| Sources |
- [S_1312901496] Ancestry.com, New South Wales, Australia, Assisted Immigrant Passenger Lists, 1828-1896, (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007.Original data - New South Wales Government. “Returns of convicts applications for wives and families to be brought to New South Wales at Government expense.” Series 1190, Reel 699. Stat), State Records Authority of New South Wales; Kingswood New South Wales, Australia; Persons on bounty ships (Agent's Immigrant Lists); Series: 5316; Reel: 2139.
- [S_1474357851] Ancestry.com, Australia Death Index, 1787-1985, (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.Original data - Compiled from publicly available sources.Original data: Compiled from publicly available sources.).
Death date: 1926
Death place: Queensland
- [S_1475691349] Ancestry.com, Australia Marriage Index, 1788-1950, (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.Original data - Compiled from publicly available sources.Original data: Compiled from publicly available sources.), Registrar - Generals Office.
- [S_1475691349] Ancestry.com, Australia Marriage Index, 1788-1950, (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.Original data - Compiled from publicly available sources.Original data: Compiled from publicly available sources.).
- [S_1470630825] Ancestry.com, 1851 England Census, (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.Original data - Census Returns of England and Wales, 1851. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1851. Data imaged from the National A), Class: HO107; Piece: 1712; Folio: 236; Page: 8; GSU roll: 193620.
Birth date: abt 1845
Birth place: Welwyn, Hertfordshire, England
Residence date: 1851
Residence place: Welwyn, Hertfordshire, England
- [S_1476123928] FreeBMD, England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915, (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.Original data - General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration Indexes. London, England: General Register Office. © Crown copyright. Published by permission of the Contro).
- [S_890319360] Ancestry.com, Australia and New Zealand, Find A Grave Index, 1800s-Current, (Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.).
- .
From Henry Aldridge memoirs and IGI<hr>
- .
In the 1841 census James and Sarah are at the Brickwall Hotel, Digswell, Welwyn, with the following children:
George 20
William ?
Sarah 16
Henry 15
Mary ?
Edward 5
- .
Page 21
Baptism solemnised in the Parish of Welwyn in the County of Hertford in the year 1844
1844 born April 16 Bapd May 26 No 162
Name: Henry
Parents: William and Mary Anne Aldridge
Abode: Welwyn
Trade: Carrier
Ceremony performed by W.R.Colbeck
The above is a true copy of the Baptismal Register of the parish aforesaid, extracted this Twentieth day of February in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Eightyone by me C.L .Wingfield Rector of Welwyn<hr>
- .
1851 census for Fore St, Brick Wall, Welwyn:
William Aldridge, head, aged 32, beershopkeeper, born Stevenage
Mary A Aldridge, wife, aged 38, born Welwyn
Herny Aldridge, son, aged 6, scholar, born Welwyn
William Smith stepson, unm, aged 16, app shoemaker, born Marleybone, Middlesex
William Smith, father-in-law, aged 66, pauper (formerly thatcher), born Offley, Herts
<hr>
- .
Found in Post Office directory in 1914 at Royal Hotel, Moonmera<hr>
QUEENSLAND GOLD EXHIBITS AT THE
EXHIBITION.
Tho following copy of a report addressed to Sir James Garrick has been handed to us for publication by the Commissioner for the Colonial and Indian Exhibition :
Sir,-I have the honour to submit for your information particulars respecting the several parcels of Queensland gold ores crushed and treated at the above mill, together with an account of the mill and other interesting matter.
From the No. 1 North Phoenix G.M. Com- pany, at Gympie :
Total weight of ore crushed, 20 tons ; gold bar produced, 56oz. 4dwt.; average yield per ton, 2oz. 15dwt. 6gr.; assay value per oz. troy, £3 11s. 5d.; total value of bar, £200 14s.
This parcel of ore was of a free milling character, very little gold being obtained from the concentrators after being ground and amal- gamated in the pans. The tailings from this parcel do not contain more than about l 1/2dwt. to the ton.
From tho Disraeli Mine Syndicate Company, Limited, of 138 Leadenhall street, London, E.C., whoso property is situated at Rishton, near Charters Towers :
Total weight of ore crushed, 7 tons 4 cwt. ; gold bar produced, 27oz. 9dwt. ; average yield per ton, 3oz. I6dwt. 6gr. ; assay value per oz. troy, £3 5s. 3d. ; total value of bar, £89 11s.
The Disraeli ore contained a large quantity of sulphides, very complex and refractory, and requiring careful treatment. Evidence of this was shown in the milling, a little over one third of the amalgam being obtained from the box and copper plates and nearly two-thirds from the pans. This parcel had been assayed before leaving tho mine at Rishton, and gave 3oz. 8dwt. of gold to the ton. When crushed here the returns gave 3oz. 16dwt. 6gr., or 8dwt. 6gr. botter than the assay. This shows the unre- liability of single assays on rough bulk ore. The tailings from this lot contain about 5dwt. to the ton.
A parcel of 90 tons from tho Day Dawn Block and Wyndham Company's mine, at Charters Towers, is now being crushed, of which about 20 tons have gone through. This looks to go from 2oz. to 2 1/2 oz to the ton.
Specification of the mill which is erected on tho South Promenade at the Exhibition.
Machinery supplied by Messrs. John Walker and Co., of Maryborough, Queensland :
One five-head battery complete.
Complete set of cedar tables, with wheels and nipples.
Seven sheets of copper plating for ditto. One Halley's concentrator complete.
Massive foundations of ironbark timber for the battery. This timber, within view of the public, has been planed and polished, and is exhibited as a sample of our hardwoods from the colony.
The battery has boen much admired by engi- neers in this country for its design and strength, and is allowed by everyone to be a well-turned out piece of machinery.
As the battery and concentrator alone would be incomplete for the treatment of the mundic ores from Charters Towers and else where in the colony without the necessary grinding and amalgamating pans, the following, manufac- tured by an English firm from plans and specifications prepared by myself, have been added to the battery.
One " Boss " pan (an improvement on the old Wheeler pan). Tho grinding capacity of this pan is about four tons in the twenty-four hours.
Two berdan pans of the ordinary type, hav- ing suspended stationary mullers.
One 7ft. settler.
The necessary counter shafting, pulleys, and belting had to be provided for driving the pans.
The following were also required to make the mill complete :
One "cleaning up" table, with mercury, buckets, and dishes.
One safe, by Chubb.
Set of scales for weighing the ore. Set of gold scales. One clock.
Restoring, smelting, and assaying furnaces. One retort, with condenser complete. Chemicals, crucibles, tools, &c.
In the diggers' compartment on one side of the battory, are :
Ono cedar cradle, dipper, three puddling tubs, and shovel.
The mill is complete in every respect, and is capable of fully treating nearly all of our com- plex mundic ores, as well as those of a free- milling nature, fromrough bulk ore right out to the gold bar.
The two gold bars produced, together with several picked specimens and a large ball of hard amalgam, are displayed within view of the public in a glass case erected on the cross- head of the concentrator.
The battery house of pine and G. O. iron is 50ft. by 32ft., with a gallery across one end 32ft. by 10ft., and an office 10ft. by 10ft. The walls are covered with plans and maps of the chief goldfields of the colony, together with photos and paintings of mining camps and bush life.
We have three displays of the gold ores sent from the colony.
The first is in the Queensland Court of the Exhibition in a large structure 14ft. in dia- meter and 6ft. high, in twelve divisions. This structure supports the gilt frustum of a pyramid representing the total output of gold from the colony.
The second is a glass case 32ft. long by 2ft. 6in, erected on the gallery front in the battery house.
The third is in the open air on the "spare ground," 54ft, by 18ft, at the eastern and of the battery house.
Besides these there are a series of half-table glass cases placed around the court in the Exhibition containing the general collection of Queensland mineral exhibits, in all about 1400 specimens, grouped to indicate the entire metalliferous products of the various districts of the colony.
These displays and the running of the gold mill attract universal attention, Every day I have a stream of people filing through the office, making anxious inquiries about Queensland and its gold mines, the net outcome being that the colony is at the top in the city as a gold-producing country ; the placing of the Day Dawn Block and Wyndham Mine here last week for nearly half a million is a proof of this.
The Queensland gold digger (Mr. Henry Aldridge), when at work rocking the cradle, dressed in correct digger's uniform, is also a great attraction, so much so that it is not un- common for scuffles or mild fights to take place at the barriers between those spectators who wish to get a good view of the interesting operation of winning gold from alluvial gravel.
I have much pleasure in stating that the mill has been inspected by the Right Hon. Edward Stanhope, Secretary of State for the Colonies, his Excellency Sir Anthony Mulgrave, Go- vernor of the colony, the Duke of Manchester, Lord Rosebery, and other noblemen, and by a large number of gentlemen connected with the scientific, commercial, and daily Press, and I had the honour, under your instructions, of running the mill on two occasions for the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, who number nearly 3000 members.
In conclusion I beg to state my belief that owing to the enormous success attending Queensland's display at this Exhibition, it would bo a grave mistake to disperse our ex- hibits in November next, after having spent so much money in getting the collection together. That the Exhibition should be made a permanent concern is the opinion of almost everyone to whom I have spoken, at any rate it should be run for another year or two, the only expense being a few attendants and supervision, and there cannot be a doubt that the benefits in- directly accruing to the colony would be almost incalculable.
We, as Queenslanders, have now, through the medium of this Exhibition, the best oppor- tunity we ever had of making our resources known in this, the chief centre of the financial activity of the world, and it will be our own fault if we do not make the best use of it; we are on evidence and it should be our endeavour to remain permanently so in this city.
In my duties as your mining engineer, as also in my work of setting out the displays of gold ores sent from the colony, I have to acknowledge
the kind attention and advice always so courteously tendered to me by yourself and your fellow commissioners, and also those of your energetic and indefatigable hon. secretary, Mr. Charles S. Dicken.
QUEENSLAND GOLD EXHIBITS AT THE EXHIBITION. (1886, November 11). The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864-1933), p. 3. Retrieved February 14, 2011, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4484585
A Towers paper says:-"It seems that Captain Jennings, the champion swordsman the world, is not to leave Charters Towers without giving an exhibition of his skill.
In another column Mr. Henry Aldridge, an old resident of the Towers, and brother of the Messrs. Aldridge of the Broughton, throws down the gauntlet, which will doubtless be taken up by the captain.
Mr. Aldridge holds the rank of lieutenant in the Mount Morgan Mounted Infantry, and as he has also had three years' training in a yeomanry regiment in England, under good tuition, he should be able at least to give a good account of himself, and uphold the honour of Charters Towers.
Mr. Aldridge was lately manager of Mount Morgan Extended (London).
If the proposed exhibition is as attractive as that held some time ago on the Union Football Ground, between Jennings and West, the Towers sports will see something they will never forget.
ATHLETICS, &c. (1890, August 23). Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878-1954), p. 7. Retrieved February 14, 2011, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article52333065
<hr>
MINING NOTES.
