At the Hagley Uniting Church cemetery there is to be found a white marble headstone with black inlaid lettering, but due to age and exposure to the elements for almost a century, is covered by a black mould and is now difficult to read. But if the observer looks carefully it soon becomes apparent that the headstone and plot relates to the Huntington family, that of Charles and Mary and a number of their children, including a daughter Mary with a part of her inscription noting that she was the wife of A.T. French.
There is no other mention of Alexander Thomas French on the headstone even though he was also buried there, this possibly due to no space left on the headstone or no descendants to attend to the task.
It is about this man, Alexander Thomas French, that I wish to speak about tonight, a man whose life’s work centred around the building industry, including here at Whitemore.
Alex died on the 16 September, 1944 aged 78 years which was just over 12 years after that of his wife who died suddenly on the 23rd. July, 1932 at the age of 75 years. In the “Personal” notices in The Examiner newspaper at the time of his death a few details about him are given.
“Mr. Alexander Thomas French, a well known resident of Westbury, died on Saturday. For many years Mr. French was a carpenter and for a number of years he was secretary of the Rechabite Lodge at Westbury. He was a keen sportsman in both shooting and fishing.
In his earlier years he was associated with many athletic fixtures held at Westbury and was also one of the foundation members of the Westbury Sporting Club which has functioned very successfully in recent years. Mr. French did not have a family and his wife died at Westbury some years ago.
The funeral will take place this afternoon in the Methodist Cemetery at Hagley.”
Alex was born at Westbury on 24th November, 1865 the seventh child of an eventual family of 10 children born to William and Frances Louisa (nee Baker) French. William was also a carpenter and had moved to Westbury in the year before Alex’s birth. William in turn was the second son of Edward French who had arrived in Launceston as a convict in 1816 with Edward being the brother of Francis French who emigrated in 1831 and from whom there are many descendants still living here in the Whitemore district.
It is possible that William French, the father of Alex, may have been introduced to the occupation of carpenter via his brother in law, John Sprunt, who for a time was Launceston’s leading builder, erecting amongst other buildings, Macquarie House in Launceston’s now civic square, the main building at Launceston’s Paterson Barracks, the Scotch National Church which for a time housed the Telegraph Printery and is now the offices of solicitors, Archer Bushby, with his last building being the Red Feather Inn at Hadspen. Grace Sprunt, the wife of John Sprunt and sister of William French, is noted as the first licensee of the Red Feather.
Another brother to William, James French, also become associated with the building industry, founding a builders supply shop in Paterson Street, Launceston and for many years was known as French Bros. When it closed in the 1980’s it was the oldest continuously operating family business in Australia. In his notebooks Alex from time to time records getting various items from his French Bros cousins.
A number of note books of Alex’s carpentry activities have survived giving many details of his work from 1885 until the early 1920’s and which includes the building of a number of houses, stables, pig sties, fowl houses, dog kennels, erection of a building at the Westbury Showgrounds, maintenance work at a number of schools and churches in the region, also at various homes and farm buildings, as well as repairs to wagons and drays and the making and fitting of a new wooden roller on Ted Mackey’s binder around 1895. Several of the homes and stables that he built were here at Whitemore but before talking about these further, I would like to give a bit of a glimpse of Alex as a person and his interests.
Throughout these books he periodically jotted a few notes about life and living –
Here’s to the hinges of friendship,
May they never grow rusty.
Should he upbraid, I’ll answer with a smile.
Let me kiss off that falling tear.
It would appear that he saw out the 1917 year by himself and feeling quite alone penned the following words –
“End of Year 1917
And I alone sit lingering here.”
with this being followed by the words –
Like a woman’s love
the flower will fade,
But not half so soon.”
Poetry
Several poems are also recorded which he notes as being written on Sunday, 29th. June, 1888, in his room at the home of Mrs. Broadfield, Leven now known as Ulverstone.
When wind and storms are gone and past
Shall gentle calm succeed
I’m told to ease the troubled mind,
Sleep is the restive need:
With these few lines to you I send
You will a question find,
My question; please find it out.
Love is a torment without a doubt.
A second poem was as follows-
Why they go to Church
Some go to church just for a walk,
Some to stare and laugh and talk.
Some go there to meet a friend
Some their idle time to spend.
Some for general observation
Some to seek a friend or lover
Some a courtship to discover.
Some go there to use their eyes
And newest fashions criticize.
Some to show their own smart dress,
Some their neighbours to access,
Some to scan a robe or bonnet,
Some to price the trimmings on it.
Some to learn the latest news,
That friends at home they may amuse.
Some to gossip false and true
Safe hid within the sacred pew.
Some go there to please the Squire,
Some his daughter to admire.
Some the parson go to fawn,
Some to lounge and some to yawn.
Some to claim the parish doles,
Some for bread and some for coals.
Some because its thought genteel,
Some to vaunt their pious zeal.
Some to show how sweet they sing,
Some how loud their voices ring.
Some the preacher go to hear,
His style and voice to praise or jeer.
Some forgiveness to implore.
Some their sins to vanish o’er
Some to sit and daze and nod;
But few to kneel and worship God.
Home remedies
Several home remedies and practical hints are also to be found in A.T. French’s Notebook Please note: this information was transcribed from A.T. French’s notebook and the original source for the home remedies is unknown. This is not medical advice. Do not use the home remedies listed here as they are for historical interest purposes only.
