Phipps Connection

Wandering down Old Street in London yesterday we came across LSO St Lukes, the home of the London Symphony Orchestra, a deconsecrated church which is surrounded by a garden with seats. As I was footsore we stopped in to give my legs some R&R. 

I thought St Lukes, Old Street sounded familiar and then a penny dropped. It was the parish in which my Phipps ancestors resided in the late 18th and early 19th Centuries. Some 4x great relations were even baptised in the now deconsecrated Church.

St Lukes, Old Street

After our rest we continued walking towards the Covid Testing Centre to complete the requirements for our impending cruise.

Real People at Last

 While I have enjoyed communicating and collaborating via Zoom and other online tools during Covid times I have missed interacting with real people in a face-to -face situation.

I finally had a chance to present two face-to -face workshops about the Trove newspaper collection to the members of The Tea Gardens and Hawks Nest Family History Research Group yesterday. The members of this Group are to be congratulated for their fundraising efforts in the local community which resulted in their local newspaper, NOTA, being digitised and added to Trove.  They thought it timely to host some Trove workshops and I was the lucky person who scored this gig.

I had a super day with the participants whose Trove experience ranged from experienced user to a gentleman who said "I only heard about it this week". It is so much easier to engage with people when one is together with them in person. We had two lively sessions (separated by a yummy lunch) with lots of laughter, learning and sharing of tips. I tried a different approach with my talk and, after just a few introductory slides, demonstrated application of my Trove Tips live on the Trove site. This provided a more effective learning experience as I was able to integrate participants' interests into the workshop.

While I enjoyed my time with the members it was a surprise that I received that put the icing on the cake of my day.  

I was seated beside a delightful gentleman who was recounting the story of his Christening; his name didn't ring a bell with me but when he mentioned  his wife's name, Shirley, I looked at him and said "she's my cousin". He responded with a bemused look until I said we share Elizabeth Phipps as an ancestor. We were both flabbergasted that serendipity had thrown us together in Tea Gardens. I had Shirley in my tree but I was unaware of her current whereabouts. I exchanged details with the gentleman and look forward to sharing ancestor stories soon. 

Sadly I forgot to grab a photo with the gentleman before he left but one of the Group members sent me a copy of one that I have cropped, it's a bit fuzzy but captures the moment of our surprise.

ASerendipitous Meeting for GeniAus

From the Archives - Australia Day Post 2011

I penned this post ten years ago and am reposting it with a few extra phrases typed in this colour.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Shifty Ancestors in The Lucky Country

Thanks to Shelley from Twigs of Yore for setting this Australia Day Challenge. Shelley will be putting together all the responses to the challenge and posting them on her website. I look forward to some illuminating reading from those with Australian links.

Meanwhile I have been procrastinating about which document from which of my convict ancestors I will share. Should it be something from Elizabeth Phipp's shady past or should I share something from one of her partners James Westbrook or William Magick?  I don't know which of these gentlemen is my ancestor as they seemed to fall in and out of favour with Elizabeth. Who was she with when she conceived James Westbrook/Magick my first direct ancestor born in Australia?

The Challenge

Find the earliest piece of documentation you have about an ancestor in Australia. If you don't have an Australian ancestor, then choose the earliest piece of documentation you have for a relative in Australia.

Because it deals with three of my ancestors I am going to share an English document from 1812. I have earlier documents that tell of Births, Deaths and Marriages but this document is several pages long, quotes actual words spoken by my ancestors and gives information on the lives they led in London that caused them to be transported to Australia.

What is the document?

The document I have is a faded photocopy of part of Old Bailey Proceedings, 16th September 1812 in which JAMES WESTBROOK ,  ELIZABETH PHIPPS ,  SUSANNAH PHIPPS , and  SAMUEL WESTBROOK , were indicted for feloniously breaking and entering the dwelling-house of  Joseph Covington , about the hour of eight in the forenoon, on the 1st of April , and stealing therein, eighteen gowns, value 3 l. seven petticoats, value 1 l. six pair of blankets, value 3 l. a feather bed, value 3 l. a bolster, value 5 s. two pillows, value 5 s. a time-piece, value 6 l. a silver cup, value 1 l. and five yards of muslin, value 5 s. the property of  Joseph Covington .

