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Olden Newcastle and the Buxton Family
This article was contributed by Ian Berick of South Australia, his wife is a descendant of Thomas & Mary Buxton via their son James William
Dedicated to
OUR BEAUTIFUL MOTHER
Marie Louise Miller
Daughter of the Late James William Buxton.
OUR BEAUTIFUL MOTHER
Marie Louise Miller
Daughter of the Late James William Buxton.
"Her Children rise up and call her
Blessed."
Mr Thomas Buxton, senior, was one of the earlier residents in Newcastle. Years ago, when the Rev. Mr Threlkeld was mining for gold at Lake Macquarie, Mr. Buxton had a sawpit in that locality, and married his wife from the reverend gentlemen's house. He continued the sawpit for a considerable time, and later started a shop now occupied by Abel and Co. This business was attended to by Mrs. Buxton, whose maiden name was Mary Timmins. As the business increased and the sawpit was given up, and a much larger establishment occupied on the site now occupied by Sorby and Co, and afterwards known as the Steam Packet Hotel. Here business flourished and Mr. Buxton accumulated money and property acquiring the whole block from the Steam Packet Inn to the Centennial Hotel, and the whole of the land from the corner where the Crystal Palace Hotel now stands to Alderman Miller's shop. In many respects he was a quaint man, and one of his characteristics was a passion for gold. Sovereigns were none to plentiful in the old days, and the story is told that he would give twenty-one shillings at any time for sovereigns. If so, it was probably done because sovereigns were more easily stored than paper money. There were no banks in Newcastle at the time, and it is said that many of the residents were in the habit of entrusting their money to his keeping, each account being kept separate, and the money placed in a jar bearing the customer's name and deposited upon shelves in a specially prepared room.
Two incidents also of interest occurred about the same time, one being the visit to Newcastle of the Governor of the Colony, and the second the capsizing of the brig Canmore. The vessel was anchored in the fairway just abreast of the old gantry which used to be on the breakwater, and was waiting to get into port. There had been a heavy south-east gale and a strong fresh was running out of the harbour, but the brig was lying windrobe with her head to the south-east. The craft was flat-bottomed and in ballast, and as the seas came rolling in over the reef, one hove her completely down. Before the vessel could recover herself, a second sea capsized her, two of the crew being drowned. The Canmore was an old vessel of about 400 tons, employed in the sixty-mile trade, and owned by Messrs. J. and A. Brown. After capsizing she broke up, the wreck being purchased by pilot Beacher and Mr. P. Walsh, the timbers were used to construct two houses now standing near the Grammar School.
When the news that Sebastapol had fallen reached Newcastle the inhabitants decided to celebrate the event. Kerosene was unknown in the township, so Mr. Buxton, with others, collected all the white bottles available, knocked the bottoms out, and inserted candles, with which the shops and houses were illuminated. The celebrations, however, did not pass off without a sad fatality. Allan's Hill, as it was then called, was surmounted by some old guns which were used to fire a salute in honour of the event. Unfortunately the guns were honeycombed, and in discharging them a premature explosion took place, killing one of the Maori pilot boatmen, who, under the direction of Captain Hodge, were acting as gunners.
Mr. Buxton was a member of the old district council, with Mr. J. Hannell and others, prior to the incorporation of the town. Mrs. Buxton was in some respects a remarkable woman. It is said she was the first English lady to have a gold wedding ring, and settlers were married with this ring when they came to Newcastle. She also had the first piano owned by a private person in Newcastle, which, by the way, was sold some time ago, and passed into other hands. She had a passion for the theatre, and one of her peculiarities was a predirection for the centre seat in the dress circle. She took the seat for the entire season, and if by any
An aboriginal corroboree in Newcastle sounds strange, doubtless, to the reader, and yet it is a fact nevertheless that on more than one occasion the blacks held a corroboree on the site of the premises now occupied by Messrs. Hope Bros. It was there one day that James, with a lot of other young fellows, tormenting the aborigines, when a spear came hurtling through the air, and pierced his leg. He died at the comparatively early age of 32, leaving two sons, Messrs. Charles and James Buxton, two daughters, Maude and Marie Louise Buxton, also his widow Mrs. Buxton, all of whom survive. A third son, Richard, was also buried in the Churchyard. The latter was a bachelor, and quite a character in his own way. He was a natural genius, and among other things a clever artist. As a collector he had no rival, and visitors to his home would see there all sorts of queer things, which included a coffin and the old barrel organ which first did duty at the Christ Church Cathedral. (The new pipe organ in the Newcastle cathedral was dedicated by the Buxton Family). He never went to sleep in the night-time, but spent the hours of the night in walking around the district. Whenever one met him he was always dressed the same, his regulation garb being a pair of twill pants, a plain shirt, and an alpaca coat. He drank nothing but cold water, always ate alone, and was apparently never happier than when busy with painting materials or his microscope. He was a color-sergeant in the volunteers in the old days, and at his own cost sent Home for an immense steel fastened drum which won the admiration of the local army. He was good-hearted to a fault, as many had cause to know, and many a person now living could speak of his generosity. He had independent means, and with his purse an down efforts was generally to the front in any public movement.
Mrs. Ludlow, the wife of a familiar figure on the Police Court Bench, was the daughter of Thomas Buxton, senior.
A visit to the Cathedral shows at the baptism font two beautiful stained-glass windows, one to the memory of Mary and Thomas Buxton, the other to James William Buxton.
Marie Louise Buxton married Mr. Daniel Smith Miller, of Wick, Scotland, April 2nd, 1884. Mr. Miller passed away on February 21st, 1932, his widow on August 7th, 1937, age 72 years. Both are interred at the Waverley Cemetery, Sydney. Three sons and five daughters survive.
© Patricia May [All Rights Reserved]