Saturday, January 29, 2011

Rebecca Orchard

Rebecca Johnson, Formally Currell nee Orchard

Rebecca married Thomas Johnson, both being widowed on the 25th June 1871 in Swanbourne. Thomas and Rebecca with their 11 children between them embarked on the journey of a life time to relocate to Australia and for Rebecca to rejoin her parents Jonathan and Martha Orchard.

‘The Ramsey’ was a rather unusual ship of 893 ton register. Built of iron in the Isle of Man in 1863, she started life as a bulk oil carrier, but was soon converted into a passenger vessel for the emigrant trade.

“‘The Ramsey’ embarked at East India dock London on Wednesday 26th March 1873, Crossed equator on the 28th April. Passed Meridian off Cape of Good Hope 29th May. Thence brisk westerly rounded south Tasmania 24th June, strong southerlies and fine weather to round Cape Moreton on 28th June. The voyage was made in 91 days; it was an exceptionally good trip. After rounding the Cape of Good Hope she made 230miles per day.

The passengers enjoyed good health, being free from contagious diseases, four children under 2 years of age died and there were four births, with Rebecca giving birth to one of them. Steven Abbott Ramsey was born at 38°21’south-11°35’ West, Registered 28th May 1873, 44°20’ south-2°50’ east. (Cape of Good Hope)

Three church services were held on Sundays and entertainment consisting of reading, recitations, music etc. The journey was hot, the sea like glass and tarps had to be erected to cover the passengers.


This voyage of immigrants to Australia are chiefly of the agricultural class from Buckinghamshire and appear to be a very healthy and superior class of labourers.

After dropping anchor in Moreton Bay, a little steamer brought them plenty of beef, bread and potatoes for their last night on board. Next morning a larger steamer came and took off to Brisbane, 20 miles up the river from the sea.

We bade farewell to our old ship and the crew, who shouted in return”

They landed along side the “Depot” and had to cross a road to reach the accommodation provided for them by the Queensland Government while they were looking for work.

Several families from Buckinghamshire were welcomed on their arrival by old friends and families who had preceded them.

Thomas and Rebecca remained in Brisbane until January 1874, when they moved to Black Springs, Barraba NSW. And this is where they were to live out their lives.

Rebecca Johnson formally Currell at about on Monday evening of the 15th June 1902 passed away at the age of 67 years. Rebecca had been in good health for years up to the last few days, when her health had seemed to be indifferent, and her family perceived that her end was approaching. She lived the life of one who was ever worthy of emulation. The interment took place in the Church of England portion of the Barraba Cemetery and it was a very largely attended.

Ever since Thomas’s arrival at Black Springs he had followed farming and grazing pursuits, with a fair amount of success. He was a man of undaunted courage and high moral character and a general favourite with everyone who come into contact or had any dealings with him. Up till a month or two before his death was as jolly and hearty a person as one would wish to meet. Thomas passed away at his residence in South Barraba on Friday 5th October 1906 aged 80years. His funeral took place on a Saturday afternoon and was one of the largest the locals had seen. The Courtage was preceded by the Salvation Army band, of which religious body deceased has been a member of for a number of years. The procession wended its way from Thomas’s residence to the Salvation Army Barracks, thence to the cemetery. The service was feelingly and impressively read by Captain Annetts. The funeral arrangements were in the hands of Mr. J.F. Myers.

“ Thus has one of our pioneers, one who reared a large family and done his share towards opening up our country and one who has successfully fulfilled his every mission in life, crossed the Great Divide and joined the great and the silent majority.”


Acknowledgements to : http://www.hulks.org/dennis/Ramsey.htm

Thomas & Rebecca Johnson



Sunday, January 23, 2011

Great Surprise

Well 45 sleeps out from our big adventure and I received a great gift today..

I opened my emails this afternoon to find this :

A Currell Family photo c1930.. ( I am thinking with Cliff being born 1931, this photo must have been taken mid 1932)

The 2 Little children are Cliff & Mary, and Maud is the lady in the chair to the left of them. So this is the first photo we have seen of our Grandmother.
I will be honest to say I burst into tears on opening the attachment :``)

A big Thank You to Stewart for sharing it with me and now you...

