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Thomas Andrew Wilson (born circa 1865, died 1945)

Relationship to Abraham:  Brother

Emigration:

Thomas emigrated to Australia in 1885, aged 19 years, on the Ship Dacca, arriving Townsville, under an indenture passenger scheme.  The scheme meant an Australian employer paid for his passage in return for a few years work.

Marriage:

In 1899, Thomas married Frederick Walz in Mackay, Queensland.  They had three children.

Occupation:

Thomas’ last occupation was listed as ‘Tramway employee’ (on his death certificate).  At the time of Thomas’ death, he was living in East Brisbane.

Religion:

His religion was listed as Seventh Day Adventist and he was buried 12 February 1945 in Bulimba Cemetary.

Thomas died 10 February 1945.

The photo below is of Thomas (possibly brother Robert as on the back of the photo is written ‘Thomas or possibly Bob’:

 Thomas or Robert Wilson

 

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Catherine Wilson (nee McFall) (1832 – 5 November 1922)

Catherine Wilson was the mother of Abraham Wilson.

Catherine was born in Ireland in 1832 (birth date unknown).  She married Christopher Wilson, at the age of 19 years, in Daleyard, Ireland.

Catherine’s parents were John McFall (Farmer) and Mary Sturger.  It appears John McFall died and Mary remarried Thomas Bunting.  Catherine may have assume the name of her stepfather while growing up, though she later used the name McFall when recording the birth of her son Abraham.  Mary then had another daughter, Ann Eliza, who later moved to Australia.

Catherine probably had little to no schooling as she was illiterate.  When registering the birth of Abraham, she used a mark ‘X’ to sign her name.

At the time of Abraham’s birth, the family lived at Derryadd, Armagh Ireland.  Christopher later died suddenly in a Shipyard accident in Northern Ireland.

Catherine emigrated to Australia, with sons Robert and Abraham.  Older brother Thomas Andrew had probably already arrived in Australia, and met them on arrival. (I have not confirmed this, hopefully further research will find the answer).

She died aged 90 years 5 November 1922 at the Dunwich Benevolent Asylum.

The Dunwich Asylum was located on  North Stradbroke Island, Moreton Bay, Queensland.  It ran from 1865 before closing in 1946.   It was an institution for people of all ages who were unable to care for themselves, which included the elderly, infirm and the senile.

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Jane Coleman (nee Wiltshire) June 1854 – 25 May 1922

Occupation:  Housewife, mother

Address prior to marriage

<1880 – Vernham Dean,  Hampshire, England

Family recollections:

– While at Wyandotte she used to keep a rifle near the house when George was out droving, to scare of the local aboriginals (who sometimes threw spears at the house).

Death:

On 25 May 1922, Jane died suddenly of heart failure.  Her death was reported by husband George.

George must have been devastated by her sudden death, given her cause of death was reported by George.  A year later, he wrote a ‘Memoriam’ post in the Townsville Daily Bulletin.

Her children also placed a Memoriam post in the Townsville Bulletin, in 1925.

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Christopher Wilson (father of Abraham)

Christopher Wilson was the father of Abraham Wilson.

Christopher married Catherine McFall at Daleyard, Ireland.

Christopher and Catherine were later living at Derry-add, when their son Abraham was born.  At this time Christopher’s occupation was listed as a weaver.

Christopher was later working at a Shipyard in Northern Ireland (his occupation listed on son Abraham’s death certificate?).  He died in a Shipyard accident, possibly Jan-Mar 1888 in Belfast (based on a search I did on http://www.familysearch.org)

Christopher was most likely Anglo-Irish, originating from Scotland, based on the following:

1.  Christopher is a Scottish name (patron saint of travel)

2.  Middle name of son Thomas ‘Andrew’ is a Scottish name

3.  His son ‘Robert’ , also a Scottish name.

4.  Abraham’s religion was Methodist, also a Scottish religion.  Normally the son would be baptised in the Father’s Church, so Christopher must also have been Methodist.

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George Coleman – 14 Feb 1855 – 4 Sep 1943

George Coleman was the father of Emily Wilson.

