While I am only a first generation Australian on my Dad’s side on my Mum’s side it does go further back.

I believe my first ancestor this side to come to, at that time, the colony of Queensland, to be Ann Fenny/Feeney aboard the Everton arriving in February 1863, however as yet I can’t prove this. It is not an uncommon name and she came in as a single girl which does make it harder.

So I am choosing my next date which is the 18 May 1863. This is the date of arrival of James Rollason and his family aboard the Light Brigade into the colony of Queensland. Also James’ brother Charles and his family.

These are not my earliest relatives in Australia as Henry Plumridge came to Victoria aboard the Osprey in 1848. However he is not a direct line ancestor but is instead my fourth great uncle so I don’t think he quite fits the challenge. Two of his brothers also emigrated to Victoria. His niece, Annie Busby who is a direct line ancestor of mine emigrated to Queensland in 1882 probably because that colony was looking for emigrants at that time and her husband being a stonemason was considered someone with a desired occupation.


Anyway back to the Rollason family.

You could say that the reason the Rollason’s emigrated was due to taxation.

The whole Rollason family had been involved with the silk weaving trade in Foleshill near Coventry. There had been a successful silk weaving industry around Coventry for many years primarily making ribbons for hats and dresses. French ribbons were considered the best ribbons but were taxed quite heavily with import tariffs. The poorer and even middle class could not afford French ribbons or even ribbons from London so there was a good market. Fashion of the time also had many ribbon decorations on the clothes.

Then came the Cobden treaty and free trade and suddenly there was no ribbon industry around Coventry as French ribbons flooded the market at a reduced price. many people needed parish relief. Times were very difficult as whole families were involved in the trade being paid for piece work.

 

 I descend via Richard John Rollason. He married Lucy Evans and had a large family as can be seen in the below image. In a newspaper report in his 93rd year (he lived to be 101) he said coming to Queensland was definitely the best thing they could have done. And if they hadn’t come I wouldn’t be here!

Richard John Rollason and family about 1914?.

This picture was made to include the whole family even the two members who had died.

It is amazing at times what we have that we don’t realise we have in our possession.

Michael Courtenay emigrated from Monaghan Ireland in 1865 aboard the Samarang. He was a carpenter and went to the Ipswich area working with the railway gangs. He took out a  land selection in 1868 which he had to release in 1887 as had been ill and unable to complete the required improvements.

He ended up in Brisbane and died suddenly at home 10 March 1912. s shown in this entry in the Courier Mail 11 March 1912

He was buried 11 March after a post-mortem in Toowong Cemetery. His death certificate was quite informative and for a change the question about how long in Australia and where was well answered.

Michael Courtnay Death Certificate

It helps to have an informant that actually knows the deceased, in this case his son Edward.

Michael has applied for the Queensland Old Age Pension in 1909 (actually it was 1908, Thanks Judy for the correction. I should have checked and not relied on memory for that. Judy Webster has done an index to the Queensland Old Age Pension applications on her page) when it was  introduced and was refused as he was not old enough so we know he did not have a lot of money. 

I have done a number of walk-throughs of Toowong Cemetery looking for family headstones and was not surprised to not find one for Michael.

Imagine my surprise when I was going through an old book that I had inherited from my Grandmother in 2001 to find this photo!

Also listed on the headstone was Michael’s little granddaughter Winifred Agnes Courtenay who died in 1913. This is interesting as when you do a Brisbane City Council Grave search you find that Michael and his wife Ann are buried in portion 15 section 9 grave 22 and that Edward his wife Mary and little Winifred are buried in the next plot Portion 15 Section 9 grave 21. It always pays to do a burial search and look in the cemetery and undertaker records when available.

I don’t know how long the photo had been in the book but I am very happy to have found it!

Australia Day, 26th January is a day we celebrate what makes us Australian. 

Regardless of whether your ancestor came 40 000 years ago or yesterday and regardless of where they were from, together their descendants are Australian.

Your challenge (should you choose to accept it) is to tell the story of your first Australian ancestor.

To make it fair to both the male and female sides of your heritage why not make it two stories? One each on the earliest ancestor on each side?

I wonder from how many countries the stories will come?

Please comment below with the link to your blog and together we’ll  “Advance Australia Fair”