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[6] JAMES THOMPSON TILBURY (c1845-1931)
Son of Thomas (c1802-1875) and Sophia (nee Rabnett) (c1807-1897).
Father of:
Marcus Edward (1874-),
George Arthur (1875-1944),
Esther Sophia (1878-c1960),
Florence Mary (1880-1881),
Blanche Molenaar (1882-1960) and
Clive William (1886-1915).
1845. James was born 19-Oct at 31 Caroline Place, Bayswater, Middlesex county, and spent the first 22 years of his life either in London or its vicinity. He remembered seeing the troops coming home from the Crimea, and particularly a regiment at the head of which a goat was being led and in the ranks of which were wounded men still wearing bandages. He also saw the troopships leaving Blackwall en route for India to suppress the mutiny. He could recall many old time pageants dear to the soul of the Londoner.
Educated as an accountant, James had the highest respect for his old employer, Marcus Travers, who encouraged him to read good literature. Marcus presented James with a large number of valuable books bearing the Travers coat of arms; these, with other rare books belonging to the Hockings family, have been donated to the University of Queensland Library by Ted Hockings as a memorial to James and Albert J.Hockings, Ted’s grandfather.
1867. James came to Australia by appointment to a firm of chartered accountants [who?] with whom he had served articles.
ca.1872. James set up business for himself as an accountant and sent home to England for his fiancee, Esther Gardner. James and Esther were married on 30-Apr-1873 in St. John’s Church, Parramatta (Church of England). James was 27 years of age, Esther 23. Two sons were born in the following two years: Marcus in 1874 and George Arthur in 1875. James was a prominent oarsman in the Commercial Club and took part in many regattas.
It was believed by James’ daughter Ettie that James spent his initial years in Melbourne and moved to Sydney in 1874. There are no records of James in the Victorian PO Directories but in 1869 Thomas Tilbury, possibly his brother, was living at 34 Crown St., Sydney and James was obviously living in Sydney at the time of his marriage in 1873. In 1875 and 1876 he was working as an accountant and living at Looke’s Wharf, Balmain.
1875. James was occasionally engaged in auditing the books of stations in the interior and in the northern district. He began his
acquaintance with Queensland when he had occasion to make a report on some pastoral properties. In 1876 James (31), Esther (26) and their young children Marcus and George moved to Queensland’s Central District. At the same time he became interested in squatting properties. Winton was not officially a town and settlers were therefore unable to buy their land and had no rights over the allotments on which they had built. Of this period James had many interesting anecdotes, especially those connected with police work {footnote}. At the date of his death James had held a commission as Justice of the Peace for over 50 years.
c1875. [source Jim Watters] Gibson & Foy, general merchants & station suppliers, opened Queensland branches at Aramac and at Winton, which James managed.
1878. Esther (Ettie) was born [Aramac?].
1880. Florence Mary was born but died in 1881.
1880. The first Government Land Sale was held in Winton. James bought land, including a Hotel / Store / PO built in 1876 by Robert
Allen, the first settler and the man who gave Winton its name. Robert Allen had arrived from Aramac and camped on Pelican Waterhole in 1875. Flooded out of his first site of 1875 on ‘The Pelican Waterhole’, he moved all his buildings a mile eastwards on what was to be known as Elderslie Street. The move was carried out with slow-moving bullock teams travelling at about three mph. Allen tired of writing ’Pelican Water Hole’ across postage stamps and changed the name to ’Winton’, the name of the suburb in Bournemouth, England where he was born.
1880. A town plan of Winton shows James as being the owner of three blocks of land in Winton, two of which were adjacent on the
main street, Elderslie St. Today these blocks are occupied by the National Australia Bank (NAB) and British Petroleum (BP). In 1881 the Queensland National Bank opened a branch in Winton, renting the Hotel/Store/PO premises from James for the equivalent of $6 per week. A police force was allocated to Winton and a house bought from James was moved to a corner of the police paddock and renovated for use as the Sub-Inspector’s quarters, with a separate outbuilding added as a lock-up.
1882. Blanche was born in Aramac. In May a portion of the present site of the bank was purchased from James for the equivalent of
$500.
1883. James, already a stock and station agent and storekeeper in Aramac, opened a second Tilbury & Co. store in Winton,
presumably on the present BP site, and was elected inaugural Secretary of the North Gregory Turf Club. At this time the population of Winton was 300, doubling from 150 in 1882. There were 2 banks, 2 auctioneers, a bookseller, 2 general stores, 5 hotels, 2 chemists, 2 blacksmiths, a butcher, cordial makers and a hospital. Two years later, in 1885, Cobb & Co. started their line of coaches through Winton, Hughenden, Longreach, Boulia and Cloncurry. It was 12 years later, in 1895, that A.B.’Banjo’ Paterson composed the ballad ’Waltzing Matilda’ at Dagworth Station, an event that Winton celebrates with great enthusiasm.
On 17-Dec James’ sister Florence married Friedrich Espenhahn at James and Esther’s residence at Winton.
