Thomas O’Shaughnessy’s Diary Part 31 1899

 1899

1 Jan 1899      Sunday. At Yarra all day. Red dust Storm. The roof of my house in Cowra blown off.

2 Jan 1899      Mr and Mrs Squire drove out. Great wind last night.

3 Jan 1899      Carted 25 bags of chaff into woolshed. Flies very troublesome.

4 Jan 1899      I drove 5 of Mr Twig’s sheep up to his place, Broula.

5 Jan 1899      Mrs. Squire and Mattie Walsh drove out. Strong wind blowing.

6 Jan 1899      Not well. In bed all day. Sore throat. Hot windy day.

7 Jan 1899      I rode in to Cowra. Young Nicholas Ryan in Cowra.

8 Jan 1899      Sunday. At home. Mr and Mrs Squire drove out. Hot day.

9 Jan 1899      I rode to Cowra and back. Paid Francis and McDonald 2/- for timber. 95 in the shade.

10 Jan 1899    Repairing fence between Andersons and the lucerne paddock. I rode to Cowra. Chapman agreed to put roof on my house again. Mr Twig came. Great dust storm 100 in the shade.

11 Jan 1899    Dust storm blowing all night. William Montague Rothery Snr. died at Clifton aged 90. Living at Clifton since 1831.

12 Jan 1899    Cold wind blowing and a dust storm at dark.

13 Jan 1899    Fixing gate posts. Very cold day.

14 Jan 1899    I rode to Cowra. Paid Chapman one pound for putting roof on my house again. Hot day.

15 Jan 1899    Sunday. Mr Squire drove out. 90 in the shade.

16 Jan 1899    I rode to Jack Hood’s. A red dust storm. 99 in the shade.

17 Jan 1899    Sent the papers to Minnie. 99 in the shade.

18 Jan 1899    Harrowed the garden. Heavy rain at dark.

19 Jan 1899    Cutting burrs. 83 points of rain last night.

20 Jan 1899    Digging in the garden. A few light showers.

21 Jan 1899    Cutting burr. Cloudy. My ear very sore.

22 Jan 1899    Sunday. Mrs Squire with some of the children drove out.

23 Jan 1899    I put the sheep in the yard and killed one. Cool day.

24 Jan 1899    Cutting burr. Very hot day.

25 Jan 1899    Cutting burr. 90 in the shade.

26 Jan 1899    Sick all day in bed. A letter from Mr Squire. 95 in the shade.

27 Jan 1899    I took 120 fat sheep to Cowra. Thomas Walsh of Court House Hotel died at 5 o’clock  this morning aged 78.^[1] Minnie and Margaret McGrath came by coach from Grenfell. 94 in the shade.

28 Jan 1899    I rode to the Cowra Cemetery paddock and brought 210 sheep to Yarra. In the evening I rode to Tom Walsh’s wake. Alick Middlemiss came. Very hot day.

29 Jan 1899    Funeral started at 12 o’clock, 100 vehicles and a great many on horseback. I was very sick in the morning.

