COLLINS
Captain Thomas Collins, aged 24 years, first sailed into Port Jackson in 1814 as a member of the crew of the ship Three B's.
Junior officers on the Indo-China run did not lack excitement, for the vessel was burned to the water's edge in Farm Cove, all possessions being lost. Captain Collins could have returned to the regular China run, but was captivated by the natural beauty of the place, and also by the discovery that Australian waters abounded in whales. This made a lasting impression on a mind seeking a quick avenue to wealth and a career.
He was, for a period, an officer in the Indian Navy, spending his periodical leave ashore in the village of Road, Somerset, some six miles from Bath, at the old family home of Rockabella, a picturesque Tudor home built with its foundations literally in the tiny brook that bubbles its way through the quiet old world place.
In 1826, he married Miss Sophie Pamela Danvers, a playmate of his from his youth. She was a member of a very old Somerset family who could trace their ancestry beyond the Norman conquest. She was a descendant of Sir John Danvers, one of the signatories to the Magna Carta. Miss Sophie, aged 18 years old, was the village belle, a beauty, and the toast of Bath, which was still a fashionable resort although Beau Nash had been dead for several years.
They were married in a church at Richmond, in Surrey, and thus began a marriage, ideal in its constancy and devotion.
They sailed for Australia in the Captain's own schooner, "Elizabeth," on its third voyage.
Their first child, Thomas Danvers Collins, was born in Sydney on 27 December, 1827. This infant did not survive, and the parents returned to England in the same ship. Leaving again for the same destination, they sailed early in 1829, and their second son, James Carden Collins, was born at sea off Teneriffe on 25 February 1829.
The family lived at Annandale in Sydney from 1831 to 1837. During this period, five children were born, of whom the two eldest did not survive infancy.
In 1837-1838, the family returned to England in their own vessel. Two more children were born during the next few years, one at the mother's old home in Wiltshire, and the other at Road, in Somerset.
After a short interval, the mother had enough of this separation, and decided to return to Sydney and rejoin her husband, who had preceded her some time earlier.
The last child born to this union, was Sophie Earle Collins, born at Telemon, on the Upper Logan, in 1849.
In fifteen years of married life, Sophie, the gay 18 year old beauty of Bath, had sailed across the world five times, there and back, raising a young family under conditions that would appall most mothers today, with the added grief of losing three out of four first children.
They settled in Leichhardt, a fashionable suburb of Sydney.
The eldest daughter, Emma Pamela Collins, married Andrew Inglis Henderson, of Gimboomba (Jimboomba) on the Logan River, in southern Queensland, and not so far from her later home.
Andrew Inglis Henderson and his brother had travelled their flocks across the Ranges from Bathurst, as did many others. Andrew settled at his new property on the Logan, and his brother, James Henderson, pushed further north, and settled on the Burnett, where his descendants still remain.
The next sister, Jessie Lambert Collins, high spirited and a splendid horse-woman, married Alfred William Compigne, son of a French emigre family who had settled in England. Alfred William Compigne was born in 1818. He arrived at Sydney Cove in the 400 ton barque "Honduras" in 1839. He purchased Nindooinbah station on the Logan River, variously described as being "18 miles by one mile," "twenty two square miles," and "thirty square miles." He set out on the 850 mile journey from Carcoar, in August, 1846, from a property that he had been managing in order to gain experience. He had 7,000 sheep, some bullocks, and a dray load of stores. He was one of the first to use a pole on his wagon, and this created some interest. He traversed past the site of the future town of Mudgee, over the Liverpool Plains and the Darling Downs, through Cunningham's Gap, and on to Teviot and Beaudesert, following the rough track made by Cunningham. Perils were many, both from natural causes and from the natives. The steep banks of the Logan River at Bromelton caused considerable trouble, as it did to others.
An ex-officer of Dragoons, and with some experience as a station manager, he was very quickly a man of mark in the community.
In May 1860, he was summoned to the first Legislative Council of Queensland, and at the time of his death on 4 June, 1909, he was the last remaining member of the original Legislative Council. The property Nindooinbah, was purchased from Captain Jones of Bathurst, who had bought it from the original founders of the run, the brothers Paul and Clement Lawless, in 1848, when they moved to the Burnett.
In 1863, Alfred William Compigne sold Nindooinbah to one of Australia's most colourful sons, Captain Robert Towns. It was Captain Robert Towns who established a large cotton plantation about three miles out from the present Beaudesert. The area was about 4,000 acres, of which some 400 acres was planted to cotton. Towns named the plantation Townsvale, and Towns was one of the first to employ Kanaka labour, the first of whom, 87 all told, came in the "Don Juan," the mate of whom, Ross Lewin, was considered to be one of the worst blackguards employed in that highly unsavoury trade. About 260 of these expatriates worked there.
In 1855, Towns, who was a member of the Legislative Council of New South Wales, built a new paddle steamer for the Brisbane to Ipswich trade. The initial trip was made the occasion for quite considerable festivities. This vessel, named the "Breadalbane," was the one used to transport Governor Bowen on his arrival in Queensland to his landing at the Botanical Gardens in Brisbane.
"Townsvale" embraced the present day areas of Woodhill, Gleneagles, and Veresdale. Townsvale had been earlier known as Plantations Flats, and before that, the area had been named "Letitia Plains" by Captain Logan.
The city of Townsville was also named after Captain Robert Towns.
Gleneagle was earlier known as Tullamore, so named by William Rafter, one of the migrants to arrive on the "Erin-go-brach," the first of the vessels chartered by the Irish Immigration Society in Brisbane. Most of these migrants came from the same area of Ireland.
As for Nindooinbah station, it was sold by Robert Towns to Messrs. Barker and White, then to William Duckett White, and later to William Collins, second son of John Collins of Mundoolan station, whose family home it remained until it was subdivided into farms.
In 1865, Alfred William Compigne resigned his seat in the Legislative Council to become Gold Commissioner and Land Agent at Mount Perry. On 20 November. 1871, he was appointed Police Magistrate at Gayndah, and District Commissioner and Land Agent, succeeding Benjamin Cribb.
In 1875, Alfred William Compigne was transferred to Blackall, and was succeeded by John Rankin, the early owner of Maroon station, and a son-in-law of John Cameron, the founder of Fassifern. Later he was transferred to Taroom and Banana, succeeding Arthur Morley Francis, who had been appointed in 1875. Several years later, he was appointed to southeastern Queensland, living at Beenleigh for a period, in a cottage he named Compigneville. His responsibilities extended to Nerang. It is thought that the family ultimately lived at West End, but no confirmation has been found. Alfred William Compigne passed away on 4 June, 1909.
Captain. Tom Collins was still engaged in a seafaring existence, mostly on the China run, and sometimes in the Mediterranean. About 1839, he made a considerable fortune, and buying three ships, outfitted for whaling, he set sail for Sydney, leaving his family at home whilst he tested what had been in the back of his mind ever since he had landed in Sydney in 1814, the prevalence of whales in Australian waters.
Two years later, Mrs. Collins took the bold step of saying farewell to her pretty home in England for the last time, and with her six young children, the oldest of whom was about 12 years old, set out for Australia in 1841 for Sydney in the ship "Angelina."
This was her fifth voyage across the world in a wind-jammer.
The long voyage was not without its thrills and dangers, as a heavy storm in the bay of Biscay caused damage to the ship and injury to some members of the crew, Mrs. Collins giving what medical treatment was possible in the circumstances.
Off Cape Town, another savage storm dismasted the vessel.
The Captain was for turning back, and a delay of six weeks during a refit was appreciated more by the children than the adults, the children making it just one long holiday. Jessie was a lively girl of about 11 years and enjoyed every minute of the seven month's voyage. She was friends with all the crew, her especial favourite being the Bosun, who fascinated her with his habit of drinking his ale from a leathern bottle. It was from him that she earned the nick-name of "Black Jack," one that clung to her all her life.
Upon settling in Sydney, Captain Collins, who had made a handsome profit from carrying Government migrants from England, was granted 640 acres of land at Bathurst by the Government These grants of land were generally based upon the principle of a payment of 12 /- for every acre, but Government grants were often given as recompense for services rendered, and this would seem to be just such an instance.
The Captain had by this time tired of the seafaring life, and afterwards took up land at Maitland, and when his family returned to Sydney in 1842, he had moved further northwards to Queensland, and settled on a property on the McIntyre Brook on the Darling Downs. To this property, he gave the name of Cooloomunda, or, as the natives called it, Kabbathemani.
