James Crase

James Crase was born in Penryn, Cornwall (UK) in 1819 to George and Elizabeth Crase (nee Harris).^[1] James also had two brothers and two sisters; Mary Ann (1802 - 1823), Henry (1826 - 1868), Elizabeth (1826 – 1902) and Thomas (1831 - 1844).^[2] James was baptised at St Gluvias Church on the 28th of February 1819 in the Parish of St Gluvias Cornwall.^[3]

  George Crase worked as a butcher, a trade in which his son, James would later follow.^[4]

  James emigrated to Australia on board the Waterloo. The vessel left London on 13 June 1840, stopping at Falmouth on 5 July 1840. It then sailed under Captain George Robinson, arriving at Port Adelaide on 8 November 1840.^[5]

  James returned to Cornwall to marry Mary Ann Vivian Moyle, on the 3 May 1847, at Camborne, Cornwall. James’s occupation was listed as “miner”, whilst Mary’s was listed as a “spinster”. They were married by Father Banns, with the ceremony witnessed by Thomas Bawden and John Duckham.^[6]

 Mr Crase first worked in Port Adelaide building embankments that helped keep the seawater out of the township. He later lived in Kensington, and eventually moved to Allen’s Creek near Kapunda. In 1847 he worked as a miner at the Allen’s Creek Mine, from which he saved enough money to open his own business in Kapunda, a butcher and slaughterhouse.
 Crase opened a butcher store in Hill Street, where the information centre stands today. He worked as a butcher, but also as a stock dealer and wheat trader. He soon had enough money to invest in a farm on Clare Road, on which he would sometimes host sporting or social events.

Crase left Kapunda for the Victorian goldfields during the gold rush of 1852. It is thought this may have been where the money came from that later allowed him to improve his hotel and invest heavily in other areas of the town. He travelled to Melbourne from Adelaide on board the barque, Dreadnought, in September in 1852.^[7]  Crase returned to Adelaide, from Melbourne on the steamer, 'Cleopatra' on the 8 May 1853, returning from the Victorian Gold Fields.^[8]

 

Upon returning from the Victorian Goldfields, now flush with cash, Crase renewed his slaughtering licence, which was first granted in 1851, and re-granted in July 1853.^[9] James’ address was listed as Section 1401, at North Kapunda.^[10]

In 1854, James Crase purchased the North Kapunda Arms Hotel, which he would own for around 22 years. In 1865, Crase invested huge sums of money into his hotel, and rebuilt it in 1865, in readiness for a royal visit from Prince Alfred.
 James Crase served on Kapunda’s first council as the elected member of East Ward.

Crase was heavily involved in local goings-on and was a founding member of the local branch of the Oddfellows (M.U.) and the Foresters Lodge.

 

Mary Crase, who was well known, and much loved across South Australia, died in November 1884, which dramatically changed James’ life.^[11]  He retired from work in 1890 and moved to Dulwich to live with his daughter. James Crase died on 8 May 1905 at Dulwich, he was 85 years old. He was buried the following day at the Clare Road Cemetery alongside his wife, Mary.^[12]

A memorial for Mary from her daughters: "In loving memory of father and mother, who died May 8, 1905, and November 9, 1884. Not forgotten. —inserted by loving daughters, Mary, Lizzie, and Nellie." ^[13]

 

Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2018

Thanks to Jacki Williams for the link to a photo of Mr James Crase - obtained from the State Library of South Australia: [B 76601] - https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+76601

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[1] "Pedigree Resource File," database, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/2:2:SGJX-BDF : accessed 12 September 2018), entry for James /Crase/; file (2:2:2:MMSM-GYN), submitted 4 May 2011.

[2] James Crase in household of George Crase, Camborne, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom; from "1841 England, Scotland and Wales census," citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.

[3] Gill Hart and Bill O’Reilly, ‘James Crase’, Cornwall OPC Database, (2021), http://www.cornwall-opc-database.org/search-database/more-info/?t=baptisms&id=2053023.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Diane Cummings, Waterloo 1840, State Library of South Australia, (2017), https://bound-for-south-australia.collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/1840Waterloo.htm.; 'SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.', Adelaide Chronicle and South Australian Literary Record, (11 November 1840), p. 3.

