THOMAS ELLIOTT

 THOMAS ELLIOTT was the sixth child and third son born to ROBERT JOHN ELLIOTT and SARAH MILBOURNE CARR.  He was born in Sydney on the 9th July 1845 while the family were living at Parramatta St. and baptised on 3rd August 1845 in the Parish of Petersham.

 THOMAS's parents were from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, Eng. where ROBERT was a wheelwright.  ROBERT arrived in Sydney on the "Upon Castle" on 26th February 1838 with his wife, SARAH and two young children, ROBERT PINKNEY DIXON aged four years and ELIZABETH two and a half years.  ROBERT followed his trade as a wheelwright in Aust.  The family first lived at Camblelan St. but moved to Pitt St. then Newton and Parramatta St. by 1846 but before the twins, JAMES and SARAH were born the family had settled in Gundagai.  THOMAS (TOM) received hardly any education as his marriage certificate is signed with an "X" so was probably like his parents, only able to read and write a little.

 We do not know when TOM came to Qld but two of his sisters, ANNIE who was married to GEORGE FOX and SARAH married to his brother WILLIAM FOX, also moved up to Qld. and settled around St Lawrence and Broadsound district.  TOM could have travelled up with one of them or travelled up to join them later and worked as carrier.  His brother-in-law, GEORGE FOX leased out bullock teams so it could have been one of those teams TOM may have worked for GEORGE FOX around St Lawrence.  We know TOM was living at St Lawrence on the 13 November 1875 when he married 18 years old, EDITH LOUISE PARNELL who had worked as a sempstress before her marriage.

 EDITH was the only daughter of HORATIO INGLIS PARNELL and LOUISA DAVIS.  EDITH was born on 16th December 1855 in Hammersmith Middlesex Eng.  Her father, HORATIO was Architect and Surveyor in London.  HORATIO and LOUISA PARNELL landed in Keppel Bay on the "Light Brigade" on 28th February 1872 with their daughter, EDITH and seven sons, ARTHUR HORATIO, DONALD INGLIS, HORACE FRANK, RALPH ADOLPHUS, LEONARD ERNEST, EDGAR GUSTAR and ALFRED THOMAS.

 The family were only here two months when their father, HORATIO died at Saltwater Creek on 7th May 1872.  Their mother, LOUISA opened a private school in St. Lawrence.  LOUISA died 23rd August 1894 and is buried near the beach at Orkabie, St Lawrence.

 TOM and EDITH's first son, FREDERICK THOMAS was born on 7th May 1878 while they were still living in St. Lawrence.  The railway line was being built from Rockhampton to Longreach and TOM was employed as a carrier using his bullock team to carry equipment for the railway line.  EDITH travelled with him as their next 3 sons were born along the line as the family moved along with the building of the railway line.

 Their second son, RALPH PARNELL was born on 30th March 1881 at Bogantungan, ROBERT VALENTINE on 14th February 1882 we do not know what siding, but EDGAR ARTHUR was born on 11th April 1885 at Companion Creek near Barcaldine.  The railway line did not reach Longreach until 1892 but their next child, and first daughter EDITH VIOLET, was born in Winton on 16th March 1887 so TOM must have left the building of the line between the birth of EDGAR and EDITH. 

 From the Winton School records, FRED and RALPH started school in 1886 and later that year VALENTINE was enrolled.  We do not know why they moved on to Winton but TOM's sister and brother-in-law, SARAH AND WILLIAM FOX, were living in Winton by 1880 as they were involved in the starting of the first school.  So that could be the reason the ELLIOTT FAMILY settled in Winton.  Their other six children were all born in Winton, LOUISE FRANCES on 16th April 1889, FRANCIS HORATIO on 25th September 1890, THOMAS OCTAVIOUS on 21st January 1893 but sadly he only lived a couple of weeks dying on 14th February.  ILIEN (EILEEN) OLIVE was born on 10th August 1894, WILLIAM SAMUAL on 21st OCTOBER 1896 and ARTHUR ERIC on 22nd November 1898.

After the family settled in Winton, they operated the town dairy called Emu Farm.  The older boys would have played a large part in the running of the dairy as TOM also had a bullock team.  TOM would be away months at a time carting wool from the Hughenden and Boulia districts to the closest railway terminus.  TOM's spare boy for these trips was JIMMY KANAKS who had been reared from a baby by TOM and EDITH.  The railway line from Townsville to Hughenden was opened by 1887 and continued on to Winton and opened on 5th July 1899.  The Boulia district was the main area from which to cart wool, to the rail terminus at Winton and then by train to Townsville.  The railway line from Winton to Longreach was not completed until 1928.

