The Matthews and Reeves Families

Matthews Family Descendant Chart

2007-12-10T00:26:00.000-08:00

1. William Matthews.

He married Ellen _____, married __ ___ 1758 in Haslingfield, Cambridgeshire,England.

Children:
2. i John Mathews b. __ ___ 174?.

Second Generation

2. John Mathews, b. __ ___ 174? in Hauxton, Cambridgeshire. John and Mary Mathews are not confirmed as the parents of William Mathews. The IGI contains no other birth of a William at a suitable date.

He married Mary Newman, married 03 Nov 1766 in Hauxton, Cambridgeshire, b. __ ___ 174?.

Children:
i Ellen Mathews, b. __ ___ 1769 in Harston, Cambridgeshire, 21 May 1769 in Harston, Cambridgeshire.
ii John Mathews, b. __ ___ 1770 in Harston, Cambridgeshire, 4 Nov 1770 in Harston, Cambridgeshire.
iii Mary Mathews, b. __ ___ 1772 in Harston, Cambridgeshire, 07 Jun 1772 in Harston, Cambridgeshire.
iv John Mathews, b. __ ___ 1773 in Harston, Cambridgeshire, 30 May 1773 in Harston, Cambridgeshire.
v Susan Mathews, b. __ ___ 1776 in Harston, Cambridgeshire, 26 Mar 1776 in Harston, Cambridgeshire.
vi Sarah Mathews, b. __ ___ 1778 in Harston, Cambridgeshire, 1 Mar 1778 in Harston, Cambridgeshire.

3. vii William Mathews b. __ ___ 1780.

Third Generation

3. William Mathews, b. __ ___ 1780 in Harston, Cambridgeshire?, 14 May 1780 in Harston, Cambridgeshire?, occupation Tailor, buried 10 Mar 1825 in Harston, Cambridgeshire. Baptismal connection assumed from IGI record. Not confirmed.

He married Sarah (Lambert) Woodcock, married 13 Apr 1802 in Hauxton, Cambridgeshire, b. __ ___ 1778 in Bourn, Cambridgeshire. Sarah possibly remarried as surname is listed variously as "Lammerton" or "Lambert" on sons David and Thomas' shipping records 1841. Sarah was listed as a widow aged 73, born at Bourn, living with the Wilsons at 731b Church Street, Harston in the 1851 Census.

Children:
i Thomas Matthews, b. __ ___ 1814, occupation Gardener.
4. ii James Matthews b. 25 Oct 1817.
5. iii David Matthews b. __ ___ 1821.

Fourth Generation

4. James Matthews, b. 25 Oct 1817 in Harston, Cambridgeshire, occupation Miner, Gardener, d. 25 Jul 1896 in White Horse Reef, Amherst, buried 28 Jul 1896 in Amherst, Victoria. James, Betsey, Eliza and Mary Ann were at 717a Church Street Harston in Census of 1851, with John Matthews age 47 a lodger born in Harston.

He married Betsey Goode, married 30 March 1845 in Haslingfield, Cambridgeshire, England, b. 05 Oct 1823 in Haslingfield, Cambridgeshire, England, (daughter of David Goode and Susanna Hall) 13 Oct 1823 in Haslingfield, Cambridgeshire, England, d. 13 Jan 1889 in Amherst, Victoria, buried 15 Jan 1889 in Amherst, Victoria. The Parish Register contains an entry for Betsey's baptism on both 13 and 14 October 1823. James and Betsey arrived at Sydney on board the "Tantivy" on 3 September 1854.

Children:
i Ann Matthews, b. 30 Jul 1845 in Haslingfield, Cambridgeshire, England, d. 27 Dec 1849.
6. ii Eliza Matthews b. 05 Apr 1847.
iii Mary Ann Matthews, b. 31 Mar 1849 in Harston, Cambridgeshire, d. 20 Jul 1854 in on board "Tantivy", buried in at sea.
iv Susan Matthews, b. 4 Jan 1852, d. 15 Jul 1854 in on board "Tantivy", buried at sea.
v Sarah Ann Matthews, b. 11 Feb 1855 in Sydney, NSW, d. 01 May 1855 in Sydney, NSW.
7. vi Elizabeth Matthews b. 28 Feb 1857.
vii David Thomas Matthews, b. 23 Aug 1859 in Amherst, Victoria.

He married Sarah Ann _____, married __ ___ 1884.

8. viii James David Matthews b. 25 Aug 1861.
ix Emma Matthews, b. 14 Sep 1863 in Amherst, Victoria.

She married Llewellyn Davis, married 14 Apr 1886.

x Sarah Anne Matthews, b. 18 Oct 1865 in Amherst, Victoria.

She married Dennis Baldwin, married 21 Apr 1886, b. __ ___ 1857, (son of William Baldwin and Sarah Smith).

xi William Frederick Matthews, b. 22 Jun 1867 in Amherst, Victoria.

He married Barbara.

5. David Matthews, b. __ ___ 1821 in Harston, Cambridgeshire, occupation Gardener 1841, d. 26 Mar 1909 in Kew, Victoria, buried 26 Mar 1909 in Kew, Victoria.

He married (1) Elizabeth Nesmith, married __ ___ 1850 in
Dundundra, NSW, b. __ ___ 1831 in Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland, (daughter of William Naesmith and Margaret) d. 24 Oct 1869, buried __ ___ 1869 in Grave 24 Baptist, Buninyong, Victoria.

Children:
i Annie Matthews, b. __ ___ 1850.
ii Margaret Matthews, b. __ ___ 1854.
iii David Matthews, b. __ ___ 1855 in Mount Blackwood, Victoria.
iv Thomas Matthews, b. __ ___ 1857 in Buninyong, Victoria.
v Elizabeth Matthews, b. __ ___ 1860 in Scotts Marsh, Victoria.
vi William George Matthews, b. __ ___ 1862 in Buninyong, Victoria.
vii Charles Matthews, b. __ ___ 1864 in Clarendon, Victoria.
viii James Matthews, b. __ ___ 1868 in Clarendon, Victoria, d. 11 Nov 1868 in Buninyong, Victoria.
ix John Matthews, b. __ ___ 1869 in Clarendon, Victoria, d. 07 Feb 1870 in Buninyong, Victoria.

He married (2) Amelia Mary Elizabeth Lee, married 14 Jan 1879 in Christ Church, Ballarat, Victoria, b. ?? ___ 1847, (daughter of Sidney Lee and Eliza Bilfit) d. 14 Nov 1901, buried ?? ___ 1901 in Kew, Victoria.

Children:
x Amelia Mary Matthews, b. ?? ___ 1880.

She married Walter Underwood, married ?? ___ 1908, b. ?? ___ ????.

xi Emma Matthews, b. ?? ___ 1882.

She married Hilton Platt, married ?? ___ 1900.

xii Rose Agnes Matthews, b. ?? ___ 1884, d. ?? ___ 1957.

She married Hubert Underwood.

xiii
Walter David Matthews, b. ?? ___ 1886, d. 22 Feb 1886 in Ballarat, Victoria, buried in Buninyong, Victoria.

Fifth Generation

6. Eliza Matthews, b. 05 Apr 1847 in Harston, Cambridgeshire, d. 27 Feb 1882 in New Lambton, N.S.W., buried 26 Feb 1882 in Wallsend Cemetery, New Lambton, N.S.W. Probably left with Uncle Thomas Matthews in Sydney when parents came to Victoria 1856-7. Married at age 16 but no parental consent noted on certificate. Married in Wesleyan Church. Buried in Primitive Methodist Church.

She married John Jeffries, married 02 Nov 1863 in Forbes, N.S.W., b. 13 Feb 1835 in Brewham, Somerset, England, (son of William Jeffries and Hannah White) d. 02 Jan 1909 in NSW, buried 02 Jan 1909 in Sandgate, New South Wales.

Children:
i Fanny Eliza Jeffries, b. __ ___ 1864 in Forbes, N.S.W.
ii John Jeffries, b. __ ___ 1866 in Forbes, N.S.W.
iii Charles Thomas Jeffries, b. __ ___ 1867, d. 02 Jul 1946.
iv James John Jeffries, b. __ ___ 1867 in Forbes, N.S.W.
v Ann Bridget Jeffries, b. 30 Jan 1870 in Forbes, N.S.W., d. 15 Aug 1952.
vi William Horace Jeffries, b. 07 May 1872 in Newcastle, NSW, d. 11 Jul 1960 in Vermont, Victoria, buried 13 Jul 1960 in Springvale Crematorium.

He married Margaret Jane Reid, married 21 Aug 1895 in New South Wales, b. __ ___ 1877, d. __ ___ 1958.

vii Mary Ellen Jeffries, b. __ ___ 1875 in New Lambton, N.S.W.
viii Samuel Benjamin Jeffries, b. __ ___ 1880 in New Lambton, N.S.W., d. __ ___ 1970.

7. Elizabeth Matthews, b. 28 Feb 1857 in Amherst, Victoria, d. 10 Sep 1921 in Richmond, Victoria, buried 12 Sep 1921 in Brighton Cemetery.

She married James Green, married 28 Feb 1881 in Talbot, Victoria, b. 27 Dec 1852 in Brighton, Victoria, occupation Bootmaker, d. 6 Feb 1914 in Richmond, Victoria.

Children:
i Charles Horace Green, b. __ ___ 1881. Did not marry.
ii Elsie Emma Green, b. 25 Dec 1884 in Bairnsdale, Victoria, d. 28 Aug 1957. Did not marry.
9. iii James Alexander Green b. __ ___ 1886.
iv Ninna Green. Ninna died at birth.
v Violet Green. Violet died aged 19.
10. vi William McPherson Green b. __ ___ 1892.
vii Archibald Matheson Green. Archibald did not marry and was killed during the First World War.
11. viii Helen Mitchell Green b. ?? ___ 1897.
12. ix Norman McLeay Green b. __ ___ 1900.

8. James David Matthews, b. 25 Aug 1861 in Amherst, Victoria, d. 28 Sep 1921 in Footscray, Victoria. Discovered Jubilee Reef Amherst in June 1897 with William Reeves.

He married Jane Reeves, married 27 Jun 1886 in Narrigal, Victoria, b. 27 Nov 1866 in Cockatoo, Victoria, (daughter of William John Reeves and Mary Anne Gill) d. 22 Jul 1947 in Footscray, Victoria.

Children:
i Leslie William Matthews, b. 11 Feb 1888 in Maryborough, Victoria, d. ?? ___ 1980 in Tullibigeal, NSW.

He married Ellen Edith Tucker, married 30 Apr 1918 in Ballarat, Victoria, b. ?? ___ ????.

ii David Reeves Matthews, b. 2 Jun 1890 in Amherst, Victoria, d. ?? ___ 1970.

He married Anna Ritter, d. ?? ___ 1978.

13. iii Sylverton Ivy Matthews b. 27 Oct 1892.
iv John Hilbert Matthews, b. 29 Dec 1894 in Amherst, Victoria, d. 8 Aug 1915 in France.
14. v Ruth Irene (Bliss) Matthews b. 9 Jun 1897.
vi Jean Adelaine Matthews, b. 22 Sep 1899 in Amherst, Victoria.

