Agnes was born in Sanquhar, the youngest child of James Symington and Catherine Gibson Kirkpatrick Symington, formerly Menzies.

She Emigrated to Australia in the Marco Polo in 1855. [1]

She married JAMES LIONEL HILL DARTON in 1857 at Beechworth Victoria. [2] The wedding was at the premises of Mr. James Ingram, formerly of Sanquhar. James Darton was then operating a store in Ford Street, Beechworth.

The Melbourne Argus Thursday 2 July 1857 page 4D

MARRIED. On June 18th, at Mr. Ingram’s, Camp-street, Beechworth, Mr. James Hill Darton, son of Mr. Richard Darton, of Plymouth, England, to Agnes, youngest daughter of Mr. James Symington, Sanquhar, Scotland.

Ovens and Murray Advertiser Friday 19 June 1857 page 2

MARRIED.  On the 18th inst., at Mr Ingram’s, Camp Street, Beechworth by the Rev John Grant, James Hill Darton, son of Mr Richard Darton, of Plymouth, England, to Agnes, youngest daughter of Mr James Symington, Sanquhar, Scotland.

She died from “senile decay, chronic bronchitis and mitral incompetency” aged 88 on Friday 23 March 1923 at her home 63 Lisson Grove Hawthorn. Her physician was Dr. Lewis A. Balfour.

She was buried with her brother James and daughter Constance Mary in the Boroondara cemetery, Kew, on 24 March, 1923 [3] Her husband had been interred at Yackandandah Cemetery.

The Melbourne Argus Monday 26 March 1923 page 1A

DARTON. -On the 23rd March at her late residence, 63 Lisson Grove, Hawthorn, Agnes, widow of the late James Hill Darton, formerly of Yackandandah. (Interred privately at Kew Cemetery.) [4]

TEACHING CAREER

(PROV Teacher Record Number 3438)

From 1876 she taught at State School Number 1673, where her husband was head teacher; she followed him in his appointments and in 1880 she taught at School Number 1171; in 1887 she was transferred to School Number 2387.

She resigned from teaching on 12 October 1885.

School Inspectors described her variously as: “Competent,” “a good teacher of sewing,” “Takes active part in the school work” and “An exceptionally good teacher.”

The reports on her husband's abilities were less complimentary.

NEWSPAPER REPORTS

Ovens and Murray Advertiser Saturday 18 December 1858 page 3

CENTIPEDE BITE. -We are informed that Mrs. Darton, of Newtown, was severely bitten by one of those venemous (sic) reptiles yesterday morning when in the act of making a bed. On feeling herself bitten she ran into the house of a female friend close by, and this lady fortunately possessed skill and presence of mind to treat the wound properly. On examining the arm she found it much inflamed around the spot where the bite had been inflicted and close to the bite, the flesh had already become black. A torniquet was promptly tied round the arm above the wound, blood let freely by means of a sharp penknife, and the philanthrophic lady alluded to, emulating one of her own sex immortalized in history, sucked a large quantity of blood from the wound.

Dr. Crawford was called in at this stage, and he cauterized the place, and completed the dressing. We are happy to say the lady is doing well.  

THE FAMILY OF AGNES SYMINGTON AND JAMES DARTON

CATHERINE GIBSON DARTON Born 1858 at Beechworth. Died 15 June 1889 at Yackandandah. [5] Head teacher, State School, Back Creek. [6] 

WILLIAM CHARLES DARTON Born 1861 at Rutherglen. Died in 1862 at Newtown aged 8 months

JANE AGNES DARTON born1863 at Yackandandah. Died 18 October 1863 aged 3 months        

JAMES SYMINGTON DARTON Born 1864 at Yackandandah. Died 8 June 1926 at Kiewa. Farmer at Huon. Buried at Yackandandah. [7] Married 1892 Mary Anne Livingstone Cunningham [8] in Melbourne. 

AGNES HELEN known as "AGGIE", but called herself "HELEN", DARTON born in 1867 at Yackandandah. Died 3 September 1952. Married Douglas William Austen 1927; buried at Springvale Cemetery, Kiewa. No issue.

RICHARD CHARLES “CHARLIE” DARTON Born 11 May 1870 at Yackandandah. Died 23 October 1921 at Wodonga [9] [10] Postmaster at Wodonga. Farmer at Berringa Park, Huon. 

Married 1. Mary Elizabeth Hailwood (1876-1915) 21 January 1901 at 124 Lonsdale Street Melbourne. One child, William, born 1895, died 16 July 1965; buried Brighton General Cemetery

Married 2. Edith Rebecca Trumbull Ward 1921. No issue. Edith died in West Australia on 7 May 1981

JOHN MENZIES DARTON Born 1872 at Yackandandah. Died 12 May1874 aged 2 years 

CONSTANCE MARY DARTON Born1874 at Yackandandah. Died 13 October1909 at Kew as a single person.

SCHOOL ATTENDANCE OF THE DARTON CHILDREN AT YACKANDANDAH

REGISTER OF THE COMMON SCHOOL YACKANDANDAH NUMBER 694

(Records held by the Yackandandah Historical Society)

Yackandandah Primary School number 694 was a Church of England School from 1855 to 1872. [11]

CATHERINE DARTON

Reg. No. 12 Date of admission May 1865; Date of leaving October 1873 (not recorded in 1867,68,69)

Father clerk 

JAMES S. DARTON

No. 235 (also 953) Admitted August 1869 aged 4years 10 months

Father Shire secretary

AGNES DARTON

No. 503 Admitted July 1873 age 5years 5 months

Father agent

CHARLES DARTON

No 669 Admitted October 1875 age 5years 4 months

Father teacher

SCHOOL NUMBER 1103

AGNES E. DARTON

No. 887 Admitted January 1880 age 12 years 0 months

Father teacher

CONSTANCE DARTON

NO. 922 Admitted January 1881 age 6 years 3 months

Father teacher

Admitted October 1885 10 years 9 months

[1] PROV Victorian Shipping Lists 1852-1870 reveal only an Agnes Symington who sailed from Liverpool in the Marco Polo in 1855 whose age is recorded as 36 years

[2] BDM Victoria Registration No. 2027

[3] Presbyterian Compartment B Numbers 4054 and 4055, Agnes the original owner

[4] Also a death notice in Yackandandah Times 30 March 1923 page 4 column C

[5] Buried Yackandandah Cemetery Presbyterian section Row 6 No. 12

[6] Brief Obituary Ovens and Murray Advertiser Saturday, June 22, 1889. See notes below 

[7] Presbyterian Row 6 No. 11

[8] The inventory of his assets lists Lots 3 and 4 Medhurst Street, Sandringham; of his total assets valued at  £3268/17/11, he left £200 to his presumably estranged wife and the remainder to his sister Agnes Helen. VPRS 28/P3, Unit 1729, 213/212

[9] Buried Yackandandah Cemetery Presbyterian section Row 6 No. 12

[10] Left a personal estate valued at £18,770 to executrix, widow Edith Rebecca Trumbull Darton VPRS 28/P3, Unit 1209 181/872 [11] Mott, C. A., A History of Yackandandah School with brief accounts of Yackandandah Junction, Hillsborough and Bells Flat Schools 1972 

THE MARCO POLO

A black Ball line clipper ship, built in New Brunswick, Canada, in 1852.

Bought by James Baines as an emigrant ship for the England-Australia passage and the largest of its kind at the time. Maiden voyage 1852 from Liverpool to Melbourne sailed in a record time of sixty-eight days, master Captain Forbes. 1883 wrecked on Prince Edward Island, Canada.

Reference Galimany, Michael D., The Cowen Gallery SLV 2006 page 49