1880
1 Jan 1880 New Year’s Day. Started from Ford’s at 8 o’clock and got to Henderson’s at 10 o’clock. Took a turn or two before dinner and then stripped until night. The crop very ripe. I got to Cowra after dark and got John Hogan to come and work at the winnower next day instead of James.
2 Jan 1880 Stripping all day. Mr and Mrs Single came to see the machine working.
3 Jan 1880 Stripping all day. This was the hottest day this year. James took Tom the horse home and put my saddle horse in Challacombe’s paddock. Whiteman went home.
4 Jan 1880 Sunday. Stayed at Henderson’s all day. Rain much wanted.
5 Jan 1880 Stripping all day. Edmund Markham came. I sent him to Powley’s. He had his wheat all cut.
6 Jan 1880 Finished Henderson’s at 4 o’clock. James came and measured 19 acres. We came to Cowra and stayed at Walsh’s all night. Paid Hogan.
7 Jan 1880 I rode out to Henderson’s to arrange with them to take wheat as payment for the stripping. We could not agree about the price. I gave them 14 days to pay. I came back to Cowra and went out to Frazer’s old farm. Mrs Gorman, living there, agreed to cook for us during the time we would be stripping there. I came back to Cowra and got Prior to set the pinion? Shaft of the Stripper. Paid Prior £4.8.6. I met Mr Single. I got Edmund and Tom Markham and young Owens to come and work the winnowing machine. We took the Stripper out to Frazer’s farm and went a few rounds. Sent Edmund to henderson’s for two sieves?
8 Jan 1880 We started to strip very early and got on well until 5 o’clock when there came a heavy shower of rain and continued until 10 o’clock.
9 Jan 1880 Wheat too damp to strip. No work.
10 Jan 1880 Commenced to strip at 10 o’clock and worked all day. In the evening the men broke the handle of the winnower. We had to get a new one made. Old Arkins died at 2 o’clock this morning.
11 Jan 1880 Sunday. Stayed at the farm all day.
12 Jan 1880 Stripping all day.
13 Jan 1880 Stripping all day.
14 Jan 1880 Finished stripping. Whiteman working 23 days.
15 Jan 1880 Finished cleaning up this morning. Mr Murray came out. Whiteman agreed to take the wheat into Cowra. I kept two bags and a half of small wheat for the fowls. I rode into Cowra with Mr Murray and and went out to Henderson’s. Could not get any money from them. Went to Ford’s. No money there. Came back to Murray’s. We made up our accounts. We had stripped 67 acres. Got to Broula at dark.
16 Jan 1880 I took Tom the horse, and cart to Frazer’s farm. Left the cart there and put Tom in the Stripper and brought it home to Broula. Very hot day.
17 Jan 1880 I sent Edmund and Pat Markham with the draught horse to Frazer’s farm for the winnowing machine. I assisted Pat Fitzgibbon and James at the well. Mrs T Walsh came from Cowra. Sarah O’Shaughnessy went in the coach to Kikiamah. Pat Markham came with the machine and went back to Cowra.
18 Jan 1880 Sunday. James O’Shaughnessy went to Cowra. Hot day.
19 Jan 1880 James, and Pat Markham came from Cowra. Finished the well near the house and went and got slabs ready to repair the old well. Markham Rain much wanted.
20 Jan 1880 Working all day at the old well. We found it a rough job.
21 Jan 1880 Working at the well all day. Pat Markham brought in some bark, and a load of timber that we split for repairing the carts.
22 Jan 1880 Finished the well by 12 o’clock and measured a place for a stockyard. James commenced to sink the holes. Pat Fitzgibbon and I cutting round timber for the yard. Pat Markham carting them in. James Markham and Tom Markham came with a bullock team. Hot day.
23 Jan 1880 James, and Pat Markham sinking post holes. Pat Fitzgibbon and I cutting round posts. James Markham drew them in. After dinner we went in the bush with the bullock team and cut 98 round rails for the yard.
24 Jan 1880 James Markham carting in split posts. Tom Markham cutting pine rafters. Pat Fitzgibbon and I cutting pine posts for a house. Bob King came. Heavy thunder in the evening.
25 Jan 1880 Looking after King’s horse until 12 o’clock. Bob Purvis came from Cowra. James went to Cowra. James Markham came from Cowra.
26 Jan 1880 James Markham carting pine posts and rafters. Pat Fitzgibbon and I cutting pine posts. Pat and Tom Markham cutting pine rafters. Sent a cheque to The Australian Joint Stock Bank, Cowra. Final payment to Robert King.
27 Jan 1880 Finished cutting pine posts at 12 o’clock. James came from Cowra. James Markham carting split posts. James, Pat Markham and Pat Fitzgibbon working at the stockyard. I sent Pat Markham to Cowra.
28 Jan 1880 James Markham carting split posts. Pat Markham came from Cowra. James, and Pat Fitzgibbon cross cutting the large trees. We grubbed. James Markham commenced to draw them off. We intend to make a fence of them. I did no work today . A cool day.
29 Jan 1880 James Markham drawing logs all day. James, and Pat Fitzgibbon cutting them. Cold day.
30 Jan 1880 Old Mrs Mylecharane died at Cudgelo last night. James Markham drawing logs. I sent an advertisement to the Cowra Free Press Office that all cattle found trespassing on my land would be impounded.
31 Jan 1880 James Markham drawing logs all day. James, and Pat Fitzgibbon cutting logs until 12 o’clock. James Markham and Tom Markham and James went to Cowra. Paid James Markham in full six pounds. I lent Laws the winnowing machine. Hot day.
1 Feb 1880 Sunday. James, and Tom Markham came at 12 o’clock. James Markham came at dark. A cool day.
2 Feb 1880 James Markham drawing logs. Sarah O’Shaughnessy came from Kikiamah . Jack and David Hood came. They are afraid that I would impound their cattle. Ned Murphy came.
3 Feb 1880 James Markham drawing logs all day. Nellie Callaghan came from Cowra.
4 Feb 1880 James Markham drawing logs all day. Pat Fitzgibbon, Pat Markham, James and I making a log fence. Tonight we could see something like a comet in the south west.
5 Feb 1880 Murphy came at 6 o’clock. James Markham drawing logs all day.All hands putting up the log fence.
6 Feb 1880 Fencing all day. Murphy squaring posts. Mary O’Shaughnessy went to Cowra.
7 Feb 1880 We finished the log fence. Murphy went to Cowra. James Markham went to Cowra.
8 Feb 1880 Sunday. Jack Whittaker came. He and I rode out to Shelly’s Creek to an old saw pit of his. I gave him £1.7.6 for all the slabs and scantilling? at the pit. James went to Cowra. James Markham came from Cowra. Cloudy day.
9 Feb 1880 Finished the log fence. Sent a letter to P Murray and one to H Ford. And J H Turner, Manager of The Australian Joint Stock Bank, Cowra. The Express newspaper came. A light shower of rain.