The Captain's whaling days lasted from 1827 until about 1846, with his own vessel "Elizabeth," which he owned for 20 years. She was ultimately sold to a man named A. W. White, and was for a while engaged in the New Zealand- Sydney trade, she being referred to in connection with the Maori War.
On arrival in Sydney, Carden, aged 13, with a short period of preparation, accompanied an uncle, William Weeks, the son of a celebrated doctor in Kent, on an adventurous journey of over 400 miles to join his father, the rest of the family remaining in Sydney for a while.
The natives were troublesome, and it was a series of fights for most of the way. After spending several years on this property, Cooloomunda, the Captain sold out and purchased Telemon station on the Upper Logan River from Robert Tertius Campbell about 1845. Campbell was the youngest of three brothers, Colin, John and Robert, sons of a Highland family that had come very soon after the Leslies in 1840. John Campbell states in his pamphlet "Early Settlement in Queensland," printed in 1875, that he actually was the first man to hold stock in what is now Queensland, although he actually owned no land at that moment.
Most articles printed state that Robert Tertius Campbell had the first licence for Telemon, but the late R. M. Collins states that George Mocatta, who held the Grantham run at the time, actually owned and lived on Telemon for a while. Campbell's licence was dated 28 September 1844. Campbell also held Grantham for a while, and later on he moved to Jondaryan, also spelled Yondarion. In 1853, Telemon was described as comprising 70,000 acres, capable of carrying 1800 cattle, and 12,000 sheep.
In 1860, Captain Collins exercised his right to convert a portion of the property to freehold. This was in accord with the provisions of the Crown Lands Alienations Acts of that period, which resumed approximately half of the areas from squatters with their annual licence, enabling them to secure a title at a moderate cost, generally of 20 /- per acre. As a matter of record, the following figures quoted from "Queensland Country Life" of 25 June, 1900, gives the freeholdings as - Jimboomba 4,000 acres; Maroon, 7,000 acres; Tamrookum, 11,000 acres; Hollow, 7,000 acres; Rathdowney, 22,000 acres; Nindooinbah, 19,000 acres; Undulla, 7,000 acres; Mundoolan, 12,000 acres; Tabragalba 19,000 acres; Tambourine, 5,000 acres, making a total of 141,000 acres held by 13 estates.
Graziers had, previously to the creation of the new Colony, been given some relief and concessions by the New South Wales law, a distinct improvement on the method of annual depasturing licences.
It was the passing of these new Acts that cleared the way for the settlement of small townships now growing steadily in importance and influence, and it is of interest to realise that Rathdowney and Kerry formerly were outstations, and Tambourine Village was part of the old station.
Carden Collins remembered the growing of their own wheat at Cooloomunda, and making their own flour. The natives used to grind the grain for them in a small steel mill, and for their pains, were given the bran. When moving to their new home at Telemon, it took three months to transfer their cattle, numbering about 5,000, and all pretty wild. Without roads, fences or railways, the going was over open country, the only transport being by horse or bullock wagon.
The country was unsuited for sheep, and after a while, they were replaced with cattle. Most of the runs underwent the same experience. He could also recall the planting of cotton on Townsvale plantation, and the damage done by several of the very serious floods that swept the southeastern part of the Colony, the top soil being swept away with the young plants. Mention was also made of an ingenious plough operated from each end of the cultivation by an engine, and a steel rope attached to the plough. He states that this was the only cotton grown in the area in his time.
John Collins took after Mundoolun just before Captain Thomas Collins took up Telemon, and Carden Collins pays a tribute to a fine upright man, including his family when saying so. He went on to say that whilst his parents lived at Telemon, he took up Tamborine station on the Albert River, but after holding it for several years, he sold to Charles Graham. The latter did not prosper, and died shortly afterwards in Rockhampton, after leaving Tambourine.
This is correct, but to avoid any doubt, the various holders are given in what is believed to be their proper sequence.
Tambourine station, under its original name of "Burton Vale," was taken up by a New South Wales surveyor named Robert Dixon.
He was one of a team sent to Moreton Bay settlement to survey Brisbane Town and the surrounding 50 mile radius that had been instituted by the establishment of the penal settlement. This had just been abolished, and Dixon had been given the task of surveying the East Moreton district. He had surveyed to about the Logan reserve, leaving most of the inland untouched. It was quite a common practice for a surveyor to be about 2 years late in fixing correct boundaries. This was the cause of frequent disputes, and the lot of the Land Commissioner was like the policeman in Gilbert and Sullivan's opera, "not a happy one."
Dixon took up the property on 12 January, 1843, but sold out to H. P. Hicks nine months later on 30 June, 1844. Most articles state this as being correct, but Mr. Collins states that Hicks and Whiting bought it (this name is generally spelled as Whitting). A reference has been noted that Dixon was recalled to Sydney about this time, and disciplined for injudicious utterances in public. This might have some bearing on the sudden disposal of the property.
Eighteen months later, portion of the run was taken over by Dugald Graham for Whitting and Co., so that both versions can be correct. This portion was named Tabragalba, and the other portion was renamed Tambourine (old spelling). This name appears as early as 1831 on a map by Arrowsmith, giving the origin as two native words Tam meaning a yam, and birin, meaning a cliff. This is the version accepted by the Native Affairs Department, but has been twisted by several writers as "a place of yams." The former version is also that used by the two other tribes that frequented the mountain, the Coomera, and the Nerang tribes, the three dialects being very similar.
Ownership of the Tambourine station changed again in 1848 to Donald Coutts, who held the property until the 1850s, when it was bought by Dugald Graham. It changed hands again in quick succession to James Taylor, then to John Frazer and Warnod. It was then purchased by Carden Collins who sold it to Charles Graham, thence to the Bank of Australasia at Ipswich, who put in their Pastoral Inspector, the newly arrived Mr. Dr Burgh Persse, for a year.
In 1865 it passed to William Tooth, a member of the Sydney "Kent" brewery family. He sold it to Captain Williams.
In 1870, it was bought by Mr. J. H. Delpratt, a gentleman of French nationality, who came from his home on the Isle of Jersey. This newcomer arrived in Queensland in 1860, and obtained experience as a jackaroo on Beaudesert station for five years. Returning to England, he obtained and resigned a commission with the West India regiment. He returned to Queensland about 1866, and purchased Tambourine station, which is still in the possession of the family.
To rejoin her family, Mrs. Collins and the rest of the children sailed from Sydney to Brisbane in 1847. The voyage was undertaken with some nervousness, as the wreck of the "Sovereign" had taken place only a few months previously. A 200 ton wooden paddle steamer, the "Sovereign" had gone ashore at the South Passage of Moreton Island and Stradbroke Island, with the loss of 47 lives.
However, the trip was without incident, and after a few weeks devoted to buying necessary stores, bullocks, a wagon, and a dray and tarpaulins, the family set off once more on their trek of 50 miles through Cooper's (Cowper's) Plains, Brown's Plains, across the Logan River at McLean, past the bottom lands of Bobby Towns, to where Beaudesert now stands. The crossing at McLean was of considerable importance, and a brief description is not out of place. The steep bank had been cut down to a reasonable grade, and the bed of the river was lined with long logs, laid parallel and spiked together. The wheels of transport could handle it with reasonable care, but it presented a trap for the legs of the animals. The crossing at Bromelton was really a game of chance, as the steep banks were a terror to bullockies, and in more than one instance, a team with its heavy load went down with a rush, sometimes meaning the death or maiming of valuable leaders or gear. Flash floods in this stream added to the difficulty. The site of the old crossing at McLean is still visible, and could very suitably be made the occasion of a plaque to commemorate what, in reality, was the gateway to the Upper Logan area.
It meant a long and weary pull over blacksoil plains, past Bromelton and Tamrookum stations, amid an amphitheatre of blue hills, the old Telemon homestead stood, and they were home, and, once again, united. The air was like wine, and the river and Running Creek flowed through the rich lands, loaded in those days with splendid cedar trees, while Mounts Barney, Lindesay, and Maroon, frowned down upon them from the south. Mount Marroon was called that at that time by the natives "wahl morom," and was actually called Clanmorris by Captain Logan, and for a little while it was called Mount Walker.
