George William Bashford 1840 - 1893

George William Bashford 1840 - 1893

George volunteered onto the Britannia on 16 July 1860 (his service number was 10924A) for a period of 10 years and was NOT an apprentice. On these records he is noted as being 5' 9½" inches tall wth a swarthy complexion, brown hair and grey eyes, and he has a scar on the back of his left hand. There is no posting information on his service record, so apart from time on the Britannica, it is not known where else he served. 

Despite his 10 year enlistment contract, five years later we find George in Queensland. We don't know how he got here, but we know he didn't emigrate via a scheme (assisted or unassisted).

A newspaper article on Sarah Ann in the Ipswich Time in 1927 notes that George arrived "some time after" the Fulleloves (but does not indicate the ship or immigration status). It does note that his first job in Queensland was to wait on the tables at the function at Bigge's Camp celebrating the opening of the first railway line in Queensland, which was in July 1865. So it seems highly likely that his arrival was some time in the first half of 1865. 

By August 1866 he his noted as being a gardener - potentially at Bella Vista Market Garden on Whitehill Rd at Newtown. 

By 1868 he is noted in the Post Office Directory as a Green Grocer. 

In February 1868 there is a George Bashford who applied applies for a Publicans license for a hotel at Oakey Creek at his house (see advertisement right). It was granted in on the 10th of March. We believe confirmation that this is our George, comes in a reference from his wife's that they spent "several years in Maryborough".

George's stint as a publican in Maryborough, didn't last for long, as by 1870 he is back in Ipswich. 

Between 1870 and 1873 he and his wife won numerous prizes at the agricultural shows for their vegetables and grains - the family is referenced as being from Newtown at the time.

In December 1870 he purchased a fruit stall at the Christmas Races for 7 5s

It is most probably that George moved into contracting at the behest of his father-in-law -Thomas Fullelove - who was previously a reservoir contractor in England and was involved in road contracting.

In the early 1870s George (at the age of 30) - about the same time he moved into contracting - began to gain a public profile, gaining regular mentioned in the newspapers. He was politically active (directly nominating candidates for election) and endorsing public petitions for candidature. He was a large supporter of George Thorn Esq. 

It is not known where the family lived in Newtown, but it must have been a relatively nice property because over the next few years he had a number of weddings there, church picnics

In February 1873 George was nominated for Committee membership of the Ipswich and West Moreton Agriculatural and Horticultural Society. At the same time he was nominated to run as an Alderman in Ipswich, but was unsuccessful.

In November 1873 he ran for Parliament as the member for Bundanba in Ipswich, but was unsuccessful, and there was some scathing commentary in the Queensland Times about his aptitude for the position. His election speech (published in the Queendsland Times on 11 November 1873) can be found in the related documentations below

In February 1875 he sells up a number of first class draught horses, saddle horses, cows, trollies, ploughs and harnesses. potentially in preparation for a move out of farmin

In 1875 he was elected as an Alderman in Ipswich, in February 1875 he was disqualified from the position by the Mayor (See newspaper article) and then later in March his nomination into the vacancy was returned without opposition. a position which he held thru 1876 until February 1877 when he resigned.

From 1873 to 1877 he is noted as a Stewart at Ipswich Turf Club (along with a number of other notables, include Hon George Thorn), and in 1876 he was Clerk of the Coueaw

In his railway career he built

• three sections of the Great Western Railway, 
• the Sandgate, 
• Harrisville to Dugandan, 
• a section of the Brisbane line in the, vicinity of Dinmore, 
• Cooktown, Mourilyan Harbour,Cairns lines, 
• and the construction of the Beenleigh to Southport line when (where he became insolvent)

Things started to go south for George some time in mid 1880s. Despite having an excellent reputation and highly loyal work force the highly competitve nature of the meant that the ... (QLD System, lowest tender, highly competitive market, quote about not submitting and problems)The railway market was highly competitive at this time, with significant undercutting and where consistently awarded on lowest price, leaving very little margin for the contractors, many became insolvent.