Cure for piles
1 lb. of rice boiled so as to get 1 quart of water of it, strain, let cool, then add one ounce of Laudanum, well mix – internally take as a medicine, if externally use a syringe.
Dysentry
Vinegar – one tablespoon
Water – desert
Salt – teaspoon
Cure for distemper
6 grs Colomel
20 grs Tartan emetic
1 desert spoon of sulphur
mixed with butter or lard
20 equal parts
1 morning no water.
To re-cut files
Dissolve saleratus 4 oz. to water, 1 qt. sufficient to cover the files and boil for half an hour: then take out, wash and dry them: now stand them in a jar filled with rain water and sulphuric acid, 1 qt. of water to 4 ozs. of acid.
Application for the position of police constable and rabbit inspector
When Alex was in his late twenties and had been working as a carpenter for over 10 years, he decided to make an application for the position of police constable and rabbit inspector at Evandale. In support of his application he obtained a number of references, 13 in total, all of which he retained among his records, and all dated February, 1894 with those giving references being:-
– J. Holloway, Westbury
– H.A. Room, M.B., “The Willows”, Westbury
– F.B. Sharland, Incumbent of St. Andrew’s Church, Westbury
– R.W. Luis Fernandes, Westbury
– S. Phillips, JP, “Glenview”, Westbury
– E. Rodonis, Council Clerk, Council Chambers, Westbury
– Charles Best, JP, Westbury
– G. Priestly, JP, “Connaughtville”
– Miles Mahoney, Superintended of Police, Westbury
– Daniel Burke, Warden of Westbury
– C.W. Allen, “Leicester Ville”, Westbury
– James Hogan, R.C. Rector, Westbury
– Albin Hunt, Westbury
All the references convey a similar message, two of which are as follows:-
Daniel Burke – I have known Mr. Alexander French from his boyhood; he bears a good character, being sober, industrious, diligent, intelligent, highly respectable and in my opinion would perform the duties of Constable satisfactorily if placed in that position.
Albin Hunt – I have known Mr. Alex French from a boy, having lived next door to him for over twenty years, his character is very good, sober, steady, honest and truthful and a very respectable young man
With Alex continuing with his carpentry work it would seem that he was not successful in his application but with a further reference being obtained some three years later, (16 June 1897) from the new Superintended of Police at Westbury, it would appear that Alex still held hopes of gaining a Police Constable position. This reference reads –
To the Worshipful,
The Warden & Councillors,
Gentlemen.
This is to certify that I have known Mr. A. French for a number of years to be sober and very industrious young man. I can recommend him with confidence to fill the position of Constable now vacant in your district.
Yours Obediently,
Thomas Gillam
Supt. Police
Westbury
To understand his carpentry work, some background knowledge of what was happening in Tasmania and the Westbury region during his lifetime is helpful. Like today it was a time of change.
1. The former large grants were in the process of being broken down into smaller farms and
being sold off, which frequently was to the occupying tenant farmers. With these farmers often having large families and through hard work were becoming prosperous, they either needed to extend their homes or found it financially possible to build a larger and more comfortable home. Further, when their workman sons decided to marry, a second home became necessary, and with the economic conditions being sufficiently good, a second home on the property was often possible. Little wonder that we find Alex and other carpenters repairing and extending existing homes and building new ones.
2. In the late 1880’s schooling became compulsory in Tasmania with education being brought under the control of and being funded by the State Government. With a considerable increase in student numbers, the extension of existing schools and the building of new schools occurred throughout Tasmania including the Westbury area. Among Alex’s records, we find him submitting a tender for a school at Selbourne and extensions at Black Sugar Loaf, now known as Berrilee, with work also being undertaken at the Westbury and Hagley Schools.
3. Horse numbers also increased considerably throughout Tasmania and which included the Westbury region. In 1880, horse numbers for the State were 24,000 but in the 30 years to 1910 had reached 40,000 which meant that more stables had to be built to house the additional 16,000 horses as well as the ongoing maintenance of existing stables. Again we find Alex being frequently employed in this area of building.
4. As we have previously noted, it was a period of growing affluence for the people of the area enabling people to purchase the people movers of the day, buggies, jinkers and chaise carts and which enabled the people of the time to more easily and readily move their families as well as delivering and picking up household and the smaller produce items. These people movers needed to be protected from the elements and so we find Alex building a number of “cart” sheds.
5. The coming of the railway through the region also brought development, due to the reduction of time and effort in getting produce to market, which initially was to Launceston but with the completion of the Launceston/Hobart link also opened up much larger markets in the south of Tasmania. Alex at the age of six probably witnessed the opening of the Western Railway line in 1871, and during his working life frequently used the rail service when moving to jobs near where the rail passed and when getting materials for his building work.
6. Another factor that brought work was not only the growing affluence of the people but the growing pride and confidence that developed as the population became less subject to servitude and became more masters of their own destinies. They too wanted the living standards and the privileges of the squire and his family, and consequently many set about progressively improving their homes and properties to reflect this newly gained status. And so we find Alex pulling down old fences and erecting new and more stylish ones, putting in an additional chimney with more a fashionable mantlepiece, enlarging windows and putting in skylights, re-roofing the previous shingle roof with iron, adding a veranda and to cater for interest and hobbies, the building of loose boxes for horses and lofts for the pigeon fanciers. And through general wear and tear, there was always ongoing work fixing wagons and drays, pews and spouting and broken windows, as well as painting and papering and repairs to furniture.