30 Jan 1899    Repairing lucerne paddock fence. A red dust storm.

31 Jan 1899    Repairing fence. Minnie and Margaret McGrath went by the Grenfell coach. Cold windy day.

1 Feb 1899      Repairing fence. H. Watt called. Warm day.

2 Feb 1899      Gave the sheep water. Mrs Squire and servant drove out.

3 Feb 1899      Cutting burr. Elija Johnstone Brien insolvent.

4 Feb 1899      Took sheep to water. I got my papers from the letter box.

5 Feb 1899      Sunday. Mr and Mrs Squire drove out. McDonald, School Master, called.

6 Feb 1899      Cutting burr. Posted Cowra papers to Minnie.

7 Feb 1899      I rode to Mr Squire’s paddock at the Cowra Cemetery and brought 200 sheep to Yarra.

8 Feb 1899      Took sheep to water. Mr Ormsby called. Cloudy day.

9 Feb 1899      Making a Crush to brand the sheep in. Hot day.

10 Feb 1899    Branded 210 sheep. 96 in the shade. Hot winds.

11 Feb 1899    Cutting burrs. Hot winds.

12 Feb 1899    Mr and Mrs Squire drove out. Fine cool day.

13 Feb 1899    Branded 215 sheep and put out some rock salt.

14 Feb 1899    Cutting burr. Very hot day.

15 Feb 1899    Painting gates with coal tar. 95 in the shade.

16 Feb 1899    Painting gate. Mr and Mrs Squire drove out. 94 in shade.

17 Feb 1899    Fixing shed for seed sower. 95 in shade, Great smoke.

18 Feb 1899    I harrowed the garden. 95 in shade.

19 Feb 1899    Sunday. Mr and Mrs Squire drove out. Great dust storm.

20 Feb 1899    I put the sheep out of the lucerne paddock. Windy.

21 Feb 1899    Took sheep to water. 94 in the shade.

22 Feb 1899    Mr Squire drove out and brought a boring machine.

23 Feb 1899    Fixing up trellis work for vines. Very hot.

24 Feb 1899    I put a latch on Grenfell road gate. Very hot.

25 Feb 1899    Cutting burr. Very hot day.

26 Feb 1899    Sunday. Mr and Mrs Squire drove out. Great wind.

27 Feb 1899    I rode to Cemetery paddock, Cowra and brought 5 head of horses to Yarra. 26 points of rain last night.

28 Feb 1899    I got some small pines out of Cass’s paddock.

1 Mar 1899      Drafted out 10 sheep and put them in the lower paddock and put 200 in top paddock. Cool day.

2 Mar 1899      Cutting burrs. Cool day.

3 Mar 1899      I took 200 fat sheep to Cowra. Had tea at James O’Shaughnessy’s. Government boring machine working on south side of the river from the Corporation. Kitty McDonell has a young son.

4 Mar 1899      I rode to the Cowra Cemetery paddocks and brought sheep to Yarra. Great showers 50 points. I got a good wetting.

