1885
1 Jan 1885 New Year’s Day. At home all day.
2 Jan 1885 Tom Markham and I took the horses and dray past Anderson’s on the back creek and brought three wall plates. Ted Markham came from grenfell.
3 Jan 1885 Tom Markham carting stone from P Murray’s new store to my place. I assisted him to load.
4 Jan 1885 Sunday. At home.
5 Jan 1885 At the brickyard. Commenced to make bricks.
6/8 Jan 1885 Digging earth all day.
9 Jan 1885 Old Thomas Ellis died.
10 Jan 1885 Digging.
11 Jan 1885 Sunday. At home all day.
12/19 Jan 85 At the brickyard. Digging.
20 Jan 1885 Finished making 35,000 bricks. Great rain.
21 Jan 1885 We commenced to set a kiln of bricks. Put in 9,000 bricks.
22 Jan 1885 Put in 9,000 bricks. Little rain all day.
23 Jan 1885 We got all the bricks in the kiln. Commenced to rain in the evening and rained all night.
24/25 Jan 85 Rained all day. No work.
26 Jan 1885 Anniversary Day of the Colony. Raining all day.
27 Jan 1885 Looked like rain all day. River flooded over the banks. Highest flood for some years. Commenced to fall in the evening. I was putting wire in the fence.
28 Jan 1885 We set fire to the kiln.
29 Jan 1885 Firing up at the kiln.
30 Jan 1885 Finished burning at 6 o’clock this evening.
31 Jan 1885 Making fresh beds in the garden.
1 Feb 1885 Sunday. At home all day.
2 Feb 1885 Brought everything from the kiln.
3 Feb 1885 Working in the garden.
4/5 Feb 1885 Repairing the old tipcart.
6 Feb 1885 Not doing anything.
7 Feb 1885 Hanlon beat Clifford in a boat race on the Parramatta River.
8 Feb 1885 Sunday.
9 Feb 1885 I sued Costello the Publican for one pound ten shillings, the value of half a ton of hay. He got the case postponed for 14 days.
10 Feb 1885 Repairing big dray.
11 Feb 1885 Working at the dray. Hot day.
12/16 Feb 85 Making a gate.
17 Feb 1885 Getting the brickyard ready to make another kiln.
18 Feb 1885 Getting everything ready.
19 Feb 1885 Commenced to make bricks. We put two men on.
20 Feb 1885 I made bricks up to 12 o’clock. Clay too soft. Sultry day.
21 Feb 1885 Working at the brick kiln.
22 Feb 1885 Sunday. At home.
23/28 Feb 85 Working at the brick yard.
1 Mar 1885 Sunday. At home.
2/24 Mar 85 Working at the brickyard.
25 Mar 1885 I went to the Cowra annual races on Mulyan. A poor meeting.
26 Mar 1885 I went to the races.
27 Mar 1885 Sold all the bricks we had burnt and those on the hacks. We are to burn them for Mr Francis. He advanced 40 pounds on account.
28 Mar 1885 Lawrence made 88 slop bricks.
29 Mar 1885 Sunday. At home all day.
30/31 Mar 85 Working at the brickyard.
1/6 Apr 1885 Setting the kiln. Burning bricks.(3rd Good Friday. 5th Easter Sunday.
7 Apr 1885 At home.
8/11 Apr 85 Fencing at front of the house.
12 Apr 1885 Sunday. At home.
13 Apr 1885 Working in front garden.
14 Apr 1885 Tom Markham and I taking the earth from back of P Murray’s old store.
15/16 Apr 85 Working at the old store.
17 Apr 1885 We finished at the store and went up to Murray’s cottage and laid out a flower garden for Mrs Murray.
18 Apr 1885 I put on a top rail on fence at back of our house and strained the wires.
19 Apr 1885 Sunday. At home all day.
20 Apr 1885 Tom Markham commenced to cart bricks out of the kiln, to Dr Smith’s new house, for Francis the builder.
21/30 Apr 85 Tom Markham carting/ delivering bricks. Ted and I counting them out. 24th. Court Day.
1 May 1885 Delivered 36,000 bricks to Dr Smith’s new house for Francis the builder.
2/8 May 1885 At home all day.
