| Charles Gee and his wife, Mary, arrived in the Swan River Colony at Fremantle on 12th October, 1829. They were aboard 'The Caroline" which had sailed from West Tarring, Sussex, England on the 2nd of June, 1829.The Caroline was a a ship of 400 tons and armed with carriage guns.On this voyage it carried 66 passengers, general cargo, 12 horses, 9 cows, 1 bull, 182 sheep and 24 pigs. The captain's name was Fewson and the ship had been chartered by the Henty brothers. James Henty was in charge of the passengers during this voyage.Many of the passengers were from Worthing.
The Gee family lived in a village named Durrington, which was a hamlet of scattered cottages.The Gee family in this voyage consisted of Charles, 32 year old, carpenter; his 32 year old wife, Mary Ann; Charles Junior, aged 12 yrs; Joseph aged 10; William aged 6 ; Walter aged 4 months and Alfred aged 9 months.Mary Ann ( nee Lasseter) was his second wife. Charles' first wife Hannah ( nee Kimbers) had died on the 31st of january, 1827. Mary and Charles married on 15th May, 1828. They were married in the church at Arundel, as had Charles' parents and Grand parents.
The Gee family lived in a shack in Murray Street. This site is now in the central part of Perth's CBD. hard to believe! Here on 22nd of August a son, George, was born, but in March of that year Alfred died and in May Walter died at the age of five.On February 20th, 1833 Charlotte Hannah was born. She later married a Truslove and so started a huge family dynasty.In 1836 Frederick Walter was born, but he was always called Walter. I am a descendant of this last born family member.
Walter , as a young man, was shepherding sheep on a farm at New Norcia, just north of Perth, when he found a Father Salvado hopelessly lost in the bush. walter guided him back to the monastry and they became close friends. There was another Bishop Salvado who became very famous in WA history.
Walter later met an Irish girl, Mary Purtell who was one of many who came to the colony to provide companionship and domestic help for wives of early settlers. They were married on 13th April, 1857 by the priest, Father Salvado whom Walter had saved. The wedding. held at the New Norcia monastry was the fifth marriage to have taken place there.
Walter later joined the police force and they reared a family in the Dandaragan area. Walter was away on police duty very often and Mary was left alone with a native couple and dogs for protection.
In January 1865, Walter was sent by the authorities on the Sholl expedition to Camden Harbour in the north-west of the State. His wife and family went with him. Camden Harbour is now where Derby is. The Gee family had a connection with the Sholl family which spanned several generations.
The matron of honour at my Grandmother's marriage was a Sholl. When I was baby in Southern Cross, a Mr Reg Sholl lived nearby and his 3 daughters used to wheel me around the town in my pram. Later when living in Bunbury, I lived not far from Mr and Mrs Sholl in Tingle Street.
One day captain Sholl and his party, which included Walter Gee, were out exploring. A group of aborigines had contact with the party and spears, dowacks and other missiles were used which resulted in shots being fired. Constable Gee was struck in the shoulder blade by a blunt spear.
The trip back towards Camden harbour was arduous and lack of food and weather, as well as injuries from the confrontation sapped the energy of many, particularly Constable Gee. A few days after arrival, Walter Gee died in his wife's arms. A baby girl was born shortly after his death.
Walter was buried with honours at Sheep Island.His widow, mary travelled back to Perth aboard the Tien Tsin with five of her children.She was given a grant of land in the heart of the city and ran a farm there, mainly of pigs. Four years after her husband's death she married John Mckenna, uncle of the well known Commisioner of Police in Perth.
Arthur Gee born 1863 to Walter and Mary was my great grand father. he married Mary Annie Lee in 1879.
Their son, Arthur Walter Patrick married Mary Mathieson and he was my Grandfather. He was a policeman and died in 1950 (?) when my father was stationed in Gwalia.
My father , Arthur Geoffrey ( known as Geoff) was their second child and born in 1919. Dad married Elsie Rose Wood in 1943 and he died on September 18th, 2004. Isobel Bolton is Dad's older sister.
I am their eldest child and I was born on July 6th, 1994 at Southern Cross.
Postscript:
It was said that when Charles Gee landed in the Swan River Colony he was asked his occupation. When he said he was a carpenter….he was told…."Got one of those…you're a policeman.!"
Charles was responsible for making the first set of furniture in the Swan River Colony. It was used by the Lands Department. |
