The Tree of Me

I love it when Trove allows you to find events that would not be easily discovered without a random search. This post concerns my great grandfather, Philip Richard Merchant of Tenterfield. His story made both the Brisbane and Sydney papers. Sydney Morning Herald, 12 March 1931, p. 10 DRAGGED BY A HORSE TENTERFIELD, Wednesday Late yesterday afternoon Philip Merchant, a married man with 11 children, a resident  of the Tenterfield district, suffered severe in- juries when he was dragged several hundred yards by a horse. He was riding on a cart- load of wood, and, when he attempted to jump off, his foot became caught in the reins, tearing the winkers off the horse and causing it to bolt. Merchant was dashed against three telegraph poles. His condition is critical. Philip survived this accident. He died 20 years later in Tenterfield aged 68.

For this week's Trove Tuesday post I was lucky enough to find mention of a family member in The Australian Women's Weekly. The Australian Women's Weekly, 19 December 1956, p. 46 Royal Melbourne Championship Show 1956 McWilliam's Awarded T.C. Seabrook Trophy for  Most Successful Exhibitor In all still table wine classes Thomas Claudius Seabrook was a wine merchant and judge. You can read his biography in The Australian Dictionary of Biography here . An advertisement taken out by McWilliams in The Argus of 5th November 1956 states that this was the first year this award was presented.