Boil the Billy

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I don't think that any of my ancestors were ever served tea in a silver tea pot like the lady pictured in this weeks theme photo.

My family albums shows that the family would often boil the billy.  Everyone in Australia is familiar with the term "Boil the Billy", which has now become slang for "Put the kettle on".

1924  - My Grandfather, Great Grandfather & Grand Uncle (Scott family) enjoying a cup of tea with lunch

My grandmother wrote in her journal about taking a basket of food and a billy of hot tea to the men working in the paddocks.  This one day, her brother was riding the horse "with basket in one hand a billy of hot tea in the other.  The horse got faster and faster and he knew the tea must be splashing, but he couldn't do anything  about it, till he slipped over Bennie's (the horse's) rump.  He didn't spill much tea."

I have always loved the above photo, which is why it is the background for my blog.  I am not sure who is pictured but to me it represents hardship, a different time and different way of life.

I remember my grandmother telling me about the "travellers" or "tramps" that would come to visit.  Her mother would give them food and a billy of tea and they would sometimes stay in the shed or paddocks overnight, but they were not allowed to stay near the house.

Gran also wrote "Another story was told how Grandfather (my Great Great Grandfather) found a tramp drinking thirstily at his dam and said "Good dam water?".  The tramp replied "Damn good water!".  He had been lost in the scrub and said he was just about to give in a lie down when he found the dam.

The photos below show Pilgrim family outings with tea cups visible.

Pilgrim family having dinner - Nhill Show Day 1922

Pilgrim family enjoying a picnic
"In the Scrub" taken by Eva Pilgrim on 27th December 1927
Won  2nd Prize, Nhill Show October 1929
Published in the Weekly Times November 1929

D is for DETERMINED and DEDICATED

DETERMINED to find more information.
DETERMINED to break down the brick walls.
DEDICATED to keep looking.

The brick wall surrounding the ancestors of  my great grandmother, Agnes Scott, remained high and solid for many many decades.  However with determination and dedication the bricks have begun to fall, the wall has weakened, falling in places but it still remains in place.  However, there are still more questions than answers!

Agnes Scott was very private and did not speak about her upbringing or parentage.  I think I now understand why.

Removing the first brick
Although the family had always lived in the Southern States, the marriage certificate of Agnes Foy to William Scott in 1906 showed that Agnes was born c1886 in Ipswich, Queensland and her parents were Richard Foy and Charlotte Drayton.

It was thought by some family members that Richard Foy was of Chinese origin and had worked on the goldfields.  The droopy eyes of aging ancestors and the name "Foy" seemed to support the story...........but how wrong it was.

I struggled to find a birth certificate for Agnes Foy but located the birth certificate for her sister May, which strangely was registered once with no father and secondly with Richard Foy listed as the father.  I assume that Richard was added later?  This soon lead me to Agnes' birth certificate with the mother listed as Charlotte Drayton but no father listed.

But why couldn't I find a marriage certificate?

The brick wall remained stable for many years
Nothing.  Every lead I followed went nowhere.

No immigration records could be located for either Richard Foy or Charlotte Drayton.  Still no marriage certificate.  I had searched all states.

I had found a Richard Foy who had departed Cooktown and arrived in Sydney in 1896 and also a Richard Foy who died at sea aboard the Kalgoorlie in 1898............but still no definite link to my Richard.

But I was DETERMINED.

This photo was unidentified for many years
but it is now believed to be Richard, Charlotte
and baby Agnes taken in 1886

  One section of the brick wall begins to crumble

The death certificate of Richard Foy revealed no new information, except he was a tanner.  However the Probate for Richard Foy was very interesting and confirmed that he was the same man who died aboard the Kalgoorlie and that he was also the father of Agnes and May.  It also mentioned that he had formerly lived in Ballarat.  I had confirmed a residence and date of death!