The following applications have been posted at the Gold Warden's Office:
MONDAY.-Mr. Thomas Grey, applying for a residence area of 66 ft. by l65ft, situated at Green Leek Flat, about one mile south- west of Mount Morgan ; Mrs. Elizabeth Henwicke, applying to be registered as the holder of allotment 7 of section 17, Mount Morgan, as a residence area ; Mr. Henry Aldridge, applying for a prospecting protec- tion area of 450 ft. by 450 ft., situated about 500 yards north-east of claim No. 139, Mundic Creek, Mouut Morgan ; Messrs. John Smith and Robert Taylor, applying for a reefing claim of 200ft. by 400ft., situated south of and adjoining the Stockholm claim, Crocodile.
MINING NOTES. (1891, September 15). Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878-1954), p. 5. Retrieved February 14, 2011, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article52424180
<hr>
MOUNT USHER.
(From a Correspondent.)
A meeting of the Mount Usher Cricket Club was held in Aldridge's Hall on the 25th of September. Mr. H. Aldridge presided. There were twelve present. Accounts amounting to £2 18s. 6d. were passed for payment. Letters were received from Mr. W. G. Thompson, declining the position of patron and forwarding a dona tion of 10s. 6d. ; Mr. R. M. Munro, accepting the position of vice-president, and enclosing a cheque 10s. 6d.; and Mr. J. McEvoy, also accepting office as vice-president, and remitting 3s.
Mount Usher, 30th September, 1909.
MOUNT USHER. (1909, October 5). Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878-1954), p. 6. Retrieved February 14, 2011, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article53120961
<hr>
WARDEN'S COURT.
At the Warden's Court this morning, before Mr C.D.O'Brien, Warden, Alfred Swindells and Henry Aldridge applied for six months' exemption of mining claim No.1735, Just-in-time, for the purpose of raising capital by forming a company to further develop the claim. The application was granted.
Mount Morgan, 26th August, 1914
WARDEN'S COURT. (1914, August 27). Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878-1954), p. 5. Retrieved February 14, 2011, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article53327726
<hr>
LICENSING COURT.
In the Licensing Court yesterday, before Mr. P.M.Risdon, Police Magistrate, Mr. D.P.Carey made application on behalf of Florence Hickey, licensee of the Royal Hotel, Bouldercombe, for the transfer of their license to Henry Aldridge, of Bouldercombe. The Licensing Inspector, Senior Sergeant M.O'Connor, offering no objection, the application was granted. Frank Horsfield, of West and Archer Streets, Rockhampton, was granted a hawker's license.
LICENSING COURT. (1917, April 19). Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878-1954), p. 4. Retrieved February 14, 2011, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article53809444
<hr>
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
In the quarterly list of appointments of justices of the peace, as approved by the Governor-in-Council, the following names appear:-Henry Aldridge, Bouldercombe ; T. H. S. Brand, Queensland National Bank, Muttaburra ; H.F Christiansen, Stanwell ; J. G. Egerton, Bouldercombe ; J. F. Geddes, Couti Uti ; T. P. Bead, Rockhampton ; S. B. Heiser, Rockhampton ; A. D. Leyland, Queensland National Bank, Tambo ; John Maye, M.R. C.S, Gladstone ; J. T. P. Orr, Raspberry Vale Station ; G. E. Robins. Stanwell.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE. (1919, April 19). Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878-1954), p. 8. Retrieved February 14, 2011, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article53869276
<hr>
A PRISONERS STATEMENT.
WE have been requested to publish the following
copy of a statement made about two years ago by a prisoner in Brisbane Gaol, and forwarded to Mr A W Manning, the Visiting Justice at the gaol. As to the truth or falsehood of the statement we are not in a position to give an opinion, When the paper was handed to us we caused some enquiries to be made at the Attorney General's office respecting it, and the only information
we could obtain was that the case
was twice brought before Mr Lilley when he was Attorney General, and he refused to move in the matter. Why he refused was not stated, and did not appear to be known. Yet the alleged facts are so extraordinary that there ought to be no sort of doubt respecting them Either the man Troden has been justly convicted of a crime or a horrible injustice has been inflicted upon him. While there is reasonable doubt on the subject, as there appears to be, it is only fair that the man should be allowed to publicly state his case, which is as follows -
STATEMENT OF WILLIAM TRODEN
I and Joseph Blake were tried at Maryborough, before His Honor the Chief Justice, on the 26th of September, 1868, on a charge of highway robbery, and received sentence of twenty years penal servitude. I arrived at Kilcoy Range on the 2nd of June, 1868, in company with Michael Geary and Joseph Blake, for the purpose of prospecting on Sheep Station Creek, Blake and Geary owning three horses, we agreed that Geary with the horses should pack goods to the top of the Range for hire, whilst I and Blake went prospecting. For this purpose we pitched our camp close to Mr Stringfellow's road party, where we remained until the 28th of July. On this day news came to the road party that there was a rush to Sunday Creek, and I then left to go to Sunday Creek in company with Blake, and leaving Geary behind to look after our camp and property. Mr Walter Kimber and Mr William Smith accompanied Blake and myself. On this occasion Blake and myself took the three horses with us, each rode a horse, and I led the third as a packhorse, loaded with provisions, dishes, tools, &c. When we arrived at Jimna there were crowds
of people there, making their way to Sunday Creek. Here we fell in company with Mr Costin and two other gentlemen, which
increased our number to seven. We travelled together to Sunday Creek, and arrived there about 6pm. We all camped close together, in the centre of the diggers. The reason of this creek being called Sunday Creek was because the rush took place the Sunday previous to the 28th of July. The next morning, the 29th, a number of diggers determined to go and see the prospectors and try their washdirt, they did so, and found it a duffer, and the same day a large majority returned from whence they came, totally disheartened. Mr Costin this morning gave Smith the contents of a brandy flask and a newspaper, and at the same time borrowed a tomahawk from Blake and told us that the field was a duffer, then Mr. Costin and his party got their horses and left the place. We, not being satisfied, determined to give the place a trial before we left, as the creek was only shallow. Blake and
Smith set to work together, and a man named Harris and myself also worked together, and each party sunk two holes 4 foot 6 inches deep, and several other couples did the same, and each party, on bottoming, proclaimed it a failure, and
all determined to return from whence they came. We then got our horses and packed one with our tools, tent, and bedding and started on our return, I leading the pack horse. On arriving within three miles of Jimna we met Mr Swanson's
overseer with the butcher driving a lot of sheep towards Sunday Creek. He (the overseer) asked us why everybody was returning and we told him it was a complete failure. We then asked him the time of day, he looked at his watch, and told us it was 12 o'clock. We shortly after arrived at Mr Swanson's butcher's shop at Jimna at which place we stopped and I purchased a dressed carcass of mutton, and placed it on the pack horse, which I had carrying the tent, tools, &c. We then went over to the restaurant and had dinner and some drinks. It was about 2pm when we left Jimna to go home to Kilcoy Range. Mr. William Smith here joined Mr Kimber at Mr. Williams' saleyards, where their teams were, and I and Blake proceeded to Mr Stringfellow's
camp at Kilcoy Range which was about seven- teen or eighteen miles from Jimna, and arrived there between 6 and 7pm, when Mr Stringfellow and all his men came round us and en- quired about the rush, and we told them it was a failure; this was the 29th of July. After we had taken the pack off the horse, and had supper, Mr Stringfellow asked if we could let him have half the sheep we had brought from Jimna as he had no meat for the men's tea, and would not have any for their breakfast in the morning. I replied I would let him have it with pleasure, and Mr Stringfellow called Mr Hewlitt, his overseer, and we weighed the mutton, and Mr Hewlitt and Mr Stringfellow both booked the weight and date. Another occurrence took place the same evening. Mr Pacey's teams arrived from Jimna shortly after our arrival, and in consequence of Mr Pacey being under the influence of liquor, he would not allow the bullocks to be unyoked but allowed them to remain yoked between our camp and Mr Stringfellow's until next morning the 30th of July. He then ordered his bullock drivers to unyoke the bullocks and count the bows, yokes, and chains and discharged William Ferguson one of his bullock drivers. I then went with
his other bullock driver (Hanson) to the foot of the range, to help him load the first load of Mr. Southerden's goods. When I came back from the foot of the range, I found Mr Kimber, Smith, Geary and Blake - as, also, Pacey - at our camp. Mr Kimber said he was going to Sydney, and that before he started we might as well have a glass of grog together. In the meantime we were joined by Mr Larkins and a Roman Catholic clergyman whom I believe was the Rev. Father Brun. The clergyman did not drink, but gave half-a-crown to drink his health. Mr Larkins had a glass of liquor with us; this was about 11 a.m. of the 30th July. The same morning a man, who had previously been buried at Mr Stringfellow's camp, died in the arms of Mr Kimber, at Jimna previous to his starting for Sydney.
Father Brun will recollect the occurrence, as it was his first visit to Jimna and this was the first man who died there. The road party did not work after 10 or 11 o'clock that day, as I believe they finished their first contract the same day. Mr Southerden asked me that same morning how the rush turned out. I told him it was a failure. He also asked me what price gold brought. I told him from £3 5s 6d to £3 5s 9d per oz. He then told me that the diggers were fools that did not send their gold to the Mint in Sydney to be coined, as by so doing they would gain considerably, as he had been in Sydney and at the Mint, and told me the whole process that was gone through there in coining gold. The remainder of the day was passed by Geary, Blake, Pacey, and myself and the whole of the road party in sports got up by Mr Pacey, the sports consisting of foot-racing, jumping, vaulting, &c, &c, for bottles of brandy, &c, and these sports were
continued until between 6 and 7 o'clock in the evening. About 3 or 4 o'clock the same day (the 30th of July) Mr Kelly's teams arrived from Jimna with the road party's supply of beef and Mr Stringfellow returned me the same weight of corned meat as the weight of the half sheep he had borrowed from me the previous evening. This (the 30th of July) is the day on which the robbery was committed, at a distance of 50 or 6O miles from the place we were then at, and for which Joseph Blake and myself were convicted and received sentence. During the whole of this day Blake and I were in company with the following persons, at a distance of 50 or 60 miles from the scene of the
robbery, viz: Mr Joseph Stringfellow, Mr Hewlitt, Stephen Downs, J. Launigan, William Ryder, Thomas Norris, and an old man of Mr Stringfellow's party named Daddy. Wm. Wallace, Michael Geary, M. Conroy, Patrick Pacey, J. Kelly, J. Hanstead, Wm. Mills, and several others known to the above persons but whose names I do not know, and during the same day we were seen in company with the above persons at various times by the following gentlemen-viz: Mr. Larkins, Father Brun, Walter Kimber, Wm. Smith, and others
whose names I do not know, but whom I believe are residents in Ipswich and Brisbane.
On Monday, August 3, the escort for Brisbane
passed our camp in charge of Inspector Lloyd and Sergeant McCarthy. The latter came
to the tent and asked me if the mailman Blundel
had gone by, or did I hear that he had found his mail bags that he had lost on the Sunday?
