About Me

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This blog will be a record of stuff I find interesting, discover or write. Interested in family & local history, cemeteries, reading & libraries, old stuff, research & writing, photography, wine and fine dining plus lots more! Immersed in local history, fascinated by technology and social media and would like more time to spend doing the things I love!

Monday, 28 April 2025

S is for Stonemason

Stonemasons prepare stone to construct specific structures. These structures may be buildings, monuments and also headstones.

Robert Jennings was a stonemason, born in 1815 in Ormby Lancashire, son of Robert Jennings 1786-1843 and Ellen nee Cook. In 1838, Robert married Eliza Wright, daughter of John Wright and Mary Ann Shaw, at the Parish Church, Manchester.  It reveals that Robert was Stonemason at the time of  his marriage and his father, also named Robert, was a mason.


Robert and Eliza Jennings marriage certificate 1838.

Robert arrived as an Assisted Immigrant with his wife, Eliza nee Wright, on the 'Ayrshire'  in 1841. He was listed as a stonemason. His two young sons, Edward and William were also onboard. 


He was listed as stonemason in 1858 but the following year he was listed as a Gold digger with goldrush happening in Araluen. You can read more about that here.

It is not known what sort of stonemason he was but it appears there is one example, presumedly carved by Robert, in the Mortis Street Cemetery in Goulburn. There are a few mentions of Jennings interest in land in the Goulburn district in the 1850s and 1860s. At the time he was living in the Araluen area.


Headstone showing Jennings as the stonemason.

Robert died 27 January 1885 but his death certificate still recorded him as a stonemason. His will records he was a farmer.

Robert's father Robert died in England in 1843, while his older brother Cooke, died in 1892 in Portland Victoria. Both his father and brother, were stonemasons.

This is my contribution to the Blogging from A to Z Challenge (#AtoZChallenge)

Saturday, 26 April 2025

R is for Railway Employee

John Allen Belshaw was employed by the NSW Railways as a truck examiner, when he was accidentally killed in a terrible workplace accident, 17,000kms from his place of birth. 

       John Belshaw's death certificate, 1902

A truck examiner inspected the rolling stock in the railway yards, to make sure it was operational. Tragedy struck when John was killed, aged 45, on the 29 August 1902. He was run over by a locomotive at the Redfern Railway Station and died of his terrible injuries. The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper reported at the time of his death:

The City Coroner…at the inquest on Saturday morning concerning the death of John Allen Belshaw, a truck examiner, who was run over by a locomotive at the Redfern Railway station on the preceding day. Evidence was given to the effect that on Friday morning, deceased was the line behind two cars, when an engine came out from one of the platforms. Someone called out and  deceased looked round, seemed to hesitate and was immediately knocked down and run over. The fireman of the engine stated that when deceased was first seen he was only a yard or two from the buffers. The whistle was blown and the brakes applied, the engine being brought up by its own length. A verdict of accidental death was returned.

An Inquest was held at the Lloyd’s Hotel the following day and the Coroner was  J. C. Woore. The Daily Telegraph article was a little more revealing. It stated that the “shocking fatality” happened about 8am and that the body was “fearfully mangled.” It also reported that Belshaw was “picked up in a terrible condition, his head being badly smashed and his right thigh crushed. The Civil Ambulance Brigade was summoned and the man removed to the Sydney Hospital where Dr. Webb pronounced life extinct.”  Belshaw was employed at the Darling Harbour yards. At the time of the accident the Belshaw family were residing at Prospect Street in Surry Hills & Roger was only four years old. 

There are over 50 accounts of John's accident published in the newspapers all over the country.

    The Daily Telegraph 30 August 1902 p. 10

Life would have been tough for Georgina and one wonders if the family received any compensation.

John's story ended a long way from his original home. Born in Magheralen a small village in Northern Ireland in 1856, he was the son of William Belshaw and Jane Allen. He married Georgina Ferguson/Hill in 1882 and the couple had four children. During this early period, John was noted as a farmer.