When Captain Tom Collins bought Telemon, it was stocked with 63 horses and cattle, and 4351 sheep, the purchase price being 100 pounds. He also took over Marroon about this time. This property was first known as Melcombe, with an area of 20,000 acres, and was owned by John Rankin, in 1845. Rankin was related in marriage with the Macdonalds of Dugandan and Undulla, and a son-in-law of John Cameron of Fassifern.
Later on, Rankin was appointed Police Magistrate at Blackall, succeeding Mr. Compeigne about 1876. Rankin made his home at Ipswich, and was a prominent citizen, filling many important posts. Later on, Rankin sold Melcombe to Robert Campbell. The Campbell's owned Glengallan and Westbrook on the Darling Downs, and it was after these had been properly defined that Campbell sold Melcombe (Marroon) to Captain Collins. The official boundaries were set out as being bounded on the north by a range running between the Logan River and Teviot Brook; in the south, by Mount Lindesay; in the west by Wilson's Peak, Mount Clancy; and on the east by the boundary of Telemon station.
According to native legend, a lubra once went hunting there with her father and brother during the season when the eating of the flesh of the iguana was forbidden. Murrun was the native word for iguana. Hungry, she ate the forbidden flesh. The Creator (Baiame) observing this, caused a great storm to arise, and so terrify the lubra that she would confess. Still Baiame as not appeased.
The earth rose up and flung itself in a great mound over the unhappy girl. The natives immediately named the mountain Murrun.
The legend was transmitted from generation to generation, and the name preserved.
Access to Marroon station in those days was from Brisbane to Ipswich, and then through the Dugandan Scrub which formed the eastern boundary of Dugandan station, a run of 18,000 acres held by Campbell McDonald. At the end of 1841, Macquarie McDonald, his young wife, and his brother Campbell Livingstone McDonald, set out from Sydney on the long overland journey either before or shortly after the trip made by William Humphreys and the Lawless brothers, following the same route down through Cunningham's Gap.
In full sight of the towering mountains climbed by Captain Logan, and also in sight of Cunningham's Gap, and the link by link chain of 4,000 feet peaks of the Dividing Range, the two brothers and the first white woman outside the Penal Settlement, settled down on what was to become Dugandan station, taking two or three years on the journey. Dugandan Scrub is no more.
The railway opened through it to the township of Boonah now passes through orderly farms and quiet settlements, but in those early days, it took a whole day to pass the scrub, which was exceptional dense.
Further on lay Dugandan head station, the stopping place for the night. Another day's journey took the traveller through Coochin Plains (Ga-jin meaning red stone), and known in those days as Dulhunty's Plains, and since 1882 as the famed Coochin Coochin, the home of the Bell family, and bought at first as an out station for their Cambooya property. Skirting a lagoon with great pink and blue water lilies floating on the surface, the traveller came within the Marroon territory, guarded by the watching mountains. In those fastnesses are the headwaters of two waterways, the first system falling away to the west, ultimately by finding its way to the southern ocean. The creeks of the second system follow the north-easterly fall of the land, crawl through gorges to the lower levels, and make their way across fertile pastures to the Pacific, forming the Logan River, which travels down for some ten miles before it receives the waters of Burnett Creek, after they have passed through the home paddocks of Marroon. The place was truly a mountain stronghold.
There was but one outlet with any passable road through Dugandan as described. Although the head stations at Telemon and Tamrookum were less than twenty miles away, the journey was a long and arduous one, no vehicle being able to pass over the track, and they were even fearsome to the timid rider. One false step, and horse and rider might plunge through rotting vegetation to the rocky bed hundreds of feet below.
The earliest settlers of the foothills of the McPherson Range lived in separate worlds although north and south sides were both still in the same colony of New South Wales. The pioneers of the Tweed and Richmond districts, south of the Range, saw to the northwards, several towering dense great masses rising in a barrier of terrifying suddenness.
News on both sides, separated by less than ten to twenty miles, over the range, travelled slowly around same. On the southern side, settlement was still in the form of squattages or runs. This country was originally discovered by an escaped convict named Craig from the Moreton Bay Penal Settlement, who lived with the blacks for some ten years, and in their company, passed all through this and the surrounding country as far as Trial Bay near Coff's Harbour, where he gave himself up to the authorities. By disclosing the whereabouts of a considerable number of strayed Government cattle, he was granted a free pardon.
Subsequently, he made a living by escorting incoming settlers to the newly discovered lands. Amongst the earliest were the late C. D. S. Ogilvie, of Yalgilbar, Clarence River, who took over, in the 1820s, the Wyangerie Estate from his brother in law, Wellington Cochrane Bundock, son of a Royal Navy Officer, of Devon.
This estate, at a later date, passed back to W. C. Bundock.
Charles Ogilvie's paternal grandfather was a descendant of the ancient Scottish families of Grants and Ogilvies, notable in their days as history makers at Airlie, being descended from the Earls of Airlie. He and his brother fought at the Battle of Trafalgar, and William Ogilvie was given his promotion from middy to Lieutenant by Nelson personally, for good work at the Battle of Copenhagen. For his services he was given a Crown Grant on the Hunter River, New South Wales. to which he gave the name of Merton, after the property in England owned at the time by Nelson himself.
In 1916, a direct descendant was living at "Ilparrah" at Glen Innes. It was in 1838 that Captain Ogilvie settled on Wyangerie. The native name means "camping place beside the pink lily lagoon," and is situated in a fertile valley surrounded by towering mountains. In the same neighbourhood was Unumgar station, owned by James Glennie, a name of some importance in this family narrative.
Unfortunately, it has been found difficult to trace the life of his ancestral branch as fully as desired. He was a brother (not uncle) of the future Archdeacon Benjamin Glennie, and an extract from a publication by Professor Eikin of Sydney University named
"The Diocese of Newcastle," on page 739 states, "Benjamin Glennie with Alfred (brother) already mentioned, were members of the family of the Rev. Dr. Glennie, who conducted a school at Dulwich Grove, Surrey."
A little later on, the following, "Alfred Glennie was a brother of Benjamin Glennie, who came out with Bishop Tyrrell; of Henry Glennie, who received a grant of "Dulwich" near Singleton in 1824, and of Dr. James Glennie who, in 1832 settled and practiced at Singleton. Alfred Glennie farmed at Glenbourne, Allyn River, about two miles from East Grewford."
Reference has been noted that James Glennie arrived on the same ship as Captain William Ogilvie, his young wife Mary White, and her sister, Susan White, in 1838, and the two were married in Sydney. It is assumed that the date of 1832 would be more correct, otherwise the later marriage of their only child, Mary Helena Glennie, to James Carden Collins, in 1852, would make the bride a child of only 14 years. It is nearer the truth to say that the doctor practised at Singleton, or elsewhere, and settled at the Unumgar property when the Ogilvies moved in, in 1838.
It is interesting to note that an outstanding ledge on the Range overlooking the property was, and still is, known as "Glennie's Chair."
Captain Ogilvie and the White girls were cousins, and also cousin to Sir Arthur Kennedy, Gov of Queensland. Mrs. Ogilvie had two daughters, one of whom, in due course, married William Bundock of Wyangarie.
Their grandson, Charles Wyndham Bundock, who died on 11 September, 1960, purchased the property "Kooralbyn" in 1890. In the Beaudesert area, it consisted of 12,000 acres. In 1891, he married Miss Scarvell, of Sydney. A keen follower of hounds and horse-racing, he owned and won a Queensland Cup with Sea Breeze in 1905. He was a member of the Q.T.C. and the Queensland Club.
James Carden Collins was now about 24 years of age, and he courted and married Mary Helena Glennie at Richmond River township in 1852. He had been managing Marroon for his father, and the property was now given to him as a wedding present.
It was Mary Collins who altered the name of the property from Morcombe to Marroon, thus preserving for all time, the native legend which along with the others is vanishing together with the people that created these imaginative tales. James Glennie, with the assistance of the natives carved a vehicular track across the range to his daughter's new home.
Mrs. Irving states that this was in 1854 after the birth of their first child, but William Hunter stated that when a child of 9 years old, he lived on Marroon station with his parents on their arrival from England in 1851. His father's duties were to carry stores from Ipswich to Marroon and Unumgar,, stating that Carden Collins was the only white person on the property, a job that lasted for 9 years. This is evidence that this road was opened at least in 1851, and probably somewhat earlier. This passage was of importance, and was sited northeast of Mount Lindsay, being within a few miles of where Captain Logan and Alan Cunningham had explored in 1828. A little later, James Glennie drove a wagon from Unumgar to the Logan River, thus opening what possibly was the first regular means of communication across the range.
