| Notes |
- Samuel was born in Marhamchurch in 1815 and when he was 2 his parents moved to Launcells where he was brought up.
Samuel's father, Nathaniel became a convert to the new Methodism and became a lay preacher. His father, John, virtually wrote him out of his will when he found out that Nathaniel was a Methodist. He lost "his situations" and young Samuel was forced to leave home and find a job at the age of seven. He had not learnt to read or write properly.
He gained a position with Richard Wickett and he worked for him for nearly 10 years.
Samuel himself was converted to Methodism on 1st April 1830. He realised he needed to be able to read the Bible so he taught himself within a few months. He learnt his multiplication tables while ploughing and he taught himself addition and subtraction at night. This was the only education he ever received.
His employer died and he had to find new employment, which he did with Richard Allen. He continued preaching on the Kilkhampton Circuit, oftenbeingpelted with stones and rotten eggs. He was known as a preacher of great originality and spiritual power.
[Samuel appears on the Wesleyan Methodist Preachers' Plan for the Kilkhampton Circuit between the years 1843 to 1849. He had about 3 meetings a monthto attend in places such as Woolfardisworthy, Upcott, Medon, Kimworthy, Sessacott, Lane End, Thurdon, Welcombe and Meadon - all places around the Cornwall/Devon border.]
He then worked in Bradworthy, Devon with John Walter, then he worked as a cooper and joiner at Clovelly with Robert Vanstone. It was at Bradworthy that he met and married Susan Piper. She was 3 years older than Samuel. Banns were issued and they were married in the Church of England parish church of Bradworthy. Samuel signed but Susan only made her mark. Their first son William, born 2 years later, was baptised in the Kilkhampton Circuit of the Wesleyan-Methodist Chapel .
David Ham, Samuel's brother has said that Samuel payed for his passage to Australia. David sailed for Australia from Plymouth in April 1849. It was only one year later that Samuel and family also left the shores of England.
He got a job in Geelong in a cooperage and worked there until he heard about gold being found at Buninyong and Ballarat. He and five others left for the goldfields in September 1852. The first day they were there was a Sunday so Samuel preached on the stump of a tree at Golden Point to the miners. The Lydiard Street Wesleyan Church was erected on this spot.
Samuel was on the goldfields with his cousins, Henry Ham and Richard, Henry Mountjoy and William Ham (3 brothers), and his own brother David. The gold returns were listed in the Geelong Advertiser - "the escort brought the following quantities of gold from Ballarat to Geelong"
April 14, 1852: David Ham, 62oz. 14dwt. William Ham, 58oz. 10dwt.
April 21, 1852: Henry Ham, 109oz. 10dwt.
May 3, 1852: David Ham, 41oz. 13dwt.
October 6, 1852: William Ham, 71oz. 14dwt
October 23, 1852: William Ham, 52oz. 4dwt. David Ham, 47oz. 9dwt. David Ham, 32oz. 9dwt. Samuel Ham, 57oz. 11dwt. Samuel Ham, 66oz. 6dwt.
November 2, 1852: David Ham, 119oz. 10dwt. Henry Ham, 107oz. 18dwt. William Ham, 88oz. 4dwt.
William Ham, 47oz. 2dwt.
October 6, 1853: Henry Ham, 50oz. 5dwt. H. M. Ham, 137oz. 10dwt. Richard Ham, 96oz. 10dwt.
October 13, 1853: William Ham, 73oz. 10dwt. Henry Ham, 33oz. 15dwt. H. M. Ham, 110oz. 10dwt.
Totals for between April 1852 and October 1853:
Samuel, 123oz. 17dwt.
David, 303oz. 15dwt.
Henry, 301oz. 8dwt.
Richard, 96oz. 10dwt.
Henry Mountjoy, 248oz.
William, 391oz. 4dwt.
They were paid nearly £4 per ounce for the gold, so they would seem to have made some good money which enabled them all to purchase land and build houses over the next few years. They were on the goldfields in the very early days when it was much easier to find gold than in the later years of the gold rushes.