10 Feb 1880 Raining most all day. Did no work. Took 3 bees nests.
11 Feb 1880 We cut a load of pine posts. James, and Pat Fitzgibbon cut six sleepers and two troughs. James Markham drew in the sleepers.
12 Feb 1880 James Markham and Tom Markham took the bullock team to Shelly’s creek for a load of slabs from Whittaker’s pit. I rode out with them. Pat Fitzgibbon and Pat Markham putting up the stockyard. Ned Murphy sick and went home.
13 Feb 1880 James Markham drew in the two troughs and worked up to 12 o’clock. I paid him in full up to date £7.2.6. he took his team to Cowra. We were working at the stockyard all day.
14 Feb 1880 Working at the stockyard up to 4 o’clock. James started to canowindra for the black mare. Paid pat Markham two pound wages up to date. Lent him my horse to go to Cowra. Murphy went to Cowra.
15 Feb 1880 Murphy came after dark. Hot day.
16 Feb 1880 pat Markham came at 9 o’clock. James came at 10 o’clock. We finished the stockyard in the evening and then commenced to square sleepers for the house.
17 Feb 1880 Pat Fitzgibbon grubbing out a stump at the end of the house. We were squaring sleepers all day.
18 Feb 1880 James, Murphy and I went in the bush and squared two sleepers and I brought them in with Tom the horse. We put two posts of the house up.
19 Feb 1880 James, and Pat Fitzgibbon putting up a trough at the upper well. Murphy and I at the building. Pat Markham drawing in saplings for the calf pen.
20 Feb 1880 Pat Fitzgibbon and James finished the calf pen. Pat Markham and I drawing saplings. Murphy and I got the 4 outside sleepers for the house.
21 Feb 1880 Murphy and I working all day at the house. James and pat Fitzgibbon put up a trough at the well near the house.
22 Feb 1880 Sunday. I took a ride round the mountain, looking for pine. Mr and Mrs Middlemiss drove out in a buggy.Murphy came from Cowra.
23 Feb 1880 I rode into Cowra. Gave P Murray a Promissary Note for 3 months. H Ford promised to pay P Murray what he owed me. Came home after dinner but young English (borrowed) the winnowing machine. James and Pat Fitzgibbon squaring timber all day. Pat Markham drawing timber off the grubbed ground..
24 Feb 1880 Working all day at the building. Hot day.
25 Feb 1880 Working at the building. Pat Markham brought in two loads of rafters.
26 Feb 1880 Working all day at the building.
27 Feb 1880 Working all day. Mrs O’Shaughnessy went to Cowra.
28 Feb 1880 James, and Pat Fitzgibbon cutting iron bark posts. Raining all day. Laws brought back the winnowing machine. Murphy went home. No work done today.
29 Feb 1880 Sunday. At home all day.
1 Mar 1880 James, and Pat Fitzgibbon started for Sydney to the Exhibition. Murphy did no work today.
2 Mar 1880 We put the wall plates on one side of the house.
3 Mar 1880 Working all day. Pat Markham drawing pines.
4 Mar 1880 Working all day at the building.
5 Mar 1880 Working all day. Rained in the evening.
6 Mar 1880 Light showers all day. Murphy went home after dinner.
7 Mar 1880 Sunday. Started to Grenfell after dinner and got there at 7 o’clock. Stayed at Miss Fahey’s ‘The Albion’ Hotel.
8 Mar 1880 I went up to the Court House. I was not called on the jury. Judge Forbes and Crown Prosecutor Docker. Only one case for the jury. I received two pounds for my day’s work. I started at 3 o’clock and got home at 7 o’clock. Tom walsh took up my prelease today in Cowra. Murphy not come.
9 Mar 1880 Murphy came at 4 o’clock. Lent Tom Peters a pick and shovel. Found a saddle and bridle belonging to P Hennessy. Sent him home.
10 Mar 1880 Working at the building. Hot day.
11 Mar 1880 Working all day. A light shower of rain.
12 Mar 1880 Working all day at the building. Mrs O’Shaughnessy and sarah went in the coach to Cowra. Mrs O’Shaughnessy not well.
13 Mar 1880 Working until 4 o’clock. Murphy went home. Sarah, and Grace Challacombe came by coach.
14 Mar 1880 Minnie, and David Middlemiss, and E Markham came on horseback. Grace Challacombe went back with them. Mrs O’Shaughnessy much better today.
15 Mar 1880 Working all day at the building.
16 Mar 1880 Working all day at the building.
17 Mar 1880 Working all day at the building.
18 Mar 1880 Working all day at the building.
19 Mar 1880 I rode to Cowra and back. Mrs O’Shaughnessy better.
20 Mar 1880 Working at the building. James, and Pat Fitzgibbon came from the Sydney Exhibition.
21 Mar 1880 Sunday. At home all day.
22 Mar 1880 I was adzing pines for battans. James and Pat Markham building a new kitchen. P Fitzgibbon started for Cargo. I sent in five tenders for roadwork. A light shower of rain.
23 Mar 1880 Adzing battens all day. P Markham and James working at the kitchen. Murphy came. Mrs O’Shaughnessy no better. Rain all night.
24 Mar 1880 Murphy squaring ironbark posts until dinner time. Rained from then until dark.
25 Mar 1880 rained most all day. Murphy and I rode along under the mountain and cut three pines. No other work done today.
26 Mar 1880 Murphy rode out and squared the pines. I took out the truck and brought them in. Rained in the evening.
27 Mar 1880 Finished squaring posts and put up the verandah posts. Pat Fitzgibbon took the horse and cart to Cowra for two dray axles. He got back in the evening. Murphy and James went to Cowra. Egan the Butcher, came.
28 Mar 1880 Sunday. At home all day. Fine weather.
29 Mar 1880 James, and Murphy came. James, and Pat Fitzgibbon getting sets of slabs ready for the well. Murphy and I laying plates for the back verandah. Fine day.
30 Mar 1880 Murphy out in the bush squaring pine posts. Pat Markham drawing them in. James, and Pat Fitzgibbon put three sets of slabs in the well.
31 Mar 1880 Murphy squaring all day. I was planing the verandah posts. I rode over to david Hood’s in the evening to see if he would let his old paddock, but he was not at home. James, and Pat Fitzgibbon putting up a shed for the Stripper.
1 Apr 1880 Joe Hope delivered 10,000 shingles. I paid him twelve pound. James, and Pat finished the shed. Pat Markham drawing in pines.
2 Apr 1880 Working all day at the building. Pat Fitzgibbon rode my horse in to Cowra for his own horse. He got my horse shod. He came back late in the evening. James went to Ben Austin’s Ball Cowra. Little rain all day.
3 Apr 1880 Working all day at the building. James came home early this morning. Pat Fitzgibbon and Pat Markham cleaning up around the house. Pat Fitzgibbon, Pat Markham, and Murphy gone to Cowra.
4 Apr 1880 Sunday. At home all day. Pat Fitzgibbon came from Cowra early in the evening. Murphy came at 9 o’clock tonight.
