THE QUALTROUGH FAMILY

‍ 

Descendants of Rev Joseph Qualtrough and Agnes McCullock

 

- Amelia Qualtrough (McMurtrie)

 

‍ AMELIA QUALTROUGH was born 7 October 1863 in Diamond Creek, Vic, Australia. She married THOMAS MCMURTRIE 1887 in Victoria, Australia.

 

‍ Children of AMELIA QUALTROUGH and THOMAS MCMURTRIE are:

 

‍ JACOBINE (BINA)6 MCMURTRIE, b. 1888, Brunswick, Vic, Australia.

 

‍ THOMAS JAMES MCMURTRIE, b. 1889, Bairnsdale, Vic, Australia; d. 1967, Vic, Australia.

 

‍ Amelia Qualtrough was born Amelia Thorburn on the 7th of October 1862 at Diamond Creek. Her mother was Lydia Thorburn and the name of her father is not shown on the birth certificate.

 

‍ The next known occurrence of Amelia comes in the front of a photo album which has come into the hands of Jack and Phyllis Oualtrough after it was discovered in the remains of a farmhouse at Lang Lang in Victoria, about 1981. In the front of this album Amelia has entered her name and address as Junction Hotel South Preston and the date, the 11th of January 1887. She would have only just turned 14 in the previous October and it seems as though she may have left home at an early age perhaps taking a position in the hotel. this address also appears in a Bible now held by Mrs Dora Spice of Main Street Noojee.

 

‍ Amelia married Thomas McMurtrie in 1887 and in 1886 they had a daughter. Jacobine born at Brunswick. The following year Thomas James was born at Bairnsdale. The next move was to Bullumwaal where at some stage they took up running a tea rooms-boarding house named the "Willows". Amelia also ran a bakery shop from there. There were two willow trees in the front and these were later referred to as "Bina and Tom". Amelia it seems ran the boarding house and was a very hard worker being loved and respected by everyone. Tom was very popular as he played the bagpipes for the dances. It is said that he would even take them down to the paddock and walk back from the cows playing them. He had a small farm about a mile down the road from the boarding house where he went to work every day. It was always joked that he went to the farm, milked the one cow and slept the rest of the day, then sold the milk to Mrs Mac for the boarding house.

 

‍ The school records do not go back to the time when Bina and Tom attended. Bina married twice, firstly to George Spice during which time they had a son Lockie, who was born on the 13th of August 1913. The school records show that he started school at Bullumwaal on the 5th of February 1923 after transferring from Bachus Marsh. George Spice is shown in these records to be from Lang Lang. It is not known what happened to George, but Lockie it seems died as a result of a logging accident at Tanjil Bren in the 1950s, leaving a wife (Dora) and three daughters. He is buried at Warragul. Young Tom was accompanied to the funeral by his stepson Gordon Mouatt.

 

‍ Young Tom married Ethel Hibbins (Sis) on the 9th May 1953 at St Margarets Pres. Church, East St Kilda. Sis had been married to a Mouatt who died in 1945 age 60; at this time she had a son, Gordon Mouatt; and young Tom became his stepfather.

 

‍ Tom and Sis took over the Store and Post Office at Bullumwaal running this until 1965 when they retired to the house that Gordon lived in as a child. In 1957 Tom died of a stroke and was buried in Bairnsdale in the same grave as his father. Sis died on the 1st July 1977 and is buried in St Kilda.

 

‍ Gordon Mouatt was born on the 3rd May 1916, and his first recollection of Bullumwaal was as a lad of about 12. He spent 10 days there including New Years Eve, when everyone visited Old Tom and Mrs Mac's home.

 

‍ From "The Book of Bullumwaal"

 

(For All Those Who Can Remember) Composed by Rose L. Sayers (Nee Hibbens) In memory of Emmie November 1959

 

‍ Do you recall the old school-house

Away up on the hill?

Tracks to it made by little feet?

(They're toiling up there still!)

 

‍ Do you recall the drill ground

Where we all lined up in file?

And then marched into the school

Over the old fence-stile?