1883-85. A memorable drought set in and the graziers were not able to pay for machinery and other goods. The Gibson & Foy company was bankrupted and it is believed that Gibson returned to England and the present Sydney firm of Mark Foy descended from the early Foy partner. James, like many others, had to bow to the inevitable. He lost almost everything he possessed and returned to Sydney in 1885 for some years.
1886. James ‘F.’ Tilbury, storekeeper, was living at Bay View Villa, Palmer St., Balmain. Son Clive was born in Balmain
in April. Marcus (11) and George (10) entered the Rockhampton Grammar School (RGS) - it is presumed James enrolled the boys at the school as boarders. The RGS believes George spent some time in Sydney during his period at the school (1886-1890). Geoff Tilbury, in a letter to Ted Hockings in-Dec-1966, told of a photo of Marcus and George taken in Newcastle when they were about 6-8 [9-10?]
years old.
c1887. The family moved to Rockhampton, where James began again as an accountant, later becoming an auctioneer and commission agent.
James set up business as a sharebroker in Quay St. and his probity of character was soon recognised and rewarded by the business community.
1888. Tilbury & Co., storekeepers, were again trading in Winton. Marcus and George both left the RGS at about 15 years of age:
Marcus late in 1888, George at the end of 1890.
1890. James was elected to the committee of the Rockhampton Jockey Club and became a member of the Rockhampton Tattersalls
Club. In the following year he was elected to the committee for the latter and remained on the committee for at least 3 years. The store at Winton was retained until 1892 and James was a storekeeper and insurance agent for NZ Fire & Marine.
1892. James moved the Rockhampton business from Quay St. to East St. and/or 17 Denham St. [QPODs differ between Country and Alphabetic directories]. He placed a full-page advertisement in the Rockhampton PO Directory for his services: “J.T.Tilbury, Auctioneer, Land Agent and Valuator and General Commission Agent; Agency: New York Life Insurance Co.”.
[In the QPOD there are entries for James (Turnbull, Cook & Co.), Doongmabulla - relationship not known - and HG Hockings, listed as the accountant for the Queensland National Bank - any link? ]
James was elected secretary of the Rockton Club [newly formed? from Rockhampton Jockey Club?] and remained in the position for approximately four years.
‘Grantham’, built on the Fitzroy River, was the family’s first house in Rockhampton. The house was positioned between 22 Victoria Pde., the residence of Blair, and 36 Victoria Pde., the residence of Henderson and Rev. Jerson. The numbering system must at some time have been reorganised, as ’Grantham’ is now at 22 Victoria Pde. Today the house is an interiors shop called ’Something Different’. The rear of the house is the original and is quite charming. The front of the house has been rebuilt and no longer has the ’lace’ balcony that led out from the top storey of the house and, in Ted Hockings’ view, added greatly to the character of the house. In their later years James and Esther had chairs positioned by the windows in the drawing room of the house, where Esther could watch the passing carriages and James could listen to his gramophone and read books. Ted regularly returned the books his grandfather James had borrowed from the Library, replenishing them with a new collection gathered by the librarian. Ted has vivid memories of James, including the regular haircuts given by Ted; his collection of walking sticks, one a dark rosewood; the fact that he always wore a hat (a type of stetson) out of doors and wore a smoking jacket indoors (he was never seen in shirt sleeves), and his unique manner of eating porridge with three bowls, one each for porridge, milk and saccharine (he was diabetic): each spoonful of porridge would be dipped in turn into the bowls of milk and saccharine before being consumed.
1894. James, at the age of 49, became a member of the Board of Trustees of the RGS and the affairs of the institution gradually became his hobby. The following year he was elected chairman of the RGS Board of Trustees and occupied the position for more than 32 years, a record term for which a commemorative gold medal was struck and presented to him. The Rockhampton Grammar School Magazine describes James' dedication to the school: “He husbanded its resources with great care but spent money freely when the occasion demanded. Generous in his dealings with the staff and a loyal supporter of school authority, James was both an able and a sympathetic administrator, establishing a tradition in chairmanship which is perpetuated to this day. In his years as chairman he gave of his best to the school, to uphold its traditions and improve its educational standard. Its high and successful position today is very largely due to his good work.”
1897. James’ mother Sophia, who had lived with the family at ‘Grantham’, died at the age of 94.
1900. Marcus (25), who was still living at ‘Grantham’, was elected secretary of the Rockhampton Club.
1901. Marcus married Maria McLaughlin. George (25) was still living at ‘Grantham’. Clive (16) entered the RGS and remained there for two years. Architects Hutton & Hockings set up business in the Fitzroy Chambers, 15 Denham St., next door to James’ business.
1902. James was an auctioneer, land & general commission agent, valuator, and stock & share broker. Marcus followed in James’ footsteps, setting up business as an auctioneer at 173 East St.
