Saturday, August 11, 2018

B6 Branches Bacon/Hay With William and James Bradshaw


When William Bradshaw, and Mary Ann Gunn's sons,  John and James Bradshaw, married, they chose for their wives, sisters Eleanor and Maria Bacon.

The girls were the daughters of Dennis Bacon and Maria Cobbe.  Dennis and Maria, came to Tasmania, in 1833, from Dublin in Ireland,  under an immigration scheme, along with his brother John.

 
Dennis and John were stonemason's and they constructed some beautiful buildings.  They also were involved in the hospitality industry, - a fancy name for a publican.
Dennis centered his business activities around the town of Ross.  He held the licence of the Ross Hotel.   He later moved to the "Half-Way House" at Antill Ponds.

John and his wife, Honoria firstly settled in Ross, and he was the licensee of the Macquarie Hotel.  They went to America, in a rather difficult voyage, and later, when he was not well, they returned to Tasmania.  John and Honoria bought the property, Belle Vue at Lake Dulverton in Oatlands.

Both men were involved in the community, and many ways.
Dennis and Maria had
Eliza Bacon                  1827 - 1880  m  Charles Hudson d 1853 and Henry Coop.  Henry was                                                                involved in the community of Oatlands.
Anne Bacon                 1829 - 1855  m  James Soper   a Sergeant in the 9th Regiment.
Margaret Bacon                        1833 - 1911  m  James Horatio Westbrook  who was an official in Ross
Dennis Bacon               1837 - 1880   m  Mary Anne Morony and Mary Ann Johnstone
James Bacon                 1840 - 1897   m  Sarah Ann Sophia Herbert and Julia Ann Tucker
Charles Bacon              1842 - 1893    m  Caroline Warner
Eleanor Bacon              1835 - 1864     m  James Bradshaw
Maria Bacon                 1831  - 1899    m  John Bradshaw

The stories relating to the different family members, highlight just how difficult it was in those times.  Tasmania went through a depression.  So many people were forced to declare themselves bankrupt, and lose everything they worked so hard to achieve.
All the Bacon family settled in the areas around the Midlands Highway.  The towns included, Oatlands, Antill Ponds, Lemon Springs and Ross.


The Bacon Family in Tasmania



Contrary to what a lot of people think, Tasmania was not all convicts in chains!
It took a lot of different personalities, talents, and hard work to lay the foundations of Australia.
The Bacon family ancestors came to Tasmania, from Dublin in Ireland, to supplement the services available, as they were stone masons.  They arrived in 1833 under the £20 Advances Scheme.
People were not encouraged to immigrate to Tasmania prior to 1820. They needed a letter of recommendation from the Secretary of State unless they were a convict or involved in the penal system. Some people could not land in Van Diemen's Land because they did not have these papers.
Government sponsored immigration 1831-1837

In 1831 the British government started to encourage immigration by poorer Britons due to unemployment problems in the UK.  There were two schemes:
·        The Bounty System - For single females to be employed as domestic servants. These women generally paid half their fare (about £8) and the Colonial Government the other half.
·        The ‘£20 advances’ scheme for skilled married men with young families.  These were skilled labourers mechanics, then later agricultural labourers.

Money from land sales was used to pay for the schemes.
The government trialled large-scale family emigration.  Their arrival glutted the labour market so most could not find work. The Colonial Government suspended assisted immigration until there was a better scheme.

Chelsea pensioner immigrants also became a burden on the Colonial Government. They came out to Van Diemen’s Land in the years 1832-3 on the ships Science, Cleopatra, Waterloo, Wellington, Manfield and Adelaide.  These retired soldiers had free passage to the colonies but few resources when they arrived.

In 1837 Lieut.-Governor Franklin suspended assisted immigration to Van Diemen’s Land, save for a few single female domestics, because:
·        There was not enough money from land sales for the various schemes.
·        Many immigrants were a burden on the government.
·        Settlers were unwilling to take whole families into service.
·        Higher wages in New South Wales and South Australia attracted people to leave the state, leaving the Colonial Government bearing the cost of the passage from England. 
·        People in the colony thought the wrong type of people were immigrating.
In 1835 Governor Arthur asked that labourer immigration stop as labourers displaced convicts in assignment.  Van Diemen’s Land was primarily a convict colony. Arthur wanted the immigration of wealthy people who could employ convicts.

The Bacon Family began with a voyage on the Strathfieldsaye in 1833    




When they arrived, not all were satisfied with their new arrangements.
Tasmanian (Hobart Town, Tas. : 1827 - 1839), Friday 5 July 1833, page 5
To the Editor of the Tasmanian.


Sir, —It is with feelings of pain that my attention has been called to a subject that demands immediate attention. Several of the late emigrants, are like so many evil spirits, to be seen wandering through the town, without any occupation; starvation staring them m the face, unless their wants be immediately attended to. This has called my attention to the subject of emigration:—Has the industrious mechanic a more rational prospect of success by remaining at home, where his mind has learned to form its earliest associations, or by coming out to Van Diemen's Land ?
The wages of several of the passengers per the Strathfieldsaye, have been fully, or at least, very nearly equal to what they will receive here. But money, or the circulating medium, is in itself of little intrinsic value, and only to be estimated as it procures for us the comforts and luxuries of life. Now let us take a comparative view of the facilities afforded the tradesman of procuring these in Ireland, and in this Colony. I have already said the earnings of a skilful one, is nearly the same in both places.
But nearly all the necessaries of life can be obtained in the land of their nativity, where is every endearing tie of relationship and friendship, that create a fairy land around us, at one half the expense they can be had for in Hobart Town. Lodging, that here costs from 7s. to 12s. a week, can be had in Dublin for 2s. 6d.; vegetables, milk, clothes, and education, can be had, in the latter place, at one -third the price they can be had for here!
What then is the meaning of Government holding out such inducements to emigrants, especially to married men, for it is to such almost exclusively it extends its patronage? They find themselves suddenly in the midst of strangers, saddled, with to them, a considerable debt, to use the language of Shakespear—"played upon by the Government," possessed of one virtue,—" prudence, whose glass presents the approaching goal;" literally speaking, their first salutation of a morning, is—" this is too bad!" .
A PASSENGER PER THE STRATHFIELDSAY

Hobart Town Chronicle (Tas. : 1833), Tuesday 2 July 1833, page 2

List of tradesmen by the Strathfieldsay:— Stonemasons—Dennis .Beacon, John Beacon, Michael Malone, John Hughes, Michael Dalton, Benjamin McCarwell, John M'Cann. Stone cutter - John Whealan. Farmer - Martin McLoughlin, John Clem-ents, Isaac Shaw. Richard Logan, Michael Dunne, Charles Hinton, Dennis Dulby, J. Shaw, Edward Henton, Richard Logan, Wm. Owesley, Terence Macguire, John Colclough, James Darby, John Camphilon. E. Byrne.

Slaters and Plasterers - Michael Kelly, John Leaghey, John M'Dowell. Carpenters - John Carrol, James Keogh, Thomas O'Leairy, Isaac Bomford, H. Ryan, Andrew Halpen, Michael Andrews, Edward Carrol, Robert Bannan,. Edward Davis, A. Whitelaw, Angus Kennedy, William Milray, Thomas Jelly, Richard Walsh, R. Mullock, Lawrence Keianes, James Hill, Wm. Rollins, William Murphy, O O'Reilly.

Cabinet Makers - Richard Kearney, Thos. Booth. Upholsterers—Edward o'Brenton, Daniel Cuny. Painters—Thomas Hamilton, Philip Brady William Bowden, Thomas Gray, Joseph Red-monds. Hatter—William Tracey. Smiths—Robert Hayes, William Cross, Daniel Rock, John Hobson, Thomas Hobson, Thomas O'Benns, Patrick Ryder, Patrick Reynolds, William Newell. Nailers—Joseph Fowler, Jobs O'Neal. 

Shoemakers—William Fulton, J. O'brien Robert Fullam, Thomas Kendrick, William Tellon. Sawyers—Patrick Legette, James Burnett. Skinner—William Kearney. Tanner—Edward Byrne. Bricklayers—Hugh Anderson, H Traver-ay, James Barry, Henry Joyce, William Simpson.

Millwright - John Dunne. Coopers - Thomas Leaghey, Peter Fengan. Teacher - Michael Dunne. Writer.--William Morgan, Taylors - James Scully, John Robinson, Thomas Davis Horse Doctor - Michael Monaghan. . Butcher - John Tancard. Harness Makers - Nathaniel Douglas, John Smith Coach Maker - James Thompson Miner - Thomas Wallace. Gauger,- Dennis McCartling. . Baker - Charles Higgins with their families: and several others whose trades we have not been able to ascertain.



Being stonemasons, Dennis and John Bacon were involved initially in buildi
g, and in 1837, built the property "Beaufront", in Ross.

Beaufront was built for Arthur Smith in 1837 by stonemasons, Dennis and John Bacon. Smith sold the property to Thomas Parramore in the 1850's, who owned it until 1914.




A prominent feature and the social centre of Antill Ponds was its Half Way House, a three storey hotel which serviced both travellers and locals with accommodation, meals and liquor. Adjacent stables were also a changing station where hard-driven coach horses were changed for fresh animals.
Only the highway separated the railway station and platform from the front door of the hotel, a distance of about twenty metres. The attraction and proximity of warmth and hospitality for train crews, railway staff, the travelling public and the local community resulted in numerous accounts of humorous behaviour, especially so in the earlier years when the hotel was licensed to sell alcoholic refreshments. The licence lapsed at the end of 1932 and was never subsequently granted.
Early accounts of the Half Way House are scanty, receiving only brief mentions in various publications. Two of the best coverages are to be found in Early Buildings ofSouthern Tasmania by E. Graeme Robertson, 1970, which gives some useful references and quotes; and A History of the Lower Midlands by J. S. Weeding 1988 who mentions that the earliest Midlands Highway was routed by way of York Plains, through Sorell Springs, several kilometres to the east of St Peters Pass, thus avoiding the steep and more difficult terrain through the St Peters Pass. A half kilometre section of this original road can still be clearly seen, cut into the hillside to the east of the present highway, a few hundred metres south of Antill Ponds and which originally extended outwards across the plain to Sorell Springs. Northwards it followed the valleys to the east of the present highway to exit onto the Salt Pan Plains a few hundred metres west of the present 'Lowes Park' homestead. A striking panoramic view northwards from this point is illustrated by Joseph Lycett in his Views in Australia (1824 plate 19).
At this period the 'half way' house was at Sorell Springs, having been built by John Presnell, a blacksmith by trade, who arrived from England on the Midas on 13 January 1821. He was granted 300 acres of land at Sorell Springs on which he built the White Hart Inn.


