The Field Family Newsletter, Edition 34

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The FIELD Family Newsletter

34th Edition, May 2008, Edited by Dorothy Cefarin
Reprinted here with permission

BABIES ARE BEAUTIFUL

CONGRATULATIONS

To Kellie and Alex Dixon on the birth of their daughter Sarah Louise in 2007. Sarah Louise is the first great grand-daughter of Grace Schofield of Bundaberg Queensland.

BABIES ARE BEAUTIFUL

CONGRATULATIONS

To Benjamin and Kathryn Field on the birth of their son Bailee William in 2008. Bailee William is the first grandson of Nicolette and Hilton Field and is the 8th generation Australian Field.

“I weighed 3.89kg and was 58cm long. My mum and dad (Ben and Kate Field) are fine and happy that I’m here. My Nanna and Pop (Hilton and Nicolette Field) are over the moon. They think I’m gorgeous.”

Ben and Kate were married on 1/5/2004. Kate used to be an actress on Home And Away and played the character of Jade Sullivan. Kate is the daughter of Ian and Jeanette Garven from Glenorie. Bailee is the first grand child on both sides of the family.

History

James Rawsthorne

James Rawsthorne
Third son of Thomas and Sophia Rawsthorne.
Born: 26/1/1834.
Bapt.22/6/1834 by Rev. Henry Fulton. Parish of Castlereagh, County of Cumberland.
Died: 10/6/1890 at Forbes and buried in Forbes C. of E. Cemetery Aged 56 years. (headstone).

Married: 8/8/1854 Jane Watkins (nee Morris) daughter of James and Sarah Morris.
Born: 1822
Died:18/11/1900 at Forbes.
Buried 19/11/1900 C. of E. Cemetery Forbes (headstone)

Biographical data

Rawsthorne James, son of Thomas and Sophia by Rev. Henry Fulton, Parish of Castlereagh, County of Cumberland. Born: 26/1/1834, baptised 22/6/1834.

Forbes Times

After an illness extending over several months, Mr. James Rawsthorne expired at his residence North Hill on Tuesday last. Mr. Rawsthorne was at one time the owner of extensive station properties in this district and had only recently given up squatting pursuits. He was known far and wide on the Lachlan and enjoyed an unchallenged reputation for integrity and uprightness of character while many who used to look on his generous hand in time of their need will miss him now that he has gone.

Mr. Rawsthorne leaves a widow and several sons and daughters, all of whom, however, are well provided for. His remains were interred in the Forbes Cemetery on Wednesday the Venerable Archdeacon Dundas officiated. The funeral cortege was an exceedingly large one.

No. 41. Entry 798 Church of England Marriages Parish of Carcoar, County of Bathurst

I James Rawsthorne of this Parish, bachelor, and Jane Watkins of this Parish, widow, were married in this Church by License with consent of a friend this 8th day of August, 1854.

This marriage was solemnized between us: James Rawsthorne
Jane Watkins

In the presence of:
Thomas Morris of Tin Pot and
N. Clarke of Carcoar.

Forbes C. P. S. – Deaths

18/11/1890 at Forbes, Jane Rawsthorne aged 78 years, father James Morris farmer, mother Sarah Wilson. Buried 19/11/1900 Church of England, Forbes. Born Nepean.
Married: 1. Hartley Vale, aged 17 years, James Watkins.
2. Carcoar aged 33 years, James Rawsthorne.
Children:1st Marriage, James 58, Mary 57,William 53 living, 4 males deceased.
2nd Marriage: Sophia 44, Joseph E. 43, Maurie E. 41, Maria A. 39, Sarah E. 36, Ada L. 33 living. Non deceased.

28/1890. 10/6/1890 at Forbes, James Rawsthorne, Grazier, aged 56. Fatty Heart for two months. Parents Thomas Rawsthorne, Sophia Collits. Informant J. E. Rawsthorne son. Buried 11/6/1890 C. of E. Forbes. Born Hartley. Married Carcoar aged 20 years to Jane Watkins.
Children: Sophia Jane 34, Joseph Edward 33, Morris Ernest 30, Maria Australia 28, Sarah Elizabeth 25, Ada Louisa 22.

Forbes Advocate Friday, 30th July, 1920

Old Forbes Memories Early Sporting Reminiscences – by Old Sport.