I told him that I had heard that he had found them, but he had not come by yet; he then
went on after the escort. In the afternoon about 3 or 4 o'clock, Sergeant McCarthy again came to our tent, and he asked me to let him have a nobbler, seeing that there was grog there. This grog belonged to Michael Gearey; he had a nobbler, and treated me, he asked me if we were working there; I told him yes, we were prospecting the creek opposite, he then went on. William Ferguson, Pacey's discharged bullock driver, asked me that night if I would join him in starting a butcher's shop. I told him I had no money to start with, he then said he had £6 or £7 that he had got from Mr. Pacey, and if I liked to row on with him I could pay him as we got on. I agreed, and the next day we began to build the shop at the foot of the range, where the teams camp. The shop was completed on tho 10th of August. Fergu- son went to Jimna for meat to be brought out by Mr Conroy's dray. While Ferguson was away I was fitting the blocks in the shop, and getting ready to receive the meat when Sergeant McCarthy and Constable Brown rode up. The sergeant said, "I come to arrest you." I said, "What for?" and he replied, "On suspicion of highway robbery." I asked him when and where, he replied, "At Imbil Station, on the 30th of July." I told him I could get fifty people to prove he was wrong - that Mr Stringfellow and all his party and the team- sters could prove that I was with them at the camp the whole of that day. He stopped at our tent all that night and had me in custody - the next morning we started on our way to Jimna, when Mr Stringfellow and Hewlitt and his party stopped us as we were passing. I asked McCarthy to speak to them, and to ascer- tain if my statement to him was correct. He did so, telling Mr Stringfellow the charge upon which I was arrested Stringfellow referred to his book, and told the sergeant that on that day
his party would have been without meat but for Troden, that on the 30th July, Troden was with his party the whole day. I asked them if they would come into Jimna and give evidence for me. They said they would, and we then went on to Jimna. Next day I was brought before Mr Townley, J.P. I asked him to send for Mr Stringfellow and the others of his party whom I have before mentioned, that they might give their testimony in my favor, but Sergeant McCarthy objected, and said the robbery had been committed in the Police District of Gym- pie and applied for my remand to that place. Joseph Blake was taken into custody by Ser- geant McCarthy at the same time as I was, and was taken with me to Jimna, about two hours after we got there, and before we were taken before the magistrate, Sergeant McCarthy re- leased him. I wished to call Blake as a witness for me before Mr. Townley, but McCarthy ob-
of
jected and said he must go to Gympie to give
his evidence. I remained at Jimna until the 13th, when I started for Gympie in charge of Sergeant McCarthy. On the way we stopped for a night at Imbil Station, near which the robbery had been committed. He brought several men into the place where I was kept in custody, one of those men was brought in by the sergeant two or three times, and when under examination at Gympie I found that this man - by the name Edmund Redmond - was one of the principal evidence against me. Next day we went on to Gympie, and on the following day (Monday) I was brought before the Bench and remanded until Thursday. On Monday evening McCarthy came to me, told me he was going to Jimna, and if I wanted any witnesses to give him the names, and he would have them summoned. I gave the names of String- fellow, Downs, Hewlitt, and the others of the party previously named, and also Joseph Blake. On the Thursday evening Blake arrived in the custody of McCarthy, not as a witness; none of the other witnesses ap- peared, and I have since learned that he never summoned them. We were brought up the next morning, and committed for trial at the ensuing Maryborough Assizes. We arrived in Brisbane Gaol on the 2nd September, and were to stand our trial at Maryborough on the 23rd was to come on, Mr Sneyd came to us and asked if we wished to summon any witnesses. I gave him all their names, and at the same time told him I did not know their places of resi-
dence as they were members of a Government road-party working at the Kilcoy Range. On the 20th September we left Brisbane gaol for Maryborough to take our trial , on the 23rd we were brought before the Chief Justice for trial. On being called upon to plead to the indictment, we handed to his Honor a state- ment of the above facts, also pointing out the very short time (only 20 days) that we had been in gaol, and the impossibility of our witnesses being present, and begging His Honor to grant us a remand until the next assizes, stating that we were quite willing for our trial to go on if only three witnesses were pres- ent, but as none were there we earnestly begged for justice sake for a remand. His Honor ordered the statement to be received by the Associate, and said he would grant the remand as prayed. Mr. Mackenzie Shaw, who was acting for the Attorney-General, rose and said that the Crown was quite prepared to go on with the case, that all there witnesses were present, but they were diggers, and might not be present in six months time, and how do we know that the prisoners have such witnesses or not? His Honor then said the trial must proceed. Mr Shaw then opened the case, and before my evidence was taken the Judge made the follow- ing remarks. He asked which was Troden and which was Blake. He then said there is some mystery here. I have the descriptions of two men, one a short, stout, robust man, and the other a tall young man about 5 feet 9 inches or 5 feet 9 1/2 inches. How tall are you, Blake? He
answered 5 feet 3 inches. How do know? said
the Judge. Because they measured me when in Brisbane Gaol [committed]. The Judge then said " Gentlemen- Troden is supposed to be the short, stout man, and Blake the tall, young man. Now Troden is the tall man here, and Blake the short man, and I cannot see which is the stout man out of the two. " Our trial went on until
Captain Hickson was called. A doctor gave evidence that Captain Hickson could not appear, as he had been hurt by a fall from his horse. The Judge read out the deposition given by Captain Hickson at the Police Court, and told the jury that they had no occasion to dwell upon that evidence as he did not appear, but still it was allowed to go against us, and after the jury had retired, they came into Court and asked a question of His Honor as to what time Captain Hickson had stated he had seen the man who had committed the robbery, thus showing that they did dwell upon his evidence. Now at this same Court, a man named James Kelly was discharged because one of the witnesses against him was dead, and unable to appear, the Judge then saying that they could not take the deposition given in the Police Court as evidence against him, and yet in our case the evidence of an absent witness was so taken. The jury returned a verdict of guilty, and we were sentenced to twenty years penal servitude, the first three years in irons, the Judge re- marking that had blood been shed he would have sentenced us to be hanged. Since our return to Brisbane Gaol we have been able to obtain the evidence of nearly the whole of the persons whose names were given to the police at our arrest, and to His Honor the Judge at the time of trial, thus proving that we had such witnesses. Thier evidence, we believe, corrob- orates the whole of the statement made by us. The affidavits of those witnesses have been obtained by the Rev. Mr. Jones and Messrs. Wilson and Bunton, solicitors, and have, with several copies of this statement, been laid before
different Colonial Secretaries. Some of these
said affidavits were obtained as early as May, 1869, and when His Excellency the late Governor Blackall was at the gaol in November, 1869, he directed a statement to be prepared by me (Troden) and sent to him, and he promised to have the case looked into. This statement was for- warded as directed, but no reply has ever been sent to it. When Mr Hodgson was Colonial
Secretary he was spoken to by me, and he told
me that he had directed Mr Lloyd to make enquiries into the case, and some time after- wards Lloyd came into the gaol and told me in the presence of Inspector Lewis, Mr Bernard, and the principal turnkey, that he knew that Blake and I were innocent, he knew the men who committed the robbery, and where they then were, and that he had told the Government so, and also told me if more evidence was wanted to summons him. We have now been two years and a-half in gaol, and for the last two years the authorities have been aware that the greater portion of the witnesses first named by us have either given or been ready to give their testimony to our innocence. The chief detective officer of the police asserts the same, and yet all our prayers for an enquiry that would clearly substantiate our
innocence are unattended to. What we ask for is justice, not mercy. If we are guilty we deserve to suffer, but, if innocent, why are we kept in gaol, or why refused an enquiry? Twelve months ago, when Mr Lilley was Colo- nial Secretary, he told me that he could not let us out yet, but, if he got a little more evidence, he would do so, and that very week two more affidavits were got from Messrs. Hewlitt and Downs. Now it is double punishment for men to be told they will shortly be at their liberty, and still be kept in gaol as felons, for a crime of which they are as innocent as a child unborn.
A PRISONER'S STATEMENT. (1872, November 20). The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864-1933), p. 3. Retrieved February 14, 2011, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1301778
THE CASE OF THE PRISONER TRODEN.
In our issue of Wednesday last, we published a long statement made by a prisoner named William Troden, who is now undergoing a sentence of twenty years' penal servitude in Brisbane Gaol, for highway robbery under arms, near Imbil, in July, 1868. The statement was so plausible that we felt it our duty to make it public after having caused enquiries to be made respecting it at the Attorney-General's office, and obtaining no satisfactory answer. But although the Attorney-General seemed to know little or nothing about the case, we now find that he is singularly un- fortunate in this respect as there is a large mass of papers on the subject in the Colonial Secretary's office, and the Sheriff, the Com- missioner of Police, and a number of other official persons know all about it. We had the opportunity, yesterday, of going over the whole of the correspondence, statements, declarations, and affidavits, and the conclusion we were irre- esistably led to was - that the man Tro- den had a fair trial; that the chain of circumstantial evidence on which he was convicted was more than usually complete; that since his conviction unusual efforts have been made to ascertain the truth of the statements he has made, and that the affidavits of the persons he wished to call as witnesses, so far from proving his innocence, rather confirm the fact of his guilt. And further, that both Troden and his companion in crime, Joseph Blake, were fortunate in being tried for the robbery in question, instead of for another highway rob- bery under arms with violence, committed by them the same day upon a man named Henry Aldridge, which was equally clear, and most pro- bably would have ended in a verdict of guilty, and sentence of death being passed upon them.
The statement published by us on Wednes- day last was an exact copy of one made and for- warded to Mr. Manning, the Visiting Justice at the Gaol, on the 19th of April, 1871. But before then a similar representation had been made to the late Governor, Colonel Blackall, and a full enquiry instituted which ended, as we have already stated, in confirming rather than other- wise the proof of the man's guilt. Since then further enquiries have been made with a pre- cisely similar result.
The man Troden, or "Podgy" as he was
called, and Joseph Blake, were tried at the Maryborough Circuit Court, on the 26th of October, 1869, for robbery under arms near
Imbil, on the 30th of July previous; four men Edwin Redman, a jockey, Robert Crothers, John Crothers, and Thos. Gill being stuck-up, robbed, and taken into a scrub and tied up with ropes and saddle-straps to trees by these two men, and left there under threats that if they moved away before next morning they would have their brains blown out. One of the men tied up had lost a finger from one hand, by means of which he was able to get loose and release his mates. They then proceeded on their way to Imbil, gave informa- tion to the police and Captain Hickson, manager of Imbil station. The police and Captain Hick- son at once started in pursuit, found the tracks of the horses of the robbers, and at length came up with one of the horses, knocked up. Mr. Hickson immediately recognised this as the horse ridden by "Podgy" the day before the robbery took place, he having met the man and his mate (Blake) on that day, as he was return- ing from Gympie.
At the trial Redman, the jockey, swore posi- tively to Troden, or " Podgy"; said he had no
doubt that he was the man who held a double- barreled gun pointed to him, while Blake robbed him and tied him and his mates up. The same witness also identified the horse ridden by Tro- den, the hat he wore, and the gun, which was broken in a peculiar manner. Robert and John Crothers were not so certain about the identity of Troden, but said the voice was exactly the same. The Sheriff says it is not true, as stated by Troden, that his witnesses were not sub- poenaed; all who could be found were summoned, but would not attend, and his Honor the Chief Justice told the men exactly the same at the
commencement of their trial. The affidavits
obtained from these witnesses subsequently prove that they would have damaged rather than have helped the prisoner, if they had attended.