Antill Ponds  and the Half Way House by R. H. Green Curator Emeritus
Occasional Paper No.7 Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery Launceston 1997 The Half Way House
 A licence to sell spirits, wine and beer was granted in 1822 but following the subsequent realignment of the highway through St Peters Pass and the bypassing of Sorell Springs, Presnell acquired land at Antill Ponds in 1830, pulled down the first White Hart Inn and had it re-erected at Antill Ponds so to again catch the  
travelling public and supply them with refreshments and accommodation. This building comprised seven rooms, suitable for an inn and valued at 500 pounds, together with a six stall stable and other outbuildings. This was also called the White Hart Inn; it bore this name until 1842 when it was changed to the Half Way House.
John Presnell died on 20 may 1831 (Hobart Town Courier) aged 45 and was buried in Oatlands, leaving a wife and five children. His wife, Eleanor, continued to manage the premises and, after several applications, was granted a licence on 29 April 1833 to sell wine and spirits (letter Jean Gibbs). Subsequently it was let to David Solomon for 140 pounds per annum until sold by auction in 1838 (see below). The Hobart Town Courier of 18 May 1838,
p. 3 col. 6, carries an advertisement:
'TAYLOR & DUNCAN, WILL SELL BY PUBLIC AUCTION. On the property, on Wednesday 6 June, all those well-known Premises, now in full trade, THE WHITE HART INN, Antill Ponds, with upwards of 15 acres, in lots, and positively without reserve'.
Apparently Solomon bought the Inn as the Hotel Index in the Archives Office of Tasmania, citing the Hobart Town Gazette of 13 October 1837 and 5 October 1838, records him as the occupier, followed by Anne Solomon 17 October 1839. (For a list of further successive occupiers see Appendix 1.)



In 1842 ownership was in the name of James Hamilton with Edward Greenbark as proprietor. At this time the premises were raided by bushrangers, Martin Cash, Kavanagh and Jones, seeking refreshments as they were travelling north and surviving by raiding and stealing from settlers following their escape from Port Arthur (Fenton 1891 p. 114).

In March 1852, when occupied by Denis Bacon, the Half Way House was gutted by fire. In the Hobart Town Courier of 31 March 1852 tenders were invited for its rebuilding and completion. Unfortunately there is apparently no detailed description of the original building. The new Inn comprised three storeys, having two small bedrooms beneath the gables. The single-storey section on the northern side, which was added at a later date, contained a large dining room and further bedrooms.


The Mercury of 24 January 1861 p. 3 col. 7 carries an advertisement for the sale of the HalfWay House:
'Mr Lewis Cohen to sell From the insolvent Estate of Henry Valentine by Auction at Engleberts Assembly Rooms, Campbell Town on Tuesday 5th. February at 12 O'clock prompt Without reserve The Half Way House Let to Mr. C. Drable, one of the best hotels on the road and commanding a large business.'
The Hobart Town Gazette shows Drable as the licensee form 1858 to 1866.
With the completion of the main north-south railway line in 1871 and the establishment of the station opposite the hotel, together with an expanding farming industry, the Half Way House entered what was probably its most prosperous and noteworthy period.
My memories of Antill Ponds and the Half Way House date from about 1929, when I was little more than three years old and living at Middle Park, a small farm about a kilometre to the south. I often accompanied my father, Geoff, to the station where he collected mail, and occasionally, into the hotel to buy cigarettes and a drink.
The then proprietor was George Saunders who kept free-ranging, but very tame domestic pigeons, some of which occasionally entered the house by way of a broken pane in the lantern above the front door. (see Sharland 1952, opp. p. 26.) Saunders often wandered across the road to meet the passenger and mail trains to the entertainment of people, especially myself, with one or two pigeons perched on a shoulder and his hat. The birds had become so accustomed and trusting that, although he stood on the platform little more than three metres from the noisy, steaming locomotive, they were rarely disturbed from their resting place.

In those years several nearby properties produced considerable quantities of wheat, a commodity with which Saunders used to feed his pigeons. One of the property owners, recently reminiscing about his memories of the Half Way House, told of how he and his brothers sometimes exchanged wheat for beer on occasions when they 'patronised the bar', saying 'and my word, old man, a bag of wheat could buy a lot of beer' . 4

Another lifetime local, recalled an occasion when two nearby residents, having greatly enjoyed an evening of hospitality and feeling unwilling to return home at a late hour, decided to take a room for the night. There was then, of course, no inside toilet, just a chamber pot under the bed, which had to be emptied each morning. The two had consumed much liquid during the evening and the chamber soon reached its capacity. The obvious solution was to toss the contents out of the window; an unfortunate act as the publican's wife happened to be passing beneath the window at that time and was the 'receiver' .
It is my understanding that, upon his death about 1932, Saunders left the half Way House and land on the eastern side of the highway, about 14 acres, to his daughter, Mrs George Lodge, in trust for his granddaughter, the infant child of Mrs Lodge, with the provision that it not be sold until the child attained the age of 21 years.




The family later moved to live on the mainland and management and administration of the property was then left in the hands of an Oatlands solicitor. The Mercury newspaper of 12 July 1956, reporting on the Oatlands Council Meeting of the previous day, quotes the owner, Mrs G. A. Lodge of Williamstown, Victoria as intending to visit the property for discussions with Council staff regarding its sale or demolition.


Subsequent to Saunder's occupancy, the property was leased without a liquor licence but the tenants continued to serve occasional meals and to sell soft drinks and confectionery, etc. I well remember, about 1933, enjoying a fine New Year's Day dinner with my family and others, served to us in the big dining room, to the north of which was an extensive garden with fruit and ornamental trees, flower and vegetable beds, between which ran a pathway leading to a double toilet on the northern side.
Water for the hotel and gardens was provided from iron tanks filled from a roof catchment, and from a windmill at the rear of the building which drew water from the nearby creek.

The last family to make a home at the Half Way House was that of William Carnes who, during his tenancy from 1935 to 1938 and 1941 to 1948, became recognised as the virtual patriarch of Antill Ponds. They were the last to sell soft drinks there and were well known for their friendly hospitality and a welcome cup of tea, served in the kitchen, warmed by a large, black wood-burning stove.

During World War II the Half Way House was the venue for may fund-raising functions, thanks to the generosity and cooperation of the Carnes family. The principal activities were on Saturday evenings when about twenty local residents would gather in the 'big room' for cards, playing 'euchre' and 'five hundred'. Occasionally large functions were held, such as dancing, Queen Carnival formalities and other fund-raising events. By these means, from 1940 to the end of October 1945, a period of great austerity, the local Woodbury-Antill Ponds branch of the Australian Comforts Fund raised a total of 1860 pounds, 6 shillings and 11 pence ($3720.70). My mother was Secretary treasurer and as funds were raised, distributions were progressively made to various wartime appeals. The following amounts were extracted from the minutes she kept:
Australian Comforts Fund 1039 pounds 1 shilling and 9 pence; Red Cross 781-11-5; New Sydney Fund (1941) 24-0-0; London Relief Fund (1941) 20-0-0; Lord Mayor's Fund (1942) 2-10-6; Lord Mayor's Allied Appeal (1943) 10-13-6; Chinese Relief (1945) 26-14-9; Oatlands Memorial Hall Fund (1945) 2-15-0.
Early in the twentieth century a rather primitive cricket ground and pitch (probably concrete) was established in a paddock on the northern side of the garden, between the main road and creek. My father told me that this pitch was eventually dug up and a crop grown in the paddock. About 1934 the local community decided to build a new pitch on the same site and I well recall that they (illegally and inconspicuously) helped themselves to some of the heaps of crushed dolerite stone left over from the sealing of the highway and conveniently dumped by the roadside fence. The pitch was not used during the war years but afterwards, about 1946, an active club was formed and for several years played competitive cricket in an association with clubs at Tunbridge and Mount Pleasant. The Antill Ponds Cricket Club disbanded about 1949 after which the pitch fell into disrepair and was subsequently removed.
As a licensed hotel, the Half Way House had been fully furnished, mostly with cedar; the doors, skirting, balustrades and bar being made of cedar.

The solid walls were principally of rough stones, broken bricks and rubble, plastered over their mortar; good sandstone blocks were used only on comers and over doors and windows. However, the walls of the nearby stables, facing the southern courtyard, were built of good

The Mercury of 13 August 1966, reporting Oatlands Council business stated that the Tourist Promotion Council suggested the Half Way House be converted into a coaching museum. Council considered this impractical as, by then, the building was in a very bad state and much of the valuable interior had been removed.
The quality stones were eventually removed and used to build large pillars either side of the front entrance to 'Shene',  Pontville, while others were donated by the then owner, David Carnes, for a church-yard fence at St John's Church of England, Ross. (See the Mercury of 11 September 1966, p. 10).

The Mercury of 9 July 1975 p. 25 has a photograph of the Half Way House when partly demolished, saying that it was then owned by Mrs J. V. Burbury of Sandy Bay who had bought it some years previously in the hope of restoration.
Some timbers from the structure were eventually salvaged by the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service and used in the restoration of the old Callington Mill in Oatlands and some stones were used to build the public toilet block erected in the roadside rest area in St Peters Pass.  
The Half Way House, Antill Ponds, Tasmania 1966.

Without the necessary and considerable expenditure required to maintain such an old building it had progressively fallen into a state of increasing disrepair and the furnishings had been progressively sold until it became no longer tenable. Occasionally squatters and often vandals and graffiti artists took an interest, gradually stripping out the old lead-condute-covered wiring from beneath the floors and plastered walls, removing cedar fixtures, mantles, the bar and balustrades and eventually setting the remains alight. The structure was, by then, in a dangerous state and, for public safety, the remains had to be knocked down.
The Hobart Mercury reported on Saturday 31 December 1932:
TIME, GENTLEMEN!” – One of the oldest hostelries in the State, Half-way House, Antill Ponds, so named because of its equal distance between Hobart and Launceston, will closed its doors to the public on December 31, as a result of the decision of the Oatlands Licensing Court that the hotel was not required. Its passing as a public-house awakens indefinable sentiments, in view of its historical associations.
– Story adapted from Antill Ponds and the Half Way House by R. H. Green.





A prominent feature and the social centre of Antill Ponds (Tasmania) was its Half Way House, a three storey hotel which serviced both travellers and locals with accommodation, meals and liquor.
Adjacent stables were also a changing station where hard-driven coach horses were changed for fresh animals. Only the highway separated the railway station and platform from the front door of the hotel, a distance of about 20m.
The attraction and proximity of warmth and hospitality for train crews, railway staff, the travelling public and the local community resulted in numerous accounts of humorous behaviour, especially so in the earlier years when the hotel was licensed to sell alcoholic refreshments.
The original Half Way House was at Sorell Springs, having been built by John Presnell, a blacksmith by trade, who arrived from England on the Midas on 13 January 1821. He was granted 300 acres of land at Sorell Springs on which he built the White Hart Inn. A licence to sell spirits, wine and beer was granted in 1822 but following the subsequent realignment of the highway through St Peters Pass and the bypassing of Sorell Springs, Presnell acquired land at Antill Ponds in 1830, pulled down the first White Hart Inn and had it re-erected at Antill Ponds so to again catch the travelling public and supply them with refreshments and accommodation.
This building comprised seven rooms, suitable for an inn and valued at £500, together with a six stall stable and other outbuildings. This was also called the White Hart Inn; it bore this name until 1842 when it was changed to the Half Way House. The old inn was delicensed in the 1930s, and eventually demolished in the 1970s.




Dennis and Martha's children were

1.         Eliza Bacon born 1827 in Dublin Ireland.  She married  Charles Hudson in1843 at Avoca,             Tas. She married secondly,  Henry Coop (a convict) in 1856 at Campbelltown, Tas.





Henry Coop, one of 400 convicts transported on the Moffatt, 4 Jan 1834 Warwick Assizes
They lived at Oatlands.   She died in 1880 at Oatlands.  They are buried at St Peter's.

