F is for and Florence and for Finch Hatton #AtoZChallenge2016

F is for Florence and for Finch Hatton.

Florence Elizabeth Walker, my 1st cousin 3 times removed, was the first child and eldest of three daughters of Alex & Mary Jane Walker. Florence (I wonder if she was called Flo) was born on the 25th September 1893 in Walkerston. Florence is the mother of Daisy Louisa who was the subject  of my D blog, you can read it here.

Florence married James Harvison on the 17th October 1894 in Walkerston. The couple had four children, two boys, and two girls. Their first son, Thomas Alexander, was born and died in 1896, aged just ten days. Florence was widowed in November 1898. She remarried Powell (Paul) Poulson on the 17th  June 1904 in Mackay. The couple had seven children, three boys, and four girls. One one, Alexander Vivian, died aged about two years. The other children all lived reasonably long lives.

Paul Poulson had the Marian Bakery and the family also ran the Marian Store. As noted in the Daily Mercury¹ in 1914 the store had the latest in an American Soft Drink Fountain. It must have been of great interest in Marian.



Florence was active in the local community, organising Sales of Work, Country Dances, and other community fundraising activities. She was again widowed in 1925 and continued her life in and around Marian. I think Florence’s connection to the community and her family would have been a great treasure to her in her widowhood.

Florence died on the 1st August 1851 and was buried in the Walkerston Cemetery the next day as noted in the Daily Mercury².



Now for Finch Hatton …

Finch Hatton, a rural town 60 km west of Mackay, is toward the western end of the Pioneer River/Cattle Creek valley.

The locality was known as Hatton, named after Harold and Henry Finch-Hatton, local land owners and gold miners in the hills to the south-west. Harold Finch-Hatton was also the author of a popular travel book, Advance Australia (1885), with several pages on his mining and pastoral adventures. Because of the confusion with Hatton Vale, south Queensland, the full Finch Hatton surname was adopted in 1906 for the small township and railway station³.

In 1903 the Pioneer Shire Council built a railway extension from just beyond Mirani to Upper Cattle Creek, prompting the Racecourse Central sugar mill (Mackay) to develop the Finch Hatton Valley for cane farming. By 1904, a complete railway was running to Finch Hatton³.

The Finch Hatton Gorge and Cattle Creek are quite lovely and if you are very quiet you may be lucky enough to spot a platypus. I have been fortunate enough to do so. My ex-husband’s family grow cane on the banks of Cattle Creek so I have visited the area quite often.



Why do I mention Finch Hatton, well again my grandmother talked about Finch Hatton, they would take a buggy ride there to visit an Antoney uncle and family and a nephew of Florence (Rupert John Higham) farmed there. Perhaps Florence visited him? With the railway in place, it would have been much easier to Florence to get about the district.

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1. 1914 'MARIAN.', Daily Mercury (Mackay, Qld. : 1906 - 1954), 29 December, p. 3. , viewed 06 Apr 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article190870464
2. 1951 'Family Notices', Daily Mercury (Mackay, Qld. : 1906 - 1954), 2 August, p. 2. , viewed 06 Apr 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article172245731
3. http://queenslandplaces.com.au/finch-hatton accessed on 7 Apr 2016.

E is for Elizabeth and Eton Vale #AtoZChallenge2016

E  is for Elizabeth and later Eton Vale.

Elizabeth Hanna Antoney nee Young was my maternal great great grandmother and sister to Mary Jane Walker nee Young. Elizabeth was married to Joseph Antoney and lived on a property “Eton Vale” near North Eton. It was from Elizabeth’s 1921 obituary¹ that I discovered the existence of Mary Jane.

I’m sure that Elizabeth must have written to her sister Mary Jane advising her to come out to Queensland as she had been resident here since 1864 and had married Joseph Antoney in Bowen in 1867. She was settled in the Mackay District by the time Mary Jane arrived in 1871 and I’m also sure that she must have delighted in having a sister to share stories of home.

What continues to puzzle me is the lack of mention by my grandmother of Aunt Mary Jane or other members of the Walker family. My grandmother, Dorothy May, often talked about aunts, cousins and in-laws but never a mention of the Walkers. I will have to really put my thinking cap on and try a variety of research opportunities to solve this puzzle. Perhaps a cousin is out there with more information?

Now for Eton Vale ...

Eton Vale was the name of the property selected by Joseph Antoney near the settlement of Eton² in the Mackay District.



The Australian Handbook³ published in 1903 describes Eton as:



My grandmother told many a happy story about her grandfather’s farm Eton Vale and about Eton and North Eton where she was born. I must make the effort to travel north and visit some of these places – but in winter definitely.