7. Alex also notes either building or repairing a number of W.C.’s or toilets as we now more commonly know them, a most necessary place for every household although in yesteryear were located a small distance away from the house. When travelling in Europe a few years ago our tour guide related a story about a village W.C. It was a very important place to the towns folk with many going to visit there every day – they would sit for a while and then go home very pleased that they had been able to visit the W.C. Some were not so regular and would only attend every two or three days and they too would go and sit for a while and then go home quite content for their visit. But there were others who would only visit once a week and as they sat the expressions on their faces was truly wonderful to behold as they came again after a week away. Indeed the Wayside Chapel was very important to those people. No doubt the various households watched with keen interest as Alex repaired their W.C. and hoped the job would not take too long.
Work completed and estimates given
Mr. C.W. ALLEN (J.P., farmer of “Leicesterville”)
1897 – shingling @ 5/- per square – 10 days – made 6/6 per day
Mr. G. ARTHUR
1888 – re-roofing houses; repairs stable – £23-3-0
Mr. ARCHER (possibly Joseph of Quamby)
Submitted tender for £81-0-0 – 9 rooms
Mr. Adye BADCOCK
1902 – 15 March to 4 April
1906 – 15 Oct. to 3 Nov. – 31½ days
Mr. E. BADCOCK
1899 – 19 Dec. to 20 Jan. 1900 – £17-12-0. Notes indicate the building of two rooms and a porch – rooms 29 Feet long x 10 feet wide, 6ft. high at back – porch 8 ft. high, 5 ft. square.
1902 – 25 Feb. to 6 March
1904 – 5 Oct. to 12 Nov. – 20 days @ 6/-
1905 – 22 Nov. to 1 Dec. – 9 days
Mr. H. BADCOCK
1904 – 7½ days – £3-3-10
Mr. John BADCOCK
1886 – 21 Mar. to 26 Mar 5½ days
1886 – 8 Nov. to 13 Nov days
1902 – 8 Aug. to 14 Aug 6 days – gate head 5 x 2½
1903 – 19 Oct. 14 Nov 24 days @ 6/6 – £7-16-0
1906 – 22 July 6 hours
– 3 Sept. to 30 Sept.
– 5 Oct (finished house) 26½ days
Mr. BARNARD (possibly Charles)
1888 – 5 Oct.
Mr. BLAIR
1893 – two rooms 15 x 15 x 10 x 6, low window, shingle roof, two doors to be cut through, 1 window in middle room, two in kitchen, lead gutter …………. roof.
Mr. BOWDEN
1886 – 13 Dec. – putting in three panes of glass – £1–4–6
Mr. F.J. BRATTON
1903 – 6 March to 30 April – 17 days @ 8/- – £6-16-0
Mr. G. BRAY (either George Snr., a carrier, or George Jnr., a farmer)
1897 – 9 March 29 days @ 6/3 per day
plus veranda 6 days.
Mr. J. BRAEDON
1899 – cost of Mr. Joe Braedon’s studio – £5-0-0
1902 – 28 Oct. to 21 Nov.
1903 – 24 Mar. to 3 April
1903 – 6 May to Oct. 6
Mrs. BRITTLE
1886 – 17 June 1 day – £1–0–0
A. CAMPBELL
1900 – 19 Dec. to 22 Dec. 4 days – £1-8-6
CHURCH – CHURCH OF ENGLAND (ST. MARYS)
1897 – 13 Dec. to 19 Jan. 1898 – stable at Hagley manse – 17 days – had assistance for two days – extra door 7/6 – £3-12-6
1899 – 2 Mar. to 6 Mar. – 2 days – £3-8-6
1900 – 9th repair to spout on church 0-10-0
spikes and Ca. 1-0
repairs house 5-0
account rendered 4-0
1900 – 12 yards of plaster, 50 laths
1900 – 25 Sept. to 1 Oct. – size of windows 6ft.1 in. x 3ft 7 3/4ins
CHURCH – PRESBYTERIAN
1898
– 15 Sept. – fixing spouting on veranda at manse – 3/6
– March – repair vestry floor and fixing air bricks – £4-0-0
Costs – air bricks 3-0
– timber from Mr. Wright 1-0
– from Launceston 2-10-0
– cement 6
– labour
Measurements of
Church 41 feet long
18 feet rafter
Vestry 13 feet long
10 feet rafter
Porch 8 feet 6 in. long
7 feet rafter
Materials – pine flooring Tongue and Groove – 10 pieces 12 feet by 6 x 1 and 1/8 inches
– 6 lbs. cement
1899 – 24 April to 6 May 10 days – £1-10-0
Mary CLEARY
1895 – 10 June to 13 July – £3-15–0
CORBETT
1902 – 1 Dec. to 5 March 1903 – 82 days
Mr. THOMAS CREEDON
1902 – 1 Oct to 10 Oct – 5 days at dairy – made 6/- and dinner (not enough)
Dairy 7 6 x 10 feet, 7 feet studd, shingle roof all paling work
17 Oct. to 29 Oct. – veranda – 7 5 post 9-5
5-8
Materials and measurements:-
9 x 9 x 7 high, all palings, shingle roof
3 x 2 studds, 5 x 2 hip, ½ sash, one door to be cut through, 6 inch flooring,
spouting 1½ of 5, 1½ of 4½
DAVID CURTIS
1886 – 21 Sept. to 13 Oct.