Henry lived on a property in the Dulverton Parish in 1836.  He farmed at Drayton Farm. In 1859, he was declared bankrupt and again in 1865.  

An old identity of the village was one Henry Coop, whose farm was quite close to the township. He was an old character! I fancy he must have been a butcher by trade in the old country. Anyhow, he used to come out to Inglewood in my early days whenever a beast was to be killed for rations, and remain to cut up the beef next day. We kids would watch him, fascinated, as he cut strips from a joint of raw meat and ate them! "How long will that one last" we used to wonder. Coop was a notorious trencherman. It was said that he once made a wager that he would keep on eating between the departure of one coach and the arrival of another at Melton Mowbray. The return coach was late, so Coop rang the bell "Have you got any topeika, or something soft to fill up the cracks" he asked. Coop once lent his chaise cart to an irresponsible member of our family who wanted to break his horse to harness. The horse ran away and Coop roared: "Go it, Dan, the hoss ain't mine and the cart ain't yours". He was the official brander of colts for the district. Once at Inglewood he had thrown a powerful colt and had uttered his usual strident yell for the brand: "Iyon" (Iron) he yelled. Just as he was about to apply the brand, an overseer from a neighbouring station, who was helping, let a rope slack, and the colt kicked Coop in his ample buttock. "You hound!" he roared, and made at John Yow like Bailie Nicol Jarvie at the Clachan of Aberfoil with the "hot pleugh culter". John, who might have sat for the portrait of Mr. Pickwick, made off at top speed, the colt got up, and there was the devil to pay!

http://www.vision.net.au/~dburbury/burbury/index.html?transcrp/chr_07.html&2


In 1875, Henry Coop, John Bradshaw and Edward Dowling were all trying to get elected for one spot on Council.  Mr Dowling won convincingly

In 1878 he was taking Mr Pillinger to task!

2.         Annie Bacon born 1829 Ireland,  married James Soper 1847 Campbelltown, Tas died 1855             Campbell town, Tas  They are buried at Ross Anglican Cemetery. 
At the time of their marriage James Soper was a Sergeant in the 9th Regiment.  He later owned a hotel called the Roy Roy Inn, in Longford.    James Soper was declared bankrupt in 1854.  They had 3 sons, one died as a baby and is buried at Oatlands.  The others went to New Zealand and Victoria.

A Piece of Tasmanian History circa 1840

619 Pateena Road Longford. This gracious Georgian residence with 6 bedrooms and numerous outbuildings on just over an acre of land was originally built by the Saltmarsh Family as schoolhouse, with accommodation for the teacher, and has also seen life as the Rob Roy Inn.   Surrounded by agricultural holdings of rolling pastures and with exceptional views across to the Great Western Tiers


3.         Maria Bacon born 1830 England married by 1859 to John Bradshaw

4.         Margaret Bacon born at sea in 1833 married James Horatio Westbrook 1853, Oatlands,             Tasmania in the Catholic Church.  James was a superintendant.
ROSS.  (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)  DECEASE OF MR JAMES H. WESTBROOK.
I deeply regret to have to announce the death of Mr James Horatio Westbrook, after a long and painful illness, aged 59 years. Mr Westbrook was for many years Warden of Ross Municipality, which office he filled for some years with ability and uprightness. He was an honourable man, liked and respected by all who knew him. He breathed his last on Sunday, and the interment takes place in the Church of England Cemetery to-morrow (Tuesday).  August 4.  1884


His father, was Dr Samuel Westbrook - Arrived per "Calista" 24 October 1829 with wife and three children. Addresses: Hobart, Tas 1836 Sorell, Tas 1845 Prosser's Plains 1846-51 Pittwater 1852-1863. 169 Macquarie St, Hobart, Tas 1866

Positions held: Medical Officer Police, Sorell 1845 Medical Officer to the Police Watchhouses and Goals, Prosser Plains 1845-52 JP, Sorrell 1854 His father was Henry Westbrook (1756- ) and his mother was Sarah (1750-1836) He was the brother of James Henry Westbrook (q.v.) He married Mary Margaret Mason (1799-1853) London Applied for allotment in Launceston, Tas in 1830 References: Walch's Tasmanian Almanac 1864 Rimmer WG. Portrait of a Hospital: The Royal Hobart. Hobart: Royal Hobart Hospital 1981.

Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), Tuesday 15 July 1930, page 2

TASMANIAN 103 YEARS OLD   Death of Mr. H. F. Westbrook   Son of First Civilian Medical Practitioner... (His Brother)

During the last week-end the death occurred of Mr. Henry Fookes Westbrook, at Murrumbeena, at the age of 103 years and eight months (writes S.C. in the "Age"). He was regarded as Australia's oldest male native. Probably the oldest native woman is Mrs. Catherine Woods, of Young (N.S.W.), who was born at Colac nearly 105 years ago.

The son of Dr. Samuel Westbrook, Tasmania's first civilian medical practitioner, Henry Fookes Westbrook was born in Elizabeth Street, Hobart, on November 4, 1826. His uncle (Dr. James Westbrook) was also one of Tasmania's first doctors, whilst his brother-in-law (Joseph Downward) was at one time superintendent of Port Arthur prison hospital. When the first Hobart Town Cricket Club was formed Mr. Westbrook was a boy of six. This club was Australia's pioneer cricket club, for there were none on the mainland then. In 1840 Mr. Westbrook joined the club, which played the first international game contested in this country. Then known as the Break o' Day Club, it defeated an eleven drawn from the crew of the visiting British ship Hyacinth and a recently arrived English regiment of soldiers. The Break o' Day Club was fortunate in having the first English professional brought to Australia (by name Marshall) to instruct its players, and young Westbrook, under his tuition, became a good cricketer. In-deed, it was his boast that he was never once clean bowled.
When the Henty brothers left Launceston to settle at Portland, young Westbrook was a little chap of eight years. When Batman sailed from Launceston in the Rebecca and signed the historic treaty on the banks of the Plenty, he (Westbrook) was nine, and he was but 11 when Sir John Franklin arrived in Hobart to become Governor. Sir John Franklin later achieved fame as an Arctic explorer. In one year alone, when Mr. Westbrook was 18, no fewer than 15,000 prisoners arrived.

He remembered watching the chain gangs of convicts constructing the road between Hobart and Launceston, and dared not offer any of them tobacco, for if it were discovered in their possession, the penalty was a flogging at the triangle. He also remembered the Port Arthur penal establishment, some of the ruins of which remain to-day, and when it was broken up in 1877.

In the Derwent in 1847 no fewer than 47 vessels engaged in the whaling, industry were anchored. Mr. Westbrook remembered them, for Hobart was at that time one of the principal whaling ports of the world. The Derwent Whaling Club offered a prize of eight dollars (Mexican or Spanish coinage) to the first person reporting the presence of a whale in or near the river. Going in for squatting, Mr. Westbrook became manager of Parker's station at Cressy, and later was made overseer on William Grubb's run. During that time Tasmanian stone was sent to Melbourne to build the Elizabeth Street Post Office - then, of course, the G.P.O. When Lanne, the last of the Tasmanian male aborigines, died, Mr. Westbrook was about 43, and he was about 50 when Truganinni - the last female Tasmanian black - passed away.

At the age of 85 Mr. Westbrook arrived in Melbourne, in 1911, and lived for many years at Heidelberg with one of his married daughters, Mrs. Olive Nielsen. Eight of his family of eleven children are living, and are scattered about in the different States. Up to the time of his death he often travelled unaccompanied between Heidelberg and Malvern.

5.         Ellen (Eleanor) Bacon born 1835 Tas married James Bradshaw, Oatlands, Tas 1857

6.         Dennis Bacon b 1837 Tas married 1860 Victoria to Mary Morony  d 1880 New Norfolk Tas


Antill Ponds and Ross

Dennis and his family settled at initially at Ross.  He then became the owner of "Half Way House" in Antill Ponds.

Courier (Hobart, Tas. : 1840 - 1859), Saturday 12 June 1847, page 3

Lost,   A BILL of EXCHANGE, dated Ross, 4th June,  1847, drawn by Dennis Bacon, at three months, for £10 10s,., and accepted by John Digney, payable at the Commercial Bank, Launceston. It is of no use to any one but the owner, as it is not endorsed, and notice has been given to the bank. ' Any person finding the bill will much oblige the undersigned by forwarding it  to D Bacon, Ross.
Cornwall Chronicle (Launceston, Tas. : 1835 - 1880), Wednesday 16 June 1847, page 2

ROSS POLICE.

There were but few cases for the Police Magistrate on his weekly visit last Tuesday. Thomas York, free, in the employ of Mr. Clarke, of Ellenthorpe Hall, was amerced in the drunkard's fine of five shillings. A ticket of leave man, named James Bradley was charged by his master, Mr. Dennis Bacon, with refusing to do his work at quarrying according to agreement, and the case being proved, Mr. Henslowe  sentenced him to one month's hard labour on the roads and at the expiration of that time to return to his work. The accused had very little to say for himself at the hearing, although according to his own account previously, he was the injured party.

Courier (Hobart, Tas. : 1840 - 1859), Wednesday 8 January 1851, page 2

ROBBERIES -The hut of a shepherd who is in the employ of Mr. Dennis Bacon, of the Half-way House, was robbed on the 28th of December last, by William Stevens, of one single-barralled gun, powder, shot, and some flour. On the 28th December Stevens stuck up a poor man named Moore, on the high road between Antill Ponds and Tunbridge, and robbed him of a pair of boots, which he made Moore take off his feet, threatening to shoot him if he did not. Stevens  then proceeded to Ellenthorp Hall, and represented himself as it constable.

 Constable Hunt, who is stationed there, suspecting all was not right, invited him to a cup of tea, and watched an opportunity of snatching the gun away, and discharging its contents he then took him into custody. There cannot be too much said in commendation of Constable Hunt's conduct in securing one of the most notorious fellows that ever traversed this island. Stevens has been twice transported he is now in Campbell Town gaol. Examiner.

According to a roll of residents 17 Apr 1856 his address was in Ross.   John Bacon lived in a house owned by William Carpenter

Dennis Ross lived in a freehold house
Dennis also owned a house at Ross which John William Bertrand lived in.

Launceston Examiner (Tas. : 1842 - 1899), Thursday 30 September 1858, page 3

In 1858, he was a witness in an insolvency case against


.......Mr. Dennis Bacon examined.-I am a creditor of the insolvent ; He owes me beyond £50; about a month ago there was an overdue acceptance of Eley a for £44 12s. 6. .; there was another for £85, not due, dated sometime in July; there was also £17 or £18 in my books against him that was exclusive of the rent he was to pay me ; I sold him the dog cart and took his acceptance for .35 ; I discounted neither of the £35 bills; I (lid not tear up a bill and say to Eley there is your bill destroyed ; I told him I would do so at the time I gave him to make £36 for tile dog cart I bought from him; I have not destroyed tile bill ; the bill I produce is the acceptance I told him I would destroy, and which was the one he gave me for the slog cart; I received a cow from Eley a few days before his Insolvency, together with a horse which I took in liquidation of the bill for £44 12s. 6d.; I did not receive any leather from insolvent.