George &amp; Jane Coleman(?)

Note:  I have not confirmed the identify of the above, but I believe it is a photo of George and Jane Coleman on their wedding day.

George was born at Wilty and Birks, Shalbourne, England.  His parents were Thomas and Ann Coleman.

George married Jane Wiltshire 12 May 1880 in her home town of Vernham Dean.  They emigrated to Australia soon after, arriving by the time of their first child’s birth (Emily) on 8 May 1881.

George’s occupation was listed as labourer throughout his life.  However, on moving to Australia, 1880-1881, he was a drover at Wyandotte Station, near Cardwell Queensland, where he lived with Jane and his children.  By 1908, George, Jane and children had moved to South Townsville, living at 10 Fifth Avenue.

George outlived Jane by 21 years, eventually passing away 5 September 1943, in Townsville.

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Emily Jane Wilson (nee Coleman) 8 May 1881 – 7 Nov 1969

Emily was born at Wyandotte Station, near Cardwell in Queensland, in 1881.  She was the eldest child of George and Jane Coleman (nee Wiltshire).  There were ten children in total though the second eldest, Elizabeth, died in infancy (3 months old), and another daughter died at 4 years of age.

On living at Wyandotte Station, Emily later recalled that when her father was away droving, her mother would keep a rifle handy in case of trouble with the local aboriginals.  The aboriginals were known to throw spears at white settlers in the area, and Emily’s mother  would fire a shot or two to scare the aboriginals if they approached the house.

Emily was engaged to a man with the occupation of ‘ringer’, but he died before the wedding.  She later married Abraham Wilson at the Stoke St Church (Methodist) in Townsville, on 9 December 1908. One of Emily’s younger brothers, Fred, was one of the witnesses to sign the marriage certificate.

At the time, Emily was living in Fifth Avenue, South Townsville, with her parents.   After marriage, she moved, with Abraham to Railway Estate.

Emily and Abraham had five children.  Emily was known to be overly protective of her eldest son, according to her daughter-in-law.  When her son got married, Emily worried her daughter-in-law would not be able to look after him properly.

in later years Emily possibly suffered from Alzheimer’s disease, though it was not diagnosed, probably because Alzheimers was still relatively unknown.

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Abraham Wilson (Obituary) – Townsville Daily Bulletin – 1969 (date u/k)

Abraham Wilson’s obituary appeared in the Townsville (Bulletin?) on (date?)

It read:

Abraham Wilson died in Townsville on May 27 at the age of 92.  He was born in Northern Ireland in 1876 and arrived in Australia at Rockhampton in 1892, on the ship S.S. Roma.  He came to Townsville in 1901.  He lived at Oonoonba during cyclone Leonta, working in the tin shop at Ross River Meatworks.

He married Emily Jane Coleman of South Townsville, in 1908, taking up residence at Railway Estate, living there until his retirement to Pallarenda, Townsville in 1965.

Having been taught painting trade, while in Rockhampton, by a German resident there, worked as such in and around Townsville for approximately 40 years.  He was noted for his ability in paint colour mixing, signwriting, house painting, coach painting and lining of same, graining of altars in churches, gold leaf lettering and landscape paintings in oil.  Oldtimers alive to-day who knew him refer to him as one of the best in his day in his profession.

He was respected by all who knew him.  He loved band music, playing in the Wesleyan Band in Townsville, and with a circus band in Rockhampton as a side drummer.  He also played clarinet and accordion.  He was a keen fisherman for many years on and around Townsville’s Harbour breakwaters and enjoyed talking of his experiences as such.  His means of transport to and from wherever he wished to go, be it work or fishing, throughout his life in Townsville, were his legs only.  He was a non-drinker and non-smoker.

He is survived by his wife and sons Henry, Edward, William, Gordon and daughter Lillian (Mrs J. Hatton), all of Townsville.

 

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Flood was nothing like the old days……

Newspaper article – Townsville Bulletin (date 1990?)

Flood waters - nothing like the old days

(Note – this is not a good scan of the newspaper article – anyone having the original – could you please scan a very high resolution version and email to me so I can update this – thx).  Also – the details of the Townsville Daily Bulletin article (date, page), so that I can reference this.