It led to the institution of a mail route about 1866, the schedule run by a mail coach travelling from Brisbane Post Office, once a week to casino, a distance of 154 miles. The route was via Cooper's Plains to Brown's Plains to Gimboomba (Jimboomba), which was a staging post for Cobb and Co, who started operations in Queensland in 1865, Thence to Mundoolun, to Nindooinbah (Ninduinbah- place of soot) to Beaudesert to Tamrookum (Dundrugum) to Telemon (Dilummunn), across the border to Unumgar to Wyangerie to McKellar's station, and thence to Casino Post Office. The Queensland Government paid a share of this service, as the places served were Tabragalba (Jabir-aloa, place of nulla nulla, a giant nulla nulla was unearthed here), Bromelton, and nearly fifty other settlers by the Teviot and Marroon. In the early eighties, the mail came once weekly from Beenleigh via Tamborine and Tabragalba to Brayford's store and receiving office in Nindooinbah, the late Mr. R. Johnston, of Kerry, being the mail contractor. A grandson of this veteran was, at a fairly recent date, operating the local mail service, which must be a near record in public service.
Marroon Homestead- William Hunter stated that in 1851, there were only several small huts on Marroon, but Carden Collins stated that he built a very nice home for his bride in 1852. It consisted of two large rooms, one a parlour, the other a bedroom, and a good many verandah rooms. He also built stockyards and fenced paddocks. Sheep were tried again but were not a success, and the run was turned over to cattle.
In October 1864, Carden Collins sold Marroon to Thomas Murray Prior, who, at the time, was Postmaster General. He was a former owner of Bromelton on the Logan River, from whence he had moved to Hawkwood station in the Burnett country, without much financial success.
Recently married to Miss Matilda Harpur, daughter of Thomas Harpur, of Cecil Plains, on the Parramatta, he built for his bride a new homestead, with wide verandahs, extending on three sides. A one storied bungalow, the bark roof projected its ragged edge beyond the log posts, which were festooned with climbing plants, and a large grape vine.
French windows led into low cedar lined rooms, canvas ceiled, with rugs and skins covering the wide white floor. Close by stood the men's quarters, a long building, cedar ceiled with sawn wood, with a long verandah, and a fifty gallon water butt alongside. The meat house was of slabs, and nearby stood the storehouse, fully stocked. Built on to the carpenter's shop and the forge was a lean to lined with bunks.
Carden Collins states that Mrs. Harpur was tall grave eyed girl, and a very fine one. Murray Prior was married twice, then name of his second wife being Miss Barron.
Another daughter was born to Mrs. Collins during their stay at Telemon, Sophia Elizabeth Earle Collins, who subsequently married William Nott, who was keeping the books at Barambah station in the Wide Bay district.
A reference has been noted that they resided for a while at Unumgar station, without confirmation. Her home for the rest of her life was "Greycliffe," a cattle station on the Dawson River. She had a nursing daughter and two sons return from the first World War. She died in 1929, the last of her sisters and brothers.
It is related that Mr. Nott and a stockman captured the bushranger known as the "Flying Scotsman," who was seated on a log eating a meal. He surrendered quite peacefully, and it is understood that he subsequently received a sentence of 25 years at St. Helena Island in Moreton Bay.
The first child of the marriage of Carden and Mary Collins was Frederick Glennie Collins, born in October 1854. The second son, Francis George Collins, was born in May, 8163, at Spring Gardens, Ipswich. Later on he attended the first Grammar School in Queensland which was opened on 25 Sept 1863. In 1861, Carden Collins and a partner, J. A. Saunders, took over Coochin Coochin from Messrs. Tooth and Holt. William Tooth was a former holder of Tambourine station. Holt moved to the Burnett.
In Sept, 1865, Carden Collins sold out to his partner. The area of the property at that period was 86,000 acres. Within a few years, this had been reduced to 38,500 acres. Another source states that Carden Collins sold the property to the Oriental Bank in 1864, and that in September of the same year, he sold Marroon to Thomas Murray-Prior.
Marroon was sub-divided in 1914, the homestead being purchased by T. S. Murray-Prior. The property was sold to J. Vellacott in 1920, who sold to Peter Bell in February, 1930, the present owner being S. S. Appleby.
An anecdote regarding Captain Tom Collins is related in Nehemiah Bartley's Reminiscences of Early Brisbane Town. The locale was Grenier's Inn, in Gray Street, South Brisbane, later on absorbed into railway property.
All innocent fun, but the sea captain was the victim. Some prankster unknown packed up all the cutlery and silver on the dining tables, and hid the lot in the Captain's grip, just prior to his departure for Marroon. Mrs. Grenier thought that the blacks had taken the booty, and a thorough search of their camp was made, without result. The mystery was solved about a fortnight later, when captain Collins stamped in, and threw the package on the floor of the verandah, accompanied by some of that figurative language that seems so peculiarly suited to elderly sea captains. The real culprit was never known, but all was forgotten, and the Captain stayed there as formerly. It was all taken in good part in those days, and there was a feeling of friendship between landlord and guest which is all sadly out of date now. A comment has been left regarding the personality of Carden Collins, by a friend, John Watts, of Felton and Eton Vale stations: "He was a first rate little fellow, full of fun, and a splendid rider. He could be trusted to take the first flight in rounding up a mob of cattle, and, at night, he could sing a song so that we all had a merry time of it, notwithstanding the natives."
Racing was Carden Collin's hobby, and he stated that the natives came from miles around to watch. He was an amateur rider, and hurdling was his preference. He kept a large stable of horses at Marroon, having as many as five in training at a time. It is worthy of note that Mr. T. S. Murray-Prior at a later date maintained a fine stud of Arab blood at the old property.
Carden Collins stated that he also did some flat racing, and an occasional steeplechase, and he mentions Toby, an old contribution of his who made a lot of money for him. Toby could jump anything, and, one day in a shanty at Ipswich, he challenged some Sydney men who were boasting about their horses. Trusting to his horse, he chipped in, "I don't mind taking you for 50 pounds."
Races were then held at Cooper's Plains, and the race was run in the presence of the Gov, Sir George Bowen, and his suite. The distance was two miles, and he engaged his brother, Bob, as jockey. The start was not auspicious, as Toby baulked at the first hurdle, whilst his rider went on ahead of him. Nothing daunted, Bob remounted, apparently hopelessly out of the race. However, he cleared the rest of the hurdles splendidly. At the last hurdle, the visitor's horse came down, and Toby won easily.
Huntsman was another good horse, especially over three miles. He states that he once rode a horse for the late John Tait, the well-known racing man in a Corinthian race, and won. Some time afterwards he received a saddle from him, worth 5 pounds. He commented, "This was the only present I ever got from the owners of my winning mounts, so I thought a good deal of it. Hughie Campbell, the Ipswich blacksmith used to shoe all my horses."
Campbell's father was the first blacksmith in Ipswich, and the family was one of the very earliest in what was Ipswich proper. He commented that he had known all the identities in Brisbane fifty years ago. He was speaking then in 1914.
He and a friend had dinner with Ludwig Leichhardt the night before the latter started on his last journey. This would have been at Grenier's Inn, where all the Logan River station holders met, and where Leichhardt stayed. It was from near here that the latter commenced his journey of no return. Carden Collins mentions that the explorer was no bushman, as understood out here, and needed a compass. He also states that his brother Bob, with a friend named Horace Walpole, took up land on the Flinders many years ago, and named it Telemon, after the old home on the Logan. Horace Walpole had been employed at Bromelton by Murray Prior, and when the latter sold out, it was Walpole who drove his stock for him to his new property, Hawkwood, on the Dawson River. The native name for Bromelton was Bungroopin. The venture on the Flinders was not a success, and the property was sold to a man named Stuart.
Shortly afterwards, Bob Collins went to California, where he settled until his death about 1912. He had been ruined by the great earthquake of 1905, lost all his possessions and had to make a fresh start. The memoirs state that cattle did not bring the prices obtainable now (1914). Most of the cattle were sent to the boiling down works at Ipswich, and they were lucky to get 2 pound per head, after travelling them sometimes 200 miles.
When Carden Collins was at Marroon in 1850, a young man named Ezra Harvey worked for him for some years. After an interval, he and brother-in-law, George Langdon, took up an area of land on the southern side of Burnett's Creek, Marroon being on the north side. Minage and Lightbody were other settlers, and they took up land south of the Harvey-Langdon property.
