Garth Gransden and Freda Gransden nee Mulligan- Wedding

Posted on by March 3, 2018
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I came across a very complete account of Garth Gransden and Freda Mulligan’s wedding. I had already had a newspaper article about Garth and Freda’s wedding but it was not nearly as lovely as the one that I came across last night.

While reading the account I realised that I had a photo of the wedding that was being described. It isn’t often that you do have something that links so nicely into a story in a newspaper but Weddings are likely to be the occasions when you do. So I am putting the details of the Wedding up on this page. Does the description measure up to the photo? Or the other way around?

Garth Gransden and Freda Gransden nee Mulligan wedding. 2 Nov 1945

Gransden- Mulligan

Of Interest to Eugowra and Orange friends was a pretty wedding solemnised at St. Matthew’s C. of E., Eugowra, last Saturday, at 1130 a.m., the contracting parties being Miss Freda Grace Mulligan and W/O. Walter Garth Gransden (R.AJLF.).

Garth Gransden

The fair, graceful bride, who Is the only child of Mr. and Mrs. F. Mulligan, of “Woodlands,” Eugowra, looked lovely In a gown of white satin, the bodice and sleeves featuring ruching, while the full skirt formed a train. Cuttulle viel (kindly loaned by Mrs Hurcum) fell in cascadeds from a headdress of silver leaves and to complete the picture the bride carried a beautiful boquet of white tuplis, lily-of-the-vallye and lupins, tied with white satin.

The bride was greeted at the church by her small flower-girl, Diana McClintock, who wished her “good luck” and hung a satin horseshoe on her arm. As the bride entered the prettily decorated church on the arm of her father, who gave her away, she was preceded by the bridesmaid. Miss Shirley Gransden (sister of the bridegroom), who was a charming figure in a full-skirted frock of blue taffeta, with a blue tulle veil falling from a spray of red-shaded sweet peas, the same effective colours being repeated In her lovely bouquet of tulips, sweet peas and stocks.

Freda Gransden nee Mulligan on her wedding day

After Nuptial Communion and while the register was being signed, Misses Glad and Con Herbert rendered a glorious duet, “I’ll Walk Beside You,”Mr, Eric Hill being accompanist and also organist for the occasion.
Following the bride was the dainty little flower girl, who wore a pretty dawn pink silk frock with a pink tulle veil gathered to a spray of shaded blue delphiniums. She carried an artistic basket of sweet peas and blue delphiniums, while an armlet of the same lovely flowers completed her attire. The bridegroom, eldest son of Cpl and Mrs. R. Gransden of Orange was attended by F/Lt. Frank Dixon, Q.F.C. (ex-
P.O.W), who returned during the week from overseas.

Following the wedding a reception was held In the School of Arts, where the guests were received’ by Mrs. F. Mulligan, assisted by Mrs. R. Gransden, both looking very smart, the former in a beaded navy satin-back crepe frock with a shoulder spray of pink sweet peas, while Mrs. Gransden chose a beaded black silk ensemble with a spray of red sweet peas.

In the centre of the attractively arranged tables a two-tiered wedding cake held pride of place.

Well-deserved credit is due to Mrs. J. Copeland (the bride’s aunt), who catered so efficiently. Rve. Richards, who officiated at the marriage, was chairman and the usual toasts were proposed and honored. Many telegrams of congratulation were received and among the valuable wedding gifts were several cheques. During the reception the guests were charmed with a vocal solo by Miss Con Herber, who rendered Toselli’s “Serenata.”

Among the many guests were two of the bridegroom’s Air Force friends, F/Lt. Ashley and F/O. Goldsworthy, also a cousin of the bride, W/O. J- Mulligan.

When the happy couple left for Orange, en-route to Sydney, the bride wore a smart long-waisted turquoise blue frock, with black accessories.

The Rise of the Davidson Family- Part 2

Posted on by February 4, 2018
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Joseph Davidson was born and grew up in the hamlet of Kilgrammie in the parish of Dailly. Kilgrammie is about two miles below the village of New Dailly. The area is surrounded by the Girvan Valley coalfield. New Dailly, the village, was created in the 1760’s as a coal mining village[1].

Dailly Church and Churchyard

Joseph’s parents were James Davidson and Margaret McMurtie they were married in New Dailly and lived there most of their lives. New Dailly had been built at the expense of John Hamilton of Bargeny, who paid for the town to be built so as to encourage traffic to move further away from Bargany House[2]. The hamlet of Kilgrammie was in a beautiful location with ruins of castles and the old village of Dailly nearby and also some stunning countryside. However, the village itself was very limited. A description from 1913 of the area detailed the houses that had been in the hamlet at the time that the Davidsons had lived there.

Marriage of James Davidson and Margaret McMurtie 1761 Dailly. Scotlands People. Parish Registers 585/ 10 428

There is one dry-closet of two compartments, one of which had no door, and ashes and filth were strewn around. There is no ash-pit, no coal-house, and of course no washing house.

The single houses measure 16 feet by 11 feet. The double house measures- kitchen 14 feet by 9 feet, the room 18 feet by 10 feet.

The floors are of brick tile, very badly broken.

The coals are kept below the bed, and the washing is done in the middle of the floor. One woman, we saw in a one-apartment house doing her washing there. A wet winter day, an abominable path into the house, a floor littered with dirty clothes ready for the wash, made a picture which one is almost ashamed to think about.