As there are copyright restrictions on the reproduction of this document I am only pasting a snip.

Do you remember the research process that lead you to it? How and where did you find it?

Some time last century, using microform resources at The State Library of New South Wales, I identified my convict ancestors Elizabeth Phipps and James Westbrook. On a trip to the UK in 2004 I spent time at various institutions trying to discover more about them and other ancestors from the Old Country. As part of that visit I visited the stunning National Archives at Kew armed with a list of my forebears and the ships that bore them to Australia.

Mr Geniaus and I were quite bewildered during our one day at this august institution but we managed to find a number of treasures including the transcript of the Phipps/Westbrook trial. How we managed to find the transcript I cannot remember! Today I can find a digital copy of that same transcript from the comfort of my home by searching The Proceedings of the Old Bailey, 1674-1913 online. The typed transcript is, however, much easier to read, do take a look as it is an interesting story.

The highlight of that day was handling the surgeon's journal for the journey my ancestor Patrick Curry made on the Hooghley. Sadly I did not take photographs of the entries that told of Patrick's episodes of scurvy and their treatment.

Tell us the story(ies) of the document. You may like to consider the nature of the document, the people mentioned, the place and the time. Be as long or short, broad or narrow in your story telling as you like!

A reading of the document will tell its story but it told me more than just a story; reading the spoken words of my ancestors from 200 years ago gave me spine tingles. It also gave me more facts and background on my ancestors.

1. I learnt the name of my 4th Great-grandmother, Susannah Phipps (nee Harris) and have been able to find her BDM details.

2. I learnt that James had a brother Samuel Westbrook.

3. Reading Elizabeth's defence tells me that she spoke quite well and coherently. "On the morning that Mrs. Covington left town, she called me down stairs, between six and seven. She said, where is your mother? Why does not she live at home? Mrs. Covington gave me a five-pound note, and two lace caps. I was rather fearful. I would not take them until I went up to Westbrook. I was to deliver them to my mother in Fetter-lane, where she then was. They all deal in stolen property. The things that were moved out of the place were my own."

4. I was able to identify the places of residence of my ancestors in London and have put them on a list to find on my next trip. One such place Woods Buildings (now demolished) was a haunt of Jack the Ripper. I have since visited the area in which the family lived in Golden Lane.

5. I learnt the Elizabeth and James knew each other and were probably living in a common law marriage before they were transported. Another researcher claims they were married and had a child before Elizabeth was transported but the only evidence I can find to support this is from the transcript "The child with them had the key". I now think the child may have been Elizabeth's younger sister and that Elizabeth was pregnant while waiting for transportation.
6. I surmise that Ann Price was Samuel Westbrook's woman as she gave him an alibi.

Elizabeth, James, Susannah and Samuel also got a mention in The Criminal recorder:or, Biographical sketches of notorious public characters, including murderers, traitors, pirates, mutineers, incendiaries ... and other noted persons who have suffered the sentence of the law for criminal offenses ; embracing a variety of curious and singular cases, anecdotes, &c, Volume 2 (Google eBook). The British Newspapers collection on FindMyPast has has many mentions of Elizabeth, James and accomplices.

I am fascinated by the life of Elizabeth Phipps and was thrilled when I came across the transcript that told me so much about her and her environment in early 18th century London. Elizabeth, widow of William Magick, died as a respectable married woman in Richmond, NSW on August 8, 1869.

Due to the deeds of my ten shifty convict ancestors (and a few who were upright citizens) Australia was ordained as my birth place. 

As I celebrate Australia Day I will reflect on the courage and determination of past generations who triumphed over a harsh environment. I thank them for their contributions to to our nation and for paving the way for my family to live a charmed life in The Lucky Country.

Mervyn Percival Hasler 1920-1990

This morning in a private Facebook Group for descendants of our convict ancestor, Elizabeth Phipps,  one of my cousins, a fellow genealogist, posted some photos of her father to mark the 100th anniversary of his birth.