5 Mar 1899      Mr and Mrs Squire drove out. A little thunder.

6 Mar 1899      I rode around the paddocks. A light shower 5 points.

7 Mar 1899      Sent papers to Minnie. I killed a sick sheep for his skin.

8 Mar 1899      Repairing fences. Mr and Mrs Squire drove out.

9 Mar 1899      Straining wire. Men putting down bores for water.

10 Mar 1899    Repairing fence. Men boring for water near the gate.

11 Mar 1899    Men struck water near top dam 16 feet. Strong wind from south.

12 Mar 1899    Sunday. Mr Squire drove some gentleman out. Cool day.

13 Mar 1899    I rode up to Hugh Watt’s and assisted him to put plough on dray.

14 Mar 1899    Repairing fences. Sent papers to Minnie.

15 Mar 1899    Jack Hood’s sheep got boxed. We drafted them. Very hot.

16 Mar 1899    Hugh Watt and I drafted 200 fat sheep. Hot day.

17 Mar 1899    I drove 200 fat sheep to Cowra. Had tea at Jim’s.

18 Mar 1899    Men finished boring. Mrs Squire drove out.

19 Mar 1899    Sunday. Bob Muir and Bill Howie brought 1000 ewes. James Keys and Jack Anderson came to sink a well.

20 Mar 1899    I showed Keys where to sink well. Bob Muir counted sheep.

21 Mar 1899    I took the sheep to water. Strong wind from the west.

22 Mar 1899    Mr and Mrs Squire drove out. Very hot day.

23 Mar 1899    Jack Peisley drafted out some fat sheep.

24 Mar 1899    Delivered 209 fat sheep to Jack Peisley at the Cowra bridge.

25 Mar 1899    The well sinkers went home. Jack Hood called. Light showers.

26 Mar 1899    Sunday. Mr and Mrs Squire drove out. 16 points of rain with thunder.

27 Mar 1899    Measured the well for Jack Anderson & Keys. 32 feet from top of logs.

28 Mar 1899    I took 204 sheep to Cemetery paddock. Had dinner at James O’Shaughnessy’s place.

29 Mar 1899    I put rope and bucket on top well. Young Slesser married to Miss Potts.

30 Mar 1899    I took Mr Ormsby his mare. Henry Dennis died at Canowindra.

31 Mar 1899    Good Friday. I harrowed the garden. 92 in the shade.

April 1899

1 Apr 1899      Putting struts to straining posts. Hot sultry day.

2 Apr 1899      Sunday. Rained 61 points.

3 Apr 1899      Mr and Mrs Squire drove out. Races at Cowra. Cool day.

4 Apr 1899      Letter from Sarah Hackett, Milton. Rained 44 points.

5 Apr 1899      I rode to Cowra and got one of my teeth stopped. 64 points rain.

6 Apr 1899      Removed troughs on a slide with Paddy the horse. Cloudy day.

7 Apr 1899      Killed a sheep. Rode to Jack Hood’s. Cloudy day.

8 Apr 1899      Mrs. Squire drove out. A letter from Grace. Jack Chivers’ baby died.

9 Apr 1899      Sunday. Mr McDonald, Schoolteacher, Broula, called. Fine day.

10 Apr 1899    I led the bay Spring Cart horse to Cowra. Had dinner at J.O’S.

11 Apr 1899    I put the sheep into stubble paddock. 29 points of rain.

12 Apr 1899    I went to Tom Potts’ sale. Mr Squire drove out.

13 Apr 1899    I put some rock salt in top paddock. Brought windlass & bucket.

14 Apr 1899    Mr and Mrs Squire drove out. Davis brought some seed wheat.

15 Apr 1899    I put 10.oz bluestone to 4 gallons of water to steep seed wheat in.

16 Apr 1899    Sunday. Mr and Mrs Squire drove out. Fine warm day.

17 Apr 1899    Starr and Sons came with a cultivator to put in 150 acres of wheat.

18 Apr 1899    Horse teams took 62 bags of wheat. Starr working his cultivator.

19 Apr 1899    I painted some troughs. Mr Squire drove out. Cloudy day.

20 Apr 1899    A letter from Sarah Hackett, Milton. Light mists in the evening.

21 Apr 1899    Bluestoned some wheat. Painted some troughs. Hot day.

22 Apr 1899    A bill from the Cowra Borough Council. Rates 5/7

23 Apr 1899    Sunday. Mr Squire drove some gentleman out.

24 Apr 1899    4 points rain fell. Very cold. Strong south west wind.

25 Apr 1899    Getting wheat ready to sow.

26 Apr 1899    Mr and Mrs Squire drove out.

27 Apr 1899    Bluestoned some wheat. Painted some troughs. Hot day.

28 Apr 1899    Mrs. Charles Whittaker, Big Paddy Walsh’s daughter died last night.

29 Apr 1899    I tarred one of the sheep troughs. Warm day.

30 Apr 1899    Sunday. Mr Squire drove Peter Links out. Mrs Whittaker buried.

1 May 1899     I put old brown mare in Boxall’s paddock near Cowra.

