Robert Fox
Robert Fox
Robert Fox was born to Lazarus and Mary Fox on the 6th of March 1811 and was baptised on the 9th of June in the same year at St. Mary’s Church, Orlingbury, Northamptonshire, England. Robert grew up and lived in Orlingbury until he applied for passage aboard the ‘Buffalo’ on the 8th of June 1836 at the age of twenty-five. Robert’s cousin Warwick Langley also successfully applied for passage at the same age.
The H.M.S Buffalo was built in 1813 at Calcutta, India by J. Bonner and J. Horsburgh (Measuring 36m x 10m x 5m, 589 Tonnage). It was purchased by the Royal Navy, armed with sixteen guns and converted to a Naval store ship. In 1836, the ship was chartered to the South Australian Company for the voyage to Holdfast Bay, under Captain John Hindmarsh. On the 28th of July 1840, it parted from its cables and was wrecked by a gale in Mercury Bay, New Zealand in which two persons were drowned.
Passenger list aboard H.M.S. Buffalo
Note that the passenger list is not comprehensive as 190 persons arrived according to the South Australian Maritime Museum records and 300 sailed according to the log for the track of the voyage.
Cousin, Warwick Langley is confirmed by the database at the SA Maritime Museum as having also made the journey.
The first settlement was established near the River Torrens and the Old Adelaide Gaol. This settlement with scarce provisions was known as ‘Buffalo Row.’
“With (Warwick) Langley, one of his first tasks was to build a reed hut for Governor Hindmarsh. His first glimpse of the Aborigines was when he saw them peering curiously at them through the reeds lining the River Torrens.”
Ten years later, a more permanent residence was built for the Governor also along the River Torrens. Giles Farneham (who would be Robert’s father in law in three years time) and his son thatched the roof with reeds from the Torrens. This co-incidence could possibly have provided the opportunity for Robert Fox to meet Ruth Farneham (daughter of Giles), as Robert may also have been involved with this build as well.
On arrival in the colony Robert’s trade was listed as woodman, thus his next task was to fell timber at Mount Lofty to fence the square mile of the city of Adelaide.
Robert and Warwick are thought to have first farmed where Hindley Street is presently located since Warwick was a skilled shepherd. Robert and Warwick’s first purchase of land was 50 acres at Victor Harbour, which they later sold once the city of Adelaide’s location was firmly established.
Robert and Warwick both purchased an acre each at 648 Gilles Street, Adelaide, through Auction on the 28th of May 1837. Nearby at 188 Gilles Street, the Beresford Arms was built in 1839. The pub which was popular with bullock drivers and timber cutters, was known as the ‘pub in the scrub.’
Warwick purchased 57 acres in the Western sources of the Torrens Country of Adelaide, in the hundred of Talunga, Millsbrook (No. 6195) on the 21st of October 1846, from Frederick Hall Robe Esquire (Lieutenant Governor of South Australia). Almost six years later, on the 21st of July 1852, Robert purchased No. 6195 from Warwick Langley along with an exchange of a section of 648 Gilles Street, Adelaide.
Robert’s first dwelling at his property was made from some posts and iron, before he later built a mud hut suitable for bringing his wife Ruth whom he had married two years previously. Later a stone house with floorboards would be home to Roberts family of twelve children.
Robert may have been employed by the Army to take provisions by three-man bullock teams to goldmining districts. This is probable owing to the contacts he potentially forged at the Beresford Arms earlier. It is said that upon a return journey the team were ambushed, while sitting around a fire in the dark. Robert and his team did not see the attackers coming. One of the men were knifed, while Robert escaped, but not without losing all his possessions, including one years payment. It is thought Robert may have returned to replace his losses.
Robert Fox however spent the majority of his life farming his Cudlee Creek property.
Robert died on the 8th of September 1885 of pneumonia and exhaustion and was laid to rest at Cudlee Creek Cemetery.
Three items, which Robert owned can be viewed at the Lobethal Lutheran Church Museum. His English Bible which he brought from England (which has his original obituary notice glued inside the front cover), his silk scarf and a crafted table.