Sometime following their marriage, John and Georgina migrated to Australia. They travelled in 1888 on the steamer 'Orient' via Adelaide arriving in Sydney in 1889. Their youngest child, at the time, Jane Allen Belshaw, died at sea, she was only eight months old.

The family settled in Sydney, first living in Bondi and then mostly in the vicinity of Redfern and Surry Hills. Several more children were born to John and Georgina in Sydney, Muriel was born in 1890, at the time, John was recorded as a general labourer living in Chester Street Redfern but by 1898 he was recorded as an Examiner of Railway Trucks, when his last child, Roger was born.

At the time 1902 the family were living at 7 Prospect Street, Surry Hills. 

This is my contribution to the Blogging from A to Z Challenge (#AtoZChallenge)

Thursday, 24 April 2025

P is for Paperhanger

Albert Bonney was recorded as a paperhanger when he passed away in 1916.

Albert John Bonney was born in Norwood in South Australia in 1857 to William Bonney and Joanna nee Powell. In 1880, Albert married Johanna Taylor in Adelaide. At that time his occupation was listed as 'painter'.

Bonney marriage certificate 1880

The couple had several children but only my great grandmother Lillian, born in 1882, survived childhood.  The Bonney family was burdened with personal tragedy, including the untimely death of Johanna in 1889 with Albert being charged with the murder. The event was known as the Bonney Case. Albert was eventually acquitted but the scars remained for both father and daughter. 

Throughout his life, Albert was recorded as a painter and paperhanger. Often people performed both jobs, usually painting interiors, as well as hanging wallpaper. In some cases paperhangers hung the paper and finished off the room by painting the architraves and ceilings. 

In late November 1916, Albert was admitted to Adelaide Hospital. Two weeks later, he passed away on  10 December 1916 and was recorded as a paperhanger.


Albert Bonney's death certificate 1916.

This is my contribution to the Blogging from A to Z Challenge (#AtoZChallenge)

Monday, 21 April 2025

O is for Oil Colourman

Ernest Nichols was my great grandfather. Born in London in 1875, he migrated to Australia after his marriage in 1910.

As a young man, he was recorded in 1891 the Census. It records the Nichols family as living at 5 Hutton Grove, in Finchley. The family were recorded as William aged 42, Sgt Metropolitan Police; Jane aged 47; William aged 20 and John aged 19 both single and employed as clerks. Ellen aged 17, Ernest aged 16 employed as a Colour Oilman's Assistant, Jane aged 14 and Wilfred aged 11 a scholar and obviously still at school.  

1891 Census [PRO RG12/1057]

From what I can find, an Oil Colour Man was someone who manufactured paint, mixing the required colours. 

Not long after the Census, Ern went into the Bakery trade, and by the next census in 1901, he is listed a baker and bread maker. You can read more about that here.

N is for Nanna

Florence Muriel Leach was my mother's mother, my grandmother. Her grandchildren, all ten of us, fondly called her Nanna.

Born in 1910 in Sydney, Her parents were Robert Belshaw and Florence Amelia nee Ponting and she grew up in a happy environment.  One of eight children, her eldest sister Doris died from complications of appendicitis in 1915 when Flo was just five. Years later she lost her beloved baby brother 'Artie'  

Fave photo of Bill and Flo when they were first courting

Known as 'Florrie' and 'Flo' she married John William ‘Bill’ Leach a labourer, in 1933 after a quick courtship. Bill had a motorbike and Flo's father was originally not happy with the relationship but that changed after the marriage. The above snap was taken when they first started seeing each other. He was a bit sentimental, and carried this photo for many years in his wallet. They lived in Alexandria until they purchased land along the railway line in Edwards Street Riverstone and built their modest home. The couple had three children Joyce Mary, Fay Cecile and John William Robert. 

Flo with her eldest daughter Joyce, my mother in 1933.

It was always fun to visit Nan and Pop's place. Nanna always had lollies on hand. She had a record-player with kids records, which was a treat. She had a hearty laugh, was fun to be around, and was very very kind to her grandkids. My sisters and I often stayed on the weekends and holidays, we found it very unusual to have our tea at 4.30-5pm, however we were allowed out to play again afterwards. My two cousins and their parents, lived with my grandparents during the 1960s, so there was always something always happening. 

