Curby Family

At this time in world history The Mines Act of 1842 becomes law, prohibiting underground work for all women and boys under 10 years old in the United Kingdom.

The Chinese Qing Dynasty ceded Hong Kong to the British Empire in 1842 through the Treaty of Nanking ending the First Opium War. Hong Kong then became a British Crown Colony.

Japanese Field Marshal Ōyama Iwao was born in 1842. He became a founder of the Japanese Imperial Army and served as Japan's War Minister in several cabinets and as the Chief of the Imperial Army General Staff. In 1869, John William Fenton, a visiting Irish military band leader, realised there was no national anthem in Japan, and suggested to Ōyama Iwao that one be created. Ōyama agreed, and selected the lyrics from the poem titled "Kimigayo" which is the Official National Anthem of Japan to this day.

1842 saw the first documented discovery of gold in California, by Francisco Lopez at Placerita Canyon in Rancho San Francisco, sparking the early start of the Gold Rush.

The 10th President of the United States, John Tyler, commenced negotiations with Sam Houston, the President of the Republic of Texas, which lead to Texas becoming part of the United States of America. Today, the City of Houston is the most populous city in Texas and the fourth largest in the U.S.

The Colonial town of Sydney was declared a city. The ‘City of Sydney’ of 1842 was little more than an unruly village of dusty poorly lit lanes and unhygienic dwellings. There was no water or sanitation system. Cattle were routinely driven through the streets. The Corporation Act defined the boundaries, which took in present-day Woolloomooloo, Surry Hills, Chippendale, and Pyrmont. Six wards were marked by boundary posts, one of which survives at the front of Sydney Square.

1842 – Curby - Joseph Curby b 1806 in England and Mary Ann Curby (nee Richards) b 1811 in England were married at St George Hanover Square, London in 1827 and arrived in Sydney on the 13th April 1842 on the ship "Louisa".

Joseph built a business as a publican and auctioneer from his premises at Pitt Street, Sydney, near Market Street.

1842 – “Mrs Curby who leaves England with her husband, child and nephew in indefinite

purposes either to establish in business or to obtain some more profitable employment than England’s metropolis held out is about thirty years of age and Master Curby is only fourteen months of age. Mr Curby, not a native of London has at any rate the dialect of a complete Cockney added to which his experience a “man about Town” is by no means. He is a tall stout man and aged thirty-three. Frank is about six or seven years of age, just old enough to be quiet and to do as he is pleases and is therefore no more worthy of notice.” From the Journal of William Charles Wills, Journal kept on a voyage from London to Sydney and in his first two years living and working in Sydney, 30 October 1841 – 13 January 1844. 

The journal is addressed to John Brownlow, who was secretary of the Foundling Hospital in London. Wills despatched it in instalments, for instance in May 1842 and December 1842. For most of this period, Wills wrote daily entries, often of considerable length. However, after 10 August 1843 the entries are intermittent and often very brief. The last entry on 13 January 1844 records his decision not to continue, on account of the monotony of his life and the time that it took writing up the diary.

The first part of the journal documents the voyage from Gravesend to Sydney, 30 October 1841–14 April 1842, on the barque Louisa, commanded by Joshua Pallot. There are references to the seasickness of many of the passengers, sighting of the Channel Islands and Tenerife, winds and weather, the character of the captain, crew and fellow-passengers, the monotony of the voyage, sighting of flying fish and albatrosses, Wills' study of the French language, shortages of fresh water, fishing, the heat of the tropics, storms, Christmas celebrations, the sighting of ships, Wills' angry exchanges with the captain, the captain's wife, games of chess, meals, petty feuds, the sighting of St Pauls in the Indian Ocean and the arrival at Port Jackson. From 5 March to 4 April there was a break in the entries, due to problems with his eyesight, but Wills then described the period retrospectively.

The next part of the journal describes Wills's quest for employment, his first impressions of Sydney, the Botanic Gardens, Australian College and other educational and cultural institutions, meetings with Reverend John McGarvie and Sir Thomas Mitchell, services at St James's Church and other churches, conversations with Sydney residents, a review of the 28th Regiment (19 May 1842), walks in Sydney, concerts, and finally Wills' appointment as a clerk with the merchant and landlord Felix Wilson of Castlereagh Street (June 1842).

