Matthew Farndale
30 September 1793 to 8 August 1884
The Birregurra
(Australia 1) Line
Matthew
and Hannah Farndale and their daughters Mary and Elizabeth embarked on a
fourteen-week voyage to Melbourne to establish a new lineage in Australia
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Matthew
was a farmer of Kilton who
then emigrated to Australia. He was the founder of the first Australian Farndales, and their
descendants.
Headlines of
Matthew Farndale’s life are in brown.
Dates are in red.
Hyperlinks to
other pages are in dark
blue.
References
and citations are in turquoise.
Context and local
history are in purple.
Overview
Matthew Farndale lived at Kilton Hall
and later at Hallgarth Farm, Kildale where he was farming 150 acres helped by 2
men by 1851. Shortly after he had moved to Kildale, Matthew and his family
sailed from Liverpool on the Argo on 8 October 1852 and arrived in Melbourne,
Australia on 19 January 1853. He is the founder of the Australia 1 (Birregurra) Line of Farndales.
Mary Ann had already married William
Martin, also from Kildale, when they emigrated, so although no direct Farndale
line followed from this family in Australia, the Martin family and other
descendants are a part of this story. When Matthew Farndale died in 1884, there
were no more Farndales in Australia descended from the Australia 1 (Birregurra) Line. However
the family continued by female descent and the name Farndale continued to be
used over further generations. The Australians did not forget their ancestry
and remembered their Farndale roots as recently as 2026, when their descendant
Stephen Brooks refreshed their memorials in Warncoort
cemetery. Martin Edgar Martin’s second son was called Farndale as a Christian
name and his house name was Farndale in Wilby. Other members of the family used
it as a second name including Valerie Farndale Basset; Graeme Farndale
Woodmason and Stuart Farndale Dunstan.
1793
Matthew Farndale was born
on 30 September 1793, the son of William and Mary Farndale (FAR00183) of Kilton. He was baptised at Brotton on 3 November 1793 (Brotton Parish Records).
Matthew Farndale
was one of twin sons born at Kilton Hall and baptised together at the Parish
Church, Brotton, on 3 November 1793. The other twin was William
Farndale.
Mathew and William were the third and fourth children of William and Mary
Farndale of Kilton Hall Farm, Kilton.
Kilton was then a village of some 120
inhabitants. Matthew's elder brothers were George
born in 1789 and John
born in 1791. There were to be four more children, Mary born in 1796, Martin born in 1798, Anna born in 1801 and Elizabeth born in 1804.
We know little
about Matthew's life at Kilton and he is not mentioned in his brother John's
book about Kilton. However he will have been brought up on
the farm, went to school in the village or possibly at Brotton and went to
church regularly. His parents were churchgoers and about the turn of the
century became methodists. There is no evidence that he ever left the farm as
he grew up.
1809
As early as 1809,
Matthew seems to have responsibility for administering the Overseers of the
Poor.
In the Skelton and
Gilling Rent Book of 1810, the
Overseers of the Poor (represented by Matthew Farndale) had 10 perches of land
for which they paid an annual rent of £2 2s (£90 equivalent in 2026).
1816
In 1816 his
father took a farm at Easby for his elder brother George and another at Skelton
for his next elder brother John. This
left Matthew with his father William and his
younger brother Martin at
the Hall Farm in Kilton. He would have been 23 when his
elder brothers left home and he clearly did more at Kilton. He therefore must have taken increasing
responsibility for the Farndale family farm at Kilton,
as the anticipated successor farmer.
1829
His name first
appeared in the Kilton Church Rates Book in
1829, when he paid more rates than his father. He paid 8s 9d and his father 7s
9¾ d. This suggests that he had taken primary responsibility for the farm at
Kilton by the time he was aged 36. 1829 was also the year he was married.
On 13 May 1829 Matthew Farndale
of Kilton married Hannah Thompson of Sleights at the Parish Chapelry Brotton(Brotton Parish Records).
This was a methodist marriage. They were married by licence issued by Brotton
chapel dated 2 May 1829 with consent of their parents by William Close, the
Minister. Both signed the marriage certificate in the presence of Ann Thompson,
Elizabeth Seller and Richard Thompson.
