William James "Bill" Hamilton

1852 - 1939  (86 years)

• Name	William James "Bill" Hamilton  [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26]
  Born	25 Dec 1852	Tumomumbee, Yulgilbar Station, Baryulgil, New South Wales, Australia   [2, 3, 4, 7, 13, 27]
  Christened	9 May 1853	Ipswich, Queensland, Australia   [28]
  Gender	Male
  Occupation	23 Jan 1880	Yulgilbar Station, Baryulgil, New South Wales, Australia
  Occupation	1936
  	Stockman, Station Manager
  Electoral Roll	1937	Grafton, Cowper, New South Wales, Australia   [10]
  	In 1937, Bill was living at 5 Little Mary Street, Grafton and his
  Died	10 Sep 1939	Grafton Base Hospital, Grafton, New South Wales, Australia   [2, 29]
  Buried	11 Sep 1939	Grafton, New South Wales, Australia   [2]
  Person ID	I2974	So Many Generations
  Last Modified	21 Feb 2021

  
  

  Father	John Hamilton,   b. Abt 1816, Lorrigen, Ireland ,   d. 3 Mar 1898, Yulgilbar Station, Baryulgil, New South Wales, Australia  (Age ~ 82 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Mother	Ellen Brennan,   b. 1820, Digbeth, Warwickshire, England ,   d. 9 Sep 1895, North of the Crossing, Yulgilbar Station, New South Wales, Australia  (Age 75 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Married	28 Jan 1850	Yulgilbar Station, Baryulgil, New South Wales, Australia   [12, 30, 31, 32, 33]
  Family ID	F871	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Alice Armstrong,   b. 13 Dec 1862, McLoud's Creek, New South Wales, Australia ,   d. 11 Jul 1959, Grafton Base Hospital, Grafton, New South Wales, Australia  (Age 96 years)
  Married	23 Jan 1880	Church of England, Sandy Creek, New South Wales, Australia   [18, 19, 20, 21, 34, 35]
  Children	+ 1. Priscilla "Cilla" Hamilton,   b. 18 Oct 1880, Yulgilbar Station, Baryulgil, New South Wales, Australia ,   d. 12 Jan 1967, New South Wales, Australia  (Age 86 years)  [natural] + 2. John "Jack" Hamilton,   b. 16 Jun 1882, Yulgilbar Station, Baryulgil, New South Wales, Australia ,   d. 28 May 1974, Grafton, New South Wales, Australia  (Age 91 years)  [natural] + 3. Jane "Ginny" Hamilton,   b. 24 Jan 1884, Yulgilbar Station, Baryulgil, New South Wales, Australia ,   d. 11 Nov 1961, Casino, New South Wales, Australia  (Age 77 years)  [natural] + 4. Alice Hamilton,   b. 25 Feb 1886, Yulgilbar Station, Baryulgil, New South Wales, Australia ,   d. 20 May 1962, Casino, New South Wales, Australia  (Age 76 years)  [natural]   5. Eleanor Hamilton,   b. 8 Oct 1888, Yulgilbar Station, Baryulgil, New South Wales, Australia ,   d. 11 Mar 1889, Yulgilbar Station, Baryulgil, New South Wales, Australia  (Age 0 years)  [natural]   6. Nellie Hamilton,   b. 9 Feb 1890, Yulgilbar Station, Baryulgil, New South Wales, Australia ,   d. 14 Feb 1890, Yulgilbar Station, Baryulgil, New South Wales, Australia  (Age 0 years)  [natural]   7. William James Hamilton,   b. 6 Jun 1891, Yulgilbar Station, Baryulgil, New South Wales, Australia ,   d. 13 Mar 1893, Yulgilbar Station, Baryulgil, New South Wales, Australia  (Age 1 years)  [natural] + 8. Alfred "Ted" Hamilton,   b. 7 Feb 1893, Broadwater Station, Baryulgil, New South Wales, Australia ,   d. 23 Jun 1974, Canberra Convalescent Home, Lidcombe, New South Wales, Australia  (Age 81 years)  [natural] + 9. Mary Hamilton,   b. 19 Aug 1895, Grafton, New South Wales, Australia ,   d. 9 Oct 1969, Grafton Base Hospital, Grafton, New South Wales, Australia  (Age 74 years)  [natural] + 10. Emily Hamilton,   b. 3 Jan 1898, Casino, New South Wales, Australia ,   d. 12 Sep 1967, Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia  (Age 69 years)  [natural]   11. Francis William Hamilton,   b. 24 Oct 1900, Grafton, New South Wales, Australia ,   d. 19 Jun 1936, Grafton, New South Wales, Australia  (Age 35 years)  [natural]   12. Constance Evelyn Maude "Maude" Hamilton,   b. 23 Apr 1904, Grafton, New South Wales, Australia ,   d. 1 Oct 1932, Grafton, New South Wales, Australia  (Age 28 years)  [natural] + 13. Malcolm Leslie Hamilton,   b. 30 Aug 1905, Grafton, New South Wales, Australia ,   d. 3 Jun 1941, Grafton, New South Wales, Australia  (Age 35 years)  [natural] + 14. Clarence Earle "Earle" Hamilton,   b. 21 Oct 1910, Duke Street, Grafton, New South Wales, Australia ,   d. 21 Dec 1983, Grafton Base Hospital, Grafton, New South Wales, Australia  (Age 73 years)  [natural]
  Last Modified	21 Feb 2021
  Family ID	F880	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos

  Bill Hamilton in Grafton about 1930

  
  

• Notes

  At the time of Bill's Baptism the home address was Tumomumbee on the ClarenceRiver. His sponsers were Jeremiah Malone and Anne Hancock. Rev W McGinty, Roman Catholic. Bill Hamilton was a Stockman on Yulgilbar Station before being appointed as Station Manager of BroadwaterStation. THE DAILY EXAMINER WEDNESDAY MARCH 30 1927 YULGILBAR In the Early Days ITS UNIQUE CASTLE Some Reminiscences byWilliam Hamilton The famous Yulgilbar Castle was completed in the year 1865. It took five years to build. Mr Ogilvie imported German and Spanish workmen to carry out the work, and when completed the cost was in the vicinity of 40,000 pound. The castle also contains many art objects of interest. All the stone used was quarried on the estate, there being four different quarries. The stables and laundry were also built of stone. The site of the castle is where Mr. Ogilvie camped on his first visit to Yulgilbar. In writing these reminiscences Mr. Hamilton recalls conditions of the days of over 60 years ago. Yulgilbar at that time he says was practically confined to sheep and up to 20,000 were run on the holding. In the mid sixties a run of wet seasons followed each over and Mr. Ogilvie decided to dispose of the sheep and replace them with cattle. The country on the western side of the Clarence River proved to be the most suitable for sheep. Yulgilbar at that time was a very extensive property, extending from the southern boundary near Cangai to as far north as what is known at Hamilton's Gap, a few miles from Tabulam. At that time as many as 25,000 head of cattle were run on the property which was under the capable management of Mr. J. Brown who was considered second to none in the country as a judge of cattle. SOLFERINO About the year 1870 as near as I can remember, the Solferino diggings opened and this resulted in the building up on a small township. As many as six hotels were operating in the township but like most mining towns, the village ceased to exist as the gold gave out and at the present time it would be only possible to find the foundations of a few of the buildings. About that time, the Washpool races were held for the first time. I have seen as many as 2000 to 3000 people assembled at these gatherings. The handicap was worth about 100 pounds and this brought together some good horses, including the late Charlie Page's Counterfeit and Casson's Eugene. THE BLACKS The home tribes at that time were becoming more civilised but the visiting tribes from the Richmond and Cangai way were more or less treacherous. If any man was called away from any outstation Mr Ogilvie would always despatch an armed man to look after his wife during his absence. Some time ago reference was made through the press to a black's bora ring, found on the Tweed River and I can give some particulars regarding similar rings in this locality. Only a few miles from Mr. Leo Tyrrell's house on the top of a very high hill onthe Tabulam side of Flagstone Creek, one of the rings can be seen. Afew of the old blacks still in the district were made men at this spotand can give an accurate description of how the ceremony wasperformed. BORA RINGS There are several in this locality. One was at Baxter's Creek; one on top of the hill at Plain Station, one on a high bank at Washpool Creek, Lionsville; one at Collum Collum; one at Newton's Creek South River and one at Carnham. The object of these rings was to bring up young dark lads in a way to make them understand what they had to do in after life to their elders. Not to do anything wrong, but always to obey their parents and elders. The lads were kept from their mothers and sisters while the training was in progress. All this system of training has been done away with long ago and quite a different method is now used in its stead. The information was supplied to me by one that went through the performance and knew all about it. WILD CATTLE About the timeof the late Mr Watt, then manager of Yulgilbar, there were thousandsof wild cattle on the property and any that could be secured weremixed up with quiet station cattle and sent to Ramornie meat works.At one time during a muster at Deep Creek I saw as many as 70 head ofthese wild unbranded cattle yarded and despatched to the works.However there were more shot than were yarded. One of the best men I ever saw amongst wild cattle was the late Mr. G Lollback, of BusbyFlat, who was in charge on Coobar out station. I witnessed feats byMr. Lollback that most people of the present day would hardly credit. After he had accounted for a great number with the rifle, and his ammunition became exhausted he would start with a sheath knife, which he always carried and would account for nearly as many more by ripping them open. On one occasion as many as 16 stockmen were camped onWashpool Creek mustering and shooting wild cattle. Although this work, or sport, seemed cruel, it was orders and the only way to keep the Yulgilbar herd intact. At that time it was of very high standardas Mr. Ogilvie made frequent importations from the old country. MANAGEMENT OF STOCK Mr Ogilvie was a very particular man in themanagement of the stock. All heifers that were classed for thebreeding runs