Category Archives: Beggs

Through her eyes: votes for women 1903

13 Thursday Feb 2020

Posted by in 52 ancestors, Beggs, CdeC Australia, Eurambeen, politics, Through her eyes

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My third great grandmother Charlotte Frances Champion Crespigny née Dana, lived from 1820 to 1904, a period of great change in the political status of women.

Charlotte Frances Dana

Charlotte Frances Champion Crespigny née Dana (1820 – 1904) photograph probably taken in the late 1850s

In 1902, when she was 82 years old, the Commonwealth Franchise Act 1902 granted Australian women the right to vote and the right to stand for election to the Commonwealth Parliament.

When the list of voters was compiled, Charlotte was recorded on the Electoral Roll for the polling place of Beaufort, Division of Grampians, State of Victoria, as Charlotte Champion, living at Eurambeen, occupation home duties. (Eurambeen was about 11 kilometers west of Beaufort.) Also on the Roll were her daughters Viola Julia Champion and Helen Rosalie Beggs née Champion Crespigny, both also living at Eurambeen with the occupation of home duties.

RDAUS1901_100835__0055-00023

The Commonwealth of Australia 1903 Electoral Roll for the polling place of Beaufort, Division of Grampians, State of Victoria, pages 2 and 3 showing the surnames of Beggs and Champion. Image retrieved from ancestry.com

 

Oddly, it appears that Charlotte and Viola were recorded twice. There are entries  on page 4 of the roll for Crespigny Frances and Crespigny Constantia, also both of Eurambeen; Frances was Charlotte’s middle name and Constantia was Viola’s third given name. When names were collected for the roll the surname Champion Crespigny went over two lines and so did their given names. There was not enough space on the form: the result was two Roll entries each.

RDAUS1901_100930__0076-00062

The Commonwealth of Australia 1903 Electoral Roll for the polling place of Beaufort, Division of Grampians, State of Victoria, pages 4 and 5 showing the surname Crespigny. Image retrieved from ancestry.com

On the 1909 roll Viola’s surname was changed to Crespigny, with her full name recorded as Crespigny, Viola Julia Con. C. At that time she living at St Marnocks with her sister and brother-in-law.

A Victorian state election was held in October 1902 but for this women were as yet not enfranchised. The next year, however, there was a Federal election on 16 December and Charlotte and her daughters were eligible to vote.

The Federal Division of Grampians was retained by the sitting member Thomas Skene (1845 – 1910) of the Free Trade Party, an anti-socialist party which advocated the abolition of tariffs and other restrictions on international trade.

Charlotte and her daughters, from a prosperous family of graziers, probably supported Skene, a pastoralist. Voting was not compulsory, however, and though she was entitled to vote, Charlotte was unwell and probably unable to travel to the polling station at Beaufort to cast her vote.

There was provision for postal voting but it was very complicated, with specific witnesses required.

All in all, the story of my great grandmother’s enfranchisement is not especially remarkable. She was not a fire-breathing suffragist, but an ordinary person who, late in life, accepted a new political privilege with no great fuss.

Sources

A scarf for General Birdwood

29 Wednesday Jan 2020

Posted by in 52 ancestors, Bank of Victoria, Beggs, Champion de Crespigny, World War 1

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Everyone knows about WWI comfort funds and the socks that were knitted for the Diggers in the trenches.

But have you heard about the scarf that was knitted for their commanding General?

Birdwood Gallipoli 1915 awm 6184034

Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey. 1915. General William Riddell Birdwood (outside his dugout at Anzac. Photograph by Ernest Brooks and retrieved from the Australian War Memorial G00761

In 1916, Sophia, Mrs Philip Champion de Crespigny, (1870 – 1936), second wife of my great great grandfather, started a campaign to knit a scarf for General Birdwood, the popular commander-in-chief of Australian divisions on the front.

The first anniversary of the landing at ANZAC was observed on Tuesday 25 April 1916, with prayers and mourning for the dead.