The houses are very damp, and much of the plaster is badly broken. All of them need repair.

The fronts are unpaved and filthy. All around were ashes, filth, and broken glass, with the other rubbish which one sees in an ash pit. … The whole row is a pollution[3].

Although the description is dire, it is also more than a 100 years after the Davidsons were living in this area. The size of the cottages would not have changed in that hundred years but the level of repair would have and the expectations of a family.

James Davidson was a servant with William Crawford, a Coal Grieve, at Bargany, the manor house near to Dailly. The Coal Grieve was the manager of the Coal Pit. At this time coal miners and their families were bound to the colliery and the owner of the colliery. Gradually during the latter 1700’s, well after James and Margaret were married the emancipation process began to free colliers and miners. Without the 1775 Act of Parliament allowing miners and their families to become free of their owners, the Davidsons would never have been able to leave the mines of Dailly or change their profession. They would also never have been able to look forward to an education.

Bargany House, Dailly, Ayrshire, Scotland.

At the time of the emancipation act James Davidson was 37 years old[4]. This meant that he had to serve 7 years from the date of the act, before he was allowed to leave the Colliery and find work with another mine or elsewhere if he chose. With James’ freedom would come that of the younger members of his family. Any children already working in the mines would have to serve their term before they too, and their families, could become free. However, this possibility set in motion events that would change the Davidson family and eventually bring many of them to Australia.

With the freedom to choose his own career, after the Emancipation Act James and his children were also free to decide where he would live. James remained for the rest of his life in Dailly, but his son Joseph, and Joseph’s family moved to Auchinleck, sometime between 1824 and 1831. Auchinleck was also a small mining town but it was close to other towns with a wider variety of employment opportunities. The town was larger than Dailly and situated close to other towns that employed skilled craftsmen.

Auchinleck.

Despite these options, Joseph, like his father before him, stayed in mining. Joseph married twice, first to Janet Welch. This first family resulted in five children. However, less than two weeks after the birth of her youngest son, James, Janet died. Leaving Joseph with five children under the age of 6 in his care. Given the timing of Janet’s death, it is probable that she died of Puerperal fever, often as a result of an infection due to incomplete expulsion of the placenta after birth. Puerperal fever is an extremely painful infection that creates a sepsis throughout the entire body of the sufferer usually resulting in death[5].

Baptism of Joseph Davidson. Scotland’s People. Old Parish Registers Births 585/ 10 208 Dailly

John Davidson did not stay in the family profession of mining. Instead, like many people in the Auchinleck area of Scotland, John Davidson went into box manufacturing. The Auchinleck area was just starting to become well known for the quality of its snuff boxes. In particular, a hinge developed by William Crawford, not known if he is related to the William Crawford that James Davidson was a servant of in the 1760’s, was very popular because it was hidden. This hinge defined the quality of the early snuff boxes from the Auchinleck area[6].Left with five young children and no way to care for them while he was working in the mines Joseph married Agnes Walker less than 18 months after the death of his first wife. Unlike Janet, Agnes survived the birth of eight children and went on to live to the age of 80, well past the death of her husband. Janet also got to experience, at first hand, the changes in the lives of the Davidson family.

By the time of the 1841 census, John Davidson was calling himself a box manufacturer. Just 10 years later John Davidson was not just a box manufacturer, he was a manufacturer employing 14 workers[7]. John Davidson and Sons seem to have been established around the time of the census, in 1851. The firm was first listed in the Mauchline Post Office Directory for 1851 as Clark, Davidson and Co[8]. By 1855, John Davidson had entered a partnership with Robert Wilson, calling themselves Davidson and Wilson. The firm referred to themselves as “Manufacturers of Scottish snuff boxes, cigar and razor cases”. The next year they had added “Scotch plaid designs upon leather etc” to their catalogue.

Mauchline Post Office Directory 1851.

Within a couple of years, the company had diversified further, creating a selection described as “articles of Scotch fancy woodwork”. By 1864 they were the “patentees of an improved application of photographs” for the transfer work on their “fancy boxes”. The firm was by this stage well established and well known, although not as big as W and A Smith, the other main manufacturer of what was later to become known as Mauchline Ware, in Mauchline. The firm became large enough to attract other investors and manufacturers and with the addition of Samuel Amphlet, the company became known as Davidson, Wilson and Amphlet.

Mauchline Ware Items. Authors Collection

In 1867 John Davidson left the firm, which then became known as Wilson and Amphlet. Davidson started his own company, John Davidson and Sons. In particular, this new company included John Davidson and his sons Joseph, William and George. John’s remaining children were too young to participate in the running of the company.

The inventory of John Davidson and Sons expanded further into tartan ware and a diverse range of other souvenirs. However, over the next five years, the family were to experience a number of personal tragedies, including the loss of the wives of both George and William Davidson. Then John, himself, only lived for five years after the formation of the company. When he died his three eldest children, Joseph, George and William maintained the business until around 1889 when the business folded[9].

Kellys Post Office Guide 1862- Scotland

Davidson and Sons provided the finances that enabled the remaining Davidson boys to receive an education, giving them opportunities that earlier members of the family would never have been able to dream of.