From these affidavits it appears that Sunday Creek, the place where Troden and Blake were camped, is only eight or nine miles from the spot where the robbery was committed. It was done early in the afternoon, and none of the persons named can account for him on the day of the robbery, between 7 o'clock in the morn- ing and half past 5 in the afternoon, with the exception of Michael Geary, of Moggill, who is not able to write his own name to his affidavit.
Mr. Stringfellow, overseer of roads, says he saw Troden on the evening of the 29th, the day before the robbery, with half a sheep, of which he (Stringfellow) obtained a leg and loin for his men. Saw him again on the follow- ing day about 7 in the morning, and again about half-past 5 in the afternoon. Wm. Ryder saw Troden on the evening of Wednesday, 29th of July, and again at 7 on the morning of the 30th, but did not see him again all that day until about half-past 5 o'clock in the afternoon. Stephen Downs, of Ipswich, says he saw Troden on the day of the robbery, eight miles from the place where it was committed, but this witness does not state at what hour of the day he saw him. Inspector Lloyd says
he has had several interviews with the prisoner Troden with the object of obtaining the names of his witnesses. Saw him on the Yabber Range the Sunday after the robbery (which was committed on the Thursday). Wm. Ferguson, laborer, of Brisbane, saw Troden about Jimna several times before and after the day of the robbery, but did not appear to have seen him on that day.- Southerden says he does not know Troden by name, and did not arrive at the foot of the Range until tho 31st of July, the day after the robbery was committed.
The papers have been laid before the Chief Justice before whom the case was tried, and he endorsed them with a note to the effect that he was "unable to make any recommendation" in the matter. The case has been brought before the Hon. A. Hodgson, when Colonial Secretary; twice before Mr. Lilley, when Attorney-General; once before Mr. Palmer, as Colonial Secretary; and once before the late Governor, Colonel Blackall, as before stated. In each instance enquiry was made, which only ended as we have shown. We are fully satisfied that every reasonable and conscientious man who reads the documents referred to must come to the conclusion that Troden has been treated with exceptional consideration since his conviction, and every opportunity has been afforded him to prove his innocence, but he has utterly failed. He has been known to the police of this and the adjoining colonies, as a criminal, for five and-twenty years past, and the sentence he is now undergoing is quite as lenient a one as he deserves. It is unfortunate that the Attorney- General could not give us the information we required, nor tell us where it could be obtained, before we printed the statement.
THE CASE OF THE PRISONER TRODEN. (1872, November 26). The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864-1933), p. 3. Retrieved February 14, 2011, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1302292
<hr>
- .
THE Friends of the late Mr. HENRY ALDRIDGE (late of Bouldercombe), are repectively invited to attend his Funeral, to move from Finlayson and McKenzie's Parlour, William-street THIS DAY (Monday), at 12 o'clock, for the Rockhampton cemetery. FINLAYSON & M'KENZIE,
Undertakers, William-street, Telephone No 61
Family Notices. (1926, November 22). Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 - 1954), p. 6. Retrieved September 28, 2011, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article54339626
<hr>
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF HENRY ALDRIDGE
Please Note:
In the handwritten pages of the original autobiography, Henry Aldridge wrote in a very legible script, but due to the poor condition of some pages due to tattered and soiled edges and in some cases missing and torn pieces, it is not always possible to correctly decipher (as it were) what the word or words are or what is the rest of the sentence etc where pieces of the page have been torn, soiled or missing. Place names have been researched where possible and words or part sentences not fully legible have either been hopefully correctly interpreted or left out. Fortunately the greater portion of the original manuscript of 136 writing pad pages are complete with the exception of page 92 which is only in part and page 93 which is missing. Henry Aldridge wrote without punctuation, and began his many of his sentences with the exclamation of "Well!"
In this and following files, computer pages have been ignored because, there will be need to edit what has been transposed from script to type. However each page of the actual written script is shown thus ( 1) (2) etc throughout the files, to indicate the
beginning of the actual script page / pages. Each file No 1 ......7, represent the books from which photocopied pages of the original autobiography are kept. This has been done for quick back reference.
In all fairness to Henry Aldridge, even though he did not punctuate, and used incorrect introductions (ie Me and my partner, myself and wife etc,) His spelling was exceptional for his age, and not all such mistakes in this and the following files are to
attributed to him, typographical errors do occur I am sure. .
c.c.c.
Having been asked by my son to write a history of my life, I will now try as best as my
recollections serve me, as on various matters such as years or dates I may not be too clear. I was born at a village in England called Welwyn, on April 16th, 1844, and was baptised in the Welwyn Parish Church, in the County of Hertfordshire, May 26th, 1844.
My first recollections must have been when I was about five or six years old. My father at the time was keeping a beer house called the "Black Horse" in the High street, Welwyn. I can just recollect going with my father and mother to the Welwyn Railway Station to the opening of the Great Northern Railway. I can also remember at that time, that I was then going to an infants school, kept by a lady named Mills, until some boy threw a stone at me and it cut my head, when my dear mother took me away and taught me herself, untimely (??)
father brought some land at a sale of some Squire Blocks Estate at a place called New Barnet near (2) the Great Northern Railway line where he built a public house and called it the "Leister Arms" where it, being too far from the railway station, he bought another allotment close to the station, and as there was an hotel close by called the Railway Hotel, my father called his pub the name of the "Railway Tavern", where my father carried on the trade of a licensed victualler.
I was then sent to school at a place called "Whetstone" which was three miles from New Barnet, when my father or my Uncle Harry _ I think it was, my uncle _ bought me a shetland pony at Barnet fair, to ride to school until some time in July 1855, when on the 23rd of that month my dear mother died. She was only 43 years old when she died. Well, after my mother's death, everything seemed wrong. I know that I was greatly neglected, and was not kept as my mother kept me. Well, in about six months after my mother's death, my father married again to (3)(a young woman laundress). I was sold into service at Squire Blocks at New Barnet, when everything went wrong after my stepmother gave birth to a son and he was christened after my father William.
I don't know how it happened but my father had to mortgage all his property. He mortgaged it on a mortgage of equity or redemption, which was supposed to have cleared all the mortgage off in 20 years. I know that my father made up his mind to come to Australia. He came in a emigration (ship) called the Glentanner about 1857 or 1858, I know the Crimean War was just finished, and I can recollect seeing the illuminations in London at the time.
We landed at Brisbane at Moreton Bay and we was all put in the emigration barracks, and I think it was about the second day there, that a big Scotsman hired me for six months to chip round some maize and also at the same time, keep the cows from the corn while I was hoeing. I was nearly (4)(run off my legs). I forget what the Scotsman called his farm, but it was out of Brisbane beyond Breakfast Creek, on a creek called Kedron Brook. I forget what the distance was adjoining the farm of my employer, his name was Alexander Barron, was a farm owned by a man with name of Addset. He used to always come to Barron's place and call me all sorts of ugly names and say to Barron that I must have come from a very low part of England. I just hated this man, but more of him hereafter. Anyway, I served my six months with Mr Barron and I must say that both him and his wife treated me as if I had been one of their own. They wanted me to have stopped longer. They would have given me 20 pounds per year. I would have stopped longer, only for the man Addset.
So, I left and went into Brisbane, and the next day, I got into a stern-wheel boat and went up to Ipswich, where I was met by a carrier, who my father had asked to look after and (5) meet me. I don't seem to recollect much of the journey, only I know I bought a pistol, and was shooting birds on the road up to Toowoomba, the place where my father was working in a sawmill, the owner of which was named Ballard. When I got home to my father's house, my stepmother undid my bundle and took my pistol away from me, but my father got it for me, sometime after, and gave it to me. And afterwards I became a good pistol shot.
My stepmother used to take in washing and she used to make me carry water for her every day from a hole in the swamp about 150 yards (137m) from where she washed, but I fibbed on the work and then my father took me to Mr James Taylor's place and bound me over to serve as a stock-boy on his station, called "Cecil Plains" on the Condamine River for a term of three years. There was then a superintendent named Thomas Perkins and he was very strict with us boys. There was then, six boys on the (6) station, ranging 13 to 16 years old.
I know they made me fight the bully, who gave me a black eye, but I promised him I would fight him again when I got older, and give him a hiding. Sometime in 1859 (10 December), an election took place and separation from New South Wales. Taylor took me down to his place in Toowoomba to go down to Ipswich with him and look after his horses, while he attended parliament in Brisbane, as he was elected member for the Darling Downs. I had good times then, as I was small for my age and the girls at the hotel where I kept the horses to feed after bringing them out of the paddock where very kind and fond of me. When we used to go up to Toowoomba at week or fortnight ends, I used to attend a boxing school kept by a man named Joe Kitchen. He was a Victorian boxer, a lightweight boxer, and he taught me how to box and hit hard, so I would be able to take my own part in any rough and tumble I got into.
I had about nine (Page 7) months with Mr Taylor, when I was ordered back to "Cecil Plains". The day I arrived there, the bully, Johnny Glenden, was thrashing one of the small boys, because he would not bring up his horse. I asked him to leave off, but he then turned on me and said he would give me another black eye. I told him to come and do it if he could. There happened to be some men from Talavera Station who saw fair play and Johnny cried "enough" in two rounds, and he had two black eyes. He did not stop at Cecil Plains long afterwards. He went with a man to look after spare bullocks.
I stayed with Mr Taylor - they used to call him "Big-Headed Taylor" - for nine years and ten months. During that time I had grown big and strong, and could ride anything that foaled from a mare and saw no fear. I kept in prime health all the time I was there. The only time I laid up for about six or seven weeks, when I broke my collarbone, through a quiet horse falling down with me. (8)Taylor was a good master, every boy that was on the station he would give either a cow or calf, or a filly to each boy as a Christmas box, and he also allowed you to run them on his run at the station. Soon after this time, myself and the superintendent by the name of George Bolton - he was a brother-in-law of Mr Taylor - we could not agree, and so I went and caught a horse of my own and cleared out and went to Toowoomba and told Mr Taylor the reason I left. He wanted me to go back to the station, but I would not go back.
About that time, I would say that it was late 1866 (1 May 1867), the railway was almost completed from Ipswich to Toowoomba and I sold my horse to a Mr Robert Ballard, who had come over from England as a surveyor with Peto Brassey and Betts, the contractors for the first railway in the state of Queensland. He surveyed the line over the main range.
Some few years before this, my father died. He was only about 46 years old when he died. My stepmother had married again to (9) a man named John Hall, by whom she had two or three children. After I came to Toowoomba, I stayed with them. They was then living on what was called the Gowrie Road, on a place of land of 5 acres left to me by my father. I sold the land some time after to John Hall for 30 pounds. About this time or soon after the railway extension to Dalby started, and I took a job with a grocer and butcher named Little, to driving a cart and sell meat and groceries. I stopped with Mr Little until the section was completed to Gowrie, when I met a Mr Munro one night in an hotel in Toowoomba, and he was looking for a stock rider for one of the messrs Hall Brothers Stations on the Balonne River, about 15 miles from the township of Surat. The super on the station - "Noovondroo" (Noorindo) - was the name of the station - was a man named Donald Ross, a burly Scotsman he was married to one of the Hall sisters. Now the adjoining station on the other side of (10) the Balonne River five miles away was called "Combarngo". It belonged to the Joint Stock Bank, and the manager was a Mr Bennet - I forget his Christian names - but he was courting a young lady at Noovoondo (Noorindo), a sister of Ross's wife. When Bennet and the lady fell out and the engagement broken off and Mr Ross was very indignant over it and he tried to hurt Mr Bennet all he could.