5 Apr 1880 commenced to battan the house. Pat Fitzgibbon and James adzing battens.
6 Apr 1880 Finished putting on the battens on one end of the house. Commenced to shingle. Mrs O’Shaughnessy came in the coach from Cowra. Father Ryan was in the coach going to Bumbaldry. Pat Markham repairing the paddock fence. A heavy thunder storm at 12 o’clock.
7 Apr 1880 Father Ryan came in the coach from Bumbaldry and bid us all goodbye. He is going to start on 17th for Ireland. Shingling all day. Very warm.
8 Apr 1880 Murphy adzing battens. I finished shingling on the end of the house.
9 Apr 1880 Murphy and I putting on battens all day.Hot day.
10 Apr 1880 Finished putting on battens and started to shingle. I did not get any of the road work. Murphy and James went to Cowra. I lent David Hood the winnowing machine.
11 Apr 1880 Sunday. Pat Markham and I went shooting wallabies on the mountain near Wattamondara. Pat shot a wallaby. James, Minnie, E Markham, and Jim Markham came from Cowra.
12 Apr 1880 Murphy came at dinner time. We went up the creek, prospecting for gold. Worked the rest of the evening.
13 Apr 1880 Murphy, Pat Fitzgibbon and I adzing battens all day. James boring shingles. Pat Markham drawing pines.
14 Apr 1880 Murphy and I putting on battens all day. James adzing battens. Pat Fitzgibbon sick all day. Pat Markham repairing the paddock fence all day. Races at Wilson’s public house, Bumbaldry.
15 Apr 1880 Pat Fitzgibbon got his hip and leg hurt when taking the hobble off his horse. The horse turned sharp around and threw him on the ground. We had to carry him on a stretcher to his tent. James rode into Cowra and brought out Lewin the Chemist. He said that he could not find any bone broken. James went back to Cowra with Lewin for some medicine. Working most part of the day.
16 Apr 1880 Pat Fitzgibbon no better. Working all day at the building. Mr and Mrs Walsh from Kikiamah came in a buggy and stayed all night.
17 Apr 1880 Mr and Mrs Walsh went to Cowra. Pat Fitzgibbon no better. Working all day at the building.
18 Apr 1880 Sunday. Tom Walsh, Lewin, A Middlemiss, and Mrs Hartigan came in a buggy. Fitzgibbon no better.
19 Apr 1880 Murphy came at dark. A little rain. Fitzgibbon no better.
20 Apr 1880 I sent Pat Markham in to Cowra with a telegram for Dr Smith for Pat Fitzgibbon . The doctor came at 10 o’clock tonight. He said there was no dislocation but there might be a fracture in the cup of the hip joint. The doctor went back to Cowra again. Working all day at the building.
21 Apr 1880 Working at the building. A little rain.
22 Apr 1880 Working at the building.
23 Apr 1880 rained all night and all day. Putting up wall of the house. Removed Pat Fitzgibbon out of his tent into the house.
24 Apr 1880 Rained all night and up to 10 o’clock today. Murphy started to Cowra this morning. James, Pat Markham and I putting up wall of the house.
25 Apr 1880 James and I rode round the selections. E Markham, Hannah Middlemiss, and a young Middlemiss rode out from Cowra. James went to Cowra with them in the evening.
26 Apr 1880 James came home at 8 o’clock. Murphy and I shingling all day. Pat Fitzgibbon not improving any.
27 Apr 1880 Murphy and I shingling all day. Cloudy day.
28 Apr 1880 Finished shingling two sides of the house. We worked hard all day. Egan, the Butcher, came. Rained after dark.
29 Apr 1880 Murphy and I shingling the front end of the house. Pat Fitzgibbon seems a little better today. A cold bleak day.
30 Apr 1880 Finished shingling the house. Fitzgibbon better.
1 May 1880 Murphy and I putting rafters on the verandah all day. Murphy started to Cowra. I told him that I did not require him any longer. James went to Cowra. I gave him two cheques, one for Ryall and one for Bardwell. Warm day. Hood brought back the winnowing machine.
2 May 1880 Sunday. I sent Pat Markham to Cowra for Dr Smith. The doctor came at 12 o’clock. He examined Pat Fitzgibbon and went back to Cowra. John Hogan came out and went back again to Cowra and came back with a bottle of medicine. James, and Pat and Edmund Markham came at 4 o’clock.
3 May 1880 James, Pat Markham and I repairing old paddock fence all day. Fitzgibbon better. Cold windy day.
4 May 1880 We finished the paddock this evening. Murphy came to remove his tent and tools. I paid him £20.18.3, the full amount due to him.
5 May 1880 Sent P Markham with the horse and cart to Cowra for flour. Sent a cheque for £2.10.0 to P Murray for grinding. James and I adzing battens and put some on the verandah.
6 May 1880 James and I adzing battens until 12 o’clock. We then felled two bees nests.
7 May 1880 James, and Pat Markham cut down two bees nests before dinner and took two more afterwards. I adzed some battens.
8 May 1880 James and I carted and quarried two loads of stone. We stoned up the inside of the kitchen fireplace. Windy. Rained at dark.
9 May 1880 Cold windy day with odd showers of rain. I walked over to david Hood’s in the evening with a letter for him.
10 May 1880 I made a pair of crutches for Pat Fitzgibbon. I got him up and out to the fire. James and I finished putting battens on the front verandah. Very cold day.
11 May 1880 I was shingling the front verandah. James, and Pat Markham cutting and boring shingles.
12 May 1880 Shingling all day. James, and Pat cutting and boring shingles. I got a bill from P Murray
13 May 1880 Shingling all day. James putting up wall of the house. Pat Markham cutting ends off the pines. Frost this morning.
14 May 1880 Shingling all day. James getting pines ready for the wall. Pat Markham cutting and drawing in pines. Fitzgibbon improving. Frost this morning. Warm day.
15 May 1880 Finished shingling the verandah after dinner. Pat Markham got five 12 foot boards from D. Hood. R. Daly and young Father Ryan came in a buggy for a drive from Cowra. James O’Shaughnessy gone to Cowra.
16 May 1880 Mr and Mrs Walsh, Mrs Middlemiss, Mary O’Shaughnessy, and Kate Walsh came in a buggy. James came from Cowra. They started back at 4 o’clock. Frost.
17 May 1880 I rode in to Cowra. Paid P Murray eleven pounds, renewed two Promissary Notes – one for three months, and one for four months. Manley’s and Muir’s case not yet finished. I got home at dark.
18 May 1880 James and I rode to Conimbla Creek, called at English’s old place and on to Johnson’s place. He was away in Cowra. Got home at 2 o’clock. Worked at the building. Manley’s case not finished.
19 May 1880 Working at the building all day. Pat Markham had a fit today. Pat Fitzgibbon got a fall off the crutches. Light showers all day.
20 May 1880 I rode across to Johnson’s place on Conimbla Creek to see some sheep he had for sale. Johnson and I went in the bush and saw the sheep. They were all cross breeds. He offered the lot for 4/9 per head. I did not make him an offer. I told him to call at Chivers Hotel next day and he would get a letter from me with an offer for the sheep. Got home at dark.