were herded by black boys for months before being placedon their respective runs. Another instance of the systematic waythe chief had in marking the bullocks, was that only one number (theage number) would be sold each year. Although there would perhaps bebetter bullocks of a younger age, they had to be turned back untiltheir time came. On many occasions I have drafted out bullocks forthe Ramornie meat works and upon final inspection being made, perhapsa few of them, probably some of the best would show a number of ayounger age. They would have to be turned back on their runs. Aboutthe year 1865 pleuro-pneumonia broke out in the station herd and thelosses amounted to thousands of head. Since that time there have beennumerous outbreaks but of a mild nature. THE FLOODS - LIVES LOST The biggest flood known by white people up to that time occurred in1863. All the famous Plains Station was covered with water and atTabulam Station (then the property of the Hon. C.H.E. Chauvel) therewere two bullock teams loaded with goods for Tenterfield camped on theriver bank. The flood rose rapidly at night and two men and a lad were drowned. Their names were May and son and a man named Bowman.The bodies of the two men were buried on Tabulam Flat but the lad's body was never recovered. Constable Fry, stationed at Tabulam was also drowned at the same time. He insisted in remaining at his own house after all his family had been removed and when the water rose he got on top of the building. Some men swam out to him and tried to get a rope round him to force him to leave but he insisted on remaining. His body was found after the water subsided a few yards below the house. STOCKMAN KILLED In my early days there were a great number of wild cattle on Yulgilbar, and we stockmen used to camp out and shoot as many as we could or the ones that could not be yarded. I have seen as many as 30 wild bulls shot in one day on Yates' Flat. We set out one Easter Sunday to muster cattle for branding. There were wild cattle on the camp with the mob, and as soon as we started to draft some of the wild ones broke away. One of our men (McCrotty) followed them and the manager (Mr. Stevens) instructed Shanley and me to follow, as one could not manage them on his own. We started and overtook two that had separated from the mob while McCrotty followed on. Unfortunately his horse ran him against a tree with the result that McCrotty's neck was broken. No one saw the accident happen but we picked him up dead close to a big apple tree. We could pick his hair off the apple tree where he had hit it with his head. This sad event happened on Mokemawgbra Camp close to where Mr. E Blackwell's house now stands. As far as I can recollect this was over 50 years ago. We had a difficult walk in getting the corpse to the nearest habitation - The Plains Station - a distance of three miles with only the manager (Mr. Stevens) Lollback, Shanley and myself to do the job. W. Dee was stockman at Plains Station and after Stevens sent him in with a message to the Hon. E. Ogilvie, McCrotty was in charge ofBroadwater station and a great favourite with the hands. After McCrotty's death the Hon E Ogilvie sent me to fill the vacancy with an old man named Walsh to cook and housekeeper. I put in two years at this place. Broadwater was the place where all the best cattle were kept, including stud cattle. In the winter all the stud bulls were taken to the head station to be fed and rugged and in the early spring they would be brought back to their paddocks looking pictures. SOUTH RIVER STATION All heifers were sent to South River Stationwhen weaned, and kept there until they were old enough to be broughton to the breeding plan. I have helped to bring in 1000 in a mob.They would be herded for months - yarded at night and let out everymorning early. The same practice was followed with male weaners.This was the work we young fellows were set to do. The Hon.E.D.Olgilvie was very particular in choosing his heifers for breedingpurposes. All black noses and bad coloured ones were block-eared andkept back to fatten. The Hon. E.D. imported stock from England andthis improved the herd very much. I can safely say I never saw abetter herd of cattle than those on the famous Yulgilbar Estate.TAUGHT A LESSON In those days the horses were very good. Youcould ride them without shoes and you never need be afraid of havingto carry your saddle home at night. We had a big muster at thefamous Plain Station, and we started for Yulgilbar with 1400. I wasin charge. The Hon E.D. had occasion to stay back for a time after westarted, and I had the bad luck to lose one of the from the mob. Whenour next pay was due he deducted 10/- for the lost weaner, but at the12 months he gave me One Pound. He said "Just to teach you a lesson"When the famous Ramornie meat works were in progress Yulgilbar fatcattle were sent down to be slaughtered - prime fats at 12/- per cwt,a yearling 8/9 cwt., and this was considered a good price. GOODENGLISH In our early days Mr. Brown (our Manager) was one of thebest judges of cattle I have ever seen. He was an Englishman and usedto talk very broad. One morning we all started out mustering and theboss said to Long Jonnie, who was on a very bad