Kapunda's Hidden Secrets: Kapunda Museum

Kapunda's Hidden Secrets: Kapunda Museum

Located at 11 Hill Street, Kapunda,  The Kapunda Museum is recognised as one of the finest folk museums in Australia. The building was originally constructed as a Baptist Church in 1866.

The building Served as a Baptist Church until 1948 when services ended due to dwindling attendances, then became a technical school in 1949, up until the mid-1960s, when the building was sold to the local council, who then donated it to the Kapunda historical society. The former Church opened as a museum in 1971

 The museum contains a huge collection covering every facet of Kapunda's history and there is an extensive display of machinery, agricultural equipment, an old local Kapunda Ambulance, a Hearse and one of the finest collections of old record players, including wax cylinders.

The Museum also hosts a collection of items donated by the Tiller family, including Audrey Tillers entire bedroom suite, handmade clothing and a family, hand-stitched throw rug that is considered the oldest of its kind in Australia.
 In the Hawke Gallery, one can see foundry products from an era long gone, including a cross compound steam engine.

Bagots Fortune features an interactive display covering the Kapunda Copper Mines, which became the richest and purest copper ore deposit the world has seen...

 ...and if you do visit the Kapunda Museum, don’t forget to cross the road to the corner of Hill and Main Streets, to the visitor information centre and go downstairs to see another interactive display, or talk to the friendly staff about the many historical self-guided tours of the town...

Kapunda museum is open 7 days a week from 1pm to 4 pm and is located at 5 Hill Street

Video "Kapunda's Hidden Secrets: Kapunda Museum" © 2013 by Allen  Tiller

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHv805RkTmw

Kapunda: Then and Now - 8 Beck Street

Kapunda: Then and Now - 8 Beck Street

The photo above was found in my Grandmother, Audrey Tiller's photos albums, it appears to be 8 Beck street Kapunda.

 The photo's only marking is "Bills House", with no indication of year, or who "Bill" might have been.

The photo below is from Google Maps in 2014.

probably the most notable differences between the top and bottom photo's are the addition of the car port, the lack of electricity meter box and wiring, TV Antennae, missing front fence, the plants on the furthest side of the building, and what appears to be screening on the balcony!

The Tragic Death of James Bernard Meggins

The Tragic Death of James Bernard Meggins

In 1868, Daniel Meggins (sometimes misspelled Megins), a farm hand at St John's, near Kapunda, married Margaret Haughey at St Johns Roman Catholic Church. The couple had ten children together, 4 girls and 6 boys:

Catherine Meggins (1870–1942)

James Bernard Meggins – (1871–1886)

John Daniel Meggins (1873–1948)

William Meggins (1876–1876)

William Thomas Meggins (1877–1939)

Mary Ann Bernard Megins1879–1973

Rosey Maud Meggins (1882–1885)

Walter Edward Meggins (1884–1885)

James Edward Meggins (1886–1974)

Gertrude Johanna Meggins (1890–1922)

When he was old enough, James, the eldest son of the couple, took a job carting hay in the local area. On December 2^nd, 1886, he was between Tarlee and Kapunda loading hay onto his cart when tragedy struck.

 A storm had brewed, and with it came lightning. One bolt of Lightning directly hit the cart at about 2pm, incinerating the cart, killing both of James’ horses, and James.

 Young James, just 15 years old, was later buried in St Johns Cemetery, near Kapunda.

 It is not known what became of the Meggins family, but 70 years later, Margaret Meggins name appears in the newspapers of the time. A large gathering of 500 people was at St Johns Cemetery to witness the blessing of the ceremony, and the dedication of a new gravestone for Father John Fallon, the first Parish Priest of the area.
 Mrs Meggins was 93 years old on her visit, and stated in the papers, that she remembers Father Fallon very well.

One has to wonder if while there, she wept over the grave of her oldest son, James.

Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2018
Photographs by Allen Tiller © 2011

Bibliography

1886 'THUNDERSTORMS IN THE COUNTRY.', South Australian Register, 3 December, p. 5. , viewed 26 Jan 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article45848707

1936 'Pilgrimage to Hallowed and Historic Ground', Southern Cross, 9 October, p. 15. , viewed 26 Jan 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article167080745

Ancestry.com. Australia, Death Index, 1787-1985 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.

Sir Wallace Bruce

Sir Wallace Bruce

Sir Wallace Bruce by Vandyck Studios

State Library of South Australia, SLSA: B 4618

Born in Kapunda on the 3rd of August 1878, to parents, John and Harriet (nee Cowie), Wallace Bruce was destined for a life in business and politics.

Bruce was educated at Prince Alfred College, Adelaide, and went on to work at the Alliance Assurance Company Ltd for a decade before going on to open his own insurance business, Wallace Bruce and Co.