As it happened, one day while mustering for branding, we came across some calves which had been lately branded with the Combarngo brand, which at that time was the ace of clubs. The mother bearing the Noorindo (Noorindo) brand, which was "CTH". Ross then went for the police and gave Mr Bennet in charge for cattle thieving. And after a hearing at Surat, was committed for trial to Roma, and myself and two other stock riders, named of Ted Howe and Tom Sumers, was called as witness after two day's stay at Roma. There was no bill filed against Bennet but in (11) the meantime, Ross told us to camp out of town, about three miles down the Bungil Creek, but we disobeyed that order and came into Roma, and the consequence was Ross lost his two horses. They did not stray, I think they must have been stolen. The horses myself and mates rode, two of which were station horses, Ross took them and left myself and Howe to get back the 70 miles to Noorindo the best way we could. We waited for night and as Ross left us without any money, we was in a sorry (state), but the publican Mr McEwan came to our assistance and lent us some money and gave us food. We was all right and looked for the horses of Ross's but could not find them.
Sumers, riding his own horse, went home; he was staying on another station, at the time called "Weribone" 25 miles below Surat. Myself and Howe then at night at about 12 o'clock, took our saddles and went outside of the township (12) and caught a horse, I don't know who it belong to, but we put the two saddles on him and we went on foot leading the horse with the saddles to within half a mile of a station called Bungeworgorai" where there was a yard where we lay down to rest, but not to sleep. At day dawn in the morning, I took the horse we had taken from Roma and went up the Bungeworgorai Creek to the station paddock where they being two good looking horses standing at the slip rails. I let the horses out quietly and drove them down to the bullocky yard where we saddled them and rode for home. And as we knew every inch of the country round, I made a bee line for Noorindo, never touching a road until a few miles from Noorindo. It was just breaking day about 4am when we was a half a mile from the paddock, when we took the saddles off and let the horses go and walked to the station carrying (13) the saddles. Ross being an early riser, was at the stockmans' door when we got there. He told us to deliver up our saddles as he did not require our services any more. I then told him that the saddle I got was my own and I asked him to pay me what was owed me and he said he would not, and would summons us for not obeying his orders and not camping on the creek, so I went and caught a horse I had of my own and rode into Surat and took out a summons for my wages which he owed me. About 25 pounds and he also summonsed me for disobeying orders. He got a verdict and so did I, but they fined me all I had to take off Ross but as the magistrate was all friends of Ross and station owners I had no chance of justice. They told me I could appeal.
I think I stayed a few days in Surat and then I rode over to "Combarngo". Mr Bennet having left the station as Ross's sister-in-law had (14) started or was going to a breach of promise action he cleared out and the new superintendent a Mr Stephenson, a very nice gentleman and a good boss, but he did not know much about cattle, and I got the job of head stockman at 35 shillings per week, good wages for that time. I stayed with him at "Combarngo" until the Gympie gold fields was opened in 1867, but during my stay at Combarngo, Ross could not leave alone, being on the adjoining station only five miles away. He was always trying to trap me in doing something. He first of all summonsed me for the price of a saddle which he let a shepherd have. I was to have shown the shepherd out to the station where the sheep was about five miles from Surat. When the man got drunk in Surat and the horse bucked him off and the saddle was lost and I had to pay five pounds for it. Then again the Christmas of 1867, we had no fat cattle on the place and our cook - a nice woman - wanted suit for a Christmas pudding, (15) so me and some of boys went out two days before Christmas and we managed to get a few passable cattle out of the scrub among which was a very fat cow belong to Noorindo, so when I went in to kill the bullock for Christmas, I shot in mistake the cow.
So in about a week after Christmas, the police came and searched the place for hides, but could find no hides only what was Combarngo hides, but anyway I was arrested, the black fellow had informed about the cow to Ross. After about a fortnight the police magistrate came to Surat - his name was Charters, he was stationed at St George's Bridge (?) (and) afterwards Gold Commissioner of Charters Towers. He heard the case and dismissed it without a stain on my character. I then went home to Combarngo and every opportunity I got to get a "cleanskin" from him (Ross) I used to get it and put it into the weaner's paddock. I must have got a hundred or more.
Mr Stevenson was a bit of a sport (16) and we kept a few racehorses. We had one man on the station named Jim Hacket, who we all thought was a "bruiser". The races come on at Surat and we all went from Combarngo, even the cook and housemaid to see Mr Stevenson's horses run. There was a great crowd in Surat from all the neighbouring stations. There was also a band of music. There also was a man he was a great bully; all around the district was afraid of him. Early in the evening I saw (him) knock over drunken men who was not able to help themselves. After the dancing started the man Boyce the bully came round with the hat for the musicians. He was a sheep overseer at Donga on the Donga Creek, a tributary of the Balonne, and being a lot of hands from the sheep stations there he made them give liberally. Whereas myself and three others of our mates was sitting on a sofa when Boyce came to us with the hat but we refused to give when he said "I thought as much" and said the stockman (17) was no bloody good, and the sheepman was, when I, sitting down on the sofa, said: "You mean it the other way, the stockman was the ( missing word??), the sheepmen are duffers." When he turned around and he got hold of a little hair that was starting to grow on the side of (my) face and he pulled it out by the roots. I jumped on the sofa and as he was waving the bit of hair on his hand, I hit him between the two eyes and down he went, hat and money and all over the room. I don't think the musicians got much. When Boyce picked himself up, he shouted out: "Where is the man that struck me?" Hacker our mate said: "You was a fool to hit a man of his size, now you will have to fight him?" I said "I heard you was only waiting to have a go at him, now is you chance to have a go at him, now is your time, take my place for the honour of the stockriders. But he was not on, so I called him a mean coward, and as Boyce was still raging for the man that hit him, I stood out and said : "Here I am". He made a rush for me and I (18) stepped aside and I hit him with my right hand just on the point of the jaw. He must have laid there on the floor for at the least a minute _ I thought I had killed him, when he picked himself up (and) when I asked him if he had had enough, he said: "No, come outside."
All this time, I did not see my mate Hacket, but a little mate of mine named Tom Sumers came to me and said he would get me fair play. Well, a ring was formed, when Boyce came again at me with a rush, but I got my left hand on to his solar plexus, and the right to the jaw, when he cried out that he would not fight no more till the morning, but when the morning came, (he) had cleared out. I saw him again after at Roma, but we met and parted friendly. I might mention that Hacket was very quiet when we got back to the station, and never talked fight again.
At this time, I was courting the cook's daughter - Lizzie Coleman was her name - when something happened (which) I did not like, and I broke it off. The family (19) of them went to Melbourne where they had some relations. Soon after that, the Gympie Gold Field broke out and I wished Mr Stevenson goodbye, and with his cheque in my pocket and an order to get a horse which he left for to me time before at the Kogan Creek, myself riding a good mare named "Barmaid', a well-bred one by Don Cossack, and a pack horse, I started for Gympie and at the Kogan Hotel, while I was getting the horse, Mr Stevenson, gave me, I met a man named Tom Daunt. He was going to Gympie, so we agreed to go as mates. Well we started - I never kept the dates - but I know we made a long stage, and we bought a pick and shovel and dish at Dalby, where we rested a day and Tom started the next day with the pack horses. I stopped till the next day when I had some business to do. I started next day and overtook my mate at Jimbour and he picked up a man called Benjamin Walker, so when I came up, as he was going to the "rush" and we had a ( 20) spare horse, we told him we would give him a lift, so we went into Jimbour Woolshed, and I got some sheep skins and made him a saddle we then started but our tucker bag got low as we did not bring much from Dalby.
Anyway, we thought we could buy on the road but the stations we passed, they would not sell or give us any. They wanted us to take a job on the stations as all their hands had run off to the rush. But at the next station, Walker thought of a plan. He went and asked at the station whether they wanted hands as we was fencers. They did and Walker rode out with the boss. The name of the station was Mount Alexandra. Walker came back , he said it was all right. In the meantime, we had got flour and beef from the storekeeper which me and Daunt had cooked. When night came we cleared out for Gympie and left the job of fencing for someone else. About three days after, one day in December, we arrived at Gympie.
(21) Our first day at the rush was curious. Walker went out of camp on his own and when we came back, myself and Daunt, after putting the horses away, Walker said he was going away prospecting on his own account, but if he found anything good, we should be the first to know. Me and Daunt then took a stroll up the gully on which was a great number of diggers. All the gully which was then called "Nash's Gully" was pegged out in claims from the head to its junction with the Mary River. But towards the river it seemed to spread out in a wide flat but good gold was got on that flat. After looking at Nash, the prospectors claim, where they were working, I saw virgin gold for the first time in my life, and I watched them at work for a long time until Daunt spoke and said it was time to go to our camp. As we walked back down the gully thinking of gold all the time (and) as I watched where the Nashs had been working before they reported their find - in a heap of hoperings (tailings), I saw as I thought a piece of the yellow metal. I stopped to look and picked it up. I saw then it was (22)the right stuff, so I dropped it in my pocket and kept it. The next day we pegged out a claim near the "Caledonian reef", which was just taken up by the Pollock (Polacks?), and we started to sink a shaft. I got the nugget weighed that I had found on Nash's gully. The weight was 7 or 9 cwts - not bad for the first day's work. Next day we bottomed the hole we was sinking and got a nugget of 16ozs beside some small gold. While we was washing, some New Zealand diggers was looking on and they offered us 200 pound for the claim. We asked them 400 pound, which they gave us. Not bad for three days on the field. Well for a day or two, we just loafed. We thought we was very lucky. About a week after selling our claim, Ben Walker came to our camp one night and told us he had struck his "pile" and he had pegged out two claims for us, and to be there early as he was going to the commissioner and get him to mark off his prospecting claim. He could call for us, so as we could go with him and (23)stand by our claims where he showed us the pegs, as a great crowd always followed the commissioner when they thought there was new ground found. But anyway me and Daunt got a good claim each on "golden" or "walkers" gully on which we netted about 2000 pounds each. We also bought another claim on the "White's Gully", where we paid wages to men with a share to work it for us. We cleared a few hundred out of it. About this time the "One Mile Creek" was opened and some heavy gold was got there. Then the rush took place to the "Deep Creek" - they called it the "Deep Creek" (as the gold was the ) deepest yet found. Shafts was from 25 to 35 feet deep, but it was very rich if a claim was on the "lead". I did not go to the "rush" on Sunday, but myself and Tom was there on Monday. We walked down the creek, about half a mile, but it was all pegged from the prospectors to the river. It was then all dense scrub, but me and Tom had (24) cut pegs when within about 150 yards from the river, we came across a claim with no one on, so Tom said : "This will do us", so we pulled the pegs out and threw them away and put ours in their place and marked the trees by the pegs. We then started to scratch and mark out a shaft and wait to hear which way the "leads" was when down rushed a big Irishman and wanted to clear us off . As the claim was now (??) ours "look at the marked trees and pegs", he was satisfied then, so he said his claim must be further down, so he went down and got a claim further down.