1906. Neither Marcus nor George was living in Rockhampton. Ettie (28) married John Watters [any links to Aramac?]
1907. Edwin Morton Hockings shared the house adjacent to ’Grantham’ and proposed to Blanche over the back fence.
1914-15. James and Esther moved from ’Grantham’ to Lion Creek Road, Upper Rockhampton. World War I (1914-1921) began and youngest son Clive was killed in action at Gallipoli at the age of 29.
1917. George (41) married Dulcie Blacket (21) in Mosman, Sydney. James and Esther moved to ‘Radcliffe’, 36 Wandal Rd, next to ‘Mornington’, the home of the Hockings family. ‘Mornington’, 42 Wandal Rd is no longer standing and ‘Radcliffe’ has been extensively modified and no longer resembles the original house.
1921. James retired at the age of 76, restricted in the activities of his later years by the diabetes he had suffered from for most of his life. He was bed-ridden for years, his only outings those to the RGS. W.H. Rudd, general manager of the Walter Reid warehouse, and Willy Turnbull (from the north) were frequent guests.
He remained as Chairman of the RGS Trust for a further seven years, retiring in 1828 at the age of 83. Upon his retirement James
said “My very warm regard for the School and the interest I feel in its affairs and my wishes and hopes for its welfare remain unaltered, together with my deep appreciation of the kindly friendship and harmony which marked all our meetings, making our work on the Trust a pleasure”. He regretted that the “growing disabilities of age” compelled his retirement.
1931. James died of heart failure at ‘Radcliffe’, Wandal Rd. on 2-Mar, aged 85. He was buried in the South Rockhampton
Cemetery the following day. Although the cemetery records are comprehensive the cemetery itself was not maintained and very few tombstones remain. He was survived by Esther (81), who was to die 5 years later at ‘Mornington’, and children George (56), Esther (53) and Blanche (49).
The Rockhampton Grammar School Magazine published an obituary in the December 1931 edition of the magazine, in which was included
the following:
“At the date of his death on March 2nd of this year our old friend Mr.J.T.Tilbury was nearly 86 and to the very last, though physically showing the infirmities of age he retained a mental alertness and a charm of manner which surprised and delighted his friends. In conversation he was cultured, clear and coherent; his natural vigour of understanding strengthened by his experience of life gave weight to his judgement which was ever sane and tolerant; his courtesy had an old world flavour due in part to his early environment and in part to natural disposition. He was a man of stirling character, loyal to his friends and not easily moved by the fluctuations of public opinion.
It was a privilege to know such a man in his ripe old age, with his mind richly stored with memories of the past. ... Always
interested in music and the drama he took pleasure in discussing the merits of the great artists of these days. He was well read in the religious and philosophic controversies of the mid-Victorians and had what amounted to an insight in regard to the social and industrial developments of the last century. He was fond of reading and of quoting the older poets and in particular he had a very accurate knowledge of Shakespeare’s plays.”
[6] ESTHER TILBURY (nee GARDNER) (1850-1936)
Daughter of William Haydon (c1812-) and Mary (nee Westford/Worfold) (c1815-).
Mother of:
Marcus Edward (1874-),
George Arthur (1875-1944),
Esther Sophia (1878-c1960),
Florence Mary (1880-1881),
Blanche Molenaar (1882-1960) and
Clive William (1886-1915).
1850. Esther was born 8-Feb.
1873. At the time of her marriage, Esther stated her father’s occupation as tradesman, Surrey.
A brother of Esther’s was a county cricketer, presumably for Surrey.
Walter Horwood, a cousin of Esther’s (related through ‘Grammie’ Mary Gardner), lived in Toowoomba and used to visit
the Tilbury family at ‘Grantham’. In one of her letters to sister Blanche, Ettie described Walter as “a very nice chap” and thought his sister was named Mrs Dowling. She also wondered whether Mary Gardner’s maiden name may have been Horwood.
A Mrs Tilbury ran a corner shop in Toowoomba while the Ted Hockings family were living there, ca.1946-52. [Any link? Dulcie was living there at the time of her death in 1956]
In her later years, Esther is remembered as being a large woman and Shirley Hockings has vivid memories of her in black, wearing a lace collar supported by whalebone that was fashionable at the time.
1936. Following the death of James in 1931, Esther was living with her daughter and son-in-law, Blanche and Edwin Hockings, at 42 Wandal Rd. Rockhampton. She died on 10-Sep at the age of 86 and was buried in the South Rockhampton Cemetery, where she joined her husband James and mother-in-law Sophia. She was survived by children George (61), Esther (58) and Blanche (54).
The Gardners
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Esther’s grandparents John and Sarah (nee Haydon) were married in Godalming, Surrey, England on 26-Feb-1805. They had eight children, of which William was the fourth: Richard (c1807-), John (c1810-), Sarah (c1811-), William, James (c1816-), George (c1817-), Henry (c1819-) and Mary (c1822-). All the children were born and christened in Godalming.
