James Read and his Family
John Read, father of James Read, was born in 1787 and was baptised on 9 September, in the Parish of Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, England. This area appears to be where the Read family originated. His parents were William and Sarah Read.
In the 1700’s, few people owned the land that they cultivated. In Leighton Buzzard, most of the land was leased to the farmers and gardeners by the Squire of the Manor. They grew most of their needs on their holdings, and sold the surplus at the Market Place at Leighton Buzzard. When John Read senior was a lad he attended the Leighton Buzzard Baptist Chapel on Sundays. Pastor Thomas Wake conducted the church services and, to augment his slender stipend, he conducted a day school which John Read senior attended.
In 1812, John Read was married at the Baptist Chapel, and he and his wife Mary lived in a small cottage near Garden Hedge Road, Leighton. John and Mary Read's family commenced in December 1813 when their first child, William, was born, followed by Sally 1815, Mary 1816, James 1818 and finally Thomas in 1821. All the children were baptised by Pastor Wake. When young James Read was six years old he also attended the Baptist church and school which were still being conducted by Pastor Wake, and later Pastor Edward Adey. James was fortunate to have had a good education as many children in those days were unable to read and write and often reached adulthood without being able to sign their own name. James later trained to become a lay-preacher. Each day after school, young James would assist his father, John, in his garden and fields.
During the years which followed James became skilled in farming and horticulture and specialised in the growing of fruit trees. As James grew into manhood, he was interested, along with many others, in the prospect of being able to work for himself and to eventually own his own farm or garden. Many stories were being told about the opportunities in Australia for young men between the ages of 15 to 45 years. As James was strong and enjoyed good health, he eventually decided to emigrate to Australia as an assisted immigrant.
So on 16 May 1844, James Read, then aged 25 years, departed from London on the barque 'Abberton', 450 tons, outward bound for Port Phillip, in the Colony of New South Wales. A number of the 261 migrants on board ship came from Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire. During the voyage, James met Annice Sharp, a young woman from Dinton, Buckinghamshire, who was travelling to Australia with her sister and brother-in-law, Comfort and Thomas Betts, and their daughter, Mary, aged 13 years. Thomas Betts was a carpenter.
The menu on board the barque was plain but wholesome, mutton once a week, a fair supply of poultry, and salted beef and pork. Potatoes were the only vegetables available, and water was rationed. The milk was limited to nursing mothers and young children. After four months of the continuous expanse of the ocean, there were excited exclamations as the Heads at Queenscliff were sighted. A few mere hours brought the immigrants to their anchorage at Sandridge, now Port Melbourne, on 22 September 1844.
One of the first men James Read met before disembarking from the barque was John Chivers. He had come aboard ship seeking men to work for him. James Read and John Chivers carried on a conversation for a while and this was the beginning of a life-long friendship. James had contracted to work for Joseph Raleigh, of Melbourne, for one year for a salary of £20 sterling per annum, with rations and accommodation. Annice Sharp was employed as a cook for £15 per annum. 0n 6 February 1845, James Read and Annice Sharp were married at the Independent Chapel, in Melbourne, by the Congregational minister, Alexander Morison. Their first home was a small bluestone cottage in Flinders Lane near the corner of King Street.
During September 1845, James and Annice moved to Collingwood onto a block of land adjoining the River Yarra. Their home was built by Annice's brother-in-law, Thomas Betts, assisted by James. They established a small farm and market-garden, and also a small fruit tree nursery. Their first child, Mary Ann, was born on 28 November 1845. Living close to James and Annice were members of the Cole family who were engaged in establishing a fruit tree nursery. Later they were to become leading authorities on fruit-growing, and were instrumental in helping to establish the fruit growing industry. A firm friendship developed between James Read and the Cole brothers and the friendship between the two families has continued for 133 years.
In the year 1847, James Read leased Crown land in the parish of Bulleen near the Yarra River, east of Heidelberg. This area was then referred to as the 'Forest’ and is now known as Westerfolds Reserve. Here, James and Annice established another home, and what is thought to be the foundations of the home are visible today. James obtained a sawyer’s licence and he and his neighbour, John Chivers, who was living about one mile from him, formed a partnership to fell red gum trees. The most suitable portions of the wood were used for felloes for dray and wagon wheels.