Mr. W. DAVEY – (work at “Westella”)
1895 – 22 Jan(?) to 31 Jan(?)
Mr. DENT (Zachariah was a farmer and lived at the Oaks)
1904 – 15 Aug. to 1 Oct. 30 days
1904 – 7 Dec. to 6 April, 1905 105 days.
Mantles 4 x 7 inch and 1 x 10 inch – Extras – 1 foot B foundation @ 4/6, oven door
Mr. A. DENT
1908 – 28 Jan. – 29 Jan. – 2 days – Material £1 -1-0
2 days 12-0
£1-13-0
Mr. FRED DRAKE
1900 – 3 July to 28 July and 28 Aug. to 15 Sept. – 28½ days – £9-19-6
1905 – 15 June to 1 July – 9.75 days @ 4/- – £1-19-0
– 3 July to 15 July – 8 days @ 4/- – £1-12-0
– 17 July to 29 July – 7 days @ 4/- – £1- 8-0
Materials for Mrs. Drake:-
July 7 – G. Newton, 2 lds of loom 5-0
6 – J.J. Jordan, 3 bags lime 9-0
6 – J.J. Jordan, 1 6×2 10 feet 1-0
6 – J.J. Jordan, 4 lbs. nails 0-10
6 – Mr. Drew, arsenic 0-6
12 – 1 load of sand 2-6
19 – 200 palings (Mr. Woolnough) 1- 0-0
Aug 28 – Shingles 1-19-0
28 – Freight on same 6-7
28 – J.J. Jordan – 10 lbs. nails 2-1
– Glass 4-4
– Carrier 5-6
– Spikes and ferrules 1-6
– Solder 1-0
– G. Newton 12-0
Sept. 3 – Nails 9
6 – 13 panes of glass 4-6
6 – W. Gillham 5-6
10 – Red ochre 6
10 – Scrim from Mehgans 2-6
14 – 14 spikes and ferrules 1-6
Mr. E. Best – brickwork 2-12-6
Solder 1-0
£9- 5-7
Mr. H.G.J. DREW (Chemist and dentist)
1893 – 12 June to 24 June – 63 hours @ 1/- per hour – £3–3–0
Mr. W. EASTOE (Butcher and blacksmith)
1899 – Contract £3-12-6 – 2,500 shingles – 18s.-0d.
M. FARMILLO
1893 – 6 Oct. to 21 Oct. – 47 hours – £2–7–0
R.C. FIELD
1906 – 18 Sept. to 28 Sept – 6.75 days – £4-19-0
S. FITCH
1900 – repairs to table, 3/-
Mr. FOY
1886 – two butter boxes – 4/-
G. FROST
1890 – Work to be done – stable and closet
J. GALVIN
1893 – Oct. 5
Extras – altering counter 2-6
2 shutters, back window 2-0
papering end of shop 3-0
Mr. H. GIBSON
1906 – 5 Nov. to 9 Nov. – £1-16-6
Mr. E. GILES
1895-1896 – two rooms 12 x 14
10 x 12
kitchen 14 x 10
veranda 4 feet wide
All to be weather board lined and painted, two chimneys, stone foundation
T & G hardwood flooring
7 days
Mrs. GILES
1898 – 12 April to 5 July – 11 weeks and 4 days @ 25/- per week
W. GILLAM
1892 – 3 square shingling @ 5/- – 15/-
Mr. GRIFFIN (Possibly John, a farmer)
1890 – Shutters, new and repairs
1905 – 14 April to 6 May – 25.25 days (pulling down chimney, 1 day)
W. GRILLS
1892 – 28 April to 6 May – 5.75 days
W. HAGGERTY
1894 – 15 Jan. – 1 gate 9–6
4 gates @ 8/6 1-14–0
£2—3–6
A.HARMON
1898 – Amount of Contract 24- -0–0
Extra painting 10–0
14–0
Repairing old house 5–0–0
£30–4–0
Extra work £10–5–0
C.H. HARRIS (Storekeeper)
1897 – 6 hurdles @ 2/- 12s.0d.
Mr. HART (Wm Hart owned a farm in the Westbury region but was operated by son, Arthur)
1890 – 21 April finished first place – £60-13-3
24 April to 13 June – 18 days – No. 2 place for Mr. Rowe with T&G flooring, chimney, all paling work. Mr. Hart to supply roofing, £27–5–3, without chimney £25–5–3
Mr. HEAZLEWOOD
1899 – 4 Sept. to 23 Sept. – 5/- per day – £4–0–0
– 3 Oct. 1899 to 9 Dec. £17–5–0
Measurements noted – 32 x 16 wide
studds 10 feet
10 feet iron
size of front room 12 x 12
passage 13 feet x 3 feet 6 ins.
