The Cornish Association of NSW, the Orange Family History Group and the Orange District Historical Society held a joint Orange Weekend gathering on September 6-7 in Orange at the Caleula Motel Conference Centre.
On the Saturday after a talk about Byng, the former Cornish Settlement, we all moved out to Byng at 10.30 am to visit Bethel Rock, the present Byng Chapel and the Byng Cemetery where William and Ann Tom and many former residents of Byng are buried. In delightful weather, everyone met in the church ground for a picnic lunch and much discussion.
At 2.30 pm, we all met for the Byng Chapel Service which was conducted by Rev. Pankhurst of the Orange Parish Uniting Church. It was he who had spoken so eloquently at the Bethel Rock Commemorative Service in 1996.
After the service, all returned to the Conference Centre in Orange to take part in talks, led by Shirley Duckworth of the Orange Family History Group. It was a wonderful time for the CANSW members to learn more about the work of both the Group and the Orange District Historical Society, not to mention the fact that many were of Cornish descent whose ancestors had lived in the area since the early days of people such as William Tom and George Hawke.
In the evening, there was a dinner enjoyed by everyone, not only for the meal but also the wide ranging discussions which went on almost continuously if one listened to the volume! At dessert time, Brian French gave a wide-ranging introduction to the history of Cadia and its environs and a display of maps and pictures of Cadia and its extended involvement in the production of copper and gold. The introduction gave all of those present a fine introduction for the visit to the Cadia area on the Sunday.
During an evening discussion with the curator of the Orange District Historical Museum, Elizabeth Griffin, about the material held about the Tom Family, she offered an early Sunday morning look at its treasures with the opportunity to take some photographs. In what follows, the result is available for your perusal.
William Tom's Pipe Organ
It was around the pipe organ in the parlour of the Springfield homestead about 160 years ago that William Tom, his wife Ann and their 13 children gathered for their nightly session of hymns. It is said that William "Parson" Tom would pump the pedals enthusiastically and lead the singing in his strong resonant voice. The problem was that William did not always stick to the right key and his wife wife would make a quiet protest that he was putting them all out. The story goes on to record that William would invariably reply: "Well, my dear, I must praise the Lord and thank Him for all our blessings".
What is behind this story is the hunt for the organ which had been sold out of the family many years before. It was discovered that it was up for sale again, causing the rallying of the many descendants to raise funds to recover it and present it to the Orange District Historical Society. Two persistent ladies of the family wrote more that 1000 letters to trace Tom descendants in England, Denmark, Fiji, South Africa, New Zealand and all over Australia.
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 William (Parson) Tom and his wife Ann Tom who settled at "Springfield" Byng in 1820 This organ is presented to the Orange and District Historical Museum by Their Descendants |
The Tribute to William and Ann Tom
In the later 1960s, the two ladies collected well over 500 names and conceived the idea of commissioning an artist to set out on parchment a short history of William and Ann Tom and the names of their descendants. The parchment pages were finally bound handsomely in calf, with three Cornish welcome stones embossed in its cover. That fine book is on display in the Museum in a glass case and is the source of the images of some of its pages below that of the pipe organ.
The frontispiece in the book is a drawing of the welcoming door of the "Springfield" homestead, a fitting reminder of the wonderful spirit which was given to the inhabitants and visitors by this pioneering Cornish family.
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born 25th May 1794 at Blissland, Cornwall died 28th September 1883 at "Springfield", Byng |
at St. Cleather 1817 |
born 2nd October 1796 at Bredgerule, Devonshire died 6th October 1870 at "Springfield" Byng |
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Mary b. Cornwall 1818 d. 1912 - m. John Smith John b. Cornwall 1820 d. 1895 - m. Ann Elder James b. Cornwall 1822 d. 1898 - m. Marion McCaw William b. at sea on Jupiter 1823 d. 1904 - m. Sarah Lister Thomas b. McQuarry Plains b. 1825 d. 1900 - m. Minor Elder Henry b. Bathurst 1827 d. 1896 - m. Emma Coleman Nicholas b. Tarana 1829 d. 1888 - m. Eliza McCaw Charles b. Springfield 1831 d. 1904 - Louisa Coleman {Twins-Helen Wesly b. Springfield 1833 d. 1916 - m. George Tempest {Emma Fletcher b. Springfield 1833 d. 1872 - m. Thomas Geake Webb Selina Jane Jones b. Springfield 1935 d. 1929 - m. Edmond Webb Wesley b. Bathurst 1837 Anne b. Springfield 1840 d. 1872 - m. Gustavis Glasson |
In the background of the page above is the faint outline drawing of the Cradle, the likes of which gave William Jnr and James Tom and J.H.A Lister the ability to discover the first payable gold in Australia.
All that is left is to thank the two groups in Orange for their interest and support in ensuring that the historical background of the Orange District is so carefully nurtured and displayed to all who visit this beautiful area of Australia.
You can reach the other pages in the Byng Story through the Menu Items:
The Cornish Settlement starts: Byng & its Chapel - Bethel Rock and 'Parson' Tom (Byng Two) - Wesleyan Baptisms at Byng - Wesleyan Cemetery Records at Byng - The First Australian Payable Gold Discovery (Gold from Ophir).