1st April 1862 his estate being sold

BELL & WESTBROOK are favoured with instructions from the Executors of the late Dennis Bacon, to sell by auction, at his late residence, Ross Store, Ross, the whole of, the stock-in-trade, &c., &c., without the slightest reserve, on MONDAY, 14th April,. at 11 o'clock, consisting of Drapery of all kinds, including: Hosiery Slops Calicos Prints, &c., &c. Also Flour Bran and pollard Wheat Salt Starch Blue Coffee Mustard Pitch and tar Crockery of all kinds, ironmongery, &c. In fact every article usually found in a well stocked country store. Also well-known entire horse "Tom Thumb," 6 years old 2 mares and foals 1 ditto, 3 years old 1 ditto, 4 ditto 8 bullocks, hows, yokes, and chains complete 4 cows, and several mixed cattle 1 waggon . 1 day 3 carts Plough and harrows, &o., &c. Terms as usual. The attention of residents in the Midland district is directed to the above positively un. reserved sale of general merchandise, as the whole of the goods are of the best description, and in capital order. (a Stock at St. Leonards. Wednesday, 17th April.

30 Apr 1862 his son James married.   At Ross, on 30th ultimo, by the Rev. J. J. Cope, Wesleyan Minister, James, second son of the late Mr. Dennis Bacon, to Sarah Ann Sophia, only daughter of Mr. Daniel Herbert, stone cutter, Ross.



The eldest son was Dennis Bacon, and he was the licensee of the Coach and Horses, a pub at Lemon Springs.


In 1877, the lands which Dennis Bacon owned were being sold by the Mortgagee for non payment.






PURSUANT TO A PROVISO for that purpose contained in an Indenture of Mortgage bearing date the fifteenth day of December one thousand eight hundred and 1 seventy and made between William Dawson ' Grubb of Launceston in Tasmania Solicitor of the first part Martha Bacon of Ross in Tasmania Widow of Dennis Bacon lately of  the same place storekeeper deceased of the second part James Maclauachan of Balloch-myle near Ross in Tasmania Esquire and
James Bacon of Ross aforesaid farmer Trustees of the Will of the said Dennis Bacon  deceased of the  third part the said James Bacon of the fourth part and James Hope formerly of Ross aforesaid but now of Hobart Town in Tasmania Esquire of the fifth part  NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that default having been made in payment of the principal and part of the interest moneys thereby secured it is the intention of the said' James Hope to cause the piece of land firstly there-in comprised and described to be exposed for safe by private contract in pursuance of the power of sale therein contained on the thirty-first day of December now next ensuing and that the land and hereditaments to be sold consist of ALL THAT one acre one rod three perches and a half porch of land situate and being in the township of Ross in Tasmania and bounded on the west or front by two chains and seventy-five links southerly along Church-street

Dated this twenty-eighth day of November one thousand eight hundred and seventy seven
CHAS. H. ELLISTON,   8981 Solicitor for the Mortgagee.

 In 1893, son Charles committed suicide.

Tasmanian (Launceston, Tas. : 1881 - 1895), Saturday 4 March 1893, page 16                      Distressing Suicide
s
ROSS, Feb. 24..
A feeling of gloom spread over the township..: to-day when the news spread that Mr Charles Bacon, storekeeper of Ross, had committed suicide by shooting himself in the head with a gun about seven o'clock this morning. Reliable particulars cannot be obtained until the inquest, but financial difficulties are supposed to have been the cause of the unfortunate ma
n's act.
An inquest will be held on the body tomorrow. Great sympathy is expressed for the bereaved family. The deceased gentleman was an old and respected resident of the district, having. taken over the Ross Hotel from his father as far back as 1865. ~ After carrying on this establishment for about seven years he relinquished it and commenced business as a storekeeper, and has been so engaged for about 17 years. Lately he formed the impression that he could not meet his liabilities, and coming up to the city on Monday last he met his creditors and made an offer of a composition. The creditors decided to 6end a competent man to take a rote of the stock in the store, and after completing this task yesterday Mr Thurston was able to inform Mr Bacon that his estate would pay nearly double his liabilities.

This evidently caused the deceased much distress of mind, occasioned by the thought that he had placed himself in a false position by making the offer, and when parting with him before retiring on Thursday night Mr Thurston noticed that he was much worried. At about 6.30 a.m. yesterday Mr Thurston, who was the guest of Mr Bacon, rose and heard the deceased moving about the store. Having gone for a walk down the yard, Mr Thurston returned about three quarters of an hour later and met Miss Bacon the daughter of the deceased, whom he asked to see her father. The young lady on going into the store found her father dead on the floor with a gun lying by his side. The deceased leaves a wife and seven or eight children.
ROSS, Sunday. An inquest was held at the Ross Hotel on Saturday before Mr Thos. Riggall, coroner, and a jury of seven, touching the death of Charles Bacon. After hearing the evidence of James Bacon, the deceased's brother, Amy Bacon, daughter of the deceased, Wm. Thurstun, W. Price, Sub-Inspector Stubbs, and Dr. Byrne, the coroner summed up the evidence and the jury returned a verdict that the deceased shot himself with a gun on Friday, February 24, whilst labouring under a fit of .temporary insanity. The funeral took place this afternoon and was very largely attended.

Maria Bacon married John Bradshaw.  John became the miller at the Oatlands Mill, and worked for his uncle Thomas.  The family lived in Oatlands, and he was involved in many community roles, including serving on the Council.  They had 8 children.  John died in 1892, and Maria in 1899.  They are buried in St Peter's at Oatlands.

Eleanor Bacon married James Bradshaw.  He was the son of William Bradshaw and Mary Jane Gunn.
They married in 1857.  They had a daughter Henrietta Louisa Bradshaw in 1858, and Eleanor died in 1864.  He then married in 1867 Jane Hay.  He had a family of 11 children with Jane.





John Bacon

John and Denis Bacon were stonemasons and builders and arrived with their families aboard the Strathfieldsay, 31 Dec 1831. In 1848 they both moved to Antil Ponds and John became a farmer. John was a trustee, along with others, to land granted by the Government for the erection of St Paul's Catholic Church at Oatlands of which the foundation stone was laid by Bishop Willson on 10 Apr 1850.
James Bacon b 1840 Tas marr Julia Annie Tucker 1862 Campbelltown Tas





Roman Catholic Church - Salvation
The corner was originally owned by the Bacon family and the building used as a store, residence, and bakery. It was converted to create the Church in 1920. The Church is generally locked but the key is available from the Ross Newsagency nearby so that you can view the interesting interior.
http://www.rosshotel.com.au/ross-tasmania-history/

 http://monissa.com/ccphotos/catholic-church-ross/
ROSS    A movement is on foot to build a Roman Catholic church here. It is understood that a fair is to be in August to provide fund, and several substantial donations have already been promised for the object.   Daily Telegraph, 14 June 1916

The appearance of the Catholic church at the corner of Church and Bridge streets has been considerably enhanced during this week by the placing in position of a marble figure on the top of the tower. The figure depicts the Saviour standing with out- stretched arms, and forms a most at tractive and significant finish to the Church. It was placed in position under the direction of Mr. Patterson, contractor of Launceston – and it weighs over half a ton; a good deal of care and judgment were necessary in hoisting it so high.



Daily Telegraph, 20 March 1920
(The figure can be seen on top of the tower in this photo)


From the Weekly Courier, 2 June 1921, the corner of Bridge and Church Sts:



John and his family left Tasmania on board the Wigeon, 26 Apr 1850 and continued on to San Francisco after a harrowing sail to Sydney. While in San Francisco John became ill and wanted to return to Tasmania. On the family's return they bought Belle Vue, a farm on Lake Dulverton, which Honora, John's wife and two daughters Elizabeth and Margaret managed. Belle Vue became a place for many social gatherings for families in the Oatlands area.


Digitised item from: Allport Library and Museum of Fine Arts, Tasmanian Archive and Heritage Office



Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), Friday 15 January 1926, page 10

EARLY DAYS IN TASMANIA   Pioneer's Interesting Experiences

Historic Midlands Landmark     (From Our Midlands Representatives.)

Of the many romantic experiences associated with the days of early settlement ir! Tasmania there are probably few more interesting: than those which fell to the lot of Mr. Michael Francis Bacon, of Belle Vue, Oatlands. Mr. Bacon, who is in his 81st year, remembers among other things, thc construction of the main road from Hobart to Launceston, and can speak of thc coaching days. Though he declares that he has never suffered a day's illness in his life, he is not very clear, as may-be expected, on some of the events which ' happened many years' ago, but, with the aid of his son, Mr. J. S. Bacon, some interesting reminiscences were told. Mr. Bacon said it was a pleasure to recall the early times on account of the splendid men with whom he was associated.

His father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. John Bacon, came to Tasmania in 1833 in the Strathfield Sayo from England, and owing to being several times becalmed the ship was seven months in making the trip. On arrival in Tasmania they went to Mona Vale, where Mr. John Bacon supervised the construction of the Mona Vale mansion, that beautiful country residence built of Ross freestone, and considered to be the finest mansion in Tasmania. He also had charge of the construction of the dam at Toombs Lake. He said that tho specifications for the structure were not sufficiently solid, and that it would give way, which it did some time afterwards. Mr. Robert Kermode, father of the present Mr. Robert Kermode, of Mona Vale, was very highly esteemed in the district. On the site of the Roman Catholic Church at Ross Mr. Bacon ran a store for several years, and the name "Bacon" can still be seen on the building adjacent. Although there were several bushrangers operating at the time, among them the redoubtable Brady, the Bacon family never experienced any trouble with them.

THRILLING SEA VOYAGE.

Mr. Michael Francis Bacon. Who related this story, was born at Mona Vale in 1845. From there his father went " to Antill Ponds, where he' owned some land, and,. among other stock, a line lot of horses.. While he was on this property the Californian goldfields were discovered, and he was offered £100 a head for every horse up to a suitable standard that hc could land at San Francisco. So he decided to ship the horses from  Hobart in a vessel called The Widgeon, commanded by Captain Capes. The ship sailed in 1850, and a day out from Hobart a storm (arose which, lasted three days and nights. So violent was the wind that all thc masts were broken, and most of the bulwarks wore smashed off thc boat. Mrs. Bacon and family were battened down below in the dark, and the male passengers had to stand to, and work the pumps to prevent the boat from sinking; This happened in Storm Bay. Such was the distressing condition of affairs that, in order to save thc ship, the captain ordered all the horses" worth several thousands of pounds, to be thrown into the ocean. Mr. Michael Bacon was then a boy 5 years old, and he remembers seeing the horses surging in the mountainous seas and beating their hoofs against the sides of the ship. It was expected any hour, that the vessel would be lost, but the fourth day broke finer, and all hands stood by to cork the leakages. After that thc ship drifted for a number of weeks on the high sea until at last it was blown off the coast of New South Wales, picked up by a passing boat, and taken into Sydney- for repairs. In Sydney Harbour Mr. Bacon said, he was playing on the deck of the vessel, from which the bulwarks had. been e washed, when he fell head over heels into the water, and was rescued by a Russian sailor.

After having the ship repaired they proceeded on to San Francisco, landing on Christmas morning, 1850. San Francisco at that time, he said, was composed: of weatherboard and slab houses, and in parts of the streets boards were laid along on top of  the mud. Several earthquake shocks occurred while they were there. After about a year's stay in America the health of Mr. John Bacon gave way, and the doctors ordered him to return to Tasmania. .Mr. Michael Bacon produced some beautiful specimens of gold glistening in quartz taken from tho mines in California.

