Citation

Oral History and the Demise of Folk Culture in the Richmond District, Tasmania: Peter MacFie, Tasmanian Historical Research Association P & P, Nov. 1982

Outline

The Coal River Valley near Hobart was the main food-producing area for Van Diemen’s Land, and in the early days they were exporting to Sydney as well. Unlike near other big cities, many of the people remained in the area and Peter MacFie was able to interview people whose grandparents were early settlers, with family memories of the district over two centuries. An extended version with index is also available to download.

Download pdf from THRA

Oral History and the demise of Folk Culture

Download extended version with index

Richmond- Demise of Folk Culture – with index

Excerpt

My interest in the Richmond-Cambridge district began when I moved to Dulcot, a forgotten hamlet four miles from both townships, and twelve miles east of Hobart and the Derwent River. The Coal River Valley around Richmond and the district of Pittwatersupplied Hobart and Sydeny with wheat, hops and mutton before 1830. Below Dulcot, the Salt Pans also provided salt for preserving.

During an afternoon walk near the Belbin Rivulet, a straight iron bar caught my eye, handing in a hawthorn bush, nearly bare of foiage in the summer drought was an old branding iron, with a very small capital “K”. I took the iron to an elderly friend of mine, George King, whose grandfather Denis Kng had settled on the Belbin Rivulet in the 1850s. We talked and on leaving his memory stirred – ‘Grandfather’, he said, ‘had used this iron for branding sheep.’

‘Where?’ was the obvious question.

‘On the face, the cheeck,’ he told me.

Later, reading Widowson’s advice in 1829 to would-be imigrants, I found the following: “Some brand on the forehead, others on the cheek.’

My old friend’s memory was correct.

This incident illustrates the advantages which a resident local historian has when trying to build a picture of his district.

End of Excerpt

To read more, download either the original version of the THRA paper, or the version with index.

Index

accidents…………………………………………………………… 17

Anderson, Jimmy……………………………………… 18, 19

apples………………………………………………………………. 12

apricots………………………………………………… 12, 19, 24

Arthur, Lt. Gov. George………………………………. 7, 24

Ayrshires…………………………………………………………. 12

Back Tea Tree Road junction…………………………. 16

Backhouse family……………………………………………. 18

Backhouse, Belle……………………………………….. 15, 20

Bassett Dickson, Nandy (Mrs ?)…………………….. 20

Batt, Eileen (Mrs ?)…………………………….. 8, 9, 17, 18

Belbin family……………………………………………………… 6

Belbin Rivulet…………………………………….. 4, 9, 12, 17

Bellerive……………………………………………………………. 12

Billy Drew’s water-hole………………………………….. 16

binders……………………………………………………………… 15

black brother……………………………………………………. 11

blackberries……………………………………………………… 12

blacksmiths…………………………………………………. 5, 19

blazing a trail…………………………………………………….. 8

Bowden, Matthew…………………………………………….. 4

branding iron…………………………………………………….. 4

Brock family…………………………………………………….. 21

bullock teams………………………………………………. 5, 14

bullocks……………………………………………………… 14, 15

Burns, Herbert…………………………………………………. 19

bush runs…………………………………………………………. 12

Butler, Dr ?……………………………………………………….. 22

button-accordion…………………………………………….. 16

Cambridge……………………………………………….. 7, 8, 19

Cambridge Ploughing Match………………….. 10, 17

Cambridge, Tasmania……………………………………… 4

Campania………………………………………………….. 16, 24

Cash, Martin……………………………………………………… 7

Cash, Michael……………………………………………………. 7

Cash, Steve…………………………………………………………. 7

chaff………………………………………………………………….. 14

chaff-cutter………………………………………………………. 13

chaff-cutters…………………………………………………….. 15

Cheap Jack……………………………………………………….. 10

churches

St John’s Catholic………………………………………….. 18

Clay Brothers…………………………………………………… 13

coach-builders…………………………………………………. 19

coaches…………………………………………………………….. 19

Coal River Valley………………………………………… 4, 12

Coal River,…………………………………………………………. 4

conscription referendums……………………………… 15

cows…………………………………………………………………. 19

dairy herds………………………………………………………. 12

dances………………………………………………………… 16, 17

deaths

babies……………………………………………………………. 17

diaries………………………………………………………………… 6

Downham Town………………………………………………. 6

Drew, Billy……………………………………………………….. 16

Dromedary………………………………………………………. 21

Duck Hole Creek……………………………………………… 20

Dulcot……………………………… 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13, 14, 16

