The name “Gee” appears to have originated with the Normans in England. A possible link to the pronunciation of the Norman surname Gui or Guy is expressed in the book The Norman People and their Descendants. It was thought that a leader may have named his trusted followers as his ‘Gui’ or ‘Guys’ It could also be a French place name.
A small village in the English parish of Stockport, Cheshire – Gee Cross – appears to have taken its name from the Gee family.
There are possibly as many as three villages in France named Gee. One of these is in the Loire Valley area. According to the book The Gee Family, 1937 by W. J. Fletcher, the Gee surname cannot be directly traced beyond the 17th century, however the Gee name was prevalent, according to Fletcher, in Leicestershire from 1400, Nottinghamshire from 1460, and Lincolnshire from about 1340.
I had been told that the word ‘gee’ was a command to a horse to turn direction and may have the reason why horses were called ‘gee-gees’. And so the idea that the surname Gee may have been derived as an occupational name associated with horses is doubtful.
As an expression of surprise, ‘Gee’ was supposed to be a shortened version of ‘Jesus’.
While in Bangladesh I learnt that the Bangla word ‘gee’ meant ‘yes’ but used when talking to someone of respect. Ironically I was Mr Gee….head of the Australian International School….and I hopefully I gained respect!
My parents had quite a sense of my naming……so they found after I was christened. A parcel containing infant bedclothes turned up in the mail It was addressed to Master G. G. Gee………..Graeme Geoffrey Gee…….does cause many a giggle over the phone when you have to give your name and initials to some bewildered person at the other end.

Coat of arms Gee crest
On the Gee coat of arms a sword is shown which denotes the service of the family to leaders. On the coat of arms above, the family motto is “non invita” which reflects the family willingness to serve “without asking”.
Chapter Two : Agriculture in 1800’s England.

The economic conditions in the 1800’s, lead to many people emigrating from England to places such as Australia. This was the reason why Charles Gee and his family were ‘forced’ to go to the Swan River Colony in 1829. He was an indentured employee of the Henty family.
In 1798 Thomas Malthus claimed that the population of Britain was growing faster than food production (pretty much true of the world of today!) and unless something was not done, starvation would be rife.
There was a move towards large scale-scientific farming which greatly increased output but made many agricultural workers redundant. Some workers moved to industrial cities while others emigrated. The hardest hit counties were Kent, Sussex, Hampshire, Dorset, Cheshire and Cumberland.
Thomas Henty (1775 – 1839) was a renowned banker and agriculturalist in West Sussex and employed many indentured workers, lived in the hamlet of Durrington, West Tarring.
Henty married Frances Elizabeth Hopkins and produced James (1800 – 1882), Charles Shum (1807 – 1864), William (1808 – 1881), Edward (1810 – 1878), Stephen George (1811 – 1872), John (1813 – 1868?), Francis (1815 – 1889) and a daughter Jane (1805 – 1893). Three other children, Thomas, Henry and Frances died in childhood or youth.
In the post war years of the Napoleonic wars, England’s poor farming prospects persuaded him in the direction of emigration and in 1828 he decided to sell his Sussex property and transfer family, flocks and capital to some part of ‘New Holland’ ( later Australia). He had already known in the new colony for his Spanish merinos bred from King George III ‘s flock. The granting of free land was another attraction.
There were several factors that made farming very difficult in England at this time. The end of the wars meant that many ex-soldiers were unemployed. Grain prices fell and farmers paid lower wages. A farmer dominated Parliament passed the Corn Laws which prevented the import of grain until the English wheat reached 80 shillings a quarter.
Steep rises in prices of bread and flour led to discontentment and finally riots. Anger was directed at the machinery which had vastly contributed to unemployment. The ricks of hay used for thatching, were burned and threshing machines broken. The threshing machines were much hated and the rioters of 1830 demanded rises in wages and abolition of the machines.
In eons farming had been done on a ‘rotation’ system. This was the first ever I learnt about English agriculture at secondary school in Bunbury. Three furlong areas of narrow land were farmed. Two had crops while a third left fallow. This meant that in winter times when crops did not grow, there was a definite lack of feed for stock and cattle were often slaughtered.
The invention of machinery, such as Jethro Tull’s seeder, called for larger land tracts. Thus the rotation areas were amalgamated into large enclosures with the peasants being evicted. The evicted peasants who were forced into the growing industrial cities, would have further angered when they learnt that the landowners who reaped greater profits from the increased crop returns also earned exorbitant monies from coal deposits under the land or rented land to the ever growing railway system.
So in this atmosphere, Henty looked to emigration. He had a choice of emigrating to New South Wales or Van Diemen’s Land but the British Government’s sudden decision to make a settlement in western part of the continent with promises of land grants, changed his mind.
In 1829 the vanguard of his family, with stock and labourers sailed for the Swan River in the chartered ship ‘Caroline’. This venture was led by his eldest son, James (29 years old). He was accompanied by two brothers, Stephen (17) and John (16).
The sudden plan of the British Government to establish a settlement at the Swan River was probably spurred by the fear that another country….either Spain, France or Netherlands would establish a settlement. Ships from these countries had undertaken many forays along the western coast, as many of the current names along the coast attest.
In January 1827, a small ship, the ‘Amity’, had dropped a small group of British soldiers from New South Wales. They were led by Major Edmund Lockyer. In King Georges Sound, on the south coast of the western sector, they established a military outpost which came to be known as Frederickstown in honour of Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany. Later, the settlement was named Albany.
Captain James Stirling had surveyed the Swan River area in ‘The Success’ and proclaimed land suitable for a settlement. Stirling touted the area as being ideal for a settlement where army officers from India might go for rest and recreation, but nothing ever came of this.
Stirling in charge of the ‘Parmelia’, and accompanied by the ship HMS ‘Challenger,’ captained by Charles Fremantle, arrived in June, 1829 with the first European settlers for the Swan River Colony. Stirling took the new settlers from the mouth of the Swan River to settlement place inland on the banks of the river. This settlement was later named ‘Perth’ in honour of the birth place of a wife of one of Stirling’s officers. A ceremony, when a tree was chopped by Mrs Dance, proclaimed the colony for the British Government .
Later a settlement was established at the place where the Swan River entered the Indian Ocean. It was called Fremantle and became the principal port for the colony.
The party settlers arrived aboard the ‘Caroline’ arrived in October of 1829. The indentured workers, of Thomas Henty , were offered return voyage, £20 a year, fuel and board if they gave 5 years dutiful service.
Two sets of letters exist to tell the tale of the voyage and of life in the earliest years at the Swan. One set is in the Mitchell Library in New South Wales and holds letters from Henry Camfield, who travelled as a cabin passenger. The other set of letters were written by James Henty and were found among family papers in England. Marney Bassett had access to the letters and referred to them in her book, ‘The Hentys’.
Chapter Three : Voyage of the ‘Caroline’
Charles Gee, an indentured carpenter, was married to Hannah Kimbers on the 27th of March, 1815 at Arundel, Sussex, England. With Hannah, he had several children, Charles (Junior), Joseph, William, and Walter. Hannah died and was buried in 1827. Charles then married Mary Ann Lasseter on the 15th of May, 1828. They had a son, Alfred, and were to have further children in the new colony.
* * * * * *
The following is a description of the voyage and essentially true in characters, dates and directions. The sections, in italics are fictitious interpretations of what may have happened or have been said.3
A gentle breeze came from the English Channel and swept across Sussex on a beautiful spring day. The animals and flora of the county enjoyed the growing warmth after a cold but snow free winter.
Warm rays filtered through the luscious green leaves overhead. Caught in this light, a butterfly winged erratically across an open glade where a group of children played. It dipped its wings and almost touched the myriad of yellow flowers peeping between the grasses.
The golden curls splayed outwardly as a young girl turned on a grassy patch.