Esther’s father William Haydon was christened 30-Dec-1812. He and Mary Westford/Worfold were married on 26-Nov-1846 at St. Martin in the Fields, Westminster, London. [MO01454]
[Esther’s marriage certificate states mother as Mary Westford; IGI lists her as Mary Worfold; death certificate (signed by EMHockings) states mother as Elizabeth ?. Possible second marriage of Esther’s father after Esther emigrated to Australia?]
[7] MARCUS EDWARD TILBURY (1874-)
Son of James Thompson (1845-1931) and Esther (nee Gardner) (1850-1936).
Father of Marie Claire (1902-) and Marcus Geoffrey (1904-).
1874. Marcus was born in Balmain.
1886. Marcus (11) entered the Rockhampton Grammar School (RGS) with George, presumably as a boarder. He may have been in
Newcastle with George when he was about 8 [10?] years old.
1888. Marcus left the RGS at about 15 years of age.
[source Ettie] Marcus owned a stock and station agency in western Queensland, then moved to Rockhampton.
1900. Marcus, still living at ‘Grantham’, was elected Secretary of the Rockhampton Club. Situated on Quay St., the club
still exists and has been maintained as it was built.
1901. At the age of 26 Marcus married Maria McLaughlin, aged 25, on 16-Apr in Rockhampton and they set up residence at ‘Dagmar’ , Athelstane Range.
1902. Marcus followed in father James’ footsteps, setting up business as an auctioneer at 173 East St., next to the Bank of Australasia. In the same year daughter Marie Claire was born.
1904. Son Marcus Geoffrey was born and Marcus moved the auctioneer business to 170 Denison St.
1906. ?Marcus and his family left Rockhampton [and Queensland?].
c1915? Marcus left his wife and young children, Claire, 13 and Geoff, 11 to enlist for World War I. He never returned and the Australian War Memorial has no record of his enlistment. Further information is not known but it is rumoured he may have been living in South Africa after the war.
[7] MARIA THERESA (Yonnie) TILBURY (nee McLAUGHLIN) (1875-)
Daughter of Thomas () and Ellen (nee Ryan) ().
Mother of Marie Claire (1902-) and Marcus Geoffrey (1904-).
Maria Theresa, known as Yonnie, was born in Rockhampton.
Ted Hockings remembered seeing Maria and her daughter Claire when they visited the Tilburys at ‘Radcliffe’ when Ted was
quite little and so shy that he viewed them first from under a bed! (They turned out to be very kind and very beautiful!!)
The McLaughlins
The McLaughlin family, associated with the Fitzroy Brewery in Rockhampton almost since its inception, provided the town with some vivid personalities in several generations.
The original Fitzroy Brewery, founded in 1880, occupied the site of the Rockhampton Club in Quay St. In 1884 Thomas McLaughlin
moved the brewery to Quay, Wood and Wharf Sts. While on a health trip to New Zealand in 1892 Thomas died in a gale at sea. His eldest son Daniel returned from a promising Law career in Sydney and carried on the business with his brother Thomas.
In 1892 the family company Thomas McLaughlin & Co. was floated and in later years the brew from the old Fitzroy Brewery became famous as Mac’s Beer. The firm was bought by Carlton United in 1961.
The Kent brewery in Bolsover Street was founded in 1889 and bought by the Headricks brothers in 1894. Thomas McLaughlin & Co. purchased the brewery from the Headricks in 1905.
Edwina Priddle, daughter of Mimi Priddle (nee McLaughlin), teaches at the Rockhampton Girls’ Grammar School (RGGS).
[8] Marie Claire (Claire) TILBURY (1902-)
Daughter of Marcus Edward (1874-) and Maria Theresa (nee McLaughlin) (1875-).
Marie Claire, known as Claire, was born 15-Apr in Rockhampton.
The story reached Rockhampton that Claire was a “raving beauty” and that the Prince of Wales (Edward) danced with her on a visit to Sydney.
c1992. Living at 4 Hale Rd, Mosman [source Tilbury Register]
[8] Marcus Geoffrey (Geoff) TILBURY (1904-)
Son of Marcus Edward (1874-) and Maria Theresa (nee McLaughlin) (1875-).
Father of Carol ().
1904. Marcus Geoffrey, known as Geoff, was born 31-Mar in Rockhampton.
c1930 Married Sheila ? in ?.
1966. Geoff was a partner in the firm Alfred Rofe & Sons, solicitors of 26 O’Connell St. , Sydney. Other partners were Alfred Edward Fulton Rofe and Percy Rofe.
c1992. Sheila living at 8/313a Edgecliff Rd, Woollahra. [source Tilbury Register]
Geoff and Sheila’s daughter Carol married Alan Taylor. They live in Wellington NSW with their two sons Geoffrey (1974) and Hugh (1976).
[7] GEORGE ARTHUR TILBURY
(detail Chapter 7)
[7] ESTHER SOPHIA (Ettie) WATTERS (nee TILBURY)(1878-c1965)
Daughter of James Thompson (1845-1931) and Esther (nee Gardner) (1850-1936).
Mother of James (c1907-c1970), Donald (c1909-c1975), Esther (c1911-c1960).