We started to sink and we bottomed at 35 feet. It was a very wet claim, but on the bottom of the shaft we had 12 inches of which, which gave a return of 3 dwt (cwt?) to the dish, but at that time heavy rain set in and the Mary River came down in flood and all the one mile township - hotels and stores was under water, some only just showing the ridge capping. So all the claims was under water and (25) Commissioner King granted exemption until it was dry enough to work again. But myself and Tom sold out to some Victorian diggers for 300 pounds while it was under water. When we went back to "White's gully" and gave the men that was working for us equal shares, and we worked together until we had worked out the claim. By this time, I had learnt and had become an expert digger, and with a prospecting rush, there was no digger better or quicker in washing out or prospecting a dish of dirt. At that time I was then backing in a lot of reef claims, which was costing me a lot of money. Daunt would have nothing to do with backing, so he kept his money; I wish I had. About this time a rush broke out at Kilkivan. I went there. Me and Daunt we got a claim on "Italian (Italian?) Gully". We bottomed a "duffer" at 35 feet, we drove "her" one way 12 feet, but got nothing. When I came out of the hole, two young chaps on the "brace" offered us 30 pounds for it, which we took. They started (26) to drive the other way and cut the lead, which paid them well. Me and Tom then went back to Gympie, when another "rush" took place to Yabba, or Jimma (Jimna?) Creek, as the rush was called. I thought that I should have been one of the first there but there was four or five hundred there. The creek was pegged out for miles. We build a hut of logs and thatched it with "milka leaves". They grow very like a palm, very tall, sometimes very large ones are 40 feet. They have no branch or limbs., but they grow the leaves from the top like rhubarb, with a number of white stalks in the centre which make a good vegetable for soup. The outside back covers a thin shell of not more than 3/4 inch. This is very hard but the heart inside of this is only pitch, this taken out which is easy and the tree split down the centre makes good flumes for running away water.
We prospected about for a week and got nothing. On the Sunday as I was reading, laying in the hut, Tom came (and told) me there was a (27) rush on. I said I would not go. Tom went and joined in with another party, and we were no longer mates. Next day, Monday, I took my pick and dish also a tape measure and started for this new find. It was only about one mile from the camp but it was a dense scrub and very wet and damp country. When I came to the creek where the gold was found, (and) after having a look at the prospector, I started to go down the creek, and as I did so, I met three men who I knew in Toowoomba, and we went down the creek together, when we came upon one man trying to sink a hole in the creek. I saw he had too much ground for one man, and I told him so. He said he had mates coming, but I said yesterday was Sunday and they were not here, so I will peg you off. So I told my new mates to cut pegs while I ran the tape over the ground, when the man - his name was James Drain - said as we had tools we could go in with him, so we (28) agreed, so that made five in the party and other four mens ground.
So we started to work to sink a paddock in the creek, the sinking being only 7 feet. We worked all that day to sundown and we could not bottom for water, so as it was very hard work; one of the Toowoomba chaps chucked it, so leaving us four. So next day we went at it again and just before we knocked off work, we got the bottom in one corner of the paddock, when I just managed to get two buckets and dish of the work dirt, and bottom out the sides of the paddock came in and drove us out. So, we then washed our prospects and they yielded well over 1 ounce to the dish, so next day I went down to Gympie to get timber and proper tools for making a Californian pump while they cut timber and made ready for timbering the paddock. I might say before I write further, we was greatly troubled with mosquitoes and scrub leeches. Sometimes our boots would be full of blood and we never knew that (29) they was on us. But the claim was good and we worked the main part out when another man named Dunkin (Duncan) McGregor, a canny Scotsman brought it. He was a good miner and he understood the workings of that sort of well. We got more gold after he came than before. Up at the township of Jimma (Jimna?), there was gold buyers, but their price they was giving for the gold was not, we thought, enough, as it was good looking gold. So I made up my mind and go to Gympie with mine. Some of my mates sent theirs with me. Well, I got on my mare the next day, or rather night, so I rode through at night and we heard there was bushrangers about. Once or twice as I passed some camps, they called out to me, but I put "Barmaid" on full speed for half a mile when I knew they could not catch me. Well, at daybreak, I was in sight of Gympie and I put up at a hotel, I forget the name of the hotel but I know one Murphy kept it. After a wash and breakfast, I went round to the bank of New South Wales with mine and my mate's gold which (30) was beginning to hang heavy in my pockets. After putting the gold of my mates to their separate accounts, as they had given me their signatures, all the gold was sent through to the Sydney mint as well as my own. I just drew five pounds on mine for to have a good time while I was in Gympie. I had a good time and early next morning at daylight I bought some biscuits from Murphy, settled up and I had one shilling to take me back to Yabba, but I was not to see Yabba for a good many days.
But I got started and went to Imbil Station when I called there and bought a piece of steak to roast on the coals when I intended to have a rest and spell my mare for an hour or two. But man proposes and God disposes and I did not get the rest for about three miles from Imbil, while going through a patch of brigalow in a boggy creek, I heard a voice call out : "Stand you bugger or I will shoot you." Looking up I saw a figure with a long shirt out of a blue blanket covering me with a pistol (31) but his hand was very shaky that held the revolver. I turned in my saddle and looked back, when on the other bank a similar figure menaced me with a double-barrel shotgun. It was a muzzle loader and I could see it stood a full cock with caps on the nipples and he was as steady as a rock.
They made me get off in the creek and marched me in front of them off the road. I should say half a mile or better. They had taken my mare away from me and all the
money they got from me was the change I got when I bought the beef at Imbil and the receipt I got from the bank there (which) which I found after where I was tied up. They tied my hands behind my back and made me sit down on the ground by a ... sapling, and because I did not sit up close to the sapling, they hit me on the head with either a stick or the revolver. I was stunned for a time. (32) When I came to myself, I was fast to the sapling and I wanted a drink of water. I then heard footsteps and looking up and saw the man with the gun and his face was uncovered and I saw him very plain. As soon as he saw I was conscious he covered his face with a coloured handkerchief and said : "Oh, you are not dead." Then I asked him for a drink of water. He said he had no time to get me one, but his mate would be along directly.
His mate did come along but he would not give me a drink but he gave me a chew of my own tobacco and said: "If I did not make a noise he would let me go at sundown. This was in the month of June about 10am, but they never come and let me go, but I got away from the sapling just about daylight the next morning with my hands still tied behind my back and legs tied around my ankles.
After a great many attempts to stand - with several falls - I at last succeeded but I was grazed and (33) bruised all over. I started to jump for the road, but I made very slow progress as the country was very rough. I sat down once and tried to cut the string through that bound my ankles but could not suffer the pain. Well, at last I got in sight of the road, when welcome sight I saw four men with swags going towards Gympie. When I coo-ed to them they seemed to hesitate about coming on to me, as I was naked and covered in blood and dirt from head to foot. When they cut the string that bound my wrists and ankles, when I must have swooned away (for) when I came to they was giving me a drink of water and they found me some clothes after washing me in the creek to which they had carried me.
These same four men had been stuck up and robbed the night before. That was the same day as I was. Only I was tied in the morning and then in the evening, they was tied two and two but one of them having lost a finger, his hand was smaller than his wrist. he was able to slip his hand (34) and unloosened the rest. Well, I went back to Imbil with these men and I got there they put me to bed after giving me some beef-tea. As I lay in the bunk I was visited by a trooper and a gold buyer, and as they told me they asked me questions about the rangers, but which I answered, but I had not recollections of doing so. In about a week I was able to ride to Gympie as my mare was found by one of the station hands about a mile from where I was stopped by the bushrangers. My saddle also was found on top of the Yabba range close to the road with one of the blanket shirts the rangers wore. I was asked by the police to go to the courthouse and report, which I did, when the inspector - I think his name was Lloyd - asked me all particulars about the stick up. He then showed an album of lots of photos of men, and after looking a them I came across the photo of the man that I saw his face (35) uncovered, after I came to myself after I was tied up. I then said that was one of the men - the one that held the gun.
The inspector said: "I know him, we shall have no difficulty in getting him captured as he was then keeping a shanty on the road on the Brisbane side of the Yabba (Jimma) range. He also asked me if I saw him and knew him when he was in the hands of the police. About a week after this, I was up in the Jimma township as I had not started work at the claims, as I still paid a man to work for me, when a constable came after me and told me to come and identify the man, but I was not to forget what the inspector told me. The place where they had the police station was about half way between Jimma creek rush and the Sunday gully rush. It, the station, was only bark and slabs, but they had (a) window facing the way he was coming and the constable said: "Look, Sergeant McCarthy has him framed in the window," so I looked up and (36)it was the same face I saw uncovered in the scrub and also in the police album. I then went into the hut and then I heard his name for the first time as "Troden" alias "Podgey". When I was asked by the sergeant whether I knew the man, I said: "no?, I don't know him, I don't think I ever saw him before". Podgey then turned to the sergeant and said: "You can let me go now sergeant", but McCarthy said: "No, Troden, I shall have to take you down to Gympie as the warrant says, and this man - pointing to men - "has to come too, you will be all right." There is one instance I ought to mention, that is when he arrested Podgey, he told the constable that was with him to keep Podgey covered with his revolver. While doing so, the revolver went off and the bullet passed between McCarthy and Podgey, shaving close to Podgey, when Podgey said quite cool: "That was a close shave, sergeant."
Well, after I had squared up matters at the claim - we was still getting good returns, (37) I went down to Gympie, and at the police court hearing, when I was giving evidence, when I said "he was the man", the PM looked at me, but the inspector told the magistrate that he had told me to not recognise him at Yabba as they might have trouble in bringing him down to Gympie. They had another name Blake in the dock with Podgey, but I could not identify him. So Podgey was committed for trial at Maryborough, and I was bound over to appear at his trial. He was also charged the same day with sticking up the other four men that cut the strings that bound me. They all identified both Podgey and Blake, so they was both committed for trial on that charge as well. I cannot remember what month the trial took place or whether it was in 1868 or 1869, but I think it must be the later year. (It was in the month of July 1868 the assault took place, and the court case was heard in Maryborough Criminal Sittings on Saturday September 26, 1868. Case concluding Monday 28th).
I then went back to Yabba and sold out my interest. In fact we all sold out as we though it was worked out. We sold it (38) to some storekeeper at Jimma. They put on wages men to work it. Paid them for a week or two. When they gave it up to the men they had working for them, who made a good thing out of it, getting nearly as much gold out of it as we did, by breaking the bottom of an old dried bed of a gully which was running the same way as the creek we worked. It must have been the old original creek years before and we never though it was worthwhile to try. Well, I now wished them all goodbye at Jimma (and) went down to Gympie, disposed of all my shares in the reefs I was backing in, and went down to Maryborough to wait for the trial.