“Where are you Andrew ? Alfred? Please don’t run away!” Her eyes remained shut and she dare not open them for the shame of spoiling the game.
Andrew, Walter, William, George and Charles rolled over quickly through the grass, flattening flowers and ensuring Eliza’s outstretched hands did not touch them. Under the shade of a huge elm, stood Mary-Anne watching the children. She was several years older than the group and had been given the job of guardian while they played.

“Come on George, my stupid brother, let her touch you!”

From the direction of the stream, which flowed continually through Mr Henty’s property, Mary-Ann heard a woman’s distant call.
“Come on ! Finish the game ! Mum’s calling. If we are late, we will get a smack from her laundry stick and Mrs Gee, Mrs Bushby, Mrs Minchin and Mrs Rewell will be lining, as well !”

Eliza opened her eyes. The rest of group rolled out of the grass, laughing and brushing any possible spots of soil or leaves from their clothes. Together they headed back towards the hamlet. There’d be no punishment meted out with the stick this afternoon!
The group of children laughed and skipped as they made their way to the scattered cottages which was a hamlet near the village of Durrington. The hamlet was accommodation for the workers attached to the Henty estate.
A well-worn track connected the hamlet to the front stone gate that lead to the Henty house Church House Farm. It was next to the church.
Going on from the entrance, the track passed near the farm work buildings and went onto Durrington.

The group of Gee children ran towards their house where their father, Charles, stood next to their step mother. In her arms was their step-brother, Alfred.
“Come inside children, we have some exciting news to tell you all.”
Their father then told them that the benefactor, Mr Henty was sending them, with three of his sons, on a long journey. They immediately became excited as they had never been out of the hamlet. They began asking their father where they were going.
Being illiterate, their father had no way of reading any information so he had to use his memory to relay details of the journey to them.
“It will be far across the ocean so we must prepare for a long journey. We were told the place we are going to is called…..Swa…….Swan River Colony. And that’s all I can tell you.”
“Will we be coming back here? Will any of our friends be going? How are we going?” The questions tumbled out.
“Most probably not. Mr Henty said, he will sell all his estate and follow.”
“Mr Henty has arranged for a large chest to be filled with clothes and other things for our journey. It will sad to leave this cottage and our memories here but we face a great future in a new land.”

“Who else from the hamlet is going with us?’ asked Charles, Junior.

“Let me see,” said his father trying to search his memory again.
“Of course there is the best family of all going…..us the Gee.” This was heard with a tremendous cheer to follow.

“Mr And Mrs Hills and their children.” There was another great cheer from the children.

“ Mr Barnden, …..Willam Goble….Mr & Mrs Minchin and their family” Another cheer swept the cottage.”Mr and Mrs Bushby…..Mr and Mrs Chipper….Doctor Robert Morrah….the Rewells and the Sanfords….that is all I can remember.”

Charles then turned to his wife, “My dear this is a huge move in our life, but I think it is for the better. A new land will offer employment for our children.”

“Please go to bed now as tomorrow is another day.”
* * * * * *

Chartering a boat was an expensive business. And while no records exist of the contract signed by James Henty and the owners, according the ‘Brighton Gazette’ it was said the hiring of the ‘Caroline’ may have been £5 per ton a month. This would make a bill of £7 000 for the hire of the ship from May to November.

In contrast the British Government had paid £4.10s a ton per month to hire the ‘Parmelia’ for its trip, a few months earlier.

THE 330 ton ‘Caroline’ was under the command of Captain James Fewson. She was of British nationality, carried six guns and a crew of 22 men. She was built of teak, had a copper bottom and two decks. One was a poop deck for cabin passengers. She had a woman’s bust figurehead.

She had 3 masts, a square rig, standing bowsprit, square stern, a carvel build with quarter guns. The vessel had superior accommodation for passenger, having seven feet between decks.

The ‘ship’ which was sometimes referred as a ‘brig’ was built at Cochin in India by John Crookeden and registered at the Port of Calcutta in 1825.

In 1829 the owners were William Chapman, a banker from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Eliot MacNaughten, a gentleman of Calcutta.

The Hentys purchased prized merinos for the journey and a blacksmith, carpenter, shepherds and stockmen were ` signed on. They were all old employees of the West Tarring family and signed to serve as dutiful servants for five years in return for free passage, £20 a year, fuel and board.
* * * * * *
At St Katherine’s Dock, on the Thames and not far from the mouth, ‘Caroline’ lay tied moored and rocking gently in the breeze that swept in with light drizzle from the Channel.

In a cabin, behind the chart room, slept Captain James Fewson. Almost all of his crew of twenty-two was sleeping. Two, were on sentry duty armed with rifles to stall any thieves who may board. A ship, almost fully laden for its voyage, was a treasure for poor people seeking anything to eat or sell. The only crew member ashore was Heyers.

Heyers was dragging his huge hulk back along the cobble stone streets from the Red Lion. He’d taken a good quantity of alcohol and had a serviced one of the wenches upstairs. He was happy but even happier to know that ‘Caroline’ would soon sail.

Heyers was born to be a sailor. He said that he was conceived on a small boat floating on the Thames. His father was most probably a Swedish sailor and his mother a red haired lady from the ‘Golden Rooster’.

After his birth, he was taken to an orphanage . There he was given a name…Heyers…..just one….he always said that was enough. Later, as a young lad of eight, he remembered seeing the red hair of his mother when she visited. She told him of the circumstances about his birth and said she couldn’t visit often as she’d moved further away from London to Reading. After four visits she never came again. He never ever saw his father. When at fourteen, he announced he wished to leave and join a ship, the people who ran the orphanage were pleased as it made another place available.