2 May 1899     Jack McClymont brought clod crusher. Warm day.

3 May 1899     Mr and Mrs Squire drove out. I painted sheep trough.

4 May 1899     Starr using the clod crusher. Cloudy all day.

5 May 1899     I put up a rain gauge. Cold wind blowing.

6 May 1899     Not much grass. White frost. Cold day.

7 May 1899     Sunday. Mr and Mrs Squire drove out. Warm day.

8 May 1899     I rode to Mrs Ambrose’s old place Conimbla Creek and to Cowra and back.

9 May 1899     Sent Cowra paper to Minnie. Got a letter from Grace. White frost.

10 May 1899   Mr and Mrs Squire drove out. White frost.

11 May 1899   Burning off timber at top dam. Cloudy day.

12 May 1899   Not much grass in the paddocks. Cloudy – lightening in the east.

13 May 1899   Team took 40 bags of wheat to Cowra. I tarred a sheep trough.

14 May 1899   Sunday. Mr and Mrs Squire drove out. I rented rifle to Starr 1/- per week.

15 May 1899   Team took 29 bags of wheat. Charley Nathong a Chinaman died Cowra.

16 May 1899   Drawing bricks on a slide. A light frost.

17 May 1899   Drawing bricks. Mr and Mrs Squire drove out. 9 points of rain.

18 May 1899   Finished drawing bricks. Cloudy and very cold wind.

19 May 1899   I killed a sheep. John Bryant called. Cloudy all day.

20 May 1899   Cutting wood all day. Cloudy.

21 May 1899   Sunday. Mr and Mrs Squire drove out. 3 points of rain fell.

22 May 1899   Mr Squire drove Mr Robinson out to prune the fruit trees.

23 May 1899   I took 4 horses of Mr Squire’s to Cowra. D. Middlemiss sent me specimens Wyalong

24 May 1899   Carting blocks for wood. Mrs Hugh McLeod died. White frost.

25 May 1899   Carting wood. A letter from Minnie. A great frost.

26 May 1899   Carting wood. The top dam dry. White frost.

27 May 1899   Carting wood. White frost.

28 May 1899   Sunday. Mr and Mrs Squire drove out.

29 May 1899   Rained 63 points up to 6 o’clock and still raining.

30 May 1899   I ploughed the garden. Mrs Worthington came. 19 points of rain.

31 May 1899   I finished ploughing. Mr Squire drove out.

1 Jun 1899      Using cultivator in garden. I rode to Cowra. Got J.Chivers  to send Grace recommendation.

2 Jun 1899      McDonald’s men put up a large tent at woolshed. Cloudy day.

3 Jun 1899      Light rain all day 31 points.

4 Jun 1899      Sunday. Rained last night and today 67 points.

5 Jun 1899      Repairing trussels. 3 points of rain fell.

6 Jun 1899      Mr Squire drove out Mr Wolsenholme. Digging in the garden.

7 Jun 1899      Rained 8 points with cold sleet blowing all day from the north.

8 Jun 1899      I put out rock salt for the sheep. 4 points rain last night.

9 Jun 1899      Digging in the garden. Light misty showers. 12 points rain fell.

10 Jun 1899    I rode around the paddock. White frost.

11 Jun 1899    Sunday. Mr and Mrs Squire drove out. A light mist this morning. Very cold

12 Jun 1899    Terrible cold day. 10 points of rain fell.

13 Jun 1899    I cut some pins in Sam Bown’s paddock. 18 points of rain fell.

14 Jun 1899    I carted a load of Pines. Mr Squire drove out. Great white frost.

15 Jun 1899    Getting posts ready for guards around ornamental trees. White frost.

16 Jun 1899    Putting up posts. Cold all day and cloudy.

17 Jun 1899    I got a letter from H. Hillier re buckboard buggy. Frost.

18 Jun 1899    Sunday. Mr and Mrs Squire drove out. Rode to H. Watts – had dinner.

19 Jun 1899    Putting wire netting around guards. Frost. Cloudy.

20 Jun 1899    I planted some young trees. Voting for Federation today.

21 Jun 1899    Mr and Mrs Squire drove out. Cloudy day.

22 Jun 1899    Finished putting wire netting on guards. Gleeson called.

23 Jun 1899    Working in garden. 80 points of rain fell last night.

24 Jun 1899    Finished tree guards. 7 points of rain fell.

25 Jun 1899    Sunday. Mr McDonald School teacher came. Mr Squire drove out.

26 Jun 1899    I put 200 sheep into top paddock. 4 points of rain last night.

27 Jun 1899    Mr Ormsby called. I got some beef from Jack Hood’s.

28 Jun 1899    Mr and Mrs Squire drove out and Mattie Walsh. Cold day.

29 Jun 1899    Charles Ginty of Nyrang Creek^[2] poisoned skinning dead bullock.