9 May 1885 At home. Got Guinan to plough the corner allotment belonging to the Australian Joint Stock Bank and put barley in it.
10 May 1885 Sunday. At home.
11 May 1885 I rode out to the Pines to look for some dry pine to burn bricks. I found any amount.
12 May 1885 I fixed a cask for a Puddling Machine for bricks. Ted Markham could not find his horse.
13 May 1885 I went after Ted’s horse. I found him near Ingrey’s on the Grenfell road.
14 May 1885 I went into George Campbell’s paddock to see if I could find some grass to cover bricks on the hacks. I got permission from young George Campbell to cut grass in the woolshed paddock. I went up in the evening and cut some grass with the scythe. Ted and Dyton making slop bricks.
15 May 1885 Tom Markham and I went and cut a load of grass. A little rain during the night.
16 May 1885 Tom Markham took the three horses and dray, and I rode the piebald. We brought in a load of grass. A little rain during the night and a few showers during the day.
17 May 1885 Sunday. At home all day.
18 May 1885 I assisted Tom Markham to fill some sand for Francis. We strained the wires from the front up to the well.
19 May 1885 I mounted a brick mould.
20 May 1885 I brought the cows out of Middlemiss’ paddock.
21 May 1885 All hands cutting grass for the hacks.
22 May 1885 Tom Markham and I took horse and cart and some fowls op to P Murray’s cottage and laid out their garden. I got a brick mould from Francis’ shop and took it home and commenced to mount it. Tom Markham carting sand out of the river for Francis. Raining.
23 May 1885 I commenced to make an off bearing barrow. Cold day.
24 May 1885 Sunday. I put the two cows in Challacombe’s paddock. Fine day.
25 May 1885 OddFellows sports at the Showground. Band from Young. I was making an off bearing barrow.
26 May 1885 Tom Markham and I took the horses and dray, and brought in a load of grass from George Campbell’s paddock to the brick yard.
27 May 1885 Tom Markham carting sand for Francis. I was working about the house.
28 May 1885 In the evening, I was working at the brickyard digging clay. Tom Markham carted two loads of sand from over the river, to the brickyard to use in making bricks.
29 May 1885 Tom Markham and I digging clay all day at the brickyard.
30 May 1885 Tom Markham took some tools in the dray out to the Pines. I am going to cut some dry pine to burn some bricks.
31 May 1885 Sunday. At home all day.
1/2 Jun 1885 I rode out to the Pines, and cut and split some dry pines.
3 Jun 1885 Tom Markham took the horse and cart to where I was cutting pine, with a cask of water and stayed all day cutting pines.
4 Jun 1885 Tom Markham walked out. I rode out. We cut pine all day.
5 Jun 1885 I commenced to make a crowding in barrow. Tom Markham working for old Sergeant.
6 Jun 1885 Working at the barrow. Tom Markham at Sergeant’s. Cold day.
7 Jun 1885 Sunday. I went to Mass. Cold day.
8/10 Jun 85 Making two off bearing barrows.
11 Jun 1885. James Markham took his bullock team with a truck, and brought in 4 cords of dry pine. I assisted him to load.
12 Jun 1885 I got some solder and repaired a tank. Tom brought in a load of grass for Sergeant.
13 Jun 1885 I commenced to make a box barrow. Tom cleaning up the yard. Raining all day.
14 Jun 1885 Sunday. At home. Showers all day.
15 Jun 1885 James Markham brought three cords of pine on the truck and broke down over the river. I assisted him to load.
16 Jun 1885 James Markham brought in the wood on a bullock dray. I was making a barrow.
17/19 Jun 85 Making a barrow.
20 Jun 1885 I made a bench in the shed. Tom Markham carting wood. Cold.
21 Jun 1885 Sunday. Went to mass. Warm day.
22/23 Jun 85 Tom Markham and I cutting dry pine. Cold days.
24 Jun 1885 Tom Markham went for a load of grass for the brickyard. I was at home all day.
25 Jun 1885 Tom Markham carting bricks from sergeant’s kiln to the Hospital for Francis. Carted up to 12 o’clock. Carted 4 loads of gravel to P Murray’s store. Old Mrs Marman? Died.