On seeing these beautiful photos of Mervyn Percival Hasler (my 2nd cousin twice removed) I asked my cousin if I could share them in a post to mark this special anniversary. She wrote on Facebook:

"This is my Dad Mervyn Percival Hasler (1920-1990). Great great grandson of Elizabeth Phipps. He was born in Leadville, NSW, 4 August 1920. Today would have been his 100th Birthday."

Below are the photos of a dapper Percival. Thank you to my cousin for her Genearosity.

GeniAus - #AtoZChallenge - Z is for Zachery and Zita

During April 2020 the month of this #AtoZChallenge I will be sharing short posts on some of the 2,000+ descendants I have identified of my 3x Great-Grandmother, Elizabeth Phipps. 

Elizabeth Phipps 1785-1869 was a convict who was transported from England to New South Wales in 1814 per Wanstead. 

---

Zachery and Zita are just two of Elizabeth's many descendants

Zachery is a young chap so I am not going to share any of his personal details. He is a Great-Grandson of Thorpe Egbert Price and a descendant of Elizabeth Phipps daughter, Ann Westbrook.

Zita Reynolds was born in 1923.

Zita, a committed student had a long journey to school each day. I wonder if, like my ancestors in the area, she drove a horse and sulky.

1938 'All ABOUT PEOPLE', The Burrowa News (NSW : 1874 - 1951), 7 January, p. 3. , viewed 19 Apr 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article102505903

In 1940 she enjoyed a holiday with a friend.

1940 'TOWN TALK', The Burrowa News (NSW : 1874 - 1951), 26 January, p. 2. , viewed 19 Apr 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article102361577

In 1944 she was a bridesmaid at a friend's wedding in Gilgandra, NSW.

1944 'Family Notices', Gilgandra Weekly (NSW : 1942 - 1955), 6 April, p. 2. , viewed 19 Apr 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article113241968

I hadn't been able to find much information on Zita until I realised that her name was interchangeably spelt as Zeta.  I had forgotten to examine alternate spellings!

Once I realised this I found a flood of articles about Zeta on Trove. As a child she made regular contributions to the children's pages in newspapers.

1935 'Likes Tennis, Writing and Reading.', The Australian Worker (Sydney, NSW : 1913 - 1950), 20 February, p. 20. , viewed 19 Apr 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article146015004

Zeta served several times as a Bridesmaid for her sisters and friends and she was quite well known for the cakes she made for various celebrations. There is a report of Zeta's 21st Birthday party here on Trove in 1944. From Electoral rolls on Ancestry I learnt that Zeta was still living with her parents at their property, Chatswood, Gilgandra in 1954.

Zeta married Phillip George Lynch in 1957. Unfortunately I cannot find a report of the wedding as the coverage of most newspapers on Trove ceases after 1954. I would love to hear stories of Zeta's life between 1954 and her death in 2013.

I love to connect with cousins and fellow researchers. Should you find any errors in my post or have additional information please contact me. 

GeniAus - #AtoZChallenge - Y is for Remembering The Young Ones

During April 2020 the month of this #AtoZChallenge I will be sharing short posts on some of the 2,000+ descendants I have identified of my 3x Great-Grandmother, Elizabeth Phipps. 

Elizabeth Phipps 1785-1869 was a convict who was transported from England to New South Wales in 1814 per Wanstead. 

---

I haven't been able to find any of Elizabeth's descendants bore the surname Young but I have found several in the earliest generations who died at a rather young age.

Two of Elizabeth's children had short lives. Harriet Westbrook was 14 when she died and William Westbrook was only 8 years old when he died in 1829. We do not know the fate of Elizabeth's child who travelled with her to New South Wales on the Wanstead.

Several of Elizabeth's Grandchildren had short lives. Louisa Clifford lived for only four days in 1833 and her brother William Clifford for five days. Three of William John Westbrook (Magick)'s children, Susanna Rebecca Magick, Anna Harriet Magick and Hannah V died in infancy. Neither Thomas Joseph Ashton or his sibling Harriett Ashton reached the age of 1.