21 May 1880 James wrote a letter to Johnson to be left at Chivers with an offer of 4/- per head. James and I working at the building all day.
22 May 1880 James, Pat Markham and I working at the building all day. James wrote a letter to Purss in Grenfell for a rip saw and some nails. James went to Cowra and came back at 11 o’clock.Grace Challacombe and Kate O’Shaughnessy came on the coach from Cowra. Heavy rain and thunder all night.
23 May 1880 Sunday. Tom Peters came. He promised to come next Monday week. Mary O’Shaughnessy and E Markham came and stayed all night. Ned Murphy came for his axe.
24 May 1880 James and I working all day at the building. Pat Markham brought in one load of pines. Pat and Mary O’Shaughnessy went to Cowra. frost this morning.
25 May 1880 James and I working all day at the building. Pat came at 3 o’clock. Commenced to rain at 4 o’clock.
26 May 1880 James and I dressed nine sets of slabs for the well. P Markham brought in a load of pines. Egan the Butcher, came. James Lynch from the Sheet of Bark passed in the Grenfell coach going to Cowra. Got a letter from Stibbard. Raining most all day.
27 May 1880 Finished putting up pines in the wall of the house. Bored all the slabs for the well. Made pegs and charred the slabs. Letter from Stibbard.
28 May 1880 I rode over to Johnson’s to make him another offer for his sheep, but he had gone to Cowra to sell them to Cass. James, and Pat Markham stripping bark.
29 May 1880 We put some slabs in the well, level with the water. Cold day with odd showers of rain.
30 May 1880 Sunday. James rode up to Wilson’s at Bumbaldry to see Joe Hope about a place he knew where there was plenty of stringy bark to strip. I rode out under the mountain to see where I could get some good pines and stringybark. James went to Cowra.
31 May 1880 Tom Peters, James and I put three sets of slabs in the well. Wrote a letter to P Murray and one to C.Stibbard. rained this morning.
1 Jun 1880 Tom Peters, James, and Pat Markham took the horse and cart. They went to the other side of Bumbaldry to strip bark. Pat came back with the horse and cart. James and Tom only stripped a few sheets af bark. They could not find any more so they carried their blankets home. I got a letter from Stibbard. Fine day.
2 Jun 1880 I rode to Cudgelo to see 1,000 weaners? that Salmon had for sale but they were under offer to Boxall. I got home at 8 o’clock. Tom Peters and James stripped 28 sheets of stringy bark. Frost this morning..
3 Jun 1880 James, Tom Peters and I stripped 60 sheets of bark.
5 Jun 1880 We stripped 50 sheets of bark. Manley and Muir got fined twenty pounds each. I got a letter from the Lands Office that my prelease was granted. Tom Peters went home. Pat went to Cowra.
6 Jun 1880 Sunday. James went to Cowra. Tom Peters came. Pat Markham came from Cowra.
7 Jun 1880 We stripped 60 sheets of stringy bark.
8 Jun 1880 We stripped 50 sheets of bark on the south side of Dribbendrew. We could not charr them. Great wind.
9 Jun 1880 We took Pat Markham with us to assist us to charr and carry the bark part of the way down the hill. Finished at dinner time. We stripped 30 sheets from that until night. Cold day.
10 Jun 1880 Cutting pine logs to cut into boards. Pat took Tom the horse into Cowra to get him shod. Cloudy day.
11 Jun 1880 James, Tom Peters and I cutting pines for sawing, until dinner time. We stripped 33 sheets of bark from then to tonight. Patdd carrying bark off the mountain.
12 Jun 1880 We took Tom the horse up the mountain to draw down the bark on slides. We did not get on very well. Tom Peters went home.
13 Jun 1880 Sunday. Pat Markham and I cut down a bees nest and got 5 buckets of comb out of it. Sharp frost this morning.
14 Jun 1880 We got all of the bark to the foot of the mountain.
15 Jun 1880 James, Tom Peters and I splitting shingles. A letter from Stibbard, one from Pat Fitzgibbon, and one from the Bank. Pat Markham carting bark. Wrote a letter to Fitzgibbon. Rained last night.
16 Jun 1880 Splitting shingles. Done very well today. Pat Markham making a road down the mountain to cart the bark.
17 Jun 1880 Splitting shingles. Pat carting bark.
18 Jun 1880 Splitting shingles all day.
19 Jun 1880 Splitting shingles. Tom Peters went home.
20 Jun 1880 I rode out to the back of Dribbendrew. I saw some fine stringybark. Tom Peters came.
21 Jun 1880 James, Tom Peters and I quarrying limestone at the foot of Broula Hill. Finished early in the evening. Pat carting the stone.
22 Jun 1880 I rode into Cowra. I took a copy of the road work to be done between Cowra and Canowindra. I saw in the Court House tracings of my prelease. I paid Prior the Blacksmith up to this date. Paid Lewin’s bill. James cutting wood for the lime kiln. Pat Markham carting wood. Total eclipse of the moon at 12 o’clock tonight. White frost this morning.
23 Jun 1880 We finished one course of limestone in the kiln. Pat Markham carting limestone. I got six empty kerosene tins from Purss, Grenfell. Atkins tuned the piano.
24 Jun 1880 we finished the second course in the lime kiln. It came on to rain. We had to make a shed over it. We then commenced to cut the ends of the stringybark, and stack it.
25 Jun 1880 Tom Peters, Pat and I took 4 bees nests. Raining all day.
26 Jun 1880 We carried all the bark off Dribbendrew and brought in one load after dinner. We cut some timber for the lime kiln. Tom Peters went home. Showery all day.
27 Jun 1880 Sunday. I rode around Dribbendrew and around the selection. Peter Whittaker died last night at 11 o’clock.
28 Jun 1880 We loaded the lime kiln. James quarried some limestone. Pat Markham carted it. Sarah O’Shaughnessy went to Cowra in the coach. E Markham came. Sent a letter to Pat Fitzgibbon.
29 Jun 1880 Set the lime kiln alight. It took well. Cloudy day.
30 Jun 1880 I rode into Cowra. Elijar Brien arrested on suspicion of being the cause of Peter Whittaker’s death.After the funeral, he was bailed out. Heard that all the Kelly gang in Victoria but Ned Kelly were shot. I got home at dark. Tom Peters and James put five sets of slabs in the well.
1 Jul 1880 I got ready four sets of slabs and we put them in the well. Pat Markham drawing in bark. Jack Hope promised to get a mate to saw some flooring boards for me. Raining all day.
2 Jul 1880 James, Tom Peters and I quarrying stone for a chimney until twelve o’clock in the evening. We cut stringybark saplings to make battens. Pat Markham brought in two loads. Fine day.
3 Jul 1880 James and Tom Peters adzing battens. I went with Pat Markham and assisted him to put on a load of saplings for battens. I went to david Hood’s in the evening to help him kill a bullock. Pat brought the cart over. We took half the bullock. James took Pat Fitzgibbon’s horse to Cowra. Advanced Tom Peters one pound. He has worked five weeks at £1.5.0 per week.