Heyers served on various ships and even saw service against Napoleon. Fortunately he never suffered serious injury but had scars on both arms when a cannon ball tore through the lower decks of his ship and set the gun powder alight. So he said!
As he approached the dock, he saw the ship looming through the misty clouds and the woman’s bust figurehead above the water. He loved the ship like a woman.
Staggering up the swaying gangway, he grunted at the sailor on sentry duty, opened a hatchway and stumbled down the ladder and lay in a heap snoring. He lay sleeping till a voice woke him up.
“Look sharp me lads. We have but a few hours before we sail. This will a long journey so everything must be spot one. I want no trouble. Anything gets back to Mr Chapman and Mr McNaughten, then my head will on the chopping block, along with whoever slipped up!”
“There’ll no trouble Sir, I’ll see to that!” said Heyers sticking his head up from the hatch.
“Ah! Good to see my first mate, Heyers graces us with his company. Have a good night eh!”
“Yes, Sir and I’m ready for work!”
“Before we sail, you are to check the boarding list for several passengers who will arrive soon. Show them to their cabins. And we must check on all the stock, both animal and otherwise that were stowed away.”
“Aye Sir!”
Several passengers, including Henry Camfield from Kent, had already boarded and were settled in their cabins. There were some labourers and their wives in the steerage section. Taken on board were plants and animals…..horses, cows, a bull, sundry pigs and poultry, rabbits and hunting dogs. Five fine horses from the Egremont Stud were carefully winched aboard. Sir John, Young Wanderer, and three mares: Canopy, Petworth and Merino would travel the journey in special slings.
“Well start by double checking all supplies. We sail at an hour before noon. Out into the Channel and down to off the coast at Sussex. There we pick up more passengers, cargo and lots of farm stock and machinery. We are taking ten horses, ten cattle, and one hundred and fifty pure Merino sheep.”
Heyer had much to check. There were three chests of clothes from the Henty Brothers, one large chest of household linen for the servants and labourers, casks of wheat and turnip seeds, seeds for gardening, a box of vines and fruit trees, bushels of seed potatoes, two harrows, farm carts, extra wheels, ladders, harnesses and saddles, dairy utensils, pistols and powder horns, a double barrel shotgun, barometers and thermometers, a telescope and bugle, 10 lbs of shaving soap, a cruet stand, 30 silver spoons, pens, ink, paper and a hundred books.
So on June the 2nd, the ‘Caroline’, left St Katherine’s Dock and sailed eastwards. Leaving the Thames, she sailed southwards. Entering the English Channel, the ship was buoyed by steady breezes.
Nearing sunset, Fewson stood on the deck with a telescope sweeping the horizon. Next to him stood Heyers.
“Captain, may I ask a question?”
“Go ahead my good man.”
“Sir, will these passengers be the first to settle in…..in…”
“The Swan River colony….no Heyers…. just a few months ago, Captain James Stirling on board the ‘Parmelia’ and Captain Fremantle in the ‘Challenger’ left to take passengers to this colony. If they had good winds and no trouble, they should be there about now.
“So are we going to follow the same route?”
“Yes…..down the Atlantic to Rio…around Africa….and across the Indian Ocean.”
“Thank you Captain for this information. I’d be happy if we have a good sail!”
* * * * * *
After tacking across the English Channel, ‘Caroline’ headed towards Worthing. When tacking to approach Littlehampton, the ship ran aground and they had to wait till high tide to float off. So the ship dropped anchor on June the 4th, six miles off the coast.
At 3 a.m. a lighter was rowed to and from the shore carrying passengers who had boarded from a small jetty. Most passengers were hesitant about stepping onto a rocking boat as they had never left land before. Heyers was there to try and coax them. A crude crane was used to lift sheep up and deposit them in the boats. Each boat had two rows of oarsmen on either side who skillfully negotiated them waves and brought the precious cargo out to sea to begin their journey.
The last passengers to come from the shore were the Henty brothers. Passengers excitedly clambered up the wooden ladder as animals and machinery were hauled by ships cranes and deposited into the hold. Carefully the prized Merino sheep were loaded. At eight a.m. James Henty , his brother, Stephen and Fewson left to go ashore. Business completed, they returned on the rough sea at midday. Before the ship sailed the customs men, from Arundel, dallied over documents and that irritated the Hentys.
Then with a north-east wind the ‘Caroline’ steadily drew away from the English shore under a grey sky. The ship rounded Ore Lights and was gone.
So on June the 6th Caroline set sail for Australia. The passengers had many problems settling into the journey. Even though they had lived in small cottages, living in the confines of a ship, where everyone was so close, was a challenge. Many were violently sea sick.
Families ‘pegged’ out areas in the steerage section of deck two. Most sleeping was to be done in swinging hammocks but some wooden bunks made into the curved hull were already there. Greenaway made sure that two women, who were pregnant, each got one of these bunks.
Many found sleeping difficult to get used to. The swinging hammocks and roll of the ship, the close proximity snoring of others and sounds of the stock above, made sleep difficult until this situation was got used to.
The lack of privacy in these conditions had to be overcome….there was no choice. The three Henty brothers came from their ‘luxury’ cabins to see if the passengers all were alright and settling in. Greenaway had told all passengers in steerage that a small section near the bow was allocated as a ‘toilet’ area and if a bath was required, they were to come onto the upper deck where sailors would haul sea water up into a large tub. This would be a weekly occurrence but depended upon the current sea conditions. Having a bath with clothes on became the norm.
Very early in the trip, Mary-Ann Gee could see the children would easily get bored by the trip, so she arranged weekly activities for them. The adults enjoyed telling stories or oral activities like drama in a cleared space in the steerage deck. Charles Gee was particularly good at telling stories and he even composed a poem 3. Many of the men had been allocated jobs by Mr Henty before they left England and so they began the daily tending of the livestock. Feeding and cleaning the stock area of manure was to be a chore. It also meant washing the toilet area with buckets of salt water. Feed and water had to from the poop deck to feed the stock. The horses, in their slings, had to be constantly tended to.
Sailing southwards towards the coast of Africa meant the passengers were to experience climate they had never experienced. But these warmer days were nothing compared to what lay ahead in Australia. Some nights, in the moonlight, passengers danced quadrilles on the poop deck. It was a dozen paces forward and a dozen back.
Some days, when there was fine weather, there was shooting practice on deck. Daring Camfield climbed high above and tied a bottle to a yard arm. Returning to the poop deck, it was shot at from below.
Ready for hot weather, a tailors bench was installed on the poop deck and there was stitching and sewing of canvas into trousers. The canvas was sold by Fewson to the passengers for 1 s and 6 d a yard.
On Sundays, weather permitting, passengers were decently clad and behavoured well, in gatherings to hear Fewson read Divine Service.
Sailing days were usually routine. Fair winds and bright days made for good sailing. Occasionally sailors would trail a line overboard trying to catch some fish but to no avail. Some passengers saw flying fish for the first time and were in amazement for days, hoping others could see what they saw. Now and again a large turtle was seen lazily trundling it way somewhere. Sea birds often flew about the ship, particularly when the stock area was cleaned out or some scraps thrown overboard from the galley.
One evening the Henty Brothers were on the upper deck when Lucy Bashford, who was heavy with an unborn, Mary-Ann Hills and her thirteen year old daughter, Mary-Ann, came out to get some fresh air. James, Stephen and John acknowledged the ladies and enquired as to the health of Lucy.
About this time, Heyers appeared from the forward hatch. “Ah, you all enjoying the trip?” he asked.
There was a generally nodding and muttering of ‘Yes’. “That be good and it be good to see you getting fresh air, especially you, Mrs Bashford. I hope all goes well from now on for ye.”
Lucy acknowledged his wishes. “Why thank you Heyers, for those wishes.”
Then young Mary-Ann opened her mouth. “Heyers, may I ask you a question?”
“Why shaw be young one.Go ahead.”
“My father says there are big fish in these seas …this ocean …which are big enough to eat one of us. Is that right?”
“There are many dangers in the ocean….I’ve seen many in my twenty-five years of sailing on the seas. Poisonous shells, fish with spikes that can give you great pain and even jelly fish that that scar and make you very sick….but the master danger…one that has only man as its killer…is the shark. The sea can be a powerful master ….sometimes I hate it.”
Mary-Ann was screwing up her face and her shoulders froze as Heyers listed the dangers he knew. “Tell me more about these sharks.”, she asked.
“There are many sorts of sharks but many are not a danger. Just be careful of many.”
“Oh I’ll never go in the water.”
Then John Henty, the youngest of the three brothers, chipped in. “Of course you will. I bet you are a courageous girl.”
“Thank you sir for your confidence!”said Mary-Ann blushing with this attention.
“My pleasure, Miss Hills. May we converse again? May I ask your Mother?”
“Of course,” Mrs. Hills answered, knowing that her daughter should get to know some males friends.
And so John Henty, sixteen and Mary-Ann, just turned fourteen, developed a friendship and met whenever they could. It was strange that both lived in Tarring but had never met each other there. Maybe it was the different social circles that made it impossible.
They would walk or lean on the ship’s railing talking about what they saw, their previous life, dreams and touched on what the future might hold for them in the land ahead. Mr. and Mrs. Hills met John and deemed him an admiral young man for their daughter to have a as a friend. The other two Henty brothers were glad that young John had an interest to take away much of the day to day tedium of ship life.
John found a book of tales of ancient Greek myths and heroes which he’d got from the collection in the belongings. Mary-Ann was enthralled someone who could read and introduce her to a world of imagination, which she’d never visited. She had had some education at the church school but most of the time she had been spent in helping her mother in cottage industry activities or looking after the younger children.
Mary-Ann felt important that she was able to re-tell a few of these tales from John’s book at the gathering of children and adults in the ‘education’ sessions in front of the map. She wondered whether she might like to be a teacher later in her life.
At least Mary-Ann had found a friend on this voyage to somewhere and that made it exciting for her. Her interest in the opposite sex had started.
One day Captain Fewson announced that the ship had crossed the equator. Now this meant little to these passengers with their limited knowledge of the world. But between Fewson and Greenaway they were able to put significance to this event. The passengers became interested when they realized that they had done something that few in England had done or were ever to do. If only they could know the future!
An addition to ‘the map’ showed the passengers where they were traveling…. south in the Atlantic Ocean and heading to a place called Rio de Janeiro in a country called Brazil.
“It here we shall restock our ship with food, particularly fresh vegetables and feed for out stock. We have not lost one horse, cow or sheep so far and this is very good. I thank the shepherds who have done a fine job tending to them!”
“Can you tell us a little of this place?”
“Rio de Janeiro is in the country of Brazil, just like London is in England. It is on an inlet on the stretch of coast which fronts this ocean, the Atlantic. When we reach it we will see from far out a point of land called Pão de Açūcar . This means Sugar Loaf. We will pass through an opening into a good sheltered bay….Guanabara Bay….where we will anchor.”
“Do the people speak English?”
“Many Portuguese nobles fled Europe after Napoleon invaded their country so one of the main language is Portuguese. Unfortunately we will not be able to let any of you go ashore as it is not very safe in parts of the city.”
There was a groan from many passengers. They were hoping for a break from the rigors of the ship. It would be great to once again set foot on land.