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1. 1921 'PERSONAL.', Daily Mercury (Mackay, Qld. : 1906 - 1954), 2 February, p. 2. , viewed 06 Apr 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article188692401
2. 1936 'NOMENCLATURE OF QUEENSLAND.—121',The Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1933 - 1954), 18 February, p. 12. , viewed 06 Apr 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article36781499
3. The Australian Handbook, 1903 accessed from
   http://queenslandplaces.com.au/eton on 6 April 2016

D is for Daisy and Draper's Siding #AtoZChallenge2016

D is for Daisy Louisa Harvison and later Draper's Siding.

Daisy Louisa Harvison, my second cousin twice removed,  was born on 3rd August 1895 in Walkerston. She was the first child of James Harvison and Florence Elizabeth Walker. The Harvison family lived and farmed at Newbury Junction near Marian. Daisy lost her father when she was three when he died in 1898. Her mother was left with three small children and married again to Edward Powell (Paul) Poulson in 1904.

Pottering around TROVE I found Daisy mentioned in the Mackay Mercury's Marian notes describing the facilities in Marian - obviously, Daisy was doing well in her refreshment room - I wonder what her scones were like?

1923 'MARIAN.', Daily Mercury (Mackay, Qld. : 1906 - 1954), 28 March, p. 8. , viewed 04 Apr 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article169209483

 By January 1924, however, Daisy had sold her refreshment room business and was advertising in the Mercury that all accounts must be paid. Perhaps she sold her business because of her other family commitments or perhaps she was not doing so well? 

1924 'Advertising', Daily Mercury (Mackay, Qld. : 1906 - 1954), 21 January, p. 8. , viewed 04 Apr 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article169221213

Daisy was active in the Marian community, both as a businesswoman and as an active community member.  A mention in the Marian Notes in the Mercury shows Daisy as Secretary of the Matron's and Spinsters Ball committee - how interesting a Spinsters Ball!

1924 'MARIAN.', Daily Mercury (Mackay, Qld. : 1906 - 1954), 5 July, p. 3. , viewed 04 Apr 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article168136516

Daisy is next noted in 1925 organising a Sale of Work in aid of the Church of England - note that it is to be followed by a Grand Carnival Dance and Euchre Party.I can just imagine the handiworks that were offered for the sale of work - I'm sure they were beautiful - another glimpse of forgotten days.  My grandmother loved Euchre and often talked about dances and euchre parties - I guess this sort of event was just such a one.

1925 'Advertising', Daily Mercury (Mackay, Qld. : 1906 - 1954), 7 October, p. 8. , viewed 04 Apr 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article168620397

There are many more mentions of Daisy being involved in the local community of Marian. She was organising fundraisers for the local Church of England, fancy dress dances, and morning teas. No doubt her experience as a businesswoman in her refreshment rooms gave her a head start.

Daisy married Wilhelm August Carl Zunker on the 9th June 1926 - possibly in Marian. She died on the 18th October 1983 - more research needed.

Reading about Daisy in the Marian community in the 1920s we can see a glimpse of what community life was like - there being no TV or the Internet - people made their own events gathering together and meeting other like-minded people. Daisy fits into my impression of what rural Mackay was like from conversation with my grandmother who was born in  North Eton in 1898.

Now ... on to Draper's Siding named after Andrew Draper who owned the land where the railway line finished to the north of the township of Eton.

The introduction of the train service to the Pioneer Valley (Mackay Region) on 10th August 1885 when the first trains ran to Mackay from Draper's Siding (near Eton). The total length of the line opened on that day was 22.4 miles (Daily Mercury Saturday 26 August 1939). There was also a branch line from Newbury Junction to Hamilton (later called Mirani) on the banks of the Pioneer River. The railway certainly opened up the area west of Mackay and enabled passengers and goods to be transported easily and with some confidence of frequency of trains. No doubt the Harvison and Walker families used this line.

Scrolling through TROVE there is numerous mentions of the ambulance service at Draper's Siding and the number of cases transported - it seems that the area had its fair share of trauma.

In 1902, the half-yearly meeting of the North Eton Cooperative Mill reported that the tramway connected to Draper's Siding was lifted and relaid to connect with Victoria Siding, a station one mile closer to the mill. At the time of reporting my great grandfather John Douglas Thomas, was the Secretary of the Mill. 

