MR. AND MRS. W. BARROWS
'Pine Hill', the residence
of Mr. & Mrs. W. Barrows was on fete on Wednesday last, the occasion
being the celebration of their 'Golden Wedding'.
The special feature was
the family gathering which comprised six children, twenty-two grandchildren,
and one great-grandchild and was thoroughly representative, only one grandchild
being absent.
Dinner was served in the
large dining room and the following members of the family sat down to the
wedding feast :- the host and hostess, and Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Barrows, Mr.
and Mrs. S. E. Higgs, Mr. and Mrs. A. A. Haddy, with their families, Mr.
and Mrs. C. E. Kerr, Mr. and Mrs. F. L. Gratton, and Mr. and Mrs. J. A.
Parkes, (the three latter, with their families having journeyed from Adelaide
for the function). The dinner party numbering 39, also included Mrs. Eliza
Cranwell, sister of Mr. Barrows and Mrs. J. Grove who represented the absent
niece (Mrs. P. Grove), and who also travelled from the city. At the conclusion
of the dinner congratulatory speeches were made by the son and sons-in-law
and the eldest grandson of each family.
Mr. Barrows briefly acknowledged
the compliments. In the afternoon the old couple received on the spacious
lawns, a large number of visitors representative of many of the oldest families
in the district.
Mr. C. E. Kerr (son-in-law),
in a short speech, referred to the uniqueness of the gathering, and on behalf
of Mr. and Mrs. Barrows, welcomed the visitors Messrs. W. Sturgess, J. T.
Topham, W. Wilson, also spoke in complimentary terms, and congratulated
the couple on the attainment of the 50th anniversary of their wedding day.
Mr. J. A. Parkes (son-in-law), responded on their behalf.
Mr. and Mrs. Barrows were
recipients of many useful and valuable presents, and congratulations were
received from all parts of the State, one in particular being more than
ordinary interest in that it formed a connecting link with the early history
of the district, was from Mr. Charles Wilcox, who travelled from Mt. Lofty
to this town in the company of Mr. and Mrs. Barrows on their honeymoon journey
50 years ago, and who on Monday last in Adelaide entertained a number of
old colonists in commemoration of their arrival in the State half a century
ago.
The unanimous wish of those
assembled in connection with the function was that Mr. and Mrs. Barrows
would be spared to celebrate the diamond jubilee of their wedding. At the
conclusion of the function each grandchild was presented with a gold coin.
Biographical Sketch
Mr. Wm. Barrows was born
at Sheerness, England, in 1838. His education closed at a very early age,
and at nine years he was employed at Joynson's paper mill at a remuneration
of 3/- per week, which increased to 7/- after seven years' service.
Wood
engraving of William Joynson & Son's mill at St Mary Cray, Kent where William
Jacob, Isaac and William, father and sons, worked before they were wrongly
blamed for a machinery breakage and all were sacked.
He left the motherland
with his parents at the age of 16, and was engaged at sawmilling and farm
work in the Mount Lofty Ranges until leaving for Mt. Gambier in 1862. After
a stay of about ten months he returned to Mount Lofty for his bride. The
honeymoon trip of 300 miles was made in a bullock dray, and occupied three
weeks.
On his arrival he bought
a section of land from Mr. Caleb Fidler*, and has increased his holding
to such an extent that it is now one of the finest farming properties in
the district.
Mr. Barrows was one of
the first directors of the Gambier East Cheese and Butter Factory - the
pioneer factory of the district. He has also been a member of the Agricultural
Bureau for many years.
Mrs. Wm. Barrows is a daughter
of the late Mr. Jas. Cobbledick, of 'Springfield Gardens', Uraidla, and
was born at O'Halloran Hill in 1842. With her parents she removed to Uraidla
in 1845. 'Springfield Gardens' consisted of 80 acres of the most fertile
soil in the State, and was regarded in the early days as the finest garden
in the Hills. All the early period of her life was spent here, and in those
everlasting hills was born such a love for the beautiful in nature, and
in flower and shrub as would yield a veritable goldmine to the author of
'Aunt Jane of Kentucky'. Mrs. Barrows recalls many interesting episodes
of the early days of the State, particularly in regard to the aborigines
who frequently troubled the early settlers. Her family, however, was always
immune from molestation of any kind, due, she states, to the fact that her
father would never allow the blacks to be ill treated. Upon her marriage
she left with her husband on the overland journey to Mt. Gambier. There
were two bullock teams, the driver of one being a brother of Dr. Koch of
'consumptive cure' fame. Game was plentiful all the way through. Mrs. Barrows
being the only woman in the party, attended to the culinary operations,
a department in which she excels. In the pioneer work of the farm she proved
herself a colonist of the very best type, and it is safe to say that the
success that has come to the couple in their later life has been greatly
augmented by her energy and perseverance under many trying circumstances.
She has been an ardent horticulturalist from her early life, and some years
ago was a prominent and successful exhibitor at the local show.
Mr. and Mrs. Barrows are
still hale and hearty, and present appearances indicate that there are many
years of active life ahead.
*Note regarding land
purchased, known as "The Flat" from Caleb Fidler:-
From
"The Border Watch" (date not known) from a history of Fidler &
Webb by Henry E Kennedy
...... Mr. Fidler
purchased five or six hundred acres of land two miles North of Mount
Gambier, and on the corner where Penola Road and Suttontown Road meet
today, he built his home - a simple thatched roofed cottage. Here also
Messres Fidler and Webb built their first shop. .....