“The temperature should be about 81˚ F so you might find it quite pleasant there. One more fact to interest you….there was a large influx of slaves from Africa that started ten years ago. Anyway in about eight days we should be able to see the coastline and I’m sure you’ll all be glad for this!”
One day a vessel came nearer and nearer and then suddenly and peacefully it lowered a small boat. It turned out to be the ‘Actif’ a French barque on her way from India to Bourdeaux with a cargo of indigo, salt petre and cochineal. They had approached the ‘Caroline’ because they were short of bread!
A hundred pounds of biscuits were presented to the crew after weapons were cleared away.
About seven days after Captain Fewson’s talk on Rio de Janeiro, Alfred spied tops of mountains far off with a telescope.
The ‘Caroline’ spent a whole day sailing up and down the coast looking for the entrance to Rio de Janeiro’s bay. It was not until sunset on Sunday 26th July, the ship crept past the forts on either side of the entrance and anchored beneath the ramparts of Rio’s fantastic peaks.
In the morning the ship tied up to a mole. Caroline’s company looked across the waters and saw churches and convents and shuttered houses of unfamiliar shapes rising from the edges of the town. On the shore they saw picturesque dressed men and women who had come from Catholic Europe. From the ship pairs of Negroes were seen chained and guarded by soldiers armed with large round canes. Nearby were skinny teenagers waiting their turn to be bought for a few pounds each,
In the street it was noted there were few carts. The slaves were beasts of burden. Many nobles were seen being carried along on the shoulders of slaves in palaquins. Others slaves shuffled along carrying barrels of water on their heads. In all the heat, filth and slavery were too much for James Henty and Camfield. The other passengers, on the ship, stared with amazement comparing known experiences with those of the kaleidoscope before them.
Fewson ashore and arrangements would be made for fresh supplies. It was customary to meet the city Governor first. The citizens welcomed any ship calling in as it gave them an opportunity to get money by selling vegetables, barrels of meat, stock feed and even a horse or two. There was a language barrier but money quickly overcame that problem.
As the captain was rowed away from the ship, Mrs Bushby came quickly on deck. She spoke to a sailor. “Please get Doctor Morrah, Mrs Bashford’s baby is coming!”
A several hour labour followed but Dr Morrah had to pronounce the baby dead. It was a still birth. When Fewson arrived back at the ship, he was told the sad news. Fewson arranged for William Bashford to take the baby’s body ashore for burial. His wife was too distraught to be there. So in a cemetery, far from his homeland, Bashford said a farewell to his son. A small cross was placed over the gravesite. On it was etched, ‘Here lies William, 1829, baby son of William & Lucy.’ Two sailors fired rifles into the air as a tribute to this dear soul buried so far from England.
One day Heyers looked down at the raft tethered to the ship. To his amazement two young boys were on it. “Get off there,” he shouted. The boys looked up at him quickly. Joseph Gee moved towards the ladder but George Hills stood up and unbalanced on one leg, as he turned fell into the water. In a flash Heyers moved his huge bulk down the ladder and pushed Joseph out the way as he attempted to grab the George in the water. As he grabbed one of the boy’s arms as he thrashed to stay afloat, the dark shape of a shark appeared not far away.
The boy’s arm slipped from his grasp. In another desperate lunge he grabbed the other arm and pulled with all his might. Suddenly there was a huge splash as the shark attacked. George gave a scream and the water filled with blood. Heyers pounded his huge fist into the shark’s snout as it drove its teeth into the boy’s calf. The shark, stunned, released its grip. Heyers hauled the boy onto the raft and backwards against the ladder. “Get away ye devil of God!” he shouted.
Heyers looked down at the boy’s calf…it was badly shredded. With quick thinking he tore his shirt and placed it over the gaping wound. Holding the boy with one arm he managed to wrap the shirt section around the leg and pull it tightly. The shark had disappeared and only a cloud of blood hung in the water.
Heyers picked the limp body up and shouted for Morrah. “Get the Doc or this lad will bleed to death.” He shouted and he swayed climbing the ladder. George had lapsed in unconsciousness from the attack. Placing him on the deck, Heyers removed a cord from around his waist and using a spigot, twisted the cord tightly about his thigh.
Meanwhile the Captain had been alerted by the shouting and leant over the railing. “Bring the lad to my chart room. Do it as quickly as you can, Heyers!”
Charts were pushed off the huge table as George was put there. Morrah appeared and immediately cut away the shredded trousers. The wound was washed in salt water and Morrah examined it for any teeth but none were found. As the bleeding had almost stopped Morrah looked to see if any bones had been broken. Satisfied none had he began using a huge needle and black thread to sew the torn muscles together. At about this time George’s parents arrived. His mother cradled George’s head as the operation continued.
“He won’t die! But this wound will take ages to heal. My biggest worry is infection. I shall bind the wound heavily to stop bleeding and try to keep out infection. We are going to have to change any bandages at least every two days. George must limit his movement to give the muscles time to heal. If there is no infection we can save his leg. I think in the long term he may limp a little and of course have definite scarring.”
“Thank you, thank you Doctor!” said Mary-Ann Hills, fighting back tears, “ my husband and I will be ever grateful.”
“This is just the start, my dear! The recovery may take a while and I can’t be sure of the eventual outcome.”
There was great sadness on board the ship and disconcertment that the passengers couldn’t go ashore and amazement at the incident with George Hills. It certainly bought home the dangers of the sea.
In Rio harbour were parked about a hundred merchant vessels and men-o-war. The frigate, ‘Menai ‘with 28 guns was anchored near’ Caroline’. A short time after arrival in Rio, a fight developed between two of the crew, Pistols were produced and the fight looked like escalating. One sailor fled to a nearby ship by jumping overboard and another was sent to the ‘Warspite’. Fewson had three of his crew rounded up and were shipped back to England aboard the ‘Menai’.
James Henty wrote a letter to his father and it was also carried back to England on the Menai. The incident meant that for the remainder of the voyage they sailed without as full crew as capable replacements were not able to be found in Rio. In his letter, James said ….’the voyage was progressing well and the passengers in fine health without incidents of scurvy, dysentery or typhus carrying lice. My main concern is with the stock and Fewson’s management of supplies. The horses are doing well and we have only lost one ewe and a Devon cow.’
‘I think Fewson needs to be more accountable for the food supplies. We paid high fees, and other passengers gave us fees for a passage where they must be given adequate food. I shall tackle Fewson over this aspect.’
My brothers are well. All our love to you and Mum.
James.’
. The sailors went ashore to get supplies and many enjoyed the freedom to catch up with some local drink and the women. There were seven days of relaxation before the anchor was raised and the ship went back into the South Atlantic to continue on towards the South of Africa. George Hills was resting in the Captain’s chart room. His leg was strapped into place by two chairs propped on either side of the table.
Before the ship left Rio, Fewson spoke to Heyers. “I have heard that Emperor Pedro is a great horseman!”
“Yes,” said Heyers,” I was informed he went aboard the ‘Calista’ when she was here and offered ₤400 for one of Colonel Latour’s horses.”
“Yes, I did hear that. And because it was refused, I think he may come to our ship and want one of the horses. I have spoken with James and he agrees that he can’t have one!”
“But he is the head of the settlement…..the country….and if he demands, we will be powerless to stop him!”
“Well we must pray that we leave before he comes! Make sure the sentries keep an eye out for his entourage.”
The ‘Caroline’ left before Pedro came looking around.
The ocean seemed to get rougher as they followed the South American coastline before swinging away and head south-east. The ship routine continued as usual. But the passengers seemed to see much more white seabirds circling. Now and again they saw a huge dark bird flying high above. Heyers said ‘that be an albatross….it twas said it bad luck to kill such a magnificent bird….but a shark ye can kill!”
George Hills, the boy who had his leg badly lacerated, was moved out of the Chart Room ,and John Henty vacated his cabin, so George could be more comfortable and have Dr Morrah handy, particularly with the changing of his bandages. Fortunately there was infection. Heyers arranged for Charles Gee, a skilled carpenter, to fashion a set of crutches, to be available when he able to move about. John Henty went and set up a hammock in the steerage. Not only was this convenient for young George, but he was now closer to young Mary-Ann. Mary-Ann’s parents had taken a liking to sixteen year old John. He was good for their daughter because he opened up the world she never knew.
The ship passed close to Tristan da Cuna Island (37º S 12º W) , New Amsterdam island (37º S 77º E ) and Saint Paulo (38º S 12º W). These were the last bits of land they would see till they reached their final destination. It was near these islands that another change took place. A marked decrease in weather nicely.
On August 12th, after having drunk the health of the King for his birthday, the ship was hit by its first gale. Water poured over the poop and deck in tons. Animal coops and hay was washed overboard. Passengers were badly knocked about and two pigs died.
Soon after another gale hit and the passengers became riotous. Many turned to drinking excessively and so Fewson made the decision to cut off the supply of grog.
While shepherds and stockmen did all they could to care for the welfare of the animals, other men were called upon to relieve exhausted crew members who worked feverishly at the pumps trying keep out the sea water which invaded the ship.
During other storms that followed, a small cow died, one of the Devon cows broke both hind legs and had to be put down, horses were badly bruised and several mules bought in Rio severely injured.
Mary-Ann Gee often said, many years after the trip, “With the darkness, the rushing of wind, screaming of others, suffering of animals and torrents of cold water, we believed it could be the end of the world!”
At this stage James Henty praised Fewson as a seaman and navigator. He ran a particularly tight ship. There was a constant battle against the cold, heavy rain and sleet. It took its toll as sheep, four pigs and two dozen poultry died.
On September 17th Camfield moved his cot into the cuddy, giving up his cabin to Mrs Friend who was well and truly with child. The next day at half past noon she gave birth to a boy.
The passengers watched waves for hours on end from the bow. Below was the dizzy plunging of the figurehead. Some passengers would play whist for hours in the cuddy using a worn set of cards and broken biscuits as markers. Heyers seemed to revel in the fact that he had a wife somewhere and she was waiting for his return.. Few knew whether to believe him.
At meal times, Mr Mackie, a lawyer from India, kept them amused and laughing. There was Hawkins, someone whom many passengers disliked. Stone, a solicitor with a black moustache, told long sagas. Everard, repeated anecdotes and well worn out sea shanties. Yellow-haired, Talbot, immersed himself in reading.
Fewson was always civil as he shook hands with all in the morning and wined and dined at night.
Camfield seemed to vex many as he always insisted he was right. He argued long about how people selling oranges in Rio had cheated him. They were ‘egregious cheats’ he would repeat over and over again.“Fancy selling me oranges one shilling for sixty! Alfred Stone said he paid 1 ½ d for two whereas Henty had bought 200 for the ship at a cost of one shilling and eight pence.”
James found it weak of Camfield to talk about various subjects like farming….war….etc., to the illiterate farmers, using words they could never understand and citing scientific facts that would stump anyone. James thought that Camfield conned people into thinking he knew so much. Camfield carefully wrote down notes of happenings on the voyage.
As well as oranges, James had bought large quantities of olives, pumpkins and yams, stores of flour and corn, tea and coffee, Dutch cheeses and Madeira wine. These additions to the diets were certainly one reason there was not a prevalence of ships diseases.
James showed Charles Gee a letter he was writing home to his father regarding proper treatment of passengers and crew on any ship. James outlined his calculation of necessary allowances.

