David Yates (1851 - 1920)
And on 27th of June 1883 the then small family boarded the Rohilla in London for their journey to Australia 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
There were
The family arrived in Brisbane on 13 October 1883, and apparently 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.
It is known that David worked 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 David offer assistance in a house fire.
Between 1903 and ? 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 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 on 26 August 1920. On his probate notice he is recorded as a Sawmill Manager.
Mary survived by 9 years, eventually passing away at the ripe old age of 78 on 21 April 1929.
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