On 17 April 1847, a son was born to James and Annice, and was named after James's father, John, and on 29 July 1848, another son was born who was named Joseph. These two children died from what was then called 'Colonial Fever', early in 1849. James and his neighbour, John Chivers, had to make two separate trips into Melbourne carrying the bodies of the children in home-made coffins over rough bush tracks and creek beds by horse and dray. The children were buried in the old Melbourne Cemetery which was then situated where the Queen Victoria Market now stands. Fortunately, little Mary Ann, aged three and a half years, survived.
After this tragic experience, James endeavoured to arouse other settlers to consider the urgent need of a burial ground in the area, but this wish was not to be realised until several years later, when James Read was appointed Sexton and Trustee of the Templestowe Cemetery. In 1851, the lease of the land occupied by James expired and, although he held the option of purchasing this land, it was not granted to him. So he moved to the heavily timbered hills east of the township in an area now bounded by Reynolds Road, Church Road, and Serpells Road, but was then known as the Stringybark Forest.
Once again James called upon the assistance of his brother-in-law, Thomas Betts, to build a new home for his wife and family which now consisted of two girls and one boy. The children were: Mary Ann, who was born in 1845, another son named John who was born in the Stringybark Forest on 5 September 1850, and a daughter named Sarah who was born on 7 May 1852.
James Read then began to clear the land and plant what was to become the first commercial orchard in the parish of Bulleen, now known as the City of Doncaster and Templestowe. He called his holding ‘Bedford Place’. In 1852, John Read senior, in England, turned 65 and retired from his occupation. His wife, Mary, had died so he decided that, as he was in good health, he would like to join James and Annice in Australia. James offered to pay his fare and made the necessary arrangements for John to travel to Victoria. He arrived during 1852, and lived with James and his family at Bedford Place for 14(?) years. He died on 13 May 1866 aged 79 and was buried in the Templestowe Cemetery.
The problem of education and church services had been worrying James Read and John Chivers for some time. The first church services had been held in the homes of the settlers, and James Read had held reading nights in his house. These nights were for the benefit of adults who could not read their mail from England. James would read the letters and then write a reply for them to post to England.
In Bulleen, towards the end of 1843, church services were conducted by the Presbyterian minister at Heidelberg, Reverend Peter Gunn, in a barn owned by Alexander Duncan. A small private school had also been formed, and the children were taught by Alexander Duncan's wife, Isabella.
In 1845, a brick church-school was built near the present bridge over the River Yarra at Heidelberg and a private Presbyterian school was conducted there. Thomas Payntor was the first teacher. In 1849 the school qualified for Government aid, and John Ferguson was appointed to the position of headmaster. Church services were conducted in the schoolroom on Sunday mornings, and these were the first church services to be held in the district.
In the forest to the east of the parish, Mrs Mary Ann Chivers taught a few pupils in her home which was situated close to the Yarra River not far from James Read's home. Later, she became ill and died. It then became evident that a building for a school was essential as the population of children was increasing. The building could then be used for church services on Sundays.
A blacksmith named Thomas Hicks was leasing land from the Carlton Estate, and offered the settlers the use of a slab hut, which was situated on his property, for a temporary schoolroom. The offer was accepted. The school Opened as a private Wesleyan school in 1850 and was situated close to the present corner of Williamsons Road and Rassmussen Drive. It was not until 1853 that the school qualified for government aid because of having an average attendance of 20 children for six months. Four local managers were appointed. They were: John Chivers, James Read, James Lacey, and Thomas Hicks. Twenty-seven children attended the school which was described as being "very comfortable".
The first schoolteacher was James Stevens who taught for two years. The next teacher was John Ferguson who became well-respected. His school was attended by children of all denominations, Wesleyan, Presbyterians, Church of England, Roman Catholic and Lutherans. He taught at the school for many years assisted by his wife, Christina. John Ferguson died in 1880 at the age of 82, and he and his wife were buried in the Templestowe Cemetery.
In 1856, all seemed well in the Parish of Bulleen. Templestowe had been named in 1852, a Roads Board was being formed, and negotiations were being made for a cemetery to be opened. The children were being well-educated, and church services were being conducted on Sundays by lay preachers, John Chivers and James Read. About once a month, the minister of the Presbyterian Church at Heidelberg, Rev. D. McDonald, conducted a special service. Also, in 1856, James Read marketed his first crop. However, all were dismayed when the slab hut was burned to the ground in the middle of winter. School lessons were then held in private home until early in 1857, when a new, moveable school house was erected in its place. The moveable school was erected by the men living in the vicinity of the school and furnished by the ladies.
