William Gow's Shares

Do you have shares in companies? I do not yet, but my Dad has been talking about setting me up with some shares. My Great Grandfather William Gow had shares in the North Central Broken Hill Silver Mining Company. Try saying that really fast 5 times in a row! 

Form confirming William Gow's purchase of 50 shares
[Personal Collection]

Finance and shares are not my forte at all. My understanding from this form is that on the 20th of December, 1895, William bought 50 shares in the company. If you look at the top of the form, you will see "dissolved in 1939" written. My Grandfather wrote that when, I assume, he was doing his own research. 

I jumped on Trove to have a look at what information there was about the North Central Broken Hill Silver Mining Company. 

[Source: Advertising (1891, August 14). Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW : 1888 - 1954), p. 3. 
Retrieved January 22, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article44078267]

It seems that the North Central Broken Hill Silver Mining Company started in 1891 and was an off-shoot of the Central Broken Hill Silver Mining Company.

[Source: I, THE undersigned, hereby make application to register The North Central Broken Hill Silver-mining, Company (No-Liability) (1891, December 1). New South Wales Government Gazette (Sydney, NSW : 1832 - 1900), p. 9441. Retrieved January 22, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article21992581]

A month before William bought his shares, the company had them available for three pence per share. 

[Source: NORTH CENTRAL BROKEN HILL SILVER-MINING COMPANY (No-LIABILITY).
(1895, November 22). New South Wales Government Gazette (Sydney, NSW : 1832 - 1900),
p. 7626. Retrieved January 22, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article222320712]

18 September 1900. I wonder if this was for purchasing another 50 shares in the company?
[Personal Collection]

Fast forward to 1939, and the company is in liquidation.

[Source: COMPANIES ACT, 1936 (SECTION 323 (5)). (1939, December 15). Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales (Sydney, NSW : 1901 - 2001), p. 5811. 
Retrieved January 22, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article225088312]

I would hope that the company going into liquidation did not affect William that much. Did he even still have shares in the company in 1939? Who knows.

Did your ancestors have any shares? 

William Gow's Police Badges

Yesterday, I found police badges that belonged to my Great Grandfather William Gow (1868 - 1943). As you can imagine, I was quite excited by this unexpected discovery! I took a few snaps of them this morning to share with y'all.

Now, I am only assuming they are badges. If you have other ideas, I'm all ears. I have no idea how William would have worn them with his uniform. The large ones could have also been worn for special occasions. I have e-mailed the NSW State Archives in the hope for further information (after e-mailing the NSW Police).

Great Grandfather William Gow, 1889, Sydney.
[Source: Personal Collection]

A little background information about William's police career -

He joined the police force in Sydney in November 1896 (he left Scotland and arrived in Sydney in 1886). On his application form, he stated that he had been a gardener and fruit grower for 14 years. He was a Probationary Constable for 12 months. In November 1897, he became an Ordinary Constable. In 1905, William was promoted to First Class Constable. According to William's obituary, he was well known throughout the Traffic Department of the Police for 16 years. In 1912, he resigned and returned to farming. He was requested to reconsider his decision but believed farming was his true occupation.

Large police badges

A handful of small police badges

Elector's Right!

I have just come across this Elector's Right form which belonged to my Great Grandfather William Gow (1868 - 1943). It was folded up with some other documents of his that my Grandfather had stuck together with a nail. I have transcribed it below.

Electoral District of Newtown Erskine Division

The Holder Hereof William Gow of 227 Wilson Street, Newtown (Occupation) Constable of Police whose name is signed hereunder, is, if enrolled, entitled to vote at Elections of Members of the Assembly in the above district, being qualified in respect of Manhood and of Residence in such District.

It is dated the 29th of December, 1897.

Map showing location of 227 Wilson Street, Newtown
[Source: Google Maps]

Newtown was an electorate in the recent New South Wales State Election this year, but I wanted to know more about the Newtown Erskine Division at the time William was around. Why was it called Newtown Erskine back then? I found that in 1894, single member electorates were introduced. This required the Newtown local government area being divided into three seats - Newtown-Camperdown, Newtown-Erskine, and Newtown-St Peters (Electorate: Newtown, 2015). In 1904, the number of seats in Parliament was reduced from 125 to 90, and thus, Newtown became a single electorate. Up until 1947, Newtown had it's own local government, separate to Sydney City Council (Electorate: Newtown, 2015). William would have experienced these electorate changes in Newtown, but sadly died a couple of years before it became part of Sydney City Council.