Robert’s obituary read:-
‘FOX – On the 8/09, at his residence Fox’s creek, near Cudlee Creek, Robert Fox aged 74 years, leaving a wife and large family to mourn their loss. Arrived in the colony per ship Buffalo, 1836; a colonist of forty-nine years.’
Robert’s Will determined that furniture, farming stock, animals, implements, monies and personal estate, and the use of the land to belong to his wife for her lifetime. The land he gave into Trust to George Hannaford and Robert James Pool, for the four youngest sons, Charles, Albert, Frederick and Reuben. The sum of £70 from the land to be paid from the land to the eldest sons, Robert, Owen, James and David. £70 to be paid each year, until the fourth son was paid in the fourth year after the younger sons were entitled to the land.
‘SACRED
TO THE MEMORY OF
ROBERT FOX
WHO DIED 8. SEPT 1885
AGED 74 YEARS
A COLONIST OF FORTY-NINE YEARS. HAVING ARRIVED HERE
IN 1836 BY THE SHIP BUFFALO.
THEY DIE IN JESUS AND ARE BLEST. HOW CALM THEIR
SLUMBERS ARE FROM SUFFERING AND FROM SIN RELEASED
AND FREED FROM EVERY CARE.’
Ruth Farneham was born on the 1st of July 1831 to Giles Farneham, a Labourer and Caroline nee French, and lived in Dalwood, Devonshire, England. Ruth was baptized in Dalwood, County of Dorset on the 22nd of July 1832. She is the eldest of five siblings, Cain, Abel, Mary Ann and Eliza (Abel was born in the colony). Ruth arrived in South Australia with her family aboard ‘David Malcolm,’ whilst age 15.
The ‘David Malcolm’ was built in 1839 at Moulmein, India (measuring 36m x 8m x 6m, 538 Tonnage). It departed Plymouth, England on the 13th of October 1846, arriving at Port Adelaide on the 23rd of January 1847 under Captain Jacob William Smith.
Her grandfather, James French also made the voyage. James fought with Lord Horatio Nelson aboard ‘HMS Victory.’ The Royal Navy defeated the French and Spanish fleets at the Battle of Trafalgar, during the Napoléonic wars in 1805 stopping Napoléon Bonaparte and confirming British superiority at sea. He died in his 100th year at Holland’s Creek.
Ruth Farneham's Baptism Entry at the Parish of Dalwood in the County of Dorset, 22 July 1832.
Giles Farneham (listed on the ‘David Malcolm’ passenger list as ‘Agricultural Labourer’) purchased land at Cudlee Creek and produced wheat and potato for transport by Bullock wagon to Adelaide for sale.
On the 10th of April 1850, three years after arriving in the colony and at only nineteen years of age, Ruth married Robert Fox at the Holy Trinity Church, North Terrace, Adelaide. Interestingly neither Robert or Ruth nor their two witnesses could sign their own name, therefore their mark appears as only an ‘x.’ Also the certificate incorrectly shows Roberts age to be thirty-five instead of thirty-nine.
Robert and Ruth may have first lived along North Terrace and later at Payneham. Later once Robert purchased his property near Cudlee Creek, Ruth had to manage the property alone during Robert’s bullock trips working for the Army.
Often Robert and Ruth walked from their farm into Adelaide, either to visit the market or friends and relatives living in Adelaide. Later Ruth enjoyed travelling in her buggy, which has been described by some as the smartest in the district.
Her daughter Jane Fox married Rainholt Lehmann to whom she had two children named Alma and Harold. Rainholt died only two years after their marriage, and then five years later Jane also died. Ruth took care of their two children however she wished their names become Fox. Harold agreed to the proposal while Alma retained her name.
Despite the disagreement, Alma remained by Ruth’s side until her death. Alma being late in years did marry however left no children of her own.
Ruth Fox died on the 31st of July 1918, age 87 of chronic kidney failure and heart disease. She is buried beside her husband Robert at Cudlee Creek Cemetery.
Ruth outlived two of her children, leaving ten living, fifty-five grand children and fifteen great grand children.