Flower, Humphrys, Smith & Thomas Family Ancestry, 1717-2015 from Somerset & Cornwall UK to ...

41 Pages·2015·3.18 MB·English

SAMPLE only - ie only the first page of each section displayed.

Flower, Humphrys, Smith & Thomas

Family Ancestry, 1717-2015

from Somerset & Cornwall UK to South Australia

including

Clarence Humphrys WW1 diary 1916-1917

Pencil Sketch by Clement Humphrys, c1930.

Neil D Brooks

1
SAMPLE only - ie only the first page of each section displayed.
Forward to the book “Flower, Humphrys, Thomas, Smith Ancestry”.

Having compiled the book “Redruth Cornwall to The Burra SA”, I wish to stress the importance of
compiling family historic records.

Following the publication of my book, I was invited to an annual get-together by the “Genealogy
Society of South Australia”, of those who published family histories during the year.

They commented on each particular publication, offered helpful advice, and stressed the
importance of such records, not only of the family records but the inclusion of the early
development of the area of white settlement.
The period we are looking at is from about late 1840’s, South Australia was proclaimed in 1836
and records were not very meticulously kept in those early years. Burra was the largest town
outside of Adelaide at that time in South Australia. Many came from Cornwall in particular to
work in the mine, but sought to find a livelihood in other industries such and farming and grazing.
As the Humphrys book links with the Thomas history it fills a valuable record of that branch of the
family. Of course each book follows a particular line of a family such as the Thomas descendants,
so this researches the Humphrys family from 1717, for which they were fortunate to be able to
trace that far back. This is not always possible as early records in the UK were kept mainly in
church parishes and many of these have been lost or destroyed for various reasons. It was from 1st
July 1837 that government records were kept. The early 1800’s are a particularly difficult period to
research.
I commend Neil for his efforts in putting this record together. It appears to have been researched
quite thoroughly.
I thank him for the privilege of contributing in a small way.
Reuben D. Thomas, March 2015.

Compiled and edited by John H Brooks and Neil D Brooks, May 2015

ISBN 978-0-646-93783-0
Published by Neil D Brooks 20 Brookside Crescent Seaford Rise 5169 South Australia
Printed by Digital Reproductions, Suite 7 112-114 Bains Road, Morphett Vale 5162
Appendices

1. John Humphrys (presented BBC Radio 4's “Today” programme since 1987)
2. A diary of the Voyage to SA on the ship, “William Money”, 1849
3. A copy of Jesse Humphrys 1909 Will, from the SA Probate Office.
4. A copy of James Flower’s 1891 Will, from the SA Probate Office.
5. A copy of Joseph Flower’s 1919 Will, from the SA Probate Office.
6. Annie Adelaide v John Penna Court Case 1894
7. Clement Humphrys Court Case 1926
8. Notable Humphrys weddings - 1916-1941
9. Hassage Park/Farm and barn ruins photographs May 2015
10. Stony Gap Wind Farm approved Nov 2014.
11. The Working Man’s Handbook to South Australia 1849
12. Clarence Melvin Humphrys’ WW1 Diary 1916-1917
2
SAMPLE only - ie only the first page of each section displayed.
Contents:
1. Introduction. page 6
2. Flowchart of the Family Tree page 7
3. Julia and Luke Teddy Descendants list page 8

4. The Thomas family in Cornwall page 12
5. John 1 and July Thomas – 1799-1877 – Life in Australia. page 14

6. Julia and Luke Teddy – 1827 – 1904. page 19

7. The Flower family in Somerset –from 1717 page 23

8. The Humphrys family in Somerset from 1772 page 27
Hassage Manor Somerset UK page 29

9. James and Hannah Flower – Life in Australia page 31
 Rachel Flower and Thomas Warnes page 40
 Ann Flower and Robert Warner page 44
 Joseph Flower and Catherine Calliss page 45
 Elizabeth Flower and Ernest Blesing page 51
 Jabez Flower and Emily Dunn page 52

10. Jesse and Isabella Humphrys - Life in Australia. page 53

11. Isaac and Grace Turner at Black Springs page 63
12. William Thorn Humphrys – Life in Somerset and Australia page 66

13. Elijah Thorn Humphrys siblings.
 William Mark and Frances (Zincraft Jones) Humphrys page 70
 Sarah Anne (Humphrys) and John Allen Duke page 73
 Jesse and Emily (Duke) Humphrys page 74
 Flower and Mary (Rogers) Humphrys page 76
 Isabella (Humphrys) and Herbert James Scrutton page 80
 Emily (Humphrys) and Thomas Jones page 80
 Mary Ann (Humphrys) and Charles Hansen page 81
 Elizabeth Humphrys b1875-1875 page 81