Dunbabin, Thomas…………………………………………. 15

Ellis, Flora………………………………………………….. 20, 21

Ellis, Thomasina (Mrs Vincent J)…………….. 20, 21

Ellis, Vincent J…………………………………………………. 20

Enfield………………………………………………………………… 6

farm diaries……………………………………………………… 12

firearms……………………………………………………… 18, 21

firewood…………………………………………………………… 12

flail……………………………………………………………………. 13

flour………………………………………………………………….. 14

Forster, Inspector ?………………………………………….. 22

fortune tellers…………………………………………………… 11

funerals……………………………………………………………. 18

Geilston Bay…………………………………………………….. 11

Glebe, Dulcot……………………………………………………… 7

gooseberries…………………………………………………….. 12

Government House………………………………………… 12

Grass Tree Hill………………………………………………….. 7

Grass Tree Hill road…………………………………. 17, 24

Grass Tree Hill Sports………………………………. 10, 16

Green, Bill………………………………………………………… 19

Hanslow family………………………………………….. 6, 12

Hanslow, George…………………………………………….. 15

hay making……………………………………………………… 13

haystacks…………………………………………………………. 12

Hibberd, Arthur………………………………………………. 18

Hibberd, Len………………………………….. 15, 16, 18, 19

Hill, Charlie…………………………………………………….. 10

Hobart Town Jack…………………………………………… 10

horses……………………….. 5, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19, 24

horse-works…………………………………………………….. 13

house construction……………………………………………. 7

inns

Bridge Inn………………………………………………………. 19

Commercial Hotel…………………………………………….. 19

Grass Tree Hill Rd………………………………………… 17

Richmond Arms………………………………………………. 19

Wheatsheaf Inn……………………………………………….. 22

Jeffrey, Mark………………………………………………………. 8

Jeffrey. Mark………………………………………………………. 9

Jinglin’ Johnny………………………………………………… 16

Johnny Come-Lately……………………………………….. 16

Johnson, Samson…………………………………………….. 22

Jones & Co., Hobart…………………………………………. 19

Joseph, George…………………………………………………… 5

Keane family……………………………………………………… 9

Keane, Roger………………………………………………… 9, 14

King family………………………………. 4, 5, 7, 13, 21, 24

King, ? (Mrs Ted)…………………………………………….. 17

King, Alf……………………………… 5, 8, 9, 13, 14, 17, 23

King, Denis…………………………. 4, 8, 9, 11, 14, 17, 18

King, Eileen……………… 11, See Batt, Elieen (Mrs ?)

King, Eliza (Mrs John)…………………………………….. 17

King, Ethel……………………………………………………….. 17

King, George………………………………………… 4, 5, 9, 14

King, John…………………………………… 9, 13, 14, 17, 18

King, Lizzie (Mrs John) See King, Eliza (Mrs John)

