Richard Hammond
| First name | Richard |
|---|---|
| Last name | Hammond |
| Country of Origin | England |
| Date of Birth | 1840 |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | 1868 |
| Submitted by | Beverley Hammond |
Story
Richard Hammond was baptised at Lydham Parish Church on 13 April 1840.
His father Richard (1) Hammonds, labourer of Mainstone, married Priscilla Owen, domestic servant, in 1838 and they lived in Moat Hill, Bishop\’s Castle. After Priscilla died in 1844 Richard (1) married a widow with several children of her own. Richard (2) told his grandson he ran away from home at the age of ten, about 1850.
Nothing is known of his movements until he arrived in Australia in 1868 (death certificate). He may have worked as a labourer on the railway line to Lithgow as her formed a relationship with Louisa (2) Sheedy of Hartley. A child, Louisa (3) Sheedy Hammond was born in Sydney in 1870 (m. J. Fisher).
Louisa (2) was the daughter of John and Louisa (1) (Chapman) Weal who were married in Essex in 1842. They sailed to Sydney on the ‘David McIvor’ in 1853 with two daughters, Louisa (2) aged 4 and Sarah Ann aged 2. John had been recruited by one of the contractors who brought 500 navvies to Sydney to build the Government Railway. After the completion of the line to Parramatta, John worked on the Liverpool to Campbelltown lines, completed in 1858. He then worked on the Melbourne Ð Bendigo and Singleton- Musswellbrook connections before moving to Lithgow valley for the Zig-Zag railway, completed in 1869.
Their daughter Louisa (2) married Patrick Sheedy at Hartley in 1865, but the marriage was unsuccessful. Patrick died in Lithgow in 1920. John Weal left the railway during the extension to Bathurst and was licensee of the ‘Rest and be Thankful’ hotel at William\’s Creek before becoming licensee of the ‘Australian Hotel’ at Moores Lane, Hill End, in 1872.
Richard (2) Hammond and Louisa (2) Sheedy joined her parents at Hill End where gold was being mined. Four children were born there: Mary Ann (1873 m. T. Johnson), John Richard (3) (1875 m. P. Cross), George Edward (1877 m. K. Embleton) and William Robert (1880).
John and Louisa Weal retired to Parramatta in 1882 and both died in 1899. The Hammonds probably left at the same time. Mark (1884 m. F. Johnson) was born ‘on the railway line at Thornleigh’ when the line from Strathfield to Flat Rock was being constructed. Louisa (2) ran a meal room for the construction workers both there and later at Cawleys Creek near Helensburgh where Charles was born and died in 1887. The family was moved from Camp no. 26 at Bulgo to Helensburgh when Richard (2) began working for the Metropolitan Coal Mine.
Richard (2) Hammond, bachelor, married Louisa (2) Sheedy, ‘widow’, at St. Andrew\’s Cathedral, Sydney, 1888. Abraham (1889) and Norman (1890) died when babies.
Richard (2) died in Helensburgh where he built coal skips and carved beautiful trays, a table and roll-top desk. He married Priscilla Cross of Glebe in 1899.
Priscilla\’s parents, Edwin Cross, a plumber, and Margaret (Johnson) were married at Berwick Ðon- Tweed in 1874. They migrated from Plymouth on ‘La Hogue’ in 1877 accompanied by tow children of Edwin\’s first marriage. Priscilla was born on the ship.
Dick built a weatherboard cottage in Harper Street, Helensburgh. Here two children were born: Richard (4) Edwin (1899 m. E. Bartsch then M. Sansom) and Cecil (1901 m. I. Gerdes). Both boys attended Tempe Technical School, studying Electrical Fitting, and both played bowls and orchids.
Richard (4) Edwin and Eupra had had 2 children at Kurri Kurri, Richard (5) (1924 m. P. Warne then P. Matyus) and Joyce (1926 m.. I. Lilly). Cecil and Iris had 4 children: Leslie (1926 m. M. Parton), Phyllis (1928 m. R. Harding), Peter (1930 m. E. Martin) and Beverley (1935).
On his retirement John Richard (3) and Priscilla lived in Park Road, Carlton. They had and extensive orchid house and a large garden. ‘Dick’ died in Carlton in 1951 and Priscilla in Drummoyne in 1963.