4 Jul 1880 Sunday. I rode around the selections in the evening. James came.
5 Jul 1880 James and Tom Peters adzing battens and put some on. Pat Markham carting shingles. Got two plasterer’s trowels from Puras Grenfell.
6 Jul 1880 James and I finished putting battens on one side of the verandah. Pat Markham finished carting in shingles. I got a sieve from Ford of Cowra and some shingle nails from P Murray of Cowra.
7 Jul 1880 James and I carted two loads of stone. I commenced to shingle after dinner.
8 Jul 1880 I was shingling all day. Pat Markham carting stone and sand. R. Stephenson called and insisted on us to get a licence for sand and stone.
9 Jul 1880 James went to Cowra and got a licence for sand and stone. He came home after dark. I was shingling all day. Pat brought in a load of bark.
10 Jul 1880 I sent Pat Markham to Chivers for two bags of corn and a bale of chaff. Jack Knuckey came to build the chimney. Mary O’Shaughnessy came in the coach from Cowra. Pat Markham rode James’ horse to Cowra. Paid him his wages up to date. I was shingling all day. Frost this morning.
11 Jul 1880 Sunday. I rode down to Charles Whittaker and arranged with him to cut me 2,000 feet of flooring boards. Hannah Middlemiss came. Pat and Bridget Walsh came from Kikiamah. Tom Peters came.
12 Jul 1880 Jack Knuckey commenced to build the chimney for four pounds. Tom Peters making mortar. James finished walls of the house. Pat carting loam. I was shingling up to twelve o’clock. I quarried two loads of stone in the evening. Pat Walsh went to Cowra.
13 Jul 1880 Tom Peters plastering all day. Pat Walsh of Kikiamah and Tom Walsh of Gulgo and James Flannigan (sic) came after dark. I was shingling all day.
14 Jul 1880 Tom Peters and James plastering. I was shingling. The Walshes stayed all day.
15 Jul 1880 Tom Walsh and james Flannigan started for Gulgo. Commenced to rain. Pat and Bridget Walsh had to stay all day. James finished the wall. Fit to take the plaster. Tom Peters plastering. I carried the mortar. Raining most all day.
16 Jul 1880 James and Tom Peters plastering. I carried mortar to them. James Markham came with 500 bricks and five bags of flour and some bran. Pat and Bridget Walsh started for Kikiamah. Pat carting sand.
17 Jul 1880 James and Tom Peters plastering all day.Pat Markham cutting pines. Tom Peters went home. 6 weeks working.
18 Jul 1880 Sunday. James went to Jack Hood’s to get a bullock to kill. He did not get one.Charles Whittaker and I rode out into the bush to have a look for some pines for sawing flooring boards. He agreed to saw two thousand feet and deliver it at the house.
19 Jul 1880 James and Tom Peters finished plastering the house before dinner. After dinner we commenced to cut the ends of the stringy bark. We took some of the old box bark off the end of the house and put on stringy bark. Pat Markham brought in a load of bark. Tom Markham came with Challacombe’s team for twenty sheets of stringy bark. Got some ornamental trees from Kikiamah. Heavy rain.
20 Jul 1880 Tom Markham took twenty sheets of bark. We were putting bark all day. Knuckey finished the chimney. Cold, damp weather.
21 Jul 1880 We finished barking the old house early this eveningand cut the ends off all the bark we had to spare and stacked it. Knuckey agreed to put up an oven for two pounds. I got a letter from Pat Walsh, Kikiamah. Pat Markham carting stone for the oven.
22 Jul 1880 We put back on the old kitchen. James and Tom Peters finished plastering. I cut two forks for the shed and quarried two loads of stone for the oven.
23 Jul 1880 James went to jack Hood’s for a bullock but Hood was not at home. Tom Peters and I put bark on the shed. Pat Markham brought in a load of bark.
24 Jul 1880 James and Tom Peters making up a lot of mortar. I was putting up round pines for wall of shed. Tom Peters went home. James went to Cowra.
25 Jul 1880 Sunday. James brought a fat bullock. I lent my saddle horse to Victor Watt to go to Bumbaldry. Tom Peters came.
26 Jul 1880 James and Tom Peters plastering all day. I carried mortar to them. Pat Markham carting bark. Knuckey finished the oven. I paid him six pounds. Cold day.
27 Jul 1880 Plastering all day. Mrs Eugenie Watt died last night.
28 Jul 1880 Plastering all day. Great many diggers passed, going to Temore rush. Old Mrs Martell passed after dark, going to Bumbaldry.
29 Jul 1880 Mr Single passed, going to Grenfell. Mrs Eugenie watt buried at Bumbaldry. James and Tom Peters finished the last coat on the new house. Fine warm day.
30 Jul 1880 Putting up a panel on each side of the chimney. Mr Single passed, coming from Grenfell. Cold day.
31 Jul 1880 We commenced to lay joists in one of the bedrooms. Tom Peters went home. He is working eight weeks today.
1 Aug 1880 Sunday. Raining most all day. A great many diggers passed for Temora. Tom Peters came.
2 Aug 1880 Squaring and laying joists in one of the bedrooms. Rained all night. Very cold weather.
3 Aug 1880 Laying joists all day. A letter from H. Ford to say that the door and window sashes had arrived in Cowra. Very cold day.
4 Aug 1880 Sent Pat markham to Cowra with horse and cart for door and window sashes. Gave him a cheque for two pounds. Sent a cheque for £17.10.6 to James Egan, Butcher. Laying joists. Finished the large room.
5 Aug 1880 Finished laying joists in the two back bedrooms. James boring shingles. Tom Peters and I finished putting up pine saplings to the front of the shed.
6 Aug 1880 James and Tom Peters splitting slabs for the well. Challacombe brought a cow and a calf. Pat Markham brought in some of the slabs.
7 Aug 1880 Finished splitting slabs for the well at twelve o’clock In the evening, we put a milking bail. Tom Peters went home. James went to Cowra. Mary O’Shaughnessy came from Cowra in the coach.
8 Aug 1880 Pat Markham got a kurrajong tree in the bush, and brought it home and planted it. James came home to dinner. Tom Peters came in the evening.
9 Aug 1880 I rode into Cowra. I had to appear as a witness in a case between Mrs Gorman and P Murray. Mrs Gorman lost the case. Paid P Murray £13.0.0 and gave him a P.N. for £18.0.0 due in nine months. James and Tom Peters adzing slabs for the well. Pat Markham got a fit this morning. I brought out a kangaroo slut I got from Pat Fitzgibbon. Got home at dark.
10 Aug 1880 Tom Peters sinking the well all day. I was topman. James and Pat markham getting slabs ready. I went and had a look at Meldrum surveying W.Delaney’s selection. We put ten sets of slabs in the well. Cold day.
