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Thread: Tasmanian Personal Diary - 1894 -1895

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    Default Tasmanian Personal Diary - 1894 -1895

    Funny story (may have mentioned it before at some stage).......I got a big pile of family history stuff off my mother a couple of years ago and in it was an old diary. I asked her about it and she said that she found it in family stuff and read it and tried for a year to work out which relative it was about. It drove her mad for a year of no result.......she mentioned it to her sister who said "oh....that diary, I was volunteering in an Op shop in Richmond in the 80's and found it ".

    That aside, I have read it once a couple of years ago and found it very interesting. The guy that wrote it works in Launceston but I could not work out exactly what his job was. I am going to read it again (these things annoy me) and thought that if enough people are interested I might post it (type it up...believe me transcribing old writing is not fun), maybe a week at a time. Its something I want to do anyway (transcribe it) as its much easier to read that way and doesn't damage the book. Its in excellent condition for its age only have 1 single page that has come out (which I have).

    I dont know the writers name, but he goes to church on a Sunday and appears to share a byke which belongs to a bloke called Falty (yep, that's how Byke was once spelt) and travels on a lot of trains at places like Conara (51 kms from Launceston), but worked in Launceston. It is a very detailed diary, he writes about just about everything, where he goes, you can even see where he was at particular dates and times as he states EXACTLY where he meets people in Launceston. He is very detailed in everything he writes.

    I need at least 10 clicks on the thanks button to motivate me. I know its wont interest everyone, but those that like history will enjoy it as it presents a real life description of life in Tasmania between March 1894 and May 1895. He even describes installing some technology himself....an electric doorbell that takes him weeks to get going properly I am presuming he is young, in his 20's. He sees a girl regularly who he refers to as "E".

    Google Maps - Conara


    Example :


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    conara, home of the disappearing house......

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    Two things, I wonder what the literacy levels were at the time, I'd suggest keeping a diary would indicate he had a well to do job.

    And an electric doorbell would not be cheap back then...

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    Quote Originally Posted by hoe View Post
    conara, home of the disappearing house......
    Yeah it disappeared some time ago completely. I think it burnt down

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    Conara was a stagecoach then railway town. Maybe he was a railway clerk.
    Probably made the doorbell with parts he acquired from work.....

    Sent from my LON-L29 using Tapatalk

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    C'mon, did Mr. Allison give him the time off? You'd make a great script writer for "Ways of our Wives" or "As the Stomach turns".
    I'm out of my mind, but feel free to leave a message...

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    Quote Originally Posted by lsemmens View Post
    C'mon, did Mr. Allison give him the time off? You'd make a great script writer for "Ways of our Wives" or "As the Stomach turns".
    If I get another 2 thanks you may find out

    While people could say you are going to do it anyway, true, but I wouldnt be doing it now. It would be on my gunna list

    Good to see the amount of interest though, I said 10 because I didnt think 10 would click

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    Quote Originally Posted by lsemmens View Post
    C'mon, did Mr. Allison give him the time off? You'd make a great script writer for "Ways of our Wives" or "As the Stomach turns".
    He was meant to be on at 12 but they excused him until the arrival of the 6.30 train in the evening from St Leonards

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    And even though he spent the rest of the day on it, he could not fix the issue with the electric bell.


    Come on, 2 more thanks, 27 of you have read this, it wont kill you Otherwise lsemmens will start PM'ing me to find out why the bell would not work.

    And for some reason I must have previously missed, it seems he works in telephone exchanges ( he also gets sent to places other than Launceston to fill in and do relief work). This is another reason I need to transcribe it.......reading bits and pieces when I had time to like last time means you miss or forget things from it.

    Ahh, bugger it, I will just do it. The first few pages are what books he has read - when he got them from the library and when he took them back etc and a list of church money. Rather than transcribing these ones, I might just scan them and post them up.

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    Ok, I will at least get this started.

    I have copied those first few pages about his books and the church money. Nothing particularly exciting, but a reminder of an age when reading was something everybody did.








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    Good luck deciphering that handwriting, I would not have the patience but I appreciate your effort

    many thanks !!!

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    And so starts the diary itself........man, this is going to take some typing. As some or all of you know, my neck is screwed and I am now currently under treatment at the Alfred Hospital. At my next appointment with them (they havent given me a date yet) I am having spinal injections. They say this will fix me....but they dont know how long it will last as it is different for different people. Basically if I only had to go see them 2-3 times a year for injections, they consider that a better option than surgery. If its more than that, it will likely be surgery.

    Typing kills me, but I can take opiod drugs so its bearable. If it really kills me, I will have to take more pills. So I apologise in advance if I #### up Let me know if it looks like I have potentially made any blunders, such as repeated lines etc. Fortunately I can type pretty fast........just looking through this some days he really puts a lot in. Once I have the injections I should be right to not have to drug myself to finish it.

    This is a thread that will take quite a long period of time to finish.

    Feel free to comment, I encourage it. It is a fascinating insight in to what life was like 123 years ago in rural Tasmania. Each transcribed post I make will be an entire week of entries. It starts on a Sunday, so Sunday to Sunday will be our week.