Thompson was born
at Sleights on 11 October 1807 and died 9 December 1892 aged 85.
Hannah Farndale
As William grew older
Matthew began to take over responsibility for the farm, particularly after his
marriage in 1829.
1831
In 1831 their eldest daughter, Mary Ann Farndale (FAR00313) was born at Kilton
on 6 April 1831 (Brotton Parish Records).
In the same
year, in 1831, Matthew’s twin brother William Farndale died of
typhus fever. There is an obituary to him in the
Methodist Records which reads October 21st at Kilton: In the
Stokesley Circuit in his 37th year, Mr William Farndale Junior. He was of an
open disposition and of studious habits. About the year 1815 a revival of the
work of God took place in the neighbourhood where he resided. When he was
acquainted with his condition as a sinner and sought and found the Lord to the
joy of his heart. He then listed himself to the Wesleyan Methodists and became
very useful among them as an exhorter and local preacher. The complaint typhus
fever which terminated his mortal existence, considerably affected his mind,
yet when he recollected he expressed strong confidence
in God.
William was
buried at Brotton on 23 October 1831 and his tombstone
still stands in Brotton old churchyard.
This must have been a shock to the family and particularly to his twin,
Matthew.
1832
Matthew and Hannah’s second daughter, Elizabeth
Farndale (FAR00323)was
born at Kilton on 5 April 1832 (Brotton Parish Records).
1833
Matthew’s
younger brother Martin
married Elizabeth Hours at the Chapel, Brotton
on 18 May 1833. There were therefore three families living at the Hall by
this time: Matthew’s parents, William and Mary;
Matthew and Hannah and their two children; and Martin
and Elizabeth. Somewhere about this time their elder brother George returned from Easby and
in 1839 John's
wife Martha had died at Skelton
but he did not return to Kilton.
Both his younger sisters Mary
and Elizabeth had died
and Anna was married, living
at Seamer, in 1841.
1834
The Kilton accounts in 1834 showed Matthew was paying
a rent of £100 for the first time, evidencing his primary responsibility for
the bustling farm.
1835
The Poll Books between 1835 and 1850 all show Matthew
Farndale, as a Farmer and occupier of Kilton Hall Farm. From 1838
to 1850, Matthew was shown as a farmer at Kilton
and with his brother Martin
in the Register of Voters.
1841
The Census 1841 for Martin listed Matthew Farndale, 45, farmer;
living with Hannah Farndale, 30; Mary
Ann Farndale ,10; Elizabeth
Farndale, 8, and Thomas
Farndale 15, a male servant and son of his brother George. This census showed Matthew
and his family at Kilton Hall, Martin
and Elizabeth at Stank House nearby and William and Mary at
Brotton. Matthew signed the 1841 Census for
Kilton.
This was a
bustling community of Farndales at the heart of Kilton society, with Matthew taking
a core role.
1842
There were
entries in 1842 and 1843 for the provision of horses by Matthew for work on the
roads, mainly How Lane and Mill Beck. He was paid for these sometimes with
teams of 1, 2 or 3 horses. In 1843 the Rate
Assessments charged at 6d in the £ showed his brother charged at £212, George, now returned from Easby
charged at £208 and Matthew at £164, giving him a rateable value of £6,560.
1843
On 25 March 1843
Matthew's mother Mary died at Brotton and
was buried in Brotton Old Churchyard on 28
March 1843 aged 81 years. It appears that old William now went to
live with his daughter Anna at
Seamer for it was there that he died on 5 March 1846 aged 86, a farmer who died
of old age in the presence of his son in law, William Phillips. In his will he
left all my money upon note and other securities unto my said son Matthew
Farndale and my said son Matthew Farndale, my sole executor.
Clearly
William expected his son Matthew to take over the farm at his death. We can
only guess what was going through Matthew's mind. It seems that he was not
prepared to let down is father, but that he did not want to spend the rest of
his life at Kilton. He remained at Kilton until 1849, but
seems to have developed other plans for his family after his father’s death.