26 Jun 1885 carted 8 loads of gravel to Murray’s store. Showery day.
27 Jun 1885 Tom carting bricks for Crawford up at Dr Smith’s and in the evening, carted 6 loads of gravel to P Murray’s store.
28 Jun 1885 At home. I got some young kurrajongs from the mountain.
29 Jun 1885 Working at the brickyard. Putting up a new kiln. Cold cloudy day.
30 Jun 1885 making a kiln. Mr Murray came from Sydney. Cold day.
1/4 Jul 1885 Working at the kiln.
5 Jul 1885 Sunday. I went up upon the Mountain and got some young kurrajongs.
6 Jul 1885 Working at the brickyard.
7 Jul 1885 Working at the kiln up to 12 o’clock. In the evening, Tom Markham and I took the two horses and dray and went up to Porter’s mount for a load of grass the young Potters cut. Frost this morning.
8 Jul 1885 Working at the brickyard. P Walsh, Snr, and Denis McGrath came from Kikiamah.
9 Jul 1885 Working at the brickyard up to 12 o’clock. Doing nothing in the evening. Ted Markham went to Grenfell. Frost this morning.
10 Jul 1885 I got the piebald horse shod. Tom Markham carting bricks from Sergeant’s to the Hospital. P Walsh Snr and Denis McGrath started for Kikiamah.
11 Jul 1885 I rode out to Bumbaldry to see Hugh Watt to get some money he owed me. I did not see him. I got home at dark.
12 Jul 1885 Sunday. At home. Ted Markham came from Grenfell.
13 Jul 1885 Commenced to set a kiln of bricks. Ted Markham and old Bill Dyton setting. Young Jack Martin and I wheeling in. James Markham carting dry pine.
14/18 Jul 85 Setting bricks. 15th. Tom Markham carted 750 bricks to the public school near Binni.
19 Jul 1885 Sunday. I went to Mass.
20 Jul 1885 Finished setting bricks and put a fire in.
21 Jul 1885 After 12 o’clock put her on full fire.
22/23 Jul 85 Burning all day. We put in the last fire at 12 o’clock tonight
24/25 Jul 85 Putting in a pair of shafts in the small tip cart.
26 Jul 1885 Sunday. At home. P Fitzgibbon came from Mount McDonald.
27 Jul 1885 I finished the cart shafts.
28 Jul 1885 We opened the brick kiln. They look well. James Markham came with his bullock team. We made the brick yard larger. Showers all day. We got our bill from P Murray.
29 Jul 1885 Ted and I loading bricks for Donnelly’s new store.
30 Jul 1885 Ted Markham went to Grenfell. I sent 700 bricks per J.L.Taylor’s order and 500 bricks for self. Mrs Williams’ baby died.
31 Jul 1885 I put a battan under the ceiling. Tom Markham carted a load of wood and got a bale of chaff. A man named Reilly died at Tom Walsh’s today. He was a blacksmith.
1 Aug 1885 Repairing end of the verandah. Tom Markham not at work. Sick. I was very sick in the evening. A bad cold.
2 Aug 1885 Sunday. In bed all day. A frost in the morning.
3/6 Aug 1885 In bed. Frosts.
7 Aug 1885 I got up for a while this morning. Frost this morning.
8 Aug 1885 Hospital demonstration in the Hospital paddock. Our member, Mr Baker, up from Sydney. Concert in aid of the Hospital tonight. A great success.
9 Aug 1885 Sunday. I am recovering slowly. Fine rain this evening.
10 Aug 1885 I worked in the garden. I went over the kiln. Tom Markham not at work. Cold day. Party at Henry Ford’s tonight.
11 Aug 1885 Cold bleak day. I went over to the brick kiln.
12/13 Aug 85 At the brickyard.
14/15 Aug 85 Monaghan commenced to cart bricks.
16 Aug 1885 Sunday. At home.
17 Aug 1885 Monaghan carting bricks. Francis went to Middlemiss to get a lease of our brickyard. He did not get it.
18 Aug 1885 Monaghan carting bricks. Ted and I counting bricks.
19 Aug 1885 Sending away bricks.
20 Aug 1885 Counting out bricks. Tom Markham carted 3 loads of sand from over the river for George Hodders?, taking bricks in exchange.