When we get to the Swan River colony, I hope to get this letter and others from my brothers, home to England on another boat.”
“Well,” said Charles, “ with these strong westerly winds, we should make good time and be there soon, I pray!”
“How is that young boy who was bitten by a shark coming along?”
“His father and Doctor Morrah are very pleased with his progress. You may have seen him on deck occasionally getting around on those crutches. He may always walk with a limp, but he still has the leg, his life, is able to move about.”
“In the new colony, he should be able to work on farms and be a valuable asset to his father and me. He is a strong lad and that strength got him through this terrible time!”
When sea conditions were more favourable, the passengers ventured onto the deck. The fear of being washed overboard was immense. Small groups came up from the steerage wearing the simple shoulder clothes that had been made from the sail material. Their heads were often soaked by salt spray as waves hit the sides of the ship but that made it more enjoyable.
John Henty and Camfield had moved back into their cabins now the Friend baby had arrived and George Hills moved back with his family in steerage. All in all the passengers and crew were in a good mood as the ship scooted across the Indian Ocean.
Heyers said, “Not long ago many ships from Holland had rounded the Cape of Good Hope, like they did, and gone northwards seeking cargoes of spices from Asia. But many of these ships never made it. Maybe the westerlies had taken them off course and they disappeared. There is a possibility they may have reached the Great South Land instead.”
“I hope we get there safely,” said Joseph Gee.
“No worries there young lad. Captain Fewson is taking the ship further southwards than those ships that disappeared. We will make it safely and that should be soon.”
As the voyage drew to an end, tension grew as the civility of the Captain Fewson waned. He had a go at Dr Morrah, quarreled with many and decided to eat his meals in his cabin. No longer did he tell the crew or passengers as to the exact position of the ship.
On Monday the 12th of October a crew member on the deck called out, “Land ahead! Land ahead!” Now the riddle facing everyone was whether the advanced party, led by James Stirling had arrived.
There was great excitement amongst the farmers. They had dreamed and chatted often on the four month journey about Stirling’s report of good soil, open lands and well watered areas from numerous springs. The farmers couldn’t wait to get their hands on free grants of land.
Charles Gee told his son, “This is Stirling’s paradise and we are here. It will be a wonderful future for us all ! Enjoy my son !”
Later that day, the ship passed nearby an island. Heyer told the Gee family, “That be Rottnest Island and it some 21 miles from the mainland. I was told that it was named by a Dutch sailor who saw lots of little hopping critters. So he noted in his log that is was to be known as ‘Rat’s Nest Island’ But in Dutch it is written as Rottnest. From the ship the passengers saw rocky out crops along the coast line of the island with very low vegetation. “It didn’t look like paradise!” many uttered.
“Can we go and see the rats?” said William Sanford. “Can we?”
“Maybe lad but not just now, we must find a safe place to anchor and then get you lot ashore!”
Darkness fell as the ship anchored not far from the mouth of a river. The passengers were unable to get a view of the ‘promised land’ until nine o’clock next morning. There were oohs and ahs as the company looked across the green waters to where a union jack fluttered from a flag pole situated on a small hill surrounded by a collection of tents and crude huts. Below the hill, lay the wreck of a ship near the river mouth.
Heyer trained a telescope on the wreckage. “No! That ain’t the ‘Parmelia’ ! Looks like a bigger ship.”
James Henty came on deck with Fewson. “Must visit the ‘Orelia’ which is anchored about half a mile away. I know the captain. That ship took sheep for us to Sydney.”
“Okay, Give, Commander Hudson regards from me.”
James was rowed across the ‘Orelia’ which had just arrived from Van Diemen’s Land. He had breakfast with Hudson. As they ate, James asked some questions.
“What be the wrecked ship on the shore line?”
“That is emigrant ship ‘Marquis of Anglesey’ . A great storm caused her to drag the anchor and she stuck near the shore. High tides failed to float her again!”
“Was anyone hurt?”
“Only one sailor who had his foot jammed when she heeled over!”
“How do I get to see James Stirling? Is he in the tents and huts across there?” he asked waving his hand in the direction of the shore.
“No, that I was told that has been named Fremantle. Stirling has moved further inland and established a settlement some 12 miles up that river.”
“And how can I get to him?”
“Dawson, mate from the ‘Sulphur’ runs a boat, almost daily, from the mouth of the river to the place they’ve called Perth…..after a place in Scotland. The mouth of the river is unfortunately blocked by a sand bar so we must drag our boats over it before proceeding further!”
So at 3 o’clock James boarded to rowing boat. It left the sands and the salty winds of Fremantle and wound along a river with high wooded banks on one side. James noted strange birds and black swans not white. On the banks he saw strange flowers as they negotiated the numerous shoals. Finally the river opened into a wide expanse and there on the left bank was a collection of tents and make shift huts.
As the boat nosed into the shore, James heard a strange call from a bird that he could not see. It sounded like someone laughing in a long high pitched call. Escorted by an armed sailor, James was shepherded towards a large tent in which stood a man and his lady. This was James Stirling and his wife, Ellen. What followed were two hours of discussions mainly centred on land.
“Mr Henty, your ship has arrived well inside the time limit for land grants but unfortunately the surveyed land has been taken by settlers who came with me, and naval and military officers from the ‘Calista’, Lotus and the unfortunate ‘Marquis of Angelsey’. I’m sorry but there are no grants available till surveyors are able to work!”
“This is extremely disappointing, Sir, but what of the tract my Father had reserved?”
“The Surveyor General earmarked a large plot near Fremantle, as per the wishes of your Father. Before you return to ‘Caroline’, you will be given the information for you to find this tract.”
On the return journey towards Fremantle, James sat quietly contemplating the disappointment that must arise when he tells the passengers of the land debacle. He just hoped there was a tract of land big enough for all the stock they had brought.
While James was away, Heyers organized the disembarking of people and animals. John helped the Hills’ family erect a tent.
At dusk James arrived back. Within minutes, there was a loud commotion as wild dogs attacked some precious ewes. Several were killed. James increased the number of shepherds on sentry duty.
The Gee family were amazed by the space in the new colony……there was amazement at seeing the sand…….the different trees…….the different birds in the trees and those scurrying around. This was a strange place but somehow it had the prospect of a great future.
* * * * * *
The following is the ‘Caroline’ passenger list when the ship finally reached the Swan River colony on October 12, 1829.4
Surname Given Names Age Comments
BARNDEN Richard 31, steerage; general servant for HENTY; ex-Tarring, ENG
BASHFORD William .. steerage; aka [BACHFORD]; general servant for EVERARD; ex-Tunbridge Wells,
BASHFORD Lucy .. steerage; wife; baby William born on voyage and died in Brazil
BASHFORD William .. steerage; died and buried in Rio de Janeiro (late July)
BUSHBY George 27, steerage; general servant for HENTY; ex-Tarring, ENG
BUSHBY Mary 23, steerage; wife; ex-Tarring, ENG
BUSHBY William 3, steerage; son; ex-Tarring, ENG
BUSHBY Richard 2, steerage; son; ex-Tarring, ENG
CAMFIELD Henry 29, cabin; agriculturalist; ex-Kent, ENG
CHIPPER John 23, steerage; labourer for HENTY; ex-Tarring, ENG
CHIPPER Mary 20, steerage; wife; ex-Tarring, ENG
CRIDDLE William 25, steerage; aka [CRITTLE]; general servant for STONE
DYER William 21, steerage; general servant for HENTY; ex-Tarring, ENG
EVERARD William 34, cabin; Lieutenant, R.N.; on half-pay; ex-Barnes, ENG
FREIND Frederick 33, steerage; general servant for CAMFIELD
FREIND Frances 31, steerage; wife; son Frederick born on voyage
FREIND Mary Ann 1, steerage; daughter
FREIND Frederick .. , steerage; son; born on voyage (September 17)
GEE Charles 32, steerage; aka [GEEL]; labourer for HENTY; ex-Tarring, ENG
GEE Mary Ann 22, steerage; wife; ex-Tarring, ENG
GEE Charles 12, steerage; son; ex-Tarring, ENG
GEE Joseph 10, steerage; son; ex-Tarring, ENG
GEE William 6, steerage; son; ex-Tarring, ENG
GEE Walter 4, steerage; son; ex-Tarring, ENG
GEE Alfred 9m, steerage; son; ex-Tarring, ENG
GOBLE T. William 22 steerage; aka [GOBBE]; general servant for HENTY; ex-Tarring, ENG
HAYBITTLE Richard 16 steerage; general servant for HENTY; ex-Tarring, ENG
HAWKINS John .. cabin
HENTY James 29, cabin; brother; agriculturalist; ex-Tarring, ENG
HENTY Stephen 17, cabin; brother; agriculturalist; ex-Tarring, ENG
HENTY John 16, cabin; brother; agriculturalist; ex-Tarring, ENG
HEWSHIRE Thomas .. steerage
HILLS George 38, steerage; general servant for HENTY; ex-Tarring, ENG
HILLS Mary Ann 38, steerage; wife; ex-Tarring, ENG
HILLS Mary Ann 13, steerage; daughter; ex-Tarring, ENG
HILLS George 12, steerage; son; ex-Tarring, ENG
HOLLAND Richard 21, steerage; general servant for MACKIE
HOUSE William 18, steerage; general servant for TALBOT
MAPLE Guy 30, steerage;
MACKIE William 29, cabin; aka [MACKEY]; lawyer; ex-India
MINCHIN James general servant for TALBOT
30, steerage; baker and carpenter
MINCHIN Elizabeth 34, steerage; wife
MINCHIN James 8, steerage; son
MINCHIN Andrew 7, steerage; son
MINCHIN Eliza 6, steerage; daughter
MINCHIN Alfred 4, steerage; son
MINCHIN Esther 1, steerage; daughter
MORROUGH Robert 29, cabin; aka [MORRAH]; doctor; ex-Worthing, ENG
PATTERSON Dabniel 27, steerage; aka [David]; general servant for HENTY; ex-Tarring, ENG