 SAM LATHAM was another teamster from Winton and lost his wife, MARAI on August 2nd 1892 while he was away on one of the long trips and left young children.  EDITH ELLIOTT went to their house for the children and looked after them until their father returned weeks later as those days news only travelled by teamsters as they passed each other on the tracks.  TOM and EDITH continued to look after the children for him as TOM said a couple more did not make any difference.  So the young LATHAM children, EMILY (GRACE) aged 8 years, WILLIAM SAMUAL (SNOWY) aged 6 years and HERBERT ALFRED LATHAM aged 4 years were reared with the ELLIOTT children.  GRACE LATHAM's married name was CHILLINGWORTH.

 There is a photo taken in the mid 1890's of nine bullock wool teams around one of the stock route dams, Whitewood Dam or Burke's Tank now Stamdford, both are between Winton and Hughenden.  There is a hotel behind the wagons but can not get it clear enough to really see the hotel.  The time the photo was taken FREDERICK GUEST had the Whitewood Dam Hotel and MICHAEL CELSUS FOX had the Coach and Horses Hotel at Burke's Tank.

 In the photo, JIMMY KANAKS, TOM's spare boy was riding Merlooles which was once owned by a drover, Dick Laffin.  Merlooles won his first race at Burke's Tank Races.  He won two races at that meeting, 10 pounds for one and a bridle in the Bracelet.  In 1898, Merlooles won the Sydney Cup (2 miles) with the weight of 7.8 stone in the time of 3.31 mins.

 The photo showed TOM's lead bullock, Knobby bogged.  Some of the other teamsters with their teams were BEN SMITH, the carrier from Whitewood Dam, DICK SMITH, SAM LATHAM, HARRY JONES  and GEORGE DEVINE.

 During the severe drought early 1900's, the Winton dairy was closed and most of the family travelled by train to Charters Towers as his mother, EDITH's brother, DONALD PARNELL was removing the gold from the auriferous sand.  Some of the ELLIOTT children found work with him.  TOM also worked for D.I. PARNELL as a jack of all trades but mostly he looked after the draft horses.

 EDITH LOUISE ELLIOTT had a small shop in front of their family home at Ruby Ridge off Bluff Road in Charters Towers.

 Halley's Comet was visible in our sky late 1985 and first part of 1986 when it was the brightest for a few months.  Halley had not been visible in our sky for 76 years.  During its last visit, EDITH ELLIOT had watched it with her younger children, telling them it would be something they would only see once in their life time.  Two of those children, ARTHUR and LOUISE were still alive but blindness or fading eye sight stopped them from seeing Halley's Comet again.

 The family dairy was again opened by their son, EDGAR about 1912 and carried on by his brothers, RALPH and then FRED.  The family moved back to Winton and were living in a rented house in Elderslie Street when TOM died on 9th May 1918.  The story goes that TOM was sitting on the front steps eating an orange when he choked on a seed which caused a twisted bowel resulting in his death, a day or so later.

 EDITH ELLIOTT remained living in Winton and reared her grand daughter, MURIEL AMY FOSTER after the death of her mother, EDITH FOSTER.  The other children of EDITH FOSTER were reared by her brothers and sisters.  Later, EDITH ELLIOTT moved to Brisbane with her daughters and their families, LOUISE KELLY and EILEEN DITTMAN.  They lived across the road from each other in Gaythorne.  EDITH lived with EILEEN DITTMAN and family until her death in Brisbane on 13th February 1936.

THOMAS ELLIOT AND CHILDREN

THOMAS ELLIOTT:

·        born in Sydney on 9th July 1845

·        baptised 3rd August 1845 in the Parish of Petersham

·        parents ROBERT JOHN ELLIOTT and SARAH MILBOURNE CARR

·        married on 13th November 1875, St. Lawrence, Qld.

·        spouse EDITH LOUISE PARNELL

·        witnesses at wedding, Thomas's sister Annie Fox and her brother-in-law,
Thomas Lambert Fox

EDITH LOUISE PARNELL:

·        born 16th December 1855, Hammersmith Middlesex Eng.

·        died 13th February 1936, Brisbane

·        Edith's parents HORATIO INGLIS PARNELL and LOUISA DAVIS and seven brothers, ARTHUR HORATIO, DONALD INGLIS, HORACE FRANK, RALPH ADOLPHUS, LEONARD ERNEST, EDGAR GUSTAR and ALFRED THOMAS arrived from England on the "Light Brigade", landing at Keppel Bay 28th February 1872.  Their father, HORATIO died at Saltwater Creek on 7th May 1872.  Her mother, LOUISA opened a private school in St. Lawrence.  LOUISA PARNELL died 23rd August 1894, buried near Orkabie Beach, St. Lawrence.