The house was situated along the rail line and had views across the meatworks paddocks. We didn't venture much into the front yard but played mainly in the backyard or in my cousins above ground pool.  My grandparents downsized in the early 1970s, moving to a small house in Grace Ave Riverstone. This was a great location as it was only 50m across the road from us. My cousins moved into a house in Riverstone.

During the 1970s, I began my interest in family history. Both my Nanna and Pop shared lots of photographs, documents and of cause, stories. I loved listening to these and was always over their place asking questions!!!

Nanna centre with her two sisters, Edna left and Lily right, 1977.

Sadly Flo died in 1979, she was only 69, which is young when I think about it now. She is buried at the Rouse Hill Lawn Cemetery with husband Bill, who died in 1981.

This is my contribution to the Blogging from A to Z Challenge (#AtoZChallenge)

Saturday, 19 April 2025

M is for Mechanic

The letter M was easy. M stands for mechanic. Both my father and grandfather, plus my uncle, were mechanics.

William Robert Nichols was born in London in 1903 and migrated to Australia with his parents, as a young boy, eventually settling in Richmond NSW. Known as 'Bill' - he was apprenticed to Wally Heap who was an Auto Mechanic in Richmond, after he left school. When he finished his apprenticeship, he continued his studies, by completing correspondence courses.

Bill's certificate for Petrol Motors, 1921

Bill became interested in the potential of Riverstone and leased an old stable building opposite present Post Office in Garfield  Road and established a motor repair shop. In about 1927 he moved to a workshop partly occupied by Harry Williams a blacksmith, corner of Garfield Road and Carlton Streets besides Riverstone Park. He worked long hours and built his business and established the first purpose built garage, Nichols Service Station in Garfield Street in Riverstone, opening in 1935 the moved the business further up Garfield Road, opposite the Uniting Church. Read more about the Service Station hereEarly on, Bill also drove hire cars, but that is another story. 

Bill’s eldest son, Geoff (born 1930) started work at the garage and then commenced his apprenticeship in 1946. As part of his training he attended Ultimo Tech. Geoff later worked at the Hunt Bros Ford Dealership in Parramatta.  

My father Ern (born 1932) named after his Grandfather, commenced in the workshop in 1947 with a pay of £1 per week. The following year he began his apprenticeship and attended Granville Tech, a mechanic’s apprentice at this time was over a period of 5 years. His apprentice pay increased to £1-7-6 per week. Working conditions were fairly basic in those days and Ern remembered having to do repairs under cars on shale and ash covered yards. 

L to R: Bill with Geoff, his father Ern and son Ern

Bill's father Ern, was a Baker by trade. When Bill had to serve World War 2, he managed the business, selling petrol and doing small jobs, to keep the business afloat for his son. The above image shows three generations working in the late 1940s.

Following the passing of Bill in 1958, Ern managed the service station. Geoff returned in the 1960s and the business expanded and continued in the family until 1986, when it was sold and the two brothers retired.

Nichols Service Station expanded opening larger premises in 1974

This is my contribution to the Blogging from A to Z Challenge (#AtoZChallenge)

L is for Librarian

I could not find any occupations starting with L, so I decided to be a bit creative. I thought I might like to be history teacher when I left school but my life went down a different path and I gravitated towards working in a library.

My own occupation starts with L and over the past 45 years, has had many versions of Library Assistant, Library Officer and for the past 30 or so years has been Local History Librarian.

Working in a Library has changed over the last 4 decades but fundamentally stayed the same. Customers, reading, writing, listening and watching have stayed the same, but how we do things is vastly different.

When I first started, everything was done manually. Every book had a card, which had to removed when someone wanted to borrow, their membership was handwritten on the card and at the end of the day, all of these cards were put in order.  The average price of a book purchased by the Library was $9.72 for hardbacks and $2.24 for paperbacks. Membership cards, overdue & reservation notices was were all typed up on a typewriter and the catalogue searching through hundreds of cards in drawers.