After the closure of Davidson and Sons in 1889 Joseph and William continued in the industry but no longer running their own company. George disappears from the records at this stage and may well have either immigrated or died. David Davidson, the fifth child became an Engineer and immigrated to Australia. Alexander Boyd Davidson died in 1870. John Davidson is missing from the records and Robert Davidson, like his older brother David, immigrates to Australia. Of the girls Jane and Agnes, Jane also disappears from the records. Agnes married Alexander Gibson Alexander and has a large family. Alexander also works in the timber business as a wood turner.

Rise of the Davidson Family Part 1

 [1] (Dailly (New Dailly), South Ayrshire, 2016)

[2] (Paterson, Facsimile Reprint 2001)

[3] (Scottish Mining, 2017)

[4] (Scottish Mining, 2017)

[5] (Burch, 2009)

[6] (Brooke, n.d.)

[7] (Davidson, John. 1851 Census, Scotland, 1851)

[8] (Mauchline, 1851-1852)

[9] (Trachentenberg & Keith, 2002)

 

Bibliography

(1856, September 4th). Retrieved August 27, 2017, from Scotlands People: https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/search-our-records

(1861). Retrieved August 27, 2017, from Ancestry.com: ancestrly.com.au

(1883, August 31). Retrieved August 27, 2017, from Scotlands People: https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/search-our-records

Brooke, B. (n.d.). Mauchline Ware still a mystery to many. Retrieved from Bob Brooke Communications: http://bobbrooke.com/mauchlinware.htm

Burch, D. (2009, January 10). When Childbirth Was Natural, and Deadly. Retrieved from Live Science: https://www.livescience.com/3210-childbirth-natural-deadly.html

Dailly (New Dailly), South Ayrshire. (2016). Retrieved from Gazatteer for Scotland: http://www.scottish-places.info/towns/townfirst1106.html

Lang, D. (1905). Centenary History of the Presbyterian Church in New South Wales. Sydney: S. T Leigh and Co. Retrieved September 26, 2017, from https://archive.org/stream/centenaryhistory00came/centenaryhistory00came_djvu.txt

Laws relating to Coalworkers in Scotland. (1609- Act). Retrieved from Hood Family and Coal Mining: http://www.hoodfamily.info/coal/law1606act.html

Laws Relating to Coalworkers in Scotland. (1775 Act). Retrieved from Hood Family and Coal Mining: http://www.hoodfamily.info/coal/law1775act.html

Paterson, J. (Facsimile Reprint 2001). History of the Counties of Ayr & Wigton Scotland. Maryland, UK: Heritage Books.

Records of Trinity College, college of theology, Glasgow, Scotland. (n.d.). Retrieved from Jisc: https://jisc.ac.uk/

Robert Davidson. (1979, September 24). Port Macquarie News.

Scotlands People. (1851). Retrieved from National Records of Scotland: https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk

Scottish Mining. (2017). Ayrshire Housing Part 5. Retrieved from Scottish Mining Website: http://www.scottishmining.co.uk/135.html

Scottish Mining. (2017). Early Mining History. Retrieved from Scottish Mining Website: http://www.scottishmining.co.uk/8.html

Scottish Post Office Directories. (1851-1852). Retrieved from Scottish Post Office Directories: http://digital.nls.uk/86566307

Trachentenberg, D., & Keith, T. (2002). Mauchline Wate: A collectors guide. Suffolk: Antique Collectors’ Club Pty Ltd.

 

The Trials of Richard Lees

Posted on by March 11, 2018
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Richard Lees had a troubled career spanning a number of decades. Mostly he was a carpenter who ran to petty theft and other minor misdemeanours. In the early days, these seem to have been focussed on trying to provide food for himself and his family, mostly that of his father and mother and the remaining children of the Lees family. Later his misdemeanours became more adventurous.

Richard Lees, son of John Lees and Mary Lees nee Stevens was born in the Colony of New South Wales in 1805. In 1833, according to the Gaol Admission information about Richard, he was a tall, stout man with straw-coloured hair and brown eyes. Richard had a smattering of freckles across his face, probably due to continuous work in the sun, as a farmer and carpenter, in the early colony. He also had a small scar under his left eye.

In one of Richard’s earliest trials, he was arrested and held at Penrith before being handed over to stand trial at Windsor. Richard may well have spent his time at the Emu Plans convict farm, close to Penrith, where he would have been expected to help with the farming prior to his trial at Windsor.

The Windsor Court House was built in 1822 and this is where Richard would have faced his trial. The Windsor Court House was an imposing building. Richard would have faced a magistrates bench composed of military officers. Richard got off lightly with this early case, so his fathers standing as an ex-soldier, farmer and religious man may have helped Richard.