I stayed at the "Steampacked Hotel" Kent Street. Well, the trial took place but I was not called to give evidence, but still had to attend the court and the case of the other four men was called when they all swore to the two both Podgey and Blake. The jury retired and in about 10 minutes returned with a (39) verdict of guilty. When the (judge)looked over at the prisoners and told them that it was lucky for them that they was not on trial for the other case that was mine, so he started to pass sentence on them. I shall never forget his words. The words were: "Prisoners at the bar, you are justly found guilty of highway robbery and the sentence I shall now pass on you will be 20 years penal servitude and as you bound them in bonds of rope, I will bind you the first three years in irons." I went and saw the irons riveted on them at the lock-up and they was then marched down to the steamboat to take them to the Brisbane jail.
Well about this time a emigrant ship arrived in Maryborough with a lot of single girls and I went down in the "Effie" river steamer, that went to bring them up. As I knew the captain of the "Effie" and as he said, laughing, "come and pick a wife," and so I went down and while they were transhipping the emigrants, I went (40) on board the "Maryborough" and I got talking to a young fellow in uniform, and I found he was a good sort and he was sweet on one of the girls, name of Emily Somers, and he said he was going to desert, and would I help him. I told him I would, so he he showed me the girl Emily and also a shipmate who was chums with her, name of Harriet Phillips, and it appears strange that we took a liking to each other at once, so I helps the "Middy" get his clothes aboard. And when we cast off from the steam, we had about 70 single women and about 60 single men and only a few married couples, but anyway the midshipman, his name was William Ackers, he afterwards was an auctioneer at Charters Towers, the firm of Ackers and Ayton. Anyway he got clear from the ship and she sailed without him. I had plenty of money at the time and being in love with the girl, Harriet, and (who) was hired from the depot to (41) the service of general servant at the Maryborough Post Office.
(41)I used to meet her after tea and we would take a quiet walk down the river bank and out to the waterworks. But one night I met Emily and Ackers outside of the Shakespear Hotel, and they asked us to come in and see the dancing and we went in and I being a good dancer at the time, commenced to instruct my girl in the art. When Emily introduced a new young man by name of Joe Noaks, saddler, and he asked my girl, Harriet, to have a dance and he kept with her pretty well all night and I could not get near her. But I got near Noaks at last and I cautioned him to keep away or I would punch his head. Anyway, I saw the girl home and as next day was Sunday, I went to take her out at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. Joe Noaks (Noaks? which spelling) was there also waiting for her but when she came out of the gate at the post office, she just nodded to Noaks and put her hand (42)on my arm and we walked away to where Emily and the midshipman was. When we went out on the Gayndah Road to the "Blossom hotel" where we went and had some refreshment and it appeared they was going to stay there, as they intended to get married the next day, which I suppose they did only I never saw them married. At this time the Maryborough waterworks was going on up the Gayndah road near the Blossom Inn. I got a job as time keeper from the contractor whose name was J Conners. His home was in Tiaro up on the Mary River about 15 miles.
Well, after a few weeks as I was very much in love with Miss Phillips, I asked her to marry me, but she said she thought she was too young and the people at the Post Office tried to persuade her not to marry me, so we went and got the Magistrate's consent and was married (June 16,1870) at the registrars office in Maryborough and we went to live at the Blossom Inn where Emily and Ackers was living.(43) It suited me as I was only about 200 yards from my work and Ackers got a job there too. Well, I had a very easy good job and I had some money when the news of the "Stanton Harcourt" find of gold came to Maryborough. The gold fever then again took hold of men, when I chartered Mrs Moody's dray she being the owner of the Blossom Inn and myself and Ackers, a Yankee and another man - four of us in all, and started for this new "El Dorado". After about four of five days travelling me and the Yankee went on, but missed the right track and went to right on the Port Curtis road.
After going along this for some time, we came to a shepherd's hut and he told us where we where. We was wrong, so we had to turn back and we got back to the Stanton Harcourt cattle station. We was then five miles off the rush. The Yankee walked on and as I was knocked up, and the lady of the house being none other than a shipmate of my wife's to whom (44) I was introduced before I was married. Loath to stop, and as the boss had that day gone to Brisbane, I stopped nearly a week to keep the lady company in the role of a brother. Well, I went on to the diggings and I found my mates had got a claim, but it was a duffer. Tried lots of place all around. Could get colours but nothing to pay and as my money was nearly all gone, and I owed Mrs Moody of the Blossom Inn 11 weeks board for the wife, I thought it was about time to get back to Maryborough and get some work.
So me and "Billy" Ackers started back on the track with our blankets on my mare and she was in good fettle after the long spell. We got as far as Broom's Station (on) Broom's Creek, the first day. We tried to get some rations from them but they would not (let) us have any. But they gave us breakfast next morning, of stale damper and salt beef with some strong tea. No sugar in the tea; they said they was short of sugar.
Well, we travelled on after breakfast (45) and got within about five or six miles of "Musket Flat" on the Maryborough & Gayndah road, when we had to camp as I was knocked up. So we made a fire and having some tobacco left, I filled my pipe and had a smoke. Ackers did not smoke - a good job or I should not have any tobacco left. Well, we spread our blankets and turned in. Up at dawn, packed up swags and off for Maryborough again. We had not gone more than 200 yards when we saw the glimmer of a fire, and, as we got closer, we could see two or three me sitting round it. Well, we went towards them and I saw one man that I knew there. Well, they gave us a good feed and they told me - at least Munro who was boss there did - that they was out looking for a mob of over 300 head of fat cattle that had got away from Yengarie owing to the Mary River coming down a banker and some of the fences washed away. He also told me he was empowered to offer 10 shillings a head reward and also told me they was all branded on the off rump (46) with the ace of clubs and to have a look out if I saw any. Well, they started towards Port Curtis and we went towards Musket Flat where we got something more to eat and enough to carry us on towards Maryborough. The publican, one McKewen, I knew also lent me five shillings.
Well, we felt fit and we started on the road again and reached within about 15 miles from Maryborough, when we camped for the night and I was awake by the dawn of day and sitting up I was greatly astonished to see on the open ridge opposite our camp a big mob of cattle and I could see at distant that they was fats. I woke up Ackers and showed him them and I said, I would go and have a look at them. So I put a saddle on "Barmaid" who was close to the camp and rode across to have a look at them.
When the cattle saw me coming they made a bolt, but Barmaid being a good stock horse, I was soon up with them and I rung the leaders round and being good open country, I steadied them without too much difficulty and I then saw they was branded (47)with the ace of clubs and now to get them to Yengarie was the job. So I called to Ackers to get his breakfast and bring me some, which he did. I then told him to start and walk to Yengarie which was then only about 9 miles from where we was, and tell the people there that we only had one horse to keep them as our other ones was knocked up.
Well, he started and was gone about 10 minutes when he coo-ed and came back and told me there was a horse close by in hopples (hobbles) if I could ride that one he could ride Barmaid on top of our blankets. So I agreed, as I did not like to be alone by myself. He went and caught the horse and brought him up to me, a good looking horse, leading him with his scarf. So I put the saddle and bridle on him and Ackers went off to the camp to fix the blankets and make a halter out of his scarf and saddle straps. I got on the horse. He made a few pig-roots and then went all right.
I then headed the cattle towards Yengarie and I got (48) them to move in the right direction and my mate joined me on the blankets in about 15 minutes and we pushed them as fast as we could. To drive 200 head of cattle or over with two men and no whip, is no small job, I can tell you. But anyway we stuck to the job as both was thinking of our wives and wondering if "Mother Moody" had turned them out.
At last we struck a paddock fence of Yengarie and we got on better then as we only had one side of them to look after. Well, about 3 o'clock we came in sight of the big yard and some of the Yengarie hands came out to help us yard them. Young Mr Cran, one of the boss's sons, counted them. There was 220 heads. We put our saddled off to let the horses have a feed and a rest. We went up to the office with Mr Cran and he gave me a cheque for 100 pounds. I said I wanted 10 pounds more, but he said he thought that was enough. Well, we went about half a mile to the Mary River Hotel and got something to eat and drink. When we started to go and get the horse and go on and see our wives (49) and the landlady, but in going by the office in the yard, we saw messrs Tooth and Cran, and they asked us if we got paid all right. I told them what Mr Munro told me that I was to get 10 shillings per head if I found them, so I told them Mr Cran had given me a cheque for 100 pounds, but had not paid me for the 20 more. Those gentlemen said what Munro said was right and they then handed me two five pound notes, one of which I handed to my mate. And we went and got the horses and started to get to Maryborough at once. We got there about half past eight or nine and went straight into the bar and asked for a drink.
Mrs Moody was in the bar and she said: "Yes, if you have got the money." Ackers threw over the five pound note and said: "Here, where is my wife?." but by this time they had heard us and they came running in and put their arms around us and kissed us and told us if we had not come they was to be turned out the next day. So we told them to pack up their boxes and my mate went and brought out two cabs and we shifted into the (50) Steam Packet hotel that night where I was well known.
On the next day, Harriet and myself rented a cottage in Adelaide Street, and we purchased a few articles of furniture with bed and bedding, a couple of cups and saucers, tea kettle, plates and dishes, making a big hole in our money. I then went and saw about some work. Mr Conners who I worked for before, told me I could get a few day's work at one pound per day if I was game to tackle it. I aid I was. It appeared that some Irish bullock driver and timber getters on Bauple Mountain just outside Tiaro owed Conners somewhat about 100 pounds and he got a verdict against them and that the bailiff wanted someone that could ride well and not afraid to seize and take their two teams of bullocks as that was all the property they had. So the next day as luck would have it, we went to Bauple and seized the bullocks and drove them to Tiaro where we put them in Conners paddock in the day time and we locked them up at night in the yard. I stayed with those bullocks about 16 days and I only saw the men once and they said,(51) it was a mean job I was doing. I replied: "Beggars did not have a choice." If I had not done it, someone else would and that I did not let the bullocks starve.
Well the next time they came they brought a letter to me from Eccles the bailiff, to deliver the bullocks to them, which I did and rode back to Maryborough and saw Mr Eccles and Mr Conners and was paid 17 pounds. They allowed the extra pound for the use of my horse, then Mr Conners was starting a butcher's business at Tiaro (and) he asked me if I would take the job at 25 shillings per week, house free and double rations, which I did and myself and wife resided at Tiaro.
We had been there about two months when Emily, Ackers' wife as we supposed until (then), came up on us one morning having walked from Maryborough, and told us her troubles, that Ackers had left her and that she had not married. So as she was a fine lump of a woman, she had plenty after her, and no one knew Ackers. No questions was asked and she got married to a (52) man named Harry Murray, a sailor, but he was working on some of the punts carrying timber on the Mary River and they seemed happy.
After some time, Conners got somehow into difficulties. He had to give up business and I had to look for a billet. About this time my dear wife took bad. I very near lost her and she had a mishap but she soon recovered. Then I went and saw a Mr Nicholas at Owanvilla, 10 miles from Maryborough, and I got a job as a butcher there and I used to have to deliver beef on the river, on various farms.