21/22 Aug 85 Counting out bricks for Donnelly’s order.
23 Aug 1885 Sunday. At home.
24 Aug 1885 Sold the rest of the bricks in the kiln to George Hurst at £2.5.0 per thousand and 8/- to cart them.
25 Aug 1885 Tom Markham carted 4 loads – 600 in each load.
26 Aug 1885 Tom Markham and I carted and quarried 4 perches of stone to the Cowra Brewery and 10 loads of sand. Frost this morning.
27/29 Aug 85 Tom Markham carting bricks to the Brewery. 10,800 out.
30 Aug 1885 Sunday. At home. Grace O’Shaughnessy came from Cudgelo.
31 Aug 1885 Tom carting bricks.
1 Sep 1885 Finished carting bricks from our kiln – 15,000. Tom carting from old Sergeant’s kiln to make up 17,000.
2 Sep 1885 We got paid for the bricks and the stone for the foundations and the carting of the bricks. £48.4.0. Catholic Bazaar tonight.
3 Sep 1885 Cowra Show. Great crowd of people. Poor exhibits. Catholic Bazaar on tonight in a large tent.
4 Sep 1885 Ploughing match in Daly’s paddock past the Crosskeys.
5 Sep 1885 Catholic bazaar and Concert tonight realised over £400.
6 Sep 1885 Sunday. Went to Mass. Ted Markham took all his things away to Grenfell for good.
7 Sep 1885 I went to a sale of the Clerks of the Court furniture. Everything sold well. My cart came from Grenfell.
8 Sep 1885 I went over the river with John Muir to see a waggonette and two horses a man had for sale. I offered him £41. He wanted £58. In the evening he offered them for £46.
9 Sep 1885 I was making a brick wall around a flower bed in the garden. Tom Markham brought in a load of wood and cut some.
10 Sep 1885 P Murray bought a wagon and two horses. I agreed to give Bill Mitchell three pounds to build a kitchen chimney. Little rain.
11 Sep 1885 Not doing much.
12 Sep 1885 I commenced to fix P Murray’s wagon to go hawking. Tom Markham brought the black mare out of Middlemiss’ paddock. We tried to get the foal from her up to 12 o’clock tonight. We gave her up for lost and turned her in Middlemiss’ paddock.
13 Sep 1885 Sunday. We got the black mare again and tried to get the foal from her but could not. So we cut her throat. We cut her open and found the foal dead, his head turned back. Light showers all day.
14 Sep 1885 rained all night and up to 12 o’clock today. Working at P Murray’s wagon all day.
15 Sep 1885 I got the wagon loaded.
16 Sep 1885 I started along the railway line towards bang Bang. I got there at 7 o’clock.
17 Sep 1885 I came back by the white house and down the Back Creek to Fishburn’s sawmill and from there out on to the line at W Crosbie’s camp, and from there to Cowra.
18 Sep 1885 Went along the line as far as Lockyer’s public (house) and back to Cowra with the van(?).
19 Sep 1885 Up to 1 December 1885, I followed the railway line hawking. I followed Robinson’s line from Cowra to the main camp at the head of Limestone Creek on the Carcoar side of Cowra. Load up again and follow Fishburn’s to Crowther Springs on the Young side of Cowra. Very warm weather. A man named William Phillips kept the hotel at bang Bang. Crosbie had a sub-contract from Fishburn between Cowra and Pipeclay Creek.
28 Nov 1885 My daughter, Sarah Hacket and Kate, her daughter, came from Gongolgon on the Bogan. John Hacket is telegraph Master there.
29 Nov 1885 Going along the line towards Carcoar.
30 Nov 1885 Came back to Cowra. Loading up all day.
1 Dec 1885 Mrs Margaret O’Shaughnessy died at 4 o’clock this evening.
3 Dec 1885 Buried Mrs Margaret O’Shaughnessy in the Cowra Burial ground. A very large funeral.
10 Dec 1885 I did not start hawking for a week.
25 Dec 1885 On Christmas Day I came from Bang Bang (Koorawatha) to Cowra. Mary O’Shaughnessy , Grace O’Shaughnessy , and James O’Shaughnessy at home.
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