She married (1) Eugene Curtin.
She married (2) Bill Rundell.

vii William Basil Matthews, b. 26 Jul 1901 in Ararat, Victoria, d. __ Dec 1902, buried 16 Dec 1902 in Ararat Cemetery.
viii Wilfred James Matthews, b. 6 Nov 1903 in Ararat, Victoria.

He married Violet Cumming.

ix Evylan May Matthews, b. 30 sep 1908 in Ararat, Victoria.

She married Charles Smith.

Sixth Generation

9. James Alexander Green, b. __ ___ 1886.

He married Margaret Verney.

Children:
15. i Shirley Green.
ii Gordon Green.

He married Georgina.

10. William McPherson Green, b. __ ___ 1892.

He married Elsie Vipond, b. 24 Feb 1894.

Children:
i Phyllis Green.
ii Audrey Green.
iii Marjory Green.
iv Russell Green.

11. Helen Mitchell Green, b. ?? ___ 1897 in Bairnsdale, Victoria.

She married Alexander Watson, married 17 Feb 1925 in Richmond, Victoria, b. 8 Nov 1898, d. 29 Mar 1956.

Children:
16. i Betty Matthews Watson b. 27 Mar 1926.
17. ii Peter Alexander Watson b. 17 Jan 1928.
iii Pamela Elise Watson, b. 17 Jan 1928 in Auburn, Victoria.

She married Lionel Cyril Henry Gleeson, married 4 Nov 1950.

12. Norman McLeay Green, b. __ ___ 1900.

He married Winifred.

Children:
i Jane Green.

13. Sylverton Ivy Matthews, b. 27 Oct 1892 in Amherst, Victoria, d. 25 Oct 1990 in Noble Park, Victoria.

She married Richard Martin Cosstick, married 29 Jul 1914, b. 11 Jul 1888 in Waterloo, Victoria, (son of James Edward Cosstick and Lucy Elizabeth Martin) d. 28 Feb 1941 in Ararat, Victoria, buried in Ararat, Victoria.

Children:
18. i Ivy Joyce Cosstick b. 22 May 1915.
19. ii John Hilbert (Jack) Cosstick b. 14 Oct 1917.
iii Edward David Cosstick, b. 21 Feb 1922 in Ararat, Victoria, occupation Bank Manager, d. 16 Feb 1991 in Kallista, Victoria, buried in Springvale Crematorium.

He married Barbara Hazel Cross, b. 26 Jan 1924, d. 13 May 1994.

14. Ruth Irene (Bliss) Matthews, b. 9 Jun 1897 in Amherst, Victoria, d. 18 May 1993.

She married (1) Edward Roy Cosstick, married 1924, b. 29 May 1891 in Amherst, Victoria, (son of James Edward Cosstick and Lucy Elizabeth Martin) d. 7 May 1976 in Talbot, Victoria.

Children:
20. i Linda Cosstick b. 21 Sep 1924.

She married (2) Syd Bliss, married 19 Jan 1916, b. ?? ___ ????.

Seventh Generation

15. Shirley Green.

She married Bill Forester.

Children:
[3 Children]

16. Betty Matthews Watson, b. 27 Mar 1926 in Auburn, Victoria.

She married Ewan James Herbert, married 15 Sep 1951.

Children:
[2 Children]

17. Peter Alexander Watson, b. 17 Jan 1928 in Auburn, Victoria.

He married Judith Ralph, married __ Feb 1951.

Children:
[7 Children]

18. Ivy Joyce Cosstick, b. 22 May 1915 in Ararat, Victoria, 2 Jul 1922 in Ararat, Victoria.

She married Alexander Ernest Wilkie, married 06 Apr 1940 in Ararat, Victoria, b. 07 Dec 1913 in Calcutta, India, (son of Alexander James Gilmour Wilkie and Marjory Isabella McCombie) 16 Dec 1913 in Calcutta, India, occupation Nurseryman and others, d. 19 Oct 1969 in Springvale, Victoria, buried __ Oct 1969 in Springvale Crematorium.

Children:
[3 Children]

19. John Hilbert (Jack) Cosstick, b. 14 Oct 1917 in Ararat, Victoria, d. __ Feb 1999 in Frankston, Victoria.

He married Mary Edith (Mollie) Ostler, married 18 Jun 1942, b. 24 Aug 1922.

Children:
[3 Children]

20. Linda Cosstick, b. 21 Sep 1924 in Talbot, Victoria.

She married Gordon Keith Cameron, married 24 Mar 1945 in Ararat, Victoria, b. 19 Nov 1919.

Children:
[5 Children]

Eighth Generation

[The Eighth and Ninth Generations are not included here]

5. Leslie William Matthews

2007-11-23T03:07:00.000-08:00

Leslie William Mattews was the first child of James David Matthews and Jane Reeves. He was born on 11 February 1888 at Maryborough in central Victoria, Australia.

Like many young men in their late teens and twenties Les applied to join the AIF at the outbreak of the First World War.

Les became part of the 22nd Battalion AIF which was formed on 26th March 1915 at Broadmeadows Camp in Victoria. The battalion in turn was part of the 6th Brigade of the 2nd Division. Most of the battalion left Melbourne for Egypt on 8th May 1915 and after some time training in Egypt was deployed to Gallipoli in the first week of September 1915.

Having made the decision to join the AIF and also to ask his girlfriend Edith Ellen Tucker, known to her friends as Nell, to marry him, Les Matthews decided to keep a diary. He began his four year diary on Tuesday 16th of March 1815. His last entry was on Monday 12th May 1919.

It makes fascinating reading. Selections from Les Matthews' Diaries are published here [1]:

1915 March

16 Tuesday
Col.Morton appointed C.O. 22nd

Application to join the AIF

17 Wednesday
Application to join A.I.F. taken to H.Q. by Col.Morton

1915 April

12 Monday
Left Ballarat 11.10 AM to join 23rd Btn 6th Inf.Bde with Capt Brogenan & Lt Ahern. Going to No 5 O.T.S. Arrived Camp 5 P.M. after buying gear, boots, etc. in Melbne. Report to C.O. Introduced to Coy Off. ‘B’ Coy. French lessons under Lt. Howells. Ground in bad state after rain. Tented with Lt. Jacques.

13 Tuesday
Let Lt. Howells carry on. Sizing up Coy. Watched Coy at Platoon work. Excellent material in men. N.C.O.s weak on whole. Some of N.C.O.s in isolation prior to my taking over charge. Innoculated for Typhoid. Write N.

14 Wednesday
Coy working well. Brigadier compliments me on work. French

15 Thursday
Coy drill. High wind. Voice felt strain.

16 Friday
Letter from N... Company drills and other routines continued daily.

20 Tuesday
Caught 5.40 a.m. Ballarat

Talk re Marriage

21 Wednesday
With N. In Perry Park. Lovely afternoon. Talk re marriage. Settle that night. Tea with N. In kitchen. Quiet, happy tea. Arranged that marriage to take place on 5th May. Darling N.

Bought engagement ring

22 Thursday
Bought engagement ring at Jonses. Saw Mr Tucker. Gave ring to N. Tears in her eyes. Happiness & joy as well as sadness at my going to front. Bed fairly early - thoughts of N.

24 Saturday
Left 10.25 arrive Melb. 12.30. Good bye Ivy, Dick, Jean, Bill & Effie.

25 Sunday
N. Afternoon & evening. Good talk over wedding arrangements.

26 Monday
Insured life with A.M.P. Took cab to Nell’s. Came with me to station.

27 Tuesday
Camp by myself. Long letter to N. Capt. Black came in afternoon. Arranged matters re wedding.

28 Wednesday
Note to N.

29 Thursday
Up 5 o’clock.
On go all day. Catch Geelong train at Newport 3.35 arrive Ballt. 7.30. Lodge. Toasts downstairs. Talk up with Mr Tucker. Good long yarn. Note from Nell. Thoughts of morrow.

Wedding Day

30 Friday
Wedding day. Rush around to fix up matters. Fell off Joneses bike - cut face & eye blackened. Married about 1.30. Photo of wedding breakfast. Catch Geelong train. Parents & friends see us off. Everything passes off well. Arrive at Geelong. Stay at Sydney Hotel. Happy times. Dear Nell. Pleased with Hotel.

1915 May

1 Saturday
Breakfast 9.30. 1st day of honeymoon

Daily entries continue throughout the year. The troops are sent to Egypt where they continue their training.

1915 August

Heard that Jack had been killed
16 Monday
Heard that Jack had been killed in assault during previous week. Rev.Bladin called for me to go into his tent – had been told by Q.M.S.Loveridge who saw 14th Bttn man in Heliopolis. Man said that Jack had been killed in the advance on Hill 971 on left of position. As rumours of men killed have been found to be without foundation I have hope that Jack is safe… Feel rumours about Jack. Hope everything alright.

17 Tuesday
Slept badly. Couldn’t help thinking of Jack. Capt Bladin could not hear any definite news of Jack. Hopes of Jack being alright. Btn drill in morning. Lieut Porter’s cousins Machine Gun Section 14th Btn heard rumours that all ‘C’ Coy Officers 1th Btn had been killed – Jack’s Coy. Could hardly carry out work with Coy at night. Still only rumours. Lt.Jacques reported for duty – had heard of Jack being killed while he was in Alexandria. Tossed and turned before I got to sleep. Poor old Jack.

18 Wednesday
Still no news of Jack. Went into Cairo with Q.M.S. to get Coy stationery etc for front. Bought mess tins, chemicals, etc. Had photos taken at Zolas. Dr.Will & I had lunch at Shephards. Visited Zoo…

22 Sunday
Did not go to church parade. Went with Will to hospitals, Heliopolis Palace, Sporting Club. Could not hear anything definite about Jack but persistent rumours of his death. After 8 o’clock before I left hospitals. Was at hospitals for five hours during afternoon.

23 Monday
Wrote home. Felt that I couldn’t write as I feel certain that Jack has been killed. Wrote to Nell also at night. Dear Nell – it will cause her some anxiety when she hears about Jack…

It's the loved ones who have to suffer
25 Wednesday
Had bad time marching out to battle firing [practice] – continually thinking of happy times Jack & I had spent together. Dear Mother. It’s the loved ones who have to suffer.

26 Thursday
Into Cairo… arranged for photos to be sent to Nell… got cable from Nell about Jack. Sent from Ararat. Must be up home. I was just going to cable and dreaded it. Dear Mum.

Last of Egypt - sand, dust and heat

30 Monday
Arrived Alexandria about 4.30pm and embarked on H.M.T.’Southland’ right away. Gen.Legge & staff on same boat also Brigade staff. 21st Btn and Divisional Units. My Coy. 5 off & 250 men Visited ‘Haverford’ where 23rd are. A much better ship. Went with Mjr Harris into Alexandria. At Base Records told Jack killed 8/8/15. Sailed about 5 pm. Hope last of Egypt & sand, dust & heat. Sea very smooth. Other transports ahead & astern. Bed early. Dead tired.

31 Tuesday
Up about 8.15. Best & longest sleep for months. Jolly warm though as I have lower cabin and away from port hole. Coy supplying submarine guard. Received cholera injection afternoon… Good meals for men & officers. Feel tired again. Get to bed early and read letters from home & Nell again. Dear Nell.