14. Elijah Thorn (1865–1919) & May (Teddy) Humphrys (1868–1955) page 82

15. Minetta Pauline May (Humphrys) Ford 1895-1977 page 90
16. Clarence Melvin Humphrys WW1 1917-1918 page 91
17. Clarence Melvin Humphrys Diary in England 1917 page 92

18. Thomas and Mary Smith – Life in Australia page 99

19. Ellen Smith, William Henry Pascoe and William Snider. page 103
20. Annie Adelaide Pascoe Snider Bennett. page 112
21. Annie Adelaide Snider and John Penna. page 115

22. Clement and Maude Humphrys page 119
23. Caroline Grace (Elvey) Humphrys page 129
24 Clement’s children (Viva, Thelma, Dorothy, Laurel, Arnold, John) page 133
3
SAMPLE only - ie only the first page of each section displayed.
“What this book is about”.

This is about 3 families that emigrated from Cornwall and Somerset areas of the UK to South
Australia in the 1850’s. Two families went to the Burra region, one family to the Kingston area.

Family 1. John and July Thomas and family, emigrated in 1849 to Burra. John had been hired as
a mine manager by the Burra mine agents in England because of his expertise of “timbering” in
Cornish mines. He was also to be involved in the installation, operation and maintenance of the
Cornish Steam driven pump which had been recently purchased to de-flood the Burra workings.

John and his sons were also involved in supply of timber for the shaft supports, as fuel for the
boilers of the pump, and also for the smelting process. John was shrewd enough to realise that a
better life was to be had on the land, and as the government was surveying and selling off the land
around Burra, he invested his Burra Mines income in land north of Burra, near Mt Bryan.

The second daughter Jane Thomas was to marry a Henry Collins, and that branch of the family
would go on to create the world famous Collinsville Merino Stud near Mt. Bryan.

The eldest daughter Julia, however was to marry a young Cornish miner, Luke Teddy, who
turned out to be a not so successful farmer, but a popular character. He had a Wood and Chaff
business and was also an enthusiastic member and elder of the Wesleyan Church at Burra. The
youngest of the Teddy family was a Mary Teddy, a talented church organist, and later to marry
Elijah Thorn Humphrys, a farmer of Hanson and Farrell Flat.

Family 2. James and Hannah Flower were small farmers and butchers who emigrated from
Timsbury, England with their children to Adelaide in 1854.
The eldest daughter Isabella however, had married a local farm lad, Jesse Humphrys from nearby
Wellow before they had left for Australia, so Jesse came along as part of the family.
After 5 years working with farmers, such as Mr J Johnson (Reedbeds), and Mr Browne (Buckland
Park/Pt Gawler), they moved to, and purchased land at Stony Gap, 9 miles south of Burra.

Jesse and Isabella Humphrys had 3 children while living near Adelaide and in 1859 followed the
Flower family to Stony Gap, and purchased land adjoining the Flower’s.
Stony Gap was on the main bullock team track from Burra to Black Springs, and the land had been
leasehold. James Logan was one of the earlier pastoralists that had leased the land at 10/- a square
mile, and consequently the area has Logan’s Hut, Logan’ Flat, Logan’s Farm, Logan’s Creek and
Logan’s Gap in the area. The 1860 Almanac had the Humphrys and Flower farms at Logan’s Flat.
The farms were at the base of rolling hills, and the farms built near the creeks from those hills. The
hills were perfect for grazing sheep, and the flat land below was good cropping land.

The Humphrys and Flower families, expanded with 5 more children to Isabella.
The families succeeded at sheep farming, and each were to extend their holdings by 1000 acres.
James Flower purchased the land south, directly opposite, then to the east on Burra Creek which he
and his two sons Joseph and Jabez were to work until James’ death in 1891. Jesse Humphrys
managed to purchase a 1000 acres, 5 miles to the south east near Emu Downs and Black Springs.

The Stony Gap community of the Flower, Humphrys, Delamere, Escott, Porter and Logan built a
school house, and a church, both on James Flower’s land. Robert Zincraft Jones of Black Springs,
was appointed by the Education Board, as teacher for Stony Gap between 1864 and 1874.