[6] http://www.cornwall-opc-database.org/search-database/more-info/?t=marriages&id=1045477.

[7] 1852 'SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.', South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA: 1839 - 1900), 30 September, p. 2., viewed 13 Sep 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article38459800.

[8] 1853 'SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.', South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA: 1839 - 1900), 11 May, p. 3., viewed 13 Sep 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article38462630.

[9] 1853 'BENCH OF MAGISTRATES.', South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA: 1839 - 1900), 5 July, p. 3., viewed 13 Sep 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article48548113.

[10] 1851 'BENCH OF MAGISTRATES.', Adelaide Observer (SA: 1843 - 1904), 13 September, p. 8., viewed 13 Sep 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article165042820.

[11] 1884 'Family Notices', Kapunda Herald (SA: 1878 - 1951), 11 November, p. 2., viewed 13 Sep 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article106579948.

[12] "THE LATE MR. JAMES CRASE." Kapunda Herald (SA: 1878 - 1951) 12 May 1905: 5. Web. 13 Sep 2018 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article108433836>.

[13] 1884 'Family Notices', South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA: 1839 - 1900), 10 November, p. 2., viewed 13 Sep 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article43807190.

Class of 1949 - Kapunda high School

Class of 1949 - Kapunda High School

After my Father's recent passing, I have inherited a lot of Kapunda related items. This photo is a watermarked scan of one such item. I have very little information about it, other than it was my Dads 1949 Kapunda High School " first-year" class photo. and the following information:

Approximate age: 14

Back Row: Unknown? , James Fahlbusch, David Maddocks, Eric Roberts, Lionel Hampel, Lionel Tiller, 

2nd Row: Eric Stevens, unknown 1, unknown 2, unknown 3, unknown 4, unknown 5,  Anthony Sando

Front Row: all unknown

Teachers: Margaret Grierson (possibly Margaret Bettison?)

Principal: Frank Thomas

The list of female students names for 1949:

Lorna Becker

Naomi Bettison

Margaret Kokegei

Jeanette Walpole

Gwendoline Evans

Margaret Hampel

Jillian Hazel

Marion Hossack

Valmai Koop

Janice Mattschoss

Mavis Scholz

Betty Schmidt

Lorraine Stewart.

If anyone could kindly fill in the missing gaps, that would be most helpful!

Thanks

Allen Tiller

William Thomas – Kapunda Mayor 1893 - 1895

William Thomas – Kapunda Mayor 1893 - 1895

 William Thomas became Mayor of Kapunda in 1893, retaining the privileged position until 1895.

Thomas was born in Glamorganshire, Wales in 1854, and at 8 years of age moved to Kapunda, South Australia with his parents, brothers John and Even and sister Anne.

 In 1876 he married Emma Harvey at her parent’s house in Kapunda. Together they had one child, a daughter, Hilda Beatrice Thomas.

 Upon leaving school, William found work as an apprentice with My H.B, Hawkes iron foundry, working as an apprentice moulder and iron founder. In the evenings he worked the Main Street of Kapunda, selling newspapers.

 After Mr Hawke sold his business to a local man, Mr Rees, William left the foundry. His previous work selling newspapers had been very lucrative, and he was able to become an agent, getting younger lads to sell the newspapers on his behalf. Meanwhile, he set up a stationary and bookselling shop in the main street – perhaps Mr Thomas was Kapunda’s first newsagent!

In 1879, Thomas gained a position on Council, after being elected to the West Ward. He also took positions on the boards of the Kapunda Institute Committee, The Kapunda hospital and the Dutton Park Management Committee.
Thomas was also a trustee board member of the local Druids lodge

.

 In 1893 he became the elected Mayor of Kapunda, a position he held from 1893 until 1895. In 1896 he was involved in a local scandal when Mr H.B. Barker accused him of stating that the Corporation of Kapunda has misappropriated several Government grants. 

 Thomas went on record denying he ever said anything of the sort, even going so far as to publish a statement in the Kapunda Herald on May 7^th, 1896 that Mr Barker was incorrect and unfounded.

In September 1900, Emma passed away, and only a few weeks later, after 5 weeks of being bedridden, William joined her. They are both buried in the Clare Road Cemetery.

Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2018

Kapunda Snow

Kapunda Snow

In June 1909 Kapunda, Allendale and Eudunda Ranges were covered in snow!

In our modern times, this is almost unheard of, but in the early 1900s, it would seem it was a regular occurrence.
 The snow was reported in the Kapunda Herald (newspaper) in 1901, 1906, 1908 as well as 1909 falling steadily, and in enough volume around the district for locals to build snowmen!

 photo Source: State Library of South Australia: B69054/114

Kapunda Herald 13 August 1909, page 1.

Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2018

Bibliography

1909 'SNOW AT KAPUNDA.', Kapunda Herald (SA : 1878 - 1951), 30 July, p. 4. , viewed 19 Feb 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article108430017

1909 'Snow Scenes at kapunda', Kapunda Herald (SA : 1878 - 1951), 13 August, p. 1. (Kapunda Herald Illustrated Supplement), viewed 19 Feb 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article108430204

1906 'General New', Kapunda Herald (SA : 1878 - 1951), 31 August, p. 5. , viewed 19 Feb 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article108378502

Kapunda People: Henry Fairclough

Henry Fairclough

1911 'Advertising', Kapunda Herald 1 September, p. 3.

Mr Fairclough was born in Liverpool England in 1849. His family moved to Norwood, South Australia in 1850. As a youth, young Henry attended school at “Holdsworth School” in Norwood and also learned to be a caterer, later, he learned the trade of ironmongery as an apprentice of F. & S.Sach, who were located in Adelaide on the corner of Gawler Place and Rundle Street.

In the younger years of his adult life, he moved to New Zealand, and then later to the north coast of New South Wales.

Upon his return to South Australia he moved to Georgetown to work in the local hotel, and eventually fell in love, and married the sister of the publican. Soon he became a farmer near Moonta, but farming was dirty work with long hours, so he uprooted his family and moved to Kapunda.

Mr Fairclough had The North Kapunda hotel for 14 years and earned for himself a reputation for quality, unfailing courtesy and upholding the establishment to the strictest details of the licensing laws.

In 1903 Mrs Fairclough (nee Kewson) suffered a nasty injury when the cork in a bottle of aerated water she was trying to open, popped suddenly and hit her eye. The injury was so severe that she eventually lost her sight in her left eye.

In 1912 Mr Fairclough became very ill, and by November of that year, he had been confined to his bed as his sickness grew steadily worse. His liver was in failure, and his days, unfortunately, were numbered.

On Monday the 17th of November 1912, Henry Fairclough lost his battle with illness and passed away in the Kapunda hospital.

Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2012

Bibliography

1912 'OBITUARY.', Observer (Adelaide, SA: 1905 - 1931), 30 November, p. 41. , viewed 16 Feb 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article163087430

1912 'Family Notices', Kapunda Herald (SA: 1878 - 1951), 22 November, p. 4. , viewed 16 Feb 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article108342497

1903 'HAY-CUTTING.', Kapunda Herald (SA: 1878 - 1951), 13 November, p. 5. , viewed 16 Feb 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article110277272

Kapunda Copper Mines

Kapunda Copper Mines

The Copper in the Kapunda Mines was first discovered by Francis Dutton in 1842. He began a partnership with Captain Bagot (Captain was a traditional Cornish term used for a manager) and together they purchased about 80 acres of land. They paid 1 pound per acre of land.

The pair set about taking samples from the numerous green rocks. The samples were then sent to England for testing, this would take almost two years before results would return to Australia. Upon the results reaching Australia, the business partners were astonished to find the copper was 22.5% pure, which at the time was the richest deposit found anywhere in the world.

The mine began small with Bagot employing labourers to dig the copper from the surface with shovels and picks. In their first year, they removed 600 tons of ore, valued at about 7000 pounds.

Around December 1844, Cornish miners began to arrive on-site, and tunnelling and underground mining began in earnest.

Francis Dutton decided to sell his 25% share in the mine in 1846, earning him the vast sum (at the time) of 16000 pounds, Captain Bagot now had the controlling 55% of the ownership of the mine.

In its beginnings, the mine would transport its ore via bullock dray to Port Adelaide, a journey of about 6 days, where it would be loaded onto ships and transported by vessels to Swansea in Wales. Loads were sent at 2 tonnes per load, by 1850, the mine was producing 100 tons of copper ore per month.