1902 'North Eton Central Mill.', Mackay Mercury (Qld. : 1887 - 1905), 4 September, p. 2. , viewed 05 Apr 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article170219358

There are many mentions of events surrounding Draper's Siding on TROVE as previously mentioned. In 1952 the following occurred:
 

1952 'SIDING TO BE REMOVED', Daily Mercury (Mackay, Qld. : 1906 - 1954), 1 April, p. 2. , viewed 04 Apr 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article172092322

So after 67 years the actual rail siding was removed - however people still reside in the Draper's Siding area today.

C is for Clarence and Cassada Sugar Mill #AtoZChallenge2016

C is for Clarence Walker Higham firstly and later the Cassada Sugar Mill.

Clarence Walker Higham is the second son of William James Higham and Frances Helena Margaret Walker and my second cousin twice removed. He is a grandson to Alex and Mary Jane Walker. Clarence was born on the 7th February 1905 I believe in Mirani where his father was listed on the 1903 Queensland Electoral Roll as a baker at the Mirani Bakery.

I next come across Clarence in the 1917 High School Entrance Examination where he was one of 70 students who passed the exam, he was about half way down the list of successful candidates.

1917 'HIGH SCHOOL ENTRANCE EXAMINATION.',Daily Mercury (Mackay, Qld. : 1906 - 1954), 13 December, p. 2. , viewed 02 Apr 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article173903694

Clarence (Clary) then appears in the Daily Mercury on the 8th March 1932 as the successful buyer of a farm with his brother Rupert John (John) at Mt Pelion. The Higham family appears on the 1934 Queensland Electoral Roll at Mt Pelion.

1932 'MT. PELION', Daily Mercury (Mackay, Qld. : 1906 - 1954), 8 March, p. 10. , viewed 02 Apr 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article170756906

The next entry in the Daily Mercury is on the 1st October 1935 and is an engagement notice.

1935 'ENGAGEMENT. NOTICE.', Daily Mercury (Mackay, Qld. : 1906 - 1954), 1 October, p. 4. , viewed 02 Apr 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article173336132

As you can see from the notice Clary became engaged to Miss Constance Cutherbert Shepherd known as Connie. They married the following year in 1936. I imagine that as Clary had bought a farm and established himself he was able to marry and settle down. The C. Higham family appear on 12 January 1953 as spending Christmas with Mrs. H. Watt. It would appear from this note that Clary and Connie had a family - more research needed.

1953 'Range lands require rain ', Daily Mercury (Mackay, Qld. : 1906 - 1954), 12 January, p. 5. , viewed 03 Apr 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article169920902

In 1948, there was keen interest in lots at Seaforth (a beachside area) and Clary was successful in purchasing Lots 14 & 17. His brothers Rupert and Lester were also successful.

1948 'KEEN DEMAND FOR SEAFORTH ALLOTMENTS', Daily Mercury (Mackay, Qld. : 1906 - 1954), 4 March, p. 2. , viewed 03 Apr 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article171262339

Both Clary and Connie last appear on the 1959 Queensland Electoral Roll as a farmer and home duties at Mt Pelion.

Clarence Walker Higham died on the 26th November 1964 in Queensland, Constance Cutherbert Higham died on the 29th November in Mackay, Queensland. Further research is needed to determine burial sites.

Now, continuing early Mackay history - the Cassada Sugar Mill.

Parish Map of Greenmount showing the location of the Cassada plantation.

Parish Map of Greenmount showing the
location of the Cassada plantation.

Robert Edward Donaldson selected portion 101 in the parish of Greenmount, over 100 acres of land on the southern side of Baker's Creek on 5 November 1868 and began clearing scrub, planting cane and commenced the erection of buildings to house the district's fourth sugar mill.  He ordered a mill from Smellie's Co. in Brisbane and commenced crushing in the first week of October in 1870. The mill was driven by two horses straining at a whim providing the power to crush the cane and included wooden rollers.  The first seasons output was 14 tons of sugar from about 7 acres of cane.  Cassada was closed in 1886 after the bank withdrew support. All that survives today is an old boiler lying in the creek bed of Bakers Creek. 

Cassada Sugar Mill c.1870's (Source: John Oxley Library)

Cassada Sugar Mill c.1870's
(Source: John Oxley Library)

So you may ask, why do I mention Cassada Sugar Mill? The Cassada Plantation (portion 101) was across Baker's Creek from Walkerston and Alex Walker and his family was farming in the district - I am almost sure that they would have known the Donaldsons as the Donaldson family was often mentioned by my grandmother. And, after all, the district in the 1860s and 70s was quite small.

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Reference:
Kerr, John. (1988). A Century of Sugar. Mackay, QLD:  Mackay Sugar Co-operative Association Limited. p. 35, 61.