2 dozen dresser hooks
Mr. R.G.HEAZLEWOOD (Delmore)
Size of house 40 x 30, 18 feet rafter, 10 x 9 feet iron
Mr. A. HINGSTON
1888 – 4 Oct – Gate 7/6
Mr. W. HINGSTON
1888 – 17 Jan. to 28 Jan. – 9 days
1888 – Sept. – 1 day – 7/-
Mr. HORSHAM
1888 – 25 June to 21 July – 96 hours @ 1/- per hour – £4-16–0
Mr. HUNT (possibly Albin, Main Road, Westbury)
1889 – 4 March to 23 March – 23 weeks plus 1 week £56-15–0 less £10-10–0
1893 – 22 to 26 Dec. – 1½ days @ 7/- per day – 10/6
1894 – 13 March – Veranda
1895 – 13 May to 8 June – labour 2–0–0
5–3
box 1–0
£2–6–3
1895 – 9 July to 3 August – £2–7–0
1900 – 12 Feb. to 17 March – 16½ days @ 7/6 – £6–3–0
– 2 April (one day) 7–6
H. JONES (possibly Harry, Silwood)
1886 – 7 days
1897 – 4 Feb. – Finished – Wages £7-10–0
Mr. JAMES KIRKCALDY (farmer, Hagley)
1900 – Quote for chaff house, cart shed and barn
– Chaff house and cart shed
25 feet over all – all W.B.
4 x 2 studds, all iron roof, 10 feet iron
– Barn 25 feet x 15 wide
8 feet high, double plate
10 feet rafters
Price – cart shed and chaff house
– W.B. not dressed – £6-10–0
if dressed – £7–0–0
– cost of material – £18–5–6
– cost of all – £24–5–6
– Barn – labour – £8–5–0
everything – £30–0–0
if dressed W.B. – £9–5–0
1900 – 11 April to 24 April – 11 days – £2–8–0 (contract)
– 25 April to 9 May – 12 days @ chaff house – 15 x 15 (square)
– 14 May to 26 May – 7 days at foundation
– 28 May to 9 June – 10 days. 38 days in total
– 13 Nov. to 17 Nov. – 3½ days – £1–1–0
– 7 Dec. – 387 palings – farm 10s. and 3d.
1906 – 12 Nov. to 16 Nov. – 3,75 days @ 8/-
– 18 Nov. to 19 Nov. – 2 days
– 22 Nov – Dec – 34½ hours
M. LADE
1892(?) – Two rooms for Mr. Lade 24 x 12 all paling, 10 feet studds, shingle roof
1894 – 16 July, started work at Lades – to 4 Oct. – 34½ days
Mr. LANG – Selbourne (probably William Laing, farmer and postmaster)
1895 or 1896 – 22 Sept. to 30 Oct.
Mr. LAWRENCE
1897 – 4 May – started work
1898 – Table 16/-
Mr. LEONARD
1898 – Dimensions and Materials
Length – 30 feet x 8 x 8
Width – 16 feet
Skillion – 10 feet studds, 20 studds 4 x 2, 2 plates 15 feet 4 x 2
– Lower place – new skillion 30 feet long x 12 feet wide 7 feet high at back
Repair old house and join two rooms on with new veranda
1899 – Started work at Mr. Leonard’s for G. Arthur Esq
– 11 April to 20 April – 8 days
– 5 June to 13 June – 2 pairs of sashes, 10 x 12 glass
Mr. JAMES LEONARD
1902 – 10 March to 12 March – 3 days – £0-19–6
(train) – 2–0
£1–1–6
– 16 June to 1 Aug. – 36½ days @ 6/- £15-13-10
Mantle for Mr. James Leonard – two trusses, 7½ jaumes, 9 inch freize, 9 inch shelf
Mr. E. LLOYD
1887 – 21 Oct. – £4-18–6
1888 – 29 Jan.
1888 – 27 Sept. to 2 Oct. – 32 hours @ 1/- per hour £1-12–0
J. LOONE
1892 – Quote for cottage £35–9–9
SAM LOVETT
1886 – 24 Sept. to 4 Oct. – £1–2–6
Received from S. Lovett on account of labour
10 April – 6 lbs. of sugar, 4d. per pound 2–0
1 lb. tea 1–9
bottle of pickles 11
4–8
12 April – 2 bars of soap 1–7
6 nobs of blue 6
3 washing powder 4½
17 April – 1½ black pudding & sau 1–9
4–2
19 April – 6 lbs. sugar, 4d. per pound 2–0
1 bottle of pickles 11
24 April – 6 lbs. sugar 2–0
1 bottle, pickles 11
4 lbs. pork chops 2–0
7-10
1 May – 6 lbs. sugar 2–0
2 lbs. sausages 1–0
1 bottle pickles 11
1 lb. tea 1–9
5–8
1892 – Quote – cottage – £35–9–9
Mr. James McFARLANE
1904 – 23 March to 23 July – 77 days
Costing
1 W.C. £2–0–0
4 Window rollers 4–8
entrance gate 1–5–0
picket fence, 1/- per foot 1-11–0
12 lbs. of nails 2–6
getting stone 5–0
4 lbs. nails 0-10
24 lbs. paint 11–8
1 piece of timber 2–4
brush 2–0
table 5–9
£6-10–9
1904 – 29 March to 2 April – E. Best at McFarlane’s
Double chimney £2-10–0
Single chimney 1–5–0
Stone work 3–9
6 sheets of iron, 9 feet
Mr. MARTIN McGEE
1899 (Approx.) – Quote
Hut 10 x 12, 9 feet studds
Skillion – 9 feet wide
7 feet studds
W.B. outside, ½ T&G lining, iron roof spouting,
hut to be floored and half skillion
M. McGEE & UNKNOWN
1899 (Approx.)
