Hello Max, What a tragic story, and what a brave boy your grandfather was. And isn't it good that you are here to pass on this story. If we look closely enough into our families, there would be other stories almost as poignant as this. Have a lovely Christmas, Liz Lake Macquarie, NSW At 02:40 PM 20/12/2008, you wrote: >In 1894 my Grandfather at age nine fed his week old sibling (sex not known) >with milk arrowroot biscuit moistened in his spittle. > >This was following the death of their father who was killed when a dynamite >detonator accidently exploded in his mouth whilst he was crimping a fuse >into it with his teeth. > >Their distraught mother ran off into the scrub and deserted her brood never >to be seen again. My Grandfather gave his siblings away to total strangers >and was found a job as a sweep up boy with a shearing team. > >Merry Christmas > >Max > >-------Original Message------- > >From: sandra fox >Date: 19/12/2008 10:47:22 PM >To: aus-pt-jackson-convicts@rootsweb.com >Subject: Re: [PJ] The old Markets and Police Station > >Lesley, Ken and others. Back in those days there were such things as "wet >nurses"and it was not unusual for a feeding mother to feed other babies as >well as her own. Sandra >----- Original Message ----- > > >------------------------------- >To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >AUS-PT-JACKSON-CONVICTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' >without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >. > > >------------------------------- >To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >AUS-PT-JACKSON-CONVICTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word >'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message
At 18 my grandfather eventually became a gun shearer and when steam power came to Australia he rode his horse in blinding rain from Moree to Brisbane to sit the exam for his Steam Engine Operators license. The journey took him six weeks. How he studied is not known as he was illiterate until he married and his wife taught him to read and write at age 23. No quarter was given. All questions had to be answered correctly. He was asked how to adjust two cast iron castings that were slightly irregular and the answer he gave was with the use of brass shims. Although his answer was correct in NSW he was ruled incorrect as in Queensland they called them packing pieces. Interstate rivaly was evident even back in those days. He had to ride back to Brisbane the following year and re sit the exam at which time he was sucessful in becomming the second holder of a Steam Engine Operators License in Australia. This made him what was known as 'The Expert' meaning he had his own shearing team and was in charge of the shearing shed and the steam engine that powered the cutting comb machinery. The Steam Engine was moved from Sheep property to Sheep property on a wooden sled pulled by draught horses or bullocks. regards Max -------Original Message------- From: Elizabeth Walker Date: 12/20/08 15:06:42 To: aus-pt-jackson-convicts@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [PJ] The old Markets and Police Station Hello Max, What a tragic story, and what a brave boy your grandfather was. And isn't it good that you are here to pass on this story. If we look closely enough into our families, there would be other stories almost as poignant as this. Have a lovely Christmas, Liz Lake Macquarie, NSW At 02:40 PM 20/12/2008, you wrote: >In 1894 my Grandfather at age nine fed his week old sibling (sex not known) >with milk arrowroot biscuit moistened in his spittle. > >This was following the death of their father who was killed when a dynamite >detonator accidently exploded in his mouth whilst he was crimping a fuse >into it with his teeth. > >Their distraught mother ran off into the scrub and deserted her brood never >to be seen again. My Grandfather gave his siblings away to total strangers >and was found a job as a sweep up boy with a shearing team. > >Merry Christmas > >Max > >-------Original Message------- > >From: sandra fox >Date: 19/12/2008 10:47:22 PM >To: aus-pt-jackson-convicts@rootsweb.com >Subject: Re: [PJ] The old Markets and Police Station > >Lesley, Ken and others. Back in those days there were such things as "wet >nurses"and it was not unusual for a feeding mother to feed other babies as >well as her own. Sandra >----- Original Message ----- > > >------------------------------- >To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >AUS-PT-JACKSON-CONVICTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' >without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >. > > >------------------------------- >To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >AUS-PT-JACKSON-CONVICTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word >'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to AUS-PT-JACKSON-CONVICTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message .
