William Henery Watkins ^{15,16,17,18,19}

  General Notes:

Arrived in Australia on board the sailing vessel "Robert Small" in 1863 with parents Tracy and Caroline and sister Caroline as 'Assisted British Immigrants'.

Early school records show that William Watkins is listed as waiting to attend a primitive Methodist school at Nillumbik, Vic., on 10 October 1862. He is also shown on the roll of the Diamond Creek State School which opened on 1 July 1870, along with his siblings Caroline and Mary. They were amongst the first pupils. (Source: Nillumbik Historical Society).

The following was provided by Dianne Gething, via Betty Bird:
Extract from : Evelyn Observer and Bourke East Record 13 March 1903

ANDERSON'S CREEK COURT OF PETTY SESSIONS. MONDAY, MARCH 9TH. (Before Mr. Smallman, P.M., and Captain Selby, J.P.) OLD AGE PENSIONS ACT. Constable Parsons v. Wm. Watkins. -To show cause why he should not contribute towards the support of his mother, Catherine Watkins, at present receiving six shillings a week under the Old Age Pensions Act. W. Watkins (sworn) stated he was a married man with four children, residing, is his own house on Crown lands; had a horse and dray, and carted wood into Melbourne ; made after paying horse-feed, some 16s a week. He, with his sister (Mrs. Hartrick) paid for doctor's fees and medicine for his mother, also for her clothes; the 6s was nothing near suffcient ; his wife earned nothing ; his mother was always ailing. Mrs. Mary Ann Hartrick (sworn) : I am a married woman with seven children ; my husband is working in the Excelsior mine, Walhalla, earning £3 10s a week ; my eldest daughter is sewing teacher at the State school receiving £30 a year; my second daughter is occasionally in service at 7s per week ; am paying 10s per week for my son learning a trade in Melbourne ; I cannot at present help my mother more than with my brother pay for doctor's fees, medicine, and clothes; my husband's occupation is very precarious, and if he was with others every day being dismissed it might he months before he got another job ; I have no money or property of my own. Mr. Smallman, who.had obtained all this evidence, dismissed the case, the evidence showing they were not able to do more than they were doing. Mrs. Watkins was not receiving the maximum rate. Mr. Berrimnan, a commissioner, had originally granted the 6s now being paid.

In his latter years William became deaf.

More photographs and document images held - available on request.

Electoral Roll images held for:
1914 Ringwood
1919 Kew
1924 Kew

Listed on mother's death 10911 certificate as 53yo.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Occupation: Gold miner, wood carter, greengrocer & carrier.

• Registered Birth, 1858, Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorganshire, Wales. ¹⁸

• UK Census, 1861, Lower Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorgan, Wales. ²⁰

• Immigration: Sailed SS "Robert Small" from Southhampton 11/6/1863, 16 Sep 1863, Melbourne, Vic., Australia. ²¹

• Registered Marriage, 31 Oct 1892, Moor Street, Fitzroy, Vic., Australia. ¹⁴

• Electoral Roll, 1914, Ringwood, Vic., Australia. ²²

• Electoral Roll, 1919, Kew, Vic., Australia. ²³

• Electoral Roll, 1924, Kew, Vic., Australia. ²⁴

• Registered Death, 1 Aug 1931, Kew, Vic., Australia. ²⁵

• Death Notice, 3 Aug 1931, Melbourne, Vic., Australia. ¹⁵

• Funeral Notice, 3 Aug 1931, Melbourne, Vic., Australia. ¹⁶

William married Dora Ann Russell Manning, daughter of William Frederick Manning and Alicia Shaw Buttrey, on 31 Oct 1892 in Moor Street, Fitzroy, Vic., Australia.¹⁴ (Dora Ann Russell Manning was born on 22 Dec 1874 in Sunrise Gully, Morongshire, County Of Bendigo, Vic. Australia ²⁶, christened on 5 Jul 1882 in South Yarra, Vic., Australia,²⁶ died on 25 Feb 1973 in North Brighton, Vic., Australia and was buried in 1973 in Preston Cemetery, Vic., Australia.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• Registered Marriage, 31 Oct 1892, Moor Street, Fitzroy, Vic., Australia.