Marroon was cut up and sold by the Murray-Prior family in 1914, the area being about 10,000 acres. Much of the Harvey-Langdon land has also been sold, but part is still in the possession of the family. Another portion is owned by G. E. Cochrane, who is a son of Ezra Harvey's eldest daughter, Jane, who was the first child born on the Marroon settlement. Part of the Minage holding is still in the possession of the family.
Transport Difficulties: Mr. and Mrs. John Hunter came to Australia in 1851, and worked for Carden Collins when he was the only white man on the property. Their eldest son, William, was 9 years old at that time, and at the age of 76, gave some details in a press interview, stating that when he went to Marroon, there was only a hut or two.
His father's job was to transport supplies to and from Ipswich to Marroon and Unumgar stations, Mary Glennie's home on the Upper Richmond River. He must have traversed the route hacked out of thick scrub by her father a little earlier. In those days, bullock wagons had no brakes, and it was a common practice to tie a tree on to the back of the vehicle, when facing a steep descent. In all that long haul, the only settled places were Peak Mount station (later the home of the Winks family), Dugandan station, and Coochin Coochin.
This was a slow and dangerous job, but it was done by John Hunter for the nine years that he worked on the property. He would be accompanied by two native boys, who would help chain the bullocks to the trees overnight, otherwise the animals would go bush, being as wild as the natives that roamed the countryside. A partnership of Hunter and Fife held Coochin Coochin for a short period, and it is probable that this refers to this man.
Hardships of pioneering women: There is no doubt that women had the rough edge of life in those early days. It was not at all uncommon for women arriving on the top of a wagon, after a long and exhausting journey, to throw themselves onto the ground and burst into tears, when they realised that they were expected to make a home under such conditions.
To anyone newly arrived from overseas, the bush had its special terrors. The presence of large snakes in the hut, and even in the blankets, was a common experience. At night, the trees stood like ghostly sentinels, whilst the screech of the owl, the melancholy wail of the curlew, the howls of the dingoes, and the croaking of frogs, made night hideous for the lonely woman, whose husband's work took him at times away from home. These noises kept their nerves at high tension, and often a lonely mother would pick up her baby, and carry it in her arms through the darkness, or the ghostly moonlight, to the home of a neighbour for aid in illness, or for company.
The natives were a particular terror to the wives of the new settlers. They roamed the countryside, and though they generally kept to themselves, their yells at night when holding a corroboree used to keep the frightened women awake. Through the night, there would be sudden howls fit to frighten the sturdiest, and an investigation would show a mob was chasing wallabies, with a tribe of dogs yelping at their heels. Then the scared woman would go back to bed.
On more than one night, there were drunken screams from the nearby natives camp, where liquor had been supplied to them. One or two dead bodies, hacked by tomahawks or pierced by spears, would be awaiting burial in the morning. It is easy to imagine women from the densely populated parts of Europe lying in their beds in the dead of night, knowing that there was not more than a score of white men in the whole neighbourhood, and listening to a mob of painted aboriginals commit murder, to the accompaniment of drunken yells of execration, and the screams of the victims.
The black women, however, were generally of a peaceful disposition, and confined their activities to begging. In return, they were in a position to do little services at times. One of the most valuable was to make white mothers acquainted with certain healing herbs in times of sickness. As the nearest doctor was at Ipswich, and could only be consulted by riding there on horseback or carrying the patient in a dray or German wagon, the value of this to the mothers with young children was very great.
The above notes were taken from a Press written by Miss Ilma Bruckner over 40 years ago. One of a family of 12 girls and two boys, her parents were amongst the earliest pioneers of the Dugandan district, and built the first sawmill. This industry is still carried on by the family. The conditions described can be taken as those ruling in the Marroon country until settlement caused some amelioration. The following paragraphs help to tie the story together, as related by William Hunter already referred to.
Recollections
of Marroon Aboriginals -
In
1850, Carden Collins was the only white person on the station
property. When the Hunters arrived in 1851, the natives were
greatly intrigued by their first sight of a white woman. On
the first morning, whilst busy making a fire outside the hut,
she looked up suddenly and was greatly alarmed to find herself
surrounded by a group of natives adorned in all their pristine
nudity.
They stood as though rooted to the spot, and gazed at her with the curious bewilderment of startled cattle. It was the first time that she had seen a group of natives at close quarters, and naturally enough, she was scared. The natives were, apparently, just as startled, for without speaking a word, they turned and bolted for the bush. A few of the gins became friendly with Mrs. Hunter, and would stop with for company, whilst her husband was away on one of his trips.
At one stage, the natives became troublesome at Marroon, killing a number of cattle, and the police had to be called in.
With the help of trackers a raid was made, and the natives sustained many casualties. They were, at that time, in great numbers in the district, and if action had not been taken, they would have wiped out everything in the area. After that raid, most of them left the district.
While the natives were giving trouble at Marroon, Mrs. Hunter was taken over to Coochin Coochin station, whose homestead was, at that time, at Bunjurgen, where there was another white woman, Mrs. Lister, who could use a gun. Her husband had to go to Ipswich on urgent business. Each woman had a young baby, and there was no other white man on the property. One night, a big group of natives, who were camped not far away, created a big disturbance. They carried wood to the station house, which was built of slabs, and began packing it against the wall with the obvious intention of setting fire to the home.
The women watched the proceedings for a while, and when it became plain that they intended to set fire to the place, Mrs. Lister took down her gun, and shot every black that she could see. The natives cleared out, but returned in the early hours of the morning to collect the dead and wounded. Next day, they shifted camp.
A brief reference is made regarding a ding-dong battle between two aboriginal tribes, which was fought in the earliest days of settlement on a level piece of ground a mile or so north of Marroon.
For years afterwards, natives returned to celebrate the victory, and hold corroborees. From stories handed down, a hostile tribe came in from the south, and attacked a local tribe. There differences were settled on this flat, which later on was a favourite camping ground. This land is now owned by Mr. J. A. Anders, and often he has ploughed up the heads of stone axes and other implements, some of them unfinished. These stones were of a bluish grey colour, and of a metal not found in the area. Apparently, in their travels, the stones were collected and brought to camp, where they were worked into the required shape.
Another favourite camping ground in the Marroon area was on the Harvey-Langdon property. Both settlers occupied the same hut which was close to the camp. A story is told that Harvey found the stench unbearable, and ploughed up the land on which the camp was sited, thereby buying himself a long standing war with the natives. For years afterwards, the natives were unfriendly with him, in fact they were as a whole unfriendly towards all the whites, until the scrub lands were taken up in 1887. Natives were failry numerous around Marroon until about 1892, when they had their camp on the hill near the school.
By this time, they were a semi-civilised lot, wearing the cast-off clothes given them, and hanging round for food and tobacco.
The last Corroboree at Marroon was in 1905, at a spot on the creek flat near the old main camp. They spent some weeks searching the hills for coloured clays. White settlers attended the ceremony, but the performance was not the upsurge of a dramatic impulse, but rather a commercial performance, terminating with the hat being passed round for the odd shilling or two.
An extract from Mrs. Irving's book evidently refers to a period several years later, as she states that the natives were not so numerous, and were more docile, at Telemon, being peaceable and well-treated and contented. She relates an incident when a native, covetous and aggressive, appeared suddenly at the kitchen door, where Mrs. Collins was alone with several gins. Despite instructions to the whole camp to keep away from the homestead, he looked dangerous, until, with a knowledge of the essential childlikeness of the native mind, she began to use her fan to keep a feather floating in the air. Forgetting his previous demands, he was so interested, that he was given the fan, and there he stayed for the next hour and a half, until one of the white men returned to the homestead. It is also stated that all the tribes on the Logan River could be controlled with a simple threat to throw a "gecko" into the campfire, if orders were disobeyed. The fear of the burning of this small lizard has never been explained, but surely is related to Murrun legend. At any rate it was sufficient to move a camp of 200 souls, who would meander off into the bush during the next day or so.
Mrs. Irving states that it was lucky that these lizards were plentiful in the old wooden houses, so that ammunition was always ample.
When he sold Marroon, Carden Collins was hard up for grass, so he went northwards to Baffle Creek, following the coastline. He bought some country in the midst of properties owned by friends, notably F. Blackman of Warroo, Harvey Holt, of Kolonga, and the Robertson brothers.
