I have several photos of my great grandfather, David Leake. One in particular, taken towards the end of his life, draws me to him. He looks thoughtful, possibly reflecting over his life. He was born in 1856, in Staffordshire, England, the second son of coal miner, John and Mary.[1] It was a time of huge change, both socially and economically. Industrialisation, urbanisation and technological advances in agriculture had transformed the rural landscape of the country. The steam engine, a vital invention of the Industrial Revolution led to rapidly increasing demand for coal, in turn leading to dreadful working conditions in the mines.[2] ,[3] By1861, his oldest brother, eleven-year old Thomas, was already working as a collier’s labourer.
In search of a better life, John and Thomas sailed from Liverpool, arriving in New York on 10 March 1871.[4] David, now a miner, and his four younger brothers and sister remained at Ogley Hay with their mother. [5] Shortly later, they too sailed to the USA.
Tragedy struck soon after the family had reunited. Four-year old Edwin died on 15 August that year. [6] David and his surviving brothers worked with their father for the Consolidation Coal Company, until tragedy again struck the family on 20 May 1874, when John Senior became the first fatality at the mine[7]. He was buried beside Edwin, at Vale Summit MD.
Figure 2 Graves of Mary, Edwin and John Leake, Methodist Cemetery, Vale Summit MD
Within a year of his father’s death, nineteen-year old David left the family and the USA, and returned to England. A family story passed down the generations was ‘he had been involved in a physical altercation with a male friend of his Mother. Believing he had killed the man, David escaped to England’. It is likely that he chose to return to his girlfriend, Mary Ann Bampton, in his old hometown Ogley Hay[8].
Attracted by the Australian Immigration Regulations of 1876, David chose to ‘try his luck’ as an assisted immigrant. On 15 November 1877, with Mary’s brother, James, he arrived in Sydney on board the sailing ship, “La Hogue”. [9] The journey had taken 87 days and cost the boys £10 each.
“With but 25 cents in his pocket he secured a job on a farm near Sidney (sic) digging potatoes for nine-pence a sac. Making enough to journey on he wended his way into the famous New Castle coal district, where he began digging coal”.[10]
The majority of Collieries had formed a Vend, in which they managed the supply of coal to the markets and controlled the price received. Industrial relations within the Newcastle coal mining industry were in a period of harmony. [11] Wage rates were high, and miners enjoyed considerable amounts of leisure time. David was promoted to the position of ‘Check Weigh-man’, responsible for ensuring consistency in the quality and quantity of each miner’s skip load of coal. In his spare time he studied engineering over the next eight years.[12]
On Christmas Eve, 1880 Mary and her brother James’ fiancé, Ann Lawrence sailed into Sydney Harbour. The two young couples married in joint ceremonies. Although their marriage certificate is dated ‘1880’, David and Mary were married at the Wesleyan Parsonage, in The Rocks on 15 January 1881.[13] It would seem that the Minister, George Martin, had not caught up with the new-year.
The couple set up home in Hartley NSW. The completion of the railway between Sydney and Lithgow in 1869 led to increased demand for coal and in the 1880’s large-scale coal mining commenced in the Western Coal Field at Hartley Vale.[14] The family increased, with the births of three sons, Edwin (1881), Arthur (1883) and John (1886).[15] , [16],[17] Upon completion of his training the following year, David was employed at the Zig Zag Colliery, Lithgow as an Engine driver. Happiness of promotion was tempered by grief, when baby John died in 1887.[18]
David built a home for the family nestled in the Vale of Clywdd, Lithgow. That home did not pass out of family ownership until the death of his granddaughter Della in 1984[19].