 On arrival back in Tasmania Mrs. Bacon noticed an advertisement in' "Tho Mercury" advertising Belle Vue at Oatlands for sale. She showed it to  her husband, and said: "This would be a good home and property, how about buying it?" But he replied, "How can wc? We have I04} our fortune." It was then that Mrs. Bacon sprang a great surprise on her husband (the narrator's father) by producing an old stocking containing a thousand sovereigns, with which the deposit was paid on the Belle Vue property in 1851. The property., which was then many years old, was originally held by Mr. William Foord. Mr John Bacon died in 1864.

CONSTRUCTION OF MAIN ROAD.

Mr. Michael Bacon can remember, while at Ross and Oatlands, seeing the main Hobart-Launceston road being constructed by many hundreds of convicts. He was then a little boy, and most" of the information he got from his father. He states that the convicts used to draw "drays containing tho stone, and rollers, lone; strings of them, being hooked on like horses. Long bridge girders were carried considerable distances out of the hill sides. He recalls the building of the famous Ross bridge, ' which was carved by artists of great skill. The convicts, he said, were mostly splendid  fellows, men of fine physique, and excellent tradesmen and artists in stone work; The criminal class were mostly in the gaols. Mr. Bacon has seen the convicts flogged,  and has seen them hanged. Some were. hanged in the Oatlands gaol, but he was not a spectator.









Many of them, he said,were buried alongside the main road. The foundation of the road, he stated, was excellently laid with good stone, and the workmanship was of the best. If these men who built , the road so beautifully with only primitive methods could wake up to-day and see its bad condition, with all the modern facilities at command, one could imagine their, feelings. Mr. Bacon remembers driving in his father's carriage, and dropping plugs of tobacco into the shirt pockets of the convicts along the 
roadside.

Many of' the convicts, on their release, went to the Victorian gold fields at Bendigo.  Some of them did very well, and returned to' Tasmania and settled on the land. .

. . COACHING DAYS.
Tho Hobart-Launceston coaches are other interesting connections with the past which Mr. Bacon remembers. The coaches in his time, he said, were owned by Mr. Samuel Page. They entered the town with the horses in full canter, and a bugler blowing a bugle to announce their  arrival. They were looked upon like an important express or steamer.

Sometime after the purchase of Belle Vue, Mr, Bacon went to the mainland, and had different interests in Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales. He was at Bourke in 1870. the year of the great drought, when practically all the stock were lost, and the record heat of 125 degrees in the shade was reached. Many people were sunstruck. and on one station  just out of Bourke, 75,000 sheep perished. In a good season, the same locality was a paradise. He later settled over the border of Queensland, and has now returned to Belle Vue Oatlands.
BELLE VUE HOMESTEAD.
A typical old-fashioned Midland dwelling, the Belle Vue homestead is very interesting. Tile floors of the hall and verandahs are of solid freestone, most of the wood-work is beautiful cedar, and there are doors opening in and out of each room, so that one can go right round the house without coming to a dead-end. This method of construction was adopted so that there would always be an escape in case of a visit from bushrangers.

The residence stands at the eastern end of Lake Dulverton, about VA miles' from Oatlands, and following the custom of the early days, it was built next to a running stream, as there were no tanks to be bad at that time. On one wing there is a solid stone dairy , with walls 22 inches thick. Mr. John Bacon was robbed of a good deal of wheat stored in barns, so to prevent these thefts he built the dairy with a loft on top for housing the wheat. There is a pipe inserted in the floor of the loft, and through this the wheat was run into drays, which were backed into the dairy.
 When Mr. Bacon bought this property, in 1851. the best cold-water scoured wool was 6d. a lb., and on one occasion 5.5d. a lb. Among the furnishings of Belle Vue, most of which are of cedar with horse-hair upholstery, are large sideboards complete with massive old-fashioned crockery and silver, and beautiful heavy cutlass ware seldom seen nowadays. Included is a huge earthenware teapot, purchased by Mrs Beacon in California in 1856, as a memento of the trip. There is also a blackthorn walking stick brought from. Ireland in 1833, and a reed walking-stick brought from England.
Perhaps the most interesting relic, how-ever, is a Colt's muzzle-loading revolver; silver-mounted, with six chambers. Etched on the revolving chamber is a detailed  picture of a band of bushrangers holding up a coach. It is complete, with bullet mould, caps and powder flask,  and has been in the family for 80 years.





 
Married Martha Cobb on Apr. 22, 1827 in Dublin, Ireland.

Immigrated to Hobart on June 26, 1833.

Father of Eliza (Bacon) Hudson Coop, Anne (Bacon) Soper, Maria (Bacon) Bradshaw, Margarotte (Bacon) Westbrook, Eleanor (Bacon) Bradshaw, Dennis Bacon, James Bacon, and Charles Bacon.

Son of Dennis Bacon and Martha (Cobb) Bacon.

Married Caroline Kezia Warner on Aug. 11, 1864 in Ross, Tasmania.

Father of Infant Girl (1) Bacon, Annie Amanda (Bacon) Davis, Ada Rose Bacon, Charles William Cobb Bacon, Minnie Elizabeth Bacon (1874-5), Albert Robert Bacon, Infant Girl (5) Bacon, Infant
Girl (6) Bacon (1860), and Sarah Edith (Bacon) Webb.
Married Dennis Bacon on Apr. 22, 1827 in Dublin, Ireland.

Immigrated to Hobart on June 26, 1833.   
Ross, Northern Midlands Council, Tasmania, Australia
Burial
Ross, Northern Midlands Council, Tasmania, Australia
John Bradshaw buried
21 Dec 1827
New Norfolk, Derwent Valley Council, Tasmania, Australia
Death
21 Jun 1892 (aged 64)
Launceston, Launceston City, Tasmania, Australia
Burial
Oatlands, Southern Midlands Council, Tasmania, Australia

Daughter of Dennis Bacon and Martha (Cobb) Bacon.

Married John Bradshaw on July 12, 1855 in Ross, Tasmania.

Mother of James George Gregory Bradshaw, Albert William Race Bradshaw, Frederick Charles Bradshaw, Frances Maria "Fanny" (Bradshaw) Bradshaw, Ada Mary Ellen Bradshaw, Norman Percival Dennis Bradshaw, and Louis Henry Bradshaw.


John Bacon was a resident of Oatlands, in 1854, living at the Lagoon Farm.
Courier (Hobart, Tas. : 1840 - 1859), Wednesday 13 September 1854, page 3
Another inquest was held on Thursday by the same Coroner, J. Whitefoord, Esq., on a poor man named Joseph Newman, in the employ of Mr. John Bacon, at the Lagoon Farm near Oatlands. It appears that the deceased had been carting dung for some days, and that on Saturday, having finished work, he was in the act of turning the horses into a paddock to allow them to run the following day, when he was kicked by one of them, the injury received leading to death. It is presumed that after taking off the bridle he had given one of them a friendly slap with it, for he was found in the paddock by a child of the over-seer's, the horses standing not far away, and the bridle close beside him. He lingered till Tuesday, but never spoke after the accident. He was a very steady man, and was particularly partial to his team. Part of the skull was found to be driven into the brain. Verdict-Accidental death.
John Bacon became the licensee of the Macquarie Hotel in Ross, in 1854.
He transferred the license in 1859


Hobart Town Daily Mercury (Tas. : 1858 - 1860), Tuesday 15 May 1860, page 2
COUNTRY DISTRICTS   (From a correspondent.)  OATLANDS.
At the Police Court on the 10th before Thomas Mason Esq. V.M., Nicholas Crealy, Samuel Martin, and Anne Henderson, underwent magisterial examination upon the charge of stealing on the 31st instant ten bags of wheat, valued at 10s 6d per bushel, the property of Mr John Bacon of Bellevue, near Oatlands.
The evidence of the witnesses for the prosecution went to show that on the morning of the 3rd instant in consequence of some information received by Mr. Bacon of Bellevue, he went to his barn and discovered that ten bags of wheat were missing. He immediately sent one of his sons for Mr. C.D.C. Kenny from Oatlands, and put a second on the track of a cart's wheels, going in the direction of the Blue Hills where Crealy lives. The prisoners were overtaken riding in the cart, about three-quarters of a mile from Crealy's house, but the cart contained nothing else. The wheat was subsequently found secreted in the bush, about four miles from Crealy's in two different places, five bags being in one lot and five in another. When the tracks of the cart were discovered they were traced from the barn, ninety yards along the road in the direction of Oatlands, then across some of Mr. Bacon's paddocks into the Swanport road, and along towards the Blue Hills, where the prisoners were over-taken by young Bacon. The prisoner's footsteps were all plainly visible near the barn.
Mr. Kenny who apprehended the prisoners proved that the width of the cart track traced from Mr.Bacon's exactly corresponded with the width of' the tyre of Crealy's cart. He also produced a small quantity of wheat taken from the bottom of the cart which exactly corresponded with the stolen property and was identified by Mr. Bacon as belonging to him.
The prisoner Martin was in the employ of Crealy.
When called upon for his defence Crealy made the following statement : I left the township on the 3rd in a state of liquor and on the road lay down and fell asleep. When I awoke I found my cart and horses were gone. I followed their tracks and I came up with the cart on Sandford's run. Martin and Henderson were in it, and also ten bags of wheat. I said to Martin " this game won't do, I can't allow my horses to be employed in this way and you must unload the cart." He did unload the wheat and planted it. I went on, but was shortly afterwards joined by the prisoners who followed me to my house.
The prisoner Martin fully confessed having with Crealy stolen the wheat from the barn and planted it.
The female made no defence. The prisoners were all fully committed for trial.

James Bradshaw m Jane Hay

This marriage merged so many families.  The Hay, Triffitt and Bradshaw's all married siblings of each

Address is  49 Lawitta Rd, Lawitta TAS 7140
The Lawitta Church Cemetery  at Back River, Magra and Malbina Cemetery were used predominately for the burials.



Robert Hay

https://www.ourfamilypast.com/article/topic/8746/robert-hay

From Scotland to Van Diemen’s Land – A History of Robert Hay

Born on March 31st in Kirkmicael, Scotland in 1774, Robert Hay was the son of James Hay and Ann (nee Riach). He was the sixth child of James and Ann, and had three sisters and four brothers
He grew up in Kirkmickael in Perthshire Scotland, where his father was a gardener, a trade which he entered under his father’s tutelage at a young age.

Work was difficult to find, and times were tough for most of the country during these years.
In 1798 Robert married Katherine Ogilvy, the daughter of a landowner, and was provided with lodgings on the property. They had two daughters, Barbara born in 1798 and Ann in 1801. Whilst Robert dearly loved his family, money was tight and he struggled to support them.

Needless to say, Robert resorted to crime in attempt to better provide for the family. In October of 1801 Robert appeared in court in Perth, charged with stealing 24 sheep. It was alleged that Robert had stolen the sheep and sold them under the alias of James Colvin. He claimed that he had been asked to drive the sheep to the Spittal of Glenshee and sell them to either a McHardy or Fergus Ferguson. He was then to send the money to the owner of the sheep. Robert was found guilty and sentenced to 14 years and was to be transported to Australia.