Wills remained with Wilson until December 1842. The entries for this period refer to his clerical duties, stocktaking and rent collecting, living conditions, his observance of a convict chain gang, Indigenous Australians in Sydney, inscriptions on tombs in the burial ground, attendance at quarter sessions (July 1842), a public meeting of the directors of the Benevolent Asylum (27 July 1842), news of killings of Indigenous Australians, including children, auctions, Jewish businessmen in Sydney, visits to the Insolvent Court, relations with Wilson and Wilson's wife, a Homebush race meeting (23 September. 1842), canvassing for Wilson in the elections for the Sydney Council, ship arrivals and news from England, asthma attacks, accounts of bushrangers, criminal trials, the first Sydney Council elections (1 November 1842), journeys to Liverpool and Parramatta (November 1842), Wills' scheme for bringing German immigrants to New South Wales (17 November 1842), meetings of the Sydney Council, visits to the North Shore, bushfires, drought, French and American ships visiting Port Jackson, observation of exams at Sydney College (13 December 1842), and the sudden dispute with Wilson and their parting.

The last part of the journal records Wills's renewed search for a clerical or teaching position, a visit on board HMS Beagle (14 January 1843), musical evenings, celebrations of the founding of the colony (26 January 1843), interviews with the mayor and aldermen of Sydney, sightings of a comet (3-6 March 1843), his appointment as secretary of the Mayor, John Hosking (21 March 1843), a dinner at the Mayor's house, parties, his duties as secretary, economic depression in the colony, the collapse of the Bank of Australia and difficulties of the Sydney Banking Company, English newspapers, the erection of military barracks by convict gangs, changes in lodgings, expenses, relations with Hosking, Queen's birthday celebrations (23 May 1843), a Government House ball (25 May 1843), proposed zoological gardens, charges made against the City Surveyor (June 1843), the first election of the expanded Legislative Council (15 June 1843), meetings with Alderman James R. Wilshire and the Town Clerk, the prevalence of measles and smallpox, the compilation of assessment books for the city wards, Wills' appointment as acting town clerk (19 July 1843), insolvencies, the resignation of Hosking following the bankruptcy of his company, the election of Wilshire as mayor, the drastic reduction of government salaries (December 1843), the state of the pastoral industry, and the materialism of colonial society.

1850 – Sept - ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE. SYDNEY ELECTION.

To the Editors of the Sydney Morning Herald.

GENTLEMEN.--The attention of the undersigned has been called to a letter which appears in this morning's (Saturday's) Sydney Morning Herald; in which it is asserted, "that the mis-statement published by you constitute one of the most grossly garbled and dishonest accounts that ever,' within the writers' knowledge, disgraced the columns of a newspaper."

The writers then go on to point out, as only one instance of your alleged misrepresentations, that, "you state that Dr. Lang had difficulty in obtaining a hearing, and spoke amidst continuous uproar ; whereas the fact is, (they say) that Dr. Lang was enthusiastically received., and that the conduct of the meeting was orderly and attentive to the close of his address."

Our attention has also been called to another report of the meeting, and to some comments upon your account thereof, which appeared in this morning's Empire. Upon these matters we deem it our duty to offer a few remarks :

1. When Dr. Lang rose to address the meeting, he could not obtain a hearing for a considerable time ; and it was not until Alderman Egan appeared to be leaving the chair which he had twice threatened to leave ; once during the uproar occasioned by Dr. Aaron's injudicious address ; and again, upon Mr. M'Encroe presenting himself to the meeting), that he was allowed to proceed,

2. During Dr. Long's speech he was frequently interrupted by groans and hisses, as well as by counter-cheers, as stated in your report.

3. Upon hearing Mr. John Ryan Brenan read a quotation from Dr. Lang's pamphlet, entitled The Question of Questions, in which (as your report truly states) " Irishmen are described as a people sunk in ignorance and moral debasement ; their religion a mummery ; and their country a hotbed to rear men for transportation or the gallows ;"

the indignation of the meeting knew no bounds, and, had Dr. Lang not been on the raised orchestra, there is little doubt but that he would have been summarily ejected.

4. Upon Dr. Lang attempting to reply to Mr. Brenan's speech, the exasperated meeting

would not hear him, not withstanding the efforts both of Alderman Egan and Mr. Brenan, the latter of whom begged of the meeting to hear whether the reverend gentleman could explain away the libel upon Ireland and Irishmen, which he had just read to them.