There are
records that on 6 June 1843 Martin
and Matthew were involved in Kilton lane Repairs and on 11 Dec 1843 with
gripping stones. (Kilton Surveyors
Accounts Book).
In the Estate list of
Freeholders Tithe for Brotton, Matthew was shown as renting a farm at Kilton in 1843 and
1845 and Townend Farm in 1849.
1844
On 26 March 1844 the
overseers of the different parishes produced their accounts for the last year
which were examined and allowed by the magistrates. The following is a list of
the new overseers appointed for the ensuing year Kilton, Matthew Farndale and
Francis Breckon. The newly elected poor law guardians for the several townships
comprising the Guisbro’
Union included Kilton, M Farndale (York Herald, 30 March
1844).
An overseer
of the poor was an official who administered poor relief such as
money, food, and clothing in England. The position was created by
the Act for the
Relief of the Poor 1597. Overseers of the poor were often reluctant
appointees who were unpaid, working under the supervision of a justice of
the peace. The law required two overseers to be elected every Easter,
and churchwardens or landowners were often selected.
Overseers of the poor were replaced in the the
Poor Law Amendment Act 1834, and replaced with boards of guardians,
although overseers remained in some places as a method of collecting the poor
rate.
On 18 March
1844 Martin
and Matthew were involved in cutting snow for which they were paid 2s
each in the Kilton Surveyors Accounts Book. On 22 May 1844 Matthew was loading
stones at Kilton Quarry and was paid 2s. On 29 June Martin
and Matthew were involved in a repair at Cowhill Lane
and were paid 2s each. Matthew was repairing Cowhill
Lane again on 3 February 1845 and on 24 March 1845 Matthew was cutting
stones How Lane, cutting stones Kilton Lane, and was paid 2s for each lane.
(Kilton Surveyors Accounts Book).
The 1844 Tithe Map provided
details of Matthew Farndale’s tenancy at Kilton
in 1844.
The Tithe Map shows the location of fields 49, 50, 63 to 71 and
101 to 111 (on Craggs Hill):
The much earlier 1767
Estate Map shows this area in more detail:
1845
On 3 February
1845 Matthew was involved in a repair at Cowhill Lane
(Kilton Surveyors Accounts Book). On 24
March 1845 he was cutting stones at How Lane and cutting stones at Kilton Lane,
for which he was paid 2s for each lane (Kilton
Surveyors Accounts Book).
Matthew’s farm with details of his fields are shown on the tithe map for Kilton in 1845.
1846
In January
1846 the Rev Henry Clarke and J B Rudd Esq, two commissioners of property
tax, sat in the town hall, Guisborough,
for the purpose of appointing collectors for the Division of Langbaugh East, and signing the duplicates of assessment.
The collectors for Kilton were Matthew
Farndale and Thos Bolton (York Herald, 24 January 1846).
1849
1849 John
Marshal, Townend Farm, late Matthew Farndale. This would appear to be the
year that Matthew and his family left Kilton.
1851
By 1851 Matthew had moved to Kildale, about 10 kilometres
south of Guisborough. Perhaps Hallgarth is what is now
Hall Farm. Garth is a word which means paddock or yard.
The Census of 1851 for Hallgarth, Kildale listed
Matthew Farndale, head, married, aged 57, a farmer of 150 acres with 2
labourers; Hannah Farndale, wife; married; age 43; Mary Ann Farndale, daughter;
unmarried; aged 19 (see FAR00313); Elizabeth
Farndale, daughter; unmarried; aged 17 (see FAR00323); and Richard
Thompson (perhaps Hannah’s brother), a servant, unmarried aged 51 and lodger,
William Horsley aged 28, was lodging as a farm worker.
Kildale Hall
Garth is a medieval manor house complex west of St Cuthbert's Church. The manor
house was situated in the bottom of the dale on a natural knoll close to the
south bank of the River Leven (Historic England
Site 1008397).