1915 September

Dear old Nell

1 Wednesday
Got up after 8. Lovely to have a ‘lay in’… wrote to Nell after dinner. Read through her letters as I wrote. Dear old Nell. Am writing her a nice long letter. Got to bed about 11 o’clock

Torpedoed by Submarine

2 Thursday
Torpedoed by submarine about 9.45 am right forward. Saw torpedo coming about 200 feet off on port-side… waiting for the explosion. Coy assembled & behaved splendidly. No.5 Platoon stuck to post as Submarine Guard magnificently. About 11 I sent them aft. Other platoons 7 & 5 I got away at intervals. No.6 was on Submarine Guard right aft. Some were sent away in first boats. Stayed till last boat launched and Hospital Ship ‘Neuralia’ came alongside. Went down gangway onto one of her boats about 12.15pm.

Saw Grieves & McLean of my Coy badly hit. Told off some men to look after them. Can hear nothing of Mr.Jacques or Mr.Main. Am afraid Jacques has been drowned as he was one of the first away & the boat capsized. Hope he is alright. Cannot hear anything definite about Mr. Main. Some of my men say they saw him helping one of the wounded into a boat. Mr Atkinson & Mr MacDonald worked like Britons in getting away the collapsible boats aft….

Chief officer, another officer and one of the crew were with us aft launching the boats. Some of the crew I’m sorry to say did not show to advantage. Saw one shot. I had a roll call of my Coy – 86 all ranks – on the Neuralia… Am comfortable now in a cabin with Majors Bateman & Forbes of 23rd. Men are all supplied with blankets and are asleep. We have been looked after splendidly. Most of men have no uniform or very little. Some have been in the water when their boat capsized….

I tried to get a box of bullion off the ‘Southland’ but was too heavy to get down the gangway. Ship’s officer said it had better be left – there were two boxes in our boat…. When I went into my cabin just before leaving I took Nell’s letters, letter or part of one I had written to her yesterday, letters to Cis, Aunt Jessie… made sure I had Nell’s photo with me, got Coy roll and took haversack, books and pack also rug – only have rug and haversack now. Last I saw of other things were floating about in water in hospital boat. Took my boots off earlier and put sand shoes on…

As soon as I saw the torpedo strike – or rather heard the explosion – I watched the track of the torpedo until it was right up to the ship. I rushed to my cabin – put on the lifebelts and although I didn’t waste any time I found 7 & 5 Platoons had fallen in on their parade ground. It was an act of providence that we were not struck in a more vital spot otherwise we would have had an awful casualty list. The ‘Neuralia’ was the first boat alongside and it was 12 o’clock when she arrived.

It was a sight never to be forgotten – to see warships, destroyers and transports hurrying to the scene. It was pitiful to see some of the men in the water crying out for help, some on pieces of grating, others clinging to wreckage, etc. Then to see the boat loads being picked up by our ships. Destroyers cruised around for several hours picking up men. I think our casualties will be small…. Dear Nell.

A babel of tongues

3 Friday
Transferred to H.M.T.Transylvania from S.S.Neuralia about 10 am. Babel of tongues as we drew alongside & inquiries as to friends. Lt.Jacques and 50 men on board – picked up by French destroyer and British aeroplane boat…. Heard that Col.Linton had been drowned – boat capsized. Was in the water for some time – probably over an hour – was not quite dead when picked up. Buried him on shore during the morning without letting his son Lt.Linton know – he was on the ‘Neuralia’.

4 Saturday
Up about 5 am. Equipment sorted out Sergeant Harton found dead. 22nd, 23rd & 24th Bn moved off to the front. 23rd about 3pm first. Hard to see them going out. Withers, Chisholm and Halman killed by torpedo. Poor Chisholm – knew him at Learmonth…. Good night Nell.

Queer Sunday

5 Sunday
Service on front deck of Transylvania. Got boat at 9.15am to attend service at Col.Linton’s grave… back on board about 11 am… Letters written home. Censoring letters until 12 o’clock at night. Did not get Nell’s letter finished. Bed very tired. Queer Sunday. Different to Ballarat Sunday.

6 Monday
Still at Lemnos. Awaiting arrival of equipment from shore. General Legge and Divisional staff, also Brigade staff left for front… Wrote to Nell in morning – mail left boat before time expected but will give letter to Capt.Kennedy to post when he gets on shore. He is going into hospital. Clothing and equipment came on board. Off tomorrow. Wrote Ivy & Dick. Had hot sea bath and got to bed about 11. Thoughts of Nell.

7 Tuesday
Embarked on ‘Prince Abbas… left out transport about 2pm picked up A.M.C. and steamed out about 5 pm. Fine sight to pass all the shipping. Warships, transports, etc. Passed poor old Southland. Men rather nervy about submarines. Had meal on board. Weird to steam in… warships opened fire on both sides of us as we were disembarking - spent bullets falling around us. Crashing of rifles reminds one of ‘Guy Fawkes’ at home.

Arrived Anzac - Live like animals here.

8 Wednesday
Arrived Anzac about midnight in barge. Guide led to Rest Valley. Bivouac in open and dugouts. Atkinson & I slept together. Cold in mornings. Some used to firing… Went over positions with J.Scholes during afternoon. Around our position ‘Lone Pine’ with Co.Thomas. My Coy moved up to 1st Btn lines. Slept in Btn dugout… Had tea with Dr.Green. My Coy resting in trenches. Had a bit of a wash in Dr’s dugout. No shame. Live like animals here.

Jolly cold in morning

9 Thursday
Went down to beach with Capt.Smith & Will for bathe. Arranged Coy H Qrs where old 1st Btn dugout was. ‘C’ Coy coming in also so will be with Will again. Went around trenches during afternoon. No 5 & 6 Platoons in Fire Trenches. Lunch with Will. Tea in our dugouts. Quite comfortable under circumstances. Had look around at night with Lt.Ramsay. Demonstration about 9.15. Two rounds fired. Turks did fire some for a while. Weird in fire trenches with bullets whistling around. Will Main & I slept in dugout. Jolly cold early in morning. Ground jolly hard. Wash, shower and clean teeth in a few spoonfuls of water. Flies pretty bad.

What whould they think if they saw us now

10 Friday
Turks shelled British ship pretty close to our Btn Hd Qtrs. Went over No.3 position of Pine Position… spent afternoon there with Capt Manning who will take over from me…went over our section during night. Drew plans and discussed arrangements. Got into dugout about 11 pm. Had better arrangements made for washing etc. Will make ourselves comfortable if we stop for any length of time. Will & I had a yarn. Wondered what out [families?] would think of us if they saw us.

Turks might let us have tea in peace

11 Saturday
Resting from trenches. Slept till 5 am. Steak for breakfast. Had a good appetite. Biscuits hard though… Had a look at positions again in afternoon… Turks very busy with shells – might let us have tea in peace. Mail to hand. Nothing for me. Going to spend night in Fire Trench before going in Sunday. Nell.

Bombing keeps one awake

12 Sunday
Went into firing line at 10 am – relieved past 7th & 4th Pltn. Went round position with Capt Simpson. 4th Ptn had little sleep last night Bombing & rifle fire keeps one awake. Rather uncomfortable squeezing into dugouts in side of trenches. Got a bit of a hold though. My section No.3 of Lone Pine. Divided into three portions. Lt.Atkinson, Jacques & me.

Turks shelled Lone Pine. Will lost some men. 75s are deadly. Went to Bth Hd Qrs. Shells struck overhead cover. Smothered in dust. Not nice sight seeing men cut up being carried out on stretchers. Took over. Practically no reserve of bombs & amm. Had to arr age for supply. Turks got rather cheeky until we bombed back. The supply of Egyptian bombs in my Sec. were practically useless – not 25% bursting. Men behaving splendidly. Cherry & Weedon both hit. Cherry while bombing. Weedon in hand while firing over parapet. Gagino killed in Sap.B while asleep. Mystery how he was hit. Died while stretcher bearers getting him out – terrible job. Took an hour to get him out a few yards.

Bully Beef gets very monotonous

13 Monday
Everything quiet. Sniping & bombing continued. Men making themselves dugouts along the communication trenches. Turks shelled position about mid-day. Continued sniping & bombing. One soon gets used to bullets & shells whistling around…. Feel like pigs. Biscuits very hard. Bully beef gets very monotonous. Wonder what Nell would think if she could see me now. Puts one in mind of a rabbit warren.

14 Tuesday
Jolly cold moving around. Bombing and sniping as bad… Relieved at 9 am. Quite good to get out of the trenches again. Had a shave… Shelled heavily just before dusk bursting around dugout.

15 Wednesday
Didn’t get up till after 5 am. Went down to beach and had a look round old 4th Bgd position – 14th Btn had gone… Will came with me. Stiff climbing but want some exercise. Did some censoring of letters in afternoon. Men seem very cheerful. Will and I had a talk over some letters which just came after tea. Read extracts from them. Nell’s No 11 31/7/15. Letter from Mum & Dad 1/7/15 also note from Ruth. It was good to get our mail before we went into the trenches.

No one hit this day. Hope it continues...

16 Thursday
Went into trenches at 10 am… men soon settled down… everything very quiet. Usual bombing and sniping. No one hit this day. Hope it continues….

Trench warfare is rotten

17 Friday
In trenches…Spent some time listening to Turks working… Artillery fire from enemy about mid-day… Bruce slightly hit in leg. Clone & Broadhurst smothered – both suffered from shock. Broadhurst especially. 75s are deadly. Trench warfare is rotten. No comfort. Strain rather severe on men especially in bomb pits but men work splendidly. They’re fine.

The daily entries continue...

November 1915

A never to be forgotten day.

29 Monday
A never to be forgotten day. Lone Pine very heavily shelled by Turks – started about 9.30 am. Heavy fort guns firing shells up to 2cwt, 9.2 inch, also 8.2s, 75s. heavy howitzers, Hotchkiss, broomstick bombs and a heavy iron bomb. Place just an inferno – ground continually rocking with the explosions of the shells – great lumps of earth weighing sometimes over 1cwt thrown into the air, sandbags tossed about like feathers, trenches levelled and men being buried in all directions. Saps A & B blown in. L.P.14 both entrances blown in. Latrines levelled. Communication trenches filled in. My Headquarters blown in. Ammunition and bombs covered up. Phone smashed – no communication with Bth Hd Qrs possible. ‘A’Coys phone & Hd Qrs wrecked. Shell came in while I was going down into the tunnel to inspect the bombs. Covered me with earth. Got through the end of the tunnel into dressing station where I rested. Another shell almost blew dressing station up – landed a few feet away and buried men in the tunnel. Some were wounded. Shelling lasted three hours. Fully expected Turks to attack. They certainly missed an opportunity as the trenches were battered beyond recognition, but men would have fought like tigers. The awful waiting for the shell as it whistles towards one is nerve breaking. Our Dr Capt Green was killed by a shrapnel bullet at the 6th Field Ambulance – while at operating table – Major Johnston killed at Lone Pine also Lieuts Fogarty & Findlay 24th Bn. Lt Ross & Lt Macdonald were buried… My Coy – Four men killed – thirteen wounded or buried and evacuated. Several bad through shock and burial but not sent away. Did not have more than 25 men in Lone Pine at time fortunately for my Coy. Experience something awful. Everyone would prefer to go over the parapets

December 1915

13 Monday
Up early. Court Martial in 18th Btn. Re Keack of ‘C’ Coy – Adjourned owing difficulties of forming court. Certain we evacuate. Preparations made – mines, barricades, etc. Had to get urgent letters away to Nell F.IS –home & Ivy. Cable to Nell…. Nothing definite known re evacuation but will be soon. Cards with ‘C’ Coy. Bed 10.30. Nell. Home.