Two rooms 28 feet x 14 wide
10 feet studds, lined with ½ T&G pine, 4½ x 1 flooring
W.B. outside, iron roof – two valleys, spouting affixed
10 x 14 sashes, two doors, lidge doors – double chimney
Cost of all £24-15–6
Barn – labour £8–5–0
– everything £30–0–0
Mr. Mc KALE
1894 – 12 Dec. to 10 Jan. 1895 – 12 days – £5–0–0
J. McKAY
1894 – 25 Jan. to 27 Jan. – 3 days
TED MACKEY
1895 (approx.) – roller for binder 1/-
1899 – 19 June to 29 July – 23½ days @ 6/- – £7–1–0
– 3 gates 1-10–0
– 8 lbs. nails 2–0
£8-13–0
1900 – Repair shed – 2 days – 15/-
A. MALAY
1902 – 19 Sept. to 1 Oct.
J. MANTACH
1895 – 21 Mar to 10 April – £1-12–0
J. MEHGAN at KILLALEAS
1886 – 13 April to 5 June – 40 days – stable – £32–0–0
Mr. MURFET (probably Horace, a farmer at Hagley)
1902 – W.C. – 5 days
– repairs to barn – 5 days – £1-10–0
1904-1905 Work book
– veranda at Mr. Murfet’s and repair old spout – £4–9–9
Mr. MURRAY
1900 – 21 May to 29 May – 2 days – 2/-
1902 – 27 May to 12 June – 7 days – £2–5–6
Mr. V. NEWTON
1899 (approx.) – well cover 12s.6d.
Miss NOAKE
1898 – 25 July to 9 Sept. (during July, 12-20, went away to Sheffield for a week)
1898 – 12 Dec. to 27 Dec. – 8 gates – 8½ @ 5/- – £2–2–6
1–0–0
£3–2–6
1899 – 27 March to 8 April – 8½ days, included a bridge and glass
1901 – 22 Feb. to 1 March – 5 days – £16-17–6
1902 – 9, 10 & 11 Jan.
1902 – 17 & 18 Feb. – repairs to barn
– Extra work done for Miss Noake
2 gutters in stable 2–6
paling end 1–6
work in house 1–0
brackets & tap 3–0
29 Sept. – ½ day 3–0
17 Sept. – ½ day 3–0
5 Oct. – dog kennel 3–0
Advertising 6–0
Two squares glass & glazing 1–3
5 to 7 Aug. – 2 days 12–0
Date uncertain – 9½ days at bridge £2–7–0
and jabbing
5 squares of glass 1–8
glazing same 2–0
fixing wire over windows 1–6
repair chairs, bead over door 6–6
£2-19–6
D. O’BYRNE
1905 – 7 & 8 April – 1.75 days – labour £2–9–0
– timber & nails 14–6
1908 – 24 Feb. to 29 Feb. – Contract £4–7–6, made 8/9 per day – paint 74 lbs.
Costing – 56 lbs. w. (paint) 17–0
– 3 galls. oil 12–0
– 2 lbs. sunna 2–0
– 18 lbs. mixed paint 11–0
£2–2–0
– Indian red 2–6
– Owing on stable 1–9
– Paint for doors 4–1
– Roofing kitchen – 1½ days £1–0–0
Mr. W. O’NEILL
1899 – 29 Aug. to 31 Aug. – 2½ days – 12/- per day
– 16 Nov. to 6 Dec. – 39 hours – £6–1–9
Miss PARRY
1902 – 27 Jan. to 8 Feb. – 10 days – 18/-
1902 – 19 & 20 Feb. – 1½ days
Materials and measurements noted:-
skillion 30 x 10
ridge 17 feet
back of hips, roof good, sheets – 8 feet for front and hips
16 sheets for hips, 18 sheets for ridge
16 sheets- 6 feet, 18 sheets – 5 feet
Mr. PATERSON
1900 – 19 Nov. to 28 Nov. – 4.75 days – £1-10–0
30 battens, gate 2 feet 6 ins wide, 3 feet 10 ins. high, 7 in. to bottom rail
G. PATTISON
1899 – 7 Aug. to 16 Aug. – 8 days – £2–0–0
Mr. PETERSON
1902 – 20 & 21 May
PIERCE
– 18 Sept. to 29 Sept. – £2–18–0
PUBLIC LIBRARY
1886 – 21 Dec. – supplying and fixing windows, wrack, also hook to fasten ………… in
Mr. P. QUIGLEY
1893 – 3 May to 19 June
Cost of place – 625 palings £3–8–6
timber 2-16–3
stone 10–0
nails 10–0
ridging 12–0
door, hinges,lasp,staple 1–5–1
9–1-10
labour 4-12–6
Cost of everything £13-14–4
REEDY
Materials for Reedy’s door
lock 2–3
hinges 1–2
nails 3
timber 6–6
10–2
G. RICHMOND
1905 – 20 Mar. to April 6 – 16½ days – £4-19–2
C. ROBINSON
1891 – 23 Feb. – dairy – £1–5–0
Mr. ROOM (the 1900 Westbury electoral roll records an Henry Abercrombie Roome of Europe owing a house and land known as “The Willows”)
1907 – commenced stable 9 Dec. – 13.25 days
1908 – 18 Jan to 25 Jan. – 29 days on contract, also on 10 Dec. dressed W.B.
