Benjamin Hosking and family.

Front – Benjamin Hosking and eldest son Benjamin Hosking.

Back – one of his four sons and wife Sarah Hosking nee Carter.  C. 1908. Simmons Reef, Blackwood.

Benjamin Hosking came to Australia from St. Ives in Corwall in 1855 and married Sarah Carter, the daughter of Edward Carter, a pioneer of Simmons Reef, Blackwood. Theirs was the first marriage in St. Johns Church of England in Ballan in 1861.  Ben and Sarah had eight children who attended the Simmons Reef school.  The children were, Ben, Jack, Peter, Will, Fred, Alice, Sarah and Emma, all born in Simmons Reef.  Sarah born in 1862 married Ben Trewhella Jnr.  Ben Hosking bought 6 acres of land from Mr. Fothergill, below the open-cut mine in Simmons Reef, and ran a small farm.  They used to scoop water from the water race just in front of their house. (info from Penny Garnett).  Benjamin died 27.5.1909 and his wife, Sarah Hosking died 5.10.1913, they are both buried in the Blackwood cemetery with their daughter Alice who died age 16 yrs. in 1884 from typhoid fever. 

Photos courtesy of Margaret Hookey. (colorised by Margot Hitchcock.)