Card catalogue drawers bring back memories. Photo: M. Nichols.

In 1984 our library joined the Australian Bibliographic Network and we began entering our holdings on a computer to the National Library of Australia. In the following two years our service was computerised. The card catalogue removed and replaced with public access computers (OPACS) to access the collection and new smaller style borrower's cards issued. The first public PC (an Apple IIE) was introduced for use by the public in 1988. Technology in libraries had begun. 

Who would have thought, when I started work in the 1980s, we would be reading or listening to books via online platforms on our phone or tablets? Today the average price of a book purchased by the Library is about $50 for hardbacks and $25 for trade paperbacks.

Family history in those days involved accessing pamphlet files, microfiche and microfilm. These days we still have the pamphlet files and some fiche and film but the majority of the searching is done online. We have more access to original documents online, digitised with more and more collections such as photographs and manuscripts  Research in some ways, is more thorough as more and more material becomes available online, but I think those people who have been researching for pre-2000s have more appreciation of where we are today.

Over the years, libraries have been reinventing themselves, and continue to play an important role in my life, as well as many others. Where else could I combine my passion for reading and history, in the one occupation?

This is my contribution to the Blogging from A to Z Challenge (#AtoZChallenge)

Wednesday, 16 April 2025

J is for Journeyman

 William Nichols 1848-1926 was recorded in 1870 as a Bootmaker - Journeyman. 

A journeyman is someone who has completed their apprenticeship but is employed by a master craftsman.  A subtle difference of  journeyman, is they could not employ anyone.



In 1871 he was recorded as Bootmaker. In 1872, William Nichols joined the Police Force. William was 24 years old when he joined the Metropolitan Police at Great Scotland Yard. His Warrant number was 55657. He was a Constable until 1883 then transferred to “S” Division with the same rank, then appointed “Acting Sergeant”. 

In 1891 the Census records the Nichols family as living at 5 Hutton Grove, in Finchley. The family were recorded as William aged 42, Sgt Metropolitan Police; Jane aged 47; William aged 20 & John aged 19 both single and employed as clerks. Ellen aged 17, Ernest aged 16 employed as a Colour Oilmans Assistant, Jane aged 14 and Wilfred aged 11 a scholar and obviously still at school.  

This is my contribution to the Blogging from A to Z Challenge (#AtoZChallenge)

For obvious reasons I am not using the letters I and K!!!

H is for Hotelkeeper

Henry Ponting was a hotelkeeper living at Temora, north-east of the Riverina. Ponting was originally from Bristol migrating to Australia, in the 1850s, probably during the goldrush period. His first marriage was to Maud Foster in 1858 and Henry was registered as a hotelkeeper.

Following the death of his first wife in 1882, he then married Louisa Richey in 1884, who was 20 years old, more than 30 years his junior.

Their children were Florence Amelia born 1886, my Great Grandmother, Harry Francis 1888, Alice Maude 1890, Phoebe Louisa 1892 and Lily May 1893 and at each of the births, Henry’s occupation was recorded as hotelkeeper.


IN BANKRUPTCY. (1897, May 21). NSW Government Gazette, p. 3533. 


Just a few years after Lily’s birth, Louisa left Temora and took her children and moved to Sydney. Lily was only about 4 years old at the time. Louisa had either met Alfred Petty in Temora or moved to Sydney, as she was pregnant with his child by 1898. Louisa and Alfred had four children born between 1899 and 1905. 

In 1896, Henry Ponting was bankrupt, he died on 3 April 1903 at Temora.  Louisa and Alfred were free to marry, which they did, six months later, in 1903 in Sydney.  

This is my contribution to the Blogging from A to Z Challenge (#AtoZChallenge)

Friday, 11 April 2025

G is for GOLDMINER

Someone who looks for gold can be described as a goldminer or gold-digger. They can mine, dig or pan for gold in a gold field, not many are successful!! There are several gold-diggers in my family tree including members of the Jennings and Ponting families.