 Till next time
Jo

Tue 24th Jan,
Now have a look at this, This photo has always hung on our parents wall..


Look familiar???

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Can't believe it has been 7 years since we said "Goodbye"

The inevitable

September 2003, the most devastating news was to be made. Cliff you have lung cancer and I suggest you get your paper work in order.

So what would you do after being told bluntly that you are dieing?

I know I would crumble into a heap. But not Cliff, being the organized man he was he did what the doctor told him. He ensured every last detail he could possible do was completed. He wanted Jo’s transition to be as smooth as possible. He was always thinking of others.

On Thursday nights Jo would often be out at a swimming meeting, so with this time Cliff did as much as possible to have things in order. Cliff went and saw the funeral home with Beth and talked to them and had a look, a very difficult time for both of them but he wanted to spare Jo the pain. Joanne remembers one phone call she had while Jo was out regarding the funeral venue. “The Guardian funeral home in Blacktown has a nice chapel, close to the train station” Cliff said, Joanne replies “so what good is that too you? That is what hearses are for, there not putting you in a parcel van. Those days are long gone.” With that he had a laugh. He did listen to anyone that had a suggestion for the funeral. Joanne's main concern was that the service be at his place of rest, he was not to go from place to place.

On the 13th December 2003, Jo, Cliff, Beth and Joanne meet with the Funeral plan representative to pre organize and pay for the funeral and also to pre organize Jo’s as not to burden the family with that in years to come.


Beth came down regularly to accompany Jo and Cliff to doctor’s appointments, I do believe this was of tremendous help to them both, and the other children are very grateful for the time she put in to caring for Dad.

Cliff’s last visit to the trams was most upsetting; he had put so much time, love and effort into that organization that for it all too be over was heart drenching. Joanne still cries walking through the gates of Valley Heights Steam Tram Society. It is like he is their in some respect.

We made his last Christmas as special as could be and all the family except his grand daughter Keli were there to help join in the festive season. Keli would have loved to have been there but she now lived in New Zealand. We had the big festive meal and presents galore, not to mention a few cold beverages. Cliff made a small speech to thank everyone for their love and support which was very warm and loving, and it was hard to not shed a tear. We all gave Cliff a book which was of the life of legendary country singer Slim Dusty, he started to read this as Slim was a favourite of his, but he was never to complete the book.

Boxing Day was held at Matt and Joanne’s; all but the exception of Linda and Mark was there as they had to head back to Dungowan. It was a very relaxed day by the pool with lots of food and once again those cold beverages came out in force. This may have been the hardest thing for Cliff not feeling well enough to have a beer. He did always love his beer, and always sought out what was on special that week before making a purchase.

From here he went down hill quick, his breathing was becoming weaker, and he was fading away to a shadow. This was hard watching a healthy, energetic person dwindle away. Matt, Jamie, Brett and Ben went out to see Pa and help Jo with a few things, not long after they left Jo had to call an Ambulance for Cliff. His breathing was shot!! That was it, 5 days in Blacktown hospital, never to come home again. The first few days he still had his facilities but they soon left the building. He would look at us and ask “where are the kids” he did love all his grandchildren so much. The last few days were horrible and I can still picture us all sitting on the floor and chairs by his bed side. The last 2 nights 2 of us would stay over night with him, he was never alone in the last few days. The strength of pulling together really showed through this most horrifying period of our lives.

One afternoon while he was asleep due to the morphine Grant did his invoices for work with the help of Joanne, we were as normal as possible and he would not have wanted it any other way. We laughed, we cried, we picked on each other we did what any normal family would do. When he would come around when the drugs were wearing off he would put his hands up and ask what do I have to sign to finish this, he was always one to dot the I’s and cross the t’s. The night Joanne stayed over night with Cliff she had never cried so much she just let it out, the thought of him leaving them was too much to comprehend.  Cliff didn’t want to go on for ever in hospital but he put on a fight, always taking just one more breath, then...another... then when we thought he had gone....one last one, he had to get the last word in! We in unison let out a laugh. It was hard to walk out and leave him there, but he is in all our hearts forever and that is what we have to do, cherish his memories.

