William Badcock (1 August 1841 – 18 May 1911) and Susan Badcock (nee Scrivener) (22 July 1843 – 18 October 1922) were my great-grandparents.
William and Susan, after marriage in 1864, lived all their lives in the Glenore, Tasmania district, first going to the property “Mayfield” on the now known Hagley Station Road but soon moving south on that road to a 260-acre property, “Pleasant Hills”. At Glenore 12 children were born to the family with nine reaching adulthood.
Early Life – William
William was born at Dunbell, later known as Como, Bishopsbourne, the sixth child, and third son of John and Ann (nee French) Badcock.
In the mid-1840s, the family moved to Longford where John established a flour mill at Newry but by 1850 had again moved, going to “Clover Hill” farm at Glenore. Some stories relating to Longford have been handed down, on one occasion John and Samuel, brothers of Willy, arrived home without Willy (William) and when asked “where is Willy” responded saying “he is in the post hole”. In fact, he was but needed help to get out. Another often related story said the boys would at times swim the pigs across the river.
Early Life – Susan
Susan was born at Perth, Tasmania on 22 July 1843, the third daughter and child of James Simon (known as Simon) Scrivener and Mary Ann (nee Bishop). However, Simon did not live long, dying on 18 November 1845 aged 29 years, with cause being dropsy. Susan was 2 years and 4 months old. The family was left in very poor financial circumstances and stories relate that the Houghton family gave assistance, including providing financial assistance for Susan’s education. She would later put her skills to work as a Governess.
Other activities at Perth included attending Sunday School under the direction of Miss Charlotte Youl (1823-1905), who was long remembered with affection.
At times Susan would attend stock sales, with the Houghton family who were auctioneers, to keep sales records. Sales were held in yards on the corner of the Oaks and Whitemore Roads. Susan also came to further know the area after gaining a position as a governess for the William and Rebecca Hingston family who had a farm property at Whitemore. With this property being close to John Badcock’s “Clover Hill” property and William being a nephew to Rebecca Hingston, William’s mother being a sister to Rebecca, opportunity existed to enable William and Susan to meet and get to know each other. Eventually they were married at the Hingston home on 14 May 1864.
A wedding gift was a family Bible in which Births, Marriages and Deaths were later recorded. It is of massive size, weighing 6.9Kg and is described as a “Superior Edition” and illustrated with more than eight hundred highly finished engravings. It cost £4-10-0.
Farming
The Badcock families, for generations, worked as mixed farmers, particularly undertaking cropping, rearing pigs, cattle and sheep, with horses also being run, and bred. They also dabbled in raising poultry.
William kept a daily diary, briefly recording activities, with a particular emphasis relating to farming work, with some family and church notes. With a school adjoining the farm they kept regular contact with the teacher, supplying meat and other necessities. The teacher’s income for decades was provided by rent coming from the “Pleasant Hills” property.
Several interesting diary notes appear:
- 28 January 1892: William recorded “earthquake shock” at 2.55am. Newspapers gave much coverage to the event, which was noted as being very strong, and was felt throughout Tasmania and Victoria. The shaking lasted about a minute, followed by a second quake about 15 minutes later.
- 1 August 1893: “three horses killed under straw, Prince, Boxer and Jack”, the result of a stack collapsing on them.
- “Grandfather called” – this was noted on occasions. Grandfather would be John Badcock, William’s father. My grandfather, Melvyn, would sometimes recall a visit. John arrived at “Pleasant Hills’ riding a big white horse and had a slate hanging from around his neck, this to enable communication due to John’s deafness. On arrival the boys were thatching a haystack and John considered they were showing too much peg. He climbed onto the stack and demonstrated how it should be done.
William’s five older siblings took up land at Glenore in close proximity to “Clover Hill”.
- Mary who married John French and farmed on the Corraville property.
- Anne who married William Francis Blake French, brothers marrying sisters. They farmed over the road from “Corraville”
- Elizabeth who married John Robert Scott with their farm being near the Whitemore township.
- John Badcock Jnr. who married Alice Isabella Scott. He operated the “Willow Vale” property, opposite “Clover Hill”. Alice was a sister to John Robert Scott.
- Samuel French Badcock married Mary Jane Heazlewood. They moved from their Glenore farm around 1876 going to the “Tasman Lodge” farm at Hagley.