Next instalment, please Max, This is wonderful history. Liz At 03:40 PM 20/12/2008, you wrote: >At 18 my grandfather eventually became a gun shearer and when steam power >came to Australia he rode his horse in blinding rain from Moree to Brisbane >to sit the exam for his Steam Engine Operators license. > >The journey took him six weeks. How he studied is not known as he was >illiterate until he married and his wife taught him to read and write at age >23. >
Well Max, you have answered a question that I was not sure of. I have a copy of a reference which was given to my grandfather by J C Riley of Darah, Wallendbeen in 1931 which certified "that (my grandfather) had been overseeing & experting for us at Arramagong, Grenfell & Darah, Wallendbeen this season." I now know what it meant. This is the same man who received a certificate in 1902 stating that he had "been educated up to the standard of education required by the "Public Instruction Act of 1880". Lyn ----- Original Message ----- From: "Max Bancroft" <maxwell1@bigpond.net.au> To: <aus-pt-jackson-convicts@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, December 20, 2008 2:40 PM Subject: Re: [PJ] The old Markets and Police Station > At 18 my grandfather eventually became a gun shearer and when steam power > came to Australia he rode his horse in blinding rain from Moree to > Brisbane > to sit the exam for his Steam Engine Operators license. > > The journey took him six weeks. How he studied is not known as he was > illiterate until he married and his wife taught him to read and write at > age > 23. > > No quarter was given. All questions had to be answered correctly. He was > asked how to adjust two cast iron castings that were slightly irregular > and > the answer he gave was with the use of brass shims. > > Although his answer was correct in NSW he was ruled incorrect as in > Queensland they called them packing pieces. > Interstate rivaly was evident even back in those days. > > He had to ride back to Brisbane the following year and re sit the exam at > which time he was sucessful in becomming the second holder of a Steam > Engine > Operators License in Australia. > > This made him what was known as 'The Expert' meaning he had his own > shearing > team and was in charge of the shearing shed and the steam engine that > powered the cutting comb machinery. > > The Steam Engine was moved from Sheep property to Sheep property on a > wooden > sled pulled by draught horses or bullocks. > > regards > > Max > -------Original Message------- > > From: Elizabeth Walker > Date: 12/20/08 15:06:42 > To: aus-pt-jackson-convicts@rootsweb.com > Subject: Re: [PJ] The old Markets and Police Station > > Hello Max, > > What a tragic story, and what a brave boy your grandfather > was. And isn't it good that you are here to pass on this > story. If we look closely enough into our families, there would be > other stories almost as poignant as this. > > Have a lovely Christmas, > > Liz > Lake Macquarie, NSW > > At 02:40 PM 20/12/2008, you wrote: >>In 1894 my Grandfather at age nine fed his week old sibling (sex not >>known) > >>with milk arrowroot biscuit moistened in his spittle. >> >>This was following the death of their father who was killed when a >>dynamite > >>detonator accidently exploded in his mouth whilst he was crimping a fuse >>into it with his teeth. >> >>Their distraught mother ran off into the scrub and deserted her brood >>never > >>to be seen again. My Grandfather gave his siblings away to total strangers >>and was found a job as a sweep up boy with a shearing team. >> >>Merry Christmas >> >>Max >> >>-------Original Message------- >> >>From: sandra fox >>Date: 19/12/2008 10:47:22 PM >>To: aus-pt-jackson-convicts@rootsweb.com >>Subject: Re: [PJ] The old Markets and Police Station >> >>Lesley, Ken and others. Back in those days there were such things as "wet >>nurses"and it was not unusual for a feeding mother to feed other babies as >>well as her own. Sandra >>----- Original Message ----- >> >> >>------------------------------- >>To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > >AUS-PT-JACKSON-CONVICTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word > 'unsubscribe' > >>without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >>. >> >> >>------------------------------- >>To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > >AUS-PT-JACKSON-CONVICTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word >>'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the >>message > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > AUS-PT-JACKSON-CONVICTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' > without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > . > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > AUS-PT-JACKSON-CONVICTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' > without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >
