52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Earning a living

The aim of this challenge which is set by genealogist, Amy Johnson Crow, is to write about one ancestor every week in 2024, according to a given prompt. I will be writing about my direct ancestors, and also about other family members.

“Knowing how our ancestors earned a living can give us insight into their lives. What occupations have you seen in your family? Is there an ancestor whose occupation wouldn’t exist today or one whose job really resonates with you?” -Amy Johnson Crow

Thomas Waters

My 3x great grandfather, Thomas WATERS, was born on 05 October 1829, at the family farm, Newton Bury, Dunton, Bedfordshire, England.  He arrived in Melbourne, Australia in 1852, and soon found his way to South Australia where he married and started a family. These letters show the difficulty of trying to start a new life and support a family in the early days of Australia.

Earning a living in England

Thomas worked on the family farm in the early years of his working life. I’m not exactly sure why, but in 1851, when he was 22 years old, hel left the family farm, and took over the hotel license of The Castle, in Kent Street, St. George the Martyr, London. He gave up that license in 1852, shortly before leaving England for Australia.

Earning a living in Australia

Thomas wrote letters home to Bedfordshire, where he told the family about life in the new country,and the type of work he was doing. In his letters he described in detail, his efforts to try to make a living for his family, and the challenges he was facing in doing so. Following are excerpts from those letters:

1860 in Melbourne
“I had great difficulty in getting employment here at first, the country is so thronged with the labouring class, my principal employment here has been working amongst stone, using a hammer, 20 pounds weight, all day. It requires a great deal of practise to break the stones, not only to use the hammer. I am by this time well accustomed to it now, and I like it very well, if I can get plenty to do. I sometimes take a few chains of road to pitch, in fact, I have three chains on hand now. I started to work this morning, but it came on to rain. I was obliged to come home. I only get 15/- per chain for doing it, 66 feet in length and 14 feet wide and the engineer is very particular with the work, so that I can only make about 4s/- 6d a day.

Those that are doing well here, are in good situations or have a horse and dray. They take those contracts, and do well by them. In the first place they get about 10 pounds per chain. They do what little carting there is to do, and get the labour done for £3 and pocket the balance. There are several good gold fields discovered within the last 12 months, not a very great distance from here, and all those that have the means of going, try their luck. Several from this neighbourhood tried their luck, and most of them returned with a nice little sum, sufficient to give them a good start.

Any person to come out here, and have about 150 pounds clear when they arrived here, they would be able to make an excellent fortune, with care, in a few years. Not a great distance from here, you can purchase 1200 acres of land for £50. I live in hopes of doing better myself shortly, but there is no prospect at present. It is a long lane that has not turning. We are at present living in a tent 12 feet long by 10 wide – rather an uncomfortable residence you would fancy. My wife gets a little washing which is a great help.

1862
“Some people here are very fortunate, and others on the contrary, and I happen to be one of those individuals who are unlucky in all their attempts to better themselves. I held a Government situation, four years, as Bailiff in a local court. The first year I was doing well and by degrees the business became very slack.

I was paid only for the number of summonses issued from the court serving the summons, and mileage, going with the same amounted to one shilling per mile. Sometimes I would earn two or three pounds a day. Then again, I might be a week without anything. I was obliged to be at the office every morning at 10 o’clock and wait a few hours to see if any persons should come and take out any summonses. By that means, you see, it hindered me from getting other work to fill up my leisure time. It was rather an unpleasant billet. Occasionally, I was obliged to walk into a neighbour’s house and seize all their goods and chattels. I dare say you would laugh at the idea of my being an auctioneer, but I have sold hundreds of pounds worth. I was bound to sell within five days after they were seized, if the debt was not paid, but the people about there, began to get too honest, paid all their debts, and the poor bailiff was obliged to give up his billet.

1862 Kyneton
“Myself and two others took a contract to make a road, but the weather being so bad, we have not been able to get the stone carted on the road. We should have made about 6 shillings per day each but as it is, I am afraid it will not be one half, but as the weather will, I have no doubt, soon set in, I shall I hope to be able to do better.

1863 Labourer (letter sent to Bedfordshire, May 17 1863)
“Contract to sink two water holes 50 feet long, 20 feel wide and 6 feet deep for 11d per cubic yard. We completed the contract as far as we were allowed, and now it appears we may whistle for the money. We placed too much confidence in our employers, and did not get a copy of the agreement.”

1863
“There was a time when I was in Adelaide, I thought I should get on, but unfortunately my master took ill and died. I lost my situation I then held as the office as Bailiff in a local court.

