Chapter 8

Life in Australia 1854 to 1863

The following is from Silas John otherwise known as Jack Kempthorne, one of the sons
of Edward Stoneman Kempthorne.

Father arrived in Melbourne the first time in 1854. He joined the police force and was
one of 12 men sent under Sergeant Steele to Ballarat to stop the Ballarat riots.
However when they got there, the trouble was all over. This Sargeant Steele was
the same who shot Ned Kelly in the leg and was instrumental in his capture.

Father stopped on as a trooper for four years, and then went back to Cornwall, where
he got married. During his time as a trooper he was in Ballarat when the miners
brought in Black Douglas. For four months he was out in the bush after Gypsy Smith,
Wigram, Turner and Gardiner. The last two were just ragamuffin boys he said.
Wigram and Turner were cooking at a hut when two troopers came upon them. Turner
was outside when Wigram ran out of the hut, and a trooper shot him dead and broke
the other's arm with a shotgun.

Father was one of the escorts that took Turner down to Melbourne where he was hung.

When he was digging, the second time he came to Australia, he was working on a claim
between two other claims. One worked by the Gilberts who were French Canadians.
On the other side there were Italians. All fine fellows to work with.

In later years when he was stationed at Tairei Ferry in the police, a brother of the Gilbert’s
came past but father did not let on that he saw him.
The brother was later taken in Dunedin, but let go again as he was not implicated with
the older brother who went mad and took to bush ranging near Melbourne and was the
worst of all the bush rangers because he shot people as they came past. About fifteen in all.

Mrs Barton otherwise known as Bess, sister of Silas John
(Jack) contributed to the following:

Showing fathers kindness of heart, on one occasion when a trooper he was detailed
to take a prisoner down country. The handcuffs were torturing the man's arms and
he gave his word of honour that if father would take off the hand cuffs he would not play up.

They were taken off one hand to give the man ease and they were proceeding on the way,
when the Inspector and another hove into sight.

Father ordered him to cross his hands so as to appear to be handcuffed or else he would
shoot him. The prisoner obeyed and father saluting the inspector, managed to jostle past
without being detected in this serious neglect of duty.

Mrs McGuckin otherwise known as Fan has the following to say:

In is young days father was a strong young fellow working on the farm throwing barley
sheaves when he took a chill, and lost the use of one lung, and was weakly for about two
or three years after.

The doctor told him that if he could only get to Australia, it would be the life of him.

His mother told the doctor that she did not have the money, but raised the cash when
she heard there was a number of young farmers in the district going, and packed him
off to join them at Liverpool.

When he arrived there the others said they did not want delicate fellows like him with them.
He said to them he did not mind, and went along the wharf very downhearted.

He fell in with some Irishmen who were going on a different ship, and was telling them
about his position and they said:
“The dirty spalpeens, come along with us!”

So he did. After that, father always had a soft side for Irishmen, and this was so throughout
his life and so he took a ticket which cost less, and went with them and reached Australia
before the others, and stayed longer than the others, who found the work too hard and
returned home.

T.W. Kempthorne, father’s cousin, heard that he had gone to Australia and took a ship that
proved faster and he was able to meet father arriving at Melbourne wharf. He took him to
his lodging, and they slept in the same bed. Father said that he and T.W. Kempthorne
had wrestling matches and and that he could throw T.W. every time, even in spite of
having only one lung.

I think it was T.W. Kempthorne who suggested that father should join the police force.
That was in 1854 I think.

He went home after two or three years with 200 Pounds.
At home, they said:
“He ain't come by it honest. Never could make all that money!”

In those days there were so many sailors deserting and the staying in the country that
father thought he could work his passage home and save money, but two or three days
were enough, what with sea sickness and having so much money, he said to himself
he was a fool, and so he paid for his passage.