APPLEYARD

John Marshall APPLEYARD (1837–1931)

John Marshall Appleyard was born in 1837 in Wakefield, Yorkshire, England. 

[When John Marshall APPLEYARD was born in 1837 in Wakefield, his father, John, was 32 and his mother, Elizabeth, was 30.]

He married Martha Wigglesworth on 14 March 1859, in Sandal Magna, Yorkshire, England. They had 13 children in 24 years. He died on 3 January 1931, in Gulgong, at the age of 94, and was buried there. 

Martha Wigglesworth

Their children included:

• William Henry (1858-1934)
• John Marshall Jnr (1863-1915)
• Lydia Lilian Hansell nee Appleyard (1867-1941)
• James M (1869-1869 in Hartley)
• Marshall (born 1871 in Bathurst)
• Sarah J (born 1872 in Mudgee; died 1899)
• Elizabeth (Bess) (born 1874 in Gulgong; died 1951)
• Henry (1876-1876 in Gulgong)
• Emma M (born 1878 in Gulgong; died 1958)
• Eva (born 1880 in Gulgong; died 1962)
• Lilian M (born 1882 in Gulgong; died 1884)

Political career

1870 - Bathurst, NSW - John was the first person to run as a Labor candidate in a local election

1892 - ELECTION AS ALDERMAN - GULGONG COUNCIL

GULGONG. - John Marshall Appleyard has been nominated to fill the extraordinary vacancy in the council caused by the absence from the district ot Thomas H. Mathows. The retiring aldermen aro John Tuxford, George Smith, and Frederick William Russell. They have not announced their intention of seeking re-election, but there is not likely to be any opposition.

Source: Sydney Morning Herald - 19th June 1894

1894 - MR. APPLEYARD AT GULGONG.

On Saturday night Mr John Appleyard addressed a large meeting here. The Mayor presided. Mr. Appleyard said he had been chosen as nominee of the labour league to contest the electorate. He considered that the old politicians should retire as they had failed to find a remedy for the prevailing depression and the labour party had six platforms which, if carried out, would ameliorate the condition of the people. He was in favour of land tax on values to compel proprietors to use the land that was now locked up for speculative purposes. He was in favour of abolishing the Upper House, which would never pass a bill in favour of the worker and he advocated a national bank. Local self-government would give people the privilege of managing their own affairs, and money would be better spent. He would make eight hours the legal day's work. Magistrates should be elected by the people and he believed that a reduction of two million could be made without injury to the Civil Service. He was contesting the election simply in the interest of the labour party. Parliament needed brains not tongues. Mr. John Murn proposed a vote of confidence in Mr. Appleyard. Mr. Andrew Thompson seconded the motion, which was declared carried unanimously.

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) Tue 19 Jun 1894 Page 6

1899 - GULGONG NOTES - SARAH APPLEYARD

It is my sad duty to have to record the death of Miss Sarah Appleyard, which took place at Dubbo on Sunday morning. The deceased lady was a daughter of Mr. J. M. Appleyard a well-known resident of Gulgong. She was teaching for some time at Curban school, and proceeded to Dubbo to go up for examination, when she caught fever, and after lingering a few days succumbed to the dread malady. Miss Appleyard lived nearly all her life in Gulgong, and the news of her untimely death was received with regret by the hundreds of schoolmates there, and by the large circle of friends in the district. Mr. and Mrs. Appleyard and family have the deepest sympathy of everyone in their sad bereavement, sadder perhaps on account of the young lady dying far away from home.

Source: Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative (NSW : 1890 - 1954) Fri 7 Jul 1899 Page 11

1904 - THE SECRETARY OF THE AWU  DEMONSTRATION 

Mr. John Marshall Appleyard desires to thank the following for their assistance or subscriptions to the Town Plate for the Annual Demonstration - E. Powell, Hinchey, Souter, S. B. Rouse, etc

Source: Gulgong Advertiser, 10 Mar 1904 

Meeting of Australia League
Note: This photo of Henry Lawson and Billy Hughes is thought to have been taken at the inaugural meeting of the Labor party in Gulgong.

Source: Gulgong's Henry Lawson Museum

Back Row: --?--, Warden Huxley, Patrick Huxley, --?--
Front row: John Marshall Appleyard, Henry Lawson, --?--, Billy Hughes

 

1909 - SLEEPER CARTERS AND CUTTERS' UNION. - GULGONG, Thursday.

The price of sleepers having been reduced the cutters for the second section of the Mudgee-Dunedoo line have gone out on strike. A public meeting was held, and it was unanimously decided to form a sleeper-carters and cutters' union. Mr. J. M. Appleyard was appointed secretary.

Source: The Australian Star (Sydney, NSW : 1887 - 1909) Fri 12 Feb 1909 Page 7

1923 - GULGONG NEWS

Mr. John Appleyard, who broke his leg some time ago, is enjoying fairly good health, but is unable to walk without the aid of sticks. The old veteran, who is about 85 years of age, is a remarkable man for his years.