I also found this awesome website, Atlas of New South Wales that shows the electoral history from 1856 to 2007. It's a lot of fun. Definitely check it out. I found the Newtown Erskine electorate for the year 1898 (the year after William enrolled). If you have an ancestors address over a few years or decades, you could follow their electorate over that time too.

Newtown Erskine Electorate
[Source: Atlas of New South Wales]

A new genie-tool! I wonder if the Atlas will have my political cousin Donald Walter Croal? Alright, I'm off on another tangent now.

Have you followed an ancestor's electorate over time?

References

Electorate: Newtown. (2015). Retrieved from
http://www.abc.net.au/news/nsw-election-2015/guide/newt/

A Farm Discovery

The Scottish 1865 Valuation Rolls were recently released on Scotlands People. The index is currently free to search, however images cost two credits. In 1865, my Great Great Grandfather William Gow was raising his family at Cairn Farm, Muthill, Perthshire, and I did indeed find him at Cairn Farm in the Valuation Roll.

My 2x Great Grandfather William Gow
[Source: Personal Collection]

I was intrigued to discover that William was leasing Cairn Farm from Robert Thomas Napier Speir. I did not even know that William had leased his farm from someone! I also found that William was leasing a second farm from Speir - Drummawhance Farm. This is the first time I have heard of this farm. Cairn Farm has always been the only farm ever mentioned in reference to William Gow and his family. It is the farm listed on census records and birth and death certificates. My Dad and I both agree that Drummawhance might not have been mentioned in these records because it was only a working farm. The other surprise was that both farms, a long with a few others, were part of Culdees Castle, which was owned by Speir.

The website linked for Culdees Castle provided the longitude and latitude of the Castle's location - 56.324191N, 3.804687W. I popped that into Google Maps to see where the Castle was, as I had found that it was demolished in 1967. We did not know the exact location of Cairn Farm before either, so I was hoping this might provide me with a general area. The pin is the location of Culdees Castle according to the longitude and latitude co-ordinates. But wait, what is that farm in the bottom right corner? Drummawhance Farm!

Image from Google Maps showing the location of Culdees Castle
[Source: Google Maps]

 I scrolled down a bit further and what do I see...CAIRN FARM!

Image from Google Maps showing the location of Culdees Castle, Drummawhance Farm, & Cairn Farm
[Source: Google Maps]

My Dad and I have spent countless hours exploring Muthill on Google Maps and we have no recollection of Cairn Farm being labelled. Otherwise, well, we would have sent my Aunt there when she went to Muthill a couple of years ago. I am so excited that we now have an exact location of Cairn Farm! And the fact that the farms are across the road from each other would have been pretty handy for William.

Cairn Farm & Drummawhance Farm - pretty close together!
[Source: Google Maps]

I googled Drummawhance Farm and it seems to still be in operation. It even has its own website with a contact form. I might send a message through and see what information, if any, they have on either farms. I cannot wait to go to Scotland one day and visit Cairn Farm to see where my Great Great Grandparents lived, and where my Great Grandfather lived before coming to Australia!

Thank you Valuation Rolls - you've given me a lot more than I expected.

Have you found anything exciting or unexpected in Scotlands People's Valuation Rolls?

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks #1: William Gow

I’m giving myself a new challenge this year - 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks which is run by Amy Johnson Crow from No Story Too Small. I noticed many blog posts from people who took part in the challenge last year and thought it would be something fun to do in the future. Plus, I’m hoping it will help me identify areas for further research.

The theme for Week 1 is Fresh Start. When I think of a fresh start I think of my Great Grandfather William Gow.

Born on the 21^st of May, 1868, William was the youngest of 5 children to parents William Gow and Jean Drummond. He grew up on his family’s farm at Cairn, Muthill, Perthshire, Scotland. Sadly, his father passed away the day after his 6^th birthday in 1874. William remained on the farm until 1886. By then, his siblings and mother had all relocated, including his brother Robert who had immigrated to Sydney in 1884. In 1886, when he was just 18 years old, William made the long journey to Sydney arriving on October 5^th, 1886. William did not have any family with him when he made this trip, so it must have been quite daunting! 

