MINING FAMILIES OF BLACKWOOD.
Photos of the Hill & Williams family courtesy of the late Edgar Williams of Blackwood, lent to Margot Hitchcock, Historian of the Blackwood & District Historical Society so she could copy them for the Blackwood Archives.
Photos all COPYRIGHT and courtesy of Margot Hitchcock and the Blackwood & District Historical Society.
Pioneers of Simmons Reef
Edward (John) Hill
A report in the Bacchus Marsh Express paper of March 21 1891 gives a report “of the death of a Mr E Hill, probably the oldest man and pioneer on Blackwood who died at Simmons Reef on the 12 March 1891 age 78 yrs and was buried in the Blackwood cemetery.” The paper also stated “Mr Hill laid claim to be the discoverer of the Blackwood goldfield on January 4th 1855 and received the government reward of 300 pound ($600).”
The death certificate of Mr E Hill gives his name as John Hill who died on the date reported. Information on the death certificate lists John Hill as living in Simmons Reef Blackwood, a builder aged 78 yrs and died of a stroke, the doctor was Dr Plews, and the list of his children’s names were James, deceased, Sarah, Helena, John, Edward, Joshua, and Joseph. His first wife was Hannah Cox who died after Joseph was born in 1850. John Hill remarried in 1851 to Hannah Thornton and she had one son Samuel Hill. John Hill had eight children altogether.
Hill Family
The Hill family home was in Simmons Reef on the right-hand side going up towards Tom Quicks home that was up past the ‘Jack Cann Reserve’ next to the garden of St Erth today. The Hill family were involved in mining in the Simmons Reef area. In October 1870 records show John Hill Snr, Edward Hill, Joseph Hill, and Joseph Denman had a mining tenement in the Simmons Reef area and in November 1870 Samuel Hill and John Box were registered as mining in Simmons Reef.
Mining records from the ‘1906 Department of Mines Bulletins of the Geological Survey of Victoria – No. 18 edition for the Blackwood-Trentham Goldfield by W.H. Ferguson.’ show the Messrs. Hill Brothers were working the Staffordshire Reef which was located at about half a mile to the west of Simmons Reef at the Reservoir. The Hill family came from West Bromwich in Staffordshire, England and possibly called the reef after their birthplace. Edward (John) Hill, was the father of Ted (Edward) and Joseph Hill.
Info courtesy of Margot Hitchcock and her book – ‘Some History of Simmons Reef.‘
Edward (Ted) Hill and his brother Joseph Hill, Miners at Blackwood. C. 1907.
Photos of the Hill & Williams family courtesy of the late Edgar Williams of Blackwood.
Edgar Williams
The late Edgar Williams, whose parents, Warren Travena Williams and Anne Gribble, built the house they called ‘Bromwich’, named after the Hill family’s birthplace. The brass plate with the name is on the front entrance to the house. The Dear family who now own the house originally called it ‘Bromwich Bed and Breakfast’, but now call it ‘Blackwood Bed and Breakfast’. Edgar Williams was orphaned at a young age with his sister Dorothy. He was brought up but his Great Uncle Ted Hill and Aunt Annie Williams. Edgar lent all his photos to Margot Hitchcock to copy off and work out who the people were in the photos. Now Margot has an amazing collection of named photos of Simmons Reef to share with readers in this book, on behalf of the Blackwood and District Historical Society.
Info courtesy of Margot Hitchcock and her book – ‘Some History of Simmons Reef.‘
Wedding of Warren Williams and Anne Gribble,with bridal party standing on the steps of ‘Bromwich’ now ‘Blackwood Bed and Breakfast’,Martin Street, Blackwood. 1899.
(Photo courtesy of the late Edgar Williams.)
Hills and Williams mine, Simmons Reef, Blackwood. C.1907 Top left Annie Wiliams, top right – George Hill (photographer) bottom left Mrs. George Hill. middle Ted Hill, middle right Charlie Hill, front right – Joseph Hill. (Photo courtesy of the late Edgar Williams.)
Joseph Hill – Miners Right 1895.
Hill & Williams family Lerderderg River Simmons Reef c.1907 photographer George Hill. Left front – Annie Williams, front left child – Dorothy Williams, Middle front – Mrs George Hill, right front – child – Edgar Williams. Back left- Uncle Ted Hill. (Photo courtesy of the late Edgar Williams.)
Hills Mine and Water Wheel, Simmons Reef, Blackwood c.1907. lady below – Annie Williams, top left Ted Hill and Mrs. George Hill. Photographer George Hill. (Photo courtesy of the late Edgar Williams.)
Hills Mine – Battery and Water Wheel, Simmons Reef c. 1907. Photographer George Hill. (Photo courtesy of the late Edgar Williams.)
Hills Mine – Battery and Water Wheel, Simmons Reef c. 1907. Photographer George Hill. (Photo courtesy of the late Edgar Williams.)
Charlie Hill, Back Creek Bridge Simmons Reef, Blackwood. c. 1907. Photographer George Hill. (Photo courtesy of the late Edgar Williams.)
Joseph Hill left, middle – Ted Hill and Charlie Hill, Hills Simmons Reef, Blackwood. C.1907 (Photo courtesy of the late Edgar Williams.)
Sign beside Walking Track in Blackwood – photo left Joseph Hill and Charlie Hill right. c. 1907.
Williams and Hill family – Simmons Reef. C. 1907. Back – Warren Williams, Joseph (Joe) Williams, George Williams, Andrew Williams, William (Bill) Williams. Middle – Anne Williams (wife of Warren); Eliza Hill (nee Spinner) (wife of Joseph Hill, Jospeh Hill; Sarah Williams (nee Hill), and sister of Joseph and Ted Hill and wife of John Travena Williams. Front – Annie Williams, sister of the Williams brothers in back row; Ted Hill (brother of Jospeh). (Photo courtesy of the late Edgar Williams.)
Warren Williams – Miners Right 1897.
The Williams Family
John Travena Williams was born on 15th February 1831 at Austell, Cornwall in England, and died at Simmons Reef, Blackwood on the 3rd May 1888. He is buried in the Blackwood cemetery. He married Sarah Hill born 1st January 1838, who was born Churchfield, England. She died on the 10th June 1908 in Simmons Reef and is buried with her husband in the Blackwood cemetery. John Williams had a Methodist Hymn book inscribed inside ‘John Travena Williams’, Simmons Reef, Sept. 24th 1878. The Williams family worked in the Williams Brothers Company mine and the Williams and Party mine in Simmons Reef. John Williams had a son named Warren Travena Williams born 4/12/1860 and who died age 55 at Blackwood 6/12/1915. Warren Williams married Anne Gribble born 15/2/1862 and who died 28/1/1911. Warren and Ann were the parents of Edgar Williams, and grandparents of Warren, Ian and Ken Williams who owned the house ‘Bromwich’, now ‘Blackwood Bed and Breakfast’. (Information courtesy of Edgar Williams)
Info courtesy of Margot Hitchcock and her book – ‘Some History of Simmons Reef.‘
Williams and Party Mine, Simmons Reef. Left front George Hill Photographer, men -Williams brothers and man with white beard – Joseph Hill.