After a few months on the goldfields, Samuel returned to Geelong where he continued his work as a lay preacher. He loved music and sang in the choir at South Geelong. He was good at carpentry and also made violins. Sam was awarded a Certificate for a violin exhibited at the Juvenile and Industrial held in Geelong in 1880.
Rate Books, Foster Street, south:
1852, 3 rooms, assessed annual value £12.
1853, weatherboard, 2 houses, 2 rooms, assessed annual value £20 each and also the property next door, weatherboard, 3 rooms and a shed, £40.
1854, weatherboard, 3 rooms and stable, £60. Henry Mountjoy Ham owned the property two doors away.
Burgess Roll , Barwon Ward in Town of Geelong, 1852/1853 and 1853/54:
Ham, Samuel, house, Forster St. [Foster St.]
Rate Books, Foster Street, south:
1854-55, weatherboard, 3 rooms, stable and shed, £40. Next door was William Ham's house, brick with 4 rooms. William was Henry Mountjoy Ham's brother.
1855-56, weatherboard, 3 rooms and shed, £12.
1856 Electoral Roll of Victoria:
Ham, Samuel, South Geelong, freehold Noble St., Ashby Division.
Ham, Samuel, Foster St. (labourer) freehold Foster St., Barwon Division.
It appears from following the rate books through each year that Samuel and Susan lived in the same house for over 40 years, while their familylivedin the next houses at various times.
Rate Books, Foster Street, south:
1856-57, weatherboard, 3 rooms, £12.
1857-58 and 1858-59, weatherboard, 4 rooms, £16. In 1859-60, this property is listed as being owned by William Ham, but Samuel is listed againin1860-61.
Ratepayers Roll, Newtown and Chilwell, 1860-1861:
Ham, Samuel, Saffron St.
Rate Books, Foster Street:
1861-62 and 1863-64, weatherboard, 4 rooms, £14.
1864-65, weatherboard, 6 rooms, assessed annual value £10.
Bedggood payed rates on the house next door for one year.
1865-66, weatherboard, 4 rooms and garden, £10.
South Geelong Directory, 1866:
Ham, Samuel, carpenter, Foster St.
Rate Books, Foster Street:
1867-68, weatherboard 4 rooms, £10.
1870-71, brick and weatherboard, 4 rooms, £10. William Ham, his son, owned the 2 properties next door.
1872-75, weatherboard, 4 rooms, £10. William owned only one property next door.
1876-877, weatherboard, 4 rooms, £10. The rates were payed by Joseph Marchant this year.
1878, weatherboard, 4 rooms and wash house, £10. William is back listed again as the owner of the same house next door.
1879, weatherboard, 4 rooms, kitchen, wash house, assessed annual value £10.
Benjamin Warr owned the house next door which had previously been owned by William.
1881, weatherboard, 4 rooms, wash house, assessed annual value £10.
Benjamin Warr still next door.
1886, weatherboard, 4 rooms, wash house, assessed annual value £10.
Benjamin Warr is now two doors away on the other side.
1888, 1891, weatherboard, 4 rooms, wash house, assessed annual value £10.
Benjamin Warr is back in the house next door and is still there in 1899.
1896-97, occupation none, owner and occupier, weatherboard, 4 rooms, shed, assessed annual value £8. Samuel also owned the house on the other sideofBenjamin. It was brick with 6 rooms, kitchen, wash house, assessed annual value £14. It was occupied by Annie Doake. The brick, 5 roomed house ontheopposite side of Samuel's home was owned by Henry Mountjoy Ham, woolclasser. His address is given as Geelong.
1898 and 1899, the house is now owned by Susan Ham as Samuel has died, and the house 2 doors away is now part of the "Hams Estate". Henry'saddressis now given as Pannoomillo for his property.
1900, Susan Ham is listed as the owner, householder, weatherboard, 4 rooms and kitchen, £25.
1901, the occupier is Alexander Prentice and the owner is now Henry Mountjoy Ham of Pannoomilloo.
The first weatherboard Wesleyan Chapel at Birregurra (near Colac) was built by Samuel. It has weatherboard walls and pit sawn rafters and uprights, which holds the distinction of being the oldest standing, and the first erected, church in the town. The church measured 30ft by 10ft and cost 120pounds to build. The original building was added to in 1906, and it was then closed when the Uniting Church was established in the Birregurra Presbyterian Church. The house then became a private residence and is still standing today.
