Now in a previous challenge, I wanted to meet Charlotte Bryant, but this year it is her son-in-law I would like to meet
William Chandler
Where exactly were you born and when?
Who are your parents?
Did you know Caroline and her family before you came to Tasmania in 1855?
The basics of what I know about William
He worked at a nursery at Enfield near London before coming to Australia with another family in the sailing ship Fortitude on 15 February 1855. They settled at Monavale in the midlands where he was an estate gardener. He was then employed as gardener at Government House but left to establish a garden south of Granton. After his marriage in 1859 he returned to Government House as Head Gardener then before retirement worked at the Grange Taroona. His son began Chandler’s nursery which still runs in Sandy Bay at the present time. (Mercury 23 July 1985)
The theme for the month of January is FOUNDATIONS.
To me the foundations in family history are the building blocks of your life. That means family and home.
6 Brent Street in 2021
Our first family home was at 6 Brent Street in Glenorchy, a northern suburb of Hobart at that time but since then it has become a city in its own right.
The home originally belonged to our Uncle Harry (Harry Avery who was dad’s foster father). Harry bought it after his mother passed in 1952 and he and dad lived there.
Dad’s memories of this time:
I remember that Harry let me drive his utility when we went to look at the house there and as we left I backed into a Hydro pole. Fortunately it was only a slight bump with very little damage.
After dad married my mum, it then became our family home.
It was here that my brother, Philip, and I spent our childhood years along with our parents, Bob and Phyl.
Memories of happenings while living at Brent Street:
We lived within walking distance of our local shop and not far from the school we both attended
There was plenty of room to play in and grass in the backyard to pitch a tent on to sleep overnight if we wanted
Room for pets but we only ever had a canary. Sadly he passed away when we were on a holiday around Tasmania
Playing board games and doing jigsaw puzzles in the lounge room
Long bike rides with our school friends – home to the Botanical Gardens then contact parents when we got there safely and ring again when we were about to leave to come home
Birthday parties with lots of school friends
Outdoor toilet – just over the passageway from the back door
Being sent to our rooms when we had done something wrong – I’d read my book so not much of a punishment
Drawing on the outside of the house then having to clean it off
Lots of bottles along the fence line – fundraising for the Glenorchy Girl Guides and Brownies
As a Brownie, planting rose bush at opening of Glenorchy Council chambers
Learning to cook evening meals if mum wasn’t home
Family holidays to Devonport, St Helens and Douglas River – canoeing in canoe dad built
Bush walking and camping around Tasmania as a family
Three months travelling around Australia as a family with mum’s sister Margaret and her family
Lots of family visiting for birthdays and Christmas – Mum’s family were all very close
Visiting Bathurst Street Telephone exchange where dad worked
Travelling on the Tasman Limited train with uncle Fred, delivering the mail
Sunday school each week and choir
Philip at the YMCA
The foundations of my life learnt as a child included being independent, being part of a family as well as groups like Guides and YMCA, having hobbies, consequences of actions, enjoying life as a family and also with friends.
Pa England and his grandchildren Philip, Bronwyn, Sue and Leigh
Sue and Philip washing off the paint on the side of the house, rascals
Sue and Philip dressed up at Brent St, probably going to church
Charmaine and Sue Brownies
Planting rose at Glenorchy Council
Philip and dad working on their cars
Readers: What would you write about for the topic of foundations?
Amy Johnson Crow runs a challenge where you write a post each week about one of your ancestors. But in 2018 I only completed 9 weeks, in 2019 only 8 and 2020 only 10. I didn’t even try in 2021.
So this year instead of doing 52 ancestors in 52 weeks, I have decided to follow the monthly themes instead.
As I complete the monthly post I will link to it on this post:
