James W Filleul

Story

JAMES WILLIAM FILLEUL, born on 14th Feb 1834 at ‘Verclut\’ Cottage, Parish of Grouville, Jersey, Channel Islands, was the third of 12 children born to Jean and Marguarite Filleul. He started off his career as a carpenter, but later went to sea and was second mate on a ship which called at Launceston in Tasmania during the Australian gold rush of the 1850s.

The lure of gold proved too much for him and two other officers of the ship, and hoping to make their fortunes, followed the practice of thousands of other seamen at that time and deserted their ship. His two fellow deserters were captured however, and James told the story of how he saw them being led away by the police, handcuffed, and taken back to the ship. He was able to remain in hiding until after the ship sailed and then gave himself up to the authorities. What penalty, if any, he had to pay is not on record. No convictions were recorded.

At the time of James’ arrival in Tasmania in 1857 he had only one more exam to pass for his Masters Certificate.

Tasmania attracted him so much that instead of going off to the goldfields on the mainland, he took up farming at Kindred, NW Tasmania.

James married Jane Firier Howison in 1860 at Forth, in northwest Tasmania. Jane had arrived with her family from Scotland on the \’Forest Monarch\’ in 1857 at the age of 13.

James and Jane first lived at ‘Corn Brook Farm’, part of the first parcel of land later to be included in ‘Ben Acre\’, Kindred Road, which he farmed successfully for many years, including growing potatoes as farmers had in Jersey. The land at ‘Ben Acre\’ was exceptionally good and was known to produce 75 bushells of grain to the acre. He imported the first Reaper and Binder ever to be used on the North West Coast which created great interest as people came from miles around to see it.

They had 15 children of whom 14 survived and their descendants are scattered over a wide area of northern Tasmania and beyond.

In the late 1860s his carpentry skills were put to good use on The Sailors Return Inn at Turners Beach where he added a top storey and a bay window. At this time the Inn was renamed Leith House and later The Gables, and is now National Trust classified.

James assisted in surveying the Main Coast Road from Don to Forth and for many years held a seat on the Road Trust. He was a Grand Master, Trustee and Charter Member of the Forth Lodge, and took a keen interest in politics. He was also a deacon of the Congregational church at Forth for 47 years and through his active involvement in community affairs was highly regarded and respected as a pioneer of Forth\’s early history.

Eventually James moved to a farm at Forth which he called ‘Verclut\’ after his birthplace in Jersey. ‘Verclut\’ cottage was a distinctive Gothic house and stood on the western side of Forth township.

James passed away in his sleep at ‘Verclut\’, Forth, on 26th May 1913 aged 79 years.

Jane, his wife, survived for another 22 years and was 91 when she died.

———— Margaret Roshier (Filleul) ————

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