Henry Orwell Collis: – another photo from the Collis/Wells collection received Friday morning. The names Henry Orwell and William Richard? how did they fit into the Collis story and tonight a comment on the ‘Alfred Collis: Burwood NSW‘ post from one of their descendants, explaining where they sit in the family tree. Reading the comment explains our expanding Collis Clan.
I welcome/encourage other stories from Collis family members, you can add to comments…………
Yesterday morning I received a precious gift, in the form of an email with 45 amazing photos. Not just any photos! They are from Great Great Grandmother Hannah Wells Collis album. The album having been handed down through her son Henry’s family – and only discovered in the recent past. There are photos of her UK Wells family, a family we know nothing about – only recently did I work out from the Collis family Bible (recently seen on Fred’s side) Joseph Wells was probably Hannah’s father and Ann her mother, these photos will be a treat when I post them over the next few days.
How lucky to be able to share with our family and the first one in particular is of infant twins – my cousin who sent me the pictures is related as I worked out on this calculator – 3rd cousin 1 time removed and was never sure who the twins were, suspecting they were connected to the Robinson’s for two reason’s 1) they were in Hannah Wells Collis album 2) no twins of that era through Henry and Amy’s history. The photo was taken at Burrow and Co a well-known Launceston company. We are related enough to know the basics of our family structure but too distant to know the finer details. This method of social networking has proven a great way to connect and learn from one another.
I was amazed when I found the photos of Tuck and King last year and thought possibly the extent of what could be uncovered about them – until yesterday morning, I admit I had to reach for a tissue – another tribute to my/our beloved ‘Uncle Tuck and his twin King’ born in 1884 also Great Grandmother Emily, what beautiful little babies they were. …………thank you Alison♥
A Burrows and Co Brisbane St Launceston: 1885 – 1888
John Holt and Mary Akerman Holt – the past week have managed to spend time checking the finer details of their family history – like James and William this history is across five generations and can found at the Furneaux Museum at Emita.
Last year when I first read the family tree I recognised one name. Several nights ago worked out this person is a descendant of Elsie Taylor’s (Holt) son Archie Taylor and connected to one of my old nursing friends. He tells me that Elsie married into the well-known Taylor family…….. a family of Master Mariners.
A few nights ago stunned to see another person well-known to my daughter – another descendant of Elsie Holt’s daughter Edna. Edna’s great-granddaughter and my daughter were friends at LCGS. How strange they have the same Great Great Great Grandmother Elizabeth Holt (Meg). – this would I am sure please her as she came to Australia to make a new life for herself way back in 1853. LCGS was founded in 1848. As far as LCGS goes Meg Youl has had many descendants graduate from LCGS that I am aware of (ten), probably more if we looked a little closer.
March 1909: Elsie and her sisters May, Ruby and Lily were on board the Dawn when she was wrecked in the middle of the night after hitting three-mile reef near Georgetown. Captain Alf Holt being the girls older brother.
March 1910: Elsie’s youngest first cousin Archibald Baden Holt aged 7 and son of her Uncle William and Aunt Ellen was seriously injured in a shooting accident on Little Dog Island. Archie died several months later at the LGH in Launceston. Archie’s grave is next to Elsie’s parents at Carr Villa. Elsie named her first son Archie, her husband Cyril’s second name was Archibald, I wonder if her young cousin Archibald was an influence.
Finding the microfilm copies of ‘Uncle Fred’s’ diaries in March last year a precious family history lesson, the task of copying, interesting, for a novice, 1905 not so good and under control by 1925.
Yet again: the right place, time and person, led to meeting Fred’s family and the joy of discovering more family history and photo’s. In return lovely to explain what I knew of the diaries.
The past 6 months, dedicated to the diaries, every week drawn to them working on a small project and unable to explain why until……………
Long story short: another series of random coincidences, guiding to find the diaries in early April. The custodians of the diaries (for the past 75 years) lovely gesture of returning the diary to the Collis family gratefully accepted.
A meeting, arranged so I could collect the diaries and lovely to share what information we knew about both parties.
Once home the diaries sat on my kitchen table for a few days………. Symbolic as the table belonged to my Grandparents: Horace and Maud. At last my part in this family journey complete.
A wonderful moment handing the diaries over to ‘Uncle Fred’s’ family………after 75 years finally back with his beloved family.
Thank you to Fred’s family for filling in the Collis gaps – I am truly grateful and blessed to have had this experience♥.
Lastly, thank-you to Rev. Brammall’s daughter in law for allowing the diaries be made public in the first instance.
Family history – the Badger Corner Robinson’s had Tin Kettle (East Anderson Island) at one time farming sheep.