Source: Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative (NSW : 1890 - 1954) Thu 8 Feb 1923 Page 18

1928 - MR JACK APPLEYARD.

'Skipper' in Smith's Weekly, writes: One of the West's most remarkable veterans is Jack Appleyard, G.O.M., of Gulgong (N.S.W.) Although, approaching his 94th mile peg Jack still takes keen and appreciated interest in all public matters. Once given the opening he can hold his audience for hours with episodes of the stirring days of half a century back. His hobby is politics, and he is one of Labor's earliest and staunchest' supporters, and recalls the days when be would push his bike from Gulgong to Mudgee to attend a political meeting. His boast is that he has never knowingly had an enemy.

Source: Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative (NSW : 1890 - 1954) Thu 5 Jul 1928 Page 9

1931 - OBITUARY - JOHN MARSHALL APPLEYARD.

The death occurred at Gulgong on January 3 of John Marshall Appleyard, aged 93. He was born in Yorkshire, and went to Gulgong 60 years ago, when the gold rush started, after having been at Lithgow and Bathurst for a few years. He was a teetotaller and a non-smoker. He learnt to ride a bicycle when he was 70 years of age, and four years later he rode the machine from Gulgong to Mudgee, 18 miles. He was also a great walker, having walked from Sydney to Gulgong before the railway was opened, and he often walked from Gulgong to Mudgee. When 85 years of age he had his leg broken in a fall.

He started the first branch of the Australian Labor Party in Gulgong, and also formed the now defunct Sleeper Cutters' Union. He was buried in the Methodist portion of the Gulgong Cemetery on Sunday, the Rev. L. V. Caldwell (Church of England) officiating. Mrs J. E. Hansell (Tallewang) and Mrs. Patrick Huxley are daughters of deceased. Mr. F. J. Bayliss, of Gulgong, had charge of the funeral arrangements.

Source: Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative (NSW : 1890 - 1954) Thu 8 Jan 1931 Page 3

1931 - DEATH OF MR. J. M. APPLEYARD, GULGONG, Wednesday

The death has occurred of Mr John Marshall Appleyard, aged 93 years. He came to Gulgong from England 60 years ago and set up a bootmaklng business. He organised the first Labour league, and later formed the Sleeper Cutters' Union. When he was 70 years of age he learnt to ride a bicycle, and then

rode to Warren. He frequently walked from Gulgong to Mudgee, a distance of 18 miles. His wife died 20 years ago. There are 36 great-grandchildren living.

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) Thu 8 Jan 1931 Page 10

THOMAS R SMITH

T R Smith, First Legislative Assembly of NSW, 1880
Click here for original image

Thomas Richard Smith was born in 1843 at Mount Druitt to publican Thomas Smith and Jane  Laimbeer. During his busy and varied life, he was briefly the owner of the Royal Hotel, Gulgong.

NEWS ITEMS

1895 - MR. T. R. SMITH.

Mr. T. R. Smith, the newly-elected representative for The Nepean, was born at Mount Druitt, near Penrith, and was educated at St. Marys, and afterwards at King's School, Parramatta. In 1861 he took a contract to supply sleepers and square logs to Messrs. Peto, Brassey, and Betts, on the railway line between Blacktown and Penrith. In 1803, with his brother-in-law, Mr. Thurston, he carried out the railway contract from Blacktown to Windsor and Richmond. He then began business as a produce merchant and forwarding agent at Penrith, and when the train reached the Weatherboard started a branch there, and took into partnership Mr. John Woods and the late Mr. Edward Heaton, selling out to them in 1868, when the firm became known as Wright, Heaton, and Co.

Mr. Smith then became the largest farmer at that time in the colony, cultivating 1000 acres of wheat and 360 acres of other produce. He sold out his farm in 1869, and purchased the Royal Hotel at Gulgong goldfields, where he became a miner, and two years afterwards having cleared £20,000 let his hotel to Mr. Nightingale. Mr. Smith then found his way to the Palmer goldfields, where he put up with great hardships, remained there three months, returned to Sydney, and joined Mr. Geo. Wells as a produce auctioneer. The business grew by leaps and bounds until the firm could boast of a turnover of one hundred thousand pounds a year. In 1876, he opposed Mr. J. S. Smith for The Nepean, and defeated him by a very large majority. He held the seat for 11 years, and was ultimately defeated by Mr. S. E. Lees by 18 votes. 