In the Sly family Edwin H Sly  and Ernest A Sly had very short lives. Robert H Magick died at the age of 2 in 1861, his male sibling died   1871 and George Thomas Magick was about 4 months old when he died in 1873.

Of Adelina and Thomas Hogden's offspring Robert Hogden died in 1858 before he turned 1 and Herbert Hogden was 2 when he died in 1868.

I would love to have more details of these short young lives. Should you have additional information or find any errors in my post please contact me. 

GeniAus - #AtoZChallenge - X is for Xerarch

During April 2020 the month of this #AtoZChallenge I will be sharing short posts on some of the 2,000+ descendants I have identified of my 3x Great-Grandmother, Elizabeth Phipps. 

Elizabeth Phipps 1785-1869 was a convict who was transported from England to New South Wales in 1814 per Wanstead. 

---

I haven't yet found a Xavier, Xanthe or other X named individual among Elizabeth's descendants.

Various online dictionaries tell me that Xerarch relates to living things that develop in a dry habitat. I therefore contend that Elizabeth Phipps descendants who mostly grew and flourished in the Colony of New South Wales and after the Federation in Australia are Xerachs. That's the best I can do with an X word!

During my preparations for this challenge I have looked at scores of Elizabeth's descendants. Many are ordinary folk who embraced the opportunities that arose in this new land and have lived happy and fulfilling lives, some have become famous in various fields of endeavour. They have thrived in the harsh environment that Elizabeth was transported to in the early 19th century.

I am proud to be one of our community of Xerachs. 

I love to connect with cousins and fellow researchers. Should you find any errors in my post or have additional information please contact me. 

GeniAus - #AtoZChallenge - W is for Where

During April 2020 the month of this #AtoZChallenge I will be sharing short posts on some of the 2,000+ descendants I have identified of my 3x Great-Grandmother, Elizabeth Phipps. 

Elizabeth Phipps 1785-1869 was a convict who was transported from England to New South Wales in 1814 per Wanstead. 

---

Where are Elizabeth's Descendants? Where have they been?

I played around with the places data in my family history program and exported a list of the places where Elizabeth's descendants have lived, worked and died. This is by no means a comprehensive list but is representative of the names in my database.

Take a look at the map I created below with the My Maps feature from Google Maps. You can move the map around and maximise and minimise any area that you wish. There are many ways you can use Google Maps to display family history data. Why not give it a go?

If you have any Phipps places to add to the map please contact me and I will do so.



I love to connect with cousins and fellow researchers. Should you find any errors in my post or have additional information please contact me. 

GeniAus - #AtoZChallenge - V is for Valour

During April 2020 the month of this #AtoZChallenge I will be sharing short posts on some of the 2,000+ descendants I have identified of my 3x Great-Grandmother, Elizabeth Phipps. 
Elizabeth Phipps 1785-1869 was a convict who was transported from England to New South Wales in 1814 per Wanstead. 

---

Many of Elizabeth's descendants served in the armed services in various conflicts. On ANZAC Day the day on which we remember our ancestors who served for us, let us remember the following men and women, descendants of Elizabeth Phipps.

Collating this list has taken many hours and I know that there are more of Elizabeth's descendants who should be on this list. Please let me know of others who should be on this Roll of Honour and I will add them.

William John Barber WW1
Reginald Robert Beetson WW2
Arthur Alexander Beetson WW2
Allan Douglas Border WW2
Edward Henry Brydon WW1
James Herbert Brydon WW1 ✝
Walter Ernest Brydon WW2

Archibald Angus Cameron WW2
Ivan Raymond Cameron WW2
Bernard Arthur Cotton WW2
Mervyn Claude Davis WW2
Wallace Rowland Dixon WW2
Bernard Albert Drew WW2
Frank Duncan WW1, WW2
Clyde Henry Egan WW2 ✝

Dennis Gardiner WW2
Edward Alfred Gardiner WW2
Kenneth William Gardiner WW2
Leonard John Gardiner WW2
Albert Henry Hogden WW2
Charles Edward Hogden WW1
Neil McKensey Hogden WW2
William George Hamilton Ireland WW2
Robert Jack Key WW2 ✝