He named his property "Thornhill," and stocked it with cattle from Marroon. This is the property now owned by Thomas Borthwick, as a resting place for the cattle in the killing season. Other properties mentioned were those of Mr. Hyde of Wallowah, and Mr. Jones of Balfield, who sold to Mr. Holmes, when he left Moura in the 1880s.
It was at Thornhill that his wife died in 1870, at the early age of 38 years. Some years later, Carden Collins remarried, his wife being an English widow with one daughter, who in due course, married the son of Mr. G. P. Allen, and lived in Western Queensland. Her name was Lister, and she was a sister of J. P. Pugh, the well-known Magistrate and journalist, and the man who established that great record of Queensland history, Pugh's Almanac. There were four sons and one daughter of this marriage, and Carden Collins predeceased his wife. This lady could well have been the one mentioned as living at Coochin a little earlier in the narrative.
The musical talents of Captain and Mrs. Collins were much in request in Brisbane. They purchased a house "Mount Pleasant" at Kangaroo Point, and that rambling cottage became a central point of musical gatherings, and many a gay party when the ships came in from the South, or from French speaking Noumea. For a period, Mrs. Collins was the only person who spoke fluent French in the district, and many a perplexed officer and sailor sought her aid in the search for provisions for his ship. To the Frenchman, it was an oasis where their native tongue could be spoken freely. The French officers, delighted at the discovery of such an oasis, gathered around the table, and thronged her drawing room whenever they had leave ashore. Many thank offerings were laid at her feet in gratitude for her lavish hospitality, and for this glimpse given of a life from which they had been so long debarred.
Captain Tom Collins and his wife were the possessors of good voices, and their duets became a feature of many a social gathering, and the children, as was natural in such surroundings, sang well.
In 1872, Carden Collins handed over Thornhill to his son, Frederick Collins, and took up management of Torella station in the St. Lawrence district. At that time, Torella was owned by Messrs Newbold and Campbell. In 1875, after severe floods, the homestead was removed, and the property was renamed Wandoorah. After managing this property for about 8 years, he took up land in the same area, and named it Langham; there he lived for ten years. He managed Woodlands for the Union Bank about 1895, which he relinquished in 1905. He went to Erewhon with his son. This was part of old Woodlands, and it was here that Carden Collins gave up active work.
Telemon station: About 1900, this old property had a freehold area of about 11,000 acres. It appears to be the Innes Plains of Lieutenant Innes of the 57th Regiment, and recorded by Captain Logan as having been crossed by him in 1827, for in John (Tinker) Campbell's pamphlet entitled "Early Settlement in Queensland," printed in 1875, there is a statement that "Mocatta had gone out before us to look for Innes Plains, so we did not cross the river, but made tracks to Brisbane, where, upon due application to Dr. Simpson, the Land Commissioner, these runs were granted to us, and proved to be the first licences on the Logan waters." "Poor Mocatta, however, with a man named Crowe, was lost for nine days, and nearly starved, and did not reach Brisbane for some days after us."
That statement is of interest, as later in the Pamphlet, Campbell identifies the two properties as being Tamrookum and Bromelton, the licences being issued simultaneously. George Mocatta evidently took Telemon, as he had missed out on the others. Shortly afterwards, Campbell sold Bromelton to Walter Smith (accordingly to one account), or direct to Robert Aikman, but there is no evidence that Campbell lived there or on Tamrookum. Campbell at that time owned Westbrook and Glengallon, possibly in partnership with his brothers.
Telemon was under offer to the Government in 1898 for twelve months, but was subsequently purchased by Messrs. Collins and Sons.
The house is situated on a high knoll overlooking Oakey Creek with the rugged peaks of the distant mountains standing sharply against the horizon. The property was, for a period, the home of Mr. C. A. Bruckner.
Jimboomba station: This historic old property, now 110 years old, was first taken up by Thomas Dowse, who held the first depasturing licence issued on 15 August 1845. Five years later, the property passed into the hands of a publican named Robert Rowland. Described in most articles as being a Sydney publican, it is noted that he held the licence of the "South Brisbane," later called "The Brisbane" Hotel, in Russell Street, South Brisbane. He did not hold it very long, as the station property was bought at auction in Goldsborough and Brown's rooms in Sydney for 1,150 pounds, in 1851, by a young Scot named Andrew Inglis Henderson, who at the age of 17 had landed in Sydney in 1839, spending the next twelve years with his elder brother James, gaining experience and capital. The price was a good one for the period, the improvements consisting of a homestead, men's huts, woolshed, yards, stores, and 4,411 head of sheep, the value of which were about 5s per head. Described as being about 24 square miles, the original deed still in the possession of the family, states that the carrying capacity would be 10,000 sheep. At a later date, it was discovered that sheep were not a success, and were replaced by cattle.
The brothers had been living in the Maitland district, and overlanded their flocks across the ranges, and, whilst Andrew settled into his new home, his brother James moved forward to the Burnett district, as so many others were doing, and his descendants are still there.
Andrew built a new homestead, which is now the oldest homestead in the area. Situated on a hill, and built of first class red cedar off the estate and pit-sawn, this comfortable old home is still home to the fifth generation. Added to from time to time, the shingle roof replaced with iron, the enormous cedar beams the length of the house, have maintained its character. Upon the death of the founder, the estate passed to his only son, James, and it was at this time that management changed over to cattle. In 1908, another change of policy occurred, the property being divided into three large share farms, with 500 acres retained round the homestead. The milk was sent to Brisbane.
Mrs. Colin Henderson had considerable success with the breeding of cross-bred lambs. In 1931, upon the death of Mr. James Henderson, the property was sub-divided and sold, with the exception of the homestead block.
In 1855, Andrew Henderson married Miss Emma Pamela Collins, eldest daughter of Captain Thomas Collins, of Telemon and Warroon stations, on the Upper Logan River, Southern Queensland. All of these families trace their lineage down through the centuries as will be seen from a perusal of the family trees in the appendices hereto.
In the late 1850s Andrew Henderson and his wife and 2 year old son, James, visited Scotland on a holiday trip, and returned to Brisbane on 25 July 1862, in the barque "Sultana," with a tonnage of 1308 tons. This was a passenger ship with first class cabin accommodation and it is interesting to note that the total fare for the party was 112p 10s 0d. including one cubic ton of luggage. Another old document reveals that in 1858, Andrew Henderson exercised his right to freehold 320 acres of Jimboomba land at a cost of 20s per acre. This point is of interest as the freeholding was effected before the new Colony was created in 1859, and it was therefore effected under the Lands Acts of New South Wales probably dating from 1847 when graziers were granted more security. Jimboomba (old spelling was Gimboomba), station was right on the only road and river crossing leading to the growing settlements in the Upper Logan valley. It was a staging camp for the coaches going to the border and beyond, and there was an hotel on either bank of the river, with accommodation for travellers.
This area of Mclean is now generally spelled as MacLean, but it was named after Mr. Peter McLean. Living at "Beliveh" or "Bolivah" near Beenleigh, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly in the 1879 election. Defeated by Mr. E. J. Stevens in the 1883 election by 11 votes, he was subsequently appointed Under Secretary for Agriculture in the newly created department.
Andrew Inglis Henderson was the second son of James Henderson whose home was at Spyfield Cottage, Juniper Green, near Edinburgh.
His mother's maiden name was Sophia Young. Andrew was born on 25 November 1822. His father was a prominent figure in Her Majesty's Inland Revenue Service. There are many valuable documents in the possession of the family, tracing back to 1677, when all church records were found to have been destroyed, in one of the many political upsets of the era.
In one certificate given to the 17 year old Andrew prior to his departure to joining his elder brother James in Sydney, the Elders declared that "he is an unmarried man, who leaves his Parish, free from Public Scandal or grounds of Church censure." Another is a "Discharge" given by Christian Inglis to Grizel Geddie (her mother's maiden name) and her brother, Andrew Inglis in July, 1782, freeing them from any further liability for her upkeep. This inclusion of her mother's maiden name in all probability had some connection with the following mention of a "Tack" dated 1763 contracted between Grizel Geddie and Hon. James Wemys (old spelling) of Wemys Castle, referring to a property at Woodhead, part of the Wemys estates, which covered several parishes. This "Tack" would seem to be a contract between Landlord and tenant-farmer.
Another document is a certificate issued by the Church of Weems (another spelling) and dated 1708, stating that "The Session being convened after prayer, did sell, appropriate, and dispose to Andrew Inglis in West Quarter, one seat in the foremost desk of the new desks-to Andrew Inglis, his heirs and successors."