The article stated:

Ed recalls 2m of raging water

Saturday’s flooding reminded Railway Estate pensioner Mr Ed Wilson of the 1946 flood when he had to swim up Doorey St against a strong current.

Mr Wilson, 78, said last weekend’s flood was minor compared to the 1946 downpour, when he braved 2m of raging water.

“I lived where the Stephensen family’s house is across the road now and had to swim to my parents’ property on the corner of Doorey St and Ninth Ave to get a primus stove,” Mr Wilson said.

“I got the primus all right but the kerosene fuel container floated away.

“On Saturday there was a lot of stormwater but in 1946 the river broke its banks.”

In 1917 Mr Wilson helped his father Abraham build a humpy on the site of his present home.

Old-timers from Railway Estate still remember the humpy, and Mr Wilson has  a painting of it.

“The painting was done by the late Mr Jack O’Brien who wrote a history of it on the back, he said.

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March 1946 – Townsville Floods

At the time of the 1946 floods in Townsville, Mary Jane Raynor and some of her children, were living in McIlwraith St (which was flooded).  Abraham and Emily were living in their home on the corner of Ninth Ave and Doorey St, Railway Estate.  Their children were grown up and all had left home (except perhaps their daughter?), all children were living nearby in either Railway Estate or South Townsville.

Abraham and Emily’s home was flooded.  Lillian (daughter) described what happened:

“In 1946, flood waters flowed through the windows, over her mother’s sewing machine and the stove.  Cracks between the sheets of tin were filled with silt.  They had stretcher beds, mattresses, dining table, and chairs stacked high.  Her father had put his painter’s planks underneath the roof where there was no ceiling and piled things on top.

Lillian worked long hours removing crockery from the mud. “Lots of it was broken,” she remembered.”

 

 

 

 

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1900s post directories and electoral rolls

I discovered that the City and State Libraries hold various subscriptions to family research sites and hold many CD-ROMs on various areas of family historry/geneology.  As a library member I booked myself into the NT Library to use one of the research computers there.

I  thought I would check out the electoral rolls and post directories to see where everyone (ancestors) were living in early 1900s.  I am curious about a couple of moves:  When George Coleman and family moved from Wyandotte Station to South Townsville, and when/why Abraham Wilson moved from Rockhampton to Townsville in 1901.

1900 was pre-federation, and perhaps only land owners were allowed to vote (as I believe was the case).

Electoral Roll (1900):

Coleman, George:  Freehold Fifth Avenue South Townsville

Parker J. r.o:  Wyandotte Station  (not a relative, just curious who was living there after the Colemans moved from Wyandotte Station  to Townsville)

No Wilson family members listed anywhere in Queensland.

‘Post directory’ 1903: 

– George Coleman  – 5th Avenue South Townsville

– Abraham Wilson – Fairfield Townsville.

Electoral Roll 1903:

Coleman, George – Fifth Avenue Townsville

Coleman, Jane – Fifth Avenue Townsville

Coleman, Emily Jane – Fifth Avenue Townsville

Wilson, Abraham, Fairfield, Stewart Creek

Wilson, Catherine, Fairfield, Stewart Creek.

Possible relative:  Wilson, Roberts, Stewart’s Creek Penal Establishment.

Wilson, Thomas Andrew, ‘Pleystowe’ Walkerston (Herbert division)

Wilson, Fredericka, ‘Pleystowe’ Walkerston (Herbert divison)

Wilson, Ann Eliza (half-sister Catherine):   74 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley QLD (possible mis-numbering, should have been 714 Brunswick St)

Wilson, Eliza – 716 Brunswick St

Wilson Robert – 714 Brunswick St

Wilson, Walter – 716 Brunswick St.

Note Ann Eliza was not married to Abraham’s brother Robert, but a different Robert who appears coincidentally to have had the same surname (Wilson).   . Ann and Robert possibly had son Walter, who married Eliza.  Or, Ann & Robert had two children Eliza and Walter, who lived next to them in Brunswick St Fortitude Valley.