Back at the house, Beth and Joanne went up to his desk to start to organize it and find the phone numbers required for the next step. Cliff had on a piece of paper jotted down the 20th January 2004 and scribbled a square around it,

Beth and Joanne just held each others arm and froze; this was the day Cliff passed away the day we were holding this piece of paper. Do we show Mum or not? We did and now that piece of paper is safely away in the safe. He had jotted it down as it was the day the financial adviser was back from holidays.

There were more astonishing things we were to come across. On a hotel notepad which he had on the front cover titled, Things to Do. Then on every page was a name of an organization that required some form of action now that he had passed. In one colour he had recorded any action he had done and then it was up to Matt to continue. Cliff was all for a smooth transition. When it came time to fill in the death certificate it showed what type of a character this man was. He had filled in everything he could. What person has the courage and strength to do that for others, what he was going through no one could fathom. He was one man that truly shone in our eyes.

But life for us had to go on there is a funeral to contend with, an outfit, food, all the little things that you really don’t want to deal with, you want crawl under a rock and cry! Well Joanne did want too. Beth, Joanne and Lauren went shopping to find something to wear to the funeral. Beth had not flown home and had not thought that to pack an outfit would be necessary. Joanne brought what she thought was a nice top for Ben, she washed it and hung it on her back line to dry, it vanished! Never to be seen again, till this day it has never shown up. It was if Pa didn't think it was good enough and took it with him.

Everyone in the family had their own way of dealing with their loss, and maybe something’s were said that should have been left for another time or not at all, but Death leaves you emotionally drained, distraught and your emotions are so raw.
One of the hardest days for Beth was when we had to go to office works in Blacktown to print out the order of services for the ceremony. She cried so much that I had to apologise to the man behind the counter. I just simply said “office works does do this to people!” Beth's heart still skips a beat when she passes an Officeworks store.

Driving into Pine grove that Friday morning I remember asking the driver if all those people where for Dad. Yes was the reply. It was numbing to think of how many people respected and loved him. Apart from that the rest is a blur, the flowers wouldn’t stop arriving at Jo’s home, every few minutes the door bell would ring, and she thought for a minute the delivery driver had the hots for her.

It was hard to come to terms with Cliff gone, when you had a problem you would normally pick up the phone and ask him to help solve it. Then you realised he wasn’t here anymore to ask and you had to work out your own problems. Seven years on we still go too pick up the phone. We will always miss him and with him leaving has left a whole in all our hearts.
Pa's last Christmas 2003

Cliff's last trip to his beloved Trams

Having a rest at the Trams.


Last photo of Jo & Cliff

Pa and some of his family, He always had to be part of the fun. This was taken at Grant's on the weekend we celebrated Mum & Dad's 50th wedding anniversary.

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Orchard Family

The Orchard family can be traced way back to the early 1600’s living in Buckinghamshire England. Jonathan born 16 April 1809 married Martha Collet born 17 July 1813 on 11th July 1831 in Swanbourne. With 5 of their children their journey to their new home land of Australia was aboard the Samuel Boddington. This vessel was constructed in 1841 in Whitby, weighed 669 tons. Departing London on 21st October 1854 it arrived 13th February 1855 in Botany Bay Sydney. In total 110 days where spent at sea with 159 passengers 5 deaths and under the watchful eye of Captain J Hurst or Mowat.

Martha passed away 10th December 1875 and was buried on the 12th at Black Springs Barraba NSW. Jonathan passed away a few later on 16th November 1881 buried a day later next to his beloved wife. While in the Barraba district their time was spent farming.

90klm's north of Tamworth lays Barraba, a town of heritage, with a rich and colourful history dating back to 1827. Barraba is in the heart of the Nandewar Range, surrounded by undulating hills and rich valleys with delightful scenery and is a central stopover on the Fossickers way. The production of quality wool and sheep, prime beef, horse studs and goats farming make this town well known.