Edmund James Blackeby WINFIELD [5653]

  General Notes:

1849 SA Birth WINFIELD Edmund James Blackeby James WINFIELD Hannah BLACKEBY Adelaide 2/121
1941 SA Death 633/560 WINFIELD Edmund James Blackaby Alfred Ernest MILNE [SL] Robe (Resided: Aldgate)

Border Chronicle (S.A.) Friday 2 January 1925
An old Bordertonion:
The "Register" of 23rd December, speaking of Mr Edmund Winfield now 76 years old and living at Aldgate, says :-"About 30 years ago Mr Winfield took up 15,000 acres at Wirrega in the so-called "desert", and was the first settler bold enough to tackle the proposition of farming that region. Near Brimbago Station he had 2,800 acres. He had a magnificent crop on 250 acres, which promised fully 15 bushels, until one afternoon a cyclone with rain and hailstones of abnormal size broke over the place, and in 10 minutes the whole crop was cut to pieces and driven to the ground. Mr Winfield subsequently conducted a butchering business at Kadina; also at Bordertown. He is an inventor, and fixed up the first bagger attached to the winnowing machine. He did not patent his idea, which is now in general use. He has a neat little device for attaching to the head of cattle which are "fencers". With this little attachment a slack three-wire fence will keep in or out the most notorious rogue beast. Mr Winfield has had his full share of accidents, although his present alert and active manner shows no trace of them. As a cricketer Mr Winfield holds a splendid record. About 50 years ago, at Kadina, he was picked to play against W. G. (grace's team when they visited that part of the country, but he could not get away from work. He used to win the bowling prize in almost every team in which he played, sending down a very slow ball with a deceptive spin on it. He was the champion wicketkeeper north of Clare. Once at Melrose, he played against a team containing three Adelaide Oval players, and took 17 wickets out of 20-15 being clean bowled. In the first innings he secured 9 wickets for 2 runs, and in the second 8 wickets for 7 runs. Mr Winfield attributes his present, vitality to plenty of work, never being idle, and cultivating a cheerful disposition. He is a total abstainer and a nonsmoker".

The Register (Adelaide) Wednesday 6 July 1927
BROKEN RIBS.
ALDGATE, July 5. -While Mr. Edmund Winfield (78) was loading stones into a dray at Aldgate on Monday afternoon, the horses moved off, and Mr. Winfield fell. He was conveyed to the Mount Lofty Hospital, where it was found he was suffering from four broken ribs, injuries to the back, and cuts to the body. The injured man is in a satisfactory condition.

The South Eastern Times (Millicent, SA) Friday 5 August 1927
A PIONEER'S MISFORTUNE.
Mr Edmund Winfield (78), of Aldgate, returned to his home last week from the Stirling district hospital, where he was taken a fortnight ago suffering from broken ribs and other injuries Through a stone-laden dray having capsized on him. He is making a good recovery Mr Winfeild has had more than his share of accidents during his long life, yet he played cricket regularly until last season. He neither drinks nor smokes. Educated at the late Rev. W. Mudie's school, he has at various times been a hawker, grocer, storekeeper, postmaster, butcher, dealer, milk vendor, and farmer in the north. He was the first man to start farming in the Ninety-mile Desert. Sixty-three, years ago, at Kingston, in the South-East, while he was hauling a damaged cart, it capsized on him and broke the small bone in both legs. The bullocks used ,were the property of the notorious Malachi Martin, of Salt Creek; and as no one but young Winfield could manage them, he had to shuffle along and drive the bullocks while the bones were knitting. Thirty-five years ago, while driving in Gawler Place, Adelaide, his horse bolted, and, striking a kerb, threw, Mr Winfield with great force into a galvanised-iron fence, breaking the fence, severely cutting his head, and causing serious concussion, which rendered him deaf for the rest of his life. His collarbone and ribs were also broken, and one shoulder-blade was knocked out of place. Thirteen years ago an accident through a falling tree broke the small bone of Mr Winfield's left leg. That was bandaged, and by limping on one foot he completed the season's ploughing. During the same year, through a plough accident, several of his ribs were broken. Later, when loading stock at Bordertown, he slipped from a buffer of a railway van, striking his head heavily. He was picked up, and pronounced dead, placed behind a van, and a tarpaulin was erected as an awning to keep the sun oft the "corpse" until the doctor could "view the body." When the doctor arrived, the patient declared that he was all right except for a broken wrist. As the fingers of that hand began to turn black, and the medical man would not loosen the bandages (Mr Winfield states), a friend cut them off, and Nature repaired the damage. * The injured wrist was soon as strong as the other. On another occasion, while suffering from a broken collarbone, with the left arm strapped down, Mr Winfield played cricket, batting and fielding with one hand. Last year he was thrown out of a trap in Aldgate Valley, and his right shoulder was injured. The dray which capsized on him a fortnight ago broke four ribs, and damaged his left breast, back and arms.