PRICE Robert 21, steerage; general servant for HENTY; ex-Tarring, ENG
REWELL George 28, steerage; labourer for HENTY; ex-Tarring, ENG
REWELL Jane 31, steerage; wife; ex-Tarring, ENG
REWELL William 4, steerage; son; ex-Tarring, ENG
REWELL Ann 10m, steerage; daughter; ex-Tarring, ENG
SANDFORD Benjamin 28, steerage; general servant for HENTY; ex-Tarring, ENG
SANDFORD Frances 33, steerage; wife; ex-Tarring, ENG
SANDFORD William 9, steerage; son; ex-Tarring, ENG
SANDFORD Charles 6 , steerage; son; ex-Tarring, ENG
SANDFORD John 4, steerage; son; ex-Tarring, ENG
SANDFORD Stephen 1 , steerage; son; ex-Tarring, ENG
SMITH Richard William 29, steerage; general servant for CAMFIELD
SMITH Mary Bransby .. steerage; wife
SMITH William 9, steerage; child
STONE Alfred Hawes 28, cabin; solicitor; ex-Tunbridge Wells, ENG
TALBOT Samuel 30, cabin; agriculturalist; ex-Liverpool, ENG
THOMPSETT Thomas .. steerage
TRIMMER Spencer 25, cabin; agriculturalist; ex-Ealing, ENG
WATERS Thomas 35, steerage