Lone Pine

14 Tuesday
Took over No.3 Section Lone Pine from Mj Baird at 10.30. Will & Capt Kennedy my sub-section commanders. Everything quiet. Our artillery active. Enemy sent over some 75s and Hotchkiss in afternoon. C.O.Lone Pine Col Watson – partly “silent” warfare during night. Broomsticks, 75s & Hotchkiss over occasionally at night. Inspected lines at ‘Stand To’ at 5.15pm. bed about midnight.

It is a strain here.

15 Wednesday
In trenches at Lone Pine… abnormally quiet in front during day. Conference with C.O. during afternoon. Evacuation fixed for nights of 18th & 19th. Went into details but awaiting order from Brigade. Cold snap set in during night. Had a yarn to Will. Be a relief to get away from shells, bombs etc for a while. Good to walk in the open feeling safe. It is a strain here.

16 Thursday
Quiet day – few shells over during afternoon… no definite orders received yet… Nello.

17 Friday
Out of trenches. In bed till 9.30. Breakfast with Will. Went with Will & Capt Kennedy around Purple & No.1. Will got his periscope smashed on one of his old posts. Some pieces went into his head & face. Bled a bit. Conference at 2 pm… details of evacuation read and discussed. In charge of ‘B’ Party – roughly 200 men. Some shelling today. Conditions appear to be normal on Turkish side. Bed about 11.30. Tired.

Our sacrifice has been so great.

19 Sunday
Evacuation of ANZAC began. In charge of 2nd Party. 9 Off[icers] 259 other ranks. Assembled in Mortigan’s Lane and moved off 2 am… steamed out to H.M.S.Reindeer, under way by 4.15 am Felt rather a pang at leaving – our sacrifice has been so great, Just felt like deserting dear old Jack. Everything worked smoothly. Beaches very quiet. Arrived Mudros 9.50am.

[More entries from Les Matthews' Diaries will be published soon.

In March 1916, the 22nd battalion embarked for France and joined the Western Front in the trenches near Fleurbaix at the beginning of April 1916. They then saw action at Pozières during the British offensive on the Somme. In September they moved to Ypres and back to the Somme for the winter. Most of 1917 was spent in trench warfare from Bullecourt to Broodseinde in Flanders, and in 1918 they returned to the Somme.

Les Matthews served at Gallipoli and France achieving the rank of Major, then went to England where the King presented him with the Distinguished Service Order medal. The citation published in the London Gazette of 16 September 1918 read:

Maj.Leslie William Matthews, Aust.Infy.
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. This officer commanded his battalion in an attack, previous to which he had reconnoitred the jumping-off ground, and thought out all the arrangements and dispositions. During the attack he moved about under heavy fire, keeping in touch with the situation, directing and controlling the men, and by prompt action in altering the dispositions, minimised the losses from shell fire.

After the war as part of a Soldier Settlement Scheme Les purchased a large property called "Merribogie" at Bygalorie near West Wyalong in New South Wales.

Ellen died there in 1953. Les died in 1980. Both are buried at Tullibigeal in central New South Wales not far from where they lived narly all of their married lives.

Footnotes

1. Leslie William Matthews, Diaries kept during his service overseas; Henderson, H.B.,Ed., The All-Australian War Memorial - A Historical Record of National Effort during the Great War, British Australasian Publishing Service, Melbourne, 1917

4. James David Matthews and Jane Reeves Children

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David Matthews and Jane Reeves had nine children.

Leslie William Mathews

Les was born on 11 February 1888 at Maryborough. His story is told in the next chapter.

David Reeves Matthews

Dave was born on 2 June 1890 at White Horse Reef near Amherst in Victoria.

He became Curator of Footscray Park in 1916, at the age of twenty six after serving an apprenticeship at the Alexandra Park in Ararat. At Footscray he won recognition from all over the state for his skill in landscaping and knowledge of trees. Later he designed the gardens for the Coolart homestead on the Mornington Peninsula. During the second world war he assisted the Department of Labour and National Service by advising farmers how to grow such essential commodities as flax. He retired in 1964 and went to live at Tecoma in the Dandenong Ranges where he died in 1970. [1]

Sylverton Ivy Matthews

Ivy was born at White Horse Reef on 10 October 1892.

She was given the unusual name of Sylverton Ivy. David's sister-in-law, Barbara (the wife of his brother William Frederick), had seen the name in a book and had named her son Mervyn Sylverton. Jane liked the name and so gave it to her daughter, although she was always known as Ivy. Ivy Matthews later married Richard Martin Cosstick, the son of James Edward Cosstick and grandson of John Cosstick of Surrey.

John Hilbert Matthews

Jack was born on 29 December 1894 at White Horse Reef.

Jack had turned twenty on 29 December 1914. He enlisted in the army and was killed in the battle of Lone Pine on 8 August 1915.

A record of Jack Matthews' service reads:

2nd Lieutenant John Hilbert MATTHEWS, 14th Battalion, AIF. Born Amherst, Victoria. Single; Postal official, of 2 Lowe Street, Ararat, Victoria. Next of kin: Father; James David Matthews. Mother; Jane Matthews (nee Reeves), of same address and of 11 Geelong Road, Footscray, Melbourne, Victoria. Killed in action at Kaiajik Dere, towards Hill 971, northern Anzac, on 8 August 1915, aged 20. No Known Grave.[ ]

Ruth Irene Matthews

Ruth was born at Amherst on 6 June 1897.

During 1900 election campaigns were under way for the first Federal Parliament. Doctor Charles Carty Salmon announced that he would hold an election meeting at the Amherst Town Hall and most of the men of the district planned to attend the historic meeting. David Matthews had been out working all day and came home to find that his six year old son, Jack, and four year old daughter, Ruth, had been missing from White Horse Reef for most of the day. David immediately went into Amherst and informed those who were going to the meeting. A search party was formed and the election meeting cancelled.

In the meantime, Jack and Ruth had gone for a walk along the Bet Bet Creek bordering the Glenmona property, quite some distance from home, and had been found by the Chapman’s who then owned the property. The Bet Bet Creek had been a popular fishing and swimming place for members of the Matthews, Reeves and Marr families for many years [2].

Ruth later married Syd Bliss and then Edward Roy Cosstick.

Jean Matthews

Jean was born at Amherst on 22 September 1899.

William Basil Matthews

William Basil died aged only one year on 16 December 1902, having been born on 26 July 1901.

Wilfred James Matthews

Wilfred James Matthews was born at Ararat on 6 November 1903. He later married Violet Cumming.

Evalyn May Matthews

Evalyn (Effie) May was born on 30 September 1908. She later married Charles Smith.

Footnotes

1. Related by Sylverton Ivy Cosstick, 5 February 1980; Also in The Mail (Footscray Newspaper), 26 March 1964, pp.-3

2. Related by Leslie William Matthews, Tulligibeal, 20 January 1980

William John Reeves and Mary Anne Gill

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This page is currently undergoing revision. Full referencing and sources for all information is available and will be published along with additional details in a forthcoming book. Please contact me if you have any questions.

LITTLE is known about William John Reeves. Both his marriage and death certificates indicate that his parents were William Reeves, a labourer, and Maria Crook .

William Reeves is a very common name and there are a number of possibilities.

There is a record for a William Reeves marrying Maria at Plymouth on 16 May 1827.

Another record shows that William John Reeves was born on 4 July 1828 at East Stonehouse, Devon and was baptised on 24 August 1828. This person’s parents were William Reeves, a Private in the Royal Marines, and Maria, both of Stonehouse .

A further record exists for the birth of two children to William Reeves, a Marine, and his wife Marie. Both Amelia Ann Reeves and Thomas Reeves were baptised on 13 July 1834 at St Andew’s, Plymouth. They could have been twins and at least Thomas is said to have been born on 10 February 1831. In both cases the parents were listed as William Reeves, a Marine, and his wife Marie. Their residence was given as High St., Stonehouse . This couple may or may not have been the same as William and Maria.

To confuse things there is another record exists for Maria Reeves’ burial at the church of St Andrew’s at Plymouth on 15 August 1832. She was aged twenty six . However if the Marie and Maria mentioned above are the same person then this Maria would not have been the wife of William Reeves. If Marie and Maria are not there same then this may have been Maria the wife of William. There is no conclusive evidence.

There is another record for a William Reeves of the Royal Marines a Superannuated Cook who died on 4 April 1846. The executor’s of his estate were seeking payment of money owing by the Navy .

William John Reeves eventually made his way to Australia – either directly to Port Phillip or to New South Wales. But again there may be several possibilities.
There is a record for a William J. Reeves aged 21 arriving at Port Jackson, Sydney on board the 383 ton barque Emma Eugenia on 9 June 1849. It had left Plymouth under the command of Captain Winter on 4 February 1849 . The age of 21 places his birth year around 1828.

Another record indicates that a William John Reeves, a collier, had been tried on 19 October 1846 at the Stafford Quarter Sessions. He was convicted of stealing some clothing from a house. He had a prior conviction and his sentence was that he would be transported for a term of 10 years to Van Diemens Land and given a conditional pardon upon arrival.

He was admitted to Pentonville on 31 December 1846 and taught the trade of a tailor. He could both read and write. William John Reeve’s date of birth is given as 1830.

After spending fifteen months in Pentonville Prison, William John Reeves left England on the Anna Maria bound for Hobart, via Geelong. It had been scheduled to leave on 12 February 1848 but left Woolwich on 9 March 1848. The Anna Maria, a 421 ton barque built in Calcutta in 1836, made record time from Woolwich to Hobart - only 90 days under the Master Edward Smith, arriving at Geelong on 22 June 1848 where 163 male convicts were landed. A further twenty seven were taken on to Hobart and eight went on to Sydney .

This William Reeves was what the settlers around Melbourne and Geelong would have called a Pentonvillian. However William John Reeves was not a convict but an exile – and there was a significant difference.

Originally the exile scheme had been set up to address a labour shortage in Van Diemen’s Land and was targeted at people who were of generally good conduct and had committed a relatively minor offence. Those selected for the scheme underwent a period of ‘seclusion’ of up to twelve months while they considered their predicament and demonstrated a desire for rehabilitation. They would be given training in a trade and then recommended for Royal Pardons.

By the time the first exiles were ready to come to Australia in 1844 the labour shortage in Tasmania had been resolved and the governors of the other colonies were asked to agree to accept the newly reformed and retrained candidates.