Windsor Court House – http://www.cawb.com.au/windsor-court-house—in-the-beginning-part-one.html

Windsor Quarter Sessions

Tried 13th July

Verdict- Not Guilty

The King of the Prosecution of Joseph Ludd

Against

Richard Lees

Information for a Larceny

Witnesses

  • Joseph Jubb
  • Thomas Beanham
  • Robert Claxton
  • James Rew
  • Samuel Henry Salinon (Salmon)

In the Court of Quarter Sessions New South Wales to wit -Be it remembered, that Frederick Garling, of Sydney, in the Colony of New South Wales, Esq. who Prosecutes for Our Sovereign Lord the King, on his behalf, being duly appointed for such purpose by His Excellency the Governor of the said Colony; and being present in the Court of General Quarter Sessions of the Peace now heron the twelfth day of July in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Thirty one at Windsor in the said Colony, informs the said Court, that Richard Lees late of Parramatta in the Colony of New South Wales, Labourer on the first day of June in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Thirty one at Parramatta aforesaid in the Colony aforesaid one silk handkerchief of the value of two shillings of the Goods and Chattels of one Joseph Jubb then and there being found, felonious lay did steal, take, and carry away, against the Peace of Our said Lord the King his Crown and Dignity, and against the form of the Statute, in such case made and provided. And the said Frederick Garling further informs the said Court that the said Richard Lees afterwards to wit on the same day and year call aforesaid at Parramatta- aforesaid in the Colony aforesaid one other silk Handkerchief of the value of two shillings of the Goods and Chattels of one William Hamilton then also there being found felonious lay did steal take and carry away against the peace of our said Lord the King his Crown and Dignity and against the form of the Statute in such Case made and provided.

Frederick Garling

Richard Lees states that on Monday the 30th May 1831 he was proceeding on the Road from Penrith to Sydney and at Dean’s on the Western Road he fell in company with Prosecutor, since circumstances took place- between them respecting the Examination of Thomas Bean at the Penrith Court House, a short time after Prosecutor saying he was going to Sydney, we agreed to walk together, we called at several places on the road and had something to drink until we arrived at Snowden’s were we had supper after which Prosecutor finding himself the worse for Liqueur wished to go to bed and desired me to take care of his handkerchief and some papers stating he was incapable himself. I did so- the following morning he enquired for his Handkerchief- I produced it and told him to come along and I would give it him on the Road at the Parramatta Turnpike.

Prosecutor being some distance behind. I took coach and proceeded to Sydney on the following morning I saw Prosecutor and gave him a letter directed to Mr Forbes which he had given me to take care of and I told him if he would go with me to my Lodging I would give him the Handkerchief as I had left it there, he did not and I returned to Penrith bringing the Handkerchief with me this was the Saturday and on the Monday following I received a summons to attend the Court at Penrith to answer a complaint there and then be brought forward – I thought this an opportunity to send the Handkerchief to Prosecutor my house being distance 3 Miles from the court and not having an opportunity before a short distance from the Court House I saw the before mentioned Ths Bean and gave him the Handkerchief to return to Prosecutor which he did- shortly afterwards I was to my surprise arraigned at the Bar on the charge of stealing from Prosecutor the Handkerchief I had returned I was remanded the second examination W Cox, JP Alexander was on the Bench with the Police Magistrate who contended there was not sufficient evidence to commit me, I was again remanded- third examination remanded again and on the fourth same committed being further evidence than was advised at the time Capt Cox was present no Magistrate save Cpt Wright upon the Bench. Under the above circumstances, I did not think it necessary to employ an attorney.

Rex V’s Richard Lees

Charged with theft

Fully committed to stand his trial at the next court of quarter sessions to be Holden at Windsor

Police office Penrith June 7th 1831

State Archives NSW, Quarter Sessions, Windsor 1824-37. Lees, Richard No. 10 Item 4/8485 Jul 1831, Windsor.

Quarter Session at Windsor

Before Thomas E Wright Esq. J. P.

Sup of Police

Rex v’s Richard Lees free

Charged with theft

Joseph Lubb prisoner being duly sworn states that he is assigned servant to Sir John Davis, that he borrowed a silk handkerchief from Hamilton Sir John’s Butler to go to Sydney the deposed believes the silk handkerchief produced to be the one he received from Hamilton, if it is not the same handkerchief deponent swears that produced is exactly like it- it was red and marked like the one produced and deponent has no doubt that this is the same handkerchief. Deponent on his way to Sydney last Monday, fell in with Richard Lees, the defendant, they passed the evening and slept together at Snowden’s where deponent had passed, a letter for Judge Forbes and the silk handkerchief also in his possession, in the morning when deponent rose he missed them all deponent then asked the prisoner for them, prisoner gave him the pass and then denied all knowledge of the letter and handkerchief, they proceeded on to Sydney and dept went out to Parramatta whilst Lees went into the town. Lees overtook them on the coach and then deponent again asked him for the handkerchief which Lees denied all knowledge of then again, when deponent arrived in Sydney- he went in search of Richard Lees the following morning and found him at the bottom of Brickfield Hills- Deponent asked him for the letter & Lees said he had it at ?Lawes? And whilst they were on their way there, Lees took off his hat and produced the letter and gave it to deponent, prisoner stated that he had lost the handkerchief when dept returned he told Hamilton who acquainted Sir Joshua Jamison of the facts on deponents return he met a man named Salman at Snowden’s again he told him he would bring the handkerchief up from Lees when he came up to the Nepean or else give him the value for it.

Signed Joseph Lubb

Being sworn states that this morning the 7th of June Richard Lees called to him and asked if he knew Sir Joshua Mills Wright, deponent said he did, and Lees asked him to give the handkerchief now produce to him.