FEWSON James captain
HEYERS …. …. …. … mate

Margaret, my sister and I going off to Meckering State School. She has a bunch of flowers for the teacher.

            It was 1950 when dad was transferred to Meckering Police Station. It stood on a stand alone triangular block of land at the western entrance to the town. On the side of the police administration office were attached two holding cells.                                                                       

           From our front door, we could look across the Great Eastern Highway which entered connected Meckering to Northam and Perth and continued along the main street to exit and connect eastwards to Cunderdin and eventually, Kalgoorlie.                                   

             We could look across salt marshes to the huge wheat silos that stood beside the railway line and water pipeline. They dominated the scenery. It consisted of a huge structured roofed with silver corrugated iron and had several huge grain augurs which looked like praying mantises, which forced wheat upwards and sprayed it into holes in the roof where it fell and formed huge conical heaps.                                 

           Meckering township, 130 km from Perth on the Great Eastern Highway, is the centre of an important wheat-growing area. The town was originally built on the south bank of the Mortlock River, as a siding and watering point of the Goldfields Railway. It reached its peak about 1906, and in 1913 had a population of about 600.

         As the surrounding land was cleared, the water-table rose and the Mortlock River became progressively saltier and the townsite liable to flooding; population declined to the gain of the adjacent centres of Northam and Cunderdin. The original site was eventually abandoned and the town moved to the south side of the railway, 750 m northeast of the earlier location.          

         In October 1968, the population of Meckering numbered about 230; a further 300 people lived on farms in the vicinity. Apart from the two-storied bank and hotel, all buildings in the town were single storied, and built of a variety of materials, ranging from unfired mud brick to reinforced concrete. There were a few modern dwellings, but otherwise the buildings were a reflection of the past, and several were unoccupied. The most substantial modern constructions were two new grain storage silos, each 11 m in diameter and 30 m high, and a horizontal storage shed 90 m long and 30 m wide.           

        Apart from its local importance, Meckering lies astride all the main arteries connecting Perth to Kalgoorlie and the eastern states of Australia. The Great Eastern Highway, Standard and Narrow Gauge Railways, the Goldfields Water pipeline.

           Although the Meckering earthquake of October 1968 was not the largest in WA's history, it was certainly the most significant in term of damage done and cultural upheaval. It caused ground rupturing nearly 40 km long, some of which is still to be seen today. The maximum heave was 2.4 m, max vertical displacement was 2.0 m, and the maximum strike slip movement (dextral) was 1.5 m. The maximum felt intensity on the Modified Mercalli scale was 9. The damage exceeded $5 million ( in 1968 dollars). Meckering's population at the time was approximately 240 persons.

A car astride the earthquake fault on which was the Great Eastern Highway.

This was the hotel in the main street. The top portion toppled onto cars parked beneath.

* * * * * *

 My sixth birthday…on the front lawn of our house in Meckering.

 

My Meckering School photo. I am in the back row left. Dulcie Wilson ( front row extreme left) and Nancy Reynolds ( front row second from the right) later ( 1962 – 3) attended Graylands Teachers' College with me.

        I  loved going to Meckering State School.

     * I missed one day there…the first since I started school at Leonora Convent, before I moved to Gwalia Convent. This day I had my ride in an aeroplane. Mr Don McKaskeill, who was a flying pardre asked Dad if I like a flight. He had to fly so many hours each year to keep his licence.

        It was great flying over paddocks and seeing sheep like little dots below. As we flew over the school I felt a twinge of guilt…but it didn't last for long.

        * When I started at the school I was in Miss Carter's class…she seemed very old, tall and wrinkled. A new boy asked me who the teacher was and I answered, mistakenly…..she Miss Carter, on old stick! I didn't know she was standing behind the cupboard door till he hand came down on my head. She was also very thin.

                * Near the school we had a vacant block. At playtimes we would often sneak up the and have 'gang fights'. Our ammunition was plants that we pulled from the ground and a clump of earth stayed with the roots. We called them 'coondies'. Grabbing the dried leaves one was able to swing the earth clump around your head and let it go. As part of the gang warfare we had hidden caches of coondies. Part of the game was to raid and steal the caches.

               One day Mr Brown came to the vacant block and walked into the crossfire of our warfare. I don't know if or how many coodies hit him but quite a few of us were caned.

* * * * * * *

                 We kept goats in Meckering and Dad would get mad with us if we let them escape. One day my sister, Margaret and I, were bringing the goats home when the large nanny she was leading bolted. She refused to let go the rope and was dragged , face down, through the mud which had been made by the rains we'd had recently.

* * * * * * *

                   On the vacant block near the police house we allowed our hens and roosters to roam but had to bring them in each night for fear they be taken by foxes.

                  One cantakerous hen always played up for me. If I wanted it to go one way it went the other. So I found my self a long thin stick to shepherd the hen. I was waving the stick about when it came out of my hand. In my horror to see the stick had entered its neck and pinned it to the ground. It gave its last sad squawks.

                    I buried the hen, secretly, and when Dad came home, I said the cantankerous hen was missing…..probably taken by a fox.

* * * * *

                  Dad once took us out to look at a strange house. The owner had constructed all the walls, fences and even the water troughs by using bottles…..mostly brown beer bottles….which were laid sideways and cemented into place.

                         When inside the building, the light effect shining through the numerous bottles in the walls was great.

* * * * * *

                 To supplement our diet and save money money I often went with Dad to set traps. We went late evenings and had to return early the next morning in case a fox would sneak in and take our catch.

                     I can remember Dad straddled over a trap as he set it. Suddenly a rabbit or most probably a cat, rushed out of the burrow causing Dad to move slightly and set the trap off. The end of his finger bore the brunt of the trap teeth !

                     Sometimes he took his rifle and I can remember him chasing after a rabbit taking several shots at it before he finally bought it down. As he fired each shot, the rabbit gave a little jump into the air and continued on its way. When Dad finally bought the animal down, we discovered it was infected with myxamotosis, the disease introduced as a control measure over rabbit numbers.

 

                A West Australian explorer, Gregory, reported he'd found luxuriant grassland in the north-west of Western Australia (1861). Watered country was found near the Glenelg River which is now near Derby. It was then called Camden Harbour.

                Inspired by these reports men in Melbourne formed a company to farm the area. It was called the Camden Harbour Pastoral Association. At one meeting is was said the area was only 100 miles north of Perth, whereas a 1 000 mile further.

              The first eager settlers arrived but before Christmas 1864 the summer dried of the feed and water was hard to find. Two more ships arrived with settlers but sheep were dying in droves. It was thought poisonous plants were the blame and 4 500 merino sheep perished.

             Then the Western Australian Government sent Robert John Sholl and his son as Government Resident. They arrived in April 1865.Sholl turned his energies into exploring further inland and finding better pastures. Sholl suspected the area to have mineral deposits. He claimed to have found some gold.

            Returning to Camden Harbour, he found seven large Malay proas flying the Dutch flag. They had 300 men and canoes. Sholl had gorunds to believe they were pirates. Sholl visited the boats but finding  rusted cannons thought them no threat. Sholl put armed guards at the camp and kept watch on the visitors.