1908 – Mr. Room’s cottage
30 March to 11 April – 88 hours
Materials – glass 3 ft. x 8.75 ins 8 and 7/8 ins
– corners 17 and 7/8 ins x 8 and 7/8 ins
– fan light 9 and ¾ ins x 17 and 7/8 ins
1908 – 13 April to 2 May – 80 hours
– Mantles – sizes of fire place 2 Nos 200
3 – 36 x 30 inches 2 200
1 – 43 x 37 inches 1 – kitchen
– Sand for plaster – 3 yards to 100 yards
1908 – 4,5,6 & 18 May to 10 Oct. – 76 days to date
1908 – 12 Oct. to 26 Oct. – 59 hours or 7 days – Total days 83
Mr. ROWE
Quote
– 2 rooms 28 feet 1½ ins long x 9 feet wide, T&G floors, all paling
work £27–5–3 with chimney
£25–5–3 without chimney
Miss M. SCHEADLE
1895-1896 Work Book
– Cost of materials
palings, 450 £1-18–0
nails 1–8
ridging 9–0
cartage 3–6
labour 2–0–0
Total £4-12–2
bricks 6–6
freight and cartage 3–7
loom 5–0
labour 7–6
Cost of fence, including clearing of present fence £6–0–0 with two coats of paint –
without paint £4–8–0. Including gate £8–0–0
1898 – 21 Jan. to 29 Jan. – Wages £2–0–0 to clear. Amount of contract £4-12–0
1902 – 1 day 7/-, freight 3/-
SCHOOL – BLACK SUGAR LOAF (Now Birralee)
1890 – Tender for school – £321–9–2
Notes that appear to relate to the tender –
foundation 12–9
excavating 1–8¼
batten fence 11½
gate 10–7
paling fence 5–7
gate 22–6
post/rail 5-11
gate 22–6
£4-12–5¾
Insurance – £241-13-10½
1893 – 17 May to 22 May
SCHOOL – HAGLEY
1895-1896 Work Book –
Quote – price for Hagley school without the iron rods £5-17–6
2 rods 25 feet long, three quarter inch iron
SCHOOL – SELBOURNE
1895-1896 Work Book
Quote – details include dimensions, materials and price – £19-12–6
Two rooms 25 x 12, 9 feet rafter
Two rooms 21 x 17, 10 foot rafter
Porch 5 x 9, 6 foot rafter
Window – 4 – 6 feet x 2 ft. 9 ins – 12 light
2 trees to come down
6 new posts, small gate
New back in school chimney
Selbourne school room – iron two (?) 6 feet lengths, porch 6 feet long, two(?) lengths
10 lengths 16 inch capping
residence, 10 feet sheet
2 sheets plane iron, 3 feet
17 – 10 feet curved at end
28 – 6 feet curved at end
1 pain 10 x 12 sashes
30 palings
Length of residence, 26 feet – school room 27 feet
Cost of Material for Selbourne School
timber and iron £12-10–0
cartage & bricks 1-13–0
lime 1–6
paint & gable 2–0
suckers 1–0
lines 1–0
wages 1-10–0
rails & posts 2–0
30 palings 2–6
board & lodgings 1-10–0
£18–3–0
9–0
£17-14–0
Included among jottings are the following figures
£24-12–0
17-14–0 (-)
£ 6-18–0
16 days £6-18–0 – 9/3 per day clear
1897 – 27 May – 28 days – Mr. Thwaites 6 days
SCHOOL – STANLEY
1888 – 14 Sept. – Sent tender away for repairs to Stanley State School, Circular Head (with deposit of £2–0–0)
SCHOOL – WESTBURY PUBLIC
1886 – 9 Oct. – Tender – £17–0–0
G. SCOTT
1897 Work Book – wagon bed 2/6
ROBERT SCOTT
– 200 shingles 6s. 6d. – £1–1–1½
SHOW GROUND – WESTBURY
1890 – 23 Saturday to 26 – 21 hours
1895-1896 Work Book
– Cost of room for Westbury show yards £12–6–0. 10 8ft. studds.
1897 Work Book
– Show yards
12 lbs. nails 3–0
72 hurdles 18–0
1 gate 8–6
work in yard 23–0
back gate 7–6
£3–0–0
Mr. A. SKIRVING (the 1900 Post Office Directory lists a Mr. Andrew Skirving at Bracknell)
1899 – 5 Jan. to 18 Feb.
M.T. SQUIRES
1893 – 1 Sept. to 30 Oct. – £5-10–0
– 29 June, unloading timber 2s. 6d.