In conclusion, we beg to observe, that your report is what it purports to be, " a mere outline of the speeches delivered ;" but we will add, a faithful one, giving in a condensed form, a good idea of the whole proceedings. The Empire's report, on the contrary, is an obviously one-sided one ; for, whilst it professes to be a full, verbatim report, it devotes two and a half columns to ' Dr. Lang's speech ; and disposes of Mr. Brenan's (which occupied nearly the same time in delivery) in ten lines ; omitting the slightest mention of the fact, that for nearly twenty minutes after its delivery, were Mr. Hawksley and Dr. Lang gesticulating, in vain, for a hearing, in order, it may be presumed, to attempt to explain away the unfortunate passages of the pamphlet.

The charge preferred by your correspondents against your reporter, namely - that " he suppressed -all truth in the indulgence of his antipathies and prejudices ;" is the more unjust, seeing that he was the only gentleman present, connected with the press, who did not express, in the most prominent and unbecoming manner, both approval and dissent during the proceedings.

The other reporters, by such conduct, infringed, what we conceive to be, the bounden

duty of every one acting in that capacity. Those reports can scarcely be fair ones the writers

of which act in the double capacity of reporters and political partisans.

We have the honour to be, Gentlemen,

Your obedient servants,

JNO. RYAN BRENAN ; D. J. TIERNEY ;

FRAS. M'MAHON, 245, George

street South; EDW. M'ENCROE,

321, George-street South ; THOS.

HUGHES, 368, George-street; M.

CUSSEN, 382, George-street; J.

DONOVAN, 331, George-street;

THOMAS RYAN, Prince-street ;

J. K. HEYDON, 78, King-street ;

THOMAS HOPKINS, 78, King

street; P. F. MORGAN, Pitt

street ; ROBERT COVENY, Market

street; J. CURBY, Pitt-street.

In addition to the statements set forth above, I beg to make public a matter connected with

the meeting which refers to myself, individually. It being pretty generally known, that I intended to attend the meeting, for the purpose of moving an amendment to the cut and dried resolution of the evening ; -which amendment the Empire has judiciously burked ; but which, with your permission, I will again publish; vis.,-"That this meeting, having carefully considered the career of Dr. Lang, records as its deliberate opinion, that he is a most unfit and improper person to represent the city of Sydney in the Legislative Council of New South Wales":--It being pretty generally known, I say, that this was my intention, orders were given at the Circus to prevent my admission; and, upon my presenting myself, I was rudely repulsed.

As an Elector of Sydney, I demanded admission to what had been placarded as a Public Meeting of the Electors, albeit the said meeting had not been advertised in either of the daily newspapers, nor yet in the weekly paper which was published on the day of the meeting. I was about to retire, when three or four persons who were going into the circle became indignant at such conduct, and threw Mr. Malcom and his 'servants on one side ; and upon Mr Hawksley, of thç People's Advocate, placing his hand on my collar to prevent my progress, he was also thrown a few yards, as a hint of the danger of acting as door-keeper at Hole-and-Corner Meetings. The outrage commenced by Dr. Lang’s own Committee was the cause of the fighting and uproar which your reporter has described. Mr. J.K. Heydon was also refused admittance ; until Mr. Malcolm at length gave orders that he should pass. In corroboration of your reporter's statement as to the disgraceful conduct inside the building, I will state, that after I had with difficulty got in, I myself saw two fights ; one of which was got up by a partisan of Dr. Lang, who offered to fight any two "Irish Papists," and who was immediately knocked down. I am credibly informed, that for some days previous to the meeting, every scheme to pack the meeting was resorted to by Dr. Lang's unscrupulous friends. 

Socialists, and Chartists, all, indeed, who are of the same opinion as was expressed by Dr. Lang on Thursday evening, namely, that the " Gold Discovery," will perform an "equalizing process," and make "Jack as good as his master;" such persons, I say, were especially invited to attend, even from the Hamlets, and were inducted into the Circus and its galleries, through his bar, before the appointed hour of opening, by the obliging Mr. Malcom ; whilst the electors of Sydney were rudely taken by the collar, pushed back, and refused admission. Talk of misreporting facts! let me refer, with your permission, to the Empire's gross misstatement as to a late city election meeting at Adrain's Hotel ; when a proposal "that the friends of Mr. Lamb and Mr. Cowper should coalesce with the friends of Dr. Lang," was scouted; whereas the Empire reported that it was agreed I too!