            Local blacks were a menace and in September stole a boat. Accomanpied by his son, a Constable named Gee and others he searched the coast. They were lured ashore and Constable Gee injured in the shoulder by a spear. Younger Sholl was wounded in the arm.  They killed some of the blacks before they took the boat.

            The rush of the tide took the boat under and a man named Quinlan drowned.Treverton, the Sholl son managed to salvage some of the boat and its contents.

           The party landed on shore ten miles from their camp. They had lost most of their clothing and boots which had been discarded when they were in the water. badly exhausted, cut by rocks and sunburnt they set off the go back to Camden Harbour.

           Throughout the journey they were threatened by blacks and still suffered from the sunburn. Had they been unarmed they would have perished. Constable Gee died of exhaustion 12 days later.

            The settlement failed. It hilighted the folly of establishing settlements soley on reports made from short visits to and area.

(The above exerpt is part of on page 4 of the Western Australian Newspaper: January 25, 1947.)        

                     Mary Gee nursed her injured husband, Walter, till he died. Mary had several children and gave birth to another just after her husband died. She gave birth to a daughter.

                     Walter Gee was buried with full honours on Sheep Island. Mr Sholl wrote a good report of Constable Gee's service.

                     A boat, the Tien Tsin arrived from Fremantle with a surprise parcel for Mrs Gee. It was baby clothes and food supplies ordered by her dead husband. Mary visited her husband's grave before she and her children boarded the Tien Tsin for the three months voyage back to Fremantle.

                     Mary's son, Arthur, was my great grand dad. Mary married again five years after becoming a widow. She married John McKenna, uncle of of a well known Commissioner of Police in Perth.

                   Mrs Gee was given a  farm….where Royal Perth Hospital now stands in compensation for the loss of Walter Gee.  His name is on the honour roll which is in Perth Police headquarters.

                   Walter's eldest son Charles Walter and the other son, Arthur became policemen. They married the Lee sisters. Charles married Elizabeth Jane while Arthur married Mary Annie.

                    Arthur Gee was responsible for the capture a bushranger named Hughes. Arthur's son ( my Grand father) , Arthur Walter Gee, joined the police force. He was appointed bodyguard for the the Lieutenant Governor, Sir James Mitchell.

                   Arthur married Mary Matheson who came from Scotland. They had two children, Isabel and Geoffrey ( my father). My father died on 18th September, 2004.

Where is Simon Hutchinson ?

I am trying to track down Simon…my friend in the U.K.

He is tall 6'2" and slim build. Born in Australia on 4th July, 1970(?)..Sydney

His father is in NSW and mother in Western Australia. if you have any info that may help me find him please contact me at graemegee1@yahoo.com.au or Graeme Gee, 10 Josephine Ave, Cranbourne Nth, melbourne, Victoria 3977

Thank you 

Me, Graeme Gee, wearing the Australian Cricket team shirt in my  office at  AusIs (Australian International School, Dhaka).

It is another morning in Cranbourne North as the air is filled with the cacophony of grass wrens, doves and mudlarks competing for air space as they flit for ground space. They are fluttering about in the slight morning breeze, chasing the seed mixture we have placed on the bird stands and on the grass.

 What was it like all those years ago in Southern Cross, Western Australia ?

As the winds of war were still sweeping across across Europe, as I was born in  Southern Cross , Western  Australia,  on the 6th July, 1944.

Later in life I was very to find out I was a direct descendant from Charles Gee .

Charles Gee came to the Swan River colony in 1829 . The Swan River colony later came be known as Western Australia.                                                                                                                           

 I have had a long and interesting journey of life that has taken me throughout Western Australia, overseas to England and Bangladesh and finally to here to Cranbourne North in Melbourne, Victoria.

Life in Southern Cross

My parents were surprised how I could remember details of Southern Cross, where I spent the first 5 years of my life.

Dad had a very interesting police case while there.

Two criminals stole a car in the eastern states and headed west across the Nullabor. They must have been afraid of being caught with the stolen car, a huge distinctive American model with big wings protruding from the rear,, so they decided to bury it. Near Southern Cross,

On the Great Eastern Highway, which connects Perth and Kalgoolrie, they stopped travelling and ran the car off the highway and over the huge water pipeline which conveys water from Mundaring Weir to the Goldfields. They dug  a hole in the earth and drove the car in after making numerous tracks through the bush to confuse anyone looking for the burial site.

After the car burial, they even replanted small shrubs and other plants.Sometime later they were recaptured and admitted burying the car. They were flown in a light aircraft along the water pipeline in an attempt to locate the burial site.

My dad, the policeman in charged of the Southern Cross station, and another officer, went to the site where the car was buried. The car was eventually found after a crow bar was driven repeatedly into the soils of the area and struck metal.

It took several days for the car to be dug out. The police took turns digging while on of the criminals was sitting under the shade of trees, nearby, handcuffed to another officer. It took one more day to dig the car out than it did to bury it.

When the car was driven out of the hole, the only damage done was a dent in the roof where the crowbar hit. On the seats of the car were two rifles and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.

The car was taken to Southern Police Station where it was washed and awaited the owners to come from the East. Dad was amazed that when the owners turned up. They didn't even thank the police for the work done to recover their vehicle.

Dad always instilled in us the need to thank anyone for good things done by them for you. My parents had in their Innaloo home a periodical magazine of the time, The Pix, which detailed in words and photos the whole story.

At the age of five I left Southern Cross when my father was transferred to another gold mining town, Gwalia.

We left with my mother, and a sister, Margaret Rose, born in August, 1945 and my brother, Brian, born in February, 1947.

As usual our belongings were transferred through the police department by rail. But to our amazment on arriving at our new house, the rail carriage containing our effects was lost by the WAGR. We had to stay at the only hotel in the town while the carriage was found. It was eventually located after 3 days. It had been shunted off onto a small side line at a railway station and forgotten! It was left there in the severe heat of the summer,and needless to say,many of our household items were affected by 40 C + temperatures. Mum found photo albums with the cover plastic melted.

Gwalia was a small town 300 km north of the large mining centre of Kalgoorlie-Boulder. Gwalia is still a small town. In the mining heyday it was very large town. It was so large that trams ran between it and the nearby town of Leonora. It was estimated a thousands of people once lived there, when gold mines were in peak production.

One of the things I did as a kid to get pocket money was to roam the landscape going through the ruins of buildings. We used to get scrape metals, such as door knobs,hinges, etc.

My sister, Nola Mary was born while we in Gwalia. February 20th, 1950.

                   The police house was large and situated on a corner block. It was not far from the railway station and pub. A vacant block was next door and along the back fence ran a lane way. This lane way was used by the miners going home from the pub and the man who came to empty the toilets….the night cart man.

Dad told me a story……in a small mining town the night cart man also drank a lot. One night he was heading out of town with a full load of sewerage. But having drunk a lot was speeding. Coming around a bend, the cart tipped over and the contents spilled all over the road. He took a shovel and began putting it back.

He was so busy he didn't hear the local policeman pull up.
"Okay what do we have here…drunk again !"
"No."
"We know your drunk..answer correctly!"
"I'm not drunk….I'm just stock taking!"

Our had the fowl run built around it.So if you were in a hurry to do 'the business' you might often leave the gate open and hens & roosters would get out. This happened to me one day….Dad's vegie garden suffered greatly…..and so did my backside!

I was sitting in the toilet one day when a hen came in and sat beside me. She laid an egg in my hand.My mother was there one day and she was bitten by a poisonous spider..the Red Back. She was taken to hospital…very ill….they took out two trays of poison….and she came close to death.

Years later an Australian singer, Slim Dusty, wrote a song, the Red Back Under the Toliet Seat…it was popular and enjoyed song….but Mum never enjoyed her experience!

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.