The family was completed in 1893 with the birth of his only daughter Emma. [20]
When David left the Zig Zag to work at the Vale of Clywdd Colliery in 1900, he was presented with a medallion. During the presentation, it was said that “Dave” ‘was a man in the truest sense of the term’ and that ‘all found him courteous and obliging.’[21]
An active member of the Engine Drivers and Firemen’s Union, he gave some insight into his duties during a wages hearing before the Western Collieries Wages board in 1908:[22]
Figure 5 Exerpt from Lithgow Mercury, Page 1, S November 1908
In 1918 his beloved Mary died, a victim of the ‘Spanish Influenza’ epidemic. [23] Several years earlier a bottle exploded whilst she was making ginger beer. Complications to the wound, caused by diabetes, led to amputation of her right arm.[24]
Figure 4 L-R: Son, Arthur, Mary, Arthur’s wife Gertrude holding May, Son in Law,Frank Sutton, daughter Emma Sutton
David was very proud of his work safety record. However, the year before his retirement in 1921, a fatal accident occurred when an employee, was crushed by an empty skip. At the subsequent coronial inquiry, David was described as “a careful driver with long experience at the work.”[25] The coroner handed down a verdict of ‘accidental death’.
Apart from his work and family commitments, David dedicated time to the G.U.O.O.F and the Salvation Army[26].
He maintained regular contact with his family in USA. On 28 February 1924 David sailed from Sydney to San Francisco on board HMS “Tahiti”.[27] Reports of his reunion with his brothers appeared in several publications, including:
In retirement, David spent time with his young grand children. Edna and Della reminisced about times, when asked to leave the kitchen table (where the family ate), a recalcitrant child would have to pass him, sitting on a chair near the door. If he felt their behaviour warranted it, he would help them on their way with a gentle kick![28]
In 1931, whilst walking near a park, David was attacked from behind by an inebriated man 30 years his junior.[29] The younger man was no match for David, who apparently punched him in the nose, and after pushing him to the ground, sat on him until two young men ran to his aid
On 22 June 1933, David suffered a heart attack and passed away at his home. [30] He was laid to rest beside Mary in the Salvation Army Section, at Bowenfells Cemetery.
Bibliography
Christison, Ray, ‘A Light in the Vale Development of the Lithgow District Miner’s Mutual Protective Association 1875 – 1900’ The City of Greater Lithgow Mining Museum, 2011.
Christison, Ray and Parry, Naomi, ‘Lithgow Migration History’, Lithgow City Council and NSW Migration Heritage Centre, 2014.
Cumberland Eveniuung Times.
Hodgkinson, David, ‘Brownhills – Built on Coal’ http://members.madasafish.com/%7Ed_hodgkinson/brownhil.htmAccessed 28 August 2018.
Lithgow City Council, Lithgow Cemetery Map.
Lithgow Mercury.
Lithgow Regional Library,’From Coal to Gold’ http://www.lithgow.com/coaltogold/main.html Accessed 27 August 2018
Maryland Mines, http://www.miningartifacts.org/Maryland-Mines.html Accessed 26 August 2018.
National Archives of Australia, research Guides, ‘Australian Immigration Policy’ http://guides.naa.gov.au/good-british-stock/chapter1/index.aspx Accessed 6 September 2018.
Paridaens, Iris, ‘Historic Hartley’, Arthur Paridaens, Court House, Hartley, 1972
Sydney Morning Herald.
Turner, J. W., ‘Coal Mining in Newcastle 1801 – 1900’ Newcastle History Monographs No. 9, Council of the City of Newcastle, New South Wales, 1982.
Walsall Council, ‘Brownhills in history’ https://go.walsall.gov.uk/brownhills_in_history Accessed 28 August 2018.
Wilde, Robert, ‘Coal Mining: Working Conditions in UK During the Industrial Revolution’ https://www.thoughtco.com/coal-mining-conditions-in-industrial-revolution-1221633 Accessed 9 September 2018.
1861 England Census, Staffordshire, Burntood Edial and Woodhouses, Ancestry Accessed 18 August 2018.
1871 England Census, Ogley Hay Ancestry Acessed 10 August 2018.
1924 US Department of Labor Immigration Services, List or Manifest of Alien Passengers, Ancestry, Accessed 24 August 2018.