Signed Thomas Beaham

Joseph Lubb re examined being sworn states that when at Snowden’s he saw the silk handkerchief with the possessions of Lees, who said he would give it to deponent when he got on the road- before this deponent had asked for the handkerchief and the prisoner denied all knowledge of it, Lees and the man named Salmon who were with them at Snowdens at the morning of deponent producing his silk handkerchief went aside to converse before they left Snowden’s deponent was coming towards them to try and get the handkerchief when Lees said if you attempt to follow me I will strike you, when deponent arrived in Sydney as detailed in his first examination Lees told him in presence of a Man named Claxton that he could not give him his silk handkerchief as he had lost it together with another of his own when drunk the night before, deponent never saw the handkerchief again until Lees got it at the Police Offices on the morning of the examination.

Signed Joseph Lubb

Robert Claxton prisoner being sworn deposed that about the week before last the end of May or beginning of June that he was in company with a man named Lubb in Sydney who told deponent that he wanted to look for a man who had a letter and handkerchief of his as deposed and Lubb was coming down the Brickfields Hills they met with some man and Lubb asked him for his letters and handkerchief- the answer the person made was that he had lost or mislaid the handkerchief and that he could not give it to him deponent does not know the person of Lees being sick at the time but the person Lubb accosted was tall and resembled the prisoner in size.

Signed Robert Claxton

James Rew free being sworn deposed that he was at Snowden’s when a man came there with Richard Lees, they had supper and slept there in the morning when the same rose he said he had lost his silk handkerchief which was round his neck, he went to Snowden to complain of it. Snowden then asked Lees if he had taken it. Lees asked what, why this handkerchief said Snowden and said here it is, deponent learned nothing of the pass or letter being given to Lees to keep. The parties went away and deponent knows nothing farther but when Lees returned from Sydney he saw the handkerchief again in Lees possession who said he should give it to them afterwards.

Signed James Rew (his mark)

James Henry Salmon so worn deposed that he was at Snowden’s as above mentioned and confirmed the statements deposed hearing nothing of a pass or letter given to Lees to keep, he heard Lees say he had Jubbs handkerchief when Lees was in Sydney and that he would give it up, on his return to Penrith.

Signed Samuel Henry Salmons

State Archives NSW, Quarter Sessions, Windsor 1824-37. Lees, Richard No. 10 Item 4/8485 Jul 1831, Windsor- Not Guilty

The Trials of Richard Lees cont.

What might of been

Posted on by January 22, 2018
Reply

Alice watched as her husband disappeared into the mist ahead of her with her three young daughters. Her steps as she finally stopped and lay down on the cold damp ground.

 

The excitement as they stepped aboard the ship was palpable. Here they were, newly married and immigrating to Australia. Months of planning had gone into this trip. They were the early ones to go. Once they were in Australia Thomas and Alice were going to work hard to bring Alice’s parents and brother over to Australia to live with them. It was going to be difficult, but they were excited and looking forward to a new country and opportunities that they could not have in Sussex.

 

Thomas was a skilled shoemaker and Alice had worked as a house servant before they were married. They planned to use these skills to find work and earn money in Australia. Plus there were children, they planned to have a family. The Whiteman’s had been a close-knit family over the years and they wanted to continue with children of their own.

 

But the children had not come, or at least not at first. They had tried but no children had arrived. They had worked hard, hard enough to bring Alice’s parents and brother to Australia. They had sent the money and Alice’s parents and brother packed their bags ready to travel. Then had come the news, Alice’s mother Ann had fallen sick and the whole family were going to remain in Sussex. Alice was never going to see her mother again. Alice hadn’t known it of course, but by the time she had received the letter that they were not going to join her in Australia, her mother was already dead.

 

That had started the loneliness. No children and a home in the middle of nowhere. A remote place that was days away from anywhere with few to see and only the house to maintain. Over time others had come along, a community of sorts had started to grow up and then finally children, three little girls. But by then it was too late. The loneliness had seeped into Alice’s being.

 

So there was Thomas marching off into the mist. Alice lay down on the cold hard ground. She was never going to get up again.

1854 ‘LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.’, Bathurst Free Press and Mining Journal (NSW : 1851 – 1904), 6 May, p. 2

More Gransden Weddings

Posted on by January 22, 2018
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The Wedding and Pre-Wedding Party of Keith Gransden and Daphne Patricia Tierney

On the search for Shirley and Jefferey’s wedding I came across this lovely Gransden wedding description. This wedding is for Keith Gransden and Daphne Patricia Gransden nee Tierney. Keith Gransden confused me for a long time when I first researching the family tree. I had all of this information about a Keith Gransden but no one knew who he was. His name was Keith but the family have called him Mick for as long as they could remember.

Unfortunately, the photograph in the paper was not a very good one, and I do not have a better one of their wedding. Still, I have put the photo of Patricia Gransden nee Tierney, from the newspaper up. It is the only one that I have.

Pre-Wedding Party Recently

Local couple, Patricia Tierney and Keith Gransden, were married at Holy Trinity Church of England on Saturday.

Bridesmaides, Misses Joan Tierney and Elaine Pellick recently entertained the young couple at a kitched tea in the Memoiral Hall.

Tiny Lorna Kearney, flower girl at the wedding, presented the bride-to-be with an orchid spray when she arrived at the hall.

Chariman of the party was Mr. M. Connors.

The young couple received many attractive gifts.