The early occupier was E.M Robinson from Green Island and no relation. I did find an article 1921 Estate of Jules Vireaux (son of E.M Robinson), where Tin Kettle and Woody were up for lease.
This 1930 article tells us Robinson Bros had Tin Kettle. Eventually Dolly and Tom Diprose took over Tin Kettle and has passed on through their descendants and remains so in 2014.
I have fond memories of Tin Kettle – the last time I was there the kids were quite young, we popped over for the afternoon. Roy Mac was doing a little scuba diving for cray’s. The young cousins were having a ball mucking around on the beach at low tide. As parents ever mindful of the isolation in this part of the world and we didn’t expect the kids to find a half dead blue ring octopus as they were playing……….. they had no idea what it was. alas us parents accumulated a few extra greys that day! Kids – you cannot take your eyes of them for a minute in the backyard of the Straits.
Figuring out where Henry and Hannah’s home was has been a mystery, everyone with a different idea. Discovering in a Collis descendant private collection this painting, sheds a little light on this subject.
The artist was O.M. Blyth and when the painting refurbished the newspaper backing dated 1913.
A little homework around OM Blyth – with advice from a Blyth descendant (a work colleague) discovered our artist was Olive ‘May’ Blyth. Goodness I vaguely remember her. Mum followed up with her daughter……she was ecstatic to see one of her mothers precious paintings. May painted this when she was around 19 based on 1913. May married Frank Jackson and they lived on Prime Seal Island. Fantastic for two families being able to trace different aspects of their family history from this painting.
‘Sunnyside’ and the photo of Henry and Hannah suggests the same home – comments, more than welcome – below several comparison photos.
Vansittart Island
Heading out past Vansittart (left) in the hope you come home with a lot of these.
George Thomas Robinson, known as ‘Uncle George’ (youngest son of Tuck and Lizzy) married Gladys Cook or ‘Aunt Gladys’ and she grew up on Vansittart. Aunt Glad did several interviews about her childhood. Mary Gillham author of ‘Island Hopping in Tasmania’s roaring 40’s’ is one that comes to mind. The other I will add later.
Old Island names associated with Vansittart – Riddle, Ross, Cook and Holloway.
Vansittart shoals the final resting place of the Farsund – 1912.
The early 1870’s a few drama’s.
The Cemetery –
We grew up hearing the ghostly story of Granny Bates………..
Holloway’s barge the primary source of transport to the islands – no longer in service.
Puncheon Head Island is next to Vansittart, about 15 years ago at a community BBQ I met the old guy who live on Puncheon Island, a fascinating person who entertained us with his stories of life on Puncheon Island – over a few bottles of his best red.
Ella Jane West married Alexander Ross on Cape Barren Is 8 July 1908. The small child highly likely Ella’s first child Isabel Elizabeth Jane Ross given she has referenced date of marriage. After returning the photo to one of Ellas relatives was informed the child may also be her niece Ella Begent. This photo demonstrates the social connectedness within the small Bass Strait Community as Ella lived on Vansittart and Adeline on the Samphire.
Little Green Island, a short distance from Lady Barron – not to be confused with Big Green Island on the Western side of Flinders.
Little Green is roughly the same size as Little Dog.
Dad’s mothers side of the family ‘The Briant’s’ have a history with Little Green Island. I have no idea of the time frame, the old photo shows it was a large concern.
I have never set foot on Green Island. Dad has a few amusing stories about going across during the birding season as a teenager.
Big (Great) Dog and Little Dog Islands or the ‘The Dogs‘.
Whilst we have a more recent connections it’s been interesting to learning Marsey Waterhouse Barrett lived on Big Dog – post WWI, the ‘Linda’ was built there in 1887 by Henry Taylor and fills in the gaps of why Brownrigg visited Big Dog with John Smith and Fred Collis in 1882.
Dad knew the ship Linda was built on Big Dog, on certain low tides you can still see the runners – about 200 yards east of Riddles shed. It’s amazing to learn the extent of boat building industry in the Straits in those early days. The outer islands home to dozens of families and boats the only mode of transport. These families as isolated as they were had consistent contact with each other and the mainland due to the extensive shipping network that existed.
The Long Island Barrett family lived on Big Dog before moving to Long Island.
Big Dog was originally on Goose Island – Dad’s said his Grandfather Jimmy Holt was contracted to move the dismantled house from Goose to Big Dog in his boat the Coogee. He is not sure of the time frame. An early picture of the homestead. The back building was originally the kitchen. The kitchen in our time was the first room to the left on entering the front door. The lounge room was directly behind the kitchen and the bedrooms on the other side of the passage. I also remember the Cherry tree on the East side of the home – they were delicious! and the palm type tree at the front. In November 2014 at the Museum Emita in the light house history folder – Goose Island history section there is a fantastic photo of two identical homesteads taken prior to moving, when I mentioned to Dad he said ‘thats right one went to BD and the other to Emita and was the home of Mr Fisher’. The evidence needed to corroborate the stories handed down.