Most ships carrying exiles would call at Hobart to disembark normal convicts then go to Launceston until it was decided which of the other colonies would accept them. Between 1844 and 1849 Victoria accepted nine ships and turned away another four, which had to go on to Sydney or Brisbane.

Exiles were provided with government support for housing and employment but could choose to make their own arrangements if they wished. Upon disembarking from their ship the pardon took effect and they were free to do what they wished. The only restriction was that they were not to go back to the United Kingdom until after the term of their original sentence had passed .

After arriving in Australia, William John Reeves was found work with a Mr Boyd of Sydney .

Which of these immigrants is the William John Reeves who married Mary Anne Gill?

William John Reeves’ death certificate, completed by his son in 1888, indicates that he spent three years in New South Wales and 36 in Victoria. Both candidates spent time in New South Wales. After arriving in Victoria around 1852 he travelled to the Amherst goldfields where he met Mary Anne Gill.

Mary Anne Gill had been born in 1830 in Cumberland, England, her parents being William Gill, a coalminer, and Mary Scott .

Mary Anne Gill’s arrival in Australia, like William Reeves, is the subject of a number of possibilities.

One record indicates that on 5 June 1854, aged twenty four, with her fourteen year old sister, and the Smith family, Mary Anne left London on board the Brilliant. Four months later, in September 1854, the ship and its twenty six passengers arrived at Geelong .

Another record indicates that the Gill family arrived at Adelaide on board the ship Shakamaxon on 19 January 1853. The Shackamaxon was an American ship of 1090 tons and had left Liverpool under the command of Captain West on 4 October 1852 .

The passenger list for the Shackamaxon includes John Gill aged 28, a miner; Mary Gill age 48, a Housemaid; Mary Gill, age 23, a dairymaid; and Jane Gill, age 26, also a dairymaid. All were from Cumberland and John was listed as a single male passenger and the women as single female passengers.

It would appear that Mary Gill senior’s husband had died prior to the 1851 United Kingdom Census and Mary and the children came to Australia. John Gill was present at Mary Gill’s funeral at Majorca in 1888 .

Many years later Mary Anne Gill told her grandson, Leslie William Matthews, that they had been required to bring all of their provisions, bedding and food, including hens, for the voyage. In 1856 the Ships Passengers Act specified that in addition to, and irrespective of any provisions the passengers may have brought for themselves, the master of every ship had to provide 'pure water' and 'sweet and wholesome' food. Three quarts of water had to be provided for each day of the voyage for each passenger, in addition to water for cooking. Each adult passenger was to be allowed the following weekly provisions:

Bread or biscuit 3lbs 8oz
Wheaten flour 2lbs 0oz
Oatmeal 1 0
Rice 0 8
Peas 1 8
Potatoes 2 0
Beef 1 4
Pork 1 0
Tea 0 2
Sugar 0 2
Salt 0 1/2
Ground Pepper 0 1/4
Vinegar One Gill
Lime Juice 0 6
Preserved Meat 1 0
Suet 0 6
Raisins 0 8
Butter 0 4

There were various substitutions specified and certain medicines, medical instruments and other medical items were to be provided .

It is not known what Mary Anne Gill did between September 1853 when she arrived at Adelaide, and 1858 when she married. Friends back in England wrote of their pleasure in receiving a letter from her in 1855 having "long given up thoughts about one". The pleasure was even greater as Mary Anne had managed to write the letter herself . Eventually Mary Anne found herself in Amherst where she met William John Reeves.

Mary Anne Gill's sister Jane married John Martin a miner and remained
in SA with her family. Their mother, Mary Gill senior, came to the goldfields and died at Amherst, as did the brother John Gill. Their sister Ann appears to have remained in Cumberland.

A letter received by Mary Gill in 1856

William and Mary Anne married at the Church of England, Amherst, on 3 August 1858. On their marriage certificate they indicated that William was a bachelor, aged 29; that his birthplace was Plymouth, England; he was a miner; lived at Emu; and that his parents were William Reeves, a labourer, and Maria Crook. Mary indicated that she was a spinster, aged 29; also living at Emu; and that her parents were William Gill, a coal miner, and Mary Scott .

They were married by William McFennett, following the rites of the Church of England. The witnesses were James Arrally and Samuel Stephens.

At the time of their marriage Mary Anne still had great difficulty writing, but for this special occasion, with a very uncertain hand, she signed her name on the marriage certificate. She later signed her childrens' birth certificates with a simple cross.

After their marriage William and Mary Anne lived and worked mainly around the small settlements of Emu and Cockatoo, a few miles east of Amherst.

Emu, commonly called Emeu, and Cockatoo, were hardly worthy of being called towns for most of their existence. However, at times thousands of people congregated in search of gold. In 1857 there were over ten thousand diggers at Emu and a main street of shops, over a mile long, sprang up almost overnight. At one time it was reported that sixteen brothels and a large number of hotels were doing a brisk trade. One of the hotels was called the Emeu Hotel and it was from this that the place gained its name.

Another hotel, the London Inn, became notorious as a site for hold-ups, murders, fights and all kinds of criminal activities. According to some accounts the rush to Emu in 1857 was without justification as little gold was to be found. Nevertheless it attracted over ten thousand people, and if gold was difficult to find the population, which reputedly contained "some of the worst types in the colony", could easily be entertained by "rival belles from opposition brothels fighting all-in battles in the streets which were roped off for the encounters. They fought stripped to the waist." Apparently the drinking never stopped at Emu. Nor did the gambling. Death by violence was common and often ignored .

Cockatoo did not enjoy, or suffer from, the same reputation as Emu, and perhaps that is why William and Mary Anne moved there after their first brief encounter with the other place. Cockatoo was a tiny village which came into existence on the Amherst to Carisbrook road at a time when several large mines were operating nearby. Nothing remans to suggest its existence today. They later moved to Narrigal, another small settlement nearby on McCallum's Creek.

William and Mary Anne had five children. William was born in 1859; John Thomas in 1860; Maria in 1862 and Mary in 1864. Jane Reeves was born at Cockatoo on 27 November 1866. Mary Anne did not register Jane's birth until 5 January at the Registry Office in Talbot.

Just over nineteen years later, on 27 June 1886, Jane Reeves married James David Matthews. David Matthews was a very close friend of Jane's older brother William and later went into partnership with him in a mining venture on the Jubilee Reef.
The second son, John Thomas, always known as Jack, later married Louisa Bishop. Maria married another of William's close friends, Charles Marr, and moved to Koreek to live. Maria and Charles faced tragedy on Boxing Day 1893 when their house burned down and their three year old son lost his life .

William John Reeves died in 1888, aged fifty nine. He was buried in an unmarked grave at Majorca .

At the time of his death his son, also William Reeves a miner working at the Major Line, Kooreh, indicated that his father was a miner. He died from haematuria and intercurrent pneumonia from which he had suffered for 7 days. William John Reeves’ parents were given as William Reeves, a plasterer, and Maria Crook. The undertaker was William Clarke. The minister was the Revend Joseph T Piercey of the Primitive Methodist Church. It was indicated that William John Reeves was born in Plymouth, Devonshire, England and had lived in New South Wales for 3 years and Victoria for 36 years.

Mary Anne Reeves lived with her daughter Jane and David Matthews at Ararat after the death of William. When she died she was buried in an unmarked grave at the Ararat Cemetery .

Reeves & Gill Family Descendant Charts

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Reeves Family Chart

1. William Reeves, b. around 1800 in Somersetshire, England?, occupation Labourer. (IGI contains only William Reeve m.8 Feb 1824 Maria Cook Christ Church, Greyfriears, Newgate, London.)

He married Maria Crook, married 182? in Somersetshire, England?, b. around 1800.

Children:
2. i William John Reeves b. 04 Jul 1828.

(Baptism records for the Deanery of East Stonehouse: William John REEVES, bp. 24 Aug 1828, b. 4 Jul 1828 - Parents William (Private Royal Marines) & Maria, Residence Stonehouse; St. Andrew Plymouth: Amelia Ann REEVES, bp. 13 Jul 1834Parents William (Marine) & Marie, Residence High St., Stonehouse; also Thomas REEVES, bp. 13 Jul 1834, said to be born 10 February 1831 Parents William (Marine) & Marie, Residence High St., Stonehouse)

(There is also a Burial record for St. Andrew Plymouth - Maria REEVES aged 26 on 15 Aug 1832)

Second Generation

2. William John Reeves, b. 04 Jul 1828 in Plymouth, Somersetshire, England, bp. 24 Aug 1828 in Plymouth, occupation Collier, d. __ ___ 1888 in Amherst, Victoria. A William John Reeves was convicted of stealing clothing from a house and was sentenced to Pentonville then transported to NSW for ten years. He had a prior conviction and was aged 18. There is some dispute as to whether the NSW convict record refers to this William John Reeves.

He married Mary Anne Gill, married 03 Aug 1858 in Church of England, Amherst, Victoria, (1858 Marriages solemnized in the District of Amherst - William Reeves and Mary Gill: No 11 Registration no 2478, Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia) Mary Anne was b. in Crosthwaite, Cumberland, England, (daughter of William Gill and Mary Scott) 01 Nov 1829 in Crosthwaite, Cumberland, England, buried 22 Dec 1903 in Ararat Cemetery. William, Mary and children John, Mary & Jane lived together in 1841 Census. In 1851 Census Mary is widow living with son John. See below.

Children:
3. i William Reeves b. 07 Apr 1859.
4. ii John Thomas Reeves b. __ ___ 1860.
5. iii Maria Reeves b. __ ___ 1862.
6. iv Mary Reeves b. __ ___ 1864.
7. v Jane Reeves b. 27 Nov 1866.

Third Generation

3. William Reeves, b. 07 Apr 1859 in Cockatoo Gully, Emu, Victoria, occupation Miner, d. 10 Sep 1929 in Frankston, Victoria, buried __ Sep 1929 in Frankston, Victoria.

He married Elizabeth Henry, married 20 Jan 1897 in Amherst Church of England, b. __ ___ 1862, (daughter of John Henry and Emma Parkes).

Children:
8. i Alice Reeves.
9. ii Mabel Reeves.
10. iii Violet Mary Reeves.
11. iv Gladys Beryl Reeves b. __ ___ 1912.

4. John Thomas Reeves, b. __ ___ 1860.

He married Louisa Bishop, married __ ___ ____, b. ?? ___ ????.

Children:
12. i Olive Reeves b. __ ___ 1894.
13. ii Patricia (Trixie) Reeves b. __ ___ 1897.
14. iii John (Jack) Reeves b. __ ___ 1905.

5. Maria Reeves, b. __ ___ 1862.

She married Charles Marr.

Children:
i Charles Marr.
ii Rube Marr.
iii Nina Marr.
iv Edith Marr.
v Elsie Marr.
vi Reg Marr.
vii Colin Marr.
viii Winnie Marr.

6. Mary Reeves, b. __ ___ 1864 in Emu, Victoria.

She married Henry Marr.

Children:
i Charles Marr.
ii Mary Marr.
iii Amy Marr.
iv Elsie Marr.
v Alex Marr.
vi Jack Marr.
vii Stuart Marr.
viii Wilfred Marr.
ix George Marr.
x Harry Marr.