Sate Library of New South Wales Keith Gransden and Patricia Tierney: marriage- Orange. Central Western Daily: Tuesday 13, October 1953, p. 5.

 

Blue and White Wedding

Mr and Mrs Keith Gransden honeymooned in Brisbane after their October wedding in Holy Trinity Church of England

Mrs. Gransden, formerly Patricia Tierney, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. P. C. Tierney, of Sampson Street, was attended by Misses Joan Tierney and Elaine Pollick.

Her French lace gown mounted over satin, was set off by the ice blue tinselled net frocks of the two bridesmaids.

Patricia’s tiered fingertip veil was held with a tiara of orange blossoms. Bridesmaids wore softly draped curvettes.

Little Lorna Kearney was flower girl.

Mr. Doug Gransden attended his brother, who is the son of Mr. and Mrs. R. S. Gransden of Prince Street. Mr Henson was groomsman.

Visitors from Gillgandra and Dubbo were among the guests entertained in the School of Arts after the church service.

Hostess Mrs Tierney chose a red and black tailored suit smartened with jet accessories.

Mrs Gransden’s floral gown was covered with a tailored beige lightweight coat. She added black accessories.

Patricia Gransden nee Tierney. 9th Oct 1953

Garth and Freda Gransden, wedding

Stan and Joan Ipsen, wedding

State Library of NSW. Keith Gransden and Patricia Tierney: marriage- Orange
Central Western Daily: Newspaper index record, Friday 23 October 1953, p.5

The Rise of the Davidson Family- Part 1

Posted on by October 11, 2019
1

Ancient Laws

In 1606 the Anent Coalyers and Salters Act was passed in the Scottish Parliament. This Act ensured that “colayers, coal-bearers and salters”[1] were in permanent bondage to their employer. This created a situation whereby people in these professions were effectively slaves. If they were absent from their employer or sought to work with another employer they could be punished as a thief. They had different conditions to other workers and became an underclass within Scotland.

In 1775 another Act was passed by the Scottish Parliament. This Act was written to redress the wrongs of the previous Act[2]. As a result, miners and their families were gradually released from servitude over a number of years.

This story is about the impact these laws had on the Davidson family over four generations.

Robert Davidson, the son of John Davidson and Mary Dalrymple was born on the 4th of September 1856[3]. He had quite a remarkable life that was full of many interesting events, but in this case, it is the life of his parents, grandparents and great-grandparents that are of interest, but finding that information starts with the search for Robert Davidson. The information about where Robert had been born was in a newspaper article about notable citizens of Port Macquarie, many years after his death giving a place to start the research into the Davidson family.

Using the details from the article about Robert Davidson it was possible to get a copy of Robert’s birth certificate. He had been born, on the fourth of September 1856 in Mauchline, Scotland. Exactly as the news article had said. His parents were John Davidson box manufacturer and Mary Davidson, maiden name Dalrymple[4].

Robert Davidson Birth Certificate. Scotlands People Statutory Register of Births 604/ 46

This birth certificate confirmed a number of details. Robert’s eldest daughter was Mary Calderwood Dalrymple Davidson and it was understood in the family that the Dalrymple name had come from Robert’s mother’s maiden name. So given the date, the name and the fact that the place all matched up with the information from the news article it was probable that this was the correct birth certificate for Robert Davidson.

Further research lead to the marriage of Robert Davidson and Mary Davidson nee Dalrymple in 1883. They had been married at 196 Bath Street in Glasgow on the thirty-first of August. Under the details of Robert’s parents were John Davidson, Fancy box manufacturer, deceased and Mary Davidson nee Dalrymple, also deceased. Mary’s parents were James Muir a commercial traveller and Mary Muir nee Calderwood[5]. This finally confirmed the Mary Calderwood Dalrymple full name. Interestingly this was the first indication that Robert had ended up in the Church, as his profession was noted as Rev Church Probationer.

Marriage of Robert Davidson and Jane Logan Muir. 1883. Scotlands People- Statutory registers Marriages 644/9 365

On researching the life of Robert Davidson it was time to go looking in the census records from before Robert arrived in Australia. In 1871 and 1881 Robert was living in Glasgow and studying Theology at the Free Church of Scotland. The College was established in 1856 in Thistle Street Glasgow[6]. Later the College was to become known as Trinity College, part of, but detached from, the University of Glasgow. The College and University later became re-integrated.

  • John Davidson    45 Snuff Box Manufacturer
  • Mary Davidson   42 Wife
  • William Davidson  20 Clerk in Box Manufactory
  • George Davidson 17  Box maker
  • Jane Davidson 15
  • David Davidson  12 Scholar
  • Alexander B Davidson  11 Scholar
  • Agnes Davidson  8 Scholar
  • John Davidson   6 Scholar
  • Robert Davidson  4 Scholar

Ancestry.com. 1861 Scotland Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.

All of this had some interesting elements to it. There was an early theme around fancy box manufacturers and around the town Mauchline. So further research was needed backwards looking at additional census details. From there it was possible to see that in 1861 Robert as a young baby was living with his parents and siblings. His father was at this stage a Snuff Box Manufacturer. His older brothers George and William were both working in the same industry. William as a Clerk in a “Box Manufacturey” and George as a box maker[7].