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    Sunday April 15th 94

    Left home about 7.30am and went some 8 miles along Main Rd to Hobt, to meet Parker coming from Epping. Returned and came on in to town with him - Had some breakfast and went to morning service at St Johns (Mr Ingle preached very nicely) - Stayed to dinner and visited Museum with P and Ted and left for home on byke about 4.30 - saw ER (?) out on Elphin road and reached home about 5.30pm - after tea and before church had class with Arthur and Ern . Attending evening service at St Leonards ()



    Tuesday April 17th 94

    Lent W Johnson first 6 months of B.O.P for 1893.



    Wednesday April 18th 94

    Cake fair held at in aid of furnishing church with linoleum to go up aisle and refrosting the windows etc. Over £24 cleared - called to see it as I was going home from 8.30 train.



    Thursday April 19th 94

    Got off duty at 3pm and took Gertie and E out to St Leonards by 3.15 train - they stayed to about 7.20 pm and then Ern and I saw them safely off by 7.50 train to town. Very gloomy and showery day - we got rather wet as we returned from the station.


    Sunday April 22nd 94


    Was excused from work, but came on for H Peters as he is to let me off next Sunday - after 9.30 rode up on byke to St John's parsonage to see Mr Parnell but saw Mrs Kelly instead and had a talk with her for a few minutes. After that I rode home but did not go to morning service at St Leonards. After dinner had class with arthur and ern and then the three of us walked in to town via - A and E brought their tea with them and had it over on the gorge path - I went to Mrs W's to tea, we all met again at a quarter to 7 and in company with Ted went to evening service at St John's church. Mr P preached - walked out together and arrived home shortly after 10 pm.


    ADMIN - I have added hyperlinks to anything I know for sure he is talking about and anything I cant transcribe I will use "best effort" with a (?) after it.

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    Tuesday April 24th 94

    Changed Ted work today and came on duty at 1 o'clock - This morning went down to St Leonards parsonage to see Mr Wilkinson and talked to him for about an hour and a quarter - Came in to town by 11.20 train. Mother has had an attack of since Saturday - she is staying in bed all day today on that account.



    Wednesday April 25th 94

    Got measured for a pair of pants at Bidencopes (?) this morning, Ted was sworn in as a volunteer last night (Tuesday) at the Barracks.


    Thursday April 26th 94

    Reached home about 10.20 last night and found mother much better after her attack of quincey.


    Sunday April 29 94

    Was off duty in am (H Peters working for me). Had lesson on Colechisin(?) in morning instead of regular lesson - rode in to town on byke in afternoon and attanded evening service at St Johns (W Barkway took service). Ern met me and went to St Johns too and afterwards rode home on byke while I stayed in all night.

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    Quote Originally Posted by admin View Post
    Had lesson on Colechisin(?) in morning instead of regular lesson
    Any ideas on that one ??

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    Tuesday May 1st 94

    This morning I fixed wires underneath floor of new house leading to the front door push for electric bell - got paid today.


    Wednesday May 2nd 94


    Changed Ted today and came on duty at 12 oc. This morning I laid new wire under new house to the P Office window push. I had 3 last teeth taken out by Grieve before coming on duty.


    Thursday May 3rd 94

    Returned two books " Stanley's Christian Institution " and "Childhood Of Jesus" by gannett to Mr Parnell this morning - he has been ill since Monday before last but is now better and was to take his first walk out since getting up this morning. Did not see Mr P himself but gave them to Mrs Kelly.


    Sunday May 6th 94

    Came to work in morning and after getting off duty went up to see Parker but found he was not up, having arrived home at 6.30 am after his 4 hours ride from Epping. Rode home without seeing him but in afternoon walked in and met him and Ted in Fry's Paddock. Stayed in to tea and went with P to Mission house . Left for home again shortly after 9pm . Called at R's before starting.

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    Wednesday May 9th 94

    Came in by 11.30 train and met Mrs W. L and W at 11.45 and went to Fyshes (?) to chose rug for Parker. Got a nice imitation leopard skin one for 12/6. Came on duty at 12.5


    Thursday May 10th 94

    Sent a postcard to Parker at Epping.


    Sunday May 13th 94

    Ted and I partly rode partly walked home to St Leonards after work in morning and returned to town in afternoon in time for tea. Attended service at St Johns in evening and I stayed in all night.


    Tuesday 15th May 94

    Mother and I each received a letter from Parker this morning.


    Sunday May 20th 94


    Am came on duty and walked home after 9.30. In afternoon rode in on byke after class and met E and gR - in evening went with Mrs W, L and Win to St Aidens church for first time - was much pleased with pretty church and also enjoyed the service very much - Mr Dixon preached a splendid sermon taking for his text " ye shall be witnesses unto me " and one which I hope I will always remember. Rode out after 9 oc - Ern came in to evening service at St Johns but missed me and so didnt go.

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    Ok, thats a start. I will do some more over the next couple of days.

    So we havent learnt much. I think from memory Parker is definitely his brother.

    I would love to see an 1894 imitation leopard skin rug

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    Quote Originally Posted by admin View Post
    Any ideas on that one ??
    Could you scan it when you get chance?

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    I believe he is taking "Lessons in Catholicism" to convert from another Religion.
    This is consistent with his meetings for said lessons.
    He is probably in the process of Marrying a Catholic girl.

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