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« on: Tuesday 09 September 25 18:52 BST (UK) »
I have made a record of this, allegedly transcribed by one of the COLE family:
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Thomas was born on 4th July, 1828 in Pinchbeck, Lincolnshire, England, the son of Thomas Cole and Rebecca Jane Cordley. In the 1851 Census, Thomas was a servant in the household of Robert Allen, a farmer with 130 acres.
In September, 1852 Thomas married Ann Harrison and they added eleven children to the family: Sarah Ann born 26th July 1853, Thomas born 14th November, 1855, William born 25th April 1857, Eliza Ann Jane born 16th January 1859, James born 1861, George born 11th September 1862, Joseph born 11th September 1864, Mary Jane born 10th August 1866, Amos born 10th August 1868, Harrison born 16th February 1871 and Emma born 13th July 1873. All the children were born in Australia.
In January 1853, Thomas and Ann, along with Thomas' brothers, Robert and William and their wives, left England on board "Harriett", arriving in Sydney on 22nd March, 1853. In the shipping records, Thomas was a 24 year old farm labourer who could read and write. His religion was given as Primitive Methodist. They paid 2 pounds fpr the trip to Australia.
After disembarking, Thomas spent a week looking for accommodation and work. Initially he found a place for 10 shillings per week but later he found a room for himself and Ann. By 24th April he obtained a full week's work paying 2 pound 5 shillings. In August 1853 they were living at Campbell Street, Sydney and Thomas was working as a labourer.
By April 1857 they were living at Monkeys Hill, Sallys Flat, between Sofala and Hill End, New South Wales. Initailly Thomas followed mining pursuits but directories for 1872 and 1881/82 lists him as an innkeeper on the Lower Turon River. He also appears to have leased land on Box Ridge Common in the name of himself and his sons. Here Thomas built a small house and pursued grazing. Thomas was associated with a number of mines in the Turondale area, namely the "Don Juan", "Shakespeare" and "Homeward Bound".
Noela Cole, a descendant of Thomas relates a story: The Turon River was in flood, so all the miners moved up the hill to work for the duration. Thomas Cole dug a mine shaft on Hammonds Hill and worked it for a fortnight, just starting to find colours of gold when the flood waters receded. Thomas was then approached by a miner, who said "Well, What is to be, Cole? Are you staying here or going back to the river?" Thomas decided to do back to the river. The next day the other miner found a nugget about the size of half a horseshoe in Thomas' shaft.
Several months later, Thomas found several more nuggets from a mine he had sunk. Realizing he and Ann needed basic provisions and fearful after the first incident, he decided to take the nuggets into Sofala and cash them for provisions. On the way home, the horse laden with supplies, Thomas was stopped at the foot of Monkey Hill by a depp masculine voice asking for a match. He recognised the voice as that of a bushranger who had cheated him out of his first goldmine. Thomas reached down and flung a stirrup iron at his assailant, then galloped home.
Thomas died in the Sofala hospital on 30th April, 1906 at the age of seventy eight. His cause of death was cardiac arrest and syncope plus retention of urine. He was buried in the Sofala cemetery on 2nd May. Thomas had 109 pounds, 14 shillings in the bank at the time of his death and dying intestate, his estate was shared between his wife and the children.
Information from "For God and Gold" by Margaret Cole
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