King, Marianne…………………………………………. 17, 18

King, Mavis (Mrs Alf)……………………………………….. 5

King, Phoebe……………………………………………………. 17

King, Ted………………………………………… 10, 13, 14, 16

lambs……………………………………………………………….. 11

Lewis family……………………………………………………. 19

Lord family………………………………………………………… 6

Malcolm Hut……………………………………… 6, 7, 13, 16

Malcolm Hut Road…………………………………………. 16

Manning, Bill…………………………………………………… 14

McChristie, Eleanor (Mrs Thomas Young)…… 21

McKay family……………………………………………………. 6

McKay, Allan…………………………………………………… 12

McKay, Ella (Mrs Allan)…………………………….. 8, 12

McKernan, Father ?…………………………………………. 22

Meehan Ranges…………………………………………………. 7

Moffatt Virtue and Co…………………………………….. 10

mowing hay…………………………………………………….. 13

Murdoch family…………………………………… 6, 7, 8, 21

Murdoch, Dr James…………………………………………. 12

Murdoch, Hon . James……………………………………. 18

Murdoch, Hon. James, MLC………………………….. 12

Murdoch, Peter………………………………………………… 11

Murdoch, Peter snr…………………………………………. 18

Murdochs Flour Mill………………………………………. 13

music……………………………………………………………….. 10

netball………………………………………………………………. 21

Nichols family………………………………………………… 12

Nichols, P. J……………………………………………………… 19

Nichols, P.J………………………………………………………. 18

Norfolk Island settlers………………………………………. 6

oats…………………………………………………………………… 12

Ogilvy, Arthur James……………………………………… 21

1. J. Nichols……………………………………………….. 18, 19

Parremore family……………………………………………. 14

parrots……………………………………………………………… 12

pears…………………………………………………………………. 12

piano………………………………………………………………… 16

pigeons…………………………………………………………….. 18

Pittwater…………………………………………….. 4, 7, 12, 14

ploughmen………………………………………………….. 5, 18

Plummer, Arthur…………………………………………….. 24

Plummer, Richard………………………………. 21, 22, 23

Power, Patrick…………………………………………………. 10

properties

Anglewood……………………………………………………… 12

Belmont………………………………………………………….. 21

Carrington……………………………………………………… 12

Craigow……………. 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 14, 15, 18, 19, 20

Cylwin……………………………………………………………. 19

Glen Ayr…………………………………………………… 20, 24

Greenfields……………………………………….. 7, 12, 15, 19

Inverquarity………………………………………………. 12, 21

La Belle Alliance………………………………………………. 19

Laburnam Park……………………………………………….. 12

Long-House…………………………………………………….. 20

Milford……………………………………………………………. 19

Milnathort……………………………………………. 12, 15, 18

Richmond Park…………………………………………….. 6, 15

Riverside………………………………………………………… 12

Seaton…………………………………………………………….. 14

Swallowfields……………………………………………… 13, 17

Uplands…………………………………………………… 6, 8, 12

quail……………………………………………………………………. 6

Ratcliffe family………………………………………………… 15

Ratcliffe, Mrs……………………………………………………. 15

reapers……………………………………………………………… 15

reap-hook…………………………………………………………. 13

reaping wheat…………………………………………………. 13

religion…………………………………………………………….. 20

Richardson, George………………………………………… 22

Richmond………………………………………………………… 16

Richmond, Tasmania………………………………………. 4

Risdon………………………………………………. 8, 11, 12, 16

Ross, Errol……………………………………………………….. 19

round-about…………………………………………………….. 10

Saddler’s Court……………………………………………………. 6

Salt Pans………………………………………………………. 4, 14

schools……………………………………………………………….. 5

Dulcot……………………………………………………………. 20

Dulcot State School……………………………………….. 21

Miss Harris’s Ladies Grammar School………….. 20

scythe……………………………………………………………….. 13

scythes……………………………………………………………… 15

Sergeant, Maria…………………………………………………. 4

Shaw, Thomas…….. See Tommy the Round-head

shearers……………………………………………………………. 15

shearing machines…………………………………………. 10

sheep………………………………………………………….. 11, 12

branding…………………………………………………………. 4

Leicesters………………………………………………………. 11

sheep-stealing……………………………………………………. 9

shelalagh…………………………………………………………. 10

Shipley, Si………………………………………………………… 18

ships

Kangaroo………………………………………………………… 19

London…………………………………………………………….. 9

Willaimsburg…………………………………………………… 21

Shone’s Corner, Risdon………………………………….. 14

Simmons, Winston C……………………………………… 22

singing……………………………………………………………. 8, 9

soldier settlement……………………………………………. 24

Sorell…………………………………………………………….. 4, 16

Stephens, ? (school inspector)………………….. 22, 23

Strachan, R………………………………………………………. 22

teachers………………………………………………………………. 5

teem………………………………………………………………….. 15

Thompson, Henry…………………………………………….. 6

threshing wheat………………………………………………. 13

Tillack family………………………………………………….. 21

Tillack, Lena……………………………………………………. 21

Tillack, Louisa…………………………………………………. 21

Tinker’s Corner……………………………………………….. 16

Tommy the Round-head………………………………… 16

Trackermen & Trackerwomen………………………. 16

tramps……………………………………………………………… 16

Tunnel Hill………………………………………………………. 19

undertakers……………………………………………………… 18

violin………………………………………………………………… 16

wagoners…………………………………………………………. 19

water-cress………………………………………………………. 15

wattle bark……………………………………………………….. 12

wheat……………………………………………………………….. 13

wheelwrights…………………………………………….. 18, 19

wind-jammers…………………………………………………. 12

women’s work…………………………………………… 18, 21

Wood, Peter……………………………………………………….. 5

World War I…………………………………………………….. 23

Wright, Jack……………………………………………………… 12

yoken………………………………………………………………… 15

Young, Flora (Mrs Stuart)…………… See Ellis, Flora

End of Index

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