30 Jun 1899    Working in garden. Light misty showers. Very cold.

1 Jul 1899       Digging in garden. Very cold.

2 Jul 1899       Sunday. Mr and Mrs Squire drove out. Cold all day.

3 Jul 1899       Rode to Jack Hood’s. He showed me some young Wattles. Frost

4 Jul 1899       Went to Jack Hood’s and got the young Wattles.

5 Jul 1899       Mr Squire drove out. Put the sheep in lucerne paddock.

6 Jul 1899       Digging in the garden. Real white frost.

7 Jul 1899       I sowed some peas and beans and beet in the garden.

8 Jul 1899       Digging in the garden. Cold wind blowing.

9 Jul 1899       Sunday. Mary Flood married to Dominish. Mr Squire and Peter Links drove out.

10 Jul 1899     I put all the sheep into the top paddock. Very cold day.

11 Jul 1899     A letter from Kittie. I rode into Cowra. Had tea at Jim’s.

12 Jul 1899     Mr and Mrs Squire drove out. I carted some wood.

13 Jul 1899     I drove to Cowra. Got speciman case. I sent £12-0-0 to H. Hillier,. Sydney for a Buckboard Buggy. White frost. A little rain.

14 Jul 1899     Making trussels. 15 points of rain this morning.

15 Jul 1899     Jack Hood drew a block of land. 1500 acres at Brotheroney.

16 Jul 1899     Sunday. Mr and Mrs Squire drove out. 20 points of rain.

17 Jul 1899     Sent letter to P. Fitzgibbon Mount McDonald and one to N. Curry Cargo.

18 Jul 1899     Cutting seedlings. Got a cheque for £7-10-0 from P. Squire.

19 Jul 1899     Cutting seedlings. Mr Squire came on a bike.

20 Jul 1899     A letter from Kitty and one from Grace, Sydney. White frost.

21 Jul 1899     Cutting seedlings. White frost.

22 Jul 1899     A letter from Minnie. White frost.

23 Jul 1899     Sunday. Mr and Mrs Squire drove out. White frost.

24 Jul 1899     I put the sheep in the horse paddock. White frost.

25 Jul 1899     Hugh Watt borrowed the garden plough. White frost.

26 Jul 1899     Mr Squire came out on a bike. I got some beef from Hood’s. White frost.

27 Jul 1899     I rode up to Mr Twig’s Broula. White frost.

28 Jul 1899     Cutting seedlings. Real white frost.

29 Jul 1899     I cut some seedlings. Great white frost.

30 Jul 1899     Sunday. Mr and Mrs Squire drove out. I went to Jim Anderson’s.

31 Jul 1899     Making a spraying solution. 35 points of rain.

1 Aug 1899      Job Chivers died this morning. I sprayed some trees.

2 Aug 1899      Young Stibberd marked 554 lambs. Light showers.

3 Aug 1899      Spraying trees. Warm day.

4 Aug 1899      Cutting weeds. 65 points of rain.

5 Aug 1899      Cutting weeds. A letter from Grace. Buckboard came to Cowra.

6 Aug 1899      Sunday. Mr and Mrs Squire drove out H. Watt and I rode to Tom Beasley’s old place.

7 Aug 1899      Making a Dresser. 5 points of rain. Very cold day.

8 Aug 1899      Dave Haylan came to lop trees. 15 points of rain.

9 Aug 1899      Mr Squire drove out my Buckboard. George Lawrence died. Frost.

10 Aug 1899    Haylan finished lopping trees. Mrs H. Watt and children called.

11 Aug 1899    Haylan fencing around Yarra trees. Cutting seedlings. Blowing all night.

12 Aug 1899    Mr McDonald brought tickets for specimens. Windy day.

13 Aug 1899    Sunday. Mr and Mrs Squire drove out. John Bryant brought me a blackfellow’s stone tomahawk. Mrs Oll and Mrs Gould called.

14 Aug 1899    Cutting seedlings. White frost.

15 Aug 1899    I took delivery of 23 Merino rams from Allen Phillips on top of Broula.

16 Aug 1899    Cutting wood. Mr and Mrs Squire drove out. H. Watt harrowing. Frost.

17 Aug 1899    I drove to Cowra paid P. Squire £1.5.5 trainage on Buckboard.

18 Aug 1899    Cutting seedlings. Real cold wind blowing. Blowing from south.

19 Aug 1899    I got a letter from Bill Walsh, Forbes. I killed a sheep. Cold wind.

20 Aug 1899    Sunday. I drove up to Broula and got some ironstone specimens. Cold wind.

21 Aug 1899    I drove 23 rams to Cowra. Had dinner at James O’Shaughnessy’s.

22 Aug 1899    Cutting seedlings. Sent Cowra papers to Minnie.

23 Aug 1899    Cutting seedlings. Mr Squire drove out. 55 points of rain.

24 Aug 1899    Great wind all night and very cold.

25 Aug 1899    Mrs. Squire, Kate and Mat Walsh drove out and brought a box of specimens from Nicholas Curry, Cargo. White frost.