The lease of
his farms in Kildale, by when he was also a tenant at Church House Farm, were
relinquished in 1851. Farms to let at Kildale in Cleveland. Church House
Farm occupied by Matthew Farndale, containing, more or less,
76 acres of superior Turnip and Barley Soil; 74 acres in good Old Grass;
and 85 acres of sheep pastures. Every encouragement will be shown to good and
improving tenants. For further particulars apply to Mr George Peirson, Marske,
Near Middlesbrough. Marske, January 1st, 1851 (Yorkshire Gazette, 4 and 11 January 1851).
About the same
time advertisements encouraging emigration to Australia were appearing in the
Press. The York Herald, 4 January 1851
advertised EMIGRATION TO AUSTRALIA. New Line of Packets from Liverpool, for
Port Adelaide and Sydney, landing passangers at Port
Philip. Reduced Fares. 1st Cabin: £45; 2nd Cabin: £25;
Intermediate: £15; Steerage: £10. Accommodation, Provisioning and Equipment,
second to None. CONDOR, 1500 Tons, to sail 20th January 1851. Osprey
(or other Vessel), 20th March. A1 new ships, coppered and copper fastended.
For further particulars apply to the Owners. Gibbs Brigg & Co, Liverpool or
R Mills, 2 Blakestreet, York. Indeed
his brother John Farndale (FAR00217)
advertised passage to Australia after Matthew had departed there. The Stockton Herald, South Durham and
Cleveland Advertiser, 3 July 1863: FOR
SALE, A PASSAGE WARRANT TO AUSTRALIA AT HALF PRICE. Open until July 1863, for a
single eligible young man. Apply (poist paid) to John Farndale, 20 Park Row,
Stockton on Tees.
1852
Emigration to Australia
We
do not know what it was that made Matthew and Hannah decide to emigrate to Australia.
Perhaps they had been thinking of this for some time, but whatever the reason
it was a major undertaking to look for a new life at the age of 57 and to leave
his family and all that he knew. Before leaving Kildale their eldest daughter Mary Ann married
William Martin of Kildale who had been a butler at Ingleby Manor.
The story of
their emigration to Australia, their life in Victoria, and his descendants who
lived there is told in Act 23 of
the Farndale Story.
The
Liverpool Standard and General Commercial
Advertiser, 17 August 1852 recorded the package of ships, which included
the Argo, bound for Australia:
THE
LIVERPOOL “BLACK BALL” LINE OF AUSTRALIAN PACKETS, FOR GEELONG, ADELAIDE,
PORTLAND BAY, MELBOURNE, PORT PHILIP AND SYDNEY.
|
Ships |
Destination |
Tons |
Captains |
To Sail |
|
SOUTH SEA |
for Port Philip and Sydney |
1800 |
Brett |
25th Aug |
|
NORTHUMBERLAND, |
for Melbourne, Port Phlip |
1500 |
T Smith |
5th Sep |
|
ARGO |
for Melbourne, Port Philip |
2000 |
C Mills |
20th Sep |
|
BEEJAPORE |
For Melbourne, Port Philip |
2500 |
W M’Lay |
15th Oct |
To
be followed by equally good A1 ships.
These
magnificent A1 frigate built ships have very lofy well ventilated between
decks, splendid cabin accommodation, are commanded by captains of great
experience, who will carefully attend to the colmfort and health of the
passengers, carry qualified surgeons, and will be despatched under the inspection
of her Majesty’s Emigration Agent.
For
further particulars, apply to Hames Baines & Co, 6 Cook Street.
The
Albion, 23 August 1852 reported the same
details, but the Argo’s sailing date had slipped to 1 October.