Sir Wallace Bruce as viewed
by The News caricaturist
Nov 1928

On the 11^th of October 1905, Wallace married Winifred Drummond Reid at the Congregational Church, North Adelaide. Together they had four daughters and one son.

 Bruce built a solid reputation and soon had clients right around Australia, as well as internationally. His business acumen and achievements saw him earn positions as Director on a number of companies, including the Adelaide Cement Co. Ltd, Clarkson Ltd, the British Automobile Finance Co. of South Australia, the South Australian Gas Co. and Holden's Motor Body Builders Ltd.

 His position at Holden’s led him to travel to Los Angeles, California and to New York USA with his wife in 1935 as part of a business trip. This was followed by a voyage to the UK.

From 1925 until 1927, Wallace Bruce served as The Lord Mayor of Adelaide, this was following nine years of service as a City Councillor.

In 1927, Wallace Bruce was knighted on May 8^th, given the title of Knights Bachelor, which is considered the lowest form of knighthood, as although it bestows a title, it signifies that the awardee is not in an order of chivalry. However it is viewed, it is still a significant achievement!

Sir Wallace Bruce died on the 16^th of November 1944. He is buried at the North Road Cemetery

Researched and written by Allen Tiller

© 2018

Bibilography

1935 'SIR WALLACE BRUCE GOING ABROAD', The Advertiser, 21 November, p. 18. , viewed 26 Jan 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article36198044

1944 'Death of Sir Wallace Bruce', News, 16 November, p. 1. , viewed 26 Jan 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article129882119

1944 'Death of Sir Wallace Bruce', News, 16 November, p. 1. , viewed 26 Jan 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article129882119

Eric Richards, 'Bruce, Sir Wallace (1878–1944)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/bruce-sir-wallace-5402/text9151, published first in hardcopy 1979, accessed online 26 January 2018.

The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at San Pedro/Wilmington/Los Angeles, California; NAI Number: 4486355; Record Group Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787-2004; Rec

Reflection on: “Significant Locations in the Life of Florence May Tremaine”.

Reflection on: “Significant Locations in the Life of Florence May Tremaine”.

Florence May Tremaine (nee Hazel)
aged 21 in 1907

 I chose to present locations significant to my Great Grandmother, Florence May Tremaine (nee Hazel) in her hometown of Kapunda, South Australia.

 Florence was born in Kapunda and lived and died in the town. She is buried at the Clare Road Cemetery in Kapunda.

 Florence was born in the family home at Hazel Park House, Hawker's Creek in 1886, she spent a lot of her life at her cousin’s house on Coghill street.
 In her later years, she lived on the outskirts of Kapunda at Taylors Gap with her husband and children.

 She died in Adelaide in 1965 and was buried in the North Brighton Cemetery the same year. 

Florence Tremaine (nee Hazel) with her firstborn daughter,
Audrey (Tiller)  circa 1914

Researched and Written by Allen Tiller, as an assignment for the unit "Place, Image, Object" as part of the University of Tasmania's Diploma of Family History



© 2017 Allen Tiller

Harold James Buckingham Tremaine

Harold James Buckingham Tremaine

Australian soldiers in Egypt. Harold Tremaine, 2nd row, 5 across, with small x above his head.
Photo © Tiller Family collection, held by Allen Tiller

Harold James Buckingham Tremaine was a married father of two young children living in the small coastal village of Haslam, located on the Nullarbor Plain in South Australia, when war broke out in Europe in July 1914.

 Harold was a shipping agent for the company John Darling and Sons[1] and was an outspoken, but much-loved member of his local community.

Harold enlisted on the 4^th of September 1915 with the 9^th Light Horse Regiment, 12^th Reinforcement Australian Imperial Force with the rank of Private, Number 1613. Harold enlisted as he thought it was his duty to defend his country and King for the sake of his wife and children.

On the 29^th of August 1915, before leaving Haslam for his military service, the townsfolk of Haslam met at Harold’s family home and threw him a going away party, where a Mr A. Palmer complimented Harold on his patriotism and sentiments[2].

Harold was positioned first with D Company in Mitcham, Adelaide in September 1915 for basic training before being moved to the 9^th Light Horse, 12^th Reinforcements. Training continued for Harold until he departed Adelaide onboard the HMAT A2 Geelong on November 18^th,1915, heading for Egypt[3].

Harold was stationed at Heliopolis, near Cairo, Egypt, on the 28^th of December 1915. On the 27^th of February 1916, the 9^th Light Horse Regiment marched out to Serapeum, a small town on the Suez Canal, to join its parent brigade, the 3^rd Light Horse Brigade.