1878. Esther, known as Ettie, was born 4-May in Queensland.
Many long and happy holidays were spent with the Hockings family at Rockhampton and Emu Park. Ettie was well-remembered at Emu Park for rescuing a drowning gentleman from the water at Ladies Beach, an area that was set aside for bathing by ladies only - men had their own beach (a much less dangerous one) and bathing boxes around the headland. For this exploit she was awarded a bravery medal.
1906. Married John Campbell Watters in Queensland on 21-Sep.
1944. Living at 4 Henry St., Gordon [ref death cert GAT].
1958. Living at 23 Carlotta Ave., Gordon. Aunt Ettie’s home was a ‘Sydney home’ to the Rockhampton Hockings children on many happy occasions.
[notes from letters of Ettie] Wrote to Blanche of celebration of ‘Natal day’ with Poppy, Esther and Edie T and Rita McWhannel. (The McWhannels were related to Campbell and Willie Watters. Willie lived with them at Strathfield, a lovely old stone house, when he retired from Glen Ample. Ted Hockings visited them during the war and they provided a magnificent ’old English’ roast dinner.) Poppy made a birthday cake - ’a beauty... That lass does not spare the rum so it would keep fresh for half a year I am sure’. Ann [grandaughter?] rang, Don visited. Ann ’off duty’. Death of ’Harry’ [?female]. The Bill Rudds staying at Greengate while Jim was there.
Some years prior to 1966 Ettie gave Lloyd Tilbury volumes of Robert Burns which had belonged to her father James (Lloyd’s grandfather).
Ettie died ca.1965 in Gordon (possibly ‘Abbotshome’, Killara), Sydney.
[7] JOHN CAMPBELL WATTERS (c1875-)
Son of ?
Father of James (c1907-c1970), Donald (c1909-c1975), Esther (c1911-c1960).
c1875. John born ?
John was the Surveyor of Aramac.
Wife died c1913.
‘Glen Ample’, Aramac was owned by William (Willie) Watters, John’s brother. In 1935 it was just a hut. In 1935 it was bought by Victor Bailey. The property had no water and the nearest bore was 5 miles away. Baileys sold to Ben Copeman who owned a Hereford stud near Moree.
[8] James (Jim) WATTERS (c1907-c1970)
Son of John Campbell (c1875-) and Esther Sophia (nee Tilbury) (1878-c1965).
c1907. Jim was born ?
1929-1932. Overseer at properties ‘Gundabooka’ and ‘Yanda’ (between Cobar and Bourke, via Louth) for nearly four years.
19?. Married Poppy (Pops) Walker in ?. No children.
1962. Living at ‘Lockerbie’ (property).
1966. Jim and Pops were in Brisbane 9-Jun for the funeral service of Marjorie Sparks at Mt. Thompson Crematorium. Marjorie was a sister of Pops and married Dr Robert Spacks at Toowoomba. Dr Spacks was the doctor of the Ted Hockings family.
1966. Living at ‘Karnkendi’, 49 Norfolk St., Killara. Jim took his first commercial flight in a plane. He had only been up once before over ’Lockerbie’ in a Cessna to show the pilot where to drop super in Oct-1962. The flight to Brisbane in a
Viscount was the roughest Bill Walker, a seasoned world-wide traveller, had ever experienced. Jim and Pops returned the same day in an Electra but halfway through the flight an engine caught fire, forcing them to return to Brisbane and wait five hours before boarding a DC6 ex-New Guinea plane, which arrived at Mascot just after midnight.
1966. Jim and Pops, who both missed the country, took a drive out west in October and travelled 1,046 miles in five days. The country west of Trangie was in poor condition; the drought had not broken in the Nyngan area and Cobar was badly in need of some good rains. The desert started 40 miles west of Cobar; the Barrier Highway from Nyngan to 40 miles past Cobar had been straightened and sealed, the rest of the road to Wilcannia remained as dirt.
19?. Living at Kissing Point Rd., Killara.
c1970-75?. Jim died and Pops moved to the Abbotsholme retirement village at 9 Greengate Ave., Killara.
[8] Donald Tilbury WATTERS (c1909-c1975)
Son of John Campbell () and Esther Sophia (nee Tilbury) (1878-c1965).
Father of Ann () and Campbell ().
c1909. Donald was born ?
1939. Married Marion Mackie Kirkpatrick in ? and had two children, Ann () and Campbell (). [NSW Registry of Marriages, RN: 1939/10516, 1939, GS: Watters, GG: Donald Tilbury, BS: Kirkpatrik, BG: Marion Mackie]
Ann [nurse?] married Phillip Satchell and in Oct-1966 they were living in Adelaide, with Ann’s baby due the end of Jan-1967. Phillip was working with the ABC, arranging musical programmes for ABC Radio. He had arranged approximately 18 Gilbert & Sullivan plays
which were to be broadcast in Dec-1966 and had also done some work for television.
Campbell?
Donald died ca.1975-80?