At this stage, a basic google search for Mauchline and Fancy Boxes lead to a local industry in box work and tartans. Resulting in finding out all about Mauchline ware and the origins of the souvenir industry. By then there was enough information to start to get a hold on this family and some of the events that had changed their lives.

Rise of the Davidson Family- Part 2

[1] (Records of Trinity College, college of theology, Glasgow, Scotland, n.d.)

[2] (1861 Scotland Census, 1861)

[3] (Marriage- Davidson, Robert and Muir, Jeanie- Logan, 1883)

[4] (Laws relating to Coalworkers in Scotland, 1609- Act)

[5] (Laws Relating to Coalworkers in Scotland, 1775 Act)

[6] (Robert Davidson, 1979)

[7] (Birth Certificate- Robert Davidson, 1856)

Golden Anniversary

Posted on by August 21, 2017
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Emma looked around the room. Here she was fifty years after she had married Frederick in 1879 and he was still here with her, standing by her side.

It had been a cold, sunny, winter’s day when she had walked down the aisle looking towards Frederick and her new life. Emma had walked arm in arm with her father, Edward Atkins. Her father had already given away more than one daughter and had seemed quite an old man to Emma. She had looked at him, fleetingly, as he clasped her arm. But in reality, her focus was almost entirely on the young man waiting for her down the other end of the church nave.

Two Brides Maids had preceded her down the aisle, their long dresses swaying gently as they walked, their skirts looped back into bustles, much like her own. The church was dark inside with the pews on either side a shadow of darker wood that helped to make all of Emma’s family and friends blur into the dimness of the interior. It didn’t matter much anyway, she had had eyes for no one except Frederick, in his stylish frock coat and waistcoat, as she walked closer towards him.

In a daze, she had responded to the ceremony, and then they had been out of the church and off to the reception in the beautiful coaches that had been built by Frederick, with their detailed gold filigree work on the doors. Looking back now the gathering had seemed to be one long round of congratulations, and she had time to consume very little food or drink. She had felt dizzy with the excitement of it all. She had wondered, at the time, what would it be like being Mrs Lockwood?

 

Fifty years later and now she was one of the older ones, the matriarch of a large family. Around her, dressed in their finest, were her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Instead of wearing white, for a wedding, she wore a black, gold satin with a gold and black embroidered coat with fur trimming.  Gone were the bustles of the 1870’s and the top hats and long coats that the men wore. When she had married her white dress symbolised virginity and purity, now her black and gold dress represented the fifty years that Frederick and Emma had spent together. Gold for their golden anniversary.

Many of the people who had been at her wedding were at her anniversary. Rachel Nobbs, who had been her bridesmaid was here, cutting the cake for her and Frederick, just as she had done fifty years ago, although of course she hadn’t been called Rachel Nobbs back then. She had been Rachel Small, a member of Ryde’s preeminent family. Many of Emma’s sisters and brothers were present, although not all of them had survived the last fifty years. Still, there were others to take their place, her children, grandchildren and even her great grandchildren. Not all of her family had made it either, but then, not everyone did.

The laughter rose, shaking Emma out of her reverie. There was a mock wedding playing out before her with the younger ones all recreating Frederick and Emma’s wedding at St Anne’s Church in Ryde. Their costumes looked funny in light of today’s fashions. Clothes today were slim and svelte, no longer the restrictive corsets of the 1870’s and 80’s. Instead just a simple girdle. Gone were the huge skirts with their layers and layers of petticoats and their bustle cage. A skirt was one or two layers at most with a single slip underneath it. It was an entirely different time, the War and time had created changes she could never have foreseen when she first married.

Funny how things come in full circle. Once they were married, they had moved all around New South Wales and Queensland, and now, here they were, back again, just down the road from where they were married.

Looking back Emma could be pleased with her life; she and Frederick had complemented each other. He had been in business; she had been in her own business. Many times they had helped each other out, but many times they had gone their different directions with their working lives and done their own thing. Not many women could say that in this day and age. Not many women had run their own businesses, but she had. Through the good times and the bad times, Frederick and Emma had stuck together. When one was falling the other picked them up, and together they had both moved forward. Now here they both were, back where they had started, but with fifty years and a lifetime of experience behind them.

 

1929 ‘GOLDEN WEDDING’, The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate (Parramatta, NSW : 1888 – 1950), 18 July, p. 6. , viewed 22 Jul 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article104714142

1929 ‘Personal’, The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate (Parramatta, NSW : 1888 – 1950), 1 August, p. 7. , viewed 22 Jul 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article104720454

1929 ‘GOLDEN WEDDING.’, The Southern Mail (Bowral, NSW : 1889 – 1954), 6 August, p. 3. , viewed 22 Jul 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article128543811

1937 ‘MR. F. N. LOCKWOOD’, The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate (Parramatta, NSW : 1888 – 1950), 29 July, p. 14. , viewed 22 Jul 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article106154749

 

Reflective Statement

I wanted to mirror the similarities, but also the differences between two lifetime events experienced through Emma’s eyes. That of her marriage and her Golden Wedding Anniversary. I also wanted to give a sense of a life lived between those two events, not just one event and then the other. I am not sure if I have succeeded in this or if my last paragraph, in particular, feels sort of stuck on and like it does not fit the rest of the narrative.

