Escape Cliffs: Almost Northern Territory’s Capital...

Hands up if you think you know the history of the Northern Territory at least in basic form? OK, now hands up who knows what the Capital of the Northern Territory is? Darwin of course … and I’m sure you all got that one right.  Now hands up who knows what the Northern Territory’s FIRST capital was (or should I say “was going to be”)? No? No-one? Well nor did I, until yesterday. It was Escape Cliffs! And I doubt that many have even heard of it, right? I made this discovery when reading up about a voyage that the brother of my great great grandma, Phebe Randell (nee Robbins) was on. In the ‘tin of treasures’ (the one mentioned in my EVACUATE! post) that I’ve been going through, I found a letter that Abner Mark Robbins of Findon, South Australia (sometimes known as Abner, sometimes known as Mark) wrote to his sister Phebe Robbins in 1864, detailing the voyage he was about to embark upon to look for a suitable place for the “capital” in the Northern Territory. You can click on the images above to enlarge them, but to make life easier I have transcribed it for you. Just a note, I have kept the out-of-place upper and lowercasing and spelling just as Abner himself did, but have added in some fullstops to help it make sense. Sunday 6 Mar 1864 6 March Dear Sifter, I now take the opportunity of sending a few lines to you hoping they will finde you in good health as it leaves me at present[.] Mother is quite well and has been to Hindmarsh this morning[.] Mary Ann and Richard and family are all quite well[.] I am still in town...

The Randell and Robbins Family Photo Album: But Who Are They?...

It was sometime last year that I discovered an amazing family heirloom and have been wanting to share it all with you for ages, and have decided that now is the time. There’s no doubt that family historians get excited over old family photos, but can you imagine the excitement of finding a whole photo album of family photos? Well that’s what I found in my dad’s stash of family heirlooms. And trust me I was happy dancing!! Page after page of beautiful old photos – probably from around the 1850s-1860s. But one question. Who are they? I did recognise a few of them – but that’s all. The rest remain unnamed. So that’s partly why I’m writing this, in the hope that others might be able to add some names to these photo. But back to the album. It belonged to my great great grandma Phebe Randell (nee Robbins) who was the second wife of William Beavis Randell (Randle back in England), both of who lived at Gumeracha, in the Adelaide Hills. And it has been handed down through the family. I’ve written before about both William Beavis Randell and Phebe, so rather than repeat their history will link to previous posts, and have included a mini chart of both the Randell and Robbins family. Though I know the Robbins one is incomplete – it’s a family I’m still working on, but hopefully it’s enough for someone to make a connection if there is one. – Family History Through the Alphabet Challenge: B is for [Family] Bible – Diaries, and the Stories They Can Tell! – Finding Hidden Gems! – William Beavis Randell: The Man Who Created a Town – Arriving on the “Rajah” in 1849 – ‘Tis the...

When the Coach Comes In …...

Well for something radically different to my previous posts, here is some poetry for you. But not just ANY poetry. Oh no. This one happens to be written about the tiny town of Gumeracha, in the Adelaide Hills. In amongst the letters, diaries and other ephemera of my great great grandmother Phebe Randell (nee Robbins) was a book of poems, presumably ones she liked and wrote down. One that was not in that book, but is in her handwriting is one called “When the coach comes in”.  She isn’t the author of this poem, that honour goes to L.S.M., the initials on the bottom of it. Unfortunately I do not know who L.S.M. is, but I would have to say was a local at the time, and at a guess that would be in the late 1800s, or early 1900s. While the original is quite readable, I have transcribed it here for you … When the Coach Comes In Come, all you jolly Gumerachs and listen to my rhyme, It’s all about the good old coach that rumbles in to time, The coach, my boys, that brings the mail from town and visitors. Oh you’ve been often there to see the ladies all get down. When the coach comes in, when the coach comes in. The ladies all get down, when the coach come in. When the coach comes rolling in, there stands Moffatt for the bags, And he takes them with a catch, and the coach it never flags, But it rattles down the hill for the horses know full well They are near the termination, that means a jolly spell. When the coach comes in, when the coach comes in. It means a jolly spell, when the...

‘Tis the Season for Christmas Cards...

In going through old family ephemera I found this beautiful old Christmas card … and as it’s almost Christmas I’d share it now. There’s no santa, no reindeer, no snowman, no tree or even ornaments on this card. It is simple and yet very elegant. And I know I’m right in saying “they sure don’t make ’em like they used to”. This Christmas card (postcard) was sent to my great great grandma Phebe Randell (nee Robbins), at ‘Salem Glen’, Gumeracha, from someone named Bert who lived at Woodville in South Australia … though I’m yet to discover who Bert is. Is he a family member, or just a friend? I’ve added it to the “must-check-out-one-day” list. What i find interesting on this is the spelling of Phebe here (Febe), as well as Salem (Salam with the S back-to-front). Salem Glen, for those not familiar with the town of Gumeracha is the name of a property that is on the land behind the current Gumeracha Hospital. This land was given to Phebe when her husband, William Beavis Randell died in 1876 and she built the “Salem Glen” house. The card is undated but it is likely to be in the late 1800s. Produced by J. Beagles & Co. Ltd. who started in 1881, and the business continued through until 1939. You can see that the front of the card looks like a quilt, but in fact it is embossed paper which gives that effect. But you have to agree it does look very cool, doesn’t it! Now putting this into some kind of perspective, this card is at least over 100 years old, maybe even up to 120 years. So think about the Christmas cards you send and receive. Do...

Arriving on the ”Rajah” in 1849...

As happens in those moments when you’re sitting in front of a computer and not reading or responding to emails, blogging or doing work … I went Googling, and decided to see what I could find on my Robbins family. Now this is a family that has received very little attention, so I’m pretty much starting from scratch. A few days earlier I had gone through a number of South Australian CDs that I have, and had begun piecing the family together, and I found out that they arrived on the “Rajah” in 1849. This particular voyage of the “Rajah”  left London on 30th August 1848, left Plymouth, Devon on the 9th September 1848, and arrived at Port Adelaide, South Australia on the 6th January 1849. No doubt not an easy trip for anyone, but it is one that so many of our ancestors made. While browsing on Trove I came across this shipping list for the ”Rajah” that was printed in the ”South Australian” newspaper on the 19th January, 1849 … and it lists my ROBBINS family. George Robbins, Mary Robbins, and Mary Ann Robbins, Maria Robbins, John Robbins, Jesse Robbins, Phoebe Robbins, A. M. Robbins [this last one is likely to be son Abner Mark Robbins]. SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. ARRIVED. January 6.-The barque Rajah, 352 tons, Ferguson, from Plymouth, 9th September. Passengers:- Rev. John M. Strongman, Mrs. Strongman, Mr Wm. R. Rayne, Mrs Rayne and two children, Mr John Shrewdwick, and John Hay, Esq., Surgeon Superintendent, in the cabin; S. Rodda and wife, James Riddle, Elizabeth Riddle, Agnes   Rowling, John Roak, Mary Ann Robbins, Maria Robbins, John Robbins, George Robbins, Mary Robbins, Jesse Robbins, Phoebe Robbins, A. M. Robbins, Urias Scoble, Mary Scoble. Jane Scoble, Richard Symons,...