J. STANCOMBE
1902 – 27 Aug. to 30 Sept
M. STANCOMBE
1903 – 23 April to 29 April – £1-14–0
G. STEWART
1890 – Went to work
Mr. SULLIVAN
1895-1896 Work Book
– veranda 56 feet long
10 feet wide
10 feet posts
Mrs. TAYLOR
1890(?) – 30 April to 17 May – 95 hours – £4-18–0
W. TIGHE
1886 – 48 feet of 4 inch of g. spouting, including two angles, 12 spikes and ferrules
1887 – roller £2–0–0
1889 – January – agreed to erect a house for Mr. W. Tighe for £52–0–0
1889 – 27 March – went to work for Mr. Tighe
Money drawn off William Tighe
– 18 April 5–0–0
bag of potatoes 5–0
Mon. 17th. W.C. 1–0–0
Sat. 22nd. June 3–0–0
Sat. 6th. July – T. Horsham 6–2–0
Frid. 12 July-board- T. Horsham 1-13–0
Frid. 9 Aug. by chq. 2–0–0
Sat. 17 Aug. Chq. 5–0–0
23-19–0 £56-15–0
10–0–0 33-19–0
£33-19–0 £22-16–0
THOMAS & WAUGH
1900 – 22 Oct. to 3 Nov. – 93 hours
Wages £4-13–0
Expenses 2–6
£4-15–6
F. TILLAM
1891 – 13 Jan. to 7 Feb. – £13–5–6
USHERS (1900 Westbury P.O. Directory notes James a farmer and Robert a wood cutter)
1891 – 16 April to 3 June – Amount of contract – £15–0–0
stone 3–0
W.B. 2–6
train 9–0
£15-14–6 Made 9/- a day
1893 – worked 3¾ days
E. VINEY (1900 P.O. Directory for Selbourne notes an Ernest as farmer)
1899 – 22 May to 1 June – made 15/- per day clear
Miss or Mrs. VINEY (Hagley)
1899 – Measurements of house for iron
length of front rooms 34 feet
do. do. rafters 9 feet
width of front rooms
width of skillion 7 6 feet iron
back of front room 9 feet
G. VINEY
1903 – Dec. 29 to 27 Feb. 1904 – Wages £14–3–0
300 bricks @ 5/4
32 lbs of nails 2½ – £11–6–0
Ceiling boards – length 12 feet, width 11 feet – home
Mr. T. VINEY (1900 Selbourne P.O. Directory lists a Thomas, occupation farmer)
1898 – 14 Feb to 11 April – 46 days @ 4/6 per day and keep
Mr. W. vonBIBRA
1898 – 19 Sept. to 22 Oct
Materials –
4 pairs of sashes 10 x 12
glass door 3 5 x 5ft 6 ins
2 sheets plain iron – 3 feet
6(?) hundred 2/6 shingles
1 square glass 10 x 14
7 T&G pine boards 6 X 7/8
1 T&G pine board, 6 feet
1 pair 18 ins. T hinges
1900 – Tues 13 to Sat. 17 – 4½ days £1–7–6
1901 – 25 Sept. to 9 Nov. – 10½ days
@ 6/- – £3–3–0
3 sheets of iron 11–3
1½ lbs. of solder 1d. 1–6
spirits of salts 0–4
£3-16–1
N. WALKER
1908 – 2 Mar. to 28 March – 14 Days
1908 – 30 Aug.
S. WALLACE
1890 – 10 Oct. to 8 Nov. – 182 hours – made 10/3 per day
Pastor WHITE
1895 – 5 Aug. to 17 Aug. – made 10/- per day clear
Mr. T. WOOLNOUGH
1885 – 16 April to 11 May – £4-10–3
1894 – 28 May to 8 July – 9 June 1894, received a cheque £2–0–0
1895-1896 Work Book – 12 gates £5–2–0
1900 – 22 March 6 April – 11 days
16 May to 19 May – 2 days
8 Oct. to 20 Oct – 10 days to A.T.F, 6 days to E.G.C.
10 Dec. to 15 Dec.
1901 – 16 Jan. to 20 Feb. – by cheque £10–0–0, my share £5-10–0
7 March – ½ day E.G.C.
It would appear there were mostly two people working on the project and notes Peter Joseph for E.G.C. on Wednesday 30 January
– 12 March to 26 April £50–0–0
18–5–0 (-)
£31-15–0
– fence 63 feet 6 ins. long
Mr(s). W. WRIGHT
1899 – 19 May – work done – £1–0–0
Materials for Mr. Wright
paint 4–0
oil 1–0
brushes 7–0
brads…..screws 4–0
white lead 3–0
timber(?) 1–6
£1–0–6
1899 – 21 Nov. – 4 hours; 26 Nov. 8 hours; ceiling 3 hours – Total 15 hours @ 1/- or 15/- paid
1899 – Dec. 12, 12 hours: Dec. 13, 6 hours: Dec. 14, 4 hours: Dec. 24, 4 hours. – £2-18–6
1901 – 4 & 5 March – 2 days
1902 – 15 Jan. to 21 Jan
1903 – 29 July -15 palings
8 Aug. 10/14 4 x 2
1904 – 6 Jan. 4/16 3 x 1½
Mr. R. YOUNG
1899 – 7 March to 25 March – 14 Days £4–0–0
Notes for a talk to the Whitemore History Society by Ivan Badcock – 2005