Feedback from my last piece was that I needed to fit the events more completely into a period and place. I hope that this piece has given a better feeling of both age and time and place than my previous piece did.

This piece made me reflect on the visual changes of the life of someone who had lived during the period that Emma and Frederick had lived. Until I started to write up the descriptions of these two events I had not associated the fashion of the 1870’s with that of the 1920’s. It was quite an eye opener to see one of my ancestors living through such a substantial fashion change. Which was, of course, only an outward manifestation of the many other changes that happened in society over that same length of time. I touched on those by mentioning the war but did not feel that a piece of this length would have the scope to examine this more carefully. Weddings are so often about what people wore, so I chose this to focus on, rather than the many other changes that the family would have experienced.

Victory!

Posted on by July 22, 2017
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Lilian and her daughter, Ivy, entered the ballroom. As they looked around they could see the flash and glitter of men and women dressed in their finest as they swayed to the music. The room was a buzz of activity and excitement. This ball was to celebrate the great strides that groups like theirs, The Women’s Social Committee, had made in establishing the rights of women. Tonight they would be celebrating women finally being able to receive an endowment if they had children and their marriage broke up, or if they were deserted.

In 1902 women had achieved the right to vote in New South Wales. Now, a quarter of a century later they finally had a way to make ends meet if their marriages broke up, or dissolved in any way, and they had children. Lilian put her shoulders back and stepped forward into this brave new world. No woman would be left in the situation that her mother had been left in. Looking after young children with hardly any income and a husband who could take anything she earned.

The music was loud, but not unbearably so. As the night wore on, a number of competition dances were held. Neither Lilian nor Ivy won any of the competitions but they both joined in enthusiastically. This was a celebration of how far they had come, but there was so much further that they needed to go for women to truly have equality in New South Wales. Now to focus on education. After all, there was nothing like the Rhodes scholarship for outstanding women!

 

1927 ‘FOR WOMEN. NATIONAL VICTORY BALL.’, The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 – 1954), 3 December, p. 12, viewed 18 February, 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16423707

I have focused on the side of the family that I have not researched as well for this unit. For this reason, I find this family much harder to write about as I know less of them. I also find it difficult to add in a sense of when to my writing. I find specifying when makes it much harder for me to get into a flow for a story. So this was a considerable challenge for me.

Get out!

Posted on by July 22, 2017
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“Get out, get out you bitch. Leave here and never come back you whore, you cowering, snivelling crazy old woman. How dare you come to this house?” George ranted on as he grabbed for Mary and swung out at her.

“If you come near me again I will shoot you!”

Mary shook as she looked imploringly up at her daughter, Lillian. Lillian was grabbing at her father pulling him back inside the house and trying to calm him down. At the same time she called out to Mary. “Don’t worry mum, I’ll come around to your place. Go home, I will be along as soon as I can get him to settle down. Just leave it for a day or two, please.”

Reluctantly Mary retraced her steps to the house she lived in. It was so rare for her to see her daughter these days. Her husband George had been living with Lillian and her husband for a while now and it meant that Mary was unable to see her or five year old Leonard, her Grandson.

For a while Mary collapsed in a chair thinking through what had just happened. What could she do, was there anything that could be done? All she wanted to was to spend some time with her daughter and her family. She wanted to see little Leonard as he grew up, not just these fleeting moments of time squeezed around times when her husband was no longer in the house, or when Lillian was able to get away.

This time, maybe this time, she should take the abuse to the police and see if there was any way she could get some help.

 

1903 ‘A TANTALISING TART.’, Truth (Sydney, NSW : 1894 – 1954), 1 March, p. 5. , viewed 14 Apr 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article167896707

 

The newspaper article around this particular incident was a triumph of misogyny. The story accused Mary of bringing the incident upon herself because she went to her daughter’s house when she knew that her husband didn’t like her to be around. I felt that I really wanted to show the emotion behind her decision to go to the house. I also wanted to explore the outcomes that her initial decision, to move away from her husband, had had on family members.

The Argument

Posted on by July 22, 2017
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Outside water glinted off the pool and the breeze wafted gently among the bright pink flowers. The air was scented with the smell of newly cut grass and Ray’s pigeons made their characteristic coo of contentment as they nested in the box over the shed. The day was beautiful and calm and she wanted to stay there all day to avoid what was happening inside.

Inside the rooms were dark. The study in particular painted with a bright red that accented the argument that was going on. The self-portrait of Ray hung on one of the walls with his eyes made out of the lenses of cameras hiding his thoughts in the painting just as much as they were hidden in real life.

There was arguing going on inside, an argument between Ray and his son Tony. They were always arguing. This time, like many others, it was about Tony’s mother. She had been sending Tony packages again. This time she had sent the package to Tony’s family, including his two young girls and refused to send anything to his young son as she believed that he wouldn’t live long so it wasn’t worth sending anything to him. Tony was after his father to intervene but he had left his wife many years ago and did not want to get involved.

Maybe she should stay outside for longer until it started to get cold. She didn’t want to get caught up in the argument inside.

 

This is a description of my grandfather, Ray’s, house. Outside always seemed so cheerful whereas inside was always cool and dark and was the setting for any emotional upheaval when we visited. It was very hard to focus on having some sort of a story while incorporating a place. However, this particular place is the one that is associated with family, more than any other, in my mind.