Three days later ‘ANZAC Button Day’, with parades and many stalls and kiosks, was held in Melbourne to raise money for the troops. One of the attractions was a kiosk, ‘erected by the St. George Society’, an English patriotic society, where for sixpence patriotic knitters could add a row to scarf for General Birdwood.

Mrs Philip Champion de Crespigny was responsible for this money-raising idea.

Sophia Cde C nee Beggs 1894

Sophia Champion de Crespigny about 1894

Two of her sons and two step-sons enlisted during World War 1:

Within a week, a quarter of a yard had been added to Mrs de Crespigny’s scarf, with many sixpences added to the funds. She was aiming for 1½ yards.

Adelaide commentators seem to have been a bit over-critical. The edge of the scarf was wobbly, ‘goffered’ it was said, which means fluted or serrated. Knitters ply their needles differently, of course, at different tensions, so the collaborative scarf could not be expected to be perfectly uniform.

By mid-May Sophia de Crespigny had received so many applications for row-knitting that she hired a room at 349 Collins Street, not far from her husband’s office at 257 Collins Street [he was the general manager at a bank there], where she met prospective knitters between 10 o’clock and half past four on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

In June Sophia de Crespigny travelled to Geelong, where would-be scarf-knitters would find her at the Bank of Victoria in Malop Street.

The Geelong Advertiser reported that the scarf was khaki with a border of General Birdwood’s colours: red, purple, and black, and a touch of yellow. The scarf was now 2½ yards long.

By mid-August Birdwood’s scarf, completed, and yard longer than planned, was put on display in the window of Messrs Singer and Co. in the Block Arcade on Collins Street. There was also a book with the names of over 300 of its volunteer knitters. Sophia’s scarf campaign had raised £13. The Melbourne Lady Mayoress’ fund for Red Cross got £2 18/-, and £10 2/- was presented to the Y.M.C.A. for the benefit of the Australian soldiers at the Front (a national appeal).

Melbourne Punch 24 August 1916 page 32

Melbourne Punch 24 August 1916 page 32

Among letters received by General Birdwood, now digitised by the Australian War Memorial, is one from Sophia, Mrs Philip Champion de Crespigny, forwarding the scarf and the book of names of the ladies who worked on it.

Birdwood letter 3 6098253

Letter from Sophia Champion de Crespigny to General Birdwood enclosing a scarf and a book with the names of the knitters. Retrieved from the Australian War Memorial Letters received by Field Marshal Lord William Birdwood, 1 June 1916 – 25 December 1916 https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C2084586?image=107

scarf AWM 4230193

I have not found a picture of General Birdwood in a scarf. This picture from the Australian War Memorial is from about 1915: The officer in the foreground, rugged up in a greatcoat and scarf, is possibly Major Harold A Powell of the Australian Army Medical Corps (AAMC). The tents in the middle distance on the left are probably those of a field hospital; the location appears to be the Gallipoli Peninsula.

 

General Birdwood’s reply to Sophia de Crespigny was published in the Geelong Advertiser.

Birdwood letter Geelong Advertiser 1916 12 05 a

Birdwood letter Geelong Advertiser 1916 12 05 b

Birdwood mentions that his aide-de-camp Henry de Crespigny (1882 – 1946) was a cousin of Sophia’s husband [Henry was Philip de Crespigny’s 3rd cousin once removed]. Birdwood also mentions Dr de Crespigny and ‘his hospital’. This was the 1st Australian General Hospital in Rouen, commanded by Philip’s son – Sophia’s step-son – Constantine Trent de Crespigny.

Birdwood 1918 trench awm 4096023

General Sir William Riddell Birdwood visiting a Battalion Headquarters in the support line trenches in Ungodly Avenue in the Messines Sector, in Belgium, on 25 January 1918. General Birdwood is second from the left. Australian War Memorial image E01495

Across Australia many other scarves were knitted by ladies who gave their sixpences and shillings to raise money for the soldiers, and it seems more than likely that Sophia’s was not the first. I’m not a great knitter myself – I started a scarf in