horse to buck, "Yougot your kettle, Johnnie?" Johnnie replied "How Boss, I carryemkettle, my horse buck too hard". One of the party replied "Boss meansquart pot Johnnie" and he replied "Why don't boss talk goodEnglish?". In those days the darkies seldom troubled aboutrations. They would rather have cobiza (we call it zamia). This iswhat gives cattle the rickets. The way they treat it is to put itinto water for weeks; then take it out and dry it and then it can bepowdered and just like flour. Another thing they used to treat in thesame ways was been balls. These also are very injurious to cattle.The blacks' chief meat ration was opossums, bears, carpet snakes,porcupines, bandicoots, fish and turtles and their eggs. They madeall their own fishing nets. They used flint and a knife to lighttheir fires. The flint they procured from burnt coal from apple treeand also from the long stalks from grass trees. They called tobacco"mull" and matches "wybras". FEEDING MAN AND HORSES Once whengoing out on a mustering jaunt, we were all ordered to carry a pair ofhobbles, and at midday each horse had to be unsaddled and hobbled outfor an hour. One day I was ordered to go out with the Hon. E. D.Ogilvie and on arrival at the castle was asked by him if I had mydinner with me. I said "Yes" "And your hobble" and I said "No". Iwas told to leave my dinner. If my horse was to do without his dinnerI was to do without mine. I thought that a bit hard but rightnevertheless. SLY GROG SELLING There was one shanty or rather,sly grog shop, on Yulgilbar. All us single chaps had to cook forourselves. We would get our rations weighted out on a Saturday. On aSunday one chap Jim Facey made it a practice of visiting this shantyfor a good dinner and after some time was handed a bill for a ratherlarge amount and there was a dispute over it as he asserted he did notown the amount claimed. He left the station and went to Lionsvillefor a little while. No doubt the hotels at this place made it up withyoung Facey to catch this man and also Mr. Ogilvie offered a reward tothe one who caught anyone sly grog selling on the estate. So he wassimply caught in this way. A gentleman in blue was called on to cometo the place just in front of which grew a very large gum tree.Behind this tree the Officer hid while the lad went in and asked for abottle of spirits and of course was refused unless the cash was firstput down. So it was counted out in single shillings till the fullamount was down. Then the Officer was satisfied as he had watched thewhole transaction from the gum tree. When the case came off theoffender was fined 30 pounds. Of this amount the informant received15 pound and with the 5 pound offered by the Hon. E. D. a neat littlecheque was made up. RICKETS In regard to rickets in cattle,the first appearance on Yulgilbar was when the late John Campbell wasmanager. There were 900 head of cattle taken on agistment. They camefrom over the border and were owned by Mrs. Swinburn. Men notemployed on the station look after those cattle and they were put on arough part of the station on grass. After a time Mr Campbell asked me to have a ride through just to see how they were improving and to my horror there were over 200 of them with rickets. The cattle appeared to me to be all staggering about. Their horns became loose and some would hang down. Then the Yulgilbar herd which had never had the disease before, took it. THE 1876 FLOOD In recalling events concerning the big flood of 1876 I might relate to the drowning of Tom Rose. He and John Brady were fencing at the Plain Station, Rose'shome being at Washpool Creek. At week-ends he went home and on theSaturday that the flood was at its highest he left his mate intendingto go home as usual, although the creek was an high as a wall. He told his mate he would take his bridle and catch his horse and try to get home, intending to wait for fine weather before rejoining his mate. Brady thought Rose had reached his home all right while his family believed that he had not left the Plains. But some days afterwards his bridle was found hanging on an oak tree at Mocemawzbra Creek. Then search was made as people believed he had been drowned in that creek. Searching further however his coat was found hanging on a tree at Rocky Creek about two and a half miles from where the bridle was found. Then that creek was searched without any trace of the body being found. The search was kept up for weeks and eventually the corpse was found, after about six weeks time, on the Washpool Plain about two miles from his own home. The body was found in this way... We were mustered a mob of fat bullocks and had to take them across the Washpool Plain. All went well until we got within smelling distance when the bullocks held up their heads and off they went. Ted Tansall, my mate, went to try and steady them and bring them back to the right crossing when he told me they took fright at a big head kangaroo. I felt a bit curious and said to Tansall "Let's got and have a look at it". To our horror it was poor Tom Rose's body. He was buried just handy to where we found him. A grave was dug and his body was simply rolled into it. This is where the famous Washpool races used to beheld in the good old days.