Five months later, while still posted in Serapeum Harold became ill with Gastro Enteritis and was transferred to Hassamya, then to the Light Field Hospital at Romani, then he was transferred again on the 25^th of August 1916 to the 31st General Hospital at Port Said with appendicitis.
A letter was dutifully sent to the Haslam Post Office in South Australia on the 7^th of September 1916, to inform Harold’s wife, Florence, that her husband was admitted to hospital with appendicitis[4]. 

H.J.B. Tremaine at Ceduna on the Eyre Peninsula
(year unknown)

 On the 22^nd of September 1916, Harold was discharged from the hospital and sent to the British Red Cross Convalescent Camp at Montazah in Alexandria, Egypt.
 While Harold convalesced in hospital in Egypt, his wife and two children moved to Kapunda to live with Harold’s extended family and allow the children better opportunities to be educated than they would receive in the small town of Haslam.

 Harold was discharged from the Red Cross Hospital in October 1916. He was transferred to the 1^st Light Horse Training Regiment at Moasoar. Harold trained new incoming reinforcements for a month before being transferred to the 3^rd Light Horse Training Regiment, where again his appendicitis caused him to return to the hospital. 

He would remain in the 3^rd Light Training Regiment, convalescing until January 29^th, 1917, when he was transferred to the ANZAC Provost Corps in Cairo and attached to the Brigade Headquarters.
 Harold took great pride in his new position in Provost Corp and wore his navy-blue hat band with great pride. He wrote a letter to his wife telling her of his transfer and how to contact him in his new division.
Florence, Harold’s wife, still living in Kapunda with her two children, wrote a letter to an Officer at Base Records, to verify the new postal address of her husband and to discover what had happened to a package of socks she had sent to him.[5].
 A return letter from the officer at Base Records, dated 16^th of February 1917 states

“Dear Madam, 

                      In reply to your letter of the 5^th instant, forwarded to this office by the Officer in Charge, Expeditionary Force Pay Office, Adelaide. I beg to state the parcel referred to would not be returned through this office. Letters to your husband should now be addressed as under:-

No.1613 Private H.J.B. Tremaine,

    Headquarters Staff,

              3^rd Light Horse Brigade,

                  Australian Imperial Force

                       A b r o a d.

Your change of address has been noted.

Yours faithfully.

Major

Officer i/c Base Records.”

 
. At the end of 1917, from October to December, Harold saw service in Esani, Gamli and Jaffa in Palestine, before joining the 1^st Light Horse Regiment for detachment in December that year, again finding himself ill in hospital, this time diagnosed with Myalgia, a description used to describe many different ailments, but in Harold’s case, probably described his rheumatoid arthritis that he suffered greatly from in his later life.

Harold Tremaine
(year unknown)

Harold had a tough time in Egypt in 1918, his health was in decline and spent a great deal of time in the 31st. General Hospital in Port Said being treated for 'debility and pyrexia'. 

When he wasn’t in hospital Harold served in the ANZAC Provost Corp in either Moasoar or Suez, until returning to Headquarters on the 9^th of March 1919 in Cairo.

 The following day, the 9^th of March 1919, Harold was promoted to the rank of ER/ 2^nd Corporal ANZAC Provost Corps. and received his chevron.

On the 28^th of March 1919, a letter was sent from the army to Florence in Kapunda to inform her that Harold would be returning to Australia. Harold boarded the ship Ulimaroa on the 13 of March 1919 in Cairo and steamed back to Australia arriving on the 22^nd of April 1919. He then travelled by rail back to Adelaide.

While Harold was travelling by sea, Florence and the children awaited his return in Kapunda. Harold returned, but the family did not stay long, instead choosing to return to Haslam.
 Upon his return to the small coastal town of Haslam, Harold was honoured in the town hall with a guard of honour by his fellow townsfolk, and the singing of the National Anthem, and “for he’s a jolly good fellow”. He was awarded a purse of sovereigns and thanked the crowd for their generosity[6].

After his return from the war, Harold would go on to father another three children. Eventually, the family left Haslam and settled on the outskirts of Kapunda where Harold became a farmer.

 Harold suffered from “shellshock” and as a result spent some time inside the Parkside Mental Hospital in Adelaide[7], of which he escaped in 1925, and returned to his home in Kapunda.

 My father, Rodney, lived with Harold and Florence in Kapunda for a time in his youth. He remembers Harold, his Grandfather, being a very disciplined man and an authoritarian. He has memories of Harold having an office no-one else was allowed to enter.
On the one occasion Rodney remembers entering the office (with his Grandfathers approval) Harold explained to him all the photographs that adorned his office. The photographs were of Harold’s commanding officers in World War One.

Harold went on to serve in the Volunteer Defence Corps. in World War 2. He was discharged from the Australian Army with the rank of Private on the 17^th of June 1943.

Harold James Buckingham Tremaine passed away on the 19^th of October 1967, he is buried at St Jude’s Cemetery, Brighton North, South Australia, alongside his wife Florence.