...... Old Jimmy Rawsthorne (father of J.E. and M. Rawsthorne) was another great sportsman, and although blind he was a wonderful man, as he was one of the largest buyers of stock in those days and did all the buying himself. A book could be written on all the big deals he put through in stock and his knowledge of racing was surprising. He was a regular attendant at the race course in the early mornings when a big meet was drawing near, to learn the form of the different horses. Well do I remember how he would stand near the winning post and listen to the countless horses galloping, his sense of hearing was keen that he was very seldom wrong in which horses were the best gallopers. I will give one little instance of his keenness in judging a horse although he was a blind man. About this time there was a great rivalry between man sportsmen to see who could breed or buy the horses capable of winning the Forbes Produce Stakes for two year olds. Some ranged far afield in their endeavour to purchase a likely winner; others depended on their own stock, and in Sydney the late William Thomas purchased a black colt by Barb (among other purchases were Lady Barb and Camilla, both good ones). When the black colt arrived in Forbes Jimmy Rawsthorne was one of the first to hear of him. Being anxious to know if he was any better than his own stock he came to town to find out. He called on Thomas and asked to “see” the colt and was taken to a loose box.

The man in charge secured the colt and Rawsthorne felt him all over, running sensitive fingers across the animal’s main points. His examination finished he said “ Well, Thomas, he has a beautiful head and neck, fine quarters, splendidly turned hind legs, but the only thing I do not like is that he is very calf-kneed”. The Barb colt mentioned was none other than Othello, whom all the old sportsmen will remember was particularly calf-kneed, but he was nevertheless a really good racehorse and sired a number of good horses, many of whom were Junius (winner of the Corinthian Cup at Randwick, with12.7) Lifeboat and Bushman....

Tommy Bundaburra, an aboriginal reared at Bundaburra near Forbes was a very fine runner.......

FORBES ADVOCATE Friday 30th July, 1920

Early Forbes - Old Time Reminiscences - Back in the Seventies..
By Mr. Stephen Freeman, Clerk of Petty Sessions, Forbes of Crown Land Agent 1873-1880

JAMES RAWSTHORNE - “Jimmy” to his friends, was quite a remarkable a man as one could hope to meet. He was a small stock owner and son of the original proprietor of Carawobitty, where his father took up country in or about 1841. When a youth, he at one of the big cattle musters in the middle 40’s, rode after a big mod that were escaping across the Lachlan River near Carrawobitty. In plunging his horse into the river he became himself immersed, somehow loosing his sight for ever. Up to then he had not been considered extra smart, but realising his awful handicap, he cultivated his remaining faculties untiringly, with the result, that when I knew him first in 1873, he had become a wealthy grazier, was one of the keenest judges of stock, and when selecting land for himself and others, so described the lotus, that I invariably able to chart the block accurately on my map. He never brought a wrong description, but by word of mouth clearly indicated what he wanted to purchase. “Jimmy” always had a youth to drive him about, and this lad he taught everything possible in the way of accuracy of observation, so that when inspecting stock (he never Allowed a stock agent to be present at these inspections), or watching a horse run at our annual meetings, he kept an uninterrupted version of what the boy saw, and having a good memory was able to form a good estimate of values and effects. Some old residents ( I have remembered old Artie Battye in particular, in mind of this connection) will remember how “Jimmy” Rawsthorne made a great point of “seeing” every race at our two days meeting, and stayed two nights at Albion, sitting in an armchair at one end of the public bar 9it was quite a thing to do in those days for the best part of the land to foregather in good old Jim Mitchell’s bar on race nights) and by common consent, “Jimmy” Rawsthorne was referee in all disputes as to how a race was run, and his word was law, I can still see his poor eyes and hear his slight lisp in speech..

Joseph Edward Rawsthorne

Joseph Edward Rawsthorne second child of James and Jane Rawsthorne.
Born: 20/3/1857 at Carrawobitty Station, Forbes.
Died: 15/8/1938 at Forbes and buried Church of England portion of the Forbes Cemetery. Aged 81 years (headstone)
Married: 11/2/1879
Maria Louisa Morris, daughter of Grant and Mary Morris of Bogabigal according to the Church of England rites.
Born: 21/8/1856 at Walla Walla, Forbes.
Died: 18/3/1943 at Forbes aged 85 years and buried C. of E. portion of Forbes Cemetery (headstone)

Biographical data Forbes Times.12/6/1914

Mr. J. E. Rawsthorne of Melrose Station, Condobolin, passed through Forbes per motor on Wednesday in route for Sydney. We understand that Mr. Rawsthorne the other day sold his “Glenariff” property on the Bogan at a profit of something like 20,000 pounds and is now contemplating the purchase of a portion of “Merriwee” within a few miles of the town of Condobolin.