"Methodist History":
Mr Samuel Ham, popularly known as "Sammy Ham", came up from Geelong to build the church. He was a well-known local preacher, of a somewhat eccentric turn of mind, and used of an evening to teach the Woods family (with whom he lodged) old Methodist tunes, so that they might be sung in the church when it opened.
Sam was a local preacher at several churches in Geelong. The Geelong Circuit Plan for 1864 lists him as preaching in several churches:
May 8, Ashby, 6.30pm
May 5, Newtown West, 6.30pm
May 22, South Geelong, 6.30pm
June 5, South Geelong, 7pm
June 19, Newtown West, 6.30pm
July 3, Highton, 6.30pm
July 10, Ashby, 6.30pm
Minutes of Quarterly Meeting of Geelong Circuit held at Yarra St Methodist Church, 1st July, 1869:
"Mr Hunt mentioned the propriety of the Circuit paying some portion of the expense of providing a horse to enable Mr Ham to meet his class atBarwonHeads & it was resolved that £1 be voted for past services and that an allowance of 8 shillings per week be made him for the current quarter."
On May 25, 1868 in commemoration of the anniversary of the birthday of Queen Victoria, a ceremony of planting took place in Moorabool St of an avenue of trees. Persons planting trees paid 15 shillings for the privilege of planting a tree, which was named after that person, or after anyone they named. Many did so in the name of a wife or child or a friend. Samuel had a tree planted in his name between Balliang St and Fyans St, on the east side, next to Charles Bedggood and there was a tree across the road for Mercy Grace.
Samuel was instrumental in the building of the Geelong South Methodist Church in Fyans St. which was opened in 1868. He was on the Building Committeewith Charles Bedggood and his son Charles Augustus Bedggood, his own son William Ham and Henry Mountjoy Ham (Treasurer). Samuel made an address at the opening Tea Meeting. Samuel was also a Sunday School Superintendent.
There is a Baptismal Font Memorial in the Church made by Charlotte Bedggood to her parents:
"In memory of Samuel Ham, first local preacher, South Geelong Methodist Church, and his wife Susannah, for many years in the service of God."
Samuel also owned land in Pannoo-Bamawm as his name appears on a map of the landowners about 1875. He had two blocks of land, alongside blocks owned by his son William Ham and George Zeally, William's brother-in-law. Other members of the extended family farmed around that area, including Henry Mountjoy Ham and his brothers.
At a valedictory tea and public meeting held in the school room, the members of the South Geelong Wesleyan Church farewelled the Rev. R.Fitcher. Samuel gave an address on behalf of the local preachers. (Geelong Advertiser, 13th March 1880).
Minutes of Quarterly Meeting of Geelong Circuit held at Yarra St Methodist Church, Thursday 28th December 1882:
Present at this meeting were Bedggood, Warr, Ham, Walters and Hunt, circuit stewards.
Samuel died at his residence in Foster St, South Geelong. The funeral service was held in the South Geelong Wesleyan Church.
Death notice, Geelong Advertiser:
On November 9th, 1897, at his residence, Foster St, South Geelong, Samuel, dearly beloved husband of Susan Ham, fell asleep in his 81st year.
The remains will be moved to the South Geelong Wesleyan Church, where a funeral service will be held this day (Friday) the 12th inst., at 2o'clock,after which the funeral cortege will proceed to the place of internment, the Geelong Eastern Cemetery.
Friends are respectfully invited.
No flowers.
Richard N. Carbines, Undertaker.
Geelong Advertiser, 9th November 1898:
The respect in which the late Mr. S. Ham was held was plainly demonstrated yesterday afternoon by the large number of friends who followed the deceased's remains to their last resting place in the Eastern Cemetery. There were over 60 public and private vehicles forming the mournful procession, and a number of horsemen also took part. The body was removed to the South Geelong Wesleyan Church from the late residence of the deceased, and an impressive service was conducted there, whilst floral tributes of respect were paid by Messrs. Balding, Hunt and the Revs.J.S.H.Royce and Worth, and others, who spoke very highly of their late friend. The Revs. E.T.Cox and J. Nall officiated at the grave, and they will make reference to the life of the deceased at the South Geelong Church on Sunday morning and evening next. The coffin bearers at the cemetery were Messrs. Champion, Brown, Seeley, and Jewell, the pall bearers being Messrs. Francis, Gardiner, King, Peters, Ching and Boyd.
