Agnes Emma Grayling

Thomas and Agnes Emma Henderson, nee Grayling

Agnes Grayling was born at Burnbank, Victoria in 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.

Thomas and Agnes Emma Henderson were married at Doctors Creek, Victoria.

Thomas and Agnes Henderson had eleven children. All with the exception of the youngest were born at Woodstock or Doctors Creek. Ethel May Henderson the baby of the family was born at Nhill.

According to Thomas and Agnes Henderson's Family Bible Jane Luddon Henderson was born at Doctors Creek, near Lexton, on the 16 July 1883. In the bible someone has written in a contemporary hand the dates and place of birth of Jane's parents, Thomas and Agnes and their eleven children. The bible was a gift to Agnes, by her mother Jane Grayling.

In December 2006 my aunt Jean Sherwood wrote down some things she remembers her brother Claude and her mother Jane Sherwood nee Henderson telling her about Agnes Henderson..

When grandfather Henderson bought his farm at Balrooten near Nhill he built a small house at the bottom of the garden for Jane Grayling. and each night one of the Henderson girls would stay with her. When she passed away she was taken back to Lexton to be buried with her husband and three daughters.

Grandmother Henderson (Agnes Emma Henderson nee Grayling) did not have good hea;th. If she was upset she would take a fit. The doctors did not know the cause but in those days nothing was known about diabeties but when we went to the reunions taht Laurel Heath used to organise a lot of her descendants were diabetic

BIOGRAPHIES

Introduction

EARLY CONTRIBUTORS

Frederick Grayling

Topsie Harris

FIRST GENERATION

Edward & Susannah

SECOND GENERATION
The children of Edward
and Susannah Grayling.

Sarah Bowles

Ann

Edward March

William Major

THIRD GENERATION
The children of William
Major and Anne Grayling.

Susannah Bowles

William Edward

William Major jnr.

Edward Legget

James

Richard

Sarah

George

Ann Sophia

FOURTH GENERATION
The children of Richard
and Jane Grayling.

Anne Jane

Lucy Margaret

Susannah Eliza

Richard Holten

William Hornsby

Jane Llewellyn

Sarah Kate

Agnes Emma

Francis (Frank)

Matilda Ellis

Gertrude Amy

most likely she also had it and the fits were brought on by high sugar causing the fits now known as hypos.

Although she never learnt music she only had to hear a tune and she could go home and play it on the concertina or the banjo. They had a large kitchen built away from the rest of the house and she would play the music and the older girls would teach the younger ones to dance in the kitchen. She had nine daughters and two sons.

She was also very good at sewing and used to make a lot of the girls' dresses and in those days the dresses had a lot of work in them. Her father had been a tailor so she probably inherited some of his talent. She would also tell you off if you did or said something she didn't like. She came and stayed a couple of weeks with us and one of my brothers was having trouble doing something and she heard him swear. He wasn't very old and she gave him a good talking to. He must of got an awful fright as he lived until he was 92 and I never heard him swear.

Jean also remembers her mothe jane Sherwood saying that one day not long after she had left school at 14, she made her mother a cup of tea. Agnes went stiff and slid under the table. grandfather Thomas Henderson and uncle Ric (Richard) had had an argument prior to this.

Written in ink on the inside cover is...

Agnes Emma Henderson a present from her mother Jane Grayling. March 30th 1893.

It wasn't uncommon for the Hendersons to include family surnames in their children's names. For example the Luddon in Jane Luddon Henderson comes from Jane's grandmother Jane Grayling nee Luddon. She was born in Gibraltar in 1819 and came out to Launceston, Tasmania on her own in 1836. It would appear that Jane was named after her.

One of the earliest records of the Henderson family at Balrooten is a questionnaire completed and signed by Thomas and dated 4 July 1895. The first question deals with improvements Thomas had made to his selection. Thomas answers as follows...

Improvements on it when I got it only bought it April 1892 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.' Several weeks later the response to Thomas's financial predicament was... 'Inform that a portion must be paid within one month.'

The 1890's were difficult economic times. Many businesses and farms didn't survive. Thomas and Agnes were fortunate in that they were able to overcome their difficulties and build a comfortable lifestyle for themselves and their large family. According to Thomas and Agnes Henderson's Family Bible...'Father Thomas Henderson died February 20 th 1906, age 63 years.' Thomas's death received the following mention in The Nhill Free Press:

To the great regret of a large circle of friends, Mr.Thomas Henderson passed away somewhat unrepentantly last Tuesday at his home, Woorak. Deceased who was of a quiet retiring disposition, was generally esteemed. He had been under medical treatment for an affliction of the heart. It was to this that he succumbed. Last month he went to Portland for a change, and although temporarily benefited the heat of the past week was too much on his return. His age was 63 years and he leaves a wife and large family in the district. The funeral took place yesterday.

The intervening years between the family's arrival at Balrooten and Thomas's death early in 1906, were more prosperous times for the Hendersons. Agnes listed the family's assets for the year 1906 in a small exercise book. A copy of an entry appears

In 1909 Agnes Henderson moved to Melbourne to live. She bought a house at 30 Rose Street, Brunswick.

In-her small exercise book she wrote...

1909. What things I sold to buy the house in

Rose Street, W. Brunswick.

House cost £231. These are my own...

Buggy and harness... £ 37

Thrilby (Mare) £ 25

1 Bay filly £ 8

1 Colt £ 18

1 Black Filly £ 42

1907.

Lambs £ 37-9/

Wheat £ 71-5/

Wool £ 79-19/

Wheat sold later on... £ 24-7/

This is quiet (sic) correct and all my family will no (sic) this is quite true. I hereby sign my name.

Agnes Emma Henderson.

1909. April 24th.

Again according to the Henderson family bible... 'Mother died February 23 rd 1925, age 73.'

NOTES

Nhill Free Press. 11 Nov. 1902. Tuesday

'The town was quite deserted yesterday. The Presbyterian Sunday School picnic was held in Henderson's paddock, about 2 miles out of Nhill, and this pleasant picnicking ground was the rendezvous of a large number of parents and children.'

Checked The Age 1 -10 June 1858 for report on Thos. None.

Checked The Herald 2 -8 June 1858 for report on Thos. None.

Checked The Argus 1 -8 June 1858 for report on Thos. None.

The Herald Mon 7 June 1858. Results of Meteorological Observations June 1

"Rain fell on the 1st and 2nd of June. Direction of wind. 9.30 am W. 3.30 pm SW&S

9.30 pm N

Dry bulb. Highest 59.9 Lowest 47.7. Wet bulb Highest 54.0 Lowest 45.1

NB There is the Maryborough & Dunolly Advertiser. Begins 4-8-1857

No mention of the Coromandel in Log of Logs Vols. 1 & 11

Thomas and Agnes Henderson Family Bible. In the possession of...

Victorian Lands Department, Thomas Henderson, Balrooten,County Lowan, Public Records Office, Melbourne,

File No.8566-19.20.

Nhill Free Press , 23 Feb. 1906

In the possession of Lorna Ridgway, nee Sherwood

Top