Forbes Advocate - Tuesday 16th August, 1938

Obituary - Mr Joseph Edward Rawsthorne

One of Forbes oldest and best respected citizens in the person of Joseph Edward Rawsthorne passed away at the home of his son Mr. James Rawsthorne, early yesterday morning at the advanced age of 81 years. Besides his aged widow he is survived by one son and two daughters, Mrs. Speedie (New Zealand) and Mrs. Burrows (of the Commonwealth, Cootamundra). The funeral of the deceased will take place at 3-30pm today when it will move from St. Johns Church of England for the local cemetery. Mr. A. G. Jones having charge of arrangements.

Forbes Advocate - Tuesday 23rd August, 1938

The late Mr. Joseph E. Rawsthorne

Noted Horse and Cattle Breeder and Racing Enthusiast

A Forbes Native

By the death last week of Mr. Joseph Edward Rawsthorne, Forbes district lost one of its oldest native born residents, and one who lived practically the whole of his 81 years in this and the adjoining Condobolin district.

The late Mr. Rawsthorne was born on March 20th, 1857 at Carrawobitty Station, Forbes, the home of his parents Mr. and Mrs. James Rawsthorne. His mother was the widow of Mr. J. Watkins of Blowclear (now Nelungaloo), and his father was remarkable for the fact that though he lost his eyesight at 19 years of age from sandy-blight, he lived to a ripe old age and was a most active worker on his property despite his disability. Bogabigal also held by him, took in Prairie lands and other surrounding separate properties of today. At one time or another Rawsthornes had three homesteads on Carrawobitty. The first one was on the river, where the subject of this sketch was born, but on account of floods the main residence was removed to Muddy Water Lagoon (now Perrys). Then the homestead site was finally that were Mr. R. W. Coward today has his present palatial home, on the main North Condobolin Road. Prior to removal there the homestead site was occupied by a roadside hotel kept by Mr. Johnnie Dunn, who also suffered from the infirmary blindness, and who in later years conducted an hotel in Johnson Street, Forbes, around the site of the present Marist Bros. College.

When he was only 14 years of age and attending school at Forbes, Mr. Joseph Rawsthorne would take out the ration cards to the shepherds camped on the far flung boundaries of the two properties. There were no fences in those days and travelling over the countryside was not the conventional thing it is today. For a while the deceased spent some time finishing school in Sydney, but when he was at the age of 16 years, his father purchased “Gulgalma” property in the Coonamble District and sent him there to take charge of it. That was practically the only time he spent outside the Forbes district and its environs. It also represented his early start in life. Later, however, he returned to his father’s property at Carrawobitty.

Big Property Owner

His marriage to Miss Maria Morris, whose father, the late Grant Morris, owned Walla Walla (now Hall’s) which at that time included Riversleigh (Gibson’s), united two old district families, for the deceased’s father James had come to Carrawobitty with his father from Hartley when he was only 8 years of age, while Mrs. Joseph Rawsthorne was born at Walla Walla. The widow and a son and two daughters still survive and it is interesting to note that Mrs. Rawsthorne celebrated her 82nd birthday last Sunday, receiving many congratulations at her son’s home in Bandon Street. Joseph Rawsthorne remained at Carrawobitty till 1888, when the property was sold to the late Mr. H. B. Coward, father of Mr. R. W. Coward. They then established a home on Camp Hill, Forbes and Mr. Rawsthorne purchased “Tomanbil” , of 12,000 acres, portion of which is still held by his son, James. He also purchased from Mr. Cyrus Crowe the well-known Woringragong property, which he sold to the late Mr. George Thornton in 1897. Another district property held by him about this time was Grawlin (2,000 acres) which he also sold to Mr. H. B. Coward later. While holding “Tomanbil”, he also leased McCormack’s property of 5,000 acres adjoining “Wandary” while during the period he had Woringargong, he leased “The Bungalow” on the north side of the river, for a term.

In the Condobolin district Mr. Rawsthorne at different times owned Dine Dine Station, Melrose (35,000 acres), Eulandool (the subject of considerable litigation a few years ago) and Merriwee (18,000 acres) which later river frontage country7 he3 purchased from the Hon. George Lee of Bathurst. Another Condobolin district property which he owned was Gundamere. Deceased also held a fairly large property at Mt. Hope, which he also sold to a Mr. A. B. Triggs and Glenariff, a leasehold area of 250,000 acres at Byrock, while he made considerable investment in town properties at Forbes.

To be continued in the next issue.....

This is a continuation from the notes by Colin James...

Forbes Advocate Friday 15/7/1938

The death took place at his camp at the Botanical Gardens on Tuesday morning of WILLIAM ARRON a local pensioner, deceased who was 72 years of age, dropped dead. The funeral took place on Wednesday..