11 Aug 1880 Sinking the well all day. Very cold.
12 Aug 1880 Working at the well. Hard sinking.
13 Aug 1880 Sinking the well all day. Cold frosty nights.
14 Aug 1880 Sunk the well 42 feet 8 inches. We gave it up. James went to Tom West’s Wattamondara for a gun barrel. Tom Peters went home. Working 10 weeks. I roderound the selection. Frost this morning.
15 Aug 1880 James and I went out kangarooing. We got none. After dinner (with) Mrs O’Shaughnessy, Kate and Grace, Pat Markham and I took the horse and cart for a young kurrajong tree. Mr and Mrs Middlemiss came in a buggy. Tom Peters came.
16 Aug 1880 We got the timber ready for a gallows.
17 Aug 1880 Finished the gallows. I was cleaning up the stripper for the Cowra Show.
18 Aug 1880 Putting up the shed.
19 Aug 1880 James borrowed David Hood’s draught mare and put her in the stripper and took it to Cowra. Pat Markham took the winnowing machine with the horse and cart. Tom Peters and I finished the shed. I paid Tom Peters up to date. I had no work for him.
20 Aug 1880 I rode into Cowra to the Show. There was a great crowd there. I got home after dark. James and Pat stayed in Cowra.
21 Aug 1880 James and Pat left the machine at P.Murray’s store and came home in the cart. Bought a bag of corn from Chivers. No work today.
22 Aug 1880 James and I went after kangaroos. Tom Markham came out from Cowra. Paid Pat Markham three pounds in advance. Tom Peters came after dark. He brought a fat bullock to Yarra.
23 Aug 1880 I rode down to Yarra, John Hood’s. Tom Peters assisted me to bring up a fat bullock to kill. James and I put down the ground plates for the verandah. We killed the bullock in the evening.
24 Aug 1880 James and I putting up the verandah posts. Pat Markham brought in battens. David Hood came for half of the bullock.
25 Aug 1880 James and I putting up the verandah. I lent Tom Peters a cart and a set of harness. Tom brought me a mortar. Charles Whittaker brought 491 feet of flooring boards.
26 Aug 1880 James and I commenced to board the big room. Raining until twelve o’clock.
27 Aug 1880 James and I finished boarding the big room, and cut all the boards for one of the bedrooms. I sent David Hood three 12 and two 10 foot boards, the amount I borrowed from him. Pat cutting pine rafters.
28 Aug 1880 James and I finished one of the bedrooms.
29 Aug 1880 Sunday. I rode over to sandy Creek and tried to get up the creek on horseback. I had to go over the mountain to where the creek comes from a level box country. A red slate formation here. I came back by Dribbendrew Mountain. Got home after dinner.
30 Aug 1880 James adzing battens all day. Pat Markham and I took the horse and cart out in the bush and cut some pines for the verandah. I rode over in the evening to Charles Whittaker’s Pit. Found two bees nests.
31 Aug 1880 James squaring large pines for the verandah ground plates. Pat and I out in the bush getting more pines until twelve o’clock. I commenced to square. Hot day. A few drops of rain.
1 Sep 1880 James and I squaring. Hot sultry day.
2 Sep 1880 James and I laying ground plates for back verandah. Pat Markham brought from Charles Whittaker’s sawpit eight 18 foot and four 10 foot boards and two 14 foot boards for hips and ridge for new house.
3 Sep 1880 James and I commenced to put up the verandah posts and wall plates. I put two boards together for a hip. Pat Markham brought in one load of pine for battens. Ellen Callaghan went to Cowra. Frost this morning.
4 Sep 1880 I made two more hip sheets. James working at the verandah. He went to Cowra in the evening and came back at ten o’clock tonight.
5 Sep 1880 I rode out to the head of Sandy Creek and back around the falls for Bumbaldry. Fly killed a kangaroo. James started to Grenfell to attend on the jury there.
6 Sep 1880 I put in the two front window sashes. I got two 16 foot hip boards from Whittaker. Hot dull day.
7 Sep 1880 I put up the front door. Ellen Callaghan came from Cowra. Dull day.
8 Sep 1880 I was putting up window sashes all day. Sultry day.
9 Sep 1880 Pat Markham and I took the horse and truck and drew in a log to Whittaker’s sawpit to saw a plank for a work bench. We brought a long pine log home. I put the last window sash in. A few light showers in the evening. Pat Walsh and James came from Kikiamah. They started with two cows and calves. One of the calves got tired. They had to leave him and the cow ten miles back. The other cow and calf they brought to Wilson Bumbaldry.
10 Sep 1880 Pat Walsh started home. James and Pat Markham started for the cows and calves. The calf that knocked up the evening before died where they left it. They brought on the cow, and got the one they left at Wilson’s. I put a door in one of the bedrooms. A heavy shower of rain.
11 Sep 1880 Planing floor of big room. James finished the chimney fireplace. A little rain during the day.
12 Sep 1880 Sunday. Raining most all day. James and I got our horses and hunted away a mob of cattle in the evening.
13 Sep 1880 Whittaker delivered the last of the flooring boards. In all 2,100 feet. I bought all the slabs and stuff at the pit for £1.10.0. I paid Whittaker £17.10.0. James laid all the boards in a bedroom. I rode out to the sawpit. We nailed the boards after tea.
14 Sep 1880 I sent Pat Markham for a load of sawn slabs to the pit. I planed all the boards for a bedroom. We nailed them down after tea. John Cahill died at ten o’clock this morning at Walsh’s Court House Hotel, Cowra.
15 Sep 1880 Mrs O’Shaughnessy went in the coach to Cowra. I gave her a cheque for three pounds. James O’Shaughnessy started at eleven o’clock to John Cahill’s funeral at Cowra. I made a door. Pat Markham brought in the last load of slabs from the sawpit. Total 61 slabs. Fine day.
16 Sep 1880 Working at the building all day. Pat Fitzgibbon came in the coach from Cowra.
17 Sep 1880 James boarded one of the bedrooms. Raining most all day. Mr Challacombe brought Mrs O’Shaughnessy from Cowra in a buggy.
18 Sep 1880 James and I finished boarding the last bedroom. Mary O’Shaughnessy came from Cowra in the coach.
19 Sep 1880 Pat rode James’ horse to Cowra. Paid him one pound. I rode out along Mr Watt’s fence, top of Broula Hill. David Hood brought a bullock to kill.
20 Sep 1880 Ceiled a bedroom and part of the large room with calico. E Markham rode James’ horse from Cowra. We killed a bullock.
21 Sep 1880 James and I finished ceiling the large room. I sent E Markham to Cowra for door hinges.
22 Sep 1880 James and I finished ceiling two bedrooms. I put a door up in one of the bedrooms. E Markham rode james’ horse into Cowra. James plastering wall of house all day.
23 Sep 1880 I rode into Cowra. I paid for my prelease. Got back at four o’clock and put a door together. Pat Markham came.
24 Sep 1880 I removed my work bench to the back shed. Sarah O’Shaughnessy went in the coach to Cowra. I repaired some chairs. James plastering all day. Pat Markham getting timber for a pig sty.
25 Sep 1880 Raining most all day. I made a door. A letter from P Murray and one from A J C Single, and one from Aunt Crowe[1].
