I haven't blogged much this year as I seem to be spending all my out of work hours finishing more work. However, I managed to spend some time searching Trove over Easter and found this gem from The Glen Innes Examiner on Thursday 8th February 1923.
The Early Days
First Child on Clarevaulx
Drew First Wheat
Mr Spatch's Recollections
With a surprisingly clear memory and a particularly active body for his seventy years of life, Mr William Spatch sen - father of Mr W. Spatch of Bald Nob - is a very interesting human link with the early days of this district.
Mr Spatch was born on Clarevaulx Station, Captain Philip Ditman, stood as his godfather - a distinction he might well have prized, since the baby Spatch was the first white child born on the station. The parents were employed on the property, and so were themselves amongst the very earliest pioneers of the district. Mr Spatch recalls as a boy, that his father possessed a bullock dray and ten bullocks, and thus, as things went in those days, was passing rich even more than Goldsmith's parson on £40 a year.
THE OLD HITCHING POST
The old veteran gives interesting impressions of early Glen-Innes. He recalls clearly the first store - where Mackenzie's now stands, also "Johnny Davidson's" blacksmith's shop, near the site of Tattersell's. He tells, too, of the first hotel (Regan's), the predecessor of the (Central) and depicts the gold old Australian hitching post which stood in front, consisting of a massive peppermint stump with horse shoes attached there to.
WHEAT FROM STONEHENGE
In due course Mr Spatch became a teamster, gaining a lot of experience as "off-sider" to Messrs. Maxwell and Robert Hutton, who travelled on the Grafton road for many years. Mr Spatch drew the foundation stone for the original Holy Trinity Church, built by Rev J. H. Johnson, B.A., in 1868. These stones came from close to Dunbar's, on the Grafton road, He also drew the first load of wheat gristed at Henderson's flour mill (in the Mill Paddock). This was grown by the late William Gould, at Stonehenge. For many years, Mr Spatch plied between Glen Innes and Grafton - long before there was cutting on the road. Teams travelled down via the Guy Fawkes and returned up Newton Boyd, until in due course the road was put through by Houlson. The teamster's life in those days was essentially one of the open air, and for seven years on end Mr Spatch never once slept outdoors. As an example of prevailing conditions in this matter of wages, it is interesting to record that for over four years he was employed as a bullock-driver at Stonehenge at the rate of 4/- a week!
THREE MILES OF BLACKS
Vivid recollections of hordes of aboriginals in the district are also retrained by Mr Spatch. On Blanket Day (May 24) when the Queen's bounty was manifested in the distribution of blankets to the natives, he recalls seeing as many as 500, men, women and children, making from Glen Innes toward their camping grounds at Ben Lomond, and stringing themselves out along the track for three miles. As a boy he also saw Thunderbolt, and camped with him at the foot of the Big Hill, while he was acquainted with Thunderbolt's brother, Robert Ward, who was shepherd on Stonehenge for nearly 30 years and often provided shelter for Fred.
The Glen Innes Examiner Thursday 8th February 1923, p. 4
What to do next? Although there are many leads to investigate from this article, here are my top four.
1. Where specifically is Clarevaulx? (I know the location of Stonehenge.)
2. Who was Captain Philip Ditman?
3. Read Hauling the loads - A history of Australia's working horses and bullocks by Malcolm J Kennedy. (All I need to do is take it off my bookshelf and make time to read it.)
4. Next time I travel from Glen Innes to Grafton, take a good look at the country and admire the work of these pioneer teamsters.
 |
| The Glen Innes Examiner Thursday 8th February 1923, p. 4 |
The Early Days
First Child on Clarevaulx
Drew First Wheat
Mr Spatch's Recollections
With a surprisingly clear memory and a particularly active body for his seventy years of life, Mr William Spatch sen - father of Mr W. Spatch of Bald Nob - is a very interesting human link with the early days of this district.
Mr Spatch was born on Clarevaulx Station, Captain Philip Ditman, stood as his godfather - a distinction he might well have prized, since the baby Spatch was the first white child born on the station. The parents were employed on the property, and so were themselves amongst the very earliest pioneers of the district. Mr Spatch recalls as a boy, that his father possessed a bullock dray and ten bullocks, and thus, as things went in those days, was passing rich even more than Goldsmith's parson on £40 a year.
THE OLD HITCHING POST
The old veteran gives interesting impressions of early Glen-Innes. He recalls clearly the first store - where Mackenzie's now stands, also "Johnny Davidson's" blacksmith's shop, near the site of Tattersell's. He tells, too, of the first hotel (Regan's), the predecessor of the (Central) and depicts the gold old Australian hitching post which stood in front, consisting of a massive peppermint stump with horse shoes attached there to.
WHEAT FROM STONEHENGE
In due course Mr Spatch became a teamster, gaining a lot of experience as "off-sider" to Messrs. Maxwell and Robert Hutton, who travelled on the Grafton road for many years. Mr Spatch drew the foundation stone for the original Holy Trinity Church, built by Rev J. H. Johnson, B.A., in 1868. These stones came from close to Dunbar's, on the Grafton road, He also drew the first load of wheat gristed at Henderson's flour mill (in the Mill Paddock). This was grown by the late William Gould, at Stonehenge. For many years, Mr Spatch plied between Glen Innes and Grafton - long before there was cutting on the road. Teams travelled down via the Guy Fawkes and returned up Newton Boyd, until in due course the road was put through by Houlson. The teamster's life in those days was essentially one of the open air, and for seven years on end Mr Spatch never once slept outdoors. As an example of prevailing conditions in this matter of wages, it is interesting to record that for over four years he was employed as a bullock-driver at Stonehenge at the rate of 4/- a week!
THREE MILES OF BLACKS
Vivid recollections of hordes of aboriginals in the district are also retrained by Mr Spatch. On Blanket Day (May 24) when the Queen's bounty was manifested in the distribution of blankets to the natives, he recalls seeing as many as 500, men, women and children, making from Glen Innes toward their camping grounds at Ben Lomond, and stringing themselves out along the track for three miles. As a boy he also saw Thunderbolt, and camped with him at the foot of the Big Hill, while he was acquainted with Thunderbolt's brother, Robert Ward, who was shepherd on Stonehenge for nearly 30 years and often provided shelter for Fred.
The Glen Innes Examiner Thursday 8th February 1923, p. 4
What to do next? Although there are many leads to investigate from this article, here are my top four.
1. Where specifically is Clarevaulx? (I know the location of Stonehenge.)
2. Who was Captain Philip Ditman?
3. Read Hauling the loads - A history of Australia's working horses and bullocks by Malcolm J Kennedy. (All I need to do is take it off my bookshelf and make time to read it.)
4. Next time I travel from Glen Innes to Grafton, take a good look at the country and admire the work of these pioneer teamsters.
Couldn't resist listing this post in Interesting Blogs on That Moment in Time... the name Mr. Spatch got me in as well as the somewhat familiar country area... Thank you.
ReplyDeletehttp://thatmomentintime-crissouli.blogspot.com.au/2016/03/friday-fossicking-aprl-1st-2016.html
Thanks for the listing.
ReplyDelete