In the coming years the mine would expand significantly, and so would the town. Many jobs were created, and it seemed in this era that certain cultural backgrounds provided expertise in differing areas.
 The Welsh operating smelters, the Cornish, who were expert miners, and the Germans who began to cut down trees needed to power the furnaces of the smelters and began farms to feed the vast number of workers. Then there were the Irish who began as labourers, and to drive the Bullock teams to Port Adelaide – it was a cultural melting pot (lets also not forget a few Chinese men who started market gardens in Kapunda!)

Kapunda never had one distinct mine instead there were at least five or six distinct copper lodes in close proximity, which were mined from as many as ten separate shafts over time, these included: Wheal Bagot, Wheal Charlotte, Wheal Truscott, Wheal Lanyon, Wheal Harris, Wheal Major. There is no trace of any of them today, as they have all been obliterated by later workings of the mine (wheal being a Cornish mining term)

In 1849, Smelters made in Germany arrived in South Australia, reducing the need to ship ore overseas, however, the ships now brought back Coal from England for the smelters

In 1850, the mines had reached about 80 feet down and had started to go below the water table, a steam engine was brought in to pump the water out of the mine. At its deepest point, the mine reached about 480 feet or 150 metres.

In 1852, the Goldrush in Victoria began, this had a huge effect on Kapunda and its surrounds, many men left to try their luck at finding a quick fortune. For almost three years the production rate at Kapunda dropped to a minimal amount, however by 1857, production was at full speed again producing upwards of 4104 tonnes of ore

A sign in the Bagot mining Museum in Kapunda states that in 1861 the mine employed

43 miners - mostly Cornish

106 pitmen

23 children - mostly Cornish

82 labourers - mainly Irish

13 boys - mainly Irish

36 smelters and furnacemen - mainly Welsh

The mine at this time was employing 302 men and 36 boys

The Kapunda mines importance declined with the discovery of copper at Burra, with a lode four times greater than Kapunda, but even Burra couldn’t compete with Moonta, which had a lode almost 4 times greater than Burra's!

By 1863 the majority of the high-grade ore had been mined out, the mine was now a low-grade ore mine – soon it became an open cut mine.

The mine closed in 1878 and all the equipment was sold.

However, it did reopen again and continued until 1912 on a smaller scale. During this time 12,800 tonnes of copper ore were mined

Now, in 2018 the Copper mine stands as a tourist attraction at Kapunda’s Southern End, dominated by the large stone chimney that was used to provide air for the engine boilers below. The mine is the favourite place of artists who love the deep green hues of the water that fills the open cut mine and now features restored mining buildings and fantastic artistic sculptures.

Time Line:

1842 Copper ore discovered

1844 Mine opened

1845 Horse whim installed

         Mine Square Cottages built

1846 Dutton sold his share

         Captain John Richards appointed

1848 Draft engine purchased

1849 Draft engine at work

         Smelter built

1851 Buhl engine installed

         The mine closed by the Victorian gold rush

1855 Mine re-opened

1859 Captain Bagot retired

1860 Kapunda Mining Company formed in London

         Subsidence in workings

         Railway reached Kapunda

1861 Draft Engine re-located

1862 East Kapunda mines opened

1863 Mines operated at a loss

1865 Scottish company took over mines

1867 Henderson Plant in production

         Captain Osborne appointed

         Open cut extraction

1877 Crash in copper price

1879 Mines closed

1880 Hillside mine opened

1912 Tributers finished up

1938 Matthews Gravel Quarry on Block 19 opened

1949 Matthews Gravel Quarry on Block 19 closed

1962 Council acquired Block 24

1972 Council acquired Block 21

         Plaque placed on smokestack

         Charlotte open cut used as Council dump

1986 Jubilee 150 signage erected

1987 Site entered in SA Heritage Register

2008 Preparation of Conservation Management Plan for the site

 Researched and written by Allen Tiller - originally published on December 3rd 2013 on the Haunts of Adelaide: History, Mystery and the Paranormal, edited on Feb 16th 2018 - © 2018 Allen Tiller

The Bachelors Hall – North Kapunda Hotel

The Bachelors Hall – North Kapunda Hotel

  No one is quite sure what year the rear accommodation wing of the North Kapunda Hotel was built, but it is estimated to be somewhere between 1848 and 1855. It may have been earlier than 1848, though, built as part of the miner’s accommodation around the town by the North Kapunda Mining Company. The same company built the original structure that would eventually become the North Kapunda Arms Hotel, which was built in 1865. Mr Crase would rebuild it into the striking two-story hotel we see and know today.