Forbes Advocate 17.3.1922

Funeral Notice:

The friends of the late Rebecca Glauder are invited to attend her funeral which will leave her daughter’s residence (Mill Yard) at 4 o’clock this afternoon for the Church of England Cemetery.
T. Peasley....Undertaker.

Obituary

Another of the old residents of the district passed away at Forbes last night when the death occurred at her daughter’s residence (Mrs. A. Ferguson) North Hill, of Mrs. Rebecca Glauder, wife of Mr. Nels Glauder. The deceased was 77 years of age, and has been a resident of the district for about 60 years. She has been in remarkably good health until quite recently, and at the close of her days broke up more rapidly than was anticipated.

The late Mrs. Glauder was twice married; she was a native of O’Connels Plains, Bathurst, her maiden name being Kearns.

In the year 1963 she was married at Bandon to the late John Higgins, who died close on 48 years ago, just after the family moved to the River Farm just below Forbes. By the marriage there was an issue of five children, the sons being Messrs. Thomas & Jack Higgins (Forbes) and A. P. Higgins (Qld), while the daughters were the late Mrs. J. Birt and Mrs. Moses Brown (now of Sydney).

There were also 5 children by the second marriage, but 3 are deceased, the surviving member being Mr. Percy Glauder and Mrs. A. Ferguson (both of Forbes).

In addition Mrs. Glauder leaves 17 grandchildren and 23 great grandchildren and with the bereaved husband and relatives the sympathy of a wide circle of friends is felt.

Newspaper Item:

2/63.2 REBECCA KEARNS
Born about 1846
“Married” to John Higgins
Married 20/11/1875 at Forbes to Nels Glauder
Died 16/3/1922 at Forbes “aged 77”
Father: Michael Kearns
Mother: Honorah Kearns (nee McCann)
Note: Rebecca’s children by Nels Glauder were Nels Pierce. Honorah Joanne, Joseph Michael, Nels Percy and Christina Mary.

AN OLD IDENTITY

On Wednesday evening at 7 o’clock there passed away in the Forbes hospital one of the districts oldest identities in the person of BUNDABURRA JACK. Jack who was well over the allotted three score years and ten, had been ‘breaking up for some time’, and during Xmas week he was taken to the local hospital, but he was beyond repair. His funeral took place on Thursday afternoon, a number of townspeople having clubbed together with their “tray bits” to pay for his burial.

One of jack’s favourite dodges, by the way, in his later years was to hold up a “tray bit” to a likely looking friend with his request, that he should “build on that”, poor old Jack.

Although his skin was black, his heart was considerably whiter than the organ of the same name possessed, by a good many of the ‘white race’. In his youthful days Jack worked for Josiah Strickland of Bundaburra Station and hence his name. As a young man he was regarded as one of the smartest stockmen on the river. Jack’s funeral took place on Thursday afternoon at four o’clock, and there were some half-dozen vehicles filled with townsmen who desired to show a last tribute of respect to the old fellow. The funeral arrangements were in the hands of Mr. W. E. Lethie, and the burial service was read by the Rev. W. J. Duncan. Mr. F. Howe (photographer) is disposing of a number of excellent photos of Jack, which many are anxious to obtain as souvenirs.

Life in the 1500’s

Houses had thatched roofs – thick straw piled high- with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof. Hence the saying.. “It’s raining cats and dogs”.

There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house.. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That’s how canopy beds came into existence.

The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence the saying.. “Dirt floor”. The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until, when you opened the door, it would start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entranceway. Hence the saying.. A thresh hold.

Please keep those stories coming in.. If this newsletter is to continue I need your help

Please send your information to:-

Dorothy Cefarin
24 Eggleton Street
Blacktown. 2148
Email: doff202@unwired.com.au

For more Information on our Family Tree:
Colin Field
PO Box 8051
Rivett . ACT. 2611
Phone :( 02) 6288-9237
Mobile: 0418607487
E-mail: cfield@pcug.org.au

You can look up our entire family on Colin’s internet website “From A Distant Field”
www.pcug.org.au/~cfield/distantf/

David Rawsthorne
PO. Box 139
Lithgow.2790. NSW
Email: david@davidrawsthorne.com

You can look up our entire family and grave sites on David’s internet Website:
http://www.davidrawsthorne.com/

If some of your family are not listed please send me the information so it can be passed on and recorded.

Sorry this newsletter is a little late. I have finally been getting the repairs done to my house from the hail storm last December. They should soon be finished soon I hope.