The Mills family is another name associated with Big Dog – Walter Robinson married Doris Mills or Aunt Dorrie. She was well-known for her horse riding skills. Dad’s Uncles said she could handle herself rounding up the cattle, better than any of the men. It wasn’t unusual for the folk on Flinders looking over to Big Dog to see Aunt Dorrie on her horse.
1913 Dan Bowman wrote in his diary: 28 May 1913 the Toroa discharged 50 head of cattle at Great Dog Island: meaning the cattle would swim the short distance from the boat to their new home.
Marsey Waterhouse Barrett lived on Big Dog after his return from WWI farming the land until his death in 1940.
In the mid 1960’s Robinson Bros. took on Big Dog to run 450 head of sheep. As children we spent a lot of time there when Dad and his cousin went over to work.
One time we all remember vividly: the dreaded ‘BBQ’ on the beach below the homestead one summers day in the 70’s. The scene: three families having a fun time on the beach: until Mr Tiger Snake turned up for a swim (scared out of the bushes by the kids fetching sticks for the BBQ) when Dad saw the snake he put me under one arm and my cousin under the other so we could get the heck out of the water only to find Mr Tiger Snake positioning itself between us and the beach, each time Dad made a move so did the snake. Quite a predicament and lucky for us the dinghy was close by and came to our rescue………
One of my earliest memories is visiting Mr and Mrs Riddles shed on Big Dog – the few things I remember clearly, how excited we were to see Mrs Riddle, the fresh tussock floor covering, but most of all – the smell; tussock, sea air, birds cooking, smoke, a blend unique to birding and only loved by those born into the industry.
The Willis’ birding shed was to the West of the homestead and we would sometimes visit. At least we had solid ground to walk on as we headed across the paddock, not like Little Dog where it was hard work walking anywhere.
Below memories from those good old days!
The papered walls and the tussock floor covering.
Washing day – Lady Barron in the background behind the washing
Frank as we all love to remember him
Goose Island number 1 number 2
My last visit to Big Dog was to help with the last of the shearing, my kids were only small and we had a happy day helping out out with the shearing lots of laughing and story telling (mainly about the snake) marking the end of our association with this lovely spot.
The other day when were talking about the old days – Dad said he didn’t miss ‘the boggy, rocky beach’ ……………….and we were all there with him.
A pictorial of several well-known and dramatic wrecks in the Furneaux Group
17 March 1877 City of Foo Choo. Sailing from Newcastle and Sydney heading to Calcutta via Bass Strait when she ran aground on the East Coast of Flinders. All on board survived.
10 March 1912 The Fursund was fifty-nine days out from Buenos Aires when driven by a gale through the famous Pot Boil onto Vansittart Shoals. All that remains is a rusty skeleton of her former self.
8 August 1912 The G W Wolfe bound from Buenos Aires in ballast for Newcastle and wrecked on Prime Seal Island. The article states wrecked on Hummock Island which is Prime Seal. 
The 1920’s The M.V. Linda struck a rock of Little Dog Island, which is just across from Big Dog Island……. where she was built by Henry Taylor 1887.
1 June 1930 The Joseph Sims. On her way from Melbourne to St.Helens when she grounded on the rocky islets south of Prime Seal Island. She was salvaged by the Holloway’s.
13 December 1938 The E.H. Purdon beached at Sellers Point across from Babel Island.
Finding the Wolfe in the Weekly Courier was an eye opener I had no idea she was so big and the article describes the noise during the crash.
In the 1970’s our family went across to Prime Seal to look at what was left of the Wolfe, pre the RAAF coming in to airlift the remains of the anchor. Finding the article about how it all transpired and the seeing the size of the ship, I have decided the Wolfe was probably more spectacular than the Farsund.
1912: The world had the Titanic in April and Flinders………… the Farsund and Wolfe, also the opening of the Interstate Hotel.
One thing for sure is the Robinson/Holt and Briant ancestors would have visited the sites of the wrecks (apart from the Foo Choo – although the Holt lads were in the Straits so maybe) along with the rest of the lads from Cape Barren and Flinders. A shipwreck in the early days would have been big news and a crowd drawer as seen in the photo of the Wolfe.
Maritime Museum of Tasmania
Flinders Island: Badger Corner and Samphire River 
