No 29                                                                                                  by Dawn Juers

Most of you who are organised, have probably written and posted your Christmas Cards.

Did you know that Sir Henry Cole, the first Director of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, had the idea for the first Christmas card in 1843. He asked an artist friend, John Callcott Horsley, to design it and had 1,000 cards printed. They did not sell well. The card was criticised for encouraging drunkenness – it showed a scene of hearty eating and drinking! Several of the cards, hand coloured, still survive with Horseley’s signature in the bottom corner. The first mass-produced commercial Christmas cards came onto the market twenty years later.

From the book ‘How did things start’ by Timothy Hall

Shipwreck descendants sought

Marianne Tucker of the Admella 150^th Committee is requesting descendants of survivors of the wreck of the SS Admella, which was wrecked on Carpenter Rocks near Mt Gambier  in the early hours of 5 August 1859, to contact her for a proposed 150^th commemoration. There is more information on their website  www.admella.org.au or from Marianne PO Box 724, Mt Gambier 5290. [I have a particular interest in the shipwreck as Benjamin Germein who manned the lifeboat, was the brother of my maternal great great-grandfather – Capt John Germein].

 In celebration of St Andrews Day, Ancestry has released the 1851 & 1861 census for Scotland. The website is – www.ancestry.co.uk

SA Deaths Index 1916 – 1972 - you will be pleased to know, is now on the computer in the Alexandrina History Room.

Warning – For all those that like to put their family tree on the web or family history sites, I have been made aware that it is unwise to list living relatives dates of birth, because of the chance of identity fraud.

I recently read of the death of Jack Peake who illustrated two of our local histories – Middleton –History At A Glance 1849-1999 and Currency Creek – Destined to be City of the South 1837-2002. Jack collaborated with Peter Humby to produce these well read books.

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I must take this opportunity to thank all the wonderful people who attended our volunteer information days and those that contacted me with an interest in following this up in the New Year. We had a wonderful two days of getting together. Thankyou, thankyou to all those wonderful volunteers and I’m sure we will have a great happy group.

‘Highlander house’

13 goyder st

goolwa

Immediately after the survey of the township of Goolwa, the first allotments were advertised in the SA Govt. Gazette March 1853.

 Sect 168 Goyder St was purchased by Thomas Highland, farmer of Goolwa, for 20pounds 5shillings.

Thomas Highland died on the 2^nd April 1854.  A Coroner’s Court was convened before Buxton F Laurie JP (the first stipendiary magistrate for the district) with twelve jurors and four witnesses. The verdict was “accidental death due to being found thrown from the saddle with extensive injuries to the head”.

Thomas died intestate, and his heir at law – son George aged 11yrs, still had not reached majority.

In June 1864 Thomas’s wife Miriam Louisa died, and in September of that year George (now aged 21yrs, butcher, of Goolwa) applied under the Real Property Act for the Certificate of Title to be issued to him.

In March 1876 the property passed to John Bell, of Goolwa, but by May of that year, to Wm James Botten, Goolwa, who died April 1887. The title then passed to his widow, Elizabeth, and on her death to her granddaughter, Joan Botten.

 Joan, a spinster, left the property to Charles and Lydia Botten.

Wm Waller of Wayville purchased the property in April 1928 for 165pounds, but sold it to Allan Norris, builder of Henley Beach, less than two years later for 400pounds.

In November 1949 it was sold to Lindsay Fyffe, and upon his death in 1963, the following were the proprietors-

1964 – Blanche Andrews, Hawthorn

1965 – Walter Milne, Clovelly Pk

1973  -  John J. Williams, Goolwa

1976 –  2006 Marguerite (Betty) Wrigley, Goolwa

Mrs Wrigley recently died and Highland House is again for sale.

Source

WA Pretty Collection

Photo – Ray White Goolwa

Seasons Greetings to you all,                   Dawn & the History Room Volunteers    

Genealogy help is available by appointment on Thursdays, to guide you through your research. Please phone the Library on 8555-7000 to make an appointment. For comments, suggestions or to receive this newsletter – email

historyroom2004@yahoo.com.au or phone me, Dawn Juers on 8555-2885.

Back copies of this newsletter can be sourced on the Alexandrina Council website –

http://www.alexandrina.sa.gov.au/site/page/cfm

 

 

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