26 Aug 1899    I gave Mrs Anderson 15/- on account Mr Squire. White frost.

27 Aug 1899    Sunday. John Bryant brought me a stone tomahawk. Mr Squire drove out. Frost.

28 Aug 1899    I drew in two gate posts. White frost.

29 Aug 1899    Assisted Haylan to put up two gate posts. White frost.

30 Aug 1899    I drew in 4 gate posts. Mr and Mrs Squire drove out.

31 Aug 1899    Cutting weeds. I killed a sheep. H. Watt finished harrowing.

1 Sep 1899      Assisted Haylan to put up two gate posts. John Bryant brought me a stone tomahawk. A light frost.

2 Sep 1899      Fixed up sheep troughs in woolshed. Mrs Squire and Mat Walsh came.

3 Sep 1899      Sunday. H. Watt and I rode to Norman’s Mount looking for copper. Frost.

4 Sep 1899      I put latch on gate. Haylan left Yarra.

5 Sep 1899      Finished gate. Great wind storm last night.

6 Sep 1899      Carting wood. Mr and Mrs Squire drove out. Frost.

7 Sep 1899      Ploughed the garden. Mrs H. Watt and family gone to Sydney. Frost.

8 Sep 1899      I made a slide to draw chaff. Light frost.

9 Sep 1899      Carting Chaff. I rode to Cowra and back.

10 Sep 1899    Sunday. Mr Squire drove out. Phil Kearins called. Light frost.

11 Sep 1899    I drove to Jim Cass’s and got a sheep. Light frost.

12 Sep 1899    I went to Samuel Brown’s. I killed a sheep. Fog this morning.

13 Sep 1899    I rode to Jack Hood’s Sale. Only one bid of £2.10.0 for his place. He sold a lot of old rubbish and lot of pigs. Cloudy.

14 Sep 1899    Repairing gates at sheep yard. White frost.

15 Sep 1899    I finished the sheep yard gates. White frost.

16 Sep 1899    I drove in to Cowra and took one of my specimen cases and put into the pavilion on the Showground. 30 points rain.

17 Sep 1899    Sunday. Packing specimens. Mr and Mrs Squire drove out.

18 Sep 1899    H. Watt took large showcase in a cart and put it in the pavilion and placed all the minerals in it. Frost.

19 Sep 1899    I rode in to Cowra and secured my mineral cases.

20 Sep 1899    I rode in to the Cowra Show. Not many people there. Came to Yarra.

21 Sep 1899    Great crowd on the Showground. I stayed in Cowra all night.

22 Sep 1899    I got the glass cases and specimens taken to my place in Cowra. Came to Yarra.

23 Sep 1899    Working all day. A letter from Kittie. A few light mists.

24 Sep 1899    Sunday. At home. Mr and Mrs Squire drove out.

25 Sep 1899    I rode to Boxall’s paddock and brought old brown mare and increase. Frost.

26 Sep 1899    I put up a gate. Mrs Squire and Matty Walsh drove out. White frost.

27 Sep 1899    Light showers in the evening. 15 points of rain.

28 Sep 1899    I put up a gate. 40 points of rain in the evening.

29 Sep 1899    Mr and Mrs Squire drove out. Sent a letter to P. Fitzgibbons.

30 Sep 1899    I harrowed the garden. A little snow on Broula and Koorawatha.

1 Oct 1899      Sunday. At home. Real cold wind blowing. 3 points rain last night.

2 Oct 1899      Hugh Watt and I marked some lambs. Great white frost.

3 Oct 1899      Great white frost. Killed all the fruit and potatoes.

4 Oct 1899      Putting up a gate. A. Mackie came to shear. Mr Squire drove out Mr Robinson, a garden expert.

5 Oct 1899      I gave the neighbours [notice] that we are commenced to shear. Arthur Mackie and Jack Anderson shearing. Mr Squire drove out.