  The downstairs section of the hallway, in 1865 contained the first official office of the newly formed Kapunda Council until they moved to bigger premises on the Clare Road (the building today is the Scout Hall). There were also two large, ornate rooms used by Jenkins and Coles bursars who dealt with the horse sales that were held at the rear of the hotel.

Bachelor's Hall.

By H. C. DODGE.

Hurrah ! hurrah for Bachelor's Hall;

The Queen's away and I'm monarch of all;

I don't have to hang up my coat or my hat,

And when I get lonely I talk to the cat.

I come when I like, and I go when I choose.

The finest cigars help me scatter the blues;

 No bundles I carry and nothing I buy;

There's no one to care about-only big “I”

 I revel in wildest confusion around;

There isn't a thing in its place to be found;

 My books and newspapers, they litter the room

That' hasn't for weeks seen the sight of a broom.

There's clothing or something on every chair;

My bed's never made, but it's little I care;

I sleep like a top, for there's no one to call

I take solid comfort in Bachelor's Hall.

I've used all the dishes and now it's my fate

To eat, when I'm home, on the back of a plate;

I'm learning to cook, but, alas. I confess

I choose to go hungry than, swallow the mess.

But, Bachelor's Hall with its comfort and quiet,

Is almost too spooky for regular diet;

No children live in it to welcome their dad,

No supper is waiting, no wife-O, so glad.

No! Nothing but ghosts of the loved ones away

Inhabit this tomb where alone I must stay,

Compelled to break the silence by having a chat

With my woeful companion, the strange acting cat.

O, gladly I'll yield my crown sceptre and all

The Kingly delights of a Bachelor's Hall

To the Queen of the Home when she comes with her train

To wisely and lovingly over me reign.

First Published in The Kapunda Herald - Tuesday 7 August 1888, page 6

  The Bachelor’s Hall saw its own scandal in 1885 when three residents found themselves facing the magistrate at the Kapunda Courthouse for disturbing the peace.

 Murray Thomson, Robert Anderton, and James Shakes Jr. faced the magistrate on May 12th, with Thomson and Anderton represented by Mr Glynn, and Shakes represented by Mr Benham.

 The men had been charged because someone had been firing guns in Franklin Street at about 10 past three in the morning.

  On the evening of the alleged crime, many people had been in town to see the bellringer's entertainment and had then retired to the North Kapunda Hotel for a supper hosted by Mr Crase, which included sing-alongs and speeches. The bar was closed, but the party continued in the commercial room upstairs and on the balcony.

 More than 125 gunshots were heard in Franklin Street in about a 10-minute time frame (Franklin Street has since been renamed Crase Street). The police tried to frame the defendants as being the guilty parties, but witnesses declared they had seen Mr Thomson in a room upstairs, light a candle and look out the window in his night clothes at the ongoing disturbance below.

 Mr Shakes wasn’t even within the town boundaries when the incident happened, so the case fell apart; instead, the Magistrate went after Mr Crase, under the guise of the crime occurring outside his hotel, he would be held responsible for the people there. Mr Benham quickly shot down this argument as Mr Crase was entertaining upstairs privately, and may not have known who these people were, nor had they been inside his hotel drinking.  The case was eventually thrown out of court.

Interestingly though, the story that circulated through the town was slightly different from the story that surfaced in court. Several young men had been drinking in local hotels and had gone to the bellringer's event. After the event, they began walking the town trying to entertain themselves. 

 About 15 of these young men were heard on Main Street and were asked to move on by William Thomas when they congregated in front of his bookshop, which most likely angered the young men. It was within the next hour the gunshots occurred in Franklin Street, which may have come about because these young men were refused entry into the North Kapunda Hotel to join the upstairs party!