EDWARD M'ENCROE.

321, George-street.

August 30._

1851 - Mark Williams was committed to take his trial for stealing a tea-urn from the premises of Mr. Curby, Pitt-street, Prisoner and another man went on Tuesday afternoon to Mr. Curby's, requesting to see a coat which had been pledged there, the ticket for which prisoner was about to buy if the coat suited him. It could not be shown to him unless he first paid sixpence due for interest, when Williams handed over a half-crown, receiving two shillings back, which he gave to the owner of the coat. Having seen the coat he disliked it, and would not purchase ; he asked his two shillings back, but the seller bolted. The prisoner, after looking in vain for a constable, walked up to a table and took a tea-urn, which he said he would take to pay himself for the half-crown, and as he would not give it up, he was given into custody. He did not deny the taking - he said he considered he was robbed of his half-crown, and therefore took the first thing that came to hand wherewith to pay himself.

1860 - Joseph Curby died on 11 January 1860 - The Sydney Morning Herald -- The Friends of the late Mr. JOSEPH CURBY are respectfully invited to attend his Funeral, which will move from his late Residence, Pitt Street, near Market Street, THIS (Friday) AFTERNOON, at 3 o'clock precisely. N.B. No circulars will be issued. THOMAS HILL, undertaker, King and Riley streets."

Sources: Joseph Curby Pitt Street - Sydney Morning Herald, 1 September 1851 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/12929947?searchTerm=Robert%20curby

My Dear Aunt

You have so often kindly inquired after me in your letters to Mother and Sister that I have at last determined to write to you, doubtfully you have heard that for the last seven or eight years I have been away from home, living principally in Queensland, sometimes working on a sheep station other times gold mining. 

I regret to say that I have been rather unfortunate gold digging in a very precarious occupation and where I have worked it has been unhealthy, I suffer severely from ague and have had the fever times with it. So that since my father died I have not been very prosperous had he, but have been spared a few years longer.

I'm certain he would have placed us in some sort of business. I would very much like to do something on my own account if I could only get a start, of course he left us each a little money but mother is to have the use of it for her lifetime. My brother Joshua who married sometime back is engaged in a furniture warehouse, he has great hopes of being able to go into business on his own account shortly although in a small way.

My sister Mary Ann was married some eight months back to Mr W Hanley a teacher of music, she is very happy but does not get very good health being much troubled with asthma. My Mother, I am thankful to say enjoys excellent health, she often expresses a wish to visit England and see places that she remembers so well.

I hope Dear Aunt you will write to me. Mother sends her best love to you, I must now conclude hoping this will find you well.

Believe Me,

Dear Aunt,

Your affectionate nephew

Francis Joseph Curby

Charlotte Curby (nee Holliday) b 1847 at Balmain and Francis Joseph Curby b 1840 in London (Came on “Louisa” 1842) were married at Sydney in September 1869. Charlotte's parents also lived in Balmain and her Mother, also Charlotte, passed away on the 1st September 1900 and her obituary was published on 6th September 1900:

Charlotte Holliday nee Fox arrived Sydney from Woolwich on “Clyde”: 17 August 1834.

"An old colonist, in the person of Mrs Charlotte Holliday passed away at Balmain on Saturday last. She was the widow of the late Mr Charles Holliday, whose death took place in August, 1858.  Deceased was the youngest daughter of the late Joseph Fox of Woolwich, England and came to the colony in 1834, under the guardianship of Mr Stapleton, in the ship Clyde (Captain Hyland).  She had thus been 66 years in the colony. The deceased lady resided in Balmain East the whole of the time with the exception of about four years. She was the mother of 11 children, six of whom survive her, viz Mr John Holliday, Rev H T and Mr George Holliday, Mrs S Heyden, Mrs J Curby, and Mrs W Elvin. There are also 54 grandchildren and 68 great grandchildren. The funeral took place from St Mary's Church, Balmain East on Sunday afternoon, and was largely attended by the relatives of the deceased, 20 of the grandsons walking behind the hearse. The Rev M Archdall officiated at the grave, and spoke of the Christian virtues exhibited by the deceased in her life."