6 Oct 1899      Jack Anderson and A. Mackie shearing. Cloudy day.

7 Oct 1899      Men shearing. Phil Kearins called. Brought a letter from Grace.

8 Oct 1899      Mr and Mrs Squire drove out. Dry day.

9 Oct 1899      Anderson & Mackie shearing. Great red dust storm in evening.

10 Oct 1899    Anderson & Mackie shearing. Red dust storm all day.

11 Oct 1899    No shearing. 2 points of rain last night. Robert McDonnel and Kitty and Stanislaus the son came and stayed all night.

12 Oct 1899    Robert & Kitty left for home. Men shearing. White frost.

13 Oct 1899    Anderson & Mackie shearing. I painted a gate. Light frost.

14 Oct 1899    Men shearing. Strong hot winds all day.

15 Oct 1899    Sunday. Mr and Mrs Squire drove out. 197 points of rain last night.

16 Oct 1899    The British and Boers commenced fighting. A light shower.

17 Oct 1899    I killed a lamb. Anderson killed a Wedder.

18 Oct 1899    Men shearing. I tarred a gate. Mr Squire drove out. Frost.

19 Oct 1899    Anderson & Mackie shearing. . Very much like rain.

20 Oct 1899    Men shearing. Cloudy all day.

21 Oct 1899    Anderson & Mackie finished shearing. A cheque from Mr Squire £7-10-0.

22 Oct 1899    Sunday. Mr and Mrs Squire drove out.

23 Oct 1899    I harrowed the garden. Tom Fletcher came to look at 10 crossbreds.

24 Oct 1899    Digging around fruit trees. A letter from Kitty. Great wind.

25 Oct 1899    Carting wood. Mr Squire drove out and brought a double B. gun.f

26 Oct 1899    The two Mackies and Anderson took the wool away.

27 Oct 1899    I took yellow pony up to Wattamandura woolshed and gave him to Phil Kearins to ride. H. Watt commenced to cut wheat.

28 Oct 1899    Digging in the garden. Put buggy into woolshed. Cold wind.

29 Oct 1899    Sunday. Mr and Mrs Squire drove out. Cold day.

30 Oct 1899    I painted two gates. Fine day.

31 Oct 1899    A letter from P. Fitzgibbon, Mount McDonald. He got the specimen alright. I painted a gate. Hot day.

1 Nov 1899     Painting hurdles with coal tar. Real hot day.

2 Nov 1899     Shearing lambs around the eyes to keep the grass seed away.

3 Nov 1899     Cutting weeds. Light showers. 4 points fell.

4 Nov 1899     Cutting weeds. 51 points rain fell in the evening.

5 Nov. 1899    Sunday. Mr Squire drove out. 84 points rain last night. I have a sore finger.

6 Nov 1899     My finger very sore. Could not sleep. 31 points rain this morning.

7 Nov 1899     21 points last night. My finger getting better.

8 Nov 1899     My arm commenced to swell. I stopped it with iodine. I rode to Cowra and got Dr. Roberts to dress it 7/6. I had tea at Jim’s.