[8] Esther WATTERS (c1911-c1960)
Daughter of John Campbell () and Esther Sophia (nee Tilbury)(1878-c1965).
c1911. Esther was born ?
Esther did not marry and was to die of cancer (ca.1960-65?) before her mother, Ettie. She devoted her life to nursing and served as a nursing sister in the Army during the war. Ted Hockings ran across her at Morotai (Celebes) the day before his brother Tom was killed by Japanese anti-aircraft fire over Balikpapan.
[7] FLORENCE MARY TILBURY (1880-1881)
Daughter of James Thompson (1845-1931) and Esther (nee Gardner) (1850-1936).
1880. Florence, unnamed at the time of registration of her birth, was born 8-Jul in Queensland.
1881. Died in Queensland.
[7] BLANCHE MOLENAAR (Ban) HOCKINGS (nee TILBURY) (1882-1960)
Daughter of James Thompson (1846-1924) and Esther (nee Gardner) (1850-1936).
Mother of Esther Elizabeth, Jane, Thomas (1912-1944), Edwin Tilbury and George (1915-1942).
1882. Born on 9-Apr in Aramac, Blanche was known to her grandchildren as Marna and to her family and friends as Ban.
1907. Edwin Morton Hockings shared the house adjacent to ‘Grantham’ with Robert Brown, the original partner of Rees R & Sydney Jones. Edwin proposed to Blanche, the ‘girl next door’, by fishing in his pocket and throwing the ring-box to her over the back fence, calling “Catch!” as he did so. She did and on 21-Sep Blanche, aged 25 and Edwin, aged 37 were married in Rockhampton.
All children except George born Hillcrest Hospital, Rockhampton. George born St Faiths, Yapoon, Brisbane.
The Tilbury and Hockings families spent many long and exuberant holidays at ‘Wahpobbera’ (the aboriginal name of a native shrub), the Hockings’ cottage at 59 Bright St., Emu Park. The holidays needed to be well planned and involved preparations for the household to move to the cottage for a two-month period. The family departed from Archer Park Station in Rockhampton and with each departure the train had to be delayed while all the luggage was loaded.
Although small, the cottage with resident horses, chooks and a cow (along with very good fishing spots and beaches in the area), provided an entertaining environment for the five children. The house, built by Edwin Morton Hockings between 1914 and 1920, was one of the few houses left undamaged after a cyclone ca. 1929, sustaining damage only to the water tanks. From the verandah of the house the view encompasses Great Keppel Island and the Capricorn Group of islands.
The house was sold at the end of the war to Mr Svendson, a fruit grower at Byfield who lived at Zilzie, three miles south of Emu Beach. It was subsequently sold to Darcy Wentworth and then to Kerry Hyslop. Kerry has just sold the house to Jim Waterman and Susie Watson, who have plans to double the size of the house and remove the additions that were made after it was sold by Edwin Hockings.
1960. Blanche died in Rockhampton. She had been very troubled by a heart condition which was not improved by the loss of her husband and two of her three sons during the Second World War.
The three sons of Blanche and Edwin (who served in the Boer War and World War I) all joined the Royal Australian Air Force in World War II and all saw active service in the South Pacific area. Two were killed in action.
[7] EDWIN MORTON HOCKINGS (1870-1942)
Son of Albert J and Elizabeth (nee Bailey)().
Father of Esther Elizabeth, Jane, Thomas (1912-1944), Edwin Tilbury and George (1915-1942).
1870. Edwin was born 17-Feb, the youngest son of a leading Brisbane businessman, Albert J. Hockings, and Elizabeth Bailey. His father, a seed merchant, was one of early Brisbane’s best known citizens, its Mayor in 1865 and 1867 and Member for South Brisbane in the Queensland Parliament. Following his education at the Brisbane Grammar School, to the establishment of which his father was the first subscriber, Edwin became an articled pupil of the architect Richard Gailey.
1890. The course of Edwin’s career changed in 1890 when, still an employee of Richard Gailey’s in Brisbane, he won a design competition for the new Girls’ Grammar School at Rockhampton. The circumstances surrounding the design award, which was to provide classrooms and residence accommodation for Headmistress and Staff (20), Boarders (20) and Scholars (50) at a cost not exceeding £4,000, were controversial. Of the 32 entries, Edwin’s received much favorable local reaction and in October 1890 a telegram was sent to him in Brisbane, congratulating him on his winning entry and advising that his prize of £75 was being forwarded. Gailey telegraphed the trustees that the prize was legally his because he was Edwin’s employer, and Edwin agreed to the plans being acknowledged as Gailey’s own; Gailey was subsequently retained as supervising architect of the School building. Gailey’s office took over the documentation of the building while Edwin proceeded to Rockhampton as its clerk of works.
1895. Edwin was elected an Associate of the Queensland Institute of Architects and began his own architectural practice in Rockhampton, making his mark throughout central Queensland.
1899. During the Boer War (1899-1902) Edwin commanded a squadron of the Third Queensland Contingent and although at one time seriously ill with enteric fever, continued to lead the advance.