Lawrence Albert Konza WW2
Arthur Richard Libbesson WW2

Clarence George Madgwick WW2
Clifford James Magick WW2
Donald Ray Magick WW2
Edward James Magick WW2
Henry Moore Magick WW1
James Matheson WW2

Edward Keith Paterson WW2
Harry Beauchamp Poole WW1 ✝
Eric Stanley Poole WW2
William Peter Poole WW2
Ernest Henry Powter WW2
Henry Noel Price WW2
Lionel Mitchell Price WW2
Rowland William Price WW2

John Wilson Reakes WW2
Ralph Golding Reakes WW2
Robert Frank Reakes WW2

Selwyn Sylvester Scifleet WW2
Albert William Sly WW2
Baden Keith Sly WW2
Darval Lyall Sly WW2
Frank Bernard Sly WW1
Frederick William Charles Sly WW2
Laurence Arthur Sly WW2
Raymond Harold Charles Sly ✝
William Charles Sly WW2
Brian John Sullivan Vietnam Military Medal

Eric George Toynton WW2
Thelma Toynton WW2
William Alan Henry Vaughan WW2 ✝
Albert Edward Wahlstrom WW1
Henry James Wahlstrom WW2

For Privacy reasons I have omitted from the list the names of those who are still living.

I love to connect with cousins and fellow researchers. Should you find any errors in my post or have additional information please contact me. 

GeniAus - #AtoZChallenge - U is for Unearthed by DNA

During April 2020 the month of this #AtoZChallenge I will be sharing short posts on some of the 2,000+ descendants I have identified of my 3x Great-Grandmother, Elizabeth Phipps. 

Elizabeth Phipps 1785-1869 was a convict who was transported from England to New South Wales in 1814 per Wanstead. 

---

I have found most of my Phipps cousins by doing traditional research over a period of 30+ years but since I took the plunge and did my first DNA test about eight years ago (I've now done 5 with different companies) I have found more people who share Elizabeth Phipps as an ancestor.

It is gratifying when I find I have a match with someone who is already in my tree because that confirms the validity of my earlier research. When I am notified of other matches I check them out in traditional sources to see where they fit in and then add them to my tree.

Since going down the DNA path I've added several surnames to my cousin list. One of these names is Vidler. 

This fan chart shows Lillian's line back to Elizabeth Phipps.

After Lillian Jean Mahoney married Guy Hubert Stanley Vidler in 1940  a generation of three young Vidlers was added to my tree. One of those cousins was Guy Stanley Vidler (1942-2010, not yet added to my online tree ). As the other two cousins are living I will not identify them here but I must say it was pleasing to be able to correspond by email with the one who was my DNA match.

I enjoy finding and connecting with new cousins via DNA which is a most valuable source, it can be a bit awkward when we have a big match through DNA that can't be confirmed by other means as  Science doesn't lie. It just means that hanky panky was alive and well in earlier days.

I love to connect with cousins and fellow researchers. Should you find any errors in my post or have additional information please contact me. 

GeniAus - #AtoZChallenge - S is for Strayed

During April 2020 the month of this #AtoZChallenge I will be sharing short posts on some of the 2,000+ descendants I have identified of my 3x Great-Grandmother, Elizabeth Phipps. 

Elizabeth Phipps 1785-1869 was a convict who was transported from England to New South Wales in 1814 per Wanstead. 

---

The Truth (Sydney, NSW : 1894 - 1954) was a tabloid newspaper and scandal sheet. When reporting on scandalous doings it sometimes reported on them in a humourous manner. Such was the case with the following story that featured Clarence Victor Magick.

If you are likely to be offended by this salacious story please do not read on. 

