David Jones (abt 1827 - 1866)

David Jones was born in Swansea, Glamorgan, Wales some time between April 1827 and April 1828. We have been unable to find birth or christening records, however his immigration records indicate that his parent were Thomas Jones and (mothers name yet to be deciphered). His nominated religion was Independent, Wales was a predominantly non conformist country, so this is no suprise. In the early 1800s were predominantly non-conformists churches were Congregationalists (aka Independents), Baptists or Calvinistic and Wesleyan Methodists. There is a list of independent chapels in Swansea available on this site - http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/wal/Indchapels.html#Glamorgan

Little is known about David prior to his immigration to Australia. In 1849 David left Wales and later the United Kingdom for Australia. It is unknown whether David boarded at London or Plymouth, irrespective, prior to his boarding, he he would have been interviewed by Agents to determine his eligibility as an assisted immigrant under the New South Wales Second Bounty Scheme. The second Bounty system of immigration was set up in 1847.  The Colonial Land and Emigration Commissioners were entrusted with the selection and conveyance of migrants, while the Immigration Board in Sydney decided whether or not shipping companies were entitled to payment for immigrants brought to the Colony.

It is unknown whether David departed from London or Plymouth, but some time in November 1949 (London - 22 November ; Plymouth - 30 November) he boarded the Oriental a 506 ton teak barque built in Cochin, India in 1830 and mastered by Captain Thomas Grieves. He arrived in Botany Bay on 17th April 1850, the journey was a long one as arrivals notices in the Sydney Morning Herald on 18 April note

"The Oriental has had a tedious passage of 138 days from Plymouth ; the immigrants are all Irish, and are classed as follows : 22 married couples, 67 single men, 53 single women,14 boys and 17 girls under 14 years of age, and 4 infants ; four births occurred on the voyage."

That trip was nearly 3 weeks longer than the average trip of 119 days (17 weeks). There are no known passenger recollections of the trip, to provide context as to why the journey was so protracted. The following references are also available for the ships arrival

April 17 - Oriental, barque, 500 tons, Captain Grieves, from Plymouth the 30th November. Passengers - Mr and Mrs James Dawson and son, Mr and Mrs John Dawson and three daughters, Mr and Mrs Dean and daughter, Mr Richardson, Mr J Burgon, surgeon Superintendent and 199 Government Immigrants (The Sydney Morning Herald 18 April 1850)

April 17 - Oriental, barque 500 tonnes, Captain Grieves, from Plymouth, 30 hogsheads brandy, Flower, Salting and Co ; 20 barrels, 20 half barrels herrings, 23 boxes olive oil, Smith, Croft and Co; 100 cases Geneva, Smith, Brothers and Co ; 1 case merchandise, A an L Hordern ; 977 bars, 110 bundles iron, 23 pots, 136 oven and covers, A. Hawley and Co ; 55 cases, 26 bales merchandise, Daweson and thomspon ; 1081 bars 54 bundles 4 ovals iron, 20 bundles steel, E.F Jencken and Co ; 145 kgs, 20 jugs merchansie, J S Willis ; 2 cases stationery bank of Australlisa ; 1 case stationery, William Moffitt; 1 case L Hobson ; 153 bundles iron L and S Samuel ; 71 mats, 5 bales, 10,000 fire bricks and 33 cases merchanside, 120 deals and 20 casks beer. (The Sydney Morning Herald 18 April 1850)

On his immmigration record, David is noted as being a Coal Miner, a Independent (AKA Congregationalist) born in Swansea (though it is noted that his parents were living in Tredegar, Monmouth) who could read and write with no relations in the colony. He was of good health and its appears that the The shipping company was paid 2 pounds for his journey. 

On April 20 (two days after arrival) the arrival emigrants were made available for engagements. 

IMMIGRANTS PER ELIZABETH AND ORIENTAL.

THE families and single men by the Elizabeth will be ready for engagement on board the ship on Friday, the 19th instant, between the hours of 10 and 4 o'clock.

The unmarried females by the Elizabeth,will be ready for engagement at Hyde Park Barracks, This Day Friday, the 19th instant,between the hours of 2 and 4 o'clock.

The families and single men by the Oriental, will be ready for engagement on board the ship, on Saturday, the 20th instant, between the hours of 10 and 4 o'clock.

The unmarried females by the Oriental, will be ready for engagement at Hyde Park Barracks, on Saturday the 20th instant, between the hours of 2 and 4 o'clock, P.M.

Immigration Office, Sydney, April 19. (The Sydney Morning Herald 19 April 1850) 

It has not been possible to determine David's exact fate, as there have been no identified references to him in colonial records. We do know that 89 of the immigrants aboard the Oriental ended up in Maitland

lMMIGRANTS.--Yesterday eighty-nine of the Oriental immigrants arrived in Maitland per steamer, comprising 13 married couples, 24 young men over fourteen years, 13 young women over fourteen years, 3 boys and 6 girls between ten and fourteen years, and 17 children. We believe some engagements were made almost immediately after they arrived, but we did not learn the particulars. (the Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser - Wednesday 24 April 1850)