B is for a Better Life and Bucasia #AtoZChallenge2016

B is for a Better Life and Bucasia. First, a better life. By this, I mean the chance of a better life as the reason my ancestors travelled across the seas, a long and dangerous journey in the 1850s - 1870s when many of my ancestors arrived.

I find it hard to imagine the journey today when I shudder at the long flight - 24 hours plus - it takes to get me to the UK. Their journey was as long as four months in calm weather while a clipper could arrive in half that time in favourable winds. Also, the conditions onboard ship were extremely poor for 'steerage' passengers and most of my ancestors were poor immigrants and arrived via the 'steerage' berths.

So, why did Alex Walker and Mary Jane Young come? The conditions in Ireland during and after the famine or 'Great Hunger' were appalling - little work available, little or no opportunity to own a farm or to advance in prosperity. 

For Alex and Mary Jane, they came separately, they undertook the long journey across the oceans to Australia seeking fortune, opportunity and freedom. Mary Jane had her sister, Elizabeth Hannah, already in Australia and no doubt she had written back to Dublin encouraging her sister to join her in Queensland. Alex as previously mentioned went first to New Zealand and then to Victoria and  finally to Queensland

Their journeys must have been accompanied by feelings of sadness, excitement, fear, and hope - after all they knew they would most probably never see their family or homelands again. How brave they were, I don't think I would have been as brave. 

And, what did they find? Well, Alex and Mary Jane met in Mackay, Queensland, married, established a farm near Walkerston and raised three daughters, had 28 grandchildren and 40 so far identified great-grandchildren.  Not bad!

On to the second B post - Bucasia.

Bucasia, Google Map accessed 2 April 2016

Bucasia is a town and now one of the largest suburbs of Mackay in the Mackay Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2011 census, Bucasia had a population of 4,257 people. 

In 1874, Bucasia was originally called Marara but was later named Seaview. In 1938, it was decided that there were too many places called Seaview and so it was renamed Bucasia after Father Pierre-Marie (Paul) Bucas, the first Roman Catholic priest in Mackay. (Wikipedia - here)

The reason I have included Bucasia in the A to Z Challenge is that in the 1922 Queensland Electoral Roll for the Division of Herbert (now Dawson), Mary Jane Walker was residing with a daughter on the Esplanade. I wonder if she was just having a seaside break or if she was living with her daughter more permanently. I hope she was enjoying the sea view and the sea air.

A is for Alexander #AtoZChallenge2016

Friday 1 April - the start of the 2016 A to Z Challenge.

So, starting with A, who was Alexander Walker? 

Alexander or Alex Walker as he was known, was born in Belfast, Co. Antrim, Ireland on 11 June 1825. He migrated to New Zealand and then to Australia, arriving on 26th April 1863 in Hobson's Bay, Victoria on the Alhambra from Port Chalmers, Dunedin, NZ. Alex then made his way to Mackay arriving there in the mid-1860s. 

He married Mary Jane Young in 1872 in Mackay and had three daughters of the marriage. Alex and Mary Jane selected a farm near Walkerston where he was listed as both a farmer and a carpenter in various publications.

Alex died on 13th November 1909 and was buried in the Walkerston Cemetery on 14th November 1909. He was survived by his wife and three daughters.

1909 'DEATH OF AN OLD RESIDENT.', Daily Mercury (Mackay, Qld. : 1906 - 1954), 23 November, p. 4. , viewed 30 Mar 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article173266812

Burial Card from Walkerston Cemetery

As you can see there is a problem with the date of death. The Qld Births, Deaths & Marriages Registry records his death as 1909 (C2346) as does the Daily Mercury, however, the burial record of the Walkerston Cemetery records his death as 13th November 1910. Obviously a transcription error, it just shows how you have to check and check again.

Now, just a little bit about Mackay, Queensland where Alex married Mary Jane. The useful website, Queensland Places, that you can visit here, tells us that Mackay was named after the explorer, John Mackay who led an expedition from Armidale, New South Wales, in search of northern grazing lands. In May 1860, after exploring inland regions, Mackay reached the Pioneer River, upon which the town of Mackay was later established.

Municipal government began in 1869 and the Mackay township's population tripled during the 1870s. Mackay was described in the Australian Handbook in 1876:

From the Australian Handbook, 1872 accessed from
http://queenslandplaces.com.au/mackay on 1 April 2016

More about the Mackay District as the Challenge develops ...

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Source Citations:

Inward Overseas Passenger Lists (New Zealand Ports). Microfiche VPRS 13439, copy of VRPS 947. Public Record Office Victoria, North Melbourne, Victoria.

http://queenslandplaces.com.au/mackay accessed 1 April 2016