The late Mr. Ham arrived in this colony 47 years ago, and 12 months after he removed to South Geelong, where he resided until his demise. The funeral arrangements were satisfactorily carried out by Mr. R.N. Carbines, of Moorabool-street.
Gravestone inscription:
Samuel Ham
who died 9th November 1897
in his 81st year
and his beloved wife
Susan
who died 3rd May 1901
in her 88th year
also their son John
died October 1852 aged 5 years
"Sleep on ye honoured saints of God
Your feet the shining way have trod
And reached the goal."
The Memorial Card for Samuel:
In Loving Memory, Samuel Ham, who went to the Home "over there" on Tuesday, November 9th, 1897, in his 81st year.
"Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord".
The reverse side contains the following poem written by W. T. G. Berriman:
The Master's voice has called him
He hastened to obey,
Received his crown of glory,
And treads the heavenly way.
With rapt'rous joy he's chanting
The great redemption song,
And mingles with the seraphs
As they the theme prolong.
His going home was peaceful,
He had no wish to stay,
Earth's ties were dear, but dearer
Were those that called away
to heavenly mansions yonder
Where Christ upon the throne
Shines with transplendent lustre,
And Jesus reigns alone.
His many friends will miss him
From his accustomed place.
He's called to higher service
A nobler sphere to grace,
His highest joy is serving
His Master and his Lord,
His chief delight is singing
Glad praises to his God.
When Jesus calls His children
To higher life above,
Why should we think of mourning
And weep for buried love?
Life ends not here, but yonder
'Twill bloom as ne'er before,
Our strength will know no weakness,
All sorrow there be o'er.
Minutes of Quarterly Meeting of Geelong Circuit held at Yarra St Methodist Church, Thursday 23rd December 1897:
"A letter of condolence was directed to be sent to Mrs Ham in connection with the death of her husband A man much beloved & greatly respected."
Samuel's will of 1884 leaves everything to his wife Susan, and after her death to William, his son, Charlotte and Mercy Grace, his daughters. he made a codicil in 1895 giving his house in Yarra St, South Geelong, to his sister Fanny Hamley. [She was widowed in 1888]. The executors of the will were William and Charles Augustus Bedggood.
Samuel left real estate of the value of 940 pounds and personal estate of 158 pounds. His personal estate consisted of household furniture(18pounds), carpenters tools (3 pounds), watch and chain 95 shillings), and money in the Geelong Savings Bank (123 pounds).
The real estate consisted of 2 blocks in Foster St, South Geelong, one with a 6-room brick house, the other with a 6-room weatherboard house;YarraSt, Geelong - two 4-room weatherboard houses and a 5-room weatherboard house; and a block of land on the Colac Rd, Belmont.
Geelong Advertiser, 16th March 1898:
Saturday, 26th March.
Freehold property consisting of
Cottages and Land in Yarra-Street.
By order of the Executors in the Estate of the late Samuel Ham.
W.P. Carr has been instructed to sell by auction on the premises at 2 o'clock -
Part of Allotment 11, of section six, Geelong, having a frontage of about 100 feet
to Yarra-street by a depth of 66 feet to a lane, and situated close to corner of Fyans-street, upon which are erected three, four, and five-roomed cottages.
This is a good, centrally situated property worthy the attention of speculators.
In 1898, the book "Incidents in the Life of Samuel Ham" was published.
Geelong Advertiser, 30th April, 1898:
"Incidents in the Life of Samuel Ham" form the the title of an interesting publication compiled by Mr W.T. Berriman. The work, which has been published in artistic guise by Mr H. Thacker, of Ryrie-street, is made up, to a large extent, of the personal reminiscences of one whose name was held in affection by Victorian Methodists, particularly those of the Geelong district, amongst whom he spent a great part of his life. The little book shows him to have been a preacher of quaint and homely eloquence. It is creditably written throughout, has a nice introduction by the Rev. E. I. Watkin, D.D., and should be valued as a memorial volume of its subject.