In late 1887 despite being successful on the Beenleigh to Southport and Nerange extension of the Southern line, George started selling off assets. In December 1887 he went south on business, and never came back. 

It is believed he went to Western Australia (Gold had just been discovered). His disappearance is widely covered in the media, as his insolvency in February 1888. By November all of his commercial assets have been sold, and his family had been left destitute. 

In 1890 George pops up in Sydney, but there is no reference of him again until 1892 in Zeehan, Tasmania

His family obviously had no idea of his where about. It appears that the QUEENSLAND NATIONAL BANK took ownership of Claremont in 1892 - In September 1892 there is a To Let notices in the Queensland Times 

"TO LET, Unfurnished, the HOUSE, at Limestone, formerly occupied by George Bashford. Apply to the QUEENSLAND NATIONAL BANK LIMITED" .

It looks like the bank initially leased and later sold off the core of the property. It appears that the family were left with enough to buy 0.6 acre property in the same street as Claremont - Bella Vista. Bella Vista is located at 60 Blackall St and the family are living in there in November 1893.

George's died at his residence on Main Street, Zeehan, Tasmania on 2 July 1893. Funeral parlor records indicate that his burial service conducted by W. Shenton a methodist minister and a Mr James P Read with witnesses Mr L McCoombes and Mr S.H. Ploetz.

But that wasn't where it ended for the family. There were ongoing issues with Georges estate and after a protracted probate period (and will lodgement on 4 separate occasions), it was finally settled in October 1896. It must have been devastating for Sarah Ann that - after ten child; the rapid rise in the families standing and then public decline - George's will made no mention of his Ipswich family. 

George left his entire estate (not that it amounted to much after the bank had a go at it) to a Tasmanian woman - Name to be Confirmed

Sarah Ann passed away on 16 August 1935 at the ripe old age of 91 (it should have been her 69th wedding anniversary). At the time of her death she was living still living at Bella Vista in Blackall St Basin Pocket, Ipswich. Her burial service was provided by Methodist Minister, Rev A.H. Stoke and witnessed by Mr W. Smith and Mr James Edward Burren.

George as a Railway Magnate

In 1871 he started in works construction, building a culvert at Redbank Plains. In June 1872 and again in February 1873 he is mentioned as the contractor on bridge constructions at ? and Walshes Bridge, Bundamba respectively. In February 1872 he advertised in the Queensland Times for 

In 1874 he took up a small contract on the Brisbane Ipswich Railway construction, he was highly successful

In 1873 and 1874 he has property and livestock stolen from his campsite at Saddlers Crossing. This wasnt the first time in 1873 he had 'lost' notices for livestock in the Queensland Times. Later in October 1874 it there was notices of theft of timber and other materials from the Railway Bridge Constructions sites. 

In 1876 he submitted a tender for part of the No1 and 2 sections of the Southern and Western Dalby to Roma line, but was unsuccessful, because he was only able to tender for one section due to cashflow issues. He submitted a tender for Section 3 and 4 of the Roma extension and was successful with Section 3. the tenderer for Section 4 was subsequently disqualified. He was later the successfull tender for the No. 5 and 6 sections of the Roma line, but was unsuccessful on No. 7 section - which was awarded to Frazer, Macdonald, and Co.

In 1877 he advertised for a "thoroughly competent account and correspondant" a clear indication that his business was growing in the size and revenues

In ??? he tendered for and was awarded the Sandgate Railway.