William Gow in 1889, aged 22.
[Source: Personal Collection]

When he arrived in Sydney, he lived in Potts Point, an inner-city suburb. William had worked as a gardener in Scotland, and continued to do so in Sydney. In his diary for the year 1887, William recorded what he did each day. Some entries are detailed, others are not. On January 17^th, he was “cleaning [garden] beds in front of the house and watered them and pots at the door and veranda.” Potts Point is also situated on Elizabeth Bay. On February 6^th, William “got out the boat and went over to Darling Point and had another row around Elizabeth Bay.” In quite a few entries he mentions doing some gardening at a Bush House. I currently have no idea where Bush House is/was but it would be interesting to find out. According to William’s obituary, he also worked as a gardener for Sir Adrian Knox. Perhaps Bush House could have been something to do with Sir Adrian Knox? Some investigating to do here I think.

In 1896 William became a police officer, and in 1897, after the 12 month probation period, became an Ordinary Constable. 

William Gow's Police Appointment on NSW State Records

On the 14^th of December, 1904, William married Elizabeth Croal. They lived in Stanmore (inner-west Sydney) where they had two children – Adam Gow (1905 – 1905) and William David Drummond Gow (1910 – 2003). 

Wedding of William Gow & Elizabeth Croal, 14th Dec 1904, Sydney
[Source: Personal Collection]

In 1905, William became a 1^st Class Constable. I actually have all this wage sheets from his career as a police officer which I got from the New South Wales State Records! William became favourably known throughout the Sydney Police Traffic Department, and when he retired in 1912, he was asked to reconsider. However, William believed that gardening was his true calling. With that in mind, in 1913 William, Elizabeth & their son William Jr moved to Gumma, a small town near Macksville on the Mid-North Coast of New South Wales. William became well known for growing tomatoes and he thoroughly enjoyed working on the land. 

Article from Farmer and Settler, 1 Nov 1929
[Source: Trove]

William passed away on November 28^th, 1943 at the ‘Jalna’ Private Hospital in Macksville at the age of 75. He is buried in Macksville Cemetery. When he died, William had been living at Gumma for 31 years.  I feel that moving to Gumma gave William a fresh start. His obituary states that he was “a very kindly Scotsman who nevertheless was ever ready to speak his mind and defend what he considered was right and just.” Now that, that makes me very proud.

William Gow's death notice, Sydney Morning Herald, 11 Dec 1943
[Source: Trove]

Amanuensis Monday: William Gow.

For today's Amanuensis Monday, I have transcribed the Testament of my Great Great Grandfather William Gow. William was born in 1808 in Scotland and died in 1874 in Muthill, Perthshire. In 1855 he married Jean/Jane Drummond and they had 5 children - John, Robert, Isabella, Jeannie & William.

There was no punctuation in it, however, I have attempted to insert punctuation where I think appropriate. Words in red are those that I was unsure about.

William Gow, Great Great Grandfather.
[Source: Personal Collection]

Inventory of the Personal Estate of William Gow, 1874

At Perth the twenty eighth day of December, Eighteen hundred and seventy four, In presence of James Adam Esquire Advocate Commissary of the County of Perth, Compeared Alexander George Read Solicitor in Auchterarder as Procurator for the Executor.

Executor after named and designed and gave in the Inventory of the Personal Estate of William Gow Farmer in Cairn in the Parish of Muthill (duly stamped with Twenty two pounds Sterling of duty), and oath thereon after-written desiring the same to be recorded in the Commissary Court Books of Perthshire, conform to act of Parliament which desire the said Commissary found reasonable and ordained the same to be done accordingly the tenor whereof follows:

Inventory of the Personal Estate of umqulul William Gow farmer in Cairn in the Parish of Muthill who died at Cairn on or about the twenty third day of May Eighteen hundred and seventy four.

Farm Stocking growing crop household furniture and other effects

                                                                        Forward £ 

Effects which belonged to the deceased at the time of his death conform to Inventory and Appraisement by John Sinclair Licensed Appraiser

                                                                        £ 743, 7, 6

Cash in house                                                 £ 2

Total amount of Personal Estate                   £ 745, 7, 6

Signed Jane Gow

           Jas Smitton J.P.