An old Colonist - Sydney Morning Herald, 6 September 1900 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/14334509?searchTerm=%22mrs%20Charlotte%20holliday%22

1890 - Frederick Curby is born. The youngest child of Charlotte and Francis Joseph Curby.

1912 - Caroline Curby (nee Spowart) b 1890 in England and Frederick Reginald Curby b 1890 in Leichardt were married at Sydney in January 1912. They raised six sons who all served their country and fought in World War II. 

George Alfred Curby - Warrant Officer Class 2,  2/3rd Pioneer Battalion.

Frederick Herbert Curby - Private, 2/18th Australian Infantry Battalion, Prisoner of War.

Archibald Allenby Curby - Craftsman, 2/9th Armoured Regiment.

Norman Laurence Curby - Staff Sergeant, 51st Field Park Company (AIF) 

Douglas Francis Curby - Lance Bombardier, 2/15th Field Regiment, Prisoner of War.

Gordon Spowart Curby - No. 100 Bomber Squadron RAAF

The brother of Caroline Curby (nee Spowart) was Killed in Action on the Western Front at Bullecourt. Memorial details - Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, France.

SPOWART- In loving memory of our dear son. Archie Spowart, L.G. 19th Batt. killed in action May 3, 1917.

Days of sadness still come o'er us, secret tears do often flow; For memory keeps our loved one near us, though he was killed two years ago.

SPOWART.-In loving memory of our dear brother. Archie Spowart, killled in actlon, May 3, 1917.
Somewhere In France In a soldier's grave, Sleep on, dear brother, you are among the brave.
Inserted by his fond sister andl brother-in-law, Lizzie and G. Spruce, nieces, Carry and Myra.

SPOWART.-In loving memory of my dear brother,
Archie Spowart, killed at Bullecourt, May 3. 1917.
His right he fought, he stood the test;
He'll be remembered as one of the best,
Inserted by his loving sister and brother. Carrie and Fred Curby, Hornsby.

SPOWART.-In fond and loving memory of my dear friend, Pte. Archie Spowart. killed in action at Bullecourt, May 3, 1917. Inserted by his loving friend, Dorothy Bain.

It was said that Caroline Curby (nee Spowart) went "white overnight" - her hair turning grey when her six sons went off to fight in the Second World War.

Carol Sharpe is the eldest daughter of Dorothy & Doug Curby. 

A Returned Soldier and former Prisoner Of War, this is a photo of Doug and his Brothers marching in the Sydney ANZAC Day Parade in 1955. These six Brothers knew the horrors of war and all returned home to make their own contributions to our Australian way of life.

Doug Curby, was a Prisoner Of War, taken by the Japanese at the Fall of Singapore where he was tortured at Changi, forced to work on the Thai-Burma Railway and sent by Hell Ship to Nagasaki.

He was in the Nagasaki coal mines when the US dropped the bomb.

The POW camp commandant was Asao Fukuhara, who was executed after the war for war crimes. The camp doctor was an unidentified Japanese surgeon who forced men to work even when they were critically ill.

Many POWs were suffering from severe beri-beri and on average had lost about 60 lb (27 kg). Camp survivors were evacuated via the destroyed Nagasaki ten days after liberation.

Thousands of Australian Soldiers were taken as Prisoners Of War.

The Governor General of Australia said it was "An ordeal of unimaginable horror."

Sir Peter Cosgrove paid tribute to the courage and resilience of Australian troops who endured "unimaginable horror", often being beaten "to the edge of death".

“For those magnificent, gallant men and women, whether in uniform or not, theirs was not explosive and immediate courage of the battlefield, be it on land or at sea or in the air," he said. “It was instead a slow burn courage, stoic, enduring, often unto death, a courage of daily sacrifice and determination not to give in, not to despair."

The six Curby Brothers knew the horrors of war and all returned home to make their own contributions to our Australian way of life.

We can only imagine their determination.

Lest We Forget.

Sources:

1. L/Bdr Douglas Francis Curby  http://www.mansell.com/lindavdahl/omuta17/biographies_profiles/Curby_Douglas_F_Profile.docx

2. Governor General - Fall of Singapore - ABC News 15 February 2017 - https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-15/fall-of-singapore-ceremony-in-ballarat-victoria/8268152

WASHINGTON, Tuesday (AAP-Reuter).—

A heroic wartime rescue by an Australian in New Guinea 22 years ago has earned a letter of commendation from the United States Defence Department and an apology that it was too late now to award him a medal.