In ??? he tendered for and was awarded the Cooktown Railyway

In January 1886 he was unsuccessful on the extension of the railway from Tenterfield to Wallangarra, he was also unsuccessful on Section 9 of the Western Railway from Dulbydilla to Charleville. He noted at the time of his submission that "he had made up his mind that thetender he was sending in to-day for the 9th seotion of the Western Extensionshould he his last till prices had improved. He had undertaken contracts at Cooktown, at Maokay, and at Stanthorpe, the extreme north and the extreme south of our present railway system, but his experience was that the profits did not compensate for the risks that were run and the capital that was invested. He had been a roilway contractor for ton year**; he wan tired ofit on present terms ; prices had been baa ten down to an unpayable point. He indicated that this was the remit of the economical system pursued by the Chief Engineer. His estimates were so low that tenderers could not get down to them with a reasonable margin of :profit. "

Stanthorpe to the Border Railway extension, which was completed prior to the contract date of 1 Jun 1887. The line was opened for traffic in the February. 

In December 1886 his tender was accepted as the prime contractor for the construction of the continuation of the South Coast Railway from Beenleigh to Southport and Nerang (a distance of 29 miles) The price is £153,832. 

In August 1887 he tendered for the Valley Branch Railway. He was NOT the lowest tender (declared as Messrs Ahear, McArdle and Thompson)

In ? he was awarded the construction of the Fassifern line (a 17 mile piece of line tendered at £158,386 and planned for completion by March 1887). Work started in 7 January 1886 and involved 251 men and 117 horses and bullocks and progressed at pace, but the project was which was fraught with issues and accidents, including a ballast train incident which resulted in a deaths and numerous serious injuries. The recently passed Employer Liability Act, meant that he would have to compensate the sufferers for all injuries recieved. Court cases followed in September 1887 which saw the court find for George, but in recognition of the fact that this would likely be overturned by the Supreme Court (awarded a total of £102 10s)

In 1886 he was awarded a contract for the construction of a branch railway from main Ipswich line to the bottom of the ridge in which the first tunnel of the Bundamba Clay and Coal Company mine is situated. The line was finished and operational in February 1887

In mid 1887 he had a large picnic and sports day near Harrisville on the Fassifern branch of the raiway to complete the Dugandan section of the line

In September 1887 he purchase the Pietzcker buildings for £100 at an auction sale with the intention of using them as offices for the Nerang Link project

In November 1887 he engaged AJJ Warby to sell 20 Extra Heavy Draught Horses, 8 Tip Drays 2 Wimber Waggons and 20 Sets of Harness (there is a note that they are "being disposed of in consequence of the earth and bridge works being completed in connection with the Southport Railway")

Throughout the 187

At the turning of the sod last week of an extension of tho Fassifern railway; the con' tractor, George Bashford, gave a little of hisexperience as a Government contractor,stating in the course of his remarks that afterho hail completed the contracts now in handhe would havo constructed tor tho QueenslandGovernment 250 miles of railway, for which he would have received £750,000, oi; £3000per milo on the average.

Financial Problems and Insolvency

It appears that George fled Queensland some time in late 1887, leaving a lot of debt. It is believed he went to Western Australia (Gold had just been recovered) prior to moving to Zeehan Tasmania. 

It is noted in the The Brisbane Courier on 24 January 1888 that "Mr George Bashford is said to have left the colony" and then again in the Logan Witness on 28 January 1888 that... "NOT EXPECTED BACK. — From the general opinion of the railway workmen and others,it is not thought likely that Mr. George Bashford - will return to this colony. It is understood that the Q. N. Bank and the Government have made arrangements to finish the railway with most of the present men employed." Whilst on the 10th of February The Telegraph notes "Bashford's Section. The Government have arranged with the Queensland National Bank to complete, on.behalf of Mr. George Bashford, the unfinished railway contract from Beenleigh to Nerang and Southport. (Also similarly noted in the Telegraph on 21 January 1888)

On 11 February 1888 The Queenslander records that "an insolvency petition was filed against him with the Supreme Court, Southern District Brisbane by Samual Shillito and Son of Ipswich, Mr Drysdale for the creditors moved for substitute service of the petition and leave to file deficient affacdavit. An order was made according. The Telegraph on 10 February provides further detail noting that:

He was adjudicated insolvent. This was broadly announced by a number of publications on February 16 and 17 including:

• Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton)
• South Australian Register (Adelaide)
• Mackay Mercury
• Queensland Times
• The Argus (Melbourne)
• The Northern Miner (Charters Towers)
• Queensland Figaro
• The Queenslander
• The Mercury (Hobart)
• The Brisbane Courier

The creditors came pouring int

On May 30 1888 the Cairns Post and Warwick Examiner both note that "In the Insolvency Court today a certificate of discharge was granted to George Bashford, on the application of Mr Chambers"

By July 1889 his estate was in administration with this notice appearing in the Queensland Time on 6 July 1889

On 27th July 1888 the following sales of assets from the insolvent estate are noted in the Brisbane Courier.The sale itself was conducted in the Bazaar of AJJ Warby & Co on 21st July at 11 o'clock and was heavily advertised in Brisbane Papers in the week beforehand

There was a tender for the sale of of his buildings and materials at the Saw Mill at Pimpama Bridge was advertised on 3 November 1888 in the Logan Witness

Will and Estate

In the Telegraph on 7 April 1894 there is a notice

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF QUEENSLAND.' ECCLESIASTICAL JURISDICTION.

In the GOODS of GEORGE BASHFORD,late of Zeebnn, in the Colony of Tasmania, but formerly of Ipswich, in the Colony of Queensland, Railway Contractor, deceased,Intestate.

 Notice is hereby given that, after the expiration of fourteen days from the publication hereof, application will he made to the said Honourable Court that 'LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION of all the Goods, Chattels, Credits, and Effects of the above named George Bashford, deceased, .who died intestate, maybe GRANTED to SARAH ANN STARKEY BASHFORD, of Ipswich aforesaid, the Widow of the said deceased. ,Dated at Ipswich this fourth day of April,a.11. 1894.' .

Interesting it notes that George died intestate (without a will). This is rebutted when on On 18 September 1894 in the Mercury (Hobart) a Probate for George Bashford was issued to Edward Francis Ward, £5.

Interestingly enough his will was lodged again on 1 Jun 1895 with the announcement in the Brisbane Courier of 1 June 1895

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF QUEENSLAND.

Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction.

in the WILL of GEORGE BASHFORD, late of Zeehan, In the Colony of Tasmanla, but formerly or Ipswich, In the Colony of Queensland, Railway Contractor, Deceased.

Notice Is hereby given that, after theexpiration of fourteen "days from thedate of publication hereof, applicationwill be made to the said Honourable Court that LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION, with an Exemplification of PROHATE of the WILL of the said George Bashford, deceased, annexed, may be granted to THE UNION TRUSTEECOMPANY OF AUSTRALIA, Limited,of Brisbane, in the colony of Queensland, the duly-constituted Attorneys of Edward Francis Ward, of Zeehan, In the said colony of Tasmania, one of the Executors named in and appointed by the Will of the said deceased, reserving leave to JOHN KING BACHELOR, of Zeehan aforesaid, the other Executor named In and appointed by the Will of the said deceased, to come in and prove the same at any time hereafter.

Dated at Brisbane this First day ofJune, 1S0G.

The Queensland Time on the 13 August 1895 notes that

George's estate again appears in the news, with a notice in The Brisbane Courier and The Telegraph on 24 October 1896.

In George's will there is no mention of his Ipswich family. He left his entire estate (not that it amounted to much after the bank had a go at it) to a Tasmanian woman.

Sarah Ann

Things improved for the family in 1898 when Sarah Ann was left property in her mothers will:

Sarah Ann lived to the ripe old age of 91, finally passing away on 16 August 1935. At the time of her death she was living at Blackall St Basin Pocket, Ipswich. Her burial service was provided by Methodist Minister, Rev A.H. Stoke and witnessed by Mr W. Smith and Mr James Edward Burren.