Robert Longmore
| First name | Robert |
|---|---|
| Last name | Longmore |
| Country of Origin | N. Ireland |
| Date of Birth | c.1791 |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | 1844 |
| Submitted by | Lillian Dillon |
Story
Robert Longmore the son of farmer William & Mary was born around 1791 in the village of Billy approx 2 miles from Bushmills Co. Antrim Northern Ireland. In 1823, probably in the Presbyterian Church near Ballylough where they both lived he married Elizabeth McMichael a dairy woman who was born 1805 the daughter of Hugh & Alice McMichael.
Robert & Elizabeth made the long journey to Sydney Cove from Ireland on the ship “Herald” which had sailed from Glasgow, Scotland on 10th Oct.1843 and arrived in Pt.Jackson on 10th June 1844. The cost of transport per Adult in the family section being 7 pounds 17 shillings. With them were six of their young children including Ann, with Mary (17) and Eliza (15) travelling in the Single Female section.
Their eldest children John and Margaret Jane had come out to Australia previously on the “Alan Kerr” which sailed on 10 August 1841 to Pt. Phillip, and had settled in the Geelong area. A further 3 children were later born in Australia. They were in the Depot 7 days before leaving for Robert to take up his employment as a labourer with John McDonnell of Pitt Town for a 12 month term. His wage was 15 pounds per year with rations of 40lb Beef or Mutton, 40lb. Flour, 8 lb. Sugar and 2 lbs.Tea. Elizabeth & Mary remained in the depot for 2 months until they were employed by B.C. Rodd of Sydney for a 12 month term at 9 pounds per annum each.
Robert was a farm servant when their first Australian born child Lydia was baptised on 1st Feb.1846 at Pitt Town so he obviously stayed in the vicinity of his employer. By the time Matilda was baptised on 11 Nov 1849 he called himself a farmer of Pitt Town. The family moved south to Victoria soon after this, as the final child Joseph was born at “Laurence Park” Batesford nr. Geelong about 1851. The decision to travel to Victoria was made because of the 2 elder children already having been there nearly 10 years. Robert Snr. bought land from the Clyde Company, a large pastoral concern managed by George Russell, in the land sales of 30 May 1854. The first purchase was bounded by the Moorabool River and the second in Feb 1858 took the Longmore holding to the main road. (Details: Lot 15. Sec. 27 Geringhap 58a3r2p cost 923 4.1.Lot 19 District Separation Inn, 89acres at 3 pounds/acre resp). This property was retained by the family until April 1972 when Charles Longmore, second son of Joseph, sold it to retire to Geelong when he was 75. Nestled into the side of the hill stands the two storey bluestone house, built soon after the initial property purchase by the Longmore family.
Roy Longmore, eldest son of Joe was told by his Uncle Bob (Robert born 1840) that they dug out the hill, packed the area with sand and laid the bluestones on that, using especially large stones for the foundations. The bluestone was quarried on the property Whilst the house was being built the family lived in a hut near the site of the pig pens (now not in use). The property was referred to as The Farm up until Charles and Doris Longmore lived there when they re-named it “Hillside” approx. 1925.
Robert Sr died at Geringhap, Geelong on 20 December 1867 of an anurism of the heart & Elizabeth on 2nd February 1873. Both are buried at Bannockburn cemetery, Geelong District with no headstone. or full family history see http://pandora.nla.gov.au/tep/10421