The Australian is George Alfred Curby, now living at Morris Street, Merrylands, NSW who rescued an American pilot from a Japanese-held jungle area in 1943. The American, Lieutenant Douglas James La Nore, was a pilot with the 8th Squadron of the 49th Fighter Group, US 5th Air Force.

La Nore, of San Francisco recently wrote to retired General George Kennedy, World War II Commander of the 5th Air Force, seeking recognition for Curby's act and saying that after 20 years it would be sad and wrong if recognition was withheld.

General Kennedy contacted General J. P. McConnell, the Air Force Chief of Staff, and proposed the award of the Distinguished Service Cross.

General McConnell said in a letter to Curby, however, that US law required that an award must be made within two years.

"I deeply regret time limitations preclude the award of an appropriate decoration as belated recognition of your heroic act."

The Canberra Times - Wed 1st December 1965 - page 28

See Trove https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/105875833?searchTerm=George%20Alfred%20curby

Doug Curby, was a Prisoner of War rescued from Nagasaki and returned home on board the aircraft carrier HMS Formidable to Sydney Harbour on 13th October 1945 .

The POW camp had measured 200 yards by 1000 yards and was surrounded by a 12 feet high wooden fence fixed with heavy gauge wire. There were 33 barracks, all one story buildings 120' x 16' with ten rooms to a barracks. There was no heating whatsoever, which was a serious problem in the winter months as the men were living on starvation diets. 

The site was originally the labourers' quarters built by the Mitsui Coal Mining Company owned by the Baron Mitsui.

Baron Mitsui's company leased the POWs from the Japanese Imperial Army, who received payment from the Company of about 20 yen per day. The American, Australian and Dutch POWs all worked in the Mitsui coal mine whilst all the British worked in the nearby Mitsui zinc foundry. Pay for privates and NCOs was 10 yen per day and all POWs received about 5 cigarettes each day.

The camp was liberated on 2 September 1945, by which time most of the POWs were in a desperate state of health. Many were suffering from severe beri-beri and on average had lost about 60 lb (27 kg). Camp survivors were evacuated via the destroyed Nagasaki about ten days after liberation.

Here is the photo of Dorothy and Doug Curby on their engagement day.    

Doug was a returned Soldier, a POW surviving the terror of the Japanese Concentration Camps at Changi, on the Thai-Burma Railway and in the coal mines at Nagasaki with some of the worst that the Japanese Imperial Army could throw.

He was unbroken. 

Dorothy cared for him throughout their lives together and as part of what is termed the Greatest Generation, they raised a family together and made a difference in the world. 

Their eldest daughter, Caroline Jane Curby, married Ronald Douglas Sharpe in 1969.

Dorothy was born in 1922, to her parents, Lilian and Walter Nelson Wakeling at Grafton. Unfortunately her parents separated not long after.

Lilian later married Edward (Ted) Tormey in Canberra. 

Disaster struck when Lilian died after a long illness due to tuberculosis. 

1929 - TORMEY, Lilian: Lillian Amy Tormey was the daughter of Joseph Robbins and was born in London in 1895. She married Walter Nelson Wakeling and had two children. She then married Edward Arthur Tormey. She died on 3rd July 1929 aged 33 years. 

Source - Reference St John's Churchyard by Jean Salisbury. (Canberra)

Dorothy was adopted and raised by a close family friend, Eliza Pamment.

Eliza Jane Pamment (nee Beard) married James Ernest Pamment in 1903 at Leichhardt, New South Wales. They adopted Dorothy as a child around 1925. 

Disaster strikes again when James Pamment was killed in a horse and sulky accident. James died on the 19 August 1947, at the age of 72, in the Gosford Hospital, after a fall from a sulky at Woy Woy. A snake scared the horse, which reared, and James was thrown out.

Dorothy married Doug Curby in 1947 and they cared for Eliza, till her death at age of 90 in 1971.

Eliza Jane Pamment (nee Beard) was the daughter of Louisa Priscilla Beard and John Joseph Ridgewell Beard. Eliza was born at Newtown in 1880. 

John Joseph Ridgewell Beard was born at Armidale, New South Wales  in 1862. 

He was a bushranger at age 14 and we find him then in Maitland Gaol at the age of 14 for forgery and robbery under arms.