So it was with surprise that the four local managers of the school learned that the Denominational School Board in Melbourne had suggested that, as there was no school in Doncaster, and three schools in Templestowe, and one school in Warrandyte, the moveable school should be shifted to Doncaster. The parents of the children protested strongly, and a letter was written by the four managers pointing out that the school had been established without Government aid in the first place, and also mentioned the work carried out by the parents when the school-house was erected.
The idea of moving the school was abandoned, and, in 1860, a private school was established in the Lutheran Church for the children of the Lutheran settlers. The first headmaster was Max Schramm who became Pastor Schramm some years later.
James Read's fruit sold well and he prospered. In the year 1861, he bought a further 70 acres of land from the Carlton Estate. This land was situated on the north-east corner of Church Road and Foote Street, and was covered with bush timber which he intended to clear and cultivate. Serpells Road had not been made at that time.
In 1863, Bro. H. W. Crouch, of the Carlton Church of Christ, settled in Doncaster and was keen to form a Church of Christ. He obtained a list of names of Baptists, and among the names was that of James Read. The first meeting of the Doncaster Church of Christ was held on the 30th August, 1863, at Bro. Porter's home, and those present were: Bro. H. W. Crouch, Bro. and Sister Porter, Bro. R. Taylor, Bro. J. Read, Sisters Jane and Sarah Lawford, and Bro. J. W. Webb.
While paying a visit to the home of friends of the Read family, Mr. and Mrs. Perry, of Collingwood, John Read, son of James and Annice, met Emily Hillier, a governess who was on a visit from New Zealand. She, and her mother, Mrs. Mary Ann Hillier, and sister, were staying with the Perry family. However, when her mother and sister returned to New Zealand, Emily remained in Melbourne and accepted a position as governess.
Two years later, on the 12th February, 1372, John Read and Emily Hillier were married at the Reed's home in Templestowe, "Bedford Place", by a Baptist minister, John Turner. They lived in a small cottage in Foote Street for a while. Later John and Emily moved to "Bedford Place" and James and Annice built a new home in Foote Street opposite the Templestowe Cemetery. In the early 1870's, cherries grown on the Read property were exported to New Zealand.
During the next twenty years, John and Emily Read raised a family of seven boys and two girls. The boys were of great assistance to John who was able to cultivate approximately 70 acres of fruit trees. In the early 1890's, John and Emily built a large home on Serpells Road to accommodate their growing family. The Read house is situated on the north side of Serpells Road, between Williamsons Road and Church Road, and is now occupied by the Warwick family. When they had completed building the house, John and the boys built seven dams in seven years.
On the 12th August, 1908, James Read died at the age of 90, and was buried in the Templestowe Cemetery. His wife, Annice, had been buried there in 1900.
Four of John Read's sons carried on as orchardists. They were Heber, Joseph, Robert and Albert. William became chief of the Agricultural Department in Western Australia. Frederick became a carpenter and contractor in New Zealand, and Norman became a furrier. Emily, the elder daughter married Lewis Crouch, an orchardist, and the second daughter, Florence, married Lewis Beale, after whom the Beale peach was named.
Many of the next generation of the Read family remained on their orchards until the 1970's, when progress caught up with them. My wife, Elva and I, live at "Leyton Lea" in Church Road, Templestowe, which is portion of the original twelve acres of land purchased by James Read in the early 1850's.
W. J. H. Read and Elva J. Read (326 Church Road Templestowe 3106) writing on 1/71978 and published in the 1978 11 DTHS Newsletter and 1979 02 DTHS Newsletter
John Read b1787 m. Mary
a1- William b1813
a2- Sally b1815
a3- Mary b1816
a4- James b1818 d1908 m Annice d1900
b1--- Mary Ann b1845
b2--- John b1847 d1849
b3--- Joseph b1848 d1849
b4--- John b1850 m Emily Hillier
c1----- Heber (orchardist)
c2----- Joseph (Joe) (orchardist) m Clara Adelaide Zander
d1------- William J H (Bill) b1912 m Elva
d2------- Thelma b1914 m Stan Hodgson
e1--------- Janice Hodgson m David Hyland
e2----------Colin Joseph Stanley Hodgson
c3----- Robert (orchardist)
c4----- Albert (orchardist)
c5----- William (agriculturalist WA)
c6----- Frederick (carpenter NZ)
c7----- Norman (furrier)
c8----- Emily m Lewis Crouch (orchardist)
c9----- Florence m Lewis Beale (Beale Peach)
b5--- Sarah b1852
a5- Thomas b1821
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| Joseph Read Joseph Read (grandson of James Read b1818, son of John Read b1850) in his Serpells Road orchard. Sun Newspaper c1960-61 JaniceHyland Facebook |
Tragedies form rich history of Templestowe Cemetery
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| Jim Poulter |
As part of this year’s Heritage Festival, historian Jim Poulter led a guided tour of the cemetery and recounted to Manningham Leader the tragedies which led to its creation.