1926 'HERBIE HAD A LITTLE LAMB', Truth (Sydney, NSW : 1894 - 1954), 22 August, p. 17. , viewed 28 Mar 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article168727593

Truth (Sydney, NSW : 1894 - 1954), Sunday 22 August 1926, page 17

---

Full text of the above article follows

HERBIE HAD A LITTLE LAMB

But the Magic Love of Magick Enticed It Right Away

THIS is a story of a game of love as it was played out where the horizon never ends, and where the bleat of the Springtime lamb, and the purr of the growing mint are lost in the cries of the crow Read on, and you will find how - Herbie had a little lamb — How it gambolled far away—

How Herbie fired the little lamb In Divorce the other day. It all came about because there was a weak woman, who was "lonely"; a hubby who was in love with his work, and that far from home; a neighbour, who could 'tell a tale,' and whose motto apparently was:

"Here's to love and unity, Dark, corners, and opportunity." 

The ingredients were: Herbert William Garbutt, a "Digger" and station hand of the second generation; his wife, Edith Fenson Garbutt, a Northamptonshire lass; and Clarence Victor Magick, also a station hand, with an idea that perhaps one day he might take Valentino's job as sheik.

With the three mixed together and stirred well for a long period, and the hubby skimmed off, the result was all that might have been expected.

Of course, it was a fine mixture, and baked in the Oven of Life, It ended with hubby taking a ticket for the Divorce Court, and getting a solicitor to introduce him to Mr. Justice Owen and a jury of twelve.

The prize, of course, was a divorce, with £300 extra prize-money added. Hubby asked for £500, but the twelve men gave him only £300.

Herbert is a back country man, one versed in the lore of the jum buck, a man who has spent the larger part of his 31 years 'out in the open spaces, whose fences are the stars'; mustering, droving, shearing, dagging, lamb-marking — living among sheep, eating them, dreaming of them. All these various things he did, and did well. He conquered them all.

Paddocked 

And then In a fit of abstraction, he tackled a wife, an entirely new problem —and she beat him. It was in the year 1918, and In a freezing July when the westerlies shriek across the plains that the Merrigal man felt the cold that he warmed up to the Idea of matrimony.

He began mustering the ewe lambs he knew, but there wasn't one of Aussie stock that satisfied his expert eye as a classer. Then in Sydney he discovered an English lamb, which he judged to be a pure merino. With the aid of a sky pilot, the bushman yarded and branded her with his own name In the Church of England at St. Peter's.

Originally she was Edith Fenson Wood.

After his successful muster, and the culling of his own especial pet lamb, Herb ventured to Armatree, near Dubbo, where he paddocked the lamb, seeking work at a station about eight miles from the township. Among his few acquaintances Herb had a pal named Clarrle Magick. They had often split a 'johnny cake.' and a billy of tea together, and slept under the same blanket. Herb had great faith in Clarrle, as he called him.

Clarrie was working on a station about two miles from Armatree, some six miles nearer Garbutt's lamb than her real shepherd.

Clarrie used to call around and see that the lamb was safe, while the shepherd was away from home, and this consideration for her forlorn lot made a deep impression on her.

Two little lambkins were added to the flock while Herb worked near Armatree, and everything was Christmas. 'Up to the time she met Clarrie she was a good woman.' said Herb mournfully to his Honor. 'She was a good housekeeper, and good to the children. We all lived happily together."

Some time after this Herb moved to Corvan, a considerable distance away from his home paddock, and the false shepherd, Clarrie, continued to ride boundary about the Garbutt homestead.

Soon Herb began to notice little endearments passing between Clarrie and his little lamb. So he pulled the wool out of his eyes, and dropped a warning to her.

'I think you are a bit too familiar In your relations with Clarrie,' he ventured to say.

'Oh, Herb,' she bleated. 'Clarrle Is all right; there's no harm in him.'

Mr. E. Abigail: So you let it sleep?— Well, yairs; I thought it was all right.

Later on Herb's little English lamb suggesled that a holiday to the Big Smoke would buck her up a bit, and Herb good-naturedly agreed, and handed her £10 for the trip.

On September 2, 1925, she climbed into a train, and went to the city.

Herb bade farewell to her, and she was effusively affectionate at parting, more affectionate than the fabled 'Mary's little Iamb' of our schooldays.

It was merely a coincidence that two days before the lamb's departure, Clarrie also pointed his nose citywards. He came to Herb and told that simple bush man that he was going down to the city for a few days, and then he Intended to make for Queensland, where he hoped to secure a selection through the Repat

'I have about £600.' said Clarrie. 'and I'll get a block of land.' 'I bade him good-bye,' said Herb, 'and away he went.'