"Early History of South Geelong"
"Mr Samuel Ham was born on March 8, 1817, at Marhamchurch, in the north-east corner of Cornwall, about two miles from Stratton and nine miles from Holsworthy, in Devon. Although born in Cornwall, yet when he grew up he spent most of his time in Devon, living at such places as Bradworthy, Clovelly, etc. He married Miss Susan Piper on December 16, 1842; on May 12, 1850, Mr Ham and his family left the shores of the home-land in the"Gipsy Queen" for Australia, and after a long and tedious voyage of six months they landed at Point Henry on November 14, 1850. "During the voyage",he says in his diary, "I acted as chaplain to the vessel, preaching on deck when the weather was fine and holding prayer meetings below when the sea or weather was too rough to engage in such meetings." For this position he was well qualified, for in early life he was brought to acknowledge of the truth and soon after, as a local preacher, he began to call sinners to repentance, in which engagement he shunned no cross and feared neither difficulty nor danger. When Mr Ham lived in the old country, the Methodists of that time, owing to ignorance, jealousy, and superstition of some people, had to submit to great persecution. When preaching in the open air they were pelted with rotten eggs and stones. On one occasion when so engaged he preached with blood streaming down his face, the result of stones hurled at him by "lewd fellows of the baser sort".
Mr Ham, like nearly all men of the day, went off with a party of five to Ballarat to search for gold, where they arrived on September 10, 1852.Their tents were not pitched until the next day, so that night they had to sleep on the ground with the stars as a canopy. In the morning when he was about to shake up his pillow he found that he had had a large carpet-snake as a bed-fellow. Needless to say the serpent was soon despatched.Next day, being Sunday, he was astonished to see so many following their usual occupations, so he invited them to attend a service on the flat at Golden Point, and where he preached the gospel on a stump which he used as a pulpit. In this way he may be considered as one of the pioneer preachers of the goldfields. The Commissioner of Police, seeing so many persons gathered together, asked the reason, and, being told, put the question: "What doctrine does he preach?". On receiving the answer that he preached the Church of England doctrine he offered Mr Ham the use of his tent on Sunday mornings for service, which offer was gladly accepted. After being at Ballarat for several months, during which he had many thrilling experiences, he cam back to Geelong, and for over 40 years was a most acceptable local preacher in all the churches of Geelong and district. He was gifted with a splendid memory, was fluent, and very clever at word-painting and imagery; and, above all, his congregation felt that he was a man of prayer and great faith.Although, possibly, he never had a lesson in elocution, yet he was able to sway his audience. One of the sermons he was often asked to preach was known as "The Rainbow Sermon". Those who had heard Billy Bray preach in England saw in Mr Ham a similarity to that wonderful evangelist and spoke of him as the Australian Billy Bray. God had given him the gift of humour, and this was a great help to him especially when on the public platform.Doctor Johnson used to say: "There are two requisites in life - a little vision and a little humour".
Mr Ham was a builder and contractor, and erected many of the homes in this locality. He carried his religion into his business, and, as Dr Button oSt Andrew's, Ballarat, would say: "He remembered the week-day to keep it holy". He was kind and affectionate in his disposition, plain and earnest in his preaching, and displayed eminent spiritual-mindedness. Children were very fond of him and would often stop to speak to this good man; and he, like old Humphrey, would give them good advice. (I have received a great deal of information concerning Mr Ham from Mr W.T.G. Berriman's book,"Incidents in the Life of Samuel Ham".
"Century of Victorian Methodism"
Early in 1854, several members and local preachers went from the Ballarat diggings to the Mount Alexander goldfields. The Rev. Bickford was appointed to the charge of Italian Gully, in the Scarsdale Circuit. Samuel Ham, or it may be Wesley Anderson, for reports differ, knelt on "that steep hill where the scrub was very thick" - the site of the old Lydiard Street Church - and prayed "Lord, let this be the birthplace of many souls"- a prayer which was to be abundantly answered in years to come.