11 CHILDREN OF THOMAS ELLIOTT AND EDITH LOUISE PARNELL:

1.         Frederick Thomas Elliott

·        born 7th May 1878, St. Lawrence, Qld.

·        died 1951, Winton

·        trade carrier, grazier and operated the Winton dairy

·        married at Charters Towers

·        spouse Mimella Alice Sullivan (German parentage)

·        died 1982, Winton

·        No. of children 13.  Eva Mimella, Ralph Frederick, Edith Elizabeth, Edgar Parnell, Ray Aline, Thomas Earnest, Benson Horace, Morris Winton, Cecil Leonard, Owen Alfred, Gordon Andrew, Mary Margaret and Helen Florence Elliott.

2.         Ralph Parnell Elliott

·        born 30th March 1881, Bogantungan, Qld.

·        died Bundaberg

·        trade Winton dairy, later grazier Corfield/Winton

·        married 1907, Charters Towers

·        spouse Irene Patterson, 1887-1966

·        No. of children 7.  Juanita, Donald Ralph, Sylvie, Olive, Ivy, Alma and Ruth Elliott.

3.         Robert Valentine Elliott

·        born 14th February 1882

·        died Dobbyn, Qld.

·        married 10th August 1907, Charters Towers

·        spouse Augusta Lidennewabar

·        died 2nd March 1958, Mount Isa

·        No. of children 3.  Albert Valentine died 2 days, Leonard Robert and Mary Elliott died aged 3 years.

4.         Edgar Arthur Elliott

·        born 11th April 1885, Companion Creek near Barcaldine, Qld.

·        died November 1946, Brisbane

·        trade grazier Corfield, Qld.

·        married 21st November 1917, Charters Towers

·        spouse Irene Coward

·        born 2nd April 1891, Charters Towers

·        died 6th June 1964, Hughenden, Qld.

·        No. of children 5.  William Thomas, Robert Coward, Harry Edgar, Percy James and Alexander George Elliott.

5.         Edith Violet Elliott

·        born 16th March 1887, Winton

·        died 1981, Charters Towers

·        married 1902, Charters Towers

·        spouse John Joseph Foster

·        No. of children 7.  Eric, Edna Eileen, Ione Edith, Ralph Thomas, Edgar William, Muriel Amy and Myrtle Lorraine Foster.  After Edith's death, Edna was reared by Edith's sister Eileen Dittman, Ione by her sister Lou Kelly, two sons, Ralph and Edgar by her brother Edgar Elliott, Myrtle by her brother Ralph Elliott, and Muriel by Edith's mother.

6.         Louisa Frances Elliot

·        born 16th April 1889, Winton

·        died 1988, Brisbane

·        spouse Patrick Kelly

·        trade carpenter, at one time worked on the Story Bridge, Hornibrook.

·        No. of children 4.  Gwen, Joseph and Jackie, twins but Jackie died about 12 months of age, and Eric Arthur Kelly.

7.         Francis Horatio Elliott

·        born 25th September 1890, Winton

·        died 1934

·        trade woolclasser

·        married Charters Towers

·        spouse Mary Margaret Donavan

·        No. of children 2.  Arthur Michael died as a baby, Eileen Olive Elliott

8.         Thomas Octavious Elliott

·        born 21st January 1893, Winton

·        died 14th February 1893, Winton

9.         Ilien Olive (Eileen) Elliott

·        born 10th August 1894, Winton

·        died 2nd January 1978, Brisbane

·        married 19th December 1914, Charters Towers

·        spouse Ferdinand William Sydney Dittmann

·        trade butcher

·        No. of children 8.  Thomas William, Frank Sydney, Sydney Arthur, Owen Elliott, Walter George, Bertha Edith, Coris Dell, Alfred Parnell Dittman.

10.       William Samuel Elliott

·        born 21st October 1896, Winton

·        trade shearing contractor, Winton district

·        spouse Phyllis McColl

·        died 13th May 1994, Brisbane

·        No. of children 2.  Phyllis and Allan William Elliott

11.       Arthur Eric Elliott

·        born 22nd November 1898, Winton

·        died 29th September 1994, Winton

·        worked his whole life around Winton

·        spouse Florence Wood

·        born 10th December 1904, Charters Towers

·        no family

This article on Thomas Elliott was written and researched by B Godfrey, (Hughenden QLD) – great granddaughter of Thomas Elliott