When the wife went away, she left the two little lambkins with Herb. Her holiday ran into two months, and Herb was getting anxious about her.

Then she wrote to say that she would not come back to Corven any more, and she added: 'I won't write to you anymore.'

The Show Down

Unfortunately Herb had destroyed the letter. Her complaint was that the country was 'too quiet.' She loved the bright Iights. and the surge and swing of the hustling crowds.

Came an interegnum (sic) but soon after the lamb's mother wrote a letter to Herb. That epistle galvanised him into activity. He went to Sydney as fast as the rattler would carry him. Here he picked up some information about his lost sheep, and hastened to get on her tracks.

Accompanied by a Mr. Sorley and James Morrison, a law clerk from Mr. Ernie Abigail's office, he went to a house in Green St, Tempe. Arrived at the doorstep, they knock ed, and a voice, which Herb re-cognised as that of his stray lamb, bleated something.

Then she came to the door. She was asked if she was Mrs. Magick. She said she was, and Mr. Sorley asked If they could come inside.

This was agreed to, and they entered the dining room. She was asked if they could see Mr. Magick, and in answer to a call, the false shepherd, Clarrle, came into the room. He was coatless, hatless, and bootless, and appeared to have been cleaning up the kitchen for 'Herbie's little lamb.'

'Is this your husband?' asked Sorley, pointing to Clarrie, who looked as if he wished he had gone to Queensland after that block of land.

'Yes,' said the lost sheep. 'Do you know this man here?' asked Sorley, pointing to Garbutt, who emerged

'Yes, he's my husband,' was the reply.

 'Are you living here as man and wife?'

 'Yes.'

'Are you ready to sign a confession to that effect?'

 Clarrie took the lamb into the bed room to discuss the matter, and when they came out they both signed a con-fession.

Flock Reduced

It read as follows: — I,Clarence Victor Magick, hereby admit that for the past five weeks I have been living with Mrs. Edith Garbutt as man and wife at Green Street, Tempe. —
 (Signed) C. MAGICK,
March 20, 1926.

Mrs. Garbutt wrote under this con-fession her own, and signed It with the same pen In the presence of her hus-band, Sorley and Morrison.

The Joint confessions were written on the one slip of common writing paper, and the scrawl showed the agitation of the sheep stealer and his victim.
There were many large and small ink blots, but no tear stains.

After a brief retirement the jury re-turned to Court with a verdict of — dam-ages £300.

His Honor found that Mrs. Garbutt had been guilty of misconduct with Magick, at Green Street, Tempe, between June 1, 1925. and March 31, 1926.

His Honor granted the delighted bushman a decree nisi, reduced his flock by one straying sheep, and gave him the custody of the two lambkins.

I love to connect with cousins and fellow researchers. Should you find any errors in my post or have additional information please contact me. 

GeniAus - #AtoZChallenge - R is for The Railway Children

During April 2020 the month of this #AtoZChallenge I will be sharing short posts on some of the 2,000+ descendants I have identified of my 3x Great-Grandmother, Elizabeth Phipps. 

Elizabeth Phipps 1785-1869 was a convict who was transported from England to New South Wales in 1814 per Wanstead. 

---

Since beginning this series of blog posts I have learnt about the amazing careers of my half second cousins once removed, Alison and Jill McCusker.

I dubbed them as The Railway Children as their father, Neal McCusker, who was married to Mary Irene Magick worked for the railways in NSW. During their childhood the family moved around the country with the family as their father rose up the ranks to become the Commissioner for Railways in New South Wales.

Dr Alison McCusker was an internationally renowned scientist who worked in several overseas countries. You can read a detailed biography of Alison's life online here: https://www.anbg.gov.au/biography/mccusker-alison.html.  Alison was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in 2009 for service to science through the cataloguing of Australian flora.