7. Jane Reeves, b. 27 Nov 1866 in Cockatoo, Victoria, d. 22 Jul 1947 in Footscray, Victoria.

She married James David Matthews, married 27 Jun 1886 in Narrigal, Victoria, b. 25 Aug 1861 in Amherst, Victoria, (son of James Matthews and Betsey Goode) d. 28 Sep 1921 in Footscray, Victoria. Discovered Jubilee Reef Amherst in June 1897 with William Reeves.

Children:
15. i Leslie William Matthews b. 11 Feb 1888.
16. ii David Reeves Matthews b. 2 Jun 1890.
17. iii Sylverton Ivy Matthews b. 27 Oct 1892.
iv John Hilbert Matthews, b. 29 Dec 1894 in Amherst, Victoria, d. 8 Aug 1915 in France.
18. v Ruth Irene Matthews b. 09 Jun 1897.
19. vi Jean Adelaine Matthews b. 22 Sep 1899.
vii William Basil Matthews, b. 26 Jul 1901 in Ararat, Victoria, d. __ Dec 1902, buried 16 Dec 1902 in Ararat Cemetery.
20. viii Wilfred James Matthews b. 6 Nov 1903.
21. ix Evylan May Matthews b. 30 sep 1908.

Fourth Generation

8. Alice Reeves.

She married William Shaw.

Children:
22. i William John Gaza Shaw.
23. ii Dorothy Shaw b. __ ___ 1922.
24. iii Neville Shaw b. __ ___ 1927.
25. iv Linda Shaw b. __ ___ 1928.
26. v Malcolm Shaw b. __ ___ 1939.

9. Mabel Reeves.

She married Walter Dalziel.

Children:
i Lois Dalziel.
27. ii Jack Dalziel b. 1927.
28. iii Marie Dalziel b. 1928.
29. iv William Dalziel b. 1932.

10. Violet Mary Reeves.

She married (1) Raymond Brewer.

She married (2) Ray Brewer.

Children:
30. i Margaret Brewer b. 1938.
31. ii Jim Brewer b. 1940.

11. Gladys Beryl Reeves, b. __ ___ 1912, d. __ ___ 1992. Adopted by William and Elizabeth Reeves.

She married Edgar Vollmer.

Children:
32. i Geoffrey Vollmer.
33. ii Owen Vollmer.

12. Olive Reeves, b. __ ___ 1894.

She married Harry Herbert.

Children:
i Noel Herbert.
ii Edith Herbert.
iii Graham Herbert.
iv June Herbert.
v Walter Herbert.
vi Jack Herbert.
vii Jean Herbert.

13. Patricia (Trixie) Reeves, b. __ ___ 1897.

She married Don McLeod. Don McLeod was Member of Parliament for Gippsland.

Children:
i Jack McLeod.

He married Denise Yvonne ?.

34. ii Don McLeod.
35. iii Nancy McLeod.

14. John (Jack) Reeves, b. __ ___ 1905.

He married Dulcie Mott.

Children:
i June Reeves.
36. ii Doreen Reeves.
37. iii John Reeves.

15. Leslie William Matthews, b. 11 Feb 1888 in Maryborough, Victoria, d. 12 Jun 1980 in Tullibigeal, NSW.

He married Ellen Edith Tucker, married 30 Apr 1915 in Ballarat, Victoria, b. __ ___ ____, d. __ ___ 1953.

Children:
i Jack Matthews.
ii Marjorie Matthews, b. 04 Jan 1925, d. 31 Dec 1989.
iii Alan Matthews.
iv Lyndon Matthews.

16. David Reeves Matthews, b. 2 Jun 1890 in Amherst, Victoria, d. ?? ___ 1970.

He married (1) Anna Ritter, d. ?? ___ 1978.

Children:
38. i J Gilbert Matthews b. 16 Oct 1916.
ii Keith Matthews.
iii Anna Matthews.
iv Sidney Matthews.

He married (2) Blanche Dancock.

17. Sylverton Ivy Matthews, b. 27 Oct 1892 in Amherst, Victoria, d. 25 Oct 1990 in Noble Park, Victoria.

She married Richard Martin Cosstick, married 29 Jul 1914, b. 11 Jul 1888 in Waterloo, Victoria, (son of James Edward Cosstick and Lucy Elizabeth Martin) d. 28 Feb 1941 in Ararat, Victoria, buried in Ararat, Victoria.

Children:
39. i Ivy Joyce Cosstick b. 22 May 1915.
40. ii John Hilbert (Jack) Cosstick b. 14 Oct 1917.
iii Edward David Cosstick, b. 21 Feb 1922 in Ararat, Victoria, occupation Bank Manager, d. 16 Feb 1991 in Kallista, Victoria, buried in Springvale Crematorium.

He married Barbara Hazel Cross, b. 26 Jan 1924, d. 13 May 1994.

18. Ruth Irene Matthews, b. 09 Jun 1897 in Amherst, Victoria, d. 18 May 1993.

She married (1) Edward Roy Cosstick, married 1924, b. 29 May 1891 in Amherst, Victoria, (son of James Edward Cosstick and Lucy Elizabeth Martin) d. 7 May 1976 in Talbot, Victoria.

Children:
41. i Linda Cosstick b. 21 Sep 1924.

She married (2) Syd Bliss, married 19 Jan 1916 at Parents house, Ararat, b. 16 Jul 1891 in Foster, Victoria, d. 21 Jan 1919 in Port Pirie, South Australia.

Children:
42. ii Edna Jean Bliss b. 20 Jul 1916.
43. iii Leslie John Bliss b. 20 Oct 1917.

19. Jean Adelaine Matthews, b. 22 Sep 1899 in Amherst, Victoria.

She married (1) Eugene Curtin.

Children:
i Desmond Curtin.
ii David Curtin.

She married (2) William Rundell.

Children:
iii Ann Rundell.

20. Wilfred James Matthews, b. 6 Nov 1903 in Ararat, Victoria.

He married Violet Cumming.

Children:
i Geoffrey Matthews.
ii Lindsay Matthews.

21. Evylan May Matthews, b. 30 sep 1908 in Ararat, Victoria, d. 12 Dec 1995.

She married Charles Smith.

Children:
44. i Alison Smith.
45. ii Janet Smith.

The Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Generations are not shown on this chart.

Gill Family Chart (See also below)

1. Joseph Gill, b. about 1773 in Crosthwaite, Cumberland, England. Not yet confirmed as the parents of William Gill No230.

He married Mary (Devson) Hodgson.

Children:
i Thomas Gill, b. __ Jul 1799 in Crosthwaite, Cumberland, England, 28 Jul 1799 in Crosthwaite, Cumberland, England.
ii Isaac Gill, b. ?? Jul 1802 in Crosthwaite, Cumberland, England, 01 Jul 1802 in Crosthwaite, Cumberland, England.
2. iii William Gill b. 26 Aug 1804.
iv Dawson Gill, b. ?? Jul 1807 in Crosthwaite, Cumberland, England, 05 Jul 1807 in Crosthwaite, Cumberland, England.

Second Generation

2. William Gill, b. 26 Aug 1804 in Crosthwaite, Cumberland, England, 26 Aug 1804 in Crosthwaite, Cumberland, England, occupation Coalminer.

He married Mary Scott, married 13 Aug 1828 in Crosthwaite, Cumberland, England.

William, Mary and children John, Mary & Jane lived together in 1841 Census. In 1851 Census Mary is widow living with son John.

Children:
3. i Mary Anne Gill.
ii Julia Gill, b. __ ___ 184? in Crosthwaite, Cumberland, England, __ ___ 184? in Crosthwaite, Cumberland, England.

Third Generation

3. Mary Anne Gill, b. in Crosthwaite, Cumberland, England, 01 Nov 1829 in Crosthwaite, Cumberland, England, buried 22 Dec 1903 in Ararat Cemetery.

She married William John Reeves, married 03 Aug 1858 in Church of England, Amherst, Victoria, b. 04 Jul 1828 in Plymouth, Somersetshire, England, (son of William Reeves and Maria Crook) 24 Aug 1828 in Plymouth, occupation Collier, d. __ ___ 1888 in Amherst, Victoria. A William John Reeves was convicted of stealing clothing from a house and was sentenced to Pentonville then transported to NSW for ten years. He had a prior conviction and was aged 18. There is some dispute as to whether the NSW convict record refers to this William John Reeves.

Children:
i William Reeves, b. 07 Apr 1859 in Cockatoo Gully, Emu, Victoria, occupation Miner, d. 10 Sep 1929 in Frankston, Victoria, buried __ Sep 1929 in Frankston, Victoria.

He married Elizabeth Henry, married 20 Jan 1897 in Amherst Church of England, b. __ ___ 1862, (daughter of John Henry and Emma Parkes).

ii John Thomas Reeves, b. __ ___ 1860.

He married Louisa Bishop, married __ ___ ____, b. ?? ___ ????.

iii Maria Reeves, b. __ ___ 1862.

She married Charles Marr.

iv Mary Reeves, b. __ ___ 1864 in Emu, Victoria.

She married Henry Marr.

v Jane Reeves, b. 27 Nov 1866 in Cockatoo, Victoria, d. 22 Jul 1947 in Footscray, Victoria.

She married James David Matthews, married 27 Jun 1886 in Narrigal, Victoria, b. 25 Aug 1861 in Amherst, Victoria, (son of James Matthews and Betsey Goode) d. 28 Sep 1921 in Footscray, Victoria. Discovered Jubilee Reef Amherst in June 1897 with William Reeves.