All the above had farming and church contacts with William and Susan.
William commenced farming under the guidance of his father, John, but on marriage moved to his own operation. Family stories report that in the first-year life was tough, boxes serving as chairs and tables, with only one horse and a single furrow plough for farming. Carrots formed much of their diet, they having a good crop. John had provided assistance to the older siblings, but due to bankruptcy could not help William.
Periodic trips to Launceston, Tasmania are remembered and recorded going to buy supplies and attend business. Melvyn, a son of William and Susan, my grandfather, would tell that his father William would at times walk to Launceston and return the same day, a distance of over 30 miles. At later times the family would travel by horse and buggy or take the train, this becoming available from 1872.
As families became prosperous many moved to purchase buggies and/or jinkers to help with family travel. They also become a source for pranks. At the end of an evening’s meeting people would go out to leave only to find that their horse was hitched to the buggy but with a fence in between. Another prank was the whitewashing of horses making it necessary to walk home leading the horse so as to avoid spoiling their clothes, with a cleanup job next day.
The Family
- Charles William Badcock 15 Feb 1865 – 10 Jun 1865
- Ernest John Badcock 29 Jul 1866 – 31 Jan 1946
- Florence Ann Badcock 23 Sep 1868 – 6 Aug 1870
- Gertrude Ellen Badcock 6 Sep 1870 – 22 Feb 1878
- Ethel Jane Badcock 5 Sep 1872 – 30 May 1936
- Silas William Badcock 26 May 1874 – 15 Dec 1963
- Arthur Samuel Badcock 12 May 1878 – 28 May 1950
- Melvyn George Badcock 18 Jul 1879 – 24 Sep 1964
- Hilda Mary Badcock 14 Oct 1880 – 25 Jan 1969
- Walter Thomas Badcock 15 Feb1883 – 8 Sep 1954
- Isabella Rose Badcock 19 Apr 1885 – 16 Dec 1971
- Leila Kate Badcock 26 Jan 1887 – 11 Mar 1985
Three died young –
Charles William – d. 10 June 1865, age near 4 Months – cause Chest Infection
Florence Ann – d. 6 Aug 1870, aged 2 Years – cause Croop
Gertrude Ellen – d. 22 Feb 1878, age 7 Years – cause Tyfois. She caught the disease from a teacher’s next door child, they calling seeking a blanket while travelling to the Westbury doctor. The blanket was taken off Gertrude’s bed and when coming home was returned to the bed. At the time it was not realized the teacher’s child had contracted Tyfois. Gertrude was struck down by the disease and died.
Some family members are dark skinned this being passed on from Mary Ann Scrivener (nee Bishop). Leila, a granddaughter to Mary Ann, could remember her as being “half black”.
Obituary – William Badcock
A report in the Weekly Courier – 26 May 1911
The funeral of the late Mr. William Badcock, which took place at Hagley on Sunday, was one of the largest ever held there, the cortege extending for half-a-mile. The Rev A Hambly conducted service in the Methodist Church, and afterwards in the adjoining cemetery, where one of Glenore’s most respected residents was then laid to rest. The deceased had long been connected with church work: in fact, his experience as a trustee of the Whitemore Methodist Church dates back to the sixties, when services were held in the present school room, prior to the erection of the present church, and many of the improvements noticeable at Whitemore are due to his good judgement and substantial help. He was also a model farmer, using most up-to-date methods, even resorting to hand weeding, rather than let rubbish mature. His demise is much regretted, and sincere sympathy is expressed towards his sorrowing relatives.
Obituary – Susan Ann Badcock
Launceston Examiner Tuesday 23 October 1923
About Women
On Tuesday last week death claimed one of Glenore’s oldest and most respected residents in the person of Mrs. Susan Ann Badcock, relict of the late Mr. William Badcock. The deceased had reached the age of over 80 years, 60 of which were spent in the Glenore district. The funeral was conducted by Rev T.P. Woodford in the Methodist Cemetery, Hagley on Saturday, and was largely attended, the remains being laid beside those of her husband who predeceased her by 12½ years. The officiating minister in a short address laid special emphasis on the beautiful life lived by the deceased, her many years being spent in kindly actions and Christian service.
By Ivan Badcock 8 July 2025