Another valuable heirloom is the "Log" of the whaling schooner "Elizabeth," owned by Captain Tom Collins for over 20 years.
There is an account of a whaling experience in the Pacific, after the arrival of himself and his young wife, and baby, James Carden, the log terminating with the return to Sydney on 30 January 1831.
There is also a most interesting list of seven vessels employed in the transport of convicts from England to Hobart Town and to Port Jackson, over the years 1830 to 1837. As reference has been seen that the Captain and bought three vessels towards the end of that period, and further that he had enjoyed most profitable trips, it is inferred that he was supplying some of the vessels employed.
The suggestion is strengthened by the fact that he was given a grant of 640 acres at Maitland at the end of that period.
To resume the thread of our narrative, the family name of Inglis in the Henderson family first appeared with the marriage of Miss Grizel Geddie to John Inglis in 1762 at Woodhead. Both families were widely known and respected in the Parishes of Cowden Law, Woodhead, and Roydeals, all on the estates of Wemyys Castle (present spelling).
The name appears first in 1667 spelled "Inglish," and there is little doubt that such changes in nomenclature were frequently made, due to the curious old letters, and the carelessness of transcribers, in a time when illiteracy was the common heritage. Christian Inglis, the daughter of John and Grizel Inglis married James Henderson, the grandfather of Andrew of Jimboomba, and all references describe her as being a girl of great personal beauty and charm.
Mrs. Colin Henderson can trace her lineage through Debretts down the centuries, and her connections with the Logan Valley extend nearly as far as those of her husband.
She is a great grand-daughter of the Marquess of Normanby, who was Governor of Queensland/ from 1871 to 1874, a grand-daughter of Lord Henry Phipps, third son, who married Miss Norma Leith Hay, of Ipswich, and daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Walker, whose property Woolahra, adjoined "Townvale," the homestead of Captain Bobby Towns and his large cotton plantation on the Logan River, in the early 1860s. Mr. W. T. Walker was his partner, and subsequently took over the estate.
Mrs. Arthur Walker was Miss Laura Phipps, a cousin of the Duchess of Gloucester. Lord Henry Phipps owned the properties of "Te Whanga" and "The Hollow," both in the Beaudesert district.
"The Hollow" originally a part of Tamrookum Station, is situated on Sandy Creek, entering the Logan River about 9 miles below old Tamrookum Station Homestead. About the middle of the 1880s, Lord Henry moved to Gleneagle, and sold "The Hollow," to Grenville Arthur Kingsley, youngest son of Canon Kingsley, author of those delightful books, "Hereward the Wake," and "Westward Ho." He had lived at Tamrookum for a while in the early 1880s, returned home for three years, but returned to his property. He lived there until his death in 1898, and, at his own request, was buried at Tamrookum. The property descended to his sisters and Mr. John Martineau, and was held for a while under lease by Mr. Lumley White. Later, it was the home of Mr. Harry Bruckner. Descendants of Lord Henry Phipps still reside in Queensland.
Tamborine Station For the sake of record, it is noted that Mr. R. M. Collins stated that Arthur Hodgson bought this property from H. P. Hicks, before Coutts appeared on the scene. Hodgson, later Sir Arthur Hodgson, and a prominent citizen, was a partner of G. P. Elliott in "Eton Vale."
They had come from Bathurst with their flocks, and Hodgson stocked Tamborine Station with sheep. Elliott, who was the son of a British admiral, took up Undulla.
As this narrative draws to an end, a place is found for two amusing little anecdotes related to Carden Collins himself.
He states that when living in Sydney, after his return from England, making him about 13 years of age, he paddled across Sydney Harbour on a plank without misadventure, but the spanking he received from his father acted as a deterrent, as no doubt it was meant to do, and the prank was not repeated.
The second memory savors rather of Jonah and the whale, or
perhaps another Baron Munchausen, but he vouched for its truth. On one of his father's searches for whales, a harpooned whale was threshing madly in its death throes. Travelling at tremendous speed, it made such a commotion in the water, that member of the crew named Fowler was washed overboard, and landed right inside the whale's huge mouth. The mammal dived, but surfaced almost immediately, and threw the man into the turbulent water, uninjured. He was picked up by one of the whaleboats, little the worse for his unexpected adventure.
And so the years rolled on, daughters and sons married and died.
Sorrow came first in the early death of a loved son, and again when captain Collins was stricken with paralysis, said to be the result of an accident sustained during his seafaring years.
He lingered for many years, almost helpless, living at Nindooinbah with his daughter, Mrs Compigne. His wife predeceased him by three years at Telemon. One more victim to the dread disease which, even today, baffles medical skill and care, enduring twelve months of agony without a murmur (Ed: cancer). Captain Collins was buried on the hillside at Nindooinbah overlooking the lagoon where the water laps the shore, surely a requiem befitting a sailor.
And so to the end of our story. A pretty tale, perhaps not so colourful as some. Gay and pretty Sophie, just a pioneer, who thought little of leaving all the comforts and security of her comfortable English country home, to follow her man across the world to unknown climes and dangers. Bearing the loneliness and anxieties, the floods and the droughts, making, mending, and contriving, and recompensed for all by her knowledge that her home was where her heart was, she was just a pioneer woman, like so many others, and as such, entitled to all the recognition and honour that posterity cane render her memory.
**
DANVERS AND COLLINS FAMILY TREE:
James Danvers born 1 July 1755, married Elizabeth Andrews, who was born 23 January 1774. They were married on 14 April, 1792 at the parish church of St Mary at Hill and St. Andrew Hubbard in Love Lane, City of London. Issue- Elizabeth Grace Danvers, born 8 September, 1795; Frederick Andrew Danvers, born 5 October 1796, deceased.. Frederick Danvers, born 1 August, 1800, deceased, William Danvers, born 18 May, 1803, Henry Danvers, born 6 November 1806, Sophia Pamela Danvers, born 18 October 1808, Emma Sarah Danvers, born 13 August 1810. James Danvers died 2 July 1827.
Elizabeth Grace Danvers married James Alfred Wigan of Abbott Bromley, Staffordshire, 6 March 1817. Issue- Alfred Sydney Wigan, born 24, 1818, Horatio Wigan, born 19 February 1819, Ernest Turner Wigan, born 8 February 1820, Sophia Jane Wigan, born 15 November, 1821. Ernest Turner Wigan died in U.S.A. leaving a widow and a daughter, born in 1844.
Sophia Pamela Danvers married Thomas Collins, of Road, Somerset. 9 August 1826. Issue- Thomas Danvers Collins, born 1827, deceased. James Carden Collins, born 15 February 1829. William Humphrey Collins, born 13 November 1831, deceased 24 December 1832. William Alex Collins, born 13 November 1832, died 2 December 1832. Emma Pamela Collins, born January 1833, died 6 July 1915. Jessie Lambert Collins, born 18 January 1835. Thomas Danvers Collins born 17 October 1837. Arthur Brooks Whittaker Collins, born 6 August 1839. Humphrey Minchen Robert Graeme Collins, born 30 May, 1841. Sophia Elizabeth Earle Collins born 22 October 1846.
Emma Sarah Danvers married Samuel Straight, of Wiltshire, born 20 February 1829. Issue- Emma Jane Straight, born 3 September 1834. Sophia Straight born 2 February 1836.
Samuel Straight died 27 April 1839. Widow married Charles Knapp, 3 March 1847, died 27 April 1840. Fanny Josephine Straight, born 18 July 1832, three months after her father's death.
Elizabeth Danvers married Daniel Bamfield of St. Ives, Cornwall, on 9 September 1830. She died 18 September 1846.
Henry Danvers and Caroline Augusta Price married 8 October 1828. Issue- Henry Danvers, born March 1849.
James Carden Collins married Mary Helena Glennie at Unumgar Station 13 Aug 1852. Issue- Alfred Carden Collins born 13 June 1853, died 17 June 1871. Frederick Glennie Collins, born 24 March 1854, Mary Danvers Collins, born 3 May 1856, Jessie Emma Collins, born 7 May 1858, Charles Lester Collins, born 7 December 1859, died 9 March 1862. Arthur Percy Collins, born 1 January 1861, died 11 August 1862; Francis George Collins, born 6 May 1863, Alice Emily Mabel Collins, born 11 December 1864.
Mary Helena Collins died at Thornhill on 6 December 1870.