Descendant Chart for Gill Family provided by Malcolm Shaw - August 2009

1 William Gill b: Abt. 1790
.. +Mary Scott b: 1792 in Cumberland, England m: 13 Aug 1828 in Crosthwaite d: 07 Apr 1872 in
Cockatoo Gully Victoria
..... 2 Anne Gill b: 1820 in Cumberland England d: Bef. 1872 in England
..... 2 John Gill b: 1823 in Cumberland England d: 1888 in 65yo.Emu, Victoria, Majorca Cem.
..... 2 Jane Gill b: 1826 in Cumberland England
......... +John Martin m: 09 Sep 1854 in Residence of John Martin Kooringa
............ 3 John2 Martin b: 06 Jul 1855 in TMU dist.
............ 3 William Martin b: 12 Mar 1857 in Kooringa d: 31 May 1858 in Kooringa
............ 3 James Henry Martin b: Abt. 23 May 1858
............ 3 Eliza Martin b: 06 Feb 1861 in Kooringa d: 26 Aug 1862
............ 3 William Martin b: 14 Dec 1862 in Kooringa
............ 3 James Henry Martin b: 03 Mar 1865 in Moonta
............ 3 Alfred Martin b: 01 Jun 1869 in Moonta
..... 2 Mary Gill b: 1829 in Cumberland England d: 21 Dec 1903 in Lambert St. Ararat ,Ararat Cem.
......... +William John Reeves b: 04 Jul 1828 in Plymouth, Devonshire,England m: 03 Aug 1858 in
Amherst d: 04 Sep 1888 in Narrigal, Talbot , Amherst : Majorca Cem.
............ 3 Emily Jane Gill b: Abt. Dec 1858 in Amherst d: Abt. 17 Dec 1859 in Amherst Cem.
............ 3 William Reeves b: 07 Apr 1859 in Emu,Vic. d: 10 Sep 1929 in 70yo Frankston,Frankston Cem.
................ +Emma(Elizabeth)(Reeves) Henry b: 02 Dec 1863 in Amherst m: 20 Jan 1896 in Christ Church
, Amherst d: 31 May 1940 in 77yo Dandenong, Frankston Cem.
............ 3 John (Jack) Thomas Reeves b: 1860 in Amherst d: 1940 in Colac
................ +Louise Bishop b: 1870 in Macoma Vic m: 1892 d: 1915 in Somerton
............ 3 Maria Reeves b: 1862 in Amherst d: 1936 in Mildura
................ +Charles (Charlie) John Marr b: 22 Apr 1850 m: 24 May 1883 in Narrigal, Vic d: 1933 in
Mildura
............ 3 Mary Reeves b: 19 Oct 1864 in Amherst ,Vic d: 27 Sep 1951 in North Melb
................ +Henry Palmer Marr b: 01 Jun 1859 in Maryborough, Vic. m: 25 Oct 1883 in Brides Parents
Residence Craigie,Vic. d: 10 Apr 1944 in Melbourne, Fawkner Crem.
............ 3 Richard Gill b: Abt. May 1865 in Amherst d: Abt. 05 Apr 1866 in Amherst Cem.
............ 3 Jane Reeves b: 1867 in Amherst d: 1947 in East Brighton
................ +James David (Dave) Matthews m: 27 Jun 1886 in Narrigal, Talbot And Amherst,

James David Matthews and Jane Reeves

2007-11-05T12:45:00.000-08:00

The eighth child of James and Betsy Matthews, although only their second son, was named James David Matthews. James David, who was always known as David, was born at the family home at White Horse Reef, Amherst, on 23 August 1861, four months before John and Mary Anne Cosstick's first son, James Edward was born. David's father was then forty three years of age. His mother, Betsy, was thirty seven. Mrs Tillet of Amherst assisted with the birth as nurse, and two months later, on 21 October, Betsy took her son to Amherst to officially register his birth .

As he grew up David Matthews became to know the children of William John Reeves and his wife, Mary Gill, who lived at Emeu a few miles north east of Amherst. He also came to know the children of the Marr family, as well as the many children of the Cosstick family. Bill Reeves, the oldest of the Reeves children, became David Matthews best friend. At least, second only to Bill's sister, Jane, who was five years younger than David, having been born at Cockatoo, east of Amherst, on 27 November 1866 .

On 27 May 1886 twenty four year old David Matthews married nineteen year old Jane Reeves at the residence of her sister, Maria . At the time of their marriage David was working as a miner at Amherst and Jane as a dressmaker at Narrigal, a short distance from Cockatoo, where the Reeves family had moved. Present at the wedding were members of each family, including Jane's brothers Bill and Jack, and a friend, Florence Rich, all of whom witnessed the signing of the marriage certificate. Jane's father had to give his special consent to the marriage as she was under twenty one. The Wesleyan Minister, Ken Hutchinson, conducted the ceremony.

After their marriage David and Jane decided to move from Amherst to Maryborough where David continued to work in the gold mines. It is possible that he was the manager of one of the mines at Chinaman's Flat just north of Maryborough.

On 11 February 1888 David and Jane's first child, a boy named Leslie William, was born at Maryborough. In that same year Jane's father William died and was buried at Majorca, and then, in 1889 David's mother, Betsy, also died. David and Jane decided to move back to live at his father’s house at White Horse Reef .

David and Jane had eight more children over the next twenty years.

During the 1890s David Matthews worked hard as a miner around Amherst. He made enough to live on, but it was not easy work. By the 1890s gold was becoming harder to find at many of the Victorian gold fields and Amherst was no exception. Any new field discovered was sure to be rushed, and during the middle of the nineties gold was discovered in Western Australia. Many miners from Amherst travelled to the west hoping to find better rewards. Among those who did were Richard Hamilton Cosstick the younger brother of James Edward, then in his mid twenties, and David Matthews. David left his family at Amherst, but soon returned having had no luck .

David was probably beginning to consider a major career change when, on 1 June 1897, five days before the birth of his daughter Ruth, he and Bill Reeves came across a small rocky outcrop which they subsequently named the Jubilee Reef in honour of the year being the Jubilee, or sixtieth anniversary of Queen Victoria’s reign. The story of their find was told in newspapers across the colony.

Rich Discovery Near Amherst- 31oz of Gold from 5lb of Stone.

William Reeves and David Matthews, while prospecting in the vicinity of Musical Reef, a mile north west from Amherst, came on an exceedingly rich find. They were following the course of the reef, when they found a cap cropping out of the surface with a little gold obtainable. They commenced to sink and at 3 feet the stone improved, and between that and the depth of 5 feet a rich patch was come on, 5lb weight of stone giving 31oz 3dwt of smelted gold including specimens of 1lb and 3lb containing 18ox of gold. The reef is from 6in to 9in wide, between well defined walls. It carries fair gold, is tending north with a westerly underlie, and the dish prospects show payable gold for about 50ft along the line of the reef. A crushing will be taken out shortly. The find is not far from the celebrated Union Churchill, which was exceedingly rich years ago. Parties surfacing in the area have obtained payable returns, including a specimen containing about 4oz of gold .

During the following weeks David Matthews and Bill Reeves unearthed more rich stone, estimated to contain about five ounces of gold in half a pound of stone . By 25 June a crushing of seventeen tons of stone was being put through William Cosstick's Croydon Battery. At about eight feet the rich stone disappeared, but by following a small pug vein down to eighteen feet the gold became better and the miners intended to dig a further six feet down before driving in a northerly direction .

The Argus carried the results of the crushing on Monday 28 June. The yield was about 2 ounces of gold per ton, giving just over thirty ounces for that crushing. It was expected that another crushing would be done in four or five weeks . A week later another rich patch was struck in the northward drive with up to three pounds of gold being found .

Two weeks later, on 13 and 14 July 1897, the Argus reported that the Matthews and Reeves mine was "the all absorbing topic" for discussion in the paper as the previous three days had seen over 190 ounces of gold taken out of the mine. The Talbot Leader, echoing the Argus, ran a feature article on the mine.

Jubilee Reef Amherst - More Rich Stone - Magnificent Specimens

Since our last issue the splendid stone taken out by Reeves and Matthews at Jubilee Reef, Amherst, has caused much stir and has been the all absorbing topic of conversation. Our readers are already aware of the fact that the party first made the discovery on 1st June while prospecting and that within a foot or so of the surface they unearthed over 31oz of gold, while a crushing of 15 tons gave 30oz. A shaft was put down, when the stone gave out, but following a pug vein it widened out at 18 feet to a few inches, and at a depth of 30 feet the stone widened out to 9 inches. They came back to about 15 feet from the surface and commenced driving north, and on Thursday, the 8th July, after having driven about 4 feet, they struck some exceedingly rich stone, specimens estimated to contain over 3lb weight of gold being picked out. The stone was even richer on Friday when the specimens taken out contained over 60oz of gold; while on Saturday more splendid specimens were taken out, stone sufficient to cover the bottom of a tin dish being estimated to contain over 2lb weight of gold. We had the pleasure of viewing this collection in company with several gentlemen, who were astonished at their magnificence, and it is naturally conceded that they exceed in richness anything previously seen here. Naturally the find attracted much attention, and many persons visited the claim. The stone is at present from 1 foot to 15 inches in thickness, tending north, and as previously reported is between well defined walls, and shows every sign of permanency .

No work was done at the Jubilee Reef on Monday 12 July, on which day Bill Reeves and David Matthews deposited in the London Bank at Talbot a bag of specimens weighing 175 ounces estimated to contain considerably over 100 ounces of gold. Thirty ounces of specimens were taken to Melbourne, while the party retained between 30 and 40 ounces of gold. On Tuesday 13 July more rich specimens were obtained, containing over 1 pound weight of gold. Also on that day Reeves and Matthews arranged for Mr Cleary from Maryborough to peg out a lease around the reef and plans were made to float a company more efficiently able to mine the ground.

In the view of the Talbot Leader this find but emphasised the assertion made over and over again in its columns, that the Amherst and Talbot district offered "splendid inducements for mining investors", and that the place "once properly prospected" would result in "many flourishing mines being in existence". This claim had been made about the district for about forty years, at least since Henry Cosstick's Amherst United mine at White Horse Reef had met with failure. The Talbot Leader believed that many other rich reefs could be found "if only prospected for in a systematic manner". The paper went on to claim that there was no need for miners to travel all the way to Coolgardie in Western Australia if such rich finds could be made so close to home.

On Saturday 17 July two bars of gold weighing a total of 211 ounces were exhibited in the window of the London Bank at Talbot, and a further twenty ounces of specimens, representing the total gold yield of the Jubilee Reef since its discovery on 1 June - a remarkable total of 231 ounces of gold in just six weeks. The claim holders had planned to sell the whole of the reef to Mr Cleary from Maryborough while the yields were still good and to use more efficient methods to mine the reef. Matthews and Reeves had agreed on a price, but Dunstan and Buchan to the north, and McKenzie and Bennett to the south, wanted a higher price .

The sale fell through and so David Matthews and Bill Reeves continued working on their claim themselves. By the end of September 1897 they had sent a total of forty six tons of stone to be crushed at the Croydon Battery, and had obtained over 425 ounces of gold. The value of the gold so far was 1,733 pounds. After expenses were paid the two miners were able to keep one thousand and seven pounds. This was indeed a small fortune .

As with all gold mines, the gold eventually had to run out and on 22 October 1897 the Talbot Leader reported that the Jubilee Reef appeared to have been only a "blow". The shaft had been sunk to thirty feet where the stone was unpayable. The claim was placed under protection registration and plans were made to sink the shaft to 100 feet then drive both north and south along the reef. In the meantime, Bill Reeves and David Matthews went on a "prospecting tour" of the White Horse Ranges where they were reported to have found another reef which "promised to do well" . Nothing more was heard about this find.

Returning to Amherst, Matthews and Reeves resumed work at the Jubilee Reef but by the end of 1897 only another five tons of stone had been crushed giving a yield of just 14dwt of gold, worth three pounds. This was taken from the sixteen foot level . The first three months of 1898 saw a further eleven tons of stone crushed for a yield of just over 4 ounces which paid eighteen pounds. This stone had come from a depth of eighty feet and was of a better quality than most of the stone being obtained at that time, but for the rest of 1898 little profit was made .

The fortune had been won, and David Matthews and Bill Reeves began to look elsewhere to earn their income. Amherst had been the district in which they had been born and had grown up. There was a natural temptation to become established in the area and at one time David Matthews had thought of purchasing a property, complete with running stream, near Talbot.

But before he did anything about it he and Bill Reeves were attracted by reports of a good gold find south of Perth. Encouraged by their luck at the Jubilee Reef, and ignoring the advice of the Talbot Leader, they both travelled to the west. Soon they returned, empty handed, having arrived too late. Similarly, they had been attracted to a rush at Mount William in the Grampians, but had returned unimpressed .