9 Nov 1899     Mr and Mrs Squire drove out. Fine day.

10 Nov 1899   Caught a 4 foot snake in the W.C. with an iron trap. Fine day.

11 Nov 1899   I drove to Cowra and brought specimen case.

12 Nov 1899   Sunday. Mr and Mrs Squire drove out. I had dinner at H. Watt’s. Hot.

13 Nov 1899   I put the cultivator over the garden twice. Painting hurdles.

14 Nov 1899   I rode to Wattamandara. Dinner with Phil Kearins and brought pony home.

15 Nov 1899   Harrowed the garden. A. Mackie came to shear lambs. Light shower.

16 Nov. 1899  Painted a gate. Mrs Squire drove Mrs T. Walsh out. Hot day.

17 Nov 1899   Arthur Mackie and Grogan shore 52 lambs. 10 points rain.

18 Nov 1899   Shearers went to Cowra. 30 lambs shorn.

19 Nov 1899   Sunday. Mr and Mrs Squire drove out. A red dust storm. A few drops of rain.

20 Nov 1899   A. Mackie & Mick Grogan shore 65 lambs.  I got Mrs Watt to take pup.

21 Nov 1899   Sent Cowra paper to Minnie. 75 lambs shorn. Making a race to count them.

22 Nov 1899   Mr Squire, Draper, and family drove out. 77 lambs shorn.

23 Nov 1899   I secured roof od woolshed. 73 sheep shorn. Ormsby borrowed stencil plates.

24 Nov 1899   A light shower. 73 lambs shorn.

25 Nov 1899   I brought 23 rams from Cowra. 46 lambs shorn. Letter from Grace.

26 Nov 1899   Sunday. Mr and Mrs Squire drove out.

27 Nov 1899   Finished shearing lambs. 5 bales. 90 in shade all day.

28 Nov 1899   I posted paper to Minnie. Painting hurdles. 95 in the shade.

29 Nov 1899   I rode to Cowra. Got old black horse shod. Paid Arthur Middlemiss 8/6.

30 Nov 1899   Mrs. Squire drove Nell Walsh out. 95 in the shade.

1 Dec 1899     I started at 4 o’clock. Got to Grenfell at 10 o’clock. Had lunch at Pat Curry’s and drove to Dennis McGrath’s place near The Pines.

2 Dec 1899     I drove Minnie to the Pines, Pat McGrath’s place. His hands are getting well from being burnt by phospherous. Great wind.

3 Dec 1899     Sunday. At Dennis McGrath’s all day.

4 Dec 1899     I started at 3 o’clock and drove to Grenfell. Stayed at P. Curry’s.

5 Dec 1899     I started at 5 o’clock and got to Yarra at 11 o’clock.

6 Dec 1899     Mr and Mrs Squire drove out. Joe Potter married to John Bryant’s daughter. Britz married to Miss Howey .

7 Dec 1899     Sent papers to Minnie. 36 points of rain.

8 Dec 1899     Cutting seedlings. 16 points of rain. Jim Gleeson called.

9 Dec 1899     .Cutting seedlings. Tom Bryant came with strippers. 98 in shade.

10 Dec 1899   Sunday. Mr and Mrs Squire came. 10 points of rain. 90 in shade

11 Dec 1899   Cutting thistles. I killed a brown snake. Tom Bryant stripping.

12 Dec 1899   Sent papers to Minnie. I rode to Cowra. Had tea at Jim’s.

13 Dec 1899   Cutting thistles. Hot winds.

14 Dec 1899   Cutting thistles. Cold wind blowing from the south.

15 Dec 1899   Mrs. Squire and servant came. Bryant has 3 strippers going.

16 Dec 1899   Cutting thistles all day.

17 Dec 1899   Sunday. Mr Squire drove out. T. Bryant gone to Brundah.

18 Dec 1899   Jack Peisley came and drafted some sheep. Hot day.

19 Dec 1899   Stripping finished. 499 bags from 150 acres. Anderson took 61 bags to Cowra.

20 Dec 1899   Cutting thistle. Bob Anderson took 63 bags. 98 in the shade.

21 Dec 1899   Painting gates. Anderson took 72 bags. 95 in the shade.

22 Dec 1899   I painted six gates. Anderson took 68 bags, 100 in the shade.

23 Dec 1899   Painting gates. 102 in the shade all day.

24 Dec 1899   Sunday. I rode to Wattamandara. Phil Kearins not there. 98 in the shade.

25 Dec 1899   Christmas. I was at home all day. 100 in the shade.

26 Dec 1899   Painting gates. Races at Chivers. 100 in the shade.

27 Dec 1899   Cutting thistles. Blowing a gale all night.

28 Dec 1899   Painted a gate. Big Paddy Walsh, Back Creek, died.

29 Dec 1899   I took some ewes to Cowra Cemetery paddock. Anderson took 60 bags.

30 Dec 1899   Bob Anderson took 60 bags. Charles Wiggins died in Cowra.

31 Dec 1899   Sunday. At home all day. 90 in the shade.

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