George TILBROOK [2318]

  General Notes:

George emigrated with parents c.1855.

George is recorded as a Railway Employee on Christening Records on the "Etona" The Floating Church River Murray between 1894-1900.


SAGHS Death Registrations database
Surname:TILBROOK
First Names:George
Death Date:05-Aug-1916
Age:76
Gender:M
Marital Status:M
Place of Death:Tailem Bend
Residence:Tailem Bend
Relative:W J TILBROOK [S]
District:Wellington
Book/Page:403/309
Notes:Age=76y10m.


Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 - 1954) Sat 12 Aug 1916 Page 36
Mr. George Tilbrook died on Saturday August 5 at the residence of his son-in-law, Mr. J. Stott, Tailem Bend. He was born in Cambridgeshire on October 8, 1830. At the age of 16 he came to Australia with his parents, and so was a colonist of 61 years.. He worked for a time with his parents, who took up land near Brighton, and then started as a teamster and eventually joined the Railway Department. He was transferred to Tailem Bend 25 years ago, and claimed to be the oldest resident of the town. He resigned from the Railway Department about 13 years ago. He was active and enjoyed fairly good health until a few weeks ago. He was married twice, his second wife dying nine years ago. He had 22 children, of whom 17 survive. There are also 38 grandchildren and six great grandchildren, two sons (Privates G.E. and H.L. Tilbrook) and a grandson (Private Rogers) are serving with the A.I.F. Mr. Tilbrook was a member of the Odd-fellows Lodge, of Clarendon, and for years was people's warden of the Tailem Bend Anglican Church.

  Research Notes:

State Library of South Australia
https://www.samemory.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?c=856

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In colonial times, the life-blood of South Australia was the Murray River, providing the means for the early settlers to establish farms along its banks, to build towns and grow crops. From the 1850s the river also became a means of communication and travel as the era of the paddle-steamers opened. The idea of floating missions on the river first came up in the 1880s. In 1888 the Rev. FCB Fairey, a Congregational minister, paddled a canoe over hundreds of miles along the river, 'visiting stations, selectors and woodcutters on the banks of the Murray.' (Adelaide Observer 4 August 1888, p. 30) This followed in the wake of the first 'missionary on the Murray', the Rev. JJ Halley. Later the Methodist Church sponsored a steamer, Glad Tidings, to visit the Village Settlements under the Rev. WC Butler.

George Kennion, the Anglican Bishop of Adeladie, decided to purchase a paddle-steamer to be used as a floating church. While in England he canvassed for financial support from the boys at his old school, Eton College. When the steamer was purchased in 1891 it was, therefore, named Etona. Canon Billy Bussell, whose wife was Bishop Harmer's sister, was a much-loved minister on the Etona for some years. The Etona ceased operating in 1912, by which time the Murray River towns had become less isolated through the extension of the rail network.

George married Ellen KINNANE [2324] [MRIN: 776], daughter of James KINANNE [13004] and Unknown, on 18 May 1861 in Res Jas Tilbrook, Clarendon, South Australia. (Ellen KINNANE [2324] was born about 1839 and died on 9 May 1888 in Fullarton, Adelaide, South Australia.)

  Marriage Notes:

SAGHS Marriage Registrations database
Groom Surname:TILBROOK
Groom Given Names:George
Bride Surname:KINANNE
Bride Given Names:Ellen
Marriage Date:18-May-1861
Marriage Place:Res of Jas Tilbrook Clarendon
Groom Age:21
Groom Marital Status:N
Groom Father:John TILBROOK
Bride Age:22
Bride Marital Status:S
Bride Father:James KINANNE EMCUSTRASY ???
District:Morphett Vale
Book/Page:46/393

George next married Elizabeth Jane BEVAN [2331] [MRIN: 777]. (Elizabeth Jane BEVAN [2331] was born on 24 Oct 1861 in Port Adelaide, South Australia and died on 19 Mar 1907 in Tailem Bend, South Australia.)