Robert was then transferred from Perth to the hulk “Prudentia” moored at Woolwich in the Thames. Here he spent 17 months in horrid, filthy crowded conditions until the next convict fleet was ready to sail in February of 1803. One can only imagine the suffering Robert went through, with not being able to see his wife and two young daughters, and wondering what was to become of them.


 February 5th 1803 he was put on the HMS Calcutta, captained by Daniel Woodruff. This fleet was not bound for Botany Bay, but was to form a new settlement at the newly discovered Port Phillip. The fleet was led by Lieutenant Colonel David Collins. During his time on the journey, he became a good friend of Robert Knopwood who was the chaplain on board the Calcutta. Reverend Knopwood would later marry Robert to Maria Hopper Heazlewood in Tasmania.

The fleet departed England on April 27th 1803 and arrived in Port Phillip on October 9th 1803.  Lieutenant Collins was not happy with the site at Port Phillip and decided to move to Hobart, where a colony was already established. Two trips were required to move all the people to Hobart, and Robert sailed on the “Ocean” on the second trip. He was punished with 80 lashes for theft whilst awaiting the sailing to Hobart. He arrived in Hobart on June 25th 1804.

The HMS Calcutta and the Ocean at anchor, Sullivan's Bay, Port Phillip with Arthur's Seat in the background.[1]

Whilst not much is known of Robert’s time in the colony, he was reported along with 4 other convicts as missing from Hobart Town on March 24th 1805. It is believed all five voluntarily returned as conditions were too harsh outside the settlement. He was listed in the muster roll for 1811 amongst “Settlers who have been convicts” During the remainder of his time in Van Diemen’s land following his return in 1805, there are no records of any criminal activity for Robert, and apart from tardiness in paying some of his bills, he appears to have become a responsible citizen.

In 1808/09 it was believed that Robert was assigned to William Heazlewood at New Norfolk, who had been granted 30 acres of land at Back River (now Magra).
In 1812 Robert was granted a free pardon and 30 acres of land adjoining William Heazlewood. In 1815, at the age of 40, Robert married Maria Hopper Heazlewood, who was the daughter of his neighbour William. At this stage they already had three children, Mary Ann (born in 1810), Jane (born in 1812) and William (born in 1814). As mentioned earlier, this ceremony was performed by Reverend Knopwood, who Robert had become a friend of on the journey from England. Robert and Maria went on to produce a further 10 children up until 1835.

In 1822 Robert was granted a further 60 acres of land at the Back River, and records show that he also held a grazing lease at the Fat Doe River (now Clyde).
In 1819 records show that Robert grew wheat and was running 50 male and 50 female cattle as well as 200 male and 200 female sheep. He is also recorded as having supplied meat to the Government stores. Whilst exact details are unknown, he served as District Constable of New Norfolk for a period of time.

I often wonder did Robert ever miss his first wife and two daughters, and would have liked to know what had become of them after he left Scotland all those years ago.


Notes and Bibliography:
Sims, Peter C., The Norfolk Settlers of Norfolk Island and Van Diemen’s Land, Quoiba Tas. 1987
 State Records Authority of New South Wales; Registers of Land Grants and Leases; Series: NRS 13836; Item: 7/447;Reel: 2561

Maria Hopper Hay
Maiden Name:
Hazelwood
Birth Date:
15 Nov 1796
Birth Place:
New Norfolk, Derwent Valley Council, Tasmania, Australia
Death Date:
30 Aug 1880
Death Place:
Magra, Derwent Valley Council, Tasmania, Australia
Cemetery:
Lawitta Church Cemetery
Burial or Cremation Place:
Magra, Derwent Valley Council, Tasmania, Australia
Has Bio?:
N
Spouse:
Children:

 




Colonial Times (Hobart, Tas. : 1828 - 1857), Tuesday 17 June 1834, page 4
Domestic Intelligence.

A magistrate lately made a complaint to the Government, of a Police Magistrate improperly employing a field-constable, in the pay of the Government. In answer to this charge the complainant was told, that the preferring such frivolous complaints by any in-dividual, were highly prejudicial, as it might cause his more serious statements to be lightly regarded. This is one way of answering a complaint; but the Police Magistrate is a favourite at head-quarters. Now the complaint, frivolous as it was, is as follows :-A constable was placed at the Back River, New Norfolk, for the protection of that disturbed neighbour-hood. Mr. Dumaresq called this constable away from his station, on the ground that the police force was insufficient at New Norfolk, and, at the very time, the Back River Settlement was deprived of this protection, another field-police constable, or, as he is called, Mr. Dumaresq's constable, but who is in the pay of the Government, was employed driving a horse and cart, and occasionally carting manure from the Court-house to Mr. Dumaresq's private residence.

 Ever since the constable has been withdrawn from the Back Rive?, numerous outrages have been .committed. So much for the frivolous com-plaint of a Magistrate. Now for the frivolous complaint of a private individual. A person lately complained that a constable, named Buxton, was employed cutting wood for Mr. Dumaresq, at some distance from the town-ship of New Norfolk, in lieu of attending to his duties in the Police. The case was investigated; the defence was, that "the man was . cutting wood for himself-but what "came out on the investigation ?

That Buxton, and an assigned servant of Mr. Dumaresq, were employed cutting wood-that they carted the wood with Mr. Dumaresq's horse and cart to his own house, and the wood' was piled in Mr. Dumaresq's yard. But (here's the gist of the defence) Buxton was allowed to take wood for his own fire from Mr. Dumaresq's pile, so that he was cutting wood for himself. Capital defence indeed 1 Why, Buxton is Mr. Dumaresq's own constable, or what may be called his body guard, and we believe took his meal&, and lived with Mr. Dumaresq's household.

At all events, if he did not live in the kitchen, we know not where he did live ! The Police Magistrate, of course, had the best of it, arid when he arrived back in his principality, wrote a most extraordinary letter to the Chief' Police Magistrate. But of this more anon.

Bent's News and Tasmanian Three-Penny Register (Hobart Town, Tas. : 1836 - 1837), Saturday 14 May 1836, page 4

The case of Dutton v. Triffett, was for the recovery of a cart and four working bullocks, which had been given to the plaintiff five years ago by the late Mr. Barnes of the Back River, New Norfolk. Dutton is a young man who ,was brought up by Mr. Barnes, and about two years and a half ago when he be tookc himself to the occupation of a whaler, he had left the cart and bullocks behind him, which were refused to be given up by the defendant, on the ground that they had been devised to him in the will of Mr.. Barnes, who was his father-in-law, and with whom Mr. Barnes now resides. The gift of the cart and cattle being clearly ascertained, the verdict was for the plaintiff accordingly. Damages £60. .




A moiety has been agreed to be paid of the expense of constructing a chapel at the Back river, in the district of  New Norfolk.

WANTED, immediately, a person to contract for the erection of a large Stone Building, at the Back River, New Norfolk—For further particulars apply to Mr. TURNBULL.
New Norfolk, August 17, 1836.

1839  A small Farm of 30 acres at the Back River, New Norfolk, now in the occupation of Mr. Bradshaw.  (for sale)

1850 William Bradshaw Junior was appointed Pound Keeper at Back River
Colonial Times (Hobart, Tas. : 1828 - 1857), Friday 11 May 1855, page 2
NEW NORFOLK.  Saturday. May 5,
Hayes v. Bradshaw-This was another Back  River squabble, brought under the adjudication of the police magistrate, by information, whereby the plaintiff sought to recover the sum of five shillings from the defendant for knocking down or removing a portion of a side line fence on the Sunday previous on his way to the Wesleyan Chapel. From the evidence, which was of the usual Back River character (which is rather crooked), it appeared a right of road had existed across a field in the occupation of plaintiff, who has upon more than one occasion endeavoured to debar the very peaceable inhabitants of that sylvan spot of its use-it is what may be called  short cut John Collins. sworn, (but asked for his expenses before giving evidence.

Police Magistrate-.You must look to the parties who summoned you, I cannot allow expenses.)-Remembered the day in question, and seeing Bradshaw cross the field and remove the fence as complained of, he broke through it, or pulled it out, it was a dead log fence with wattle boughs on the top ; he removed enough to enable him to pass through, the fence could be repaired again in five minutes. Police Magistrate (after giving the case and it's not very bright instigators a most patient hearing) remarked-The case had been brought before him upon a previous occasion, (the evidence in that investigation was produced and handed to the police magistrate for perusal), and it was much to be regretted the in-habitants of the Back River could not live in a more peaceable manner; their quarrels would occupy half the time of a police magistrate. And upon that occasion it was decided a right of road)' then existed, which plaintiff could not take away ; besides it appeared Mr. Bradshaw had used no more violence, or removed any greater portion of the fence than was absolutely necessary for him to pass. By plaintiff's own witnesses no more damage was done than would take fire minutes to repair. Case dismissed.

Courier (Hobart, Tas. : 1840 - 1859), Thursday 27 March 1856, page 2

Murder at New Norfolk.-On Saturday evening last, about 6 o'clock, two men named Patrick Fallon and John Curtis, both in the employ of Mr. Bradshaw, farmer, at the Back River, New Norfolk, left their master's premises, where they had been for rations, for their hut, about one mile and a half from the farm. A short time after they had readied their hut they disagreed about the rations, and fought a round or two inside. They subsequently went into the open air and renewed the contest, when Curtis  pulled a knife out of his pocket, and stabbed Fallon several times m the lower part of the, abdomen.
After being struck, the unfortunate man got away from Curtis, and made the best of his way to another hut, about half a mile distant He was met on the road by one of Mr. Shone's men, who assisted him to the but in question, kept by a man named Weekes, who refused admission to the deceased.
 Fallon lay down outside the door while Shone's man  went for further assistance, and to inform Curtis, being ignorant that Curtis was cognizant of the circumstance that his fellow servant was hurt He met Mr. Bradshaw and Curtis proceeding to Weekes' hut, and they (Mr. Bradshaw and his  servant) carried Fallon to the house, and Dr. Moore was sent for directly.

The doctor remained with the deceased for three hours, and then left deceased and Curtis in charge of the Chief District Constable, Fallon having stated several times in his presence, that he had been stabbed by Curtis. Dr. Moore returned on Sunday morning with Dr. 'Officer and the Police Magistrate of the district, who remained with the deceased until one o'clock in the afternoon, when, after making his dying declaration, be expired.

A coroner's inquest was held on the body of the deceased, at the house of Mr. Shone, Back River, on Monday, before W. Tarleton, Esq., and the following respectable jury, namely, Messrs. Shoebridge, (foreman), Griffiths, Russell, Smith, Allwright, Newburn, and Moray, when  verdict of " wilful murder" was returned against John Curtis, who stands committed for trial accordingly. The man Weekes, who refused admission to the deceased, was severely reprimanded for his inhumanity.

 




Robert Hay  Contemporary research

Contemporary research   This research is online.

THE MISSING ADVENTURES OF ROBERT HAY, alias JAMES COLVIN

[@1773 – 1839} Carrier, aged 28, of Alyth, Scotland. Literate.
Sailed Calcutta to Australia. Hay remained at Port Phillip to assist Lieut. Sladden’s group during the removal. The Ocean log reported that while there he had a conviction for theft and received 80 Lashes.
He attended the Hobart musters in 1811, 1818 and 1819. He received an absolute pardon in February 1812 and a land grant from Gov. Macquarie from Jones Springs to the Fat Doe River run at Elizabeth Town, New Norfolk, By the following year he was growing mostly wheat crops and running 50 male and 50 female cattle, 200 male sheep. and 200 ewes. He employed a government servant and a free man and supplied the Commissariat with meat.

