THOMAS AND AGNES HENDERSON were married at Saint Michael's Church, Talbot, Victoria on 28 April 1870. Talbot a former goldmining town is located 159 km north-west of Melbourne, midway between Clunes and Maryborough.
According to Thomas's birth certificate he was born 17 January 1843. The informant, the person supplying the information on the certificate, was his father Thomas. Thomas senior gave his occupation as 'labourer' and his place of residence as 'Black Forest.' Black Forest is 5 kilometres from Adelaide. His son Thomas was the oldest of his and Sarah Henderson nee Hamilton's 11 children. Thomas was baptised in Trinity Church, Adelaide.
Thomas worked as a drayman before he became a farmer.
He worked with his father Thomas senior carting goods on bullock drays. A dray was a low, flat-bed wagon without sides. A team of bullocks was used to pull the dray. Bullocks (castrated bulls) were used because they were considered more docile.
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Thomas was just 15 years old when he witnessed his father's death while crossing the Maribyrnong river. The Hendersons were driving 3 loaded drays from Melbourne to their home at Daisy Hill near Maryborough when the tradedgy occured. Thomas senior was crushed by the lead dray. He was pinned between the dray and a pole on the river punt.The younger Thomas was driving one of the other bullock teams on that fateful day.
The toasting fork which appears to the left belonged to Thomas before he married Agnes. He used it to cook his toast for breakfast of a morning when he worked as a bullock driver. The overall length of the toasting fork is 45 centimetres.The handle is black and is 13 centimetres long. The prong is 3.5 centimetres wide.
The fork passed from Thomas's daughter Gertrude Henderson to her neice Lorna Ridgway. Courtesy Lorna Ridgway nee Sherwood.
Agnes Henderson was born at nearby Burnbank 9
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Thomas
Henderson's
Deposition
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February 1852. She was the daughter of Richard and Jane Grayling. The Graylings came from Kent to Tasmania in 1836. They moved to Victoria in 1838. Sometime around 1848 they settled at Burnbank.
For more information on the Grayling family see the Grayling Family History Web site.
According to the Henderon family bible, Thomas and Agnes Henderson had eleven children. With the exception of their youngest child Ethel May, all their children were born at Woodstock or Doctors Creek. Ethel the baby of the family was born at Nhill.
The bible was a gift to Agnes, by her mother Jane Grayling. Written in ink on the inside cover of the bible is...
Agnes Emma Henderson a present from her mother Jane Grayling. March 30 th 1893.
In the bible that someone has written the dates and places of birth of Thomas and Agnes and their eleven children.
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Page from Henderson Bible |
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One of the earliest records of the Henderson family at Balrooten is a questionnaire from the Lands Department sent to Thomas in 1895. I suspect that the handwriting in the questionnaire belongs to Agnes. It is remarkably similar to the handwriting in her exercise book. Thomas more than likely provided the answers to the questions and Agnes wrote down his responses. The signature is no doubt Thomas's.
A covering note was sent with the answers to the questionnaire. It appears below.
Nhill April 17th 1895
I send pitculars (particulars) as near as possible would have sent it before only not at home.
Thomas Henderson
The first question on the questionnaire reads...
'What improvements have you made on your selection?' Thomas answers as follows.
Improvements on it when I got it only bought it April 1890? and things as gone against me ever since I been here very low price wheat. Fenced in with a fine wire fence and house and 6 dams and cows yard and sheds, don't no (sic) the value of it.
The last question asks,
"What amount are you prepared to pay at once
on account of arrears of rental due by you?
Thomas replies.
Cannot pay none as my family is large, would pay if able.
Thomas Henderson
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