Daryl Tremaine, Harold J.B. Tremaine, Florence Tremaine and Audrey Tiller (nee Tremaine) - Kapunda 1963

---

[1] 1913 'HASLAM.', West Coast Sentinel 28 November, p. 2

[2] 1915 'HASLAM.', West Coast Sentinel 28 August, p. 2.

[3] Mounted Troops — Australian Light Horse Association. 2017.

[4] Pg. 6. Australian Government: National Library of Australia. 2017. Record Search

[5] Pg. 19. Australian Government: National Library of Australia. 2017. Record Search

[6] 1919 'HASLAM.', West Coast Sentinel 14 June, p. 2.

[7] The South Australian Police Gazette, Aug 20, 1925, page 208

 Researched and Written by Allen Tiller, as a research assignment for the "Families at War" unit of the Diploma of Family History issued by the University of Tasmania.

©2017 Allen Tiller

Bibliography

1911 'Family Notices', Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 - 1954), 24 June, p. 34. , viewed 29 Apr 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article88688245

1913 'HASLAM.', West Coast Sentinel (Streaky Bay, SA : 1912 - 1954), 28 November, p. 2. , viewed 29 Apr 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article167818507

1915 'HASLAM.', West Coast Sentinel 28 August, p. 2. , viewed 29 Apr 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article167823471

1916 '145th CASUALTY LIST', Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 - 1954), 26 February, p. 36. , viewed 29 Apr 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article87239665

1919 'HASLAM.', West Coast Sentinel (Streaky Bay, SA : 1912 - 1954), 14 June, p. 2. , viewed 29 Apr 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article168190989

Australian Government: National Library of Australia. 2017. Record Search. https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/DetailsReports/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=8393953&isAv=N. viewed 30 April 2017.

Australian Light Horse Studies Centre. 2017. Australian Light Horse Studies Centre. [ONLINE] Available at: http://alh-research.tripod.com/Light_Horse/index.blog/1992935/9th-australian-light-horse-regiment-embarkation-roll-12th-reinforcement-geelong-group/. [Accessed 30 April 2017].

First World War Embarkation Rolls: Harold James Buckingham Tremaine | Australian War Memorial. 2017. First World War Embarkation Rolls: Harold James Buckingham Tremaine | Australian War Memorial. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.awm.gov.au/people/rolls/R1961220/. [Accessed 30 April 2017].

Mounted Troops — Australian Light Horse Association. 2017. Mounted Troops — Australian Light Horse Association.: http://www.lighthorse.org.au/resources/history-of-the-australian-light-horse/mounted-troops.viewed 30 April 2017.

National Library of Australia, 2015, TREMAINE Harold James Buckingham : Service Number - 1613 : Place of Birth - Kapunda SA : Place of Enlistment - Adelaide SA : Next of Kin - (Wife) TREMAINE Florence May, Australian Government, https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=8393953, viewed 30 April 2017

The AI.F. Project, 2016, Harold James Buckingham TREMAINE, UNSW Australia, https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=304128, viewed 28 April 2017

Kapunda People: Charles Albert Hazel

Charles Albert Hazel

Charles Albert Tremaine as a teenager - year unknown.

Charles Albert Hazel born on the 9^th of November 1887 at Hawkers Creek, Kapunda.

He married his second cousin. Violet Jane Hazel on the 3^rd of February 1917 at the Pirie Street Methodist Church, Adelaide. Together had five children;

Mabel Dulcie  in 1917

Madge Lorraine in 1918

Elysa Edith Harriet in 1921

Florence Edna May in 1922

Ross Charles in 1923

L to R (Florence) Edna,  Elysa,  Albert,  Madge, and Ross Hazel (Mabel not in photo) at Port Parham
photo by Audrey Tiller circa 1931

Unfortunately, Violet passed away in 1924 leaving Albert to look after the children. At first, they lived in Port Parham, but at some point moved further south to St Kilda, where Albert took over the local shop near the beach. 

 Audrey Tiller (nee Tremaine), Alberts niece, went to stay with the small family for a number of months to help out with chores. In her letters (held by her Grandson, Allen Tiller), Audrey tells of sewing clothing for the children as well as cooking for them.
 Audrey was an avid photographer, and because of her photographic inclinations, we have the photos on this page to share with you.

Albert Hazels St Kilda Beach shop (year unknown)
Photo by Audrey Tiller

Allen Tiller is a great-grandson of a sister (Florence May Tremaine - nee Hazel) of Charles Albert Hazel

Albert died at Prospect on the 4^th of Oct 1939. Albert is buried in the Kapunda General Cemetery.

The grave of Jane and Albert Hazel - Kapunda General Cemetery
Photo by Allen Tiller

Researched and written by Allen Tiller

© 2018