While returning from the Grampians they had passed through Ararat and the town and its surrounding Company gold mines had impressed David so much that upon arriving home he announced to his wife and family that they were going to leave Amherst and move to Ararat. Bill Reeves also left Amherst. He had married Elizabeth (Lizzie) Henry, early in 1897, and decided to move to Tyabb where he had purchased an orchard with the proceeds of the Jubilee Reef .

David Matthews, Jane, their three sons - Les, David and Jack - and three daughters - Ivy, Ruth and Jean - moved to Ararat in 1901, the year in which the Australian colonies joined together in Federation. David bought a house in Girdleston Street and made major renovations to it. For a short time, until her death, Jane's mother Mary Anne, lived with them.

At first David worked at the Caledonia Mine, but when that mine closed he found work at Cathcart, west of Ararat. For several years he had been suffering from the after effects of an injured leg and tuberculosis and he was eventually forced to give up working in the mines. He took various gardening jobs around Ararat, but later, when his son, Dave, obtained the position of curator at Footscray Park, and after most of his children had married and left home, David and Jane Matthews moved to live at 11 Geelong Road, Footscray, opposite the Park.

They remained at Footscray, except for a brief period back in Ararat with their daughter Sylverton Ivy after her marriage to Richard Martin Cosstick, until David's death at the age of sixty on 28 September 1921.

After James David Matthews' death, Jane Matthews moved back to Ararat and lived with her daughter, Sylverton Ivy Cosstick until her death on 22 July 1947. She was buried next to her husband in the Footscray Cemetery.

James Matthews and Betsy Goode

2007-11-05T12:36:00.000-08:00

The Parish Register of Harston, and Hauxton, Cambridgeshire, list a John Matthews and his wife Mary Newman who married at Hauxton on 8 November 1766. John Matthews, a shepherd, was buried at Harston on 15 January 1783. Mary was buried thirty years later on 27 December 1813 [1].

The register at Harston also records the births and deaths of the children of John and Mary Matthews. They had at least seven children: Ellen, baptised at Harston on 21 May 1769 (She died aged 21 and was buried on 10 March 1790); John, baptised on 4 November 1770; Mary, baptised on 7 June 1772 (She died and at the age of 32 was buried on 11 June 1804); a second John, baptised on 30 May 1773 (He became a shepherd, was drowned, and buried on 22 January 1786 aged only 13); Susan, baptised on 26 May 1776, however she must have died and a second Susan was baptised in March 1778 and died soon after, being buried on 10 July 1778; and finally a son William, baptised on 14 May 1780.[2]

The Parish records indicate that William a Tailor of Harston, married Sarah Lambert of nearby Hauxton on 13 April 1802 in the Harston Parish Church. Both were of the parish. A William Prime and an Allen Hays were the witnesses. William Prime regularly witnessed marriages at the church. William Matthews signed the register, while Sarah made her mark.[2a]

William and Sarah Matthews lived in Harston and Parish records indicate at least two children, John born in 1804 at Harston, and James born at Harston on 25 October 1817. Other records suggest that there were two other sons, Thomas born around 1814, and David, born around 1821.[3] William, the Tailor, died aged 45 and was buried at harston on 10 March 1825.

Thomas and David emigrated to Sydney on board the Marquis of Hastings from Plymouth on 12 October 1840, arriving at Sydney on 4 February 1841 . James remained in Harston.

The village of Haslingfield was two miles north of Harston, fifty five miles north of London, and five and a half miles south west of Cambridge. Its church, All Saints, was erected in 1352. The main crops grown in the area were wheat, beans and oats, and the population was just a few hundred . The name Haslingfield derived from an old English name meaning the field of Hazels or Ash trees .

In Haslingfield lived David Goode, a Master Bricklayer, and his wife, Susan Hall. They had married at Haslingfield on 11 April 1822 and subsequently raised a family of ten children. Their first child was Betsy, born at Haslingfield on 5 October 1823.

James Matthews and Betsy Goode met and became close friends. James was twenty eight and Betsy twenty two, when they married at Haslingfield on 30 March 1845. The marriage had become something of a necessity, as exactly four months later, on 30 July 1845, their first daughter, Ann, was born at Haslingfield.

Soon after Ann's birth James and Betsy moved to back to Harston and lived in Church Street where their second daughter, Eliza, was born on 5 April 1847. The third daughter, Mary Ann, was born on 31 March 1849. Nine months later, on 27 December 1849, the first daughter, Ann, died, aged only four. A fourth daughter, Susan, was born on 4 January 1852.

In 1854 James and Betsy Matthews decided to emigrate to New South Wales following his brothers, David and Thomas Matthews, who had gone to Sydney thirteen years earlier. Undoubtedly news of the gold discoveries prompted James and Betsy to join them.

They arranged a passage on board the Tantivy and set sail for Australia. But the voyage was to take its toll for both Mary Ann, aged five, and Susan, aged two, were to die during the voyage in July 1854. Soon after James and Betsy's arrival in Sydney a fifth daughter, named Sarah Ann, was born on 11 February 1855. Alas, she died less than three months later on 1 May.

By 1856 the James and Betsy Matthews and his younger brother David, with David’s wife Elizabeth Nesmith and three children, had moved to Victoria. James and Betsy settled at Amherst, while it appears that David and Elizabeth remained closer to Ballarat and Buninyong. James and Betsy’s daughter Eliza may have remained in Sydney with the older brother Thomas. Eliza later made her way to Forbes in New South Wales where, at the age of 16 she married John Jeffries.[4]

James and Betsy had several more children after their move to Amherst.

Elizabeth Matthews was born on 28 February 1857 at Amherst . In 1883, on her twenty sixth birthday, she married James Green at Talbot. James Green was a bootmaker, who had been born at Brighton on 27 December 1852. His parents were Matthew Green, a farmer of Manchester, England, and Jamesina McLay of Morayshire, Scotland .

James and Elizabeth Green subsequently had a family of nine children. They were Charles Horace, born in 1881; Elsie Emma in 1884; James Alexander, 1886; Ninna and Violet, both of whom died at birth; William McPherson, 1892; Archibald Matheson, killed in the first world war; Helen Mitchell, 1897; and Norman McLeay, born in 1900.

David Thomas Matthews, or Tom, was born on 23 August 1859. He married his first wife, Sarah, on 20 December 1884, but she died in May 1889 aged only twenty four . Some years later he married Harriet Amelia Bunting who was seventeen years younger than him. For most of his life Tom worked as a miner around Amherst, but during the early years of the twentieth century he took a position as Sexton at the Amherst Cemetery . He died, aged 71 in 1930. His wife Harriet died in August 1959 aged eighty three .

James David Matthews, always known as Dave, was born at Amherst on 25 August 1861. On 27 June 1886 he married Jane Reeves, the daughter of William John and Mary Ann Reeves, at her sister's house at Narrigal. David and Jane moved to Maryborough after their marriage but returned to the White Horse Reef after David's mother died in 1889 . His life is described in detail in a later chapter.

Emma Matthews was born at Amherst on 14 September 1863 . She married Llewellyn Davis on 14 April 1885 and had three children, Stanley, Elsie and another boy . Sarah Matthews was born at Amherst on 18 October 1865 and married Dennis Baldwin on 21 April 1886.

William Frederick Matthews was born at Amherst on 22 June 1867 and later married Barbara. Their first child was named Mervyn Sylverton. The second was named William, and their daughter was Sylvia. William Matthews worked as a signalman on the railways at North Melbourne during the early 1900s and his son Mervyn became a tailor in Melbourne. Sylvia married, changed her name to Turnbull and went to Queensland.

Before coming to Australia James Matthews had worked as a builder and farm labourer. His father in law had been a master bricklayer. After moving to Amherst in 1856 he put his skills to work and built a brick and stone house about a mile north west of Amherst, about two hundred yards from the White Horse Reef where the Cosstick brothers had established the Amherst United Quartz Mining Company. To have a solid house was something of an achievement, as in 1862 forty two percent of the Victorian population lived on the gold fields, and thirty percent of those lived in tents. Many others lived in timber houses.

As James grew older and mining became too energetic for him, and the gold became harder to find without resorting to the hard work of digging shafts and crushing tons of quartz, he, like many others, turned to market gardening to supply his family's own needs and supplement his income. The land around Amherst had been sold for dairy farming and cultivation blocks since the early 1860s. Many gold miners either purchased or leased land and established vegetable gardens, orchards and small farms with domestic animals. Some of the land, like that near the White Horse Reef, was not the best quality for cultivation, so good soil had to be carted in from elsewhere. there existed, and still exists, at the foot of James Matthews' garden a small stream formed by the miners for the White Horse reef operations. James was able to cart water from this stream to his garden by means of a Chinese yolk, which was carried across the shoulders and supported two suspended buckets .

The White Horse Reef had been a very busy place at times and James Matthews would have had plenty of customers for his excess fruit and vegetables. There were two major reefs in the vicinity of James Matthews' house the White Horse, and the Briseis. The Briseis was in a direct line about half a mile south of the White Horse, closer to the Amherst to Avoca Road. It was about six to seven feet wide and at times had given a yield of about four ounces of gold per ton of quartz crushed. The reef had been worked to a depth of four hundred feet before water made mining too difficult . In later years James Matthews' grandchildren would swim in the waterholes left by the mining of the Briseis Reef.

The White Horse Reef had been one of the richest in the district and it was Henry Cosstick and his brothers who first took out a lease to mine the reef on a large scale in 1859. The Cosstick's lease for the Amherst United Quartz Mining Company was very close to James Matthews' house and he and his family would have got to know the Cosstick brothers well.

James Matthews did not make headlines as easily as the Cossticks and worked quietly on his mining and gardening activities.

On Sunday 13 January 1889 Betsy Matthews died of hepatitis. She was buried in the Wesleyan section of the Amherst Cemetery on Tuesday 15 January. The Talbot Leader announced the funeral:

Our obituary column contains the announcement of the death on Sunday las of Mrs. James Matthews of White Horse Reef, Amherst after a brief illness. The deceased was well advanced in years, being 69 years of age, and much respected. The funeral will leave her husband's residence this day (Tuesday) at one o'clock for the Amherst Cemetery, to which friends are invited.

Seven years later, on 25 July 1896, aged seventy eight years and nine months, James Matthews also died. He had been a resident of the Amherst district for over forty years. After the death of Betsy he had lived with his son David at the family home at White Horse Reef. The Talbot Leader described him as a “straightforward hardworking man” . He was buried with his wife at the Amherst Cemetery .

Footnotes

[1] Parish Records seen and transcribed by John Jeffries in 1996.
[2] Parish Records seen and transcribed by John Jeffries 1996.
[2a] Additional confirmation from the Marriage Register for Harston obtained by Diane Jacuban 2008.
[3] Shipping Lists for Marquis of Hastings arriving in Sydney 1841.
[4] Details from John Jeffries 1996 - John Jeffries descended from Eliza Matthews who married John Jeffries at Forbes, NSW in 1863, aged 16 but no parental consent indicated on Marriage Certificate - Wesleyan/Primitive Methodist. Eliza sometimes called herself Mary Eliza Matthews.