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In 1844, James Lancelot Stormont arrived in Port Phillip when it was still part of greater New South Wales together with Jemima his wife and son Robert. They came by an Assisted Passage scheme and sailed aboard the barque "Dale Park" and disembarked in the southern ports of Williamstown and Corio Bay. They claimed origin in Belfast, Northern Ireland which was under English governance, similar to New South Wales.
James Lancelot Stormont appears to have been an enterprising young man with an understanding of machines, adapting to mining and surveying on the Victorian goldfield.
His career developed from arriving in Australia and working with William Roadknight (1816-1893) and with his brother Thomas Roadknight (1816-1891).
In 1866-67 JLS is in a survey practice in Sale, VICTORIA.
In 1870-71 JLS appears in rate books as renting premises in Hawthorn, Victoria and in 1876-79 he lives in Prahran.
A James Stormont appears in the Pioneer Index 1836 - 1888, and is referenced in a death for James Stormont in 1873. He was said to be born in Forfar, Angus, Eastern Scotland on the North Sea, whilst our JLS reference is for Belfast, Northern Ireland
The Roadknight family had arrived from Warwickshire in 1820 and their father died at sea during the last days of their voyage to Hobart. In 1835 they came to Victoria and took up pastoral leases in the Geelong region. In 1855 Thomas acquired property rights in the Gippslands region around Sale, Victoria.
Colonial Secretary's Index refers to William Roadknight as follows:
ROADKNIGHT, William - n.d.In index to land grants in Van Diemen's Land (Fiche 3262; 4/438 p.78)
It is probable that James Stormont was influenced by these contemporaries successes, and although we find him prospecting for gold in the Ballarat region in 1850s and also a married man of the same name at Whipstick diggings in 1860s, and another who begins practising as a "Surveyor" by mid 1860s. James took out newspaper advertisements for carrying out "all types of surveys" and has an office in Sale, Victoria where he meets with contentions over contractual issues with builders and results in termination of his services for Council in April 1867.
Another James Lancelot Stormont of Cambelltown, Tasmania married Barbara Brown and went to America returning to Maulan, New South Wales where he developed rural property and died there in 1898, from grief following the death of two of their daughters.
Others of similar name arrived in southern ports during the pioneer and gold rush era, and journeys are recorded in the 1870s, one James being a "baker". Some descendants of James Lancelot Stormont submit an opinion which would link persons of the same name into a more comprehensive and complex character than first surmised.
Some of the persons to consider were:
Records show one James L. Stormont of unknown age, married Kate Russell and the family resided in Prahran and Hawthorn in 1870-1873 and in 1877. There are two children, Herbert and Bessie, and a death record for a James Stormont in 1878 or in 1890s suggests he maybe a different person to the above. Kate Stormont lived on with her son Herbert until her death in 1924 and it is noteworthy she respected and retained the Stormont family surname.
It is feasible that James changed his life about 1877 and joined the Public Service with the Department of Agriculture, and if so then his ongoing story is told under Jassy Lancelot Stormont.
A third career or that of a person of similar name, yet with interesting influences, for he named a child "Fauke Greville Le Poer" and he himself assumed an additional name Gordyce. This may be a reference to:
The dialect of Newcastle is known as Geordie, and contains a large amount of vocabulary and distinctive words and pronunciations not used in other parts of the United Kingdom. The Geordie dialect has much of its origins in the language spoken by the Anglo-Saxon populations who migrated to and conquered much of England after the end of Roman Imperial rule.
The Gordian Knot ~ a legend of Phrygian Gordium ~ associated with Alexander the Great. Gordian knot is sometimes used as a metaphor for an intractable problem (untying an impossibly tangled knot) which can only be solved easily, by finding an approach to the problem that renders the perceived constraints null i.e. "cutting the Gordian knot".
James is described in the military record of his son's death, as born in India and recipient of the Victoria Cross. His name is not found on the known list of VC recipients, which came into being in 1856. This James L.G. Stormont developed his career from 1877 in a public service position as an inspector of stock at border crossing town of Delegate, north of Bendoc, Victoria (source: newspapers of Bairnsdale and Government Gazette).
