curry. Our Phoebe's mother is Emma but both Emmas have the same father William Broadribb.
In 1896 Arthur was busy in Melbourne. He was the master of the hunt, leading the hounds when Lord Richard Nevill, the ADC to the Governor was thrown from his horse and injured.
[1] Thanks to Maree De Graw - Katie's granddaughter for
taking the photos
[2]
http://www2.sl.nsw.gov.au/archive/discover_collections/history_nation/agriculture/produce/wool/index.html
[4] Could they have purchased it with her inheritance?
[5] Lance Skudthorpe
(1915-1973) rode top buckjumpers from
1928. From the late 1930s he and his sister Violet Catherine (b.1919) rode in
the family show and worked as film stuntriders. They travelled with other
buckjumping shows and entertainments in the United States of America and
Australasia, sometimes with their own shows. In 1944 Lance junior, though
injured, won the Australian buckjumping and bulldogging titles. Skuthorp's
daughter Madge (b.1913) was a founder of the Mosman Children's Theatre.
[7] His half sister Valerie and her husband were also living
and working at the mill, in the bush house
[9] This portion of the story is incorrect but complicated
at the same time
[11] Her father died in 1921, it may have been her Uncle
George
[12]
(Kathleen
Isabel Herron died of a heart attack.
She is buried in Alpha cemetery.
The headstone has her name as Kathaleen Isabel Herron and the date of
death as 24.10.1953. The actual date of
her death is 24.10 1952)
[14]
The power
stations at Winton and Longreach sent men out to cut the timber to fire the
boilers at the power stations
[1] This information for Valerie was taken from family records which
her daughter Lynn Birch had been researching
[1] ‘It has been a common custom hitherto to regard the
squatters as among the wealthy classes, and they have figured in romance as
“shepherd kings” and “grass dukes”, rioting in affluence and far beyond the
reach of penury.’
Rockhampton Morning Bulletin, 4 March 1895
Rockhampton Morning Bulletin, 4 March 1895
No comments:
Post a Comment