Trove Tuesday ~ Boer War Day

Boer War Day has been designated on the 31 May which is the anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Vereeniging. Between October 1899 until May 1902 the South African War, also known as the Boer War, was fought between the Orange Free State and Boer Republics of the Transvaal.The British quickly requested assistance from the Empire and Australia responded with a large contingent.

Approximately 23,000 Australians participated in the battle. Around 1,000 lives were lost. More information about the Boer War can be obtained from the Australian War Memorial.

Part of Boer War monument, Windsor  
Photo: M. Nichols

The Hawkesbury were quick to answer the call and the following were some of the names included in the Windsor & Richmond Gazette during that time. 

Trooper Pallier, Trooper Hookes, Trooper E. C. Pearce, Col. Cox, Warrant Officer Sullivan, Lt. Simons, Lt. Dight, Lt. Byrne, Major Bennett, Albert Ezzy, Les Ezzy, Fred Ezzy, Walter Smith, Robert Smith, George Smith, D. Hayes, C. Alcorn, E. Day, D. Garland, M. Mitchell, T. Upton, Mr Norris (brother of Fred), Clendon Callaghan, Dr Thomas Fiaschi and his son Trooper Carlo Fiaschi, Dr James Adam Dick, Capt Alfred Joshua Bennett, Trooper "Chum" Holborrow, Lt G. A. H. Holborrow, W. H. Pearce, George Mortimer, Cpl Kilpatrick, Trooper Milverton Ford, T. H. Norris, Lt Heron, George Bush, J. Eggleton and Sgt Major Duke. 

Corp. Pte C. W. H. Coulter wrote a number of very lengthy letters which were published in the local newspapers, including one which mentions a battle in open country near Vredefort. He mentions how the Australians fought bravely and some of the casualties.  Major Moor from Western Australia was shot in the right leg with an explosive bullet, completely smashing the limb at the knee, and died immediately. There were some terrible injuries and mention was made of Sgt. Nicholson, of Albury had his nose blown off by an explosive bullet. A soldier's letter is very detailed and worth checking in the Windsor & Richmond Gazette

Soldier's Letter - Windsor & Richmond Gazette 2 June 1900, p. 7 

Several soldiers connected to the Hawkesbury died whilst serving. They were:

• Farrier Sgt George Jennings Dickson who died of enteric fever at Standerton in 1902 
• Trooper Charles John Gosper was accidentally drowned in the Vaal River in 1900 
• Trooper George Archie Montgomery was killed at Zeehurst in 1900 
• Thomas Moore Mitchell

More details can be obtained from the Australian War Memorial and the Oz Boer War site.

Thomas Moore Mitchell is pictured in this image ATCJ 21 April 1900

A number of served in the medical field. Dr Thomas Fiaschi commanded the 1st Field Hospital. In 1900 he led stretcher bearers into Boer territory and accepted 250 Boer soldiers surrender and was awarded the DSO "For conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty"  His son Carlo, also a medical practitioner, served as well. Dr James Adam Dick enlisted with the Army Medical Corps and was mentioned in despatches and awarded the Queen's medal. Julia Bligh Johnston was born in 1861 at Spring Hill, McGraths Hill, daughter of James Bligh and Anne Johnston. She trained as a nurse in Launceston in the mid-1880s and was then employed at Sydney Hospital. Julia enlisted with the Army Nursing Service Reserve attached to the NSW Army Medical Corps in 1899 as Superintendent and was sent to South Africa during the Boer War.

After the war the community in the Hawkesbury district chose to establish a memorial to honour the memory of soldiers from the district that died whilst serving in the Boer War in South Africa during 1899 to 1902.  Local monumental mason, George Robertson was appointed to design the memorial which was paid by public subscription. The monument (pictured above) was unveiled at an official function in November 1902.

The Boer War Day ceremony 31 May 2016 in Windsor.

Sources:

• Boer War Memorial 
• Boer War Memorial on Memorials, Monuments & Plaques on Hawkesbury on the Net
• Trove

A tragic trip

In days gone by, many inhabitants lived closed to the Hawkesbury River and its tributaries as it was quick to travel from one location to another by boat. By road the route between Lower Portland and Windsor is about 40 kms and by car would take about 50 minutes today. Over one hundred years ago the route by road, travelling by horse and cart could take about three to four hours, by boat the journey was considerably quicker.

Several generations of the Wall family resided at Lower Portland during the 19th century. Patriarch of the family was Thomas Wall (1794-1880) a convict who had arrived in 1815 and his wife Ann Huxley (1805-1869) whose parents were also convicts. Following their marriage at Windsor’s St. Matthews Church of England in 1822, Thomas and Ann raised a large family. Their son Richard was born in 1824 and he married Elizabeth Harriet Jones in Sydney in 1853. Their children included, Sidney born 1854, Thomas John 1856, Frederick 1858, George 1860, Martha Ann 1863, Rosanna Caroline 1865, Rachel Jane 1867, Drusilla Elizabeth 1870, Emeline Alice 1873 and Jessie Mary born 1876. Richard Wall was recorded as a farmer but was originally a cordwainer by trade. A cordwainer was a shoemaker who made luxurious footwear.

In 1881, the Wall family consisted of Richard and his wife Elizabeth along with an assortment of their unmarried children residing with them at Lower Portland. On 20 January 1881, a hot and humid summer’s day, Richard set out on a routine outing. He was visiting his older brother Thomas, who lived in Windsor and was accompanied by daughters; Martha 18 and Rachel aged 13. 

They left the house of Thomas Wall about 3.30pm in the afternoon to return home but later that evening the alarm was raised when they did not arrive at their destination. Apparently they got caught in a squall near Pitt Reach on the Hawkesbury River which upset the boat.  Following the hot day a southerly buster hit Sydney around 6pm with a small shower of rain and gusty winds. According to the Sydney Morning Herald report the boat was located upside down and empty with the occupants missing, sometime after the warning was raised. Thomas Wall was alerted of the tragedy and he travelled to Mrs Burdekin’s farm at about 11pm the same evening, to see what had taken place.  

As it was too dark, the search reconvened the following morning at 7am with Mr Woodbury, Mr J. Kirwan and William Pendergast lending a hand. Senior Constable Roberts also contributed to the search. He proceeded to a place called Foul Weather Reach and commenced dragging the river for the bodies and found two women’s hats on the beach, and opposite to them some parcels, and about 11 o’clock he found the eldest girl Martha Wall. William Grono then located the bodies of Richard Wall and his youngest daughter, they were clasped together when found.

An Inquest was held in Pitt Town at the Maid of Australia Hotel the following day.  Dr Thomas Fiaschi gave evidence at the inquest stating in his opinion the deaths resulted from suffocation by drowning. The jury returned a verdict to the effect that the deceased met their deaths by being accidentally drowned, through the upsetting of a boat, on the evening of the 20 January 1881, according to The Australian, Windsor, Richmond, & Hawkesbury Advertiser. The district coroner for Windsor, James Bligh Johnston, Esq JP returned a result, death by accidental drowning.

The funeral, a most sad occasion, was held at St Thomas Church of England at Sackville on 22 January and the service was conducted by Rev. W. Wood. The three members of the Wall family were buried together at Sackville Reach Cemetery. 

The simple sandstone headstone recording the three names, is a reminder of this unfortunate
19thcentury tragedy. Photo: Jonathan Auld 2003.

The Hawkesbury community rallied around the Wall family and the community donated cash and goods to the worthy cause. John Gough and Thomas Boston were the official collectors and a list of donors appeared in the The Australian several weeks later.