IMMIGRANTS.—In addition to the 89 Oriental immigrants who arrived last Tuesday, as re-ported in the Mercury of Wednesday, seven Elizabeth immigrants arrived on that day,comprising two married couples and three young children. On Thursday two young women ex Oriental arrived. The engagements made by these immigrants up to noon yesterday were as follows : two married couples engaged, one man with his wife and son as shepherds and hut keeper,at £34 per year for all, and three rations for the family, and one man with his wife as general servants at £20 per year for both ; nine young men engaged, seven as labourers, one as a shepherd, and one as a general servant, five getting £16 per year, three £17, and one £18; one young man left on his own account; and six young women engaged as house servants, one at 3s. per week, one at 4s., one at £10 per year, and three at £12. (the Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser - Wednesday 27 April 1850)

IMMIGRATION.-Of the immigrants by the Elizabeth there were forwarded to Parramatta,4 ; to Maitland, 11 ; to Goulburn, 107 ; received into Hyde Park Barracks, 33 ; hired from the ship, 30 ; left the ship on their own account, 78.Total souls, 263. - Of the immigrants by the Oriental, there were forwarded to Maitland, 91 ;received into Hyde Park Barracks, 23; hired from the ship, 26 ; sent to hospital, 2 ; left the ship on their own account, 57. Total souls, 199.-Herald. (the Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser - Wednesday 15 May 1850)

The next formal record for David is his marriage to Julie Ann Willoughby in 1854 at St Peters Church of England, Cooks River Petersham. Julia was the 2nd eldest child and second eldest daughter of Charles Willoughby and Anne Maria Butler of Gorey, Wexford, Ireland.

This marriage is recorded at the Church of England at Cooks River, Petersham. The Petersham estate (owned by Lieutenant-Governor, Major Francis Grose) along with other nearby farms alongside the Cooks River was the first land outside of the Sydney colony cultivated for food, and over time because the primary food production area for the inner city. By 1854 this area was had been sold off as large residential allotments that were purchased by the wealthy merchants of Sydney looking to escape the industrial city centre. In 1855 the railway line was extended through the area. In 1854 the area was semi rural with a number of large blocks and a number of industries like mills.

David and Julia had five children (two sons and three daughters) between 1858 and 1864.

• David Charles Jones Born 1858 Tambaroora, NSW. Married Mary J Miller in 1884, Nymagee, NSW. Died 12 Jun 1912, Murwillumbah. 
• John Jones Born 1860. Campbelltown
• Clara Jones Born 4 Jan 1863 Menangle, NSW. Married John Darrough in 1882 in Dubbo. Died 10 Jan 1959 Lismore, NSW.  
• Esther L Jones Born 1864 Berrima, NSW. Married William Bently in 1884 in Dubbo. Died 1938.
• Mary Jones Born 1864 Died 1866 Berrima
• Stillborn Jones Born 1866. Died 1866

After David and Julia's marriage the family disappears for 4 years until they turn up in Tambaroora in 1858 where the birth of their eldest son is registered.

Tambaroora was a major service town for the alluvial gold activities that were underway at Hill End. Australias first stamper battery was set up in Tambaroora in 1856 by the "Old Company" which employed Cornish equipment and miners. around this time the town had a population of about 2000 . In 1858 Tambaroora was in the middle of a drought and in the January had experienced significant bush fires. Its not known when the family arrived there, but they didn't stay for long. 

By 1860 they were living near Campbelltown in Menangle - a town was built for estate workers and serviced the operations of the McArthurs Camden Park Estate. It appears that they stayed there until at least 1863 as their next two children - John and Clara - were both born there. By 1864 the family were living in Sutton Forest (a small village 5km south of Moss Vale in the Southern Highlands), where their youngest two children - Esther L and Mary - were born. James MacArthur had personal holdings at Sutton Forest, so it is possible that despites David's relocation here he continued his existing employment arrangements.

We know that Julia Ann died in child birth in May 1866 (along with her newly born child). It appears that her death may have significantly unhinged David who turned to drink. He died on 14 December 1866. There was a Coroners inquest held on 15 December 1866 which found his cause of death as "serious apoplexy bought on by intemperence". Interestingly there is no reference to the children on David's death certificate indicating that he may have already placed the children in the states care.

So with the death of both of their parents within an eight month period, the surviving four young children (aged between 8 and 4) were left orphans with no relatives in the colony to care for them. 

It has not been possible to find any information about what happened to the children, however it was highly likely they ended up at either the Protestant Orphan School or Catholic Orphan school, both of which were the state sanctioned homes for orphaned and destitute children between 1850 and 1886. If they did end up here, then it was most likely they were apprenticed to "respectable regional families" when they reached the appropriate age - 13 for girls and 15 for boys. If this was the case they were required to fulfil the terms of these arrangements until they reached their majority - 18 for girls and 21 for boys.

What we do not is that at least three of the children - David, Clara and Esther - were all livining in the Dubbo are from the 1880s, so they may have ended up placed with the same family, or in the same facility.

Associated Documents

• 1827 Baptism Record
• 1841 Census Records - 
• Immigration Records - David Jones
• 1866 Death Record - David Jones
• 1866 Coroners Inquest

Footnotes

1. Under the Coroners Act, inquests must be held "when the deceased person is not identified, when the cause of death is not determined, when the person died as a result of a homicide, or if the person died in or attempting to escape from police custody."
2. Rees, Thomas, and John Thomas. Hanes Eglwysi Annibynol Cymru (History of the Independent Churches in Wales). 5 vols. Vols. 1–4 published by Liverpool, England: Argraffwyd yn Swyddfa y "Tyst Cymreig," 1871–75. Vol. 5 published by Dolgellau, Wales: Argraffwyd a Chyhoeddwyd gan William Hughes, 1891.