James Lancelot Stormont moved to the highland region and in 1880 marries Jessie Nicholson. James uses or assumes the name Jassy Lancelot Gordyce (or Fordyce) Stormont and together Jassy and Jessie acquired five properties and ran stock about the border of NSW and Victoria.
In 1993 they were involved in a series of court actions regarding financial practices employed in doing his job.
This marks the end of life for one James Lancelot Stormont's for in 1903, in senile decline he died at Hayden's bog near Bendoc, East Gippsland, Victoria
Robert Stormont apprenticed and living in Echuca, was seeking to reconnect with his family by taking out newspaper advertisements in 1870s. So was the James found in different places and times with three families, the same person that arrived aboard the "Dale Park" in 1844? It is plausible that at least two of these characters were one and the same man. Records of assumed names and influences clouds the true story and validation process.
James descendant Robert states "I am convinced that our great great grandfather was the J.L. Stormont who died at Hayden’s Bog in 1903. His age certainly matches.
William Roadknight
William Roadknight
The Roadknight family had arrived from Warwickshire in 1820 and their father died at sea during the last days of their voyage to Hobart. William and Thomas Roadknight in 1835 came to Victoria and took up pastoral leases in the Geelong region.
1845:- “The first overland route, a 1.2 metre-wide bridie path, to the Apollo Bay area was made by William Roadknight and his son Thomas, who drove cattlethrough the bush from “Birrigurra” to their run on Cape Otway”.
- "At the end of the 1840s, when William Roadknight came to establish a cattle run on Cape Otway peninsula he crossed the mountains using the valley of Wild Dog Creek and made the remainder of his journey westward along the coast.
William and his son Thomas expended a great deal of effort widening this track into a ‘good sound Dray Road’. In a letter to Superintendent La Trobe, Roadknight described the process of discovering and cutting this route. He acknowledged that their success was directly dependent on ‘the local knowledge acquired by my son during this arduous undertaking’.
The Gadubanud people also maintained the coastal movement corridor, as landscape burning between Apollo Bay and Seal Point had established easily-traversed grass and heath vegetation on the undulating hills that lead to Cape Otway.
In March 1849, Superintendent La Trobe used a track to cross the Otway Ranges and reach the sea at a point east of Apollo Bay. Although he did not specify, it is most likely that he followed the Wild Dog Creek track charted by Roadknight only a few years earlier. He noted: It is a rough track, but still it is one, – 50 miles wholly in the forest, a basin in the higher portion of the range 12m. through, – is entirely filled with Fern Trees of great beauty.
This movement corridor could only have been opened with the systematic blazing of the trail. The rough state of the track reported by La Trobe highlights the prolonged absence of fire: vigorous undergrowth had begun to fill in the open spaces."
Mr William Roadknight, senior,
Mr William Roadknight, senior,
08 Jul 1893 - THE LATE MR. ROADKNIGHT.
Snowy River Mail and Tambo and Croajingolong Gazette (Orbost, Vic. : 1890 - 1911), Saturday 8 July 1893, page 3
THE LATE MR. ROADKNIGHT.
The death of Mr William Roadknight, senior, which recently occurred at Merrangbaur Honse, Cuninghame, the residence of his eldest son, removes one of the oldest Gippslanders from the scene, as well as one of the oldest remaining colonists. Mr Roadknight was born at Whitechapel, London, in August, 1813, and arrived in Tasmania in the year 1820 ; he left there with his parents in I839 or 1840, coming to Victoria.
About the year 1843 he married Miss Jane Stirling, sister to Mr T. T. Stirling, J.P., of Bruthen, and Mr Jas. Stirling sen., of Marlo, and came to Gippsland in 1858, and settled at the site of the present Merrangbaur House, which has thus been occupied by the deceased gentleman and his sons for 35 years. At that time the deceased purchased from his brother, Thomas Roadknight, a run extending from Jemmy's back water, now known as the North Arm, to the Snowy River, with an average depth of three miles from the coast line. Mr T. T. Stirling subsequently entered into partnership with him, and later on the run was divided between them, Mr Roadknight taking the Cuninghame, and Mr Stirling the Snowy River end of the run. The very pleasant and attractive situation of Roadknight's house began to attract summer visitors more than 20 years ago, and, on the opening of the Gippsland Railway, excursionists increased to such ah extent that special arrangments were made for their accommodation, and Merrangbaur House assumed the position which it still maintains as a most popular resort for holiday seekers as well as a convenient stage for travellers on the Orbost and Bendoc roads.