Robert and Eliza Jennings arrived as immigrants from England and by the mid-1840s were settled in Araluen, near Braidwood. By the early 1850s gold was discovered along Araluen Creek and the village expanded with hundreds of people wanting to strike it rich.

John Jennings was a son of Robert and Eliza. He resided in Araluen with his family and when he was 19 years old, he was recorded as a gold miner. He was obviously working his claim, in the vicinity of Upper Araluen. when he was "crushed by the falling in of a bank of earth" one of the dangers of mining. The Kiama Independent reported the accident on the 14 November 1867:

FATAL ACCIDENT - the Araluen correspondent of the Braidwood Dispatch states that a frightful and fatal accident occurred at Upper Araluen, to a man of the name of John Jennings. The deceased was excavating a bank, and while doing so a portion fell upon him before he could get out of the way; the quantity that fell was small, not above two or three wheelbarrow loads, but it jammed him up against a solid wall of granite, and caused such inward injuries as to produce death in about two hours, during which period deceased suffered the most excruciating agony. Dr. Redhead was in attendance, but pronounced the case hopeless. The deceased was between nineteen and twenty years of age, and was much respected.

There was a Coroner’s Inquest held on 31 October 1867, before Mr J. G. Pattison at Araluen. John was buried in the Araluen Cemetery, possibly close to his younger brother Charles who died in 1859 aged 10 weeks. There are no headstones 


John Jennings death certificate, 1867  


This is my contribution to the Blogging from A to Z Challenge (#AtoZChallenge)

Thursday, 10 April 2025

F is for FARMER

Being a farmer was a very popular occupation during the 18th and 19th centuries. This job entailed the running of a property, commonly known as a farm. He would grow crops and possibly breed livestock such as cattle or beef. 

There are a number of people located in the tree, with an occupation described as farmer including Thomas Andrew Smith 1842-1911; Hugh Richey 1835-1920 and Timothy Mannix 1803-1887.

 

James Pendergast's death certificate, 1865
Nichols Family Archives 

James Pendergast was the son of John Pendergast, an Irish convict, who arrived on the "Minerva" in 1800 and Jane Williams off the "Nile" 1801. James was born about 1803 and married Sophia Hancey in 1828 and is recorded as living at Lower Portland on the Hawkesbury River. 

Both James, his father as well as his brothers were listed as "farmers" in various census, church registers and correspondence.

Sophia died in 1845 and just two years later, married Susannah Cunneen. His death certificate confirms his occupation as well as his father's.

This is my contribution to the Blogging from A to Z Challenge (#AtoZChallenge) 

Wednesday, 9 April 2025

E is for ENGINEER

William Henry Nichols was the first born of William and Eliza Nichols, born in 1870 and my Great Grandfather, Ernest Nichols, brother.  When William was 21 he was listed as a clerk in the 1891 Census but by the time of the 1901 Census he was recorded as an Engineer.

In 1897 William married Pricilla Baltus and they had two sons. By 1899 they were living on Jersey but his 10 month old son, William Baltus, died in 1899 and wife Pricilla died in 1907.

In the 1911 and 1921 Census William was listed as an Engineer. He married a second time in 1909 to Mary Mabel Maud Single and another six children were born.  




Family stories state he worked on laying the underground cable across the channel. In 2010 I located information about William Thomas Henley's Telegraph works which provided details of William's employment with the Cable Manufacturer. Henley was also a pioneer of manufacturing telegraph and telephone cables. Henley died in 1882 before William worked at the company but the business continued for some years.

He was employed as a junior at the Telegraph Works Company Ltd in 1892. By 1895 he was transferred to the Estimating Department at North Woolwich and became the Department Head in 1900. He transferred to  the Contract estimating and appointed department Head. He was appointed with a silver rose bowl by the company in 1927, after being employed for 35 years. The high-profile company began making submarine cable in the 1850s. They also produced underground cables for the London United tramways. There is more about the company here  

W. T. Henley’s Telegraph Works Company Ltd, 1880-1932 scrapbook compiled by B. N. Purdie
Held at Porthcurno Telegraph Museum


William died 1 October 1934. His estate was worth £13,424.