[1]Ancestry, Census record for David Leake, ‘1861 England Census, Burntwood Edial and Woodhouses,Staffordshire’ Class: RG 9; Piece: 1973; Folio: 71; Page: 5; GSU roll: 542896, Accessed 9 September 2018.
[2] The Telegraph, News, Science, ‘The power behind the Industrial Revolution’ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/4750891/The-power-behind-the-Industrial-Revolution.html, Accessed 15 September 2018.
[3] ‘Coal Mining: Working Conditions in UK During the Industrial Revolution’, https://www.thoughtco.com/coal-mining-conditions-in-industrial-revolution-1221633 , Accessed 9 September 2018.
[4] Ancestry, New York, Passenger and Crew Lists (Including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957 for John Lake Accessed 15 September 2018
[5] Ancestry, Census record for David Leake, ‘1871 England Census, Ogley Hay, Staffordshire’, Accessed 9 September 2018.
[6] Grave Stone visited by author 2012.
[7] ‘Brothers are Reunited after Half a Century’ Cumberland Evening Times, 6 May 1924 Page 1.
[8] Ancestry, England Census for William Bampton, Staffordshire, Ogley Hay, Class: RG10; Piece: 2916; Folio: 6; Page: 5; GSU roll: 836406, Accessed 22 September 2018.
[9] Sydney Morning Herald 16/11/1877 P 10. AND State Records Authority of New South Wales; Kingswood New South Wales, Australia; Persons on bounty ships to Sydney, Newcastle, and Moreton Bay (Board’s Immigrant Lists); Series: 5317; Reel: 2488.
[10] ‘Brothers are Reunited after Half a Century’ Cumberland Evening Times, 6 May 1924 Page 1.
[11] ‘Coal Mining in Newcastle 1801-1900’ https://www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/Newcastle/media/Local-Studies-images/Local-Studies-documents/Coal-Mining-in-Newcastle-1801-1900-edit-2.pdf , Accessed 5/9/2018.
[12] ‘Brothers are Reunited after Half a Century’, Cumberland Evening Times.
[13] Marriage Certificate, David Leake and Mary Ann Bampton, Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages, New South Wales, 1880/49.
[14] Christison, Ray “A Light in the Vale: Development of the Lithgow District Miners’ Mutual Protective Association 1875-1900”, The City of Greater Lithgow Mining Museum Inc for High Ground Press, 2011.
[15] Ancestry, Australia, Birth Index, 1788-1922 for Edwin Leake, 1881/17455, Accessed 23/9/2018.
[16] Ancestry, Australia Birth Index, 1788-1922 for Arthur Leake, 1883/19614, Accessed 23 September 2018.
[17] Ancestry, Australia, Birth Index, 1788-1922 for John Leake, 1896/22630, Accessed 23 September 2018.
[18] Ancestry, Australia, Death Index, 1787-1985 for John Leake, 1887/9075, Accessed 23 September 2018.
[19] Author’s knowledge.
[20] Ancestry, Australia Birth Index, 1788-1922 for Emma Leake, 1893/20308, Accessed 23 September 2018.
[21] ‘Presentation to Mr D, Leake’,Lithgow Mercury, Tuesday 27 November 1900, Page2.
[22] ‘Western Collieries Wages Board’, Lithgow Mercury 2 November 1908 Page 1.
[23] NSW BDM Death Certificate 1918/013869.
[24] Family knowledge passed down to author.
[25] ‘Vale of Clywdd Fatality’, Lithgow Mercury 6 September 1920 Page 2.
[26] ‘Life’s Journey Ended’, Lithgow Mercury 12 October 1931, page 2.
[27] Ancestry, US Department of Labor Immigration Services, List or Manifest of Alien Passengers 1924 List 5, Ancestry, Accessed 24 August 2018.
[28] Family stories passed to author from her mother Edna and Aunt Della.
[29] ‘Caught a Tartar’ Lithgow Mercury 12 October 1931, page 2.
[30] NSW B.D.M. Death Certificate 1933/010091.
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