At Auchterarder the twenty sixth day of December Eighteen hundred and seventy four years, In presence of James Smitton Esquire, One of Her Majestys Justices of the Peace for the County of Perth, appeared Jane Drummond or Gow residing at Cairn in the Parish of Muthill Executor of the deceased William Gow farmer in Cairn foresaid who being solemnly sworn and examined Depones that the said William Gow died at Cairn on or about the twenty third day of May Eighteen Hundred and seventy four, and the Deponent has entered upon the  possession and management of the deceased's Estate as Executor qua relict:

That the Deponent knows of no Testamentary Settlement or Writing left by the deceased relative to the disposal of his personal Estate or Effects or any part thereof. 

That the foregoing Inventory signed by the Deponent and the said Justice of the Pace as relative hereto as a full and complete Inventory of the Personal Estate and Effects of the said deceased William Gow – wheresoever situated and belonging or due to him beneficially at the time of his death in so far as the same has come to the Deponents Knowledge that the Deponent does not know of any money or property belonging to the deceased liable to the duty imposed by the Acts 23 Victoria Chapter 15 and 23 & 24 Victoria Chapter 80.

That the value at this date of the said Personal Estate and Effects in the United Kingdom is Six hundred pounds Sterling and under Eight hundred pounds Sterling. All which is truth as the Deponent shall answer to God.

Signed  Jane Gow

           Jas Smitton J.P. 

[Source: ScotlandsPeople, Wills & Testaments 1513 - 1925] 

A Timeline for William Gow.

Over at Young & Savvy Genealogists, my blogging partner Heather, recently posted about a new timeline tool she discovered. I've just had my first go at making one and I love it! I chose to make it for my Great Grandfather, William Gow. I knew I had a lot of information I could add to it. It was slightly time consuming, but fun and I definitely want to create more. If you'd like to have a go at making one, check it out here. It's definitely worth it!

Happy Birthday William Gow.

My Great Grandfather William Gow was born on the 21st of May, 1868 in Cairn, Muthill, Perthshire, Scotland (see birth certificate). His parents were William Gow & Jean/Jane Drummond. He was the youngest of 5 children. His older siblings were John, Robert, Isabella, Jeannie.

William left Scotland and travelled to Australia in 1886 by himself when he was 18. His brother Robert was already in Sydney. Growing up in Scotland, he learned how to be a landscape gardener. When he arrived in Sydney on October 5^th, 1886, he became a landscape gardener at the home of Sir Adrian Knox, a barrister and chief justice.

William was only supposed to stay in Australia for 2 years, however, much to his mother’s dismay, he remained here.

He joined the police force in Sydney in November 1896. On his application form, he stated that he had been a gardener and fruit grower for 14 years.

On the 14th of December, 1904, he married Elizabeth Croal. In late August 1905, they had a son, Adam, who sadly died after being alive for only 24 hours. On February 2nd, 1910, they had another son - William David Drummond Gow (My Grandfather, known as David throughout his life).

William Gow was well known throughout the Traffic Department of the Police for 16 years. In 1912, he resigned and returned to farming. He was requested to reconsider his decision but believed farming was his true occupation. In late early 1913, William, Elizabeth & David moved from Sydney to Gumma, near Macksville, NSW where they lived & owned a farm. One of their favourite things that they grew were tomatoes.

'Tomato Stakes'
William Gow & William D. D. Gow.
November 1941, Gumma, NSW

William remained in Gumma until his death in 1943. He passed away at ‘Jalna’ private hospital in Macksville on the 28th of November, aged 75. If William had returned to Scotland after 2 years, I probably wouldn’t be here, writing this. So William, I thank you.

Happy 145th Birthday!

The Diary of William Gow.

The Diary belonging to my Great Grandfather William Gow which he wrote in 1887.

We found it in a box at my grandparent’s house in 2011.

He arrived in Sydney, Australia in 1886 from Scotland when he was 18 years old, and he traveled on his own. His older brother Robert was already in Sydney. William wrote this diary when he was 19. It is seriously amazing. 90% of the year has an entry.

This diary is older than Australia! I’ll treasure it forever.

William & Elizabeth's Wedding.

My great grandparents William Gow & Elizabeth Croal on their wedding day. 14 December 1904, Sydney, Australia.