This is my contribution to the Blogging from A to Z Challenge (#AtoZChallenge)

Monday, 7 April 2025

D is for DECORATOR

At various times throughout his life, William Richardson’s occupation is listed as Decorator or painter. A family story, passed down several generations, noted he worked on decorating the interior of churches, but nothing is particularly clear.

William was born around 1832 in Newcastle on Tyne, Northumberland. In 1862 he was living in Poynton and on 30 January 1862, aged 30, he married Mary Potts in the Parish Church at Poynton, Chester following banns. Mary was ten years younger. On the marriage certificate William is listed as a decorator.
UK Marriage certificate William Richardson & Mary Potts 1862



The couple moved to London after their marriage and they had a large family, including my great grandmother Annie, born in 1882 and her sister Amy born in 1878. In the 1871 Census he a was listed as a painter, in 1881, he was recorded as a decorator.

In 1888 Mary succumbed to Uterine cancer. William remarried the following year to Caroline Elstone formerly Lelliott. They married in St. John’s Church in Fulham in 1889. William was recorded as a 55-year-old widower, and a church decorator. 

William Richardson born ca 1832 & died between 1904-1908

In 1891, William was away from home, visiting in South Bersted, Bognor West Sussex. He was still recorded as a “decorator” and may have been quoting for a job, or visiting family or friends. William Richardson died some time between 1904 and 1908.

Painters and decorators were experts in their field. They were usually involved in painting and making use of decorative materials to beautify. It would be interesting to know what William's job entailed and if there are any examples surviving. 

This is my contribution to the Blogging from A to Z Challenge (#AtoZChallenge)

Sunday, 6 April 2025

C is for COALMINER or COLLIER

My Leach ancestors were from a long line of coalminers.

John Leach was born in Wales, Hawarden Flint to be exact, way back in 1819. He was the son of William Leach, a collier, and Anne nee Ellis. John followed in his father’s footsteps and headed down the mines. 

Baptism of John Leach in 1819. Courtesy Cheshire Public Records.

Throughout the 18th century, coal mining was industrious in northern Wales however production waned in the 1800s and many Welsh miners migrated eastwards to the coal producing counties of Northumberland and Durham here was a huge demand for coal due to the Industrial Revolution. By 1849 John Leach was working in Durham and married Ann Moore in Brick Garth, Hougton Le Hole. A few years later they migrated to Australia. 

By 1861 the Leach family were residing in Wallsend, near Newcastle NSW, well-known for its coal deposits. It was here my great Grandfather John William, was born in 1862.  John passed away on in 1868 from the miner's lung disease, pyaemia. 

West Wallsend Colliery, 1888. Courtesy State Records NSW

John William commenced work at the Wallsend Colliery when he was 14 years old and he worked there until his death, in his 59th year, in 1920.  My Grandfather Bill remembers waiting at the colliery gate as a young boy and walking home with father and his miner friends. 

Mining was a dangerous occupation in the 18th and 19th centuries.  Fatalities due to accidents and underground explosions were very common and the average life expectancy was short. His death was recorded as tuberculosis which silicosis was often confused with. He left four children aged from 4 to 12 years.


Original birth certificate of John William Leach in 1910. 

 There is more about the Leach family here if you are interested. 




Saturday, 5 April 2025

B is for BAKER

My Great-Grandfather was a baker, he baked breads and cooked cakes. 

Ernest Nichols was born in 1875 in Islington, London the son of William Nichols and Jane nee Tucker. By the time he was 16, he was recorded as a Colour Oilmans Assistant. Shortly after, he became apprenticed as a baker.

In 1902, Ern married Annie Richardson, in Dalston. Annie was almost 20 years old, while Ern was seven years her senior. At the time of the marriage, Ern was listed as a baker, and they lived at “Lucerne” in Dale Grove, North Finchley. The year after the marriage, Ernest and Annie had their one and only child, William Robert.