The
Liverpool Mercury, 27 August 1852 reported:
AUSTRALIA
To
sail on the 10th September next
FOR
MELBOURNE, PORT PHILIP
The
well known fast sailing favourite New York Black Star Packet ship
ARGO
SAMUEL
MACADOCK, Commander
986
tons register, 1750 tons burthern; open to the public for inspection. This
splendid vessel was built by Smith and Dimon, in New York, expressly for the
packet service, without regard to expense, her frame being entirely live oak,
and copper fastened throughout. She is now temporarily withdrawn from the line for
one voyage to the gold regions. Her cabin arrangements, which are
unsurpassed by any ship in port, combine comfort with elegance, no pains or expense
being spared to have every possible convenience for passengers. To ensure the
comfort of those on board, the advertisers wish to remark that it is intended
to take first and second class passengers only. The rates of passage
are:
After
Saloon: £50
Forward
Saloon: £45
Second
Cabin: £20 and £25
These
saloon staterooms will be furnished with everything necessary. The second cabin
passengers will have to supply themselves with beds, bedding, linen etc.
Superior stores will be provided, and an experienced surgeon will be attached
to the ship, which will be dispatched under the superintendence of the
government immigration officer.
Parties
wishful to avail themselves of so desirable an opportunity are requested to
make early application to see Grimshaw and Co, 10, Goree piazzas.
The
same advertisemment appeared in the Liverpool Mail,
2 October 1852, but now “to sail positively on the 4th
instant.”
The
Liverpool Shipping Telegraph and Daily Commercial
Advertiser, 6 September 1852 reported that Argo,
1030, Macoduck, C Grimshaw was berthed at the Salthouse Dock.
The Argo
at last left Liverpool on 8 October 1852. Onboard were Matthew (59),
Hannah, his wife (45), Elizabeth (19) their youngest daughter and Mary Ann (23)
and her husband William Martin (23). The Liverpool
Shipping Telegraph and Daily Commercial Advertiser, 8 October 1852 reported
that Argo, 1030, Macoduck, C Grimshaw, bound for Port Philip was “in the
River outward Bound”. There was clearly an early problem as the Liverpool Shipping Telegraph and Daily Commercial
Advertiser, 8 October 1852 reported: The Prince of Wales (s), and the
Argo, for Port Phillip, got in contact yesterday morning, while at anchor in
the river, owing to the latter breaking her shear. The Prince of Wales lost
funnel, quarter boats, bulwarks etc; The Argo did not appear to have sustained
any damage.
The
Liverpool Mercury, 12 October 1852 reported
the Argo (ship), for Port Philip was off Holyhead (at the tip of Anglesea) at
8.30am.
By
1 November, the voyage had reached Mauritius and the Liverpool
Albion, 1 November 1852 reported a hurricane near Mauritius, but that “in
the same storm the Argo made part of her second circuit, scudding round in the
gale in the same direction…”
Australian
Emigrants, Liverpool Harbour in the 1850s Migrants prepare to board
the Bourneuf at Liverpool Emigration depot in 1852. During its voyage, 88
passengers were to die of consumption, diarrhoea, measles and other diseases
Andrew
Pettit emailed me in August 2004 and gave me this information:
Just happened
upon your website when searching for the passenger list of the “Argo”. My
great-great-grandfather & his son were also on the ship as part of a party
of 10 travelling from Ireland to Melbourne.
I have attached a
few images which may be of interest to you. A poster/information sheet
promoting the voyage (departing Sept 20). A ticket which shows the actual
departure date was 10 Nov 1852. This ticket lists the 6 males in the party – I
have a separate ticket which list the 4 females. A photo of an Argo sailing
ship. I found this in the State Library, Melbourne. However
there were several sailing ships called Argo during the 1800’s and I have not
been able to confirm that this is the one we are talking about. I also have
some small details about the voyage somewhere, but I will have to dig those out
if your are interested.
I jumped onto the
Public Records Office site and found the Farndales on the passenger index for
the Argo. Interesting to see that the spelling “Farndall”
and some ages listed are different from your website. Not unusual though as my ancestors names were listed as “Petitti” instead of
“Pettit”.
As to the Argo, the
La Trobe Library in Melbourne has a hand written
volume by Thomas Edgar RIDDLE called “T.......... of British Ships in the
Melbourne Trade – Year 1853”. The Argo is mentioned on pages 15 & 16. The
rations provided to passengers were quite good for the time (see the poster I
sent yesterday for details) and only 2 people died during the voyage – brothers
named Custon from diarrhoea.