During the 11 years Mr. Smith was in Parliament, he was a contractor to the City Council, supplying them with 50,000 tons of metal a year. He then started the Emu Gravel Company, which for a period of nine years supplied all the municipalities and the Government. A few years ago he became a large land speculator, and in that way lost his money. Eighteen months ago he commenced his old business as a contractor, and about six months ago sold out to the Emu Gravel Company, and started in the land and commission business, taking as his partner Mr. Stephen Sullivan. Mr. Smith has been defeated four times for The Nepean electorate by the present Mayor of Sydney, Mr. S. E. Lees, but on the 24th he succeeded in turning the tables upon his old opponent.

Source: The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1883 - 1930) Tue 30 Jul 1895 Page 5

1901 - MR. T. R. SMITH, M.L.A.

Mr. T. R. Smith, the elect for the Nepean, was born at Mount Druitt, near Penrith, on the 16th day of September, 1844, and is now 57 years of age, and is an old King's School boy. He commenced his career as a farmer on his father's estate at Colyton, Mount Druitt. He acquired considerable experience in stock and farm management, and was noted for being the best horseman in the colony. In his early days he carried out some extensive railway and other contracts, and supplied most of the timber for the railway Blacktown to Emu Plains; and in conjunction with the late J. Thurston, completed the construc-

tion of the railway to Richmond. He subsequently purchased the produce and forwarding agencybusiness of Messars. G. Fox and Company, at Penrith, which business he carried on for several

years, having as his manager the late Edward Heaton (of Wright, Heaton, and Company). 

In 1867, on the opening of the railway to Weatherboard (now Wentworth Falls), Mr. Smith transferred his business to the latter place, and admitted Mr. Heaton as a partner, and the business was carried on under the name of T. R. Smith and Heaton. Having established the business on a sound and satisfactory footing, Mr. Smith accepted an offer by J. Woods and Heaton to purchase the same. Subsequently the new firm joined the firm of Wright and Company, and ever since then has conducted its business under the name of Wright, Heaton, and Company. Mr. Smith, therefore, claims to have been one of the founders of this well-known firm. He then engaged in farming pursuits, and was the first men in the colony to cultivate 1000 acres of wheat on one farm, in addition to an area of 320 acres of other crops. 

Two years later he entered into business as a large buyer of wool, tallow, and pastoral produce in New South Wales and Queensland, and while in the last-named State he had the honor of performing the opening ceremony of the tunnel near Grandchester, which was the first railway tunnel opened in Queensland. The great fall in the price of wool resulted in leaving Mr. Smith a loser to the extent of £10,000. He then transferred his attention to business and mining pursuits, having purchased two well-known hotels in Gulgong (the Royal and Redman's), also three shares in No. 4 Lower Paddock and half interest in one share on the Black Lead. He, in 1872, relinquished business at Gulgong, and returned to his old home at Penrith, having in a few years made fully £20,000. 

Being tired of a quiet life he again commenced business as a buyer of horses and cattle on stations all over the colony, a great many from Mr. Brown, of Caigen; the Messrs. Rouse and Bowman, of the Mudgee district. Most of these horses he shipped to Queensland; the last lot he took over himself in the Victoria to Cooktown; he then found his way to the Palmer goldfields, where he suffered great hardships. He returned to Sydney, and entered into partnership with Mr. George Wells, J.P. (now of Wells and Matthews), which business Wells and Smith carried on for over 12 years very successfully. Sold out the goodwill for £3000. 

He then commenced land speculation, giving Mr. Wentworth £50,000 for one property; he also bought the Want Estate, Botany, for £20,000, and several other smaller estates. He then entered into partnership with the Hon. Sydney Smith (his brother) and T. J. Chapman as land auctioneers, which business was carried on for some years, after which the partnership was dissolved. Since then he has carried on the business on his own account. From 1887 to 1894 he was employed a great number of times as arbitrator, umpire, and valuator, on very important arbitration cases all over the colony. 

In 1874 he was elected member of Parliament for the Nepean electorate, defeating the late Mr. J. S. Smith, once member for  Molong. He was successful in defeating all comers for the above electorate until 1887, when he was defeated, by Mr. S. E. Lees, by 18 votes. He opposed Mr. Lees every election since, defeating him in 1895. Three years afterwards Mr. Lees again defeated Mr. Smith, owing to a third candidate being in the field, and on July 23 of this year, T. R. Smith was again successful in defeating Mr. Lees by a large majority.  

Some of the principal work of Mr. Smith's public career was the introducing and passing into law of the Grain Bill, fixing the standing weight of maize at 561b, wheat 60, barley 50, oats 40, and all other grains as per the Statute Book of the Colony. He also introduced and had passed into law the 14th clause of the Education Act, giving free passes to children attending schools throughout the length and breadth of the colony; was instrumental in getting great reductions in freights of hay and all kinds of produce; also on firewood, fruit, end everything produced from the soil. He was also instrumental in securing the abolition of the first and last tollbar in N.S.W.

Source: Evening News (Sydney, NSW : 1869 - 1931) Tue 13 Aug 1901 Page 7