Originally written as “Kapunda – The Hallway to Hell” and published on Tuesday, 7 June 2016 on The Haunts of Adelaide: History, Mystery and the Paranormal – edited on the 16^th of February 2018 by Allen Tiller

© 2016-2018 Allen Tiller

The Sinking of Von Spee’s Squadron

The Sinking of Von Spee’s Squadron 

 

Captain F.W. Wheatley

A little-known chapter in the history of The Great War (WWI) involved a Kapunda born Cryptographer named Frederick Wheatley.

Wheatley was born in Kapunda, South Australia on June 7^th, 1871, to music teacher James Wheatley and his wife Magdalena (nee Basedow).

He was educated at the Prince Alfred College, and then the University of Adelaide. In 1890 he became a teacher at Way College, later he became a teacher at Prince Alfred College. Eventually, he became the Headmaster at the Rockhampton Grammar School, of which he lasted a year, quitting after a disagreement with the board.
 He soon became engaged with the proposed Royal Australian Naval College, helping to establish their syllabus. 

Wheatley married Alice Kimber at Glenelg in 1898, together they had three children.

 In 1913, Wheatley travelled to Germany, where he improved his understanding of the German language, this would later assist in his position in the Australian Navy during the coming war.

 World War One broke out in August 1914. Wheatley was stationed at the Navy Office, Melbourne under Captain Thring, where he was placed in charge of intercepting enemy radio messages.
 A German ship hurriedly left Sydney on August 4^th, and Australian authorities were convinced it intended to warn German ships to turn back to Europe, as they would not, as of yet heard the declaration of war announced.

 A German ship named Hobart entered the Port of Melbourne and was soon boarded by the District Naval Officer, Captain John Richardson, under the guise of quarantine inspection.  Later that evening two German men gave up the position of hidden safe that held a copy of the German Mercantile Code Book and a cipher key. These important documents were handed to Wheatley to Translate.

 Wheatley set to work, and via the cipher key, was able to translate the book, and decipher messages sent by Vice Admiral Graf Von Spee’s Pacific squadron. It took three days to decipher the codes, but what they turned up was the itinerary of the Spee’s fleet, that they were steaming through the Strait of Magellan to the Falkland Islands, then heading towards Brazil, down to South Africa.

 A cable message was sent to the British Admiralty, and ships were sent toward the Falkland Islands, arriving the day before Von Spee’s fleet. The English ships sank Von Spee’s ships Scharnhorsl, Gneisenau, Nurnberg and Leipzig that day, with only the ship Dresden escaping.
 Dresden was later sunk by the British Vessels Kent and Glasgow off the Juan Fernandez Island in the Pacific Ocean.

 If it wasn’t for Wheatley’s expertise, who knows what damage Von Spee’s fleet of warships could have caused for the Commonwealth.

Later in life, Wheatley became the Director of Studies at the Cranbrook School in Sydney. He was appointed Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1932.

Frederick Wheatley passed away on the 14^th of November 1955

 researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2018

Bibliography

Robert Hyslop, 'Wheatley, Frederick William (1871–1955)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/wheatley-frederick-william-9059/text15965, published first in hardcopy 1990, accessed online 11 February 2018.

1934 'HOW VON SPEE'S SQUADRON WAS SUNK', The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954), 27 June, p. 23. , viewed 11 Feb 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74098503

Royal Australian Navy, 2017, Dr Frederick William Wheatley, Australian Government, viewed 11 Feb 2018, http://www.navy.gov.au/biography/dr-frederick-william-wheatley

Kapunda's First International Celebrity - Mickey Pynn

Kapunda's First International Celebrity - Mickey Pynn

Mickey Pynn - SLSA: B57230

The Australian Tom Thumb – Mickey Pynn

 In 1870, travelling circus and sideshows were one of the main forms of entertainment for the citizens of the world, including those who lived in rural South Australia.

 We in South Australia would often gather together to watch the entertaining magic shows of Mr Vertelli or a passing circus, but every so often we would be gifted with the presence of an international act, such as “General Tom Thumb” (real name: Charles Sherwood Stratton ) from the USA, who had just come from successful live shows in England.

 General Tom Thumb had achieved international stardom as a sideshow act for P.T. Barnum, Circus Pioneer throughout the US and Europe, and came to Australia to perform, including Kapunda.

 It was his exclusive trip and sideshow act in Kapunda that brought Kapunda local lad, Mickey Pynn to the forefront, and made him Kapunda's first international celebrity.