The Humphrys family was to be devastated, firstly in 1874 by the death of the second son, Alfred,
only 16, then in 1875 Isabella died in the childbirth of a daughter, Elizabeth, who did not survive.
Jesse was left with a young family of 6 children ranging from 3 to 18 years of age.
4
SAMPLE only - ie only the first page of each section displayed.
In 1876 Jesse married a widow, Grace Turner, who had 2 young children herself. He leased his
Stony Gap farm to the Koonoona Estate, then purchased another 600 acre property in the Hundred
of Hanson, near Farrell Flat from a Thomas Glasson. The property had the new railway from
Gawler to Burra running along side it, and there was a school at Farrell Flat for the younger
children. Farrell Flat had railway station and yards where the wool and wheat was loaded.
Jesse Humphrys and his sons and daughters farmed the Hanson property until 1909, Jesse’s death,
he divided the Stony Gap, the Hanson and the Clare properties between his sons and daughters.

The Hanson property was divided in half, with Flower Humphrys (son no.4) getting the northern
half, and Elijah Thorn Humphrys (son no.5) getting the southern half. The Stony Gap property was
left to William Mark Humphrys (son no.1) and Jesse Humphrys (son no.3) as co-owners.

The major focus now goes to Elijah Thorn Humphrys, who married Mary (May) Teddy, and on
some land that Elijah purchased himself, built the homestead they named “Maythorn”.
They had 3 children, Clement, Clarence and Minetta. In 1915 the Burra papers herald social events
at “Maythorn” but within 4 years, the family is devastated by the death of Clarence, and later, the
death of Elijah Thorn Humphrys, coincidently, both of wound infections.

Family 3. Thomas and Mary Smith, 21 year olds from Cornwall, emigrated from Cornwall,
England in 1853. Thomas was an Ostler and they moved to the Kingston SE area, where he spent
the next 30 years working with horses and as a drover. The life must have been healthy because
Mary and Thomas produced 14 children.
The 5th child, Ellen Smith however was to feature in our story, as she had a daughter Annie
Adelaide Pascoe to William Henry Pascoe, but did not marry. She did however marry a very
interesting character, Wilhelm Schneider, who it turns out was the illegitimate son of Prince
Friederick of Prussia. William Snider as he renamed himself, was a sailor who emigrated to
Christchurch, New Zealand then to Kingston SE in South Australia. He obtained employment as a
packer/ganger on the Kingston to Bordertown railway. Twelve years later he was redeployed to the
Northern Line of the railways, working on the Yunta, Olary and Cockburn section.

While at Yunta, his daughter Annie Adelaide became pregnant to a young John Penna, who
refused to marry Annie. A 29 year old railway worker Sidney Bennett, married the 16 year old
Annie, taking on the Penna child, named Maude Alice Snider Penna Bennett.

This is where it comes together, as Sidney Bennett, was a railway ganger based at the
Hanson/Farrell Flat railway in 1909. His daughter Maude was a talented pianist, and May
Humphrys, a pianist, church organist and socialite, knew Maude from when she played piano at
social events in the area.
In 1915, May’s eldest son, Clement Arnold became betrothed to Maude Alice.

The focus of the book is Clement Arnold Humphrys and Maude Alice Penna Bennett. They
married in 1915 and Clement, Clarence and Elijah Thorn worked the farm until the death of
Clarence and 2 years later Elijah.

Clement and Maude had 4 daughters, Clement contracted Quinsy, a throat infection, he also lost
the sight in his right eye while breaking up rocks and May Humphrys needed more challenges, so
in 1926 they moved to the eastern suburbs of Adelaide to raise their family.

The book covers all the above events in detail obtained from five main sources (a) Reuben D
Thomas’s book, (b) Janine Kraehenbuehl’s descendant’s paper, (c) from the Historical Land
Information system of the Lands Titles Office (d) Newspaper articles on the National Library
website, and (e) ancestry websites such as www.geni.com.
5
SAMPLE only - ie only the first page of each section displayed.