Jill McCusker married Russell Fitch in 1969 and reared a family of two children.
Jill who was a physicist and expert in health use of nuclear radiation. She served as a Commissioner in the 1984 The Royal commission into British nuclear testing in Australia. In 2003 Jill was awarded the Public Service Medal for outstanding public service, particularly in the field of radiation protection.

On the list for my next visit to the National Library of Australia are the following two items which will give further insight into the lives of The Railway Children.

1900. [Biographical cuttings on Dr Alison McCusker, former botanist, containing one or more cuttings from newspapers or journals] https://trove.nla.gov.au/version/45579263

1900:  [Biographical cuttings on Jill Fitch, South Australian Health Commission physicist, containing one or more cuttings from newspapers or journals] https://trove.nla.gov.au/version/45566627


I love to connect with cousins and fellow researchers. Should you find any errors in my post or have additional information please contact me. 

GeniAus - #AtoZChallenge - Q is for Queensland

During April 2020 the month of this #AtoZChallenge I will be sharing short posts on some of the 2,000+ descendants I have identified of my 3x Great-Grandmother, Elizabeth Phipps. 

Elizabeth Phipps 1785-1869 was a convict who was transported from England to New South Wales in 1814 per Wanstead. 

---

Several  of Elizabeth's descendants wandered over the border to Queensland. James Edward Magick was born in Queensland in 1898.

Several newspaper articles record James' early death.

1918 'The Killarney Fatality.', Queensland Times (Ipswich, Qld. : 1909 - 1954), 2 February, p. 7. (DAILY.), viewed 08 Apr 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article119924862

This next article is difficult to read on the screen to the text of the full article is attached below the snip from the newspaper.

1918 'FATALITY AT KILLARNEY', Warwick Examiner and Times (Qld. : 1867 - 1919), 2 February, p. 5. , viewed 08 Apr 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article82844684

FATALITY AT KILLARNEY

A FALL FROM A HORSE

Our Killarney correspondent writes: About 5 p.m. on Thursday, James Maggick, in company with John Keogh, was riding down Kirk Hill, when James Magick's horse gave a side buck and fell with its rider. The horse then rolled right over him. Several rushed to the- spot, and on lifting Magick up it was found that he was unconscious and was excessively bleeding from the mouth and nose. Dr. Harlin quickly arrived on the scene, and found that the young man's neck was broken. The deceased was a son of Mrs. James Higgleton, and grandson of Mr. E. Hansen, and was only 190 years of age. He chiefly followed the occupation of horse-breaker, and was considered one of the best horsemen on the Downs. Deceased, by his quiet, manly, character, was universally respected in this district, the whole of which sympathises with the bereaved mother.

1918 'A KILLARNEY FATALITY.', Darling Downs Gazette (Qld. : 1881 - 1922), 1 February, p. 4. , viewed 08 Apr 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article171762817

I love to connect with cousins and fellow researchers. Should you find any errors in my post or have additional information please contact me. 

GeniAus - #AtoZChallenge - P is for Pallamallawa

During April 2020 the month of this #AtoZChallenge I will be sharing short posts on some of the 2,000+ descendants I have identified of my 3x Great-Grandmother, Elizabeth Phipps. 

Elizabeth Phipps 1785-1869 was a convict who was transported from England to New South Wales in 1814 per Wanstead. 

---

I was captivated by the musical sounding word Pallamallawa so I had to use it in a post for the challenge. I had never heard of this town until I started researching Ethel Ellen Scifleet.

Ethel is descended from Adelina Benedicta, a daughter of Elizabeth Phipps. Ethel is my 3rd cousin once removed.

Ethel Ellen Scifleet - Pedigree

After her marriage to Robert Samuel Fing Ethel Scifleet went to live at Pallamallawa.

Ethel Ellen Scifleet and Robert Samuel Fing - Marriage 1927
Thanks to fingy680 for permission to use this image

They were resident in Pallamallawa in 1936 when Ethel had to defend her husband.

1936 'UNLAWFUL ASSAULT', Tweed Daily (Murwillumbah, NSW : 1914 - 1949), 11 December, p. 6. , viewed 24 Mar 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article193740380

If you have a connection with Ethel or the Fing branch please contact me. I would love to connect with further generations on this line.