Waymouth and Weymouth family of England

Autobiography of
Josiah Henry Waymouth

Great grandfather: Henry Waymouth, Exeter, England. Banker and Woolstapler.
Grandfather: Caleb Bryant Waymouth. London. Underwriter at Lloyds'
Father: Bryant Waymouth. 1815. Educated at Moravian Brethrens School, Wurtemberg.

Bryant, at 18, was employed by Gibbs Houth and Co. Valparaiso, Chile and remained 5 years.
Returned to England and speaking German, French and Spanish, obtained employment as teacher in London, where he met Martha Phillips Eady and married her. Her brother, Josiah, had a school in London. Bryant, their firstborn was born in London. The family removed to Helston, Cornwall, where Josiah Henry, 1844 and Martha, 1845, were born. Sara Fanny was born 1847 in London.

Bryant Waymouth left England in October 1848 with his family by sailing vessel and arrived in Adelaide, South Australia on Christmas Eve, 1848. Having some packages, arranged with bullock driver to carry all up the 8 miles to Adelaide. Mother nursed Fanny but the other three were safely placed in an empty boiler and arrived so in Adelaide.

Bryant Waymouth will now be named Father. His uncle, Colonel Samuel Waymouth was one of the original South Australian Company but not resident in South Australia.
My father obtained a clerkship in the South Australian Copper Company and soon secured an allotment and built a small house in North Adelaide. In 1850 or 1851, aboriginal (black) fellows came twice to North Adelaide and held a corroboree - about 300 of them - and my father took Bry and me to see it.

On another occasion he took us to see an earthen fort, with several cannon - brought to defend the town in case of attack by blacks. In 1852, my father joined the rush to the gold fields in Victoria. While he was away, the blacks had another corroboree near our house. My mother laid in some cayenne pepper and locked the doors. My father got some gold but secured a Government appointment as chief clerk at £300 a year, with residence, etc. (1852). At that time there were only two weather board houses, one as residence for the Commissioner, Captain Bull and the other my father's office and dwelling. Bryant and I slept in a tent adjoining. The only other wooden "residence" was the lock-up, built of substantial logs. As this was only about 60 feet from our tent we had often musical treats by drunks. About the same distance on the other side was the dining, etc. tent for the camp's officers, including those of the resident portion of the 40th Regiment of Infantry. This was how I early learnt that sentimental ditty of "He's a jolly good fellow" and "We wont go home till morning" and some others.

In March 1853, my father came to Melbourne to meet his family and escort us up to Castlemaine. He secured two drays at £90 a ton to carry us and a few boxes, etc. We left Melbourne about midday Monday and got to Keilor Plains. The evening turned out very wet and we had to lie close under a tarpaulin. The weather happily afterwards became fine and after steady plodding we arrived safely in Castlemaine the following Saturday evening. A weatherboard church was built and some of the 40th Band led the musical part of the service. The clergyman was the Revd. Cheque who kept a cow and sold milk at 3/6d a quart and send for it. My father was allowed a man servant and he used to send Pat for the milk. One morning he was extra late so my father demanded an explanation. Pat said "Sure his reverence kept me waiting till he boiled the water" (so that the milk would not look blue).

At the end of 1853 my father brought us to town, chiefly that we might be sent to school. He rented a half cottage - 3 rooms on Punt Road, Richmond at £3 a week. Bry and I were promptly sent to the Scotch College, East Melbourne and were there till December 1856. My father got the appointment of Secretary to the Assay Office at, I think, £900 a year but the affair fell through. At about that time Mr Flaxman, Accountant, G.P.O. retired and my father was appointed at £600 per annum. Sometime after he organised the "Money Order" office for which the Government gave him another £100 per annum. However times were getting rather slack so O'Shannassy's Government docked off the £100 by way of economising.

In 1856 my father brought from Mr W. Easey an allotment 80 feet in Avoca Street, South Yarra and built a house, brick and slate, and we helped to make a good garden.

When 13 years old I went to Easey's Auction Rooms as messenger, etc. at £1 per week and remained about 12 months when I found employment with W.M.Bell and Co., Little Collins Street as collector, etc. at £60 per annum.

In 1859 I gained the favour of Mr W. Greenlaw and with his assistance entered the Colonial Bank to post letters etc. at £100 per annum. I worked up through the office and in March 1867 was appointed to open a branch in Benalla. A branch was being at the same time opened at Wangaratta by Mat Hayes formerly of Kilmore. Hayes' health failing, the Bank sent me in December to relieve. Meantime I met Miss Susan Farrell, sister of my former school mate, Michael Farrell, fell in love, desperately so, and we were married at Geelong on 30th April 1868. Our first child, Edith, was born on 1st March 1869 and our second was Josiah Herbert, 21st January 1871. In due course followed Frederick Paget, 16th June 1873, Percy Coleridge, 27th Sept. 1875 and Blanche Eleanor, 17th April 1878.

In 1872, I unsuccessfully started a business in Melbourne but in November 1873 joined the Union Bank, was sent as manager to Smythesdale in 1875 and in March 1881 was appointed manager in Alexandra and succeeded in collecting a valuable business.

The rest will be within your own memory but if I have omitted anything, will be glad to supply the information.

(signed) J.H.Waymouth, 22 January 1918.

Later note: Josiah Henry Waymouth, aged 74, died at Gardiner, Victoria, 19th September 1918. Buried at Boorondarah (Grave No. 138) on 20.9.18. His wife and children left for New Zealand on 16.9.1919.