26 Sep 1880 Sunday. After dinner James and I went to Sandy Hill Creek, wallaby shooting. James shot one. Raining most all day.
27 Sep 1880 We put up a new door. Got four pair of T hinges from Cowra. Cold day.
28 Sep 1880 James removed a partition in the old house. Pat Markham took the horse and cart to Cowra for a pig.
29 Sep 1880 Pat Fitzgibbon went to Cowra in the coach. James and I making a frame for a bar. Pat Markham brought two pigs. Fine day.
30 Sep 1880 James and I working at the bar all day.
1 Oct 1880 James working at the bar and shelves.
2 Oct 1880 Putting up shelves. Heavy rain in the evening.
3 Oct 1880 Sunday. James and Pat Markham shooting kangaroos. I rode at the back of the selections. Fly caught a kangaroo. George Wilson and Pures from Grenfell in a buggy. They stayed awhile and went back.
4 Oct 1880 James and I working at the bar all day.
5 Oct 1880 Working at the bar all day.
6 Oct 1880 James and I working at the bar until twelve o’clock. Then we commenced to slab the stable.
7 Oct 1880 James and I working at the stable. Went in the evening after kangaroos. Could not find any. Fine day.
8 Oct 1880 James and I all day putting up the walls of the stable. Pat Cass came to know what I would take for this place. E Markham came out from Cowra. Pat Markham carting in pines.
9 Oct 1880 James and I working all day at the stables. I paid Pat Markham the full amount of his wages up to this date. E Markham brought out a horse for him to ride to Cowra. James went with them to Cowra.
10 Oct 1880 Sunday. James and I went shooting kangaroos on the mountain at the back of David Hood’s. Hannah Middlemiss came and one of her brothers came out. Old Juno the dog had some heavy fits before we went to bed. Fine day.
11 Oct 1880 James and I putting up stalls in the stable. We went in the bush for a load of timber. Searching most all day for Juno. We found him in the evening, near the paddock, laying down, not able to get up.
12 Oct 1880 James and I working at the stable. I got a letter from Stibbard. Juno alive this morning. I had to kill him this evening.
13 Oct 1880 James and I went in the bush for a load of saplings. Finished the stable. Commenced to fix a loft.
14 Oct 1880 James and putting bark in the loft. Stibbard and a man named Lawrence Purcell came to have a look at this place. I showed them around the selection. We could not agree. He said that the price was too high. We finished the stable loft. Fine day.
15 Oct 1880 We made a door for the stable and hung it up.
16 Oct 1880 James and I went in the bush for a load of box saplings for a manger and some for battens around the walls.
17 Oct 1880 Sunday. James went kangaroo shooting on the mountain at the back of David Hood’s. I rode round the selections.
18 Oct 1880 We finished putting battens round the stable. P Markham came out from Cowra for his clothes. We put a pair of hobbles on the black filly. Very sultry day.
19 Oct 1880 James and I finished the stable. We brought in a load of pine saplings. Very much like rain all day.
20 Oct 1880 Mary O’Shaughnessy went in the coach to Cowra to get Pat Markham’s selection transferred to her. Put pegs in the stables for saddles. Rained most all night and all day.
21 Oct 1880 James and I cutting thistles. Raining all night and all day. About 4o’clock in the evening there came a heavy thunderstorm. The water in the creek ran a banker. Letter from P. Fitzgibbons. Mary O’Shaughnessy didn’t get the selection transferred to her today.
22 Oct 1880 Rained all night and all day. James and I cutting thistles for a short time. Mary O’Shaughnessy got Pat Markham’s selection transferred to her today.
23 Oct 1880 James and I cut two blocks for truck wheels. We put an iron axle in the wheels. I made a pair of shafts and mounted them.
24 Oct 1880 Sunday. James and I went for a kangaroo hunt. Fly killed one, but she got great cut in the chest. Fine day.
25 Oct 1880 Working at the truck all day.
26 Oct 1880 We finished the truck and brought in four box posts. The truck worked very well.
27 Oct 1880 James and I brought in eight pine posts and two box wall plates. Sarah O’Shaughnessy went to Cowra in the coach, to Tom Walsh’s. Mr Single passed on his way to Grenfell.
28 Oct 1880 James and I commenced to square posts. Mrs W. Ryan and Dan Ryan came in a buggy and Sarah Lahey on horseback. Called on their way from Buggabundah, Bogan River.
29 Oct 1880 James and I putting up posts all day.
30 Oct 1880 Putting up posts and getting wall plates ready.
31 Oct 1880 Sunday. James and I out shooting kangaroos.
1 Nov 1880 We got some of the wall plates ready.
2 Nov 1880. Rode into Cowra. Paid Chivers his bill for corn and chaff. I went with ChaIlicombe to his paddock. I bought a fat steer from him for £1.15.0. I sold to P. Murray my interest in a stripping machine for £40. James Cummins was kiIled at Grudgery below Forbes. The wheel of his wagon ran over his head.
3 Nov 1880 I started to meet Challacombe with the fat bullock. When I got as far as Jonathan Avis, Austin the Wheelright told me that Challacombe left word that I was to go back, that he could not. . James and I put up four wall plates. James started to Cowra so he could have an early start in the morning with the bullock. I rode over to David Hood’s to see Anderson about reaping my oats.
4 Nov 1880 I started in early to meet James with the bullock. I met him and Challacombe near Grogan’s. Challacombe turned back. James and I brought home the bullock. Working at the building until evening. We killed the bullock.
5 Nov 1880 James and I working at the building. Sultry day.
6 Nov 1880 James and I brought in a load of posts.
7 Nov 1880 Sunday. I rode round Dribbendrew. James went to Tom Peters.
8 Nov 1880 We put all the posts in the house and went out in the bush and brought in two sleepers on the truck. Commenced to rain at dark.
9 Nov 1880 James and I putting in sleepers all day. Pat Walsh came from Kikiamah. He was looking for a horse he lost. Cowra Bazaar opened.
10 Nov 1880 Pat Walsh started home. We finished putting down the sleepers. Close day.
11 Nov 1880 James and I squaring slabs all day. We had a light shower.
12 Nov 1880 James and I putting up slabs in one end. Hot day.
13 Nov 1880 We put slabs in one panel at the back. I rode over to DavidHood’s to get some things that came out from Cowra with his cart. I lent William Delaney a cart.
14 Nov 1880 Sunday. I got a letter from John Hood with a bill for a fat bullock. Mary O’Shaughnessy came on horseback from Cowra. Delaney brought back the cart. Great wind all day.
15 Nov 1880 I rode into Cowra. I paid Mrs J Hood for a fat bullock. I came home. I bought a new hay fork. James making a stand for the haystack. Hot day.
16 Nov 1880 James and I fencing in a place for the haystack. After dinner, squaring slabs. Sarah O’Shaughnessy came in the coach from Cowra.
17 Nov 1880 James and I squaring slabs. Robert Anderson came with his mowing machine. After dinner, he commenced to mow the oats. Hot day.
