David Yates (1851 - 1920)
On 27th of June 1883 the then small family boarded the Rohilla
at Gravesend (near London) for their journey to Australia. The Rohilla was a 1001 ton barque that was about 118m long. It was launched 27th Apr.1880 by Caird & Co, Greenock for the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co as part of a fortnightly mail service to Australia. The Rohilla had an iron hull, one funnel, three masts with a top speed of 14 knots. It was captained by John Hinks.
Onboard Rohilla were 392 immigrants travelling as part of the bounty scheme approved in 1882.
Under this scheme there was a specific focus on "Domestic Servants, Farmers, Farm Labourers, Vine Dressers, labourers, Mechanics and their families. By mechanics such as engineers, engine fitters, engine-drivers, railway carriage builders, carpenteres, bricklayers, stonemasons, blacksmiths, wheelwrights, shipbuilders and the like" .
There was a requirement for
- Small Pox vaccination
- Character References
- trade Proficiency References
- Marriage and Baptism Certificates
The journey was 106 days long and nothing newsworthy occurred, but a Cholera outbreak at Ishmailia in the Suez meant the ship did not stop there, but proceeded straight through to Brisbane. It arrived at Cape Moreton in the evening of the 10th and came into the Bay at 8:00am on 11 October.
There were a number of stories of the arrival in the Brisbane Courier, including the one (right) regarding the placement of immigrants
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On Monday, another contingent of 10 single tnen, per Rohilla, arrived, making a total of 45 single men, of whom 5 single men and 3 married couples yet remain open to engagement. All?the others (with the exception of 2 married couples and 2 single girls, who went to Toowoomba) have found employment at good wages. |
In addition to its immigrant cargo, it also had and extensive goods cargo as outlined below
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Rohilla, barque, from London: 27 quarter casks and 40 cases wine, 200 cases milk, 10 quarter-casks rum, 1 case and 1 cask hard-ware, 50 hogsheads ale, 28 cases picture glass, 250 hogsheads and 35 half-hogsheads vinegar, 15 quarter casks acetic acid, 1 case show cards, 225 cases and 50 hogsheads beer, 2 tanks dates, 65 casks currants . 500 cascs and 20 quarter casks brandy, 6 cases furniture, 2 boiler end plates, 9 boiler sheet plates, 2 bundles joint plates, 2 boiler flues, 19 boiler stay tubes, 71 plain tubes, 12 stay rods, 6 machines, 4 iron plates, 5 cases tartaric acid, 5 cases crearn of tartar, 75 cases sardines, 10 kegs linseed meal, 5 barrels ginger, 20 crates bottles, 3 cascs bottling wire, 100 cases limejuice cordial, 10 cases Neave's food, 1 box and 1 case samples, 11 cases blacking, 6 fore rod wheels, 6 hind-rod wheels, 200 casks cement, 100 cases geneva, 10 tanks malt, |
It is unknown who engaged David upon his arrival, but apparently after disembarking the family immediately made its way to Ipswich where they initially settled at Wood End. At the time of their arrival Mary must have been heavily pregnant, giving birth to their 4 child within weeks of arriving in Australia.Little is know of the family between their arrival in Australia in 1883 and 1900, when mention is made of the family in the
It is known that David was working at Hancock's Sawmills, when in 1885 a fire at that establishment burnt all his tools, and forced him to cease work, there was over £10,000 damage. It is unknown where he secured employ next, but in 1897 he was working as a bridge carpenter on the Dugandan line (having moved the family to Dugandan) when a flood of the ? river lost him a position - which he had held for only about six months. In 1910 - at the time of Harolds accident - he is noted as working at Cossarts Saw Mill Boonah.
The family were living in Booval in 1889 when a newspaper articles notes that David offered assistance in a house fire.
From 1903 the family is recorded in the Queensland electoral records as residing at Railway St in Booval. By this time the family had grown to 9, with the two eldest boys both working in the mines.David and Mary continued to live at Railway St for the rest of their life. It is here It is Railway St that Edward notes as his home address when he joined the AIF on 17 December 1915 (at the age of 27), and to here all effects were delivered after his death from a gunshot wound in April 1918. It is also to here that pension and memorial documentation were sent and signed for by Mary in 1922.
David died at home from unknown causes "paralysis agitans" - which was another name for Parkinsons Disease - on 26 August 1920 after falling into a coma. His death notice indicates he had been suffering for a number of years.
On his probate notice he is recorded as a Sawmill Manager.
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YATES.— On August 26, after a long illness, David Yates beloved husband of Mary Yates, aged 68 years. BEREAVEMENT NOTICES. Mrs. D. YATES and FAMILY, of Railway-st., Booval, wish to sincerely THANK all kind friends for sending cards and wreaths and showing their sympathy by attending the funeral of their deceased husband and father, Mary, Yates, Booval. |
Mary survived by 9 years, eventually passing away at the ripe old age of 78 on 21 April 1929.
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One of the most respected residents of Booval, Mrs. Mary Yates (relict of the late Mr. David Yates) passed awayat her home in Railway-street, Booval,on Sunday. The late Mrs. Yates was born at Bolton, Lancashire, England,on December 28, 1850, and her marriage took place in the Old Country over 50 years ago. Three children two boys and a girl - were born to them at home, and, about 45 years ago, the family migrated to Australia aboard the sailing ship Rowella. After a journey lasting 17 weeks, they landed in Brisbane, and immediately travelled to Ipswich, first staying at Woodend. Except for a period of about six months, when she lived at Dugandan, Mrs. Yates spent her whole life in various sections of Ipswich. Her husband died some years ago, at the age of 68. The late Mrs. Yates was always a willing and generous giver to the English Church. She is survived by three sons - Williams Roscoe (Cairns), Walter and Harold (both of Booval) -four daughters - Mrs. E. Brown(Booval), Mrs. W. Burrem (Booval), Mrs. N. Nason (Booval), and Mrs. J. Bain (East Ipswich) - 22 grand children and five great-grandchildren. The funeral took place yesterday, the service being conducted bv Rev. F. B. C.Birch, of St. Paul's English Church,Ipswich. |