In March 1805 he was among those whom Knopwood reported were missing for three months and who saw a Tasmanian tiger. [They returned voluntarily after three months, convinced life in the bush could not be sustained without receiving assistance from the settlers]. Possibly [definitely] assigned to William Hazlewood, Back River in 1811. In 1812 Gov Macquarie granted him a free pardon. 1813 received a grant of 30 acres from Gov Macquarie, next door to William Hazlewood. Both grants are dated 20th Sept 1813. Quit rent was set at one shilling. By 1813 he was a constable in the New Norfolk District and gave evidence at the case against Denis McCarty when the local inhabitants expressed their distrust in his business methods.

On 20th November 1815, in Hobart, Hay, then aged 40, married the widow [she wasn’t married] Maria Hopper, aged 20. Maria, born on Norfolk Island, 15 November 1796, had a daughter as early as August 1810 when she was 14 and married to William Hazelwood, a convict. [Actually, Hazlewood was her father.] The Hays had ten more children.
1829 Robert Hay obtained his ticket of leave

Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), Wednesday 10 November 1948, page 2
LATE MRS. HAY HAD 65 DESCENDANTS;

Mrs SUSANNAH HAY Tasmania's oldest woman, who died at Hobart yesterday, had 10 children, 37 grandchildren, and 18 great-grandchildren.

WIDOW of Mr. Isaac John Hay, formerly of New Norfolk and Pontville, Mrs. Hay was 103 last June.
Born at Bream Creek, a daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. A. Eaton, Mrs. Hay lived for some years at New Norfolk after her marriage. She then went to live at Bagdad and later to Pontville. The funeral tomorrow afternoon will leave her residence at Pontville for St. Mark's Church and the Pontville cemetery.

Three of Mrs. Hay's 10 children died in infancy. Surviving daughters are Mesdames T. Hughes (Sydney), M. Campbell (New Zealand), J. J. Dickson (Snug), C. Manning (Pontville), and W. Pearson (Queenstown).
Last year, while she was living with Mrs. Dickson at Snug, Mrs. Hay had a slight seizure but she re-covered in time for a family reunion, in honour- of the 102nd anniversary of her birth.

1832  William Bradshaw  Theft
 Edward Fowler was found guilty of stealing wearing apparel, which was hung to dry on the :
fence of Mr. William. Bradshaw, of the Back River, and received sentence of imprisonment
and hard labour in Hobart Town Jail, for twelve calendar months.

Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), Tuesday 6 May 1873, page 2
THE FIRST TASMANIAN WHITE WOMAN.-Our obituary columns contain to-day an announcement of the death in her seventieth year of Mrs. Jane Bradshaw, relict of the late Wm. Bradshaw, of Back River, New Norfolk. The deceased lady claimed to have been not only the first white female born in the colony, but the first child of European parents born after the landing of the passengers of the ship Lady Nelson in 1803. While that vessel was in the river, and before landing, a son was born to Dr. Bowden, who was about a month the senior of Mrs. Bradshaw. The deceased lady was the mother of sixteen children, of whom seven survive her, and her grandchildren number between thirty and forty.

1909  A well-known Tasmania sportsman, Mr William Bradshaw, passed away at his residence, Hodge Farm, Back River, New Norfolk, on Tuesday last. Mr Bradshaw had been in indifferent health for some time past, and he succumbed to haemorrhage of the lungs, lie was the owner of the well-known horse Gold wing, which has run with varying success on all the Southern racecourses of late

William Hazelwood (1748 – 1836)

Contemporary Research
William was born in 1748 and baptised on the 17th June 1748 in Mollington, Oxfordshire. His parents being, Thomas Hazlewood and Hannah Hayward. He was the youngest child and had four known siblings, Elizabeth Hazlewood 1743, Mary Hazlewood 1744, and Anna Maria Hazlewood 1747. He also had an older brother also confusingly named William who was born in 1745 and baptised on the 17th November 1745 but who died as an infant of one year and was buried in Mollington on the 13th April 1746. (This has proven very confusing for researchers trying to find the right William).
Thomas and Hannah were married 25th April 1742 in the village of Moreton Morrell

If ever there was a person who was born it seems to bump from one blighted tragedy to the next, I reckon William must have been a decent contender.  The child who was named for a dead brother was barely a year old when his own father met his demise at the tragically young age of 35 in the October of 1749.  His mother Hannah was left with four children to raise the eldest being only six years of age.
The village of Mollington was and remains a small hamlet in landlocked Oxfordshire where the primary occupation was agriculture. It can be safely assumed that William’s father Thomas was a Labourer employed in this area. How Hannah got on after the death of her husband one can only wonder and figure that she would have been reliant on the support of her family in the village.
On the 15th March 1790, forty-two-year-old William fronted the Maidstone, Kent Assizes and was convicted of stealing a bay mare. He was sentenced to seven years’ transportation to the very distant, remote, and barely colonised Australia. In fact, so remote and far away that William managed to get himself written into history by his inclusion on the third fleet of convicts to the colonies.  It was only a mere handful of years since Captain Cook himself had sailed into Botany Bay. I’m sure that at the time William probably didn’t see the historical value of his impending journey.
On the 27th March 1791 after a year in Gaol waiting, William was transported from Plymouth in Devon by the ship “The William and Ann” to Port Jackson. One of seven ships in the third fleet.  On the 28th August 1791, the ship sailed into Port Jackson in Sydney Cove and William disembarked into the late and temperate winter season with spring just on the cusp.  He wasn’t to linger long and by September he once again was aboard a ship, in this case it was the Salamander and he was enroute to his new home on the new settlement of the isolated Norfolk Island to the north.
The rush to populate vs perish and settle these new lands was in full swing and before he’d even had time to see a decent summer on the 5th November of the same year he was married off to his new bride and fellow convict 37 year old Elizabeth Hopper.  Elizabeth had already been on Norfolk Island for a year before William arrived. The fact that Elizabeth and William had left their first families behind in merry old England and Scotland was conveniently discarded and their nuptial presided over by the Rev. Johnson on Norfolk Island.  Elizabeth herself had also just arrived in the colonies so whether William was the love of her life is dubious at best.



Miss Elizabeth Hopper 
I have an obscure reference to Elizabeth Hopper hailing from the village of Lady on the island of Sanday on the Orkney Islands of Scotland. This must just remain an obscure reference now until I can gain better proof of this.  By 1787 what is certain is that Elizabeth was living in London in England and was tried at the London Old Bailey sessions for stealing. As to more of her background at this stage I am not yet informed.  Elizabeth ended up in London Gaol sentenced to 7 years’ transportation.
Records as follows: –
ELIZABETH HOPPER was indicted for stealing, on the 5th of October, one piece of muslin, containing, in length, two yards and a quarter, value 4 s. the property of Anthony Twydell .
ROBERT WILBERFORCE sworn.
I am apprentice to Mr. Twydell; on the 5th of October last, the prisoner and two other women came into my master’s shop together, and looked at different prints, they liked none; they then looked at remnants, and bid 20 d. for what cost 2 s. 8 d.
They then talked concerning how much would make the child, which the prisoner had in her arms, a frock; I took one piece, consisting of a yard and quarter of muslin, and folded it out of the rest; I was on the other side, and said, I thought they were thieves, the prisoner then went out, and the other two followed:
When they went out our man followed them, and took from the other two women, two pieces of muslin: I did not see him take them; he is not here; and he brought them all back into the shop; and when the prisoner came back, I saw her drop that piece mentioned in the indictment, containing two yards and a quarter of muslin dimity; it was measured and marked at the time, and the constable has had it ever since; his name is Williams; she had a long red cloak on, and it fell before her from under her cloak, the other women were in the shop at the time, and one of them took the child from her; I am positive that it was she that dropped it; they had not purchased anything;


I sent for a constable, and said they should all go to the Compter; she said she was sorry to part with her child; on the 6th they were examined before the Lord Mayor, and the prisoner escaped, and the others were discharged, because she could not be taken again; she was taken again on the 14th; I am positive she is the woman.
(The property proved.)
THOMAS WILLIAMS sworn.
I took the prisoner in Mr. Twydell’s shop; this piece of muslin was given me with her, I have kept it ever since.
PRISONER’s DEFENCE.
The woman in the shop in the black cloak dropped the muslin from under her cloak.
GUILTY . 12 December 1787
Transported for seven years .
Tried by the London Jury before Mr. ROSE
Old Bailey Online

Whether Elizabeth was married in England and Hopper was her married name?  I am yet not certain.
It's possible she had a child who was left behind in England when she was transported. Elizabeth was around 35 when she left England.  Elizabeth Hopper was transported aboard the Lady Juliana which was also given the rather insalubrious moniker of ‘the floating brothel’.

The Lady Juliana was the first of the Second Fleet ships to arrive in Port Jackson on the 6th June 1790. She departed England in 1789 with a cargo of 226 female convicts.  She took a remarkable 309 days to reach Port Jackson. One of the slowest journeys made by a convict ship. She called in at Tenerife and St Jago enroute and spent forty-five days at Rio de Janeiro and nineteen days at the Cape of good Hope.  Unlike the other ships in the second fleet the women on the Lady Juliana were treated very well and given fresh rations when available. 

This was largely since there was an attitude of each man aboard being able to take a ‘willing wife’ from amongst the ladies for the duration of the journey.

They were free to move around openly and it was remarked that the sailors made no attempt to suppress their licentious activity with the convicts. The Doctor on board kept the women in good health with only five dying throughout the journey.  There were also a considerable number of babies born on this journey.  Upon their arrival in Port Jackson the nearly starving colonists greeted this first shipload of useless women from the second fleet with open disdain. It had been over two years since they had had supplies or news from England and it was food and seed and supplies that they had looked for not a cargo load of more to be fed and victualled.   This was quickly rectified a few days later when the Justinian sailed into Port Jackson with the much-needed supplies. 
Within a week or so the remainder of the Second Fleet sailed into Port Jackson. The drought which had affected the growth of their first crops broke and soon the colony was growing enough food to feed themselves. Before long the Hawkesbury land was opened and it became the food bowl for the colony.  The ships steward John Nicol as an older man recalled a fascinating account of the voyage which makes for a detailed description of the journey.

Furthermore, I recommend you read Sian Rees book, The Floating Brothel.  It is a truly descriptive and engaging read.  a documentary from Timewatch, “The Floating Brothel which documents the story of the women aboard the Lady Juliana and gives insight into the life that its inhabitants were living on her journey to the colonies.  Most of the female cargo of the Lady Julian were convicted as petty thieves and prostitutes. Whatever society may have thought of them, they were certainly resilient and went on to be the early pioneering women who were the mothers to our nation in its early days.   There is a physical memorial to the women of the Lady Juliana in the gardens of Wallabadah in New South Wales. This originally was opened with a rather impressive set of gardens and memorials to the first fleeter but this was extended in 2009 to the second fleeter as well.  A stone memorial has the names engraved of the women aboard ‘the floating brothel.’