I used to have to go 9 miles down the river and 6 miles up twice a week each way, besides doing the killing and cutting up. This work was pretty stiff but I stuck to it as I liked the river work and the mistress was a good sort.
I stuck to it for nearly 18 months when a daughter was born on December 16, 1871. I was away after cattle at the time she was born. It was a very curious way that way she got the name of Elizabeth. The way she got the name - I asked my wife what name we should call (53) her. She said she would leave it to me, so I said all right. And as I had to go into Maryborough that day on business, I said I would ask the first little girl I met, her name, after I landed from the boat. I did, and the first girl I met about two or three hundred yards from the river I said: "Are you going to school?" She said: "Yes, sir". I said: "What's your name, my dear?" and she answered: "Elizabeth White". So I gave the little girl half a crown and she looked at me and said "thank you. I said "good morning."
When I went home at night after registering her birth, my wife never liked the name of Elizabeth. After the event of having a daughter, things was all right for a while but heavy rains set in and the Mary River was in high flood (1875?), and the cedar logs came down in hundreds and men went out in boats to catch them and tie them up. I had left Nichols just before and I had bought a boat to go down oyster fishing. I had been down only twice before, but it had paid well. I had taken a partner in (54) with me before this puntman that married the wife's shipmate Emily, Ackers' cast off girl. We done quite well in salvage money, saving the cedar timber, but hundreds of logs got away past Maryborough and out to the bay.
There was another married man living near us at Owanvilla named Fleming and we had some talk about the logs getting to the bay. We thought it possible to get enough to pay us and we would take our wives down to the bay and fix a camp where there was water. My boat was a very big boat, she was a lifeboat belong to the German emigrant ship lost somewhere on the coast and I bought her cheap for 25 pounds, when sold by the underwriters, so we had plenty of room in the boat for all of us. So after putting in a supply of food stuff, we went down to the bay and we pitched our camp on the south of the mouth of the river. There was water there from a blackfellow's well, but the mosquitoes was very bad but then he had nets to fix up at night. Well we (55) had good times at first, we got a good few logs and as I had called at Dundatha Sawmill, 9 miles below Maryborough and got the loan of raft chains, dogs and anchor, on our way down to the bay, so we dogged and anchored them in a bend of the river inside a very snug place for them to be in.
After we had collected as many as we could find amongst the mangroves, we went further down the bay and often we got a log of 100 feet in amongst the mangroves which line the beach to the south, but we run short of tucker. We had no sugar left, only tea; no flour, no beef. We could get plenty of crabs, oysters or fish. We had some pumpkins that I can't look at them for food since that time over 50 years ago.
One day a "bark" came in from Sydney and anchored in the bay, so myself and Harry Murray went out to one of the oyster beds and filled a bag of oysters and took them to the ship and asked if (56) the captain would like them. He seemed very pleased with them and he asked what we was doing and I told him - not forgetting the state of our larder and of the women we had with us.
He gave us 100lb of flour, about 40lb of sugar, tea, coffee and about 7 or 8 tins of milk, besides half a bag of potatoes and half a bag of ships biscuits and some tobacco. So we done all right. He (the captain) was waiting for a pilot to take him up the river with the tugboat. So now we had plenty of rations and we now only wanted a spring tide to take us up the river to get rid of our logs. W hoped we would a good price. We lost some of the logs getting under way as just when we got into the main stream of the tide, a steamer passed up coming down and made a great sea on and drew some of the logs. But anyway we done fairly well and it was a healthy trip, for the children was healthy and the women burnt as brown as a berry. Anyway, I was tired of the river and I gave over the business to Harry Murray as it (57) suited him. I then took a job with a butcher in Maryborough named Kruger, a German a good tradesman and small goods man. I also worked for the Morgan Bros a few months, then went back to Kruger and worked for him until I left Maryborough; when I left the wife in Maryborough and went down by boat in the Lady Bowen paddle steamer, as I had heard of a job as head slaughterman at Godna (Goodna?) at good wages of two pounds 16 shillings a week and tucker and lodgings.
When I got there I found I was going to work for the man I hated as a boy, that was Adset (who) lived close to Mr Barron's farm, where I had done my first graft. He did not know me and I did not make myself known. He had a wife, who looked after our comfort. thee was four of us all together.
Soon after I got there (Adset) went away for about a week or 10 days and as soon as he was gone, the missus took a drop of drink and she would be pretty well half tight. When Adset came home he came after we had gone to bed and I woke with the screams. Mrs Adset was (58) making and I could hear the blows that was striking her. At last I yelled out stop it and he stopped and then the cursing of her was something awful. One of the other chaps told me he often thrashed her like that. I said if ever he done it again while I was here, he would be sorry for it. He said I would have to look out if I tackled Adset, as they all was afraid of him.
I had just drawn a month's pay and sent it up to the wife in Maryborough and she could sell the fowls I had started rearing game fowls and we was getting a good price for them. About a month or six weeks after that Adset went away to buy more cattle, he was away about a fortnight when Mrs Adset started on the drink again, but he came home driving the cattle in the daylight and the missus was not too bad. He had his supper with us all right and then he went out and we all went to bed but by about 11 o'clock we woke by the screams of the missus and I jumped out of bed and went into
( end book 3 commencing page 59 book 4.) the sitting room where he had dragged the missus from the bedroom and he was holding her by her hair and thrashing her with the handle of a buggy whip. He had pulled every stitch of clothes off her and she was naked. he was beating her all over the body. I jumped in and I caught him by the collar and turned him round and took the whip from him and gave him a taste of his own medicine, when he called out for his shipman to come and help him, but they would not come. Then I told him who I was when I worked for Mr Barron, when he said I must have come from a very low place.
When the morning came I packed up my bundle and went to another butcher there named MacFarlane but the place was too rough, so I only stopped about a week
Continuing Book 4.page 59
Book 4. Pages 59 to 70
When the morning came I packed up my bundle and went to another butcher there named MacFarlane but the place was too rough, so I only stopped about a week.
I may mention that while I was with Adsett, I used to deliver meat every morning at 7 o'clock to the asylum. I used to have to drive into the cook-house and leave the meat on a big bench, then a keeper would let me out and lock the gate after me. After (60) I left Goodna, I went to Brisbane to sell all out and come to Brisbane. I stayed at Littleboys Hotel in Edward Street where I had a very good time until the wife came, which was about a fortnight after I sent for her. The day after she arrived, I saw an ad in the morning paper for a butcher wanted for Beenleigh. I went around to the office, there was a lot there before me applying for the job. After asking me a lot of questions, he told me to call round at two or three o'clock. I went around at 3 o'clock and I saw some of the same men coming away from there cursing because they was not wanted and said: "What was the good of me going in, but I said I would go anyway and see him" So I went in and he looked me all over. I said: "What are you looking at"? He said: "I was looking to see if you was all right." So I said: "I don't get drunk and neglect my work" Then he said I had to go to Beenleigh the next day by coach, 20 miles I think that was the distance, to kill and be shopman with one man to help me.(61) The firm I was to work for, Pietzner and Coser, the wages was two pounds 10 shillings a week. I then told him I was married and he told me I could rent a cottage there for about five shillings a week. So I went the next day and I got the wife up in about a week. After we had to start housekeeping again and our dear little baby was keeping good with all the knocking about we had lately. While with this firm, I done very well and my wife being a saving little woman, she kept thing straight while I was in Maryborough, I had joined the MUIOOF (Manchester Unity Independent Order of Oddfellows) and as there was no lodge at Beenleigh, I wrote about it to the Grand-Master in Brisbane, also to my lodge in Maryborough, and we got one formed at Beenleigh and I was the first N.G. (Noble Grand) installed. This Lodge increased wonderfully. I cannot say how long I stayed at Beenleigh, but there was a man on the upper Albert River, that used to come too Beenleigh once a week with his cart to take out beef. He would take a side or sometimes three quarters at a time. He said there was a good opening (62) for a butcher up there and if I liked, I could join him as equal partners and start a business on the Albert River at his place. I told him I would think it over. Me and my dear wife talked the matter over and I left Beenleigh, though Pietzner and Coser offered more money if I would stop, but as I had given my word to John Barnard. He was known on the river as Flash Jack.
Everything was done to make a success of the business and at that time I was training at the Albert with another young man for the Coomera regatta which was held at Christmas time at Coomera. I can recollect that me and my mate, the boat puller Buckley, we went and my wife and little daughter (she could just talk then) went over to Coomera in a spring cart with another shipmate of hers, Mr and Mrs Wilson - they got married after they came out but they had no children.
We won the whale boat race, what we was training for. We beat the crack Brisbane McClures team, I think that was,(63) I know I pulled the stroke and Wilson was coxswain. Soon after this boat race, as in business there was not enough for two, as I was not making more than one pound per week, I left the Albert and went ac to the Logan Village on the Logan River 25 miles from Brisbane, and I engaged as a butcher and slaughterman with a Mr Drydan. He also had an hotel there. I was killing a bullock a day there, and we used to carcass meat down the Logan to a store that was on the Logan, where they was building a bridge over the river.
I had a cottage to live in rent free and I got two pound a week and my beef. I also delivered the meat to the store and some days in the week I had to deliver meat up the river to various selectors. One day while I was taking meat out up to one of the farms, as I
- [S156033320] FreeBMD, England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915, (Ancestry.com Operations Inc).
- .
1843 Marriage solemnized at the Parish Church in the Parish of St Mary, Newington, in the County of Surrey
No 139 10th July 1843
William Aldridge of full age bachelor carrier Princes Buildings Father: James Aldridge (Publican)
Mary Ann Smith of full age spinster ---- Princes Buildings Father: William Smith (Publican)
Married in the parish Church, according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Established Church after Banns by me George Rowland Medley
This marriage was solemnized between us William Aldridge Mary Ann Smith in the presence of James Aldridge (his mark) and Sarah Aldridge<hr>
- .
Reference 1870/C316:
No 569, 16 June 1870, Maryborough, Queensland, Australia
Henry ALDRIDGE, bachelor, born Hertfordshire, England, miner, aged 23, address Maryborough, son of William ALDRIDGE (publican) and Mary Ann Smith.
AND
Harriett PHILLIPS, spinster, born London, Middlesex, England, domestic, aged 21, address Maryborough, dau of George PHILLIPS (lint manufacturer) and Sophia Bygraves
at Office of the District Registrar and Maryborough.
Witnesses: William Archer and Emily Archer. (NOTE: Henry gives their surname as Akers in his memoirs)
<hr>
- .
Ref 1893/1581115
Henry ALDRIDGE, widower, born Welwyn, Hertfordshire, England, miner, aged 47, address Mt Morgan, son of William ALDRIDGE (publican) and Mary Ann Smith
AND
Sarah Ann ADAMS, spinster, born Bath, Somerset, England, aged 44 years, address 68 Lexham Gardens, Kensington, London, England, dau of Thomas ADAMS (sawyer) and Maria Stevens.
Witnesses: H.F.Glindeman, F.Heiser
<hr>
|
1844 - 1926 (82 years)
[9]