The Advertiser (Adelaide) Tuesday 15 November 1927
KNOCKED DOWN BY A MOTOR CAR.
Mr. Edmund Winfield (78) was knocked down by a motor car on Sunday afternoon in Aldgate Valley. He escaped with severe bruises. Mr. Winfield returned in August from the hospital, where he had been with four broken ribs and other injuries. Mr. and Mrs. Winfield were returning from a walk, and when near home they were keeping as close as possible to the blackberry bushes on the side of the road, when a motorist tried to overtake another car just as he was passing the pedestrians, who in a narrow road were in full view of the drivers of the motor cars for 100 yards or more.

The Register News-Pictorial (Adelaide) Saturday 2 February 1929
CHEQUERED CAREER OF OLD COLONIST
Intends to See Test Match on Eightieth Birthday:
Mr Edmund Winfield of Adgate, an old colonist, intends to spend his eightieth birthday on Monday at the test match. He was born at Magill in 1849 and in his time has played many parts, having been a grocer, storekeeper, postmaster, milk vendor, dealer, hawker, butcher, and farmer. His experience of accidents has been unique, for he has experienced concussion of the brain (twice), broken ribs (several times), broken leg on several occasions, collarbone and wrist broken, shoulder blade knocked out of place, back and arms injured, and was once unconscious for hours as the result of breathing foul air in a well. As a farmer he once reaped as much as 52 bushels per acre from one block, and on another, when prospects looked equally good, a terrific hailstorm arose. The hail broke through the iron roof of the house, stampeded the horses through three barbed wire fences, and cut the whole wheat crop to pieces. Mr. Winfield has played cricket for Kadina, Yacka, Melrose, Plympton, Magill, Bordertown, and Aldgate. He is now engaged in sinking a well on his block singlehanded.

Border Chronicle (Bordertown SA )Friday 8 February 1929
A Tatiara Veteran GOING STRONG AT 80 YEARS.
Mr Edmund Winfield, of Aldgate, celebrated his 80th birthday on Monday, February 4. As a hardy pioneer his experiences have been unique (states the "Advertiser"). Through them all he has been an enthusiastic cricketer and spent his 80th birthday on the Adelaide oval and keenly watched every part of the test match. Sixty-five years ago, at Kingston, in the South-East, while hauling a damaged cart, it capsized on him and broke the small bone in each leg; the bullocks used were the property of the notorious Malachi Martin, of Salt Creek; and, as no one but young Winfield could manage them, he had to shuffle along and drive the bullocks while the bones were knitting. Thirty-seven years ago, while driving in Gawler place, Adelaide, his horse bolted, and, striking a kerb, threw Mr Winfield with great force into a galvanised iron fence, breaking the fence, severely cutting his head, and causing serious concussion, which rendered him deaf for the rest of his life. His collar-bone and ribs were broken, and one shoulder blade knocked out of place. Fifteen years ago an accident through a falling tree broke the small bone of Mr Winfield's left leg. This was bandaged, and by limping on one foot he completed the season's ploughing. During the same season, through a plough accident several of his ribs were broken. During very hot weather the young fellows in his employ drove some sheep several miles too fast, and on arrival at a 50-foot well they began drawing water in a great hurry, splashing the water down the well and rattling the buckets up and down. When Mr Winfield reached them they had just got one bucket jammed at the bottom of the well and could not move it. Mr Winfield fixed a rope round his body under his arms and began to descend the well. The man watching him go down soon noticed him fall forward unconscious; they hauled him out to all appearance dead. They put him in the spring dray and with two horses drove five miles through heavy sand. He showed no signs of life on reaching home, and was put in a room for dead, and arrangements were made to start a man for Bordertown to advise the doctor and the police. Just before the man started the supposed corpse called out to know where he was. On another occasion, when loading stock at Bordertown, Mr Winfield slipped from the buffer of a railway van, striking his head heavily. He was picked up and pronounced dead, placed behind a van, and a tarpaulin was erected as an awning to keep the sun off the "corpse" until the doctor could "view the body". When the doctor arrived the patient declared he was all right except for a broken wrist. As the fingers of that hand began to turn black and the medical man would not loosen the bandages (Mr Winfield states) a friend cut them off, and nature repaired damages. The injured wrist was soon as strong as the other. On another occasion, while suffering from a broken collarbone, with his left arm strapped down, Mr Winfield played cricket, bating and fielding with one hand. Three years ago, he was thrown out of a dray in Aldgate Valley and his shoulder injured. The year before last a dray, capsizing, broke four of Mr Winfield's ribs, damaged his left breast, back and arms. Since then he has been knocked down by a motor car on the main road in Aldgate Valley. In spite of his chequered experiences, Mr Winfield is still strong and vigorous. He has grubbed and cleared part of a scrub block and put it under crop this season, taking the crop off single-handed, also sinking a well by himself. He neither drinks nor smokes, and enjoys fresh, cucumbers and onions, and any amount of fruit. During the present season, besides other kinds of fruit, he has accounted for two cases of apricots. It is this diet, the old gentleman maintains, that accounts for his retaining his briskness of mind and body.