1900. Edwin was practising architecture at 271 Victoria Pde., between Davis and Caroline Sts., adjacent to Bert M. Lilley, solicitor. Alfred Hutton joined Edwin in partnership and Hutton & Hockings set up business in the Fitzroy Chambers, 15 Denham St., next door to James Thompson Tilbury’s business (Neighbours again!). With the prosperity that followed gold-mining at Mt. Morgan and the pastoral development of the central west, the firm of Hutton & Hockings and their local competitors Eaton and Bates were very successful at the turn of the century. They remained in partnership until 1904.
1916. After serving again in World War I Edwin formed other partnerships in Rockhampton with L.T. Palmer (from 1916 to 1938) and with his son Thomas (from 1939 until about 1940).
1936. The Rockhampton Council undertook to complete the Town Hall, the foundation stone of which had been laid in 1897. An Australia-wide competition was held and when suggested plans for the new building were displayed they ranged from classic styles with Corinthian columns to the ultimate choice of a solid brick structure designed by Hockings & Palmer to suit the climate. Each department was efficiently lighted and ventilated on all sides, with direct rays of the sun eliminated by verandahs and balconies. The city’s second foundation stone laying ceremony took place on 25-Mar-1939.
1942. From August the Town Hall contributed to the defence of Australia, becoming the headquarters for General Eichelberger and the 41st Division, US Army. Edwin died on 21-Dec, not long after the completion of the Rockhampton Town Hall (1931-41).
Other works of Edwin’s include the Rockhampton Girls’ Grammar School (1890-92); cottages at Archer St. (1895) and at Kabratha (1895); alterations and additions to the Great Western Hotel at Stanley and Denison Sts. (1896); offices at Gladstone (1897); the Clergy House at Longreach (1897); additions to the Rockhampton Children’s Hospital (1898); the Carriers Arms Hotel at Barcaldine (1898); St. Peter’s Church of England at Barcaldine (1898-99).
[8] Esther Elizabeth DUNCAN (nee HOCKINGS)
Daughter of Edwin Morton (1870-1942) and Blanche Molenaar (nee Tilbury) (1882-1960).
Mother of Alison and John Bruce.
Esther was born 16-Jul and entered the Rockhampton Girls’ Grammar School (RGGS) at the age of six.
Esther married Edward Duncan, who came up from Melbourne to work for the Department of Main Roads as an Engineer. Edward died at Emu Park in 1988.
Esther had a daughter Alison and a son John. Alison had three children from her first marriage to John Clarke, who she divorced, and later married Peter Wickham. John also married twice. His second wife Dianne had a daughter Martine from her first marriage and a son Scott from her marriage to John.
[8] Jane ARMSTRONG (nee HOCKINGS)
Daughter of Edwin Morton (1870-1942) and Blanche Molenaar (nee Tilbury)(1882-1960).
Mother of Catherine and Pamela.
Jane was born in Rockhampton and entered the RGGS in 1915.
?. Jane married John A.F. Armstrong (-). and they had two daughters, Catherine and Pamela.
The family lived at Graceville, near Taringa, Brisbane, and spent many hours with cousins Clive and Heather Tilbury and their children Lloyd and Sally.
?. Pamela married Jonathon Job and they had two children, Amity and Sebastian. Pamela died in a car accident when the children were still quite young and Jonathon remarried. Jonathon also died at a young age and his new wife brought up the children.
?. Catherine married Brian Wood and they had two children, Amity and Nicholas. Brian died when washed overboard while sailing.
?. Catherine’s second marriage was to Peter Versi and they had twins. Catherine and Peter live in Mosman, NSW with their four children.
Jane lives in a retirement home in Mosman.
[8] Thomas HOCKINGS (1912-1944)
Son of Edwin Morton (1870-1942) and Blanche Molenaar (nee Tilbury)(1882-1960).
The eldest son, Thomas, trained as a navigator and was posted to No.24 Squadron (flying 4-engine ‘Liberator’ bombers). He flew in operations against the Japanese in the enemy-occupied islands north of Australia, and lost his life on July 2 1945, when his Liberator was hit by anti-aircraft fire over the target area on the day after the Australian landing at Balikpapan.
Tom was born at Rockhampton on April 5, 1912. He was educated at the RGS and Queensland Agricultural College. He later qualified as an architect and after some years with the Queensland Department of Works in Brisbane joined his father’s practice in Denham St. Rockhampton. He married Margaret (Dearma) Bailey, of Rockhampton.
[8] Edwin Tilbury (Ted) HOCKINGS
Son of Edwin Morton (1870-1942) and Blanche Molenaar (nee Tilbury) (1882-1960).
Father of Edwin John and Marcus Tilbury.