In my searching I also came across a Charlotte Sayers who married a Richard Foy in 1893 and also a Virginia Drayton who married a Richard Foy in 1896.  Both marriages occurred in Ballarat. Surely this was too coincidental not be a lead?  But I didn't want to get my hopes up as I had been disappointed many times in the past.  I ordered both certificates hoping that I was not wasting my money.

My family and dog got a fright and I am sure the neighbours heard too, as my shouts of triumph rang out boisterously.  The certificates showed that Charlotte and Virginia had the same parents.  They were sisters! Breakthrough.  The bricks came falling down................for a while anyway.





The story of Richard and Charlotte is beyond the scope of this blog but is one that I will tell another time.  It is tale of struggles, hardship and sadness but I like to think it is also romantic.

I found out alot of new information.  However, the mortar has again hardened and bricks have stopped falling but I am determined and dedicated in my search.  A termite can destroy a whole house, but it takes time.

Some bricks that need to be removed

• How and When did Richard come to Australia? I believe it was after 1873.  Richard was born 1849 Galway, Ireland and died 1898 aboard the Kalgoorlie.  His parents were Patrick Foy and Mary Conroy.
• Richards siblings seem to have disappeared after 1871. Cath b1852, Ireland - Margaret b1853 Warrington, Lancashire - John b1855 Warrington, Lancashire - Mary Ann b1858 Warrington, Lancashire - Agnes b1860 also in Warrington, Lancashire.
• Although I know that Patrick Foy and Mary Conroy were both born in Ireland, I have been unable to find out anything about their parents.
• Charlottes father was born about 1813 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US according to his death certificate. According to hospital records, he came to Australia aboard the Sophia in 1852, which sailed from Nantucket. His marriage, also in 1852, was registered under the name of Raiton. However I cannot locate any information about his origins or parents.

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C is for CREATIVE, CUNNING or CLEVER?

Making money during the Gold Rush was hard work and most people failed.  John Pilgrim made money by sitting on his behind all day.  He was neither a miner or a prospector.

Was he Creative?  Cunning?  Or Clever?  I'll let you be the judge.

John Pilgrim was born in 1834 in Earls Colne, Essex, England, the eldest son of a farmer.   At age 17, he was working as a servant and errand boy for a baker.

Within two weeks of marrying, John and his new wife Naomi were onboard the ship Taymouth Castle on their way to Australia.  The three month journey was not easy with the milk and salt beef rations being very poor.  There were many deaths on board, primarily from diarrhoea.

As the ship neared Port Adelaide, South Australia in June 1855, smallpox broke out onboard.  This resulted in total upheaval for all passengers and crew.  Upon arrival, those who were infected were moved to a dismasted ship and totally isolated to avoid further infection.  A make shift quarantine station was established at Torrens Island and the "non small box" immigrants were housed in canvas tents, supervised by constables who had orders to shoot if the immigrants tried to leave.  All clothing was boiled to reduce the chances of further infection.  After 6 weeks, and when there were no further outbreaks, the immigrants were freed from quarantine and could begin their new life in Australia.

Naomi and John Pilgrim

The long overland voyage commenced as John and Naomi made their way to Cockatoo Valley and commenced farming.   Farming was not  kind to John with several poor seasons. His crops suffered from Red Rust, a fungus that destroys wheat.

Fate was about to step in and change his fortunes.

In September 1868, a local resident discovered gold nearby and with several findings within a few days, news traveled fast.

With the most direct and accessible route to the diggings being through the property John leased, he soon put up signs at the gate and charged a toll for anyone passing through his property, being 6d (sixpence) for conveyances and 3d (threepence) for horses. There was quite an uproar as many people paid the toll day after day.

The population expanded quickly as people flocked to the area hoping to strike it rich. "Horses and Traps were tied up in every direction" and there was a "busy crowd all along the creek".

Water became a desired commodity as the creek soon became mud and was unsuitable for either drinking or washing the gold.  John saw another opportunity and soon sold the water from his paddock.  A payment was levied by the bucket, even horses could not get a drink without a payment being made.