Chronicle Adelaide) Thursday 13 Feburary 1941
OBITUARY
Mr. E. J. B. Winfield One of the early links with the Tatiara district was broken by the death of Mr. Edmund J. B. Winfield who died in the Tatiara Soldiers' Memorial Hospital on January 27. Mr. Winfield, who was almost 92, was born at Magill. At the age of 20 he was married at Kadina to Miss Amelia Tilley, of Sydney. He worked at Melrose and Adelaide for some years, later returning to Bordertown. In 1895 he purchased the butchering business of the late John Langley, and after some years sold out, turning his attention again to the land. At Wirrega he developed scrub land. The following years were spent at Brimbago, Keith, and the Adelaide hills. His wife predeceased him 14 years ago. Out of a family of five daughters and four sons, there survive five daughters - Mesdames A. E. Milne, of Bordertown; J. Hockham, of Mount Barker; H. Hockham, of Ashton; A. Sargeant of Lucindale; E. Wright, of Yorketowtown - and two sons, Messrs. Arthur Winfield, of Aldgate. and Frank Winfield, of Tennant Creek.

  Other Records

• Edmund and Amelia Winfield: Wedding Anniversary, 1925, Aldgate Valley, South Australia. Mr and Mrs Edmund Winfield of Aldgate, aged 75 and 76 years respectively, are natives of South Australia. Neither has had a day sickness except as the result of an accident, and have been married for 55 years.
Ref: Observer (Adelaide, SA : 1905 - 1931) Sat 10 Jan 1925 Page 34

Edmund married Amelia Catherine TILLEY [3567] [MRIN: 1909], daughter of Jonathan TILLEY [943] and Mary RYDER [939], on 19 Jun 1869 in Res of Thomas Butcher, Kadina, South Australia. (Amelia Catherine TILLEY [3567] was born on 23 Apr 1846 in New South Wales, Australia, baptised on 9 Aug 1846 in Parish of Sydney, County of Cumberland, Australia and died on 13 Jul 1926 in Aldgate, South Australia.)

  Marriage Notes:

1869 SA Marriage 79/708 WINFIELD E J B TILLEY Amelia C Daly

Chronicla (Adelaide) Saturday 21 June 1919
GOLDEN WEDDING.
WINFIELD-TILLEY.--On the 19th June, 1869, at Kadina, by the Rev. Mr. Wilson. Edmund J. H, youngest son of the late J. Winfield, of Magill, to Amelia C, youngest daughter of the late John Tilley, of Nairne. Present address, Keith.

Edmund next married Louisa STEER [8152] [MRIN: 2926], daughter of William STEER [15914] and Unknown, on 30 Mar 1927 in Res of J W Warwick, Unley, Adelaide. (Louisa STEER [8152] was born on 10 Apr 1850 in London, England, died on 23 Aug 1936 in Adelaide, South Australia and was buried on 25 Aug 1936 in West Tce Cemetery, Adelaide.)

  Marriage Notes:

1927 SA Marriage 310/1029 WINFIELD Edmund James Blackeby, WARWICK Louisa, Adelaide