George Tramountanas

Story

The George Tramountanas & Lydia Vosper story

George Tramountanas was born in Greece in 1822 and lived with his family on the Isle of Limnos, he also had family ties with Salonika.

When he arrived at Pt.Adelaide in 1842 with his brother Theodore, the colony of South Australia was only 6 years old and only just coming out of its financial crisis under the reform of Governor George Grey. Port Adelaide was initially referred to as Port Misery, due to the conditions under which the ships had to be unloaded, with men working knee deep in the mud and horses & carts often stranded due to these conditions.

Theodore travelled on to Albany, Western Australia and it is believed that all contact with Theodore had been lost. George soon changed his name to George North and found work at the Peake winery at Clarendon, (now known as The Old Clarendon Winery) making wines & brandy.

In 1857, he found work on a steamship named “Admella” and while on shore leave at Pt. Adelaide, he met Lydia Vosper, born in 1835, who had also arrived in Pt. Adelaide, aboard the Caucasian on 1st October 1855, from Devon in England. George was discharged from the Admella on the 19th July 1858, only months before it sank off Cape Northumberland, near Nelson in Victoria on 6th August 1859.

There was no Greek Orthodox Church in South Australia in 1858, so George converted to the Roman Catholic faith as did Lydia (from Church of England). George & Lydia were married at the Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, now known as St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Dale St. Pt. Adelaide, on 26/9/1858. They moved to the West Coast of South Australia, initially Pt Lincoln, then Green Patch, where their 2 sons George Henry (1861) & Hero Clare (1862) were born, then Little Swamp, Bramfield, Bald Hills (part of Mt. Wedge sheep station) finally settling at Newland Grange at Colton on the Eyre Peninsula, with their son Hero & his wife Rosina.

George North became a ‘Naturalised British Subject’ on the 8th April 1878, as witnessed by George Agars JP. George & Lydia lived at Newland Grange in retirement and grew grapes for wine until George passed away on 29/1/1911 aged 89 years and Lydia on 21/11/1913 aged 78 years. They are buried in the Catholic Cemetery at Colton, behind the ‘Olive Grove’ named in his honour by the Greek Orthodox Community of South Australia.

George Henry North married Eliza Valkema on 4/11/1884 and settled on their property at Collie, not far from Hero, they had 11 children,

1) George Henry Bernard North b: 1885, married Eveline Cook b: 1891

2) Theodore North b: 1886 d: 1901

3) Leo Clair North b: 1888, married Violet McKenzie b: 1894

4) Harold Edmund North b: 1890, married Irene Parker b: 1899

5) Herbert Austin North b: 1892, married Ida Freer b: 1901

6) Ivy Mildred North b: 1894, married Robert Starkey b: 1891

7) Percival Austin North b: 1897, married Olive Jellett b: 1899

8) Ruby Meta North b: 1900, married James Symes b: 1899

9) Nora Anastasia North b: 1902, married Edward Duncliffe b: 1897

10) Cyril Vincent North b: 1905, married Isabella Swanson b: 1908

11) Sylvester Hero North b: 1910, married Lena Sheridan b: 1910

Hero Clare North married Rosina Boylan on 18/5/1885 and also had 11 children,

1) Alexander Clair North b: 1886, married Agatha Herreen b: 1886

2) Myrtle Cecily North b: 1888, married Alexander McEvoy b: 1884

3) Olive Lydia North b: 1891, married Frank Porter b: 1896

4) Monica Mary North b: 1893, married Noel Dowden b: 1893

5) Hero Clarence ‘Clarrie’ North b: 1895. Died WW1, 1916 Somme, France

6) James Joseph North b: 1897, married Doris O\’Brien b: 1905

7) Michael Leo North b: 1899, married Mavis Mullan b: 1916

8) Mary Ellen North b: 1901, married Eric Kelly b: 1901

9) Rose North b: 1903, married William Holton b: 1900

10) Cecilia Margaret North b: 1905, married Russel Womersley b: 1903

11) Iris Ann North b: 1907, married William Jackson b: 1903

Hero & Rosina\’s children moved away from Eyre Peninsula, with the girls all following their husbands paths leaving only the 3 remaining sons, Alex, James and Michael, who all eventually moved to Adelaide.

Some of George & Eliza\’s children stayed and there are still descendants living there today in the towns of Ceduna, Wudinna, Minnipa, Streaky Bay, Elliston, Colton and Port Lincoln, to name a few.

Descendants of George & Lydia North have registered an Incorporated Association named the Tramountanas-North Association Inc. in honour of their ancestors, to research & preserve their pioneering history and contribute to the multicultural community of South Australia.

For further information, go to the website at: http://www.tramountanas1842.org or e-mail tramountanas@optusnet.com.au

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