John "rapidly regained his position, with the power and desire to benefit others by his 'diggings' which have been extremely profitable".

Creative?  Cunning? Or Clever?

Click on the picture for more information  and related blogs

C is for COLLECT Now

Collect all the information you can NOW.

Visit your Grandparents, Great Grandparents, Aunties, Uncles and any other family members now before it is too late.  Once they are gone (or their minds have gone on holidays) then so much information and knowledge is lost forever.

Collect all the information that you can and copy photos.  Record discussions if possible.  Getting family members to look through old photos is a great way to get them reminiscing and telling stories about the past.  Ask lots of open questions (ie questions where the response is detailed rather than yes or no - begin with What, Where, When, Why, How) to prompt them to expand.

One of my biggest regrets is that I did not talk to my grandmother more about her family and upbringing.  I had plenty of opportunity as she lived to age 96.  Unfortunately Family History wasn't as important to me then and I always thought there would be more time.

After Gran died, it was discovered that she had albums of photos dating back to the early 1900s. She was a keen photographer.  I was so fortunate that my Aunty saved them from going to the tip.  However when I look through them now, I would love to be able to go back in time and talk to Gran about them.

I now make a point of visiting family members, working from oldest to youngest. It is also a great opportunity to travel around the country and see places I haven't been before.

The photo above, taken in 1933, is of my grandmothers first flight. It cost her 7/6 for 10 minutes. I always thought Gran was so old fashioned but looking through her photo albums I have learned a different side of her.  I would have loved to hear her tell me all about her first flight experience.

My tip:  Don't delay.  Collect as much information as you can now before it is too late.

B is for BURIED Alive

Samuel Mottram junior was born 3rd January 1883 at the small mining and farming community of Havelock, near Maryborough, Victoria, Australia.
He was the 5th of 10 children born to Samuel Mottram and Elizabeth Sarah Gourley. Bad luck touched the Mottram family early with two of Samuel's sister dying of diptheria at a young age. Two more children would also die before their parents.

Mottram Family circa 1904
Back: Mary, Samuel snr, Samuel jnr, Jack, Fred
Front: Eve, David, Henry, Elizabeth & Madeline

Samuel worked as a farmer and miner in the Havelock area.  At age 24, he married Sophia "Lillian" Walker. There was a strong link between the Mottram and Walker families.  In addition to residing in the same area, five years earlier Samuel's elder sister Mary had married Lillian's elder brother Ambrose Walker.

Brother and sister - Sam & Mary Mottram - they married siblings Lillian & Ambrose Walker

Sam was a "well known and popular miner" who was very "careful and capable".  He also showed "courage and skill", which was evidenced when he volunteered to be lowered into an abandoned 250ft mine shaft to assist recover the body of a suicide victim during difficult circumstances.

At midnight on 26th Feburary 1818, Samuel and his mate Joseph Tinker started work in 21 shoot at the Duke and Main Leads Consols mine at Betley, where Samuel had been working for about 18 months.  All was going well until about 3.30am when they heard a cracking noise, followed by a slight fall of earth.  Concerned for their safety, they ran for a safety cut in the drive.  Joseph was in the lead and as he arrived in the cut, he heard a second fall of earth and an immediate call for help from Samuel.  He tried to help his mate but it was impossible due to the sand and gravel so he immediately went for assistance.

Five men, including Joseph, worked solidly for over 3 hours trying to find Samuel, who was not responding to any calls. Eventually Samuel was located at nearly 7am.  He had been covered with 3-4 foot of sand, gravel and rocks but unfortunately he was past saving.  Although he had a few abrasions which occurred after death, the cause of his demise was ruled as asphyxia.

The Argus - Thursday 28th February 1918

In an unfortunate twist of fate, it was found that although 10-12 tonnes of sand and gravel had fallen, the area where the men were originally working remained clear.  If Samuel and Joseph had remained at the back of the drive they would both have been safe.