The push for a cemetery in Templestowe began in 1849, when Westerfolds Park’s James Read’s six-month-old son contracted typhoid and died.
Mr Read took a wagon ride to Melbourne, the closest cemetery, to bury his young son, which in those days took several days.
But when he returned home, Mr Read found that his other son had also contracted typhoid and later died.
Mr Read was forced to repeat the journey to Melbourne.
Mr Read began lobbying for a burial plot in the newly proclaimed Templestowe Township.
A cemetery was later approved in Heidelberg, Mr Poulter said, but problems arose if the Yarra’s conditions were treacherous.
“If the river was flooded, families would have bodies lying in wait in the lounge room before they could cross the river,” he said.
Mr Read eventually succeeded in lobbying for a burial area.
The first burial at the Templestowe Cemetery took place in 1860, with Mr Read as the cemetery’s trustee.
Thomas O’Byrne, Manningham Leader - May 28, 2015 12:00am
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/east/tragedies-form-rich-history-of-templestowe-cemetery/news-story/792c706a6fc3b3265c0bc6620fcfbcb8
James Read
Country of Origin EnglandDate of Birth 1818
Year of Arrival in Australia 1844
James Read was born and raised in the parish of Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, England. He was fortunate to have attended the Baptist Chapel and day school and eventually became a Lay Preacher. He also assisted his father in the fields and became skilled in farming and horticulture specializing in fruit trees. As he grew to manhood he was interested in being able to own his own farm and many stories were told about the opportunities for young men in Australia between the ages of 15 to 45 years.This must have been a momentous decision for James to make as most people never went further than their village market place but he was strong and healthy and as an active member of the Church of Christ suffered a certain amount of religious persecution from the Church of England at that time.
On the 16th May, 1844, James Read aged 25 years set sail on the barque “Abberton”, 450 tons, bound for the Colony of Port Phillip in the Colony of New South Wales. Most of the 261 immigrants on board came from Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and adjoining counties including his future wife, Annice Sharp. A fair wind carried the ship away leaving them all with mixed feelings. Most of them would never see the white cliffs of England again. After the first bout of seasickness they were carried into calmer waters but the trip took 4 long months.
The menu was plain but wholesome. Mutton, poultry, salted beef and pork and potatoes were the only vegetables available. Water was limited to a gallon a day for drinking and washing.
When they finally reached Queenscliff without mishap, everything looked so wonderful to the excited passengers but they had to wait outside the Heads until early morning to enter safely. They were brought to anchorage at Sandridge on September 22nd, 1844.
Not much was written about James’ initial impressions of the colony but he was contracted to work for Joseph Raleigh for 12 months as was his wife to be, Annice. They were married in February, 1845 at the Independent Chapel, Cnr Collins and Russell St. Their first home was in Flinders Lane before eventually moving to Bulleen and what is today Templestowe, to clear land and establish orchards.They lived there until their deaths and are buried in the Templestowe cemetery which they helped establish.