William and Elizabeth had it would appear a few years of married life together before they were blessed with the news that a baby would soon be born toward the end of the year.  On the 15th November 1795, almost four years to the day of their marriage, little Maria Hopper- Hazelwood came into the world.  Tragically it would appear Elizabeth died on either the day of birth or not long after and was subsequently buried and William cast with the role of sole provider for the tiny infant.
 Throughout the time that William was living on Norfolk Island he was frequently ‘on the stores’ or receiving victuals from the colony store. This was common on Norfolk Island among the settlers. He was granted five acres of land on Norfolk Island on the 1st November 1803. He would later be recompensed for this when they were resettled in Van Diemen’s Land.  
William was on the last ship of the fleet out of Norfolk Island with Maria on the City of Edinburgh. One of the interesting things about those aboard the City of Edinburgh was that they were mostly very reluctant to leave Norfolk Island. To the point where in many cases they had to be rounded up from the surrounding bush where they had disappeared to and forced to board and evacuate the island.  I kind of like the idea of William hiding out in the bush with a wee grubby-faced Maria, refusing to be ‘moved on’.
When William and his daughter Maria were resettled in New Norfolk in Tasmania in 1808 they continued to be supplied by the stores for some years. Life was very tough on the tiny island and very little was in place to receive them.  They were on the fifth embarkation from Norfolk Island and sailed to Van Diemen’s land aboard the City of Edinburgh.  Apparently, the trip that took around a month to get to the southern isle was through poor conditions and wretched weather.  The complaints of those aboard were loud and frequent.  They arrived on an isle where supplies were not in good order and a rapid influx of persons had taken the tiny population in the greatest apace of time to over 1000. Those disembarking the City of Edinburgh were remarked to be in a desperate state and some of them near naked in remnants of apparel.
Eventually William established a small holding for himself where he farmed on the Back River are of the Derwent and this would one day make up Maria’s inheritance. It would also be where William and Elizabeth’s daughter Maria would meet her husband fellow convict Robert Hay.  To date I’ve not been able to find any reference to William remarrying or having any more children.  At his death, his only family were listed as his daughter Maria and her husband Robert Hay.








William Hazlewood Records

 William Hazlewood, Convict, William & Ann 1791
Tried: 15 March 1790 Maidstone, Kent. Sentence: 7 years transportation.
He arrived on Norfolk Island in Sept 1791 aboard the Salamander.
In 1792 William Hambly (Carpenters mate, Sirius 1788) was granted 60 acres on the South side of the Cascade Run, with a rent of one shilling a year commencing after five years being Lot 45, this land was located near Phillipsburgh today known as Cascade in the area around New Cascade Road and Harper’s Road Norfolk Island. This land was sold for £100 to Arthur Robinson in October 1798. The grant was sold to Arthur Robinson in Oct 1798 for £100; the land was sold again by William Mitchell in smaller parcels on 1 November 1802:
  • 10 acres for £18 to Richard Wilson.
  • 5 acres for £35 to William Hazlewood.
  • 15 acres for £55 to Zachariah Sponsford.
  • 25 acres for £75 to Robert Cox. [1]
William formed a relationship with Elizabeth Hopper, Convict, Lady Juliana 1790. Crime: Steal a 2 and a quarter yard piece of muslin. Tried: London Old Bailey Sessions, 12 December 1787. Sentence: 7 years transportation. She arrived on Norfolk Island aboard the Surprize in August 1790. They were married by Rev. Johnson in Nov 1791. It seems that Elizabeth died on Norfolk Island pre 1802, the last known record of Elizabeth is the birth of child in Nov 1796.
1805 William Hazlewood: Landholder, Sentence Expired, off store
Hazlewood (name as John) with unnamed child (Maria) left Norfolk Island for Hobart aboard the City of Edinburgh in Sept 1808, which from ‘Norfolk she sailed with 254 passengers, with their property, for Hobart, where she arrived the 5th of October, with a very acceptable supply of salt provisions shipped here by Government for the use of His Majesty’s Settlement at Hobart Town.[2]



1811 William Hazlewood: Living at Hobart
1818 William Hazlewood: Hobart, on stores
William died 9 Dec 1836 New Norfolk, age 88 years
Child of William Hazlewood and Elizabeth Hopper
  1. Maria HOPPER, born 15 Nov 1796 Norfolk Island.
She was baptised 30 May 1802 Norfolk Island by Rev Fulton with parents recorded as William Hazlewood and Elizabeth Hopper.
1802 Maria Hopper, Child over 10 years, on stores.
1805 Maria Hopper: Child above 10 years and orphans, on stores.
1806 Maria Hopper: Orphan child on 2/3 rations.
Maria Hopper married Robert Hay, 20 Nov 1815 St David’s Hobart
Surprize 1790 to Norfolk Island
Marriages on Norfolk Island Nov 1791
City of Edinburgh 1808, individuals not holding land
People of the City of Edinburgh 1808
Convicts aboard the City of Edinburgh 1808 from Norfolk Island to VDL
City of Edinburgh 1808 to Hobart Town passenger numbers
City of Edinburgh 1808 Norfolk Island
2nd and 3rd Fleeters aboard the City of Edinburgh from Norfolk Island to Hobart Town in Sept 1808
[1] Land Grants, 1788-1809, A record of registered grants and leases in NSW; VDL and Norfolk Island: 1796/1797 – Book 2B and SRNSW Colonial Secretary’s Papers 1788-1828, Fiche 3267; 9/2731 p. 81.
[2] Sydney Gazette, 13 November 1808, p. 1.
Cite this article as: Cathy Dunn, 'William Hazlewood and Maria Hopper, City of Edinburgh 1808', Australian History Research, http://www.australianhistoryresearch.info/william-hazlewood-and-maria-hopper-city-of-edinburgh-1808/, accessed [June 2018]




Back River Cemetery Magra

 Information from Gravesites of Tasmania
Back River Methodist
Built in 1837 to cater to the large community living at Back River .
The most striking feature of this church is the windows which really are not windows at all but what is known as “Blind Gothic” and are usually seen in churches in England  
Many names seen on headstones in the cemetery such as Triffitt, Clark, Maddox and Rayner are still known in the district today

A
G
M Cont
S
U


V
B



H
T


W
N






O


P
C
Cleland Amelia Margaret

R


Y
Cleland Sophia
J
Cleland Thomas John
Cleland William



K


There are 15 Unknown
headstones in this cemetery



M

D






F











Family of Robert Hay  New Norfolk

Robert and Mary's Children
1.  William Hay b 1795 Norfolk Island m Ann Banks
2.  Barbara Hay b 1798 m Robert Wedderburn
3.  Jane Hay 1812  m John Norris Ireland    Buried Victoria
4.  William Hazlewood Hay 1816 m Ann Banks
5.  John Hay  1816  m  Sophia Morgan  
6.  Robert Hay 1818 married Clara Rebecca Abel and Emma Jane Rodgers.  Buried at the Back River Methodist.
Robert Hay (1774-1839)
Mother
Maria Hopper Hazelwood (1795-1880)
Spouse
Clara Rebecca Abel (1824-1850)
Married 1843 
Children
  • David Hunter Hay (1844- 1870)new
  • Alfred James Hay (1847-1881)new
  • Clara Matilda Hay(1849-1892)new
  • Douglas Johnson Hay(1850-1933)new
Spouse
Emma Jane Rodgers (1839-1914)
Married 1859 
Children
Alice Annie Jane Hay (1860- 1929)new
Rachel Amy Maria Hay (1862-1947)new
Caroline Matilda Hay (1864-1914)new
Elizabeth Emmeline Amelia Hay(1867-1950)new
Mary Ann Selina Maud Hay (1869-1961)new
Rhoda Ruth Janette Hay (1871-1958)new
Ada Alberta Phoebe Hay (1873-1941)new
Oliver Thomas Robert Hay (1877-1936)new
Sidney Walter Edward Hay (1887-)new
a.      David Hunter Hay       1844 m Kate Collins
b.      Alfred James Hay        1847
c.      Clara Matilda Hay        1849  m  Thomas Tate
d.      Douglas Johnson Hay  1850   m  Ann Herman





Second marriage

1. Alice Annie Jane Hay married John Thomas Triffitt
       He was the son of John Frederick Triffitt and Elizabeth Hay

       Elizabeth Hay was the daughter of Robert Hay and Maria Hazlewood
       John Frederick Triffitt was the son of Robert Hay and Maria Hopper Hazlewood

2. Rachel Amy Maria Hay 1862 m  John Maurice Oakley

He was the son of John Oakley and Mary Ann White.  What an interesting life they had, and their children all intermarried in the Hay and Kingshott Families

Mary Ann and John moved out to ‘Black Hills’ Macquarie Plains, New Norfolk to start their lives together and raise a family.  They didn’t waste any time and the following April 1855 their first child Hannah (Annie) Oakley being born at Macquarie Plains. A son, Edward Arthur Oakley born in New Norfolk in 1856. John Morrice Oakley Macquarie Plains in 1857.  Sarah Ann Oakley, New Norfolk 1859, James Oakley in Hamilton 1861.  

A daughter Elizabeth Margaret Oakley  born on the 25th April 1863 but dies a year later on the 2nd May 1864.  Mary Jane Oakley  born in September of the same year, 1864 at Hamilton. Thomas Francis Oakley born October 1866 in New Norfolk. Their final child Alfred George Oakley  born in Macquarie Plains in 1869.  Nine children with eight surviving childhood.

John and Mary Ann took up farming and whom should the younger people meet up with but the nearby Kingshott’s and Hay families all of whom inter-marry into the Oakley family.


3. Caroline Matilda Hay 1864   m  William Walter Parsons
4. Elizabeth Emma Emmaline Hay 1867 m Alfred Henry Manser.  She died in Victoria
5. Mary Ann Selina Hay  1869  m  Gerald Ahern
6.  Rhonda Ruth Janet Hay m  Wallace Brownlow
7.  Ada Alberta Phoebe Hay  1873  m  Henry Albert Young   He was the son of Thomas Henry Young
  Thomas Henry Young was the son of John Young and Maria Hay.
8. Oliver Thomas Robert Hay 1877




7.  James Hay b 1821  married Mary Triffitt  She was the daughter of Thomas Triffitt and
They had 5 children die in infancy and two who died as teenagers.
Robert Hay (1774-1839)
Mother
Maria Hopper Hazelwood (1775-1880)
Spouse
Mary Triffitt (1820-1893)
Married 1841 
Children
Susannah (1840-)
Matilda Elizabeth (1842-1843)
Emma Amelia (1844-)
Rebecca Ruth (1845-1870)
Arthur William (1851-1916)
Georgina Frances (1853-)
Frederick Thomas Mylam (1856-1856)
Henry Joseph (1857-)
Oliver Charles Asia (1861-1862)
1.     Susannah Hay married William John Isant Clarke 
2.          Arthur William Hay married Annie Maria Young. 

       She was the daughter of Maria Hay and James Young.
       Maria Hay was the daughter of Robert Hay and Elizabeth Hopper Hazlewood

8. Elizabeth Hay 1823  m  John Frederick Triffitt.
9. Maria Hay      1825  m  John Young
10. Caroline Hay 1828  m  Benjamin Brooks
11. Thomas Hay   1832  m  Catherine Lynch   m  Mary Squires   (Victoria)  Camberdown Cemetery
12.  Ann Hay    1835     m Samuel William Triffitt















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