The Argo was a
chartered American ship on its first voyage to Melbourne. The voyage lasted 100
days arriving in Melbourne of 19 January 1853. It departed Melbourne on March
25, 1853, for Callas.
Argo Black Star.
1841. Sailing ship of 967 tons built in New York. Used on the Liverpool to New
Orleans route. Also used by Caleb Grimshaw and Co on the Liverpool to Melbourne
route in 1852
The
carriage certificate of the Pettite family who travelled on the same
voyage
Details of the Farndale party
It
is hard to reconstruct what happened, including the feelings and emotions and
the excitement of their departure. They would have known little of Australia.
Perhaps they had met a returning emigrant. They were not looking for gold or a
fortune, but simply a new life. They knew of the perils of the journey, but for
whatever reasons, they left, forever.
We
must presume that they travelled to Liverpool by a combination of railway and
stage coach. It is unlikely that there was any family to see them off, but their
feelings must have been of great trepidation as the Argo sailed out of
Liverpool. Little remains now of what they took with them but we know they took
a pillow case woven from flax from Kilton which is still with descendants in
Australia. We know they took their feather beds and riding saddles.
Aboard
the Argo were 242 passengers, each with a cabin trunk of
tin or timber, a port-monteaux and hand luggage. The ship was small;
only 967 tons. The master was Sammuel Macadock. Conditions would have been primitive,
food simple and sickness rife. They would be well out into the Bay of Biscay
before they were used to the ship's routine and much relieved to get their feet
on dry land at Cape Town, their likely first port of call, probably some four
weeks later. The voyage took 103 days or just over 14 weeks. We do not
know if they called into port again - perhaps Freemantle in Western Australia
or Adelaide in South Australia before they sailed up the Yarra Yarra river to
Melbourne. It was 19 January 1853, a midsummer day, as they disembarked to a
new life in a new world and to establish the Farndale family in Australia.
1853
They arrived in Melbourne
Australia on 19 January 1853, a journey of 103 days or some three months.
Melbourne, 1853
from below Princes Bridge
They must have first spent
some time in Melbourne, first renting a house, hut or tent. There were only a few
permanent buildings. Here they would have asked about opportunities for land.
They would have
heard much of gold - the gold rush was in full cry.
Life in the
Goldfields
However they decided
against it. Someone advised them to move west to Western Victoria around Colac.
There was not much there. It was a risk; but they took it. It was a land of
bush, huge gum trees, scrub, native wattle huts and bracken. There were no
roads so they must have assembled stores, equipment and prepared to move. They would
probably have had a large wagon hauled by bullocks and a few horses. They would
have found their way across country, crossing rivers where they could, until
they came to Geelong, perhaps 60 miles in their direction of travel. This would
have taken about a week. They would have camped outdoors listening to the
strange sounds of a strange land, particularly the birds. The most unusual
would be the kookaburra with its hearty laugh, but magpies would remind them of
Yorkshire. The land and the sky, with the southern cross would all be new,
strange and different. They would have seen signs of the first nation folk who
still lived in the area and may not have welcomed them. The heat of the day
would be much more than anything they had ever experienced before and the
terrible insects and flies would have inflicted them. They would have been
dirty and weary, the women in their long skirts sweeping the ground when they rested
at Winchelsea. They then travelled on to Colac where they must have stayed
sometime looking for land.
For whatever reason they
ended up at Birragurra and selected land
there. Their first task was to build a house which they constructed from earth,
grass and water. They must then have planted crops and collected animals, in
particular sheep. Sometime later, perhaps a year or two, they built a small house
of timber with a tin roof. They called it Hawthorne from the hawthorn they
had planted on arrival. Hawthorn stills grows there.
Hawthorne, Birragurra, "The Garden of Eden"
1850s
and 1860s
As the years
passed the farm grew. William Martin would have taken their produce to Ballarat
and Geelong and bought provisions. This was a long cross
country journey lasting many days. Cows and pigs were added and the farm
buildings extended in size until it resembled a Yorkshire farm
house.