18 Nov 1880 Walter Anderson came with his horse, hay rced to rake. James and I cocking hay. Robert Anderson finished mowing before sundown. Commenced to rain after dark and continued all night.
19 Nov 1880 Commenced to rain at 10 o’clock and continued until 12 o’clock. James and I putting up slabs in the front of the hut. The Cowra cricketers passed, going to Grenfell to play a match.
20 Nov 1880 Walter Anderson finished raking. James and I taking the old straw out of the hay.
21 Nov 1880 Sunday. James and I cocking and taking out the old straw.
22.Nov 1880 James and I cocking hay until ten o’clock.I rode into Cowra. Polling day for A. Lynch, EA. Baker and Suttor. I gave my vote to A. Lynch and got home early.
23 Nov 1880 James and I cocking hay all day. Hanlan beat Trickett[2] in a boat race in England for the Championship of the world.
24 Nov 1880 James and I carted in eight loads of hay.
25 Nov 1880 Carted in seven loads of hay. Cloudy all day.
26 Nov 1880 Carted seven loads of hay. We began to draw in the stack. Windy.
27 Nov 1880 We topped the stack. We left one load out.
28 Nov 1880 Sunday. I had to look for the black filly. Found her at Hood’s Dam. Hot day.
29 Nov 1880 James and I putting bark on the haystack all day. Polling Day at Bumbaldry for Vaughan, Green and Donkin.
30 Nov 1880 James and I finished barking the haystack. Carted one load of hay out of the paddock and put it in the stable loft. We fenced in the stack and gathered up all the loose hay and put it on the loft. We put the horses and cows in the hay paddock. Hot day.
1 Dec 1880 James and I putting up slabs in the hut on the opposite side of the road. Mr Single came. I went with him ion his buggy to the the top of Broula Hill. We measured fifteen chains of road to be formed and drained. I walked back. The old black mare foaled.
2 Dec 1880 Putting up slabs all day. Hottest day this year.
3 Dec 1880 Mr Single came back from Grenfell this morning. He asked me to form and drain 25 chains on the hill between Wilson’s and Bumbaldry. I promised him that I would have a look at it. James and I putting up slabs all day. Looked like rain all day.
4 Dec 1880 Commenced to rain at four o’clock this morning and continued up to ten o’clock. The native cats made slaughter among the young turkeys last night. The old yellow cow died this morning. We had to cart timber to burn her. I got a letter from Stibbard about the sale of this selection. A man named Rutland, living near Brundah, is coming to inspect her.
5 Dec 1880 Sunday. I rode up to the hill near Bumbaldry to inspect the piece of roadwork that Mr Single wants to be done.I called at Wilson’s and got back to dinner. In the evening I rode up to W Delaney’s to ask him what was the lowest he would take for his selection. He asked fifteen shillings. From there I went to Tom Delaney’s. He was not at home.
6 Dec 1880 We finished putting up slabs in the new hut. After dinner we cut a log to make an axle for the truck, and nearly finished it by sundown. Father Davern came from Cowra, stayed awhile and went back to Cowra. The two Delaneys came and asked me to sell their selection with mine. The land at 12/6 per acre and the sheep at 4 shillings per head.
7 Dec 1880 Making a pole for the truck, and making a mortice in the axle until 11 o’clock. After dinner we started to repair the well. The slabs are all falling out. We had to fill in the well with earth to the top of the water. James battened it up before last night. I exchanged one of my tip carts with a man travelling, for a large tip dray. A new one. Rained heavy after four o’clock this morning for about an hour and another heavy shower in the evening.
8 Dec 1880 We sunk the well about four feet and got all the slabs in but one set. Fine day.
9 Dec 1880 We finished the well early this evening and then finished the truck. Cold day.
10 Dec 1880 I rode to Mr Single’s place. He gave me instructions to form and drain 15 chains on Broula Hill. I came back to Cowra and had some dinner at Challacombe’s, and came home to Broula.
11 Dec 1880 James and I pointed a lot of picks. A hot day.
12 Dec 1880 Sunday. I took the old black mare up to Bumbaldry to Hugh Watt’s draught stallion, Brittan. Pat Fitzgibbon came in a buggy with Tom Walsh’s children.
13 Dec 1880 James and I took the horse and cart and picks and shovels, and a cask of water to Broula Hill and commenced to cut the drain there. Billy Boxall capsized the coach at Kelly’s Creek.
14 Dec 1880 James and I cutting drain all day.
15 Dec 1880 James and I cutting drain. Great wind.
16 Dec 1880 Working at the drain. Mrs O’Shaughnessy very ill.
17 Dec 1880 Tom Walsh brought out his buggy and took Mrs O’Shaughnessy in to Cowra to see Dr Harrison. James Egan brought out some beef. 7,000 sheep passed, going towards Cowra. James and I working all day at the drain.
18 Dec 1880 James and I cutting drain all day. A letter from Mary O’Shaughnessy saying that her mother was much better today.
19 Dec 1880 Sunday. At home all day. I paid R. Anderson £3.9.0 for mowing hay. E Markham came from Cowra. I put ten head of Brien’s cattle in the yard for trespass. Hot day.
20 Dec 1880 I took the old black mare again to Watt’s stallion. I put a pair of hobbles on her. I got home to dinner. James took Tom the horse to Tom Peters at Yarra for one of our carts. Hot day.
21 Dec 1880 James and I cutting drain on Broula. Very hot. Thunder. In the evening a letter from Cowra, Mrs O’Shaughnessy improving.
22 Dec 1880 James and I working on Broula all day. Pat Fitzgibbon drove Mrs O’Shaughnessy in Walsh’s buggy. Real hot day.
23 Dec 1880 We brought in a load of saplings out of the bush. Pat Walsh from Kikiamah came.
24 Dec 1880 We put up a fence around the house. Hot day.
25 Dec 1880 Christmas Day. E Markham came out from Cowra. Beck Brien came in the evening. We had a dance.
26 Dec 1880 Sunday. Miss Brien went home. Warm day.
27 Dec 1880 James, Pat Walsh, E Markham and I went to Chivers Races. A poor meeting. We got back before dark. Hot day.
28 Dec 1880 James and I commenced to form the road on Broula Hill. Pat Walsh went to Cowra. He got back after dark.
29 Dec 1880 James and I forming all day. No sign of rain. Hot day.
30 Dec 1880 James and I forming all day. Hot winds.
31 Dec 1880 James and I forming all day.
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- ” Susannah Crowe(1823 – 1913), nee Byrne, who married James Crowe (1820 – 1899) of ‘Gobarralong’ near Gundagai in May 1841.She was the younger sister of Anne Byrne (1813 – 1899) and Thomas Shaughnessy, later O’Shaughnessy (1799 – 1873) . Anne and Thomas Sr were the diarist’s parents.”↵
- Jem Punch, publican Pitt/King Streets, Sydney discovered champion sculler Ted Trickett working in a stone quarry in Greenwich on the lane Cove River. He took him to England where he beat the world champion Joe Sadler in June 1876. 1880???↵