Jessie Emma Collins married William S. Godschall Johnson on 1 January 1877. Issue- Mary Eleanor Godschall Johnson, born 4 December 1877, (who married Ralph Godschall Johnson in 1898 and died 12 May 1921). Issue of Emma Jessie Johnson- Jessie Glennie Godschall Johnson, born 29 April, 1879, Edward Cholmondeley Godschall Johnson , born 19 May 1881, Maud Alice Godschall Johnson, born 20 November 1883, Evelyn Mabel Godschall Johnson, born 9 October 1886, William Virgil Godschall Johnson, born 24 January 1890, Eric Lesleigh Godschall Johnson, born 26 November 1892, Carden Hamilton Godschall Johnson, born 23 June 1894, Robert Earle Godschall Johnson, born 19 July 1896, Phyllis Muriel Godschall Johnson, born 16 September, 1901.
The mother Jessie Emma Godschall Johnson died on 8 August 1923.
Frederick Glennie Collins married Louisa Charlotte Hayman on 5 October 1886. Issue- Norman Louisa Collins, born 13 September 1882, Clavering Frederick Glennie Collins, born 2 February 1884, Gwendoline Mabel Glennie Collins, born 19 February 1886, Maud Gladys Glennie Collins, born 10 August 1888, Doris Muriel Glennie Collins, born 25 July, 1890, died 20 November 1891; Hilda Mary Glennie Collins, born 4 November 1892, died 17 December 1892, Wanda Violet Glennie Collins, born 8 January 1894, Elma Hayman Glennie Collins, born 2 June, 1896.
Frederick Glennie Collins died 18 March, 1923. His wife, Norma Louisa Charlotte Collins died 1 February 1927.
Mary Danvers Collins married Henry Moreland Rickards on 5 April 1882. Issue- Mabel Dulcie Rickards born 2 November 1882, Neville Bute Francis Rickards, born 28 October 1885, Hubert Morelands Rickards, born 1887, Treherne Carden Rickards, born 25 December 1889 died 29 August 1891, Eric Clive Rickards, born 1 October 1891, died 17 November 1891, Robert Fitzroy Bute Rickards born 11 June 1893, Geoffrey Glennie Rickards born 1895.
Sophie Elizabeth Earle Collins married William Nott 1871. Issue- Helena Brenda Nott born 11 November 1875, Alfred John Nott, born 21 February 1877, Elizabeth Kaye Nott, born 12 September 1878, Emma Susan Nott, born 28 February 1880, Jessie Mabel Nott, born 4 August 1881, William Inglis Nott, born 28 November 1882, Frederic Graeme Norton Nott, born 21 February 1890.
Alice Emily Mabel Collins married Edward Kay Tidswell on 7 August 1884. Issue- Lilla Glennie Tidswell, born 24 May 1885, and who married Reginald Layton who was killed in action in France on 12 October 1917. Henry Douglas Tidswell, born 13 September 1886, Edward Charles Tidswell, born 28 November 1887 and who married Mona O'Sullivan; Colin Norton Tidswell, born May 1898.
Edward Kay Tidswell died on the 17th October 1923.
Francis George Tidswell married Wilhelmina Murray on 3 March 1886. Issue- Enid Francis Collins, born 23 April 1887, (who married Duncan Hutchinson), George Carden Collins, born 10 March 1889, died 12 April 1889. Charles Francis Collins, born 6 May 1890, killed in action in France 10 June 1918. Gertrude Susan Collins, born 18 September 1893, (who married Leslie Barrett).
Andrew Inglish, eldest son of William Inglish, was born 3 November 1667, and married Elspeth Dryburgh in 1717. Issue- James Inglis and John Inglis. The latter married Grizel Geddie. The name changed in this generation. Their daughter Christian, married James Henderson. She was born on 20 August, 1751, and her brother, later a Doctor of Medicine, was born on 9 March 1754, and died on 7 May 1835. Children born to James and Christian Henderson were- John Henderson born 19 August 1783; James Henderson born 10 September 1786, and who died on 18 May 1866; Grizel Henderson, born 11 May 1790; Andrew Henderson born 2 April 1796.
The second son, James Henderson, married Sophie Young, who was born on 5 April 1787 and died on 15 May 1844. Issue James Henderson born 18 February 1820, Andrew Inglis Henderson, born 17 May 1822, who died on 15 June 1908, and Sophia Henderson, who died in 1872.
Andrew Inglis Henderson, the founder of Jimboomba Station, married Emma Pamela Collins, who died 6 July 1915. Issue- James Henderson born 1858, died 1956. James Henderson married Susan Nosworthy who died leaving issue Francis Robert Inglis Henderson born on 9 November 1888 and died 1 April 1956, and Lindsay James Henderson who was born on 14 October 1889 and died on 2 October 1919. James Henderson married Annie Force Westaway on 15 April 1898. Issue- Collin Force Henderson born 21 February 1899, Edwin Harold Merlin Henderson and James Felix Henderson. Colin Henderson married Laura Elizabeth Minne Walker in 1925. Issue- Malcolm James Henderson born 1927, Elizabeth Ann Henderson born 1931 and Duncan Lindsay Henderson. Elizabeth Ann Henderson was the first daughter born into the family for 141 years. Children of Malcolm Henderson who married Aileen Romanis Tulloch in 1955 are Douglas James Henderson born June 1956, and Andrew Inglis born November 1960. Children of Duncan Lindsay Henderson who married Verice Mary Wendt in 1955 are Karen Mary Henderson, born January 1958, Ian Colin Henderson, born January 1957, and Donna Elizabeth Henderson, born July 1959.
Dear Sir,
I found on the Internet a Collins Family History at
, accessed 10th May 2004, from which I have chopped
the following extract -
In the same neighbourhood was Unumgar station, owned by James
Glennie, a name of some importance in this family narrative.
Unfortunately, it has been found difficult to trace the life
of his ancestral branch as fully as desired. He was a brother
(not uncle) of the future Archdeacon Benjamin Glennie, and an
extract from a publication by Professor Eikin [sic] of Sydney
University named 'The Diocese of Newcastle,' on page 739
states, 'Benjamin '
Glennie with Alfred (brother) already mentioned, were members
of the family of the Rev. Dr. Glennie, who conducted a school
at Dulwich Grove, Surrey.' A little later on, the following,
'Alfred Glennie was a brother of Benjamin Glennie, who came
out with Bishop
Tyrrell; of Henry Glennie, who received a grant of 'Dulwich'
near Singleton in 1824, and of Dr. James Glennie who, in 1832
settled and practiced at Singleton. Alfred Glennie farmed at
Glenbourne,[sic] Allyn River, about two miles from East
Grewford [sic].'
Reference has been noted that James Glennie arrived on the
same ship as Captain William Ogilvie, his young wife Mary
White, and her sister, Susan White, in 1838, and the two were
married in Sydney. It is assumed that the date of 1832 would
be more correct, otherwise the later marriage of their only
child, Mary Helena Glennie, to James Carden Collins, in 1852,
would make the bride a child of only 14 years. It is nearer
the truth to say that the doctor practised at Singleton, or
elsewhere, and settled at the Unumgar property when the
Ogilvies moved in, in 1838.
There are a few mistakes in this recital, as follows -
ALFRED farmed at Glenthorne, near East Gresford.
Then there is confusion between Dr HENRY and JAMES, caused by
Professor the Rev. Elkin. James was the farmer on Dulwich,
while Dr Henry was the doctor in Singleton.
JAMES arrived on the Guildford in 1824, not 1838, lived at
Dulwich, not Singleton, and married Susan White in 1832 in
Christ Church, Hexham, not in Sydney.
MARY HELENA was born to James & Susan in 1833, so Mary
Helena was 19 when she married, not 14. James and Susan moved
to Unumgar in the late 1840's, while Dr Henry stayed firmly in
Singleton.
Finally Mary Helena was not 'their only child'' James Halliday
Glennie, born in 1836, died in childhood.
Dr HENRY was the brother who arrived on the Royal Admiral in
1832, married Elizabeth Ferris in St James Church in Sydney on
15/5/1833, and practiced in Singleton for the rest of
his life.
Henry's brother Alfred married Ann Ferris, Elizabeth's sister, in 1836.
With
reference to the comment - "Unfortunately, it has been found
difficult to trace the life of his ancestral branch as fully
as desired", for those game enough, I have a very large amount
of information on the Glennie family from 1650!
Regards and best wishes
Malcolm Glennie Holmes
Wagga Wagga
Australia