1863
The principle employment here is road work, and I am now pretty well initiated in that branch. I could do very well if it was not for the draw back of paying house, rent and horse hire. Sixteen shillings per day for horse and dray, which I have often paid, when I had a contract on hand, and that is the thing that prevents me from buying one for myself.

1863
In this colony we are often time obliged to wait a few months for money. For instance, I take a contract to make a piece of road, say for forty or fifty pounds. I get a subsist perhaps at the end of a month so, as the work progresses, to pay the hire of horse and dray, and by the time the work is completed, there is but little left to my share, but for all, I am in hopes of conquering all such difficulties.

1864, Kyneton
“When I last wrote, I was working with a farmer. I was ploughing with two young colts. The horses are not worked here the same as at home. No boy to drive for you, but for all that I managed exceedingly well. I wish I had been put to such work before I left home. I think I told you the farm did not keep any hands, after the seed was in until such time, it requires cutting. I finished there a fortnight back and the Master managed to get me a job at the cemetery, that is to trench the borders of the carriage roads and plant shrubs, and this is like all other work, hurried over. But I think another fortnight will finish it.”

1865, Kyneton
Thomas found difficulty working after an accident which left him with no sight in his right eye and a weakened left hand.
“I hope I shall be fortunate enough to get some light work such as attending in a store or writing. I have lately been writing for a solicitor copying deeds, leases etc. and have engrossed some for them. I might say, what I have done has given great satisfaction. I not only found it awkward writing with the sight of only one eye, but to sit any time, it caused a pain in the eye effected. I am obliged to wear a shade over it although, I cannot see with it, the light effects it very much. ……….I have been out of the hospital three months, and not been able to earn anything myself, until very lately. I am now in great hopes of doing better, if I get the work I am expecting. Light work pays better than heavy, and they have promised to give me as much as possible.

…..She has stuck to the wash tub like a brick, and making the matter worse, she has a young child at the breast. But with all our trouble we have scraped up a comfortable living.”

“….as for myself, should I be spared to receive the amount allotted for me, I cannot say, but I might go to Adelaide. My wife’s friends are there, and I am pretty well known and I am inclined to think I should be more comfortable there than here, but there will be time for me to consider those things. If I can get a good living here, I will do so for the present, and watch an opportunity of bettering myself.”

1865
“I am still in the office of Mr. George Booker, solicitor, and my pay is not very much, but at the same time, I am very fortunate in getting what I have. I would not be able to work on the roads at present.”

1865
“I was thankful to receive the money that was sent to me. With my illness and not being able to do anything for such a length of time, I got greatly in debt.”

1871
“I had until the last 12 months been employed in a lawyers office, not constantly but early, so, for upward of 5 years, and out of my salary I only received a few shillings per week or occasionally, being led to believe I should get my money in a lump sum. And it would then be of service to me, so that I might be able to purchase a piece of land and make my family comfortable, but to my great disappointment, my employer became insolvent. The office was broken up, and I did not get half as much as paid my debts, for in debt I was bound to run, when I was not receiving my wages.

I tried a plan (after everything else failed) to start an office myself, but unfortunately, but the times being so bad, there was no business to be done. I put an advertisement in two of the papers for 6 months. The enclosed is one I cut out for you to see, but I did not earn as much with the office, as would pay for the advertisement.

It may appear strange to you, my offering money to lend, and buying minish shares. Through my being in a lawyer’s office, I became acquainted with some of the money lenders, and they offered me a percentage, to lend their money on freehold security, but I stood no chance, as there are so many poverty struck lawyers in the place. They look too sharp after these people, as they are aware that a mortgage must be prepared by a legal man, and if per chance I get a deed to engross, I may hunt them about a long time for the many – in fact I am quite tired of striving to get a living in the town. I am in hopes that I shortly be able to get my eldest boy apprenticed to some trade or other, as I find that a good tradesman, no matter what is seldom or ever idle.”

1871
“The harvest will be on in about 3 months from this time, and if we are blessed with good crops, I do not fear but there will be plenty employment during that time. I always live in hopes of something better turning up.”

1874
I am quite well as I believe the family are also. I have not seen them but once, for nearly three months, as at present working about 18 miles from them at a saw mill. I came here to work in the harvest and as soon as that was completed, I continued on at any work that might be required. The work is very hard, or rather it appears so to me having been sitting in an office for such a length of time, doing nothing but writing.”

My thanks to Graham Revill, Surrey, England, for transcribing these letters and lodging them with the Royal Historical Society of Victoria.

Please note: Punctuation and paragraphs have been added to the above transcription for ease and speed of reading.

Sources;
Graham Revill, family researcher, England
Letters from Thomas WATERS sent to family in Bedfordshire 1862-1874

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