 

Do you recall the pine-trees

You planted along the fence?

The kids still climb these self-same trees

And hide in the branches dense.

 

‍ Down the road past Dick Clements' Store

(Just opposite Sammy Mill's place!)

Remember the Sunday School picnics there?

Jim Drummond singing Grace?

 

‍ The kerosene tins full of tea?

The see-saw and the swings?

The lolly scramble and the cakes

And sandwiches and things?

 

‍ Do you recall the boggy creek

Where males in summer swam,

The leeches sucking out their blood

Down at the old "Boys' Dam"?

 

‍ Do you recall the fine brass band

That played on Sunday morn?

Euphonium and big brass drum

Cornets and tenor-horn?

 

‍ Remember the twinkling lantern lights

Up and down "Melhuish's Hill"?

Men changing shifts at "The Beehive".

(I think I see them still!)

 

‍ Do you recall Mrs Emery's store

At Christmas time? The thrill!

The dolls, the toys, the stockings red

For Santa Claus to fill?

 

Do you recall the fire-works

Kept by Mrs Rose Chong-See?

The crackers and the jumping-jacks

She sold to you and me?

 

‍ Remember the Indian hawker?

Mr Vincent with his van?

The oranges you bought from him?

Why, yes, of course you can!

 

‍ Remember the bullock wagons

Loaded with huge logs

That often went down past the school

With cracking whips, and dogs?

 

‍ Do you recall the bag-pipes

Oft played by dear old Tom Mac?

In highland dress he'd march along

The kids well on his track!

 

‍ The fiddle he played for dances

On many a Saturday night?

So young folk could enjoy themselves

And dance by kero lamp light

 

‍ Do you recall the (so-&-so) farm

The Jinker and the horse?

The daily journey to and fro?

You remember that of course?

 

‍ Do you recall dear Mrs Mac?

Everybody's friend!

The shop she kept, the bread she baked?

Her kindness without end?

 

‍ Remember how Dan Woods would spit

Clear across the pub verandah?

Were you ever scared of Jim Ackersley's dog?

Or Mrs Mac's old gander?

 

‍ Do you recall the dahlias

John Buckley used to grow?

His snow-ball tree and roses red?

(I did admire them so!)

 

‍ Do you recall the "Five-Mile"

With chestnuts growing wild?

To walk there was a yearly treat

When I was but a child!

 

‍ Do you recall Ben Postle

His "sweetmeats" and his dog?

Remember old Arthur Bannister-

When he'd been on the grog?

 

Remember the wonderful gramophone

That Charlie Curtis bought?

With "Songs by Billy Williams"

(If you don't, you jolly well ought!)

 

‍ Do you remember Arthur Mount

And the rain-gauge kept by him?

Which even when it hadn't rained

Was found filled to the brim!

 

‍ Remember Georgie Horton? (Now Hibben)

At her garden gate as a rule;

With an ever ready wave and smile

For children off to school?

 

‍ When the boys from Tabbarabbara

Rode in to collect their mail.

How they'd stop by the willows in front of Mac's

Each Friday without fail?

 

‍ Remember Georgie Quong-Tart

Carting water up the hill?

With bucket balanced from shoulders

And never a drop he'd spill!

 

Remember Bill Minter at his forge

With his leather apron on?

(That was a fascinating scene

For kids to gaze upon!)

 

‍ And of course there was Grannie Henderson

(Good old soul! How could we forget!)

For the help she gave when babes were born

Many families owe a debt!

 

‍ Do you recall White "White-House"

Across the creek, on the ridge?

Remember the row of poplars

At Andrew's place, cross the bridge?

 

Remember the fern-tree gullies

With wonderful water-falls?

The silence quite unbroken

Except by wild bird calls'.

 

‍ Our reading was the "Weekly Times"

Of course you can recall

The pictures of the sheep and cows

Upon the kitchen wall?

 

‍ So many things to remember

One could go on and on!

Kind friends and true, we think of them

Though most of them are gone.

 

You may recall those Bullumwaal days

And some humour in 'em

The innocent joys, romance and fun

There's nothing much agin 'em.