Submitted by Kerrie Lemon
https://immigrationplace.com.au/story/james-read/ (SEPT2017)
Mr. James Read and Sons - Orchardists
The early European residents in the Templestowe of the 1840’s had to transport their deceased to the Melbourne Cemetery which was then situated (approximately) where the Queen Victoria Market was subsequently built. In 1849, Mr. James Read’s six-month-old son died and was taken to the Melbourne Cemetery. On his return Mr. Read came home to find another child had passed away and he had to make a second journey. After this tragic experience, James Read endeavoured to arouse the other settlers to consider the urgent need of a burial ground. Shortly after, several churches in the Heidelberg area established a small private cemetery, but as there was no bridge over the Yarra River to Heidelberg, access during the winter floods was difficult, even impossible, there still remained a need for a burial place at Templestowe.Templestowe Cemetery Memorial Gardens and Chapel - A History of the Templestowe Cemetery Trust - Forbes 2004 - http://www.gmct.com.au/media/6878/history%20of%20tct.pdf - Pg.4 (SEP2017)
The Read family were one of the original settlers in Templestowe and originated from Bedfordshire in England. James Read’s father John was married in a Baptist Chapel in Leyton England and followed his son to Australia. James Read was a Lay Preacher and skilled in farming and horticulture, specialising in the cultivation of fruit trees. He immigrated to Australia as an assisted migrant in 1844 and met his wife Annice on that voyage. Their first home was a small blue stone cottage in Flinders Lane near the corner of King Street. Then in 1845 they moved to Collingwood. In 1847 James leased land in the parish of Bulleen near the Yarra, east of Heidelberg. This area was referred to as “the forest” and is now known as Westerfolds Reserve. James obtained a sawyer’s licence, and with his neighbour John Chivers formed a partnership to fell Red Gum trees. Church services were held in both James Read and John Chiver’s homes and reading nights for the benefit of adults who could not read their mail from England. James Read was to become the districts first fruit grower in Church Road. In 1856 he marketed his first crop of fruit. By 1861 he had purchased a further 70 acres from the Carlton estate near the corner of Church Rd and Foote Street. By the 1870’s the cherries grown on the Read properties were exported to New Zealand. John Read donated land for a road(1) (Reynolds Road) to connect to East Doncaster as the population was increasing. In 1903 he died and was buried in the Templestowe Cemetery that he had played such an important role in establishing. Many of the latter generations of Reads remained on their orchards until the 1970’s when developers overtook them. Bill Read the Great Grandson of James Read who died in 1988 had lived on a portion of the original 12 acres purchased by James Read in the early 1850’s and is now buried in the family plot in Templestowe Cemetery. (1) Although is is said that James Read donated the land for a road to East Doncater the plan of the subdivision for the Parish of Bulleen shows a road reserve set out for what is now Reynolds Road.
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| Read Family Plot |
John Read of Leyton Buzzard Bedfordshire England Died Templestowe 13\4\1666 aged 79 years Also Percival Read 1884 aged 1 year 4 months George James Read died 12\12\1885 aged 12 years 10 Months Great Grand Children of above Also Annice wife of James died 28\3\1900 aged 84 years James Read son of above died 12\8\1908 90 years Also Emily Read wife of John Read died 23\8\1925 aged 76 and her husband John Read died 14\1\1927 aged 77
Templestowe Cemetery Memorial Gardens and Chapel - A History of the Templestowe Cemetery Trust - Forbes 2004 - http://www.gmct.com.au/media/6878/history%20of%20tct.pdf Pg.14 (SEP2017)
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| Mrs John Read (nee Emily Hillier) was born in 1855, married in 1872, and died in 1925. The Read family lived in Serpells Road, Templestowe. DP0662 |
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| James Read (Reid) Immigration Bedfordshire Ship: Abberton NRS5316/4_4815/Abberton_22 Sep 1844/ met Ann Sharpe married 1845 |
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| Sharp Ann Row 19 Unmarried female Abberton 22 Sep 1844 4_481500056 met James Reid (Read) married 1845. NRS5316/4_4815/Abberton_22 Sep 1844/ |
Ship: Abberton
London. Depart Date: Saturday, June 1, 1844. Destination: Melbourne. Arrive Date: Sunday, September 22, 1844. Ports of Call: Cork
252 Migrants on board. Account based on H'y Mundy's Diary (Log of Logs, Vol 2) "Perilous Voyages to the New Land" by M. Cannon, (Mornington 1995). "The Somerset Years" by Florence Chuck, (Ballarat 1987)
passengersinhistory.sa.gov.au
Abberton
The Abberton arrived on the 22nd of September 1844 from England. The captain of the ship was Captain Campbell. On board six people lost their lives. Mary Wheeler died while giving birth and her infant daughter died four days later. Three other small children died of unknown causes and 16 year old Thomas Waring died a painful death by inflammation of the brain. The Abberton was built at Ipswich in 1819 and belonged to the Marshall of London. The ship sailed from England to Cork before arriving in Australia. On the ship many people had seasickness because of the continuous rocking and the only cure was pea soup but by the end of the voyage everyone was so sick of pea soup that they couldn't look at the food without feeling nauseous. The Abberton was narrow in the beam. This caused damp and uncomfortable living conditions in the single men's quarter. When the immigrants arrived the men were made to sign a form stating that they had received proper treatment and praising the doctor, master and crew for their great kindness and attention. |
| Migrant Deck Plan |
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