Mr Roadknight had been in indifferent health for some time and it was evident that owing to his advanced age he was failing both physically and mentally. His death, however, was unexpected and he appears to have passed away as he was resting in his seat, without pain or warning of any kind. While engaged in business he was invariably respected for his integrity, and not a few old identities who have been connected with the early days of Gippsland will hear of his departure from the scene with genuine regret.
Mrs Roadknight, a lady who was deservedly held in the highest esteem by all who knew her, died about 9 years ago. Two of Mr Roadknight's brothers survive him, one of whom, Mr Henry Roadknight, now lives at Lake Tyers. He leaves also three sons — Messrs Wm. Roadknight, junr., of Meraugbaur House, Thomas Roadknight, of Orbost, and Tasman Roadknight, of Cuninghame. Another son, James, who resided at Johnsonville, lost his life by an accident on a tram line about a year ago. The daughters of deceased are, Mrs Davidson of Beech-worth, Mrs Easton, of Omeo, Mrs Hickey, of Johnsonville, and Mrs C. H. Hooper and Mrs John Cameron, of Orbost. Another daughter, Janet, died about three years ago. The families of the Messrs Stirling, of Marlo and Bruthen, are also related as above stated, and there are 37 grandchildren living, so that the deceased may he said to have been in every sense one of the pioneers and founders of this district, and has left behind him .many descendants to ensure the preservation of his name. His remains have been interred iu the Cuninghame cemetery.
The following references to Roadknight are sometimes attributed to William Roadknight. I have not viewed these documents to ascertain any relevance.
1822 Nov 7 - Shot and wounded Thomas Thorp. On list of persons at Hobart committed for trial before a Court of Criminal Jurisdiction; listed as Broadknight (Reel 6017; 4/5783 p.164)
1823 Feb 7-Mar 5 - To be transported for seven years. In reports of prisoners tried at Court of Criminal Jurisdiction (Reel 6023; X820 p.83)
1825 Oct 7 - Goulburn requesting instructions from Brisbane re the execution of the deeds of Roadknight's land grant, he having been convicted of a felony; appears as Broadknight (Reel 6015; 4/3515 p.395)
Notes:
Anglesea is a town in Victoria, Australia. It is located on the Great Ocean Road in the Surf Coast Shire local government area. In the 2016 census, Anglesea had a population of 2,545 people. Originally known as Swampy Creek, the area's name was changed to Anglesea River in 1884 when the township was established. A Post Office under that name opened on 16 April 1886. and was renamed Anglesea in 1950. The name is ultimately named after Anglesey which is an island in North Wales. Alcoa of Australia operated a power station and open-cut coal mine near the town from 1969 until August 2015. The site is now the subject of restorative work. In February 1983, the Ash Wednesday fires swept through the area, destroying many houses.Refer:- Wikipedia
Aboriginal History reference::- At the end of the 1840s, when William Roadknight came to establish a cattle run on Cape Otway peninsula he crossed the mountains using the valley of Wild Dog Creek and made the remainder of his journey westward along the coast. William and his son Thomas expended a great deal of effort widening this track into a ‘good sound Dray Road’. In a letter to Superintendent La Trobe, Roadknight described the process of discovering and cutting this route. He acknowledged that their success was directly dependent on ‘the local knowledge acquired by my son during this arduous undertaking’.63 The Gadubanud people also maintained the coastal movement corridor, as landscape burning between Apollo Bay and Seal Point had established easily-traversed grass and heath vegetation on the undulating hills that lead to Cape Otway.
In March 1849, Superintendent La Trobe used a track to cross the Otway Ranges and reach the sea at a point east of Apollo Bay. Although he did not specify, it is most likely that he followed the Wild Dog Creek track charted by Roadknight only a few years earlier. He noted:
It is a rough track, but still it is one, – 50 miles wholly in the forest, a basin in the higher portion of the range 12m. through, – is entirely filled with Fern Trees of great beauty.64
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