Ern Nichols on the Bakery cart

From the late 1890s, Ern worked as a baker. He was employed by Henry Purvis who ran the North Finchley Hygenic Bakery at 81 High Street.  Purvis was a “high class cook and confectioner” although Purvis died in 1908, Ernest stayed on and worked for the executors. After a decade of marriage Ern and Annie made the decision that changed their lives irrevocably. They resolved to migrate to Australia, tickets were purchased and trunks packed. It would have been a difficult decision, leaving all that was familiar and travelled half way around the world. 

The Purvis Company supplied Ern with an excellent reference stating he was “leaving entirely of his own accord, to try his fortune in a new country.” He was considered “absolutely trustworthy and hard working” who had “an intelligent interest in anything he had in hand.”  

Reference for Ernest Nichols

Ern’s Recipe Book has survived and in it is recorded seven varieties of yeast, recipes for Queen cakes, Madeira Cake, Cornflour Cream Buns, Coconut Mac’s, Cheese Curd etc, all with large quantities suited for a bakery store. 

Ern and Annie originally settled at Tilba on the South Coast, they moved north, where Ern did a bakery run between Tweed Heads and Coolangatta, then eventually settling in Richmond, where he ran the Nichols Bakery and General Store located in Windsor Street, towards the end of WW1. 

Nichols Bakery & General Store, Richmond NSW

The family left Richmond in the 1920s and tried their luck at poultry farming in Schofields and then moved to Riverstone and lived at 20 Castlereagh Street. For some years, Ern was employed in the bakery business working for Charlie Fisher, doing the night shift. During the day he often worked for his son Bill who had established a Service Station in Riverstone. 

When Ern gave up work his asthma disappeared. He had suffered dreadfully throughout his life with the disease, often wheezing for hours on end. Not working with the flour dust in the bakeries must have helped. Son Bill passed away suddenly in March 1958 aged only 54 then Annie died of a broken heart in the December, they had been married for 56 years. 

After a long and fulfilling life. Ern died on the 26 July 1967, aged 92 years old. 

This is my contribution to the Blogging from A to Z Challenge (#AtoZChallenge)


A is for ACCOUCHEUR and APOTHECARIST

Robert Havens was an ACCOUCHEUR, a person who is trained to help at a birth, more commonly known as an obstetrician. He was also an APOTHECARIST, making and dispensing medicines similar to a pharmacist.

This nameplate was photographed at his cottage in the 1980s but is now 
part of the collection at Braidwood Museum.


Robert Havens was born in 1809, the son of Robert Havens and Janet Crabbe. The family were a distinguished line from Colchester Essex who could trace their ancestry to the 14th century and beyond.

Robert was born in Edinburgh and as a boy in 1822, was apprenticed as an apothecary, to John Stanley of Whitehaven for seven years. Later he was admitted as a Licentiate of the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries and as a Member of the Royal College of Surgeons (MRCS) in 1831.

He stayed in Kendal and got a job at the Dispensary in 1834 and at some stage met Esther Lee. The couple married in Kendal in 1839 and shortly after their migrated to Australia onboard the Orizaba with other family members. In 1840 he was registered by the Medical Board of NSW to practise and in 1842 acquired land in Reidsdale on the outskirts of Braidwood. 

For many years he worked as a doctor and assisted women in childbirth and obstetrics, mostly from his property known as ‘Brookside’. In 1848 he was blinded as a result of a chemical explosion but according to correspondence from one of his daughters, he continued to practise with assistance. Dr Robert Havens died at Reidsdale, in 1885 aged 76 years.

This is my contribution to the Blogging from A to Z Challenge (#AtoZChallenge) 


Tuesday, 1 April 2025

Theme Reveal: Pieces of my family

 My family history journey commenced over fifty years ago and continues today. I don't always have a lot of time to devote to my research but my interest has never waned and I look forward to the time I do spend discovering more about my ancestors. 

Over the years I have been keen to participate in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge (#AtoZChallenge) but this year I decided I would have a go!! 


Since I made the decision, I have struggled to think of a 'clever' theme, despite some careful consideration. The challenge has commenced today, so I am going to go with something simple. I will be sharing stories about 26 people with occupations starting with letters of the alphabet, from my extended family tree