At the age of 19 he married Louisa Priscilla Whale in Sydney. Their daughter, Eliza Jane Beard was born in 1880 at Newtown. They had seven children together in Sydney.

We then find that John Joseph Ridgewell Beard has married Rebecca Cooper in 1903 at Armidale.

J.J.R. Beard appears to have led a full life on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales with his second wife and their daughter. His Obituary reads as follows - 

Mr. John Joseph Ridgewell Beard, a well-known and respected resident of West Kempsey, passed away on Sunday last, aged 72 years, after a long and painful illness. The late Mr Beard was born at Bundarra, being a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Ridgewell Beard of that town. He married Miss Rebecca Cooper, of Inverell, and came to Kempsey in 1919, residing here ever since. Brothers are Messrs. Thomas Beard (Sydney), Robert Beard (Moree), James Beard (Gunnedah), and William and Frederick Beard (Bundarra); while sisters are Mesdames R. Jackson, A. Catt, Johnson and A. Cavanagh, of Bundarra, and Mrs. House, of Armidale. Mrs. A. E. Johnson, of River-street, West Kempsey, is a daughter. Much sympathy is extended the widow and family in their bereavement. The funeral, under conduct of Mr. J. R. Garland, took place from Mr. Garland's funeral chapel on Monday, the Ven. Archdeacon Tress officiating at a service in All Saints' Church of England and also at the graveside in West Kempsey Cemetery.

Source - The Macleay Chronicle (Kempsey, 31 July 1934)

There is no mention of his first family, including Eliza Jane Beard in Sydney.

The father of John Joseph Ridegewll Beard was Ridgewell Beard - see photo at right.

Ridgewell Beard was born at Histon, Cambridge, England about 1841, the second child of William Beard and Sarah Ridgewell. His mother died in 1853 during child birth. William married Mary King and with his family arrived in Australia on board "Tanvity" on 3rd Sep 1854, 

Ridgewell was 13 at the time. The males of the family were described as farm labourers and they came out under engagement to Mr Alex Barlow of "Beverley" under assisted migrants act. 

By 1858 the family was living at "Abington" a pastoral property at Bundarra. A history of the property has been published by the University of New England in the histories series one. The volume is titled "Abington" and was written by Ann Harris and contains many details of William Beard and his descendants many of whom were born at Abington.

Ridgewell Beard married Sarah Anne Archer in 1860 and after the birth of 6 children the marriage failed. He then took up with Phyllis Little whose details appear elsewhere. Ridgewell Beard and Phyllis Little never married but Phyllis became known as Phyllis Beard and her children assumed the surname Beard.

A letter appearing on page 62 of the book Abington from 1906 refers to Ridgewell Beard as a well to do selector. Ridgewell Beard has a selection called "Skiffal" which was located seven miles south of the Abington Homestead.. The selection was the site of a school in 1892. In 1925 "Skiffal" was re named "Colomendy" by new owners.

Ridgewell Beard died at Bundarra on the 2nd Oct 1914 and is buried at Bundarra cemetery.

Taken from the family book.

Phyllis Little raised 3 children from Ridgwell Beard's previous marriage. In 1885 Ridgewell held a horse brand no 51130. In June 1891, an application for a state school at Abington was sent to the Minister for Public Instruction in Sydney. It was proposed that schools should be established at Abington Station and at Ridgewell Beard's selection "Skiffal" , seven miles south east of Abington Homestead. Signatories to the application were George and Frederick Smith, Jospeh Ridgewell and Ann Hazelwood, and Ridgewell Beard. The parents agreed to build two new school houses, slab walls and floor, bark roof 12ft square, two windows, doors and fireplace, 9ft high. They also agreed to provide desks and forms, to board the teacher, to provide suitable grazing for his horse and to make up his salary if necessary. At the beginning of 1894 the schools were upgraded to half time schools, There were now 20 children on the roll at Abington and 10 at Skiffal.

Some families moved away from Skiffal and at the time school was transferred to "Laura' for several years and then moved back to Abington Creek in 1898. The new building was put on a site that was named Koala School . A table, two blackboards, an easel and a few books were moved back from Laura, and Ridgewell Beard supplied a few forms for the children to sit on.

In 1897/98 Ridgwell was living at Abington and his occupation was a Settler. Ridgewell Beard was a friend of Thunderbolt the bushranger and on occasions went fishing with him at Laura Creek. In 1925 Peter Poole brought Ridgewell Beards place, Skiffal which he renamed Colomendy.