Mickey Pynn lived with his family just south of Kapunda, where the hill rises near the Greenock road turn of. The House still stands today and is occupied.

 A family member, or perhaps a family friend seeing an opportunity to make some money from Mickey's condition, held an “exhibition” of Mickey in The Miners Arms Hotel, owned by William Tremaine (My own Great-Great Grandfather).

 The exhibition caught the attention of General Tom thumb who asked to meet young Mickey and was astounded that he was almost a full two inches shorter than him.

 This led to Mickey being hired by the company that the U.S. Tom's thumb had established (a very lucrative company, that would eventually bail out P.T. Barnum when financial strife almost collapsed his circus empire). Mickey would soon be travelling the world as a Circus midget and sometimes sideshow act under various names including “The Afghan Dwarf” and “The Australian Tom Thumb”, but this did not stop him from performing here in South Australia, nor in Kapunda.

In fact, “The Australian Tom Thumb” performed on occasion with his good friend John Morcom, better known as Magician “Vertelli”

 In an early career show that starred Mickey and Vertelli in The North Kapunda Hotel, it was written by a newspaper correspondent in the Kapunda Herald and Northern Intelligencer (March 3rd, 1871) the following:

"The diminutive Tom Thumb is a pleasing simple little fellow, whose greatest feat is to scratch his head like a bear with his toes his knees being kept straight during this interesting operation. He is said to be 17 years of age, not deformed, rather of a serious turn of mind, and has a look of great gravity previous to turning a somersault. If the Signor could induce a beard and whisker to grow, be would be a decided hit, and might put. "the General" into the shade—being some inches shorter."

 It is written elsewhere that Mickey's life contained many ups and downs over the years, but it would seem he often struggled with his inner demons, and took to drink, as attested in the following two stories in Sydney newspaper The Evening News in 1906, the stories being published only months apart:

Evening News: Sydney: Monday 3 September 1906

DWARF IN COURT.

'What has he been, doing?' asked Mr Smithers, S.M., at the Central Police Court this moraine. The magistrate's query had reference to Michael Pynn, 53, described on the sheet as an acrobatic dwarf. The offence against him was that of being drunk and disorderly on Saturday evening in George-street. 'He was running after women, and catching hold of them' said the sergeant, looking severely at the little man in the dock. 'He has been locked up since Saturday.' ''He was here on Saturday morning for being drunk,' said a policeman.

Solicitor: He should be let off with half the usual fine your Worship”

 ' The dwarf, who stood a little over 3ft high, was fined 5s."

Evening News - Sydney Wednesday 31 October 1906

A SMALL OFFENDER.

"The name of Michael Pynn was called at the Central Police Court this morning, and a man of 57 years, but of diminutive stature, answered the call. He was so little that his head did not reach to within 2ft of the top of the dock rail.

 Pynn looked between the rail at the magistrate, and in a loud tone pleaded guilty to a charge of being drunk in Castlereagh street.

'He has been coming here frequently, lately, saw police prosecutor Davis. 'He goes about the street, and 'shapes' up -to men 6ft high, twice his own height. A short sojourn in gaol would do him good and keep him from giving way entirely to drink.'  Pynn, it was ascertained, sometimes gives the police trouble, and on Tuesday it needed the united forces of Constables Lambert and Hardiman to convey, him to the lock-up. A fine of 20s, or 14 days, was imposed."

Mickey Pynn 1880 - Photo source unknown. Though to have been taken
 in the North Kapunda Hotel.

 In his later years, Mickey retired to Sydney where he saw out his last days, firstly in Lidcombe in a men’s home, where it was reported his “appetite is vigorous, though rheumatism affected his walk”.

 Soon he moved to a different home in Liverpool, one with immaculate gardens, and better conditions for this once sought-after entertainer. Attendants of the Men's Home spoke well of Mickey saying “He was always ready to do what little he could about the place, and amuse the other inmates with his "double jointed" tricks”

 Kapunda's first international celebrity, Mickey “The Australian Tom Thumb” Pynn passed away on the 22 of June 1929 in Sydney NSW.

First Published on The Haunts of Adelaide - Tuesday, 14 February 2017
© 2018-2018 Allen Tiller

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