The Local Preachers: "Sammy" Ham:
Among the local preachers who have done noble work in Victoria, Samuel Ham occupies an honoured place. His sermons were strong in common sense, sharp with incisive sentences, and lit up with apt quotations from Charles Wesley's hymns. He arrived on the Ballarat goldfields in 1852. On the first Sunday he went through the diggings, and was astonished to find a great many men working as usual, having perhaps forgotten the Lord's Day. He invited them to a service on the flat at Golden Point, and, improvising a pulpit from the stump of a tree, he preached to those rough miners from the text "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation". This was the first religious service held in Ballarat.
For forty years he was a welcome figure in the Geelong pulpit. Strangers who saw him enter the pulpit did not expect much from him, but when he began to pray they felt that there was a man who communed with his God, and when he preached they soon saw that they were listening to one of the"princes of the pulpit". Walking with God, he seemed ever to bring God with him. No prayer meeting could be prosy, and no class meeting could be dull where"Sammy" Ham was. Happy - always happy in the light and love of God he unconsciously imparted something of the same spirit to all around him.
His famous sermon on "The Rainbow Throne" is published in a memoir of him written by William Berriman. (Incidents in the Life of Samuel Ham. 1898)
"Methodist History"
South Geelong Circuit: among the local preachers there is one name conspicuous, and without a reference to whom this record would be incomplete. The name of Samuel Ham is lovingly cherished. He reached the shore of Australia in 1850, and took up his residence at South Geelong, and at once commenced to preach in the open air. from the beginning he had seals to his ministry. Possessed of good natural ability, he soon riveted the attention of an audience, who found in him a diamond in the rough. There was a freshness in his thoughts, and a quaintness in his way of putting things, which gave a charm and vigour to his sermons. He had a famous discourse on the rainbow in heaven, which, by request, he re preached not long before he died. Brother Ham held the office of class-leader for many years, and also that of trustee. he died in November 1897, in the 81styear ofhis age."
"Barrabool: Land of the Magpies"
HAM. The originator of this family was Samuel Ham who was a carpenter in Chilwell, Geelong. In 1878 William Ham settled at Waurn Ponds on land originally selected by John McPherson. His wife was descended from Robert Zeally, pioneer of the Torquay region. He was elected to the School Boardof Advice for Moriac Riding in 1886. In 1896 he was elected to Council and remained until 1916, serving four terms as President. He wrote a history of the Shire's first fifty years. He died in 1932. In 1935 Samuel F. Ham was elected to Council, serving until his resignation in 1948. He died in1953.
HAMS ROAD (Waurn Ponds)
This road off Anglesea Road is named in honour of the pioneering Ham family, founded by Samuel Ham, which farmed the adjoining area for generations. Cyril Ham, one of our long-standing members, lives nearby.
(extract from the Investigator, magazine of the Geelong Historical Society, Vol 23, No 3, September 1988)
'The Diary of William Henry King" transcribed by Trish Davey.
William King writes a couple of pages in the final chapter on SAMMY HAM and his preaching. William was a preacher also in the Geelong and Ballarat areas. Full extract is in Samuel Ham Book.
Methodist Church, Geelong Circuit Minute Book, Minutes of Quarterly Meeting:
"A letter of condolence was directed to be sent to Mrs Ham in connection with the death of her husband, a man much beloved and greatly respected."
Samuel's name is first mentioned as an attendee in the Methodist Church, Geelong Circuit, Quarterly Meeting Minute Book
Victorian Government Gazette:
Trustees of Wesleyan Church Lands:
William Jewell
Samuel Ham
Thomas Foster
William Luxmore
Andrew Young
to be Trustees of the land reserved for Wesleyan Church purposes at South Geelong.
Government Gazette 17 November 1864:
Golden Horn Gold Mining Co.
Ham, Samuel, 5 shares
Ham, William, 10 shares
Bedggood, Charles A, 5 shares
Shares were valued at 10 pounds each. The mine operation was at Springdallah (near Scarsdale)
Government Gazette:
California Sluicing Gold Mining Co.
Ham, Samuel, 50 shares
Shares were valued at 1 pound each. The mine operation was at Watson's Hill, Brown's (in Smythesdale area)
Government Gazette:
Band of Hope Gold Mining Co.