The Colac Herald, 18 October 1963 published an
article: BIRREGURRA – THE CRADLE OF METHODISM IN VICTORIA. Birregurra, which
this month celebrates a centenary of methodism in the district, can claim to be
the cradle of Methodism in Victoria. Birregurra and its immediate neighbourhood
will long recall memories of the early Methodist Church in this state.
Methodism was first introduced there by the Wesleyan Missionary Society in
London at the request of the Reverend John Orton, when the Reverend Francis
Tuckfield who arrived at Port Philip in July 1838, took charge of the first
mission to the aborigines in Victoria. He established the headquarters of the
Wesleyan Society in Port Phillip district at Buntingdale and it was from here that he, with the
assistance of the Reverend Benjamin Hurst, who arrived in February 1839, worked
his huge circuit which extended to the Yarra until
1840... It is also interesting to note that Mr Haskins who was familiarly known
as the “Old Bishop” conducted services In Mr Kettle’s barn prior to the
erection of the Wesleyan Chapel and that his son, John Haskins junior, opened
the first government school in Birregurra district during 1854. Among other
staunch supporters of methodism in the circuit, who were also residents of
Birregurra and district in the early days were Mr and Mrs M Farndale and Mr
and Mrs Bramley would. Mr Farndale was one of the usual leaders at the
prayer meetings conducted by Mr Usher at Colac from 1856 onward. These
meetings were held at the presbytery and place of worship or a Methodist Church
with erected there...
In another article of January 1956: HISTORIC OCCASION AT
WARNCOORT. PIONEERS OF THE METHODIST CHURCH HONOURED. MEMORIAL CAIRN IN OLD
CHURCH GROUNDS. It is nearly 100 years – in 1858 – since the picturesque church
at Warncoort was built, a period which has been most remarkable for the development
which has occurred in the district. In that century, the countryside has been
completely transformed and the wide almost unpopulated
area has become a closely settled place supporting thousands of people … The
unveiling ceremony … Mr Strickland expressed his pleasure at renewing
acquaintances with so many of the friends he had made during his term in the
Colac district and at being given the opportunity of participating in that
historic ceremony. He was glad to see the present descendants of those of the
original trustees, the late Messrs Alexander Dennis, Matthew Farndale, and
Thomas Butcher …
In another article:
HE WAS NOT TOO
OLD.
In these days
when so much emphasis is being placed on the importance of youth in business
and national affairs, it is interesting to quote an example from the early
history of this district of a man whose enterprise, courage and energy
had not become extinguished at an age when people now regard them as worn out.
This man was the late Matthew Farndale one of the very first trustees of
the Warncoort Methodist Church referred to in the recent ceremony at Warncoort.
From the Dales of
Yorkshire where his ancestors had been on the land for centuries, Mr Farndale
made up his mind to come to this distinct southern land, then in its infancy.
And so, more than a century ago accompanied by his two daughters, his wife and
a son-in-law, he sailed 12,000 miles in three months to make a new home. The
son-in-law married one of the daughters at the last minute when he decided also
to take part in the great adventure. Mr Farndale was buried in the Warncoort
cemetery in 1882. He was aged 90 when he died. He left England when he was 62
years of age. At Warncoort on Sunday a descendant placed a wreath on the grave
of a great grand father she had never seen.
1853
Mathew’s daughter
Mary Ann and her husband William Martin had their first child born on 19
December 1853, Elizabeth Clarissa Teresa Martin. Marion Amelia Susanna Martin
followed in 1856 and Anna Maria Martin in 1858. Their first son John Matthew
Martin was born in 1860 and Alfred Miro Vitericus Martin in 1863. Ada Melinda
Martin was born in 1864, Mary Matilda Martin in 1867 and Martin Edgar Martin,
the youngest in 1869. John and Alfred took up farming in the Booma Noomanah area.
Maryann Martin,
great x2 grandaughter of William Martins’ younger
brother Wilson Martin, sent me a photo of Wilson and Susan Martin with their
family outside their vineyard at Warrion, near Colac.
She suspects that Matthew Farndale provided knowledge that enabled this
side of the Martin family to establish the vineyard. Many people took up sheep
farming so growing grapes was a bit unusual at this time.