  
  

• Sources

  [S350] Index to Births and Baptisms in New South Wales, 1792-1981, Registrar General of New South Wales, (Name: Registrar of Births Deaths & Marriages; Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Date: 2014;). [S115] FamilySearch Family Tree, FamilySearch, accessed 2 Oct 2017), entry for William "Bill" James Hamilton, person ID LDSQ-M2Q. [S2] Index of NSW Births 1788-1922, Registrar of Births Deaths & Marriages, (Name: Registrar General of NSW; Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia;). Birth date: 1852 Birth place: Ipswich, New South Wales [S2] Index of NSW Births 1788-1922, Registrar of Births Deaths & Marriages, (Name: Registrar General of NSW; Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia;). Birth date: 1852 Birth place: Ipswich, New South Wales [S1] Australia, New South Wales, Registrar of Births Deaths & Marriages, Index of Births, Deaths & Marriages. Death date: 1939 Death place: Grafton, New South Wales [S1] Australia, New South Wales, Registrar of Births Deaths & Marriages, Index of Births, Deaths & Marriages. Death date: 1939 Death place: Grafton, New South Wales [S9] Source, (Name: http://search.ancestry.com.au/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=1030&h=18031271249&indiv=try;). Birth date: 1852Birth place: Ipswich, New South Wales [S1417] Citation Text: Death date: 1939Death place: Grafton, New South Wales. [S9] Source, (Name: http://search.ancestry.com.au/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=1030&h=18031271249&indiv=try;). Death date: 1939Death place: Grafton, New South Wales [S117] Australian Electoral Rolls 1903-1980, Electoral Commissioner, (Name: Australian Electoral Commission; Location: Canberra, ACT; Date: 2010;). Residence date: 1937 Residence place: Grafton, Cowper, New South Wales, Australia [S117] Australian Electoral Rolls 1903-1980, Electoral Commissioner, (Name: Australian Electoral Commission; Location: Canberra, ACT; Date: 2010;). Residence date: 1937 Residence place: Grafton, Cowper, New South Wales, Australia [S5] Index of NSW Marriages 1788-1950, NSW Registrar General, (Name: Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages of NSW; Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia;). [S2] Index of NSW Births 1788-1922, Registrar of Births Deaths & Marriages, (Name: Registrar General of NSW; Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia;). Record for William J Hamilton [S3] Australia, Death Index, 1787-1985, Ancestry.com, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2010;). Record for William James Hamilton [S2] Index of NSW Births 1788-1922, Registrar of Births Deaths & Marriages, (Name: Registrar General of NSW; Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia;). Record for Contance E M Hamilton [S3] Australia, Death Index, 1787-1985, Ancestry.com, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2010;). Record for Constance E M Barnier [S2] Index of NSW Births 1788-1922, Registrar of Births Deaths & Marriages, (Name: Registrar General of NSW; Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia;). Record for Mary Hamilton [S1] Australia, New South Wales, Registrar of Births Deaths & Marriages, Index of Births, Deaths & Marriages. Marriage date: 1880 Marriage place: Richmond River, New South Wales [S1] Australia, New South Wales, Registrar of Births Deaths & Marriages, Index of Births, Deaths & Marriages. Marriage date: 1880 Marriage place: Richmond River, New South Wales [S1415] Citation Text: Marriage date: 1880Marriage place: Richmond River,New South Wales. [S9] Source, (Name: http://search.ancestry.com.au/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=1030&h=18031271249&indiv=try;). Marriage date: 1880Marriage place: Richmond River, New South Wales [S1] Australia, New South Wales, Registrar of Births Deaths & Marriages, Index of Births, Deaths & Marriages. Record for William Hamilton [S2] Index of NSW Births 1788-1922, Registrar of Births Deaths & Marriages, (Name: Registrar General of NSW; Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia;). Record for Alfred Hamilton [S2] Index of NSW Births 1788-1922, Registrar of Births Deaths & Marriages, (Name: Registrar General of NSW; Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia;). Record for John Hamilton [S1] Australia, New South Wales, Registrar of Births Deaths & Marriages, Index of Births, Deaths & Marriages. Record for John Hamilton [S1] Australia, New South Wales, Registrar of Births Deaths & Marriages, Index of Births, Deaths & Marriages. Record for Edward James Hamilton [S1418] Details: #2633 Vol 70 of 1852. [S1420] Details: No 2633 Vol: 70 NSW BDM. [S1419] The Daily Examiner, Grafton, New South Wales (online archive), New South Wales. Grafton., Digital images. The death occurred in Grafton District Hospital yesterday of Mr William John (sic) Hamilton of Junction Road, Grafton.at the age of 90 years. [S1364] Citation Text: Marriage date: 1850Marriage place: Clarence RiverDistrict, New South Wales. [S1] Australia, New South Wales, Registrar of Births Deaths & Marriages, Index of Births, Deaths & Marriages. Marriage date: 1850 Marriage place: Clarence River District, New South Wales [S1] Australia, New South Wales, Registrar of Births Deaths & Marriages, Index of Births, Deaths & Marriages. Marriage date: 1850 Marriage place: Clarence River District, New South Wales [S1408] Relationship Chart - Rosemary Kathleen Barraclough and Leslie Hamilton; Relationship Chart, Margaret Hamilton (nee Reichelt), (Name: Received in email 28 Jan 2017;), Chart shows two marriages to Joseph or James Shanley and to John Hamilton. [S1416] Details: #4774 of 1880. [S1408] Relationship Chart - Rosemary Kathleen Barraclough and Leslie Hamilton; Relationship Chart, Margaret Hamilton (nee Reichelt), (Name: Received in email 28 Jan 2017;), Records marriage previously known.