2. Flowchart of Thomas-Flower-Humphrys-Smith ancestry.

6
SAMPLE only - ie only the first page of each section displayed.
3. Descendants of Julia (Thomas) and Luke Teddy.

1 Julia Thomas b 21 April 1832 in Cornwall UK d 5 November 1898 bu at Kooringa SA m 6 November 1851 Luke
Teddy at Congregational Chapel, Kooringa (First on Burra Records) b 1827 ? Truro Cornwall d 13 July 1904 at Rakow
St, Railway Town ( Later Broken Hill) NSW buried Broken Hill NSW

2 John Henry (Jack Harry) Teddy b 6 July 1855 at Kooringa SA d 23 November 1913 bu Jamestown SA m 26
August 1879 Rachel Sanderson at Kooringa SA b 31 May 1856 at Robertstown SA, d 6 May 1939 at Jamestown SA

2 Elizabeth Teddy b 8 May 1858 at Seven Mile Scrub, Burra SA d 7 July 1912 at Broken Hill NSW m 25 December
1875 John Thomas x at residence of Luke Teddy, Seven Mile Scrub Burra SA b 1845

3 John Hamley Thomas b 6 March 1877 at Copperhouse SA d 9 March 1878 at Baldina SA

3 Florrie Etta Thomas b 31 August 1881

3 Julia Catherine Thomas b 10 July 1883 at Copperhouse SA d 10 Dec 1953 at Toongabbie NSW m 4 Apr 1906
Bertie Henwood at Railway Town Broken Hill, NSW b 14 Dec 1883 at Blinman SA d 14/7/1950 at Parramatta NSW

4 Milton John Henwood b 8 April 1907 at Broken Hill NSW d 16 July 1984

4 Minetta Florence Henwood b 1 July 1909 at Broken Hill NSW d 18 October 1990

4 William Leonard Henwood b 15/6/18 at Toongabbie NSW m Rita Victoria Howarth b Barraba NSW 14/11/1918

4 Mary Merle Henwood b 21 May 1921 at Toongabbie NSW d 16 February 1983

3 Margaretta Maria Thomas b 24 May 1888 at Copperhouse SA d 31 January 1891

3 Basil Milton Thomas b 21 April 1892 at Redruth SA d 29 June 1911

2 Luke Teddy 2 b 6/7/1864 at Kooringa SA d 11/8/1945 bu Broken Hill m 1886 Sarah Ann Hoare in Broken Hill

3 Percival Luke Teddy b 1895 m Kaliamah ??

3 Clarence John Teddy b 1898 d 31 January 1935 at Broken Hill NSW

3 Albert Reuben William Teddy b 1908 m Marjorie Johnson

2 Johanna Teddy b 22/11/1865 at Kooringa SA m 20/2/1883 Ernest Arthur Hubbard at Redruth SA b 1862

3 Ethel May Hubbard b 19 November 1883 m Leonard Lorne Robertson

4 Lorna Ethel Robertson m Albert Ernest Mountford

2 Mary (May) Teddy b 17 September 1869 Kooringa SA d 10 December 1955 m 3 November 1890 Elijah Thorn
Humphrys at Redruth SA b 14 October 1865 at Stony Gap Burra SA d 13 December 1919

3 Clement Arnold Humphrys b 19 November 1891 at Redruth SA d 13 August 1969 m Maude Alice Bennett b
1895 at Peterborough SA d January 1967. Clement married Caroline Grace Elvey 1968 who died 2003.

4 Viva Hazel Humphrys b 13 April 1917 at Kooringa SA d 3 November 2013 m 1936 Clive W Pollard (Market
Gardener) b 30 December 1915 d 2001

5 Joy Estelle Pollard b November 1936 m Stan Brooks (Market Gardener) b September 1936

6 Peter Gary Brooks b Dec 1958 m 1981 Lee-Anne Frost b Feb 1963 div m 1 Jan 1996 Yvonne Lloyd

7 Sheree Alice Brooks b May 1983
7 Melissa Kate Brooks b October 1984

6 Timothy Donald Brooks b May 1960 ptnr Kathy Prentice b July 1963

7
SAMPLE only - ie only the first page of each section displayed.
7 Kristi Faye Brooks b October 1999
7 Brodie Jed Brooks b March 2001