"They Came to Thunderbolt Country" 

There is a story of a family who came out from England to work on Abington Station, a property north west of the village of Uralla. Under the bounty system, the family were being 'imported' by the then owners of the station. The Beards, William and Mary, from Cambridge, with six children, the youngest girl Hannah (Annie) not quite four years old, were waiting in Southampton to take ship for New South Wales, when Mary died giving birth to her seventh child.

William, realising that he would need a woman to care for the children on board ship, went to a nearby 'poor house' and found a young woman name Mary, who by chance was also from his home town of Cambridge, and married her there and then. The new born girl was given away to a couple in England, and on 8th June 1854 the Beards took passage on the immigrant ship Tantivy, a three masted fully rigged ship of 1041 tons, for their new home in New South Wales, arriving in Australia on 3rd September 1854. They travelled to Abington by bullock wagon and moved into a small house already built for them. 

It has been recorded that Mary, the stepmother, was considered "not very kind" by one of the sons, Ridgewell, who sought a home with a kinder family living nearby and never went back. Another son, James, was horse whipped by Mr Morse, owner of the property, for killing one of the rabbits which he, Morse, had brought out from England as pets, and believed to be the first of their kind in the district. So James also ran away from home.

When Annie was six years old, a frail and extremely small child, she was sent to live with a family on a small selection near Bundarra where she was taught to take care of the cows. Her duties included doing the milking and taking care of the cattle through the day, to prevent the dingoes killing the young calves. It was a responsible job for such a small child, as she was not as tall as the calves herself. She was not treated kindly by her foster parents. As they gave her no shoes, she was forced to wrap her little legs and feet in rags to keep them warm and protect them from prickles and scratches. She spread the rags out in the sun to dry during the day as she watched her charges.

What would have become of her is hard to imagine if her brother James had not found her and taken her back to her father. Even then she was not to enjoy the comfort of the family hearth. Her parents again gave her away. This time it was to a kindly old lady named Granny Robinson, who gave her some of the affection of which she had been deprived. Annie returned home to Abington in her late teens, but as a fully grown woman she was only four feet tall and never grew any taller. She remained there until her marriage to John George Little, son of one of the shepherds on Abington. John was a man almost six feet in height. However, he offered the love and affection which the little girl's family had denied her and the ill assorted couple ran away to be married in Yetman in the late 1860s.

John took a job on Winscombe Station and later settled on a small farm at Tingha. They were believed to have raised a large family of 15 children, descendants of whom spread all over Sandon County and are well respected in the district to this day. William and Mary Beard, although the manner of their marriage would not be considered very romantic by present day standards, remained married, had several children of their own, and lived on Abington for the rest of their lives.

Source - from the book "They Came to Thunderbolt Country" by Jeane Upjohn 1988 1st Edition.

Therefore - 

1. William and Mary Beard sailed from England with six children including Ridgewell Beard aged 13.

2. Ridgewell Beard married Sarah Anne Archer in 1860. Their children included John Joseph Ridgewell Beard.

3. John Joseph Ridgewell Beard married Louisa Priscilla Whale and their children included Eliza Jane Beard, born in 1880.

4. Eliza Jane Beard married James Pamment and they raised Dorothy (Wakeling) Pamment.

5. Dorothy married Doug Curby and their eldest daughter, Caroline Jane Curby married Ronald Douglas Sharpe in 1969.

See the Sharpe Family Tree here

London - James Blackman b 1759 married Elizabeth Harley and they sailed to Sydney.     

Sydney - Their daughter Mary Ann Blackman b 1803 married Josephus Henry Barsden     

Bathurst - Their daughter Mary Ann Barsden b 1824 married William Richard Smith          

Essington - Their son William Henry Smith b 1840 married Emma Humphries         

Oberon - Their daughter Sara Rose Mary Smith b 1865 married George Bailey          

Sydney - Their son Victor Ernest Bailey b 1898 married Sylvia Olds         

Sydney - Their daughter Merle Winifred Bailey married Douglas Woodhouse Sharpe.         

Gosford - Their son Ronald Douglas Sharpe b 1950 married Caroline Curby          

Gosford - Their son Michael Douglas Sharpe married Elizabeth French and they have three children and two grandchildren.

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.