Ham, Samuel, 10 shares
Ham, William, 14 shares
Shares were valued at 5 pounds each. The mine operation was at Monkey Gully
Government Gazette, 28 May 1867:
Ross' Creek and Geelong Sluicing and Gold Mining Co.
Ham, Samuel, 8 shares
Ham, William, 7 shares
Ham, Charlotte, 3 shares
Ham, Mercy Grace, 2 shares
Ham, William Lyle, 4 shares
Ham, Henry Mountjoy, 4 shares
Shares were valued at 3 pounds each. The mine operation was at Ross' Creek, near Ballarat
Government Gazette, 10 April 1866:
Bradworthy Sluicing and Gold Mining Co.
I, the undersigned William Ham, hereby make application to register the Bradworthy Sluicing and Gold Mining Co.
The place of operations is at Ross' Creek.
The nominal capital of this company is 750 pounds, in 250 shares at 3 pounds each.
The office of the company is at Cobbler's.
The name of the manager is William Ham.
The names and residences of the shareholders, and the number of shares held by each at this date, is as follows:-
Henry M. Ham, Geelong, 4
Charlotte Ham, Geelong, 3
Mercy Grace Ham, Geelong, 2
Samuel Ham, Geelong, 10
William Ham, Cobbler's, 15
Susan Keirl, Cobbler's, 2
George Keirl, Cobbler's, 2
Sydney Keirl, Cobbler's, 2
- Event Memos from GEDCOM Import...
Immigration
Samuel, Susan and their 3 children (William 7, Charlotte 5 and John nearly 3) left England for Australia on the "Gipsy Queen". During the voyageheacted as chaplain for the ship (see extracts from diary below]. The Ham family boarded the ship at Plymouth, from where it sailed on May 13th,theship having sailed from London first. They finally arrived in Melbourne on October 27th, 1850, after stopping in Adelaide for about 7 weeks.
The trip took 165 days totally - 100 days from Plymouth to Adelaide, in Adelaide for 51 days, then Adelaide to Melbourne 14 days. Some of thattimewould have been spent at anchor in the harbours waiting to load passengers and their luggage and provisions, and sometimes waiting for goodweatherbefore sailing. There were 45 intermediate and steerage passengers, with several cabin passengers as well.
South Australian Register, Friday August 23, 1850:
"The "Gipsey Queen" from England.
This ship arrived yesterday, last from Plymouth, May 13, with 162 passengers. There were three births in the families of Fry, O'Brien and Smith.Nota death occurred on the passage.
Shipping Intelligence.
Arrived Thursday August 22 - the ship "Gipsey Queen", 839 tons, Hutton, master, from London, 1st May, and Plymouth, 13th May. Passengers,thefollowing in the intermediate for Adelaide & Port Phillip - Samuel Ham, wife and three children."
South Australian Register, Saturday October 12, 1850:
"Cleared out - Friday October 11. The ship "Gipsey Queen", 839 tons, Hutton master, for Port Phillip. Passengers - Samuel Ham, wife andthreechildren. About to sail for Melbourne."
Diary of William Grasby [Mortlock Library]
Portion of the diary written on board the "Gipsey Queen" during the voyage from England to Port Adelaide, May to August 1850.
Sunday 16 June: "prayers led by the Doctor, but few attended, preaching by a local preacher, I was still too poorly to conduct Service. There are4or 5 preachers on board."
Sunday 23 June: "a fine day, we are making a little progress in the right direction. We had prayers and a sermon by Mr Ham."
Thursday 22 August: "this morning within sight of the Port about 8. The mail boat came to fetch the letters we brought from England. Castanchorabout 10 o'clock as it was not possible for us to get in till the afternoon tide to take us back. The scenery up the river is splendid,farsurpassing anything I expected. We arrived in Port by five and after packing a few things we had a pleasant walk on our deck. Most have beenashoreand returned drunk."
Samuel said "My means were very limited, for it took all I could raise to pay our passage, and left me with only five shillings to begin theworldwith"., Immigration
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AIGS/FHC Member's - Family Trees
1815 - 1897 (82 years)