From Llannor, North Wales to Stradbroke Island

From Llannor, North Wales to Stradbroke Island

James Glynne Griffith

James Glynne (Jim) Griffith married Louisa Beaurein in Cape Town, South Africa in October 1843.  Their first daughter, Catherine Ann Griffith, was born in London on 23 Apr 1845.  There were tough times when Jim didn't have a job (working on boats) and he wrote to Lord Newborough asking for assistance (these letters are in the Welsh Archives) and assistance was given.

In 1847, Jim, Louisa and young Catherine travelled to New Brunswick, North America (later Canada) where Jim had been given to believe he could find work.  Their second child and only son, Spencer Glynne Griffith, was born at St. Andrews, New Brunswick on 7 Dec 1847.  By 1850, the young family were back in London as their third (and last) child, Louisa was born 15 Sep 1850 but baby Louisa only survived for three weeks.

So we come to 1853, Jim was 32 years old, with a wife and two small children to provide for.  His parents, two sisters and three of his four brothers had passed away.  His elder (and only surviving) brother, David White Griffith, was handling his father's affairs, so Jim made a decision to travel to Australia to see what prospects he could find there.  Leaving his family in London, Jim boarded the barque Tory bound for Australia.  Alas, the barque Tory was shipwrecked off Port Stephens on the New South Wales coast.  All on board managed to swim to safety though a small boy died after hitting his head and because of this lad's death, there was a court case and one of the crew was found guilty of negligence.

However, Jim must have seen "prospects" as he went back to London, bundled up the wife and children, and headed back to Australia on the ship General Hewitt arriving at Moreton Bay in December 1854.

Jim worked on boats/ships along the Brisbane River and his wife, Louisa, and children Catherine and Spencer made the best of their new home and the family lived in and around the "Darling Downs" area near Brisbane.  Catherine married Mark Wagland in 1863 and Mark and Catherine's first child, Anna Augusta Wagland, was born in 1864.  Anna was Jim's first grandchild and she was my great great grandmother.

In September 1879, at the Monthly Land Court hearing before Mr. Commissioner Hume, James was granted 80 acres Homestead selection 3015 at Ramsay, Eton Vale, Darling Downs.  Aged 59 and with £200 capital, Jim tried to make a go of it.  However just five years later he had lost everything through the continuing drought and he just walked off his land.  Failing health, poor eyesight combined with no money and no friends led Jim to request admission to the Dunwich Benevolent Asylum on Stradbroke Island in Moreton Bay on 19 March 1886.

Jim’s amazing life, which had seen him travel from his homeland in Northern Wales, live in many places between London and Australia and receive so much assistance and encouragement from his parents, finally closed on the last day of December 1887 and he was buried on 2 January 1888 in the Dunwich Cemetery, Stradbroke Island.

Jim was 67 years old and survived by his estranged wife Louisa (62) (they had been married nigh on 44 years), daughter Catherine (40) and son Spencer (37), and 7 grandchildren - his daughter Catherine's children - Anna Augusta Wagland (23), Louisa Wagland (21), Walter Wagland (18), Alfred Wagland (16), Maurice Mark Wagland (14), John (Helbert) Wagland (11), George Frederick Haines (1), and 4 great grandchildren - John Mark Borgert (5), William Albert Borgert (4), George James Borgert (2) and Annie Catherine Borgert (7 weeks).  Sadly, it seems that no family members were present when Jim was buried.

Donna Holmes

January 2014.