6 Mary Jane Brooks b February 1967 m 6 October 1991 David Lane b December 1958, now divorced.

5 Donald Clive Pollard (Market Gardener) b April 1939 m Jannice Lewis div m Rosemary Przybilla

6 Craig Darren Pollard b August 1961 m Kathy Prentice div (after 1988) m Lexie

7 Kain Pollard b May 1986
7 Cory Pollard b December 1988

6 Kym Donald Pollard b October 1963 d November 2006 m Jenny

7 Rebecca Pollard b December 1991
7 Maddison Pollard b September 1993

6 Gavin Clive Pollard b June 1968 m Cheryl

7 Jake Gavin Pollard b June 1998

4 Thelma Maude Humphrys b 21/4/1920 at Kooringa SA m 24/7/45 Max Schubert (wine maker) b 9/2/1915 d 1994

5 Brentyn Max Schubert b February 1947 m Sue, now divorced.

6 Alicia Kate Schubert b May 1978

6 Cassandra Leah Schubert b April 1982

6 Samuel Max Schubert b July 1983

5 Sandra Schubert (systems analyst) b April 1952 m 1982 Garry Coff (Health Facilities) b January 1954

6 Lorien Eden Coff b May 1985

6 Brittany Erin Coff b January 1987

4 Dorothy Merle Humphrys b 26 Nov 1921 at Kooringa SA m 28 April 1942 Donald Forward (plumber)b 23/4/19

5 Lynette Joan Forward b January 1945 m 1966 Victor Langley (bank manager) b 1946

6 Todd Matthew Langley (chef) b November 1970

6 Paula Dorothy Langley b July 1972

5 Janet Forward b August 1947 m Max Harrop (boat sales)

6 Kimberley Harrop b August 1977

6 Wesley Owen Harrop (artist) b April 1980

4 Arnold Clarence John Humphrys (chemist) b 10 Feb 1929 d 2011 m 3 Oct 1953 Anne Fletcher b 5 Apr 1930

5 Catherine Anne Humphrys b 8th July 1954

5 Judith Rose Humphrys b 25 Oct 1956 m 16 Oct 1976 Michael McCarthy 21st Dec 1952 div 29 Oct 2004

6 Laura Anne McCarthy b 2 October 1978 m 20 Aug 2005 Jason Christopher Rollison

7 Trent Henry Rollison b 4 May 2006
7 Brigitte Emily Rollison b 9 May 2007

6 James Edward McCarthy b 3 August 1980

8
SAMPLE only - ie only the first page of each section displayed.
6 Samuel Cameron McCarthy b 29 September 1982 m 4 Sept 2008 Colin Little

7 Annabel Elizabeth McCarthy-Little b 26 July 2011 (Surr mother Becky Kempthorne)
7 Lachlan Thomas McCarthy-Little b 2 Dec 2012 (Surr mother Becky Kempthorne)

5 Richard John Humphrys (photographer) b May 1960 m Pat Wallis div 2005 m Sarah George

6 Jessica Humphrys b November 1992

6 Rebecca Humphrys b May 1985

6 Luke Humphrys b June 2006

5 Jane Louise Humphrys b September 1962 m David McGown

6 Rose McGowan b July 1996

6 Grace McGowan b October 1998

6 Charlie McGowan b September 2001

4 Laurel May Humphrys b November 1924 m Allen Brooks (insurance inspector) b 13 April 1918 d 8 Nov 1991

5 John Humphry Brooks (pharmacist) b 18 December 1946

5 Neil Douglas Brooks (systems analyst) b 22 July 1949 m Beverley Hartley 8 May 1982 b 16 June 1948

6 Susan Alyce Brooks (electrical engineer) b 10 June 1985

6 Amy Laurel Brooks (teacher) b 18 March 1987

5 Elizabeth Mary Brooks b August 1952 m David Keddie (communications engineer) 1973 d 11 June 2006

6 Scott Allen Keddie (carpenter) b 1974

6 Chrissy Anne Keddie b December 1975 m Kent Tuigamala (salesman) now divorced.

7 Alvin Tuigamala b April 2000
7 Portia Tuigamala b February 2002
7 Andrae Tuigamala b January 2003
7 Chanel Tuigamala b October 2004
7 Jasmine Tuigamala b October 2006

5 Jillian Anne Brooks (project officer) b 10 March 1957 ptnr John Blumson b 10 January 1958

4 John Arnold Humphrys b 18/2/1941 m Gayna Marie

5 Sherri Michelle Humphrys (social worker) divorced

6 Jessica Campbell

6 Ashleigh Campbell

5 Ethan Garth Humphrys (I.T. and now Chef)

3 Clarence Melvin Humphrys b 10 October 1893 d October 1917 in France

3 Minetta Pauline May Humphrys b 15/3/1895 Redruth d 1977 m 1919 Wilfred Frank Ford b 24/9/1893 at Kooringa

4 Francis Thorn Ford b 11 August 1919 at Redruth SA

4 Iris Enid Ford b 14 February 1921 at Redruth SA
9
SAMPLE only - ie only the first page of each section displayed.

10