Hello Stan, last year I heard a whisper that 'someone' at a University somewhere' in Australia was compiling a data base on the working lives of men who worked in the Shearing industry. Unfortunately I haven't been able to contact the person who mentioned it since. Do you, or any of the list members have details of who it is that is undertaking this study? regards Max -------Original Message------- From: Stan Elgood Date: 20/12/2008 7:12:08 PM To: aus-pt-jackson-convicts@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [PJ] The old Markets and Police Station Well Max, you have answered a question that I was not sure of. I have a copy of a reference which was given to my grandfather by J C Riley of Darah, Wallendbeen in 1931 which certified "that (my grandfather) had been overseeing & experting for us at Arramagong, Grenfell & Darah, Wallendbeen this season." I now know what it meant. This is the same man who received a certificate in 1902 stating that he had "been educated up to the standard of education required by the "Public Instruction Act of 1880". Lyn ----- Original Message ----- From: "Max Bancroft" <maxwell1@bigpond.net.au> To: <aus-pt-jackson-convicts@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, December 20, 2008 2:40 PM Subject: Re: [PJ] The old Markets and Police Station > At 18 my grandfather eventually became a gun shearer and when steam power > came to Australia he rode his horse in blinding rain from Moree to > Brisbane > to sit the exam for his Steam Engine Operators license. > > The journey took him six weeks. How he studied is not known as he was > illiterate until he married and his wife taught him to read and write at > age > 23. > > No quarter was given. All questions had to be answered correctly. He was > asked how to adjust two cast iron castings that were slightly irregular > and > the answer he gave was with the use of brass shims. > > Although his answer was correct in NSW he was ruled incorrect as in > Queensland they called them packing pieces. > Interstate rivaly was evident even back in those days. > > He had to ride back to Brisbane the following year and re sit the exam at > which time he was sucessful in becomming the second holder of a Steam > Engine > Operators License in Australia. > > This made him what was known as 'The Expert' meaning he had his own > shearing > team and was in charge of the shearing shed and the steam engine that > powered the cutting comb machinery. > > The Steam Engine was moved from Sheep property to Sheep property on a > wooden > sled pulled by draught horses or bullocks. > > regards > > Max > -------Original Message------- > > From: Elizabeth Walker > Date: 12/20/08 15:06:42 > To: aus-pt-jackson-convicts@rootsweb.com > Subject: Re: [PJ] The old Markets and Police Station > > Hello Max, > > What a tragic story, and what a brave boy your grandfather > was. And isn't it good that you are here to pass on this > story. If we look closely enough into our families, there would be > other stories almost as poignant as this. > > Have a lovely Christmas, > > Liz > Lake Macquarie, NSW > > At 02:40 PM 20/12/2008, you wrote: >>In 1894 my Grandfather at age nine fed his week old sibling (sex not >>known) > >>with milk arrowroot biscuit moistened in his spittle. >> >>This was following the death of their father who was killed when a >>dynamite > >>detonator accidently exploded in his mouth whilst he was crimping a fuse >>into it with his teeth. >> >>Their distraught mother ran off into the scrub and deserted her brood >>never > >>to be seen again. My Grandfather gave his siblings away to total strangers >>and was found a job as a sweep up boy with a shearing team. >> >>Merry Christmas >> >>Max >> >>-------Original Message------- >> >>From: sandra fox >>Date: 19/12/2008 10:47:22 PM >>To: aus-pt-jackson-convicts@rootsweb.com >>Subject: Re: [PJ] The old Markets and Police Station >> >>Lesley, Ken and others. Back in those days there were such things as "wet >>nurses"and it was not unusual for a feeding mother to feed other babies as >>well as her own. Sandra >>----- Original Message ----- >> >> >>------------------------------- >>To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > &gt;AUS-PT-JACKSON-CONVICTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word > 'unsubscribe' > >>without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >>. >> >> >>------------------------------- >>To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > &gt;AUS-PT-JACKSON-CONVICTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word >>'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the >>message > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > AUS-PT-JACKSON-CONVICTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' > without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > . > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > AUS-PT-JACKSON-CONVICTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' > without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to AUS-PT-JACKSON-CONVICTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message .