The second son, Ted, trained as a pilot in multi-engined aircraft and survived three tours of operations against the Japanese in the South Pacific area, the first two flying twin-engined Lockheed Hudsons, the third flying 4-engined B24’s (USA Liberators). With his Liberator crew of 11 men, Ted also flew 100 operational hours against the Japanese in the islands north of Darwin while attached to No.529 Bomber Squadron (380th USA Heavy Bombardment Group). During his active service he was attached to the following squadrons: No.6 (twice), No.23 (’Composite’), No.32 and No.38.
Ted was born at Rockhampton on December 18 and was educated at the RGS and The Southport School. He worked as a journalist with ‘The Morning Bulletin’ at Rockhampton and subsequently with ‘The Sydney Morning Herald’, ‘The Newcastle Morning Herald’ and ‘The Toowoomba Chronicle’. After a period as editor of ‘The Producers’ Review’ he was appointed editor of the ’Queensland Agricultural Journal’ at the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Stock. He was promoted to Editor of Publications and subsequently to Senior Information Officer. He retired on January 11, 1975. He married Shirley Coates (a lecturer at the University of Queensland and formerly of Rockhampton) at Brisbane in November 1948, there being two sons, Edwin John and Marcus Tilbury. They have lived in Brisbane since 1950.
[8] George HOCKINGS (1915-1942)
Son of Edwin Morton (c1870-1942) and Blanche Molenaar (nee Tilbury) (1882-1960).
1916. George, the youngest son, was born on 19th June in Brisbane.
George trained as a pilot on single-engined aircraft (Wirraways) and was posted to No.4 (Army Cooperation) Squadron, equipped with the ?-moded Wirraways. He carried out all his active service operations in the New Guinea area, being based initially at Berry Strip, Port Moresby and operating later from jungle strips at Popendetta and Dobadura. He flew many times over enemy field guns, reporting their positions by W/T to Australian artillery, and it was on such a hazardous sortie at Dobadura on December 22, 1942, that his aeroplane was hit by intense anti-aircraft fire, setting his plane on fire. He managed to land in a small jungle clearing near the front lines of the American troops, who reported that the pilot had been incinerated while trying to rescue his observer, Major O’Hara.
George was educated at the Rockhampton High School. He was employed by the Bank of New South Wales in Rockhampton and served later in the bank’s Southport branch, from which he enlisted in the RAAF. (His mother recalled receiving a telegram from George stating “I’m in love George”, which she assumed meant that he had fallen in love. But George had forgotten to include the work ‘Stop’ between ‘in’ and ‘George’. He had been trying to join the air force for some time and had at last succeeded!
[7] CLIVE WILLIAM TILBURY (1885-1915)
Son of James Thompson (1845-1831) and Esther (nee Gardner) (1850-1936).
1885. Clive was born ?-Apr in Balmain, Sydney following the family’s return from Queensland as a result of the 1883-85 drought.
1888. The family moved to Rockhampton.
1901. Clive entered the Rockhampton Grammar School (RGS) at the age of 16. The RGS erroneously lists Clive as William Clive, who began at the school February 1901 at the age of 16 and left in December 1902.
Clive was further educated as a grazing selector and in 1914 was a grazier in Rockhampton.
1915. On 14th January Clive enlisted for World War I as a Private in the 15th Battalion (4th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Division) of the AIF, Service No. 2005. He was 29 years of age, 5’ 6¾”, weighed 12st 7lbs, measured 34/36½’ around the chest, was of brown complexion with blue eyes and brown hair and followed the Church of England religion.
In June Clive spent five days in hospital in Mudros, suffering from influenza, before joining the battalion at Gallipoli Peninsula on 21st June.
Following the report in September that Clive was “wounded and missing”, Clive’s father James sent a telegram to the Base Records Office in Melbourne requesting further information. The telegram is not written in his normal script and shows the anguish he was obviously feeling.
1916. It was not until May that official advice was received that Clive had been killed in action at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli Peninsula on 8th August 1915. In June his brother George requested, as executor of Clive’s will, an official certificate of death and in August his personal effects (a gunmetal watch and a purse containing one penny and a telegram) were forwarded to his father at Rockhampton.
1921. The Base Records Office wrote to James requesting any correspondence that may assist them in locating the grave of Clive. James responded “He was last seen alive at Suvla Bay on 7/8th August 1915 and (I am informed) his company, I presume with others, was sent out to draw the enemy’s fire, pending relief which, owing to some blunder, never arrived, and there were no survivors.”
1926. Clive’s grave at Lone Pine Memorial, Gallipoli was registered.
8,533 men died at Gallipoli, 19,441 were wounded. As a nation we celebrate one of our greatest defeats with immense pride and overwhelming passion, for the legacy of the ANZACs was not in their loss but in their spirit, ingenuity, heart and courage.
Clive was awarded the 1914/1915 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal, Memorial Plaque and King’s Message, and Memorial Scroll and King’s Message. He is listed on the Roll of Honour at the Australian War Memorial, Plate 78. Copies of the correspondence of James Thompson and George Arthur are included in the Documents section of Certificates.
They went with songs to battle.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted.
They fell with their faces to the foe.
They shall not grow old as we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them, or the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them.