It was the Martin
family who continued the Farndale Story in Australia.
1857
The Age, Wednesday 20 May 1857: TO A RUTHERFORD Esq
MP. Sir, We the undersigned electors of the district of Colac, having through
our local committee now repeatedly requested you will meet the electors, and
you having declined attending their meetings, and refused to acknowledge their
rights to demand your attendance, and having ignored the committee appointed by
the almost unanimous voice of the people; and, further, having absented
yourself from the legislative assembly at this most critical time, without consulting
your constituents, we, therefore the underside undersigned electors of the
district of Colac, call upon you to resign your seat in the legislative
assembly…. Electors... Matthew Farndale...
1859
Old Matthew was
to see his second daughter Elizabeth marry William Darby in 1859 and several of
his daughter Mary Ann's family also married before his death, making him a
great grandfather.
1877
In 1870 the
railway reached Colac and Birregurra in 1877. The Age,
12 August 1874: A deputation, representing the inhabitants of
Birregurra, was introduced to the Commissioner for the Railways yesterday by Mr
Connor, MLA. They came to express their apprehension that the black line,
according to the survey now in progress, would not come nearer to Birregurra
than four miles, and they felt sure that the line as originally surveyed, to
run through the township, would be much more advantageous to the inhabitants
generally …”. The Age, 30 January 1877: The
railway line to Colac is now laid down nearly four miles beyond Birregurra
…” The Age, 26 October 1878: This
morning’s train from Colac broke down soon after leaving Birregurra, one of the
valves of the engine bursting …
1878
The Geelong Advertiser, 15 July 1878:
THE GOVERNMENT
GAZETTE.
The following notices appear in the Gazette :-
Mr Edward Darling, Clerk of Courts at Steiglitz, has been appointed a
Commissioner of the Supreme Court.
The following have been appointed trustees :-Mr John
Bell, for land temporarily reserved as a site for a cemetery at Bambra, in the
room of Mr J. Dennithorne, who has left the colony; Messrs Alex. and Richard
Dennis, Samuel Gilbert, Samuel Talbot, and Matthew Farndale, for land
temporarily reserved as a site for Wesleyan Church purposes at Birregurra;
Messrs Francis Orinon and Chas. Shannon, for land reserved as a site for a
Presbyterian place of worship and minister's dwelling in the town of Geelong.
Matthew Farndale helped to
establish the Birregurra Methodist Church.
1884
Matthew
Farndale died at the age of 90 at Birregurra,
Australia on 8 August 1884. We regret to record the death of Mr. Matthew
Farndale, a very old and respected resident of this district, which took place
on Friday last at his residence, Birregurra. Mr. Farndale, who had reached the
great old age of 90 years, was a wonderfully robust and sound constitutioned man, but, of course, during late years a general
breaking up of the system was taking place, and his death was not unexpected.
His remains were interred in the Irrewarra cemetery
yesterday afternoon in the presence of a large number of
friends and acquaintances of the family (Colac
Herald, 12 August 1884). The grave of Matthew and Hannah at Warncoort cemetery, Australia reads In Memory, Matthew
Farndale Who died August 8th 1884 Aged 90 years
Blessed are the dead Who die in the Lord Also of Hannah Relict of the late
Matthew F Who departed this life at Hawthorne, Birregurra On Friday 9 December 1892 Aged 85 years For so he giveth is
beloved sleep.
His death is also
memorialised on the tombstone of his twin brother William at Brotton, near his birthplace at Kilton, North Yorkshire:
"Memorial
of William, son of William and Mary Farndale died 21 October 1831 aged 33 and
also to Mathew Farndale twin brother of the above of Birregurra, Australia who died
8 August 1884 aged 90 years. Also Hannah his widow who
died Dec 9 1892 aged 85 years."
1892
Hannah Farndale died at the
age of 84 at Birregurra, Australia on 9
December 1892.
1901
Sadly the whole
property at Birregurra was destroyed by a bush fire in 1901 when all
Western Victoria was set alight.