Thomas Hill Goodwin

Includes photos during Re-enactment 6 August, 2005

Holt village historian Peter Hancocks has the Census 1841 to 1891 at http://www.phancocks.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/homepage.htm See the church of St Martin, Holt which dates from 12th century with restorations begun by the Ward family in 1859. John Goodwin and Sarah Wagstaffe lived at Holt, Worchestershire, England, located on the Severn River, 6 miles north of Worcester (east of the A40) 1. John Wagstaff Goodwyn 15 Jan 1820 2. Daniell Wagstaff Goodwyn 18 Mar 1821 3. Mary Hill Goodwyn 30 Jun 1822 4. Ann Sarah Goodwyn 09 Oct 1823 5. Thomas Hill Goodwyn 20 Dec 1824 6. Samuel Goodwyn 08 Jul 1826 7. Ellen Goodwyn 29 Dec 1827 8. Eliza Goodwyn 5 Feb 1830 9. Harriet Goodwyn 14 Nov 1831 10. George Goodwyn 07 Oct 1833 11. Frederick Goodwyn 17 Nov 1834 12. Hannah Goodwin 18 Dec 1836
Marian Elizabeth Baker and Thomas Hill Goodwin, both 27, arrived in Melbourne Sept 1852 on the 'Deborah', and Marian died 22 July 1853 followed by the death on 28 Feb 1854 their infant son Napier Clark Hamilton Goodwin aged 7 months. Meetings were held in Melbourne in 1853-4 to try to help the Aboriginal people, who were recognised as being badly treated and unable to cope with the white settlers. The Church of England society called the Church of England Mission to the Aborigines, decided to try to help the aborigines who were already suffering from the intrusion of whites into their lands. On 13 Sept 1854 Thomas Hill Goodwin set out to investigate possible sites for a mission When he returned on 14 Dec 1854 he recommended Yelta, in Victoria and opposite the conjunction of the Murray and Darling Rivers.
Early 1855 the Government of NSW (which still included the area later called Victoria) gave a square mile (640 acres or 256 hectares) grant near the Billabong called Yelta, and in the property selected by Messrs Rutherford and Crozier. John Bulmer born 30 June 1833 at Monkwearmouth in Sunderland, Durham arrived on the Emigrant 12 Jan 1853, was selected as his partner. They left Melb with dray, 2 horses and supplies for 3 months. Bulmer arrived at the Yelta site first, via steamer Gundagai from upstream, as one horse died during journey The area had been selected by families with flocks of sheep - which were subject to serious health problems so a Sheep Inspector was one of the early Government officials in the area.
The Aborigines were observers and in some cases helpers to the whites who travelled through the area beginning with Charles Sturt in 1829 and Major Mitchell in 1836. They were learning English words, observing white habits, trading food for European toys like knives and guns, and also experiencing health problems as the encounters continued. Without doubt, they met up with neighbouring tribes and discussed the ‘White Problem’ as well as issues such as hunting, marriage, admiring the babies born the last year, singing the latest songs and even trying out the dance steps observed when watching the whites relaxing around their camp fires. By 1858 about 60 people were attending the station each day, and the school had 14 pupils. We know of two boys, Mickey and Fred Wowinda, who were particularly interested in the daily life of the Mission. Aboriginal people preparing possum-skin cloaks Print 1862 by Wilhelm Blandowski - see ANU.EDU art collection
Timber and bricks were used to build a dwelling house, store-room and a school-room. Supplies were stored and two vegetable gardens (the second was called the Blacks’ garden) were soon fenced and equipped with a windmill for irrigation. From the white man's perspective things seemed to go well in the early days; the aboriginal people helping to build a mission house, a school and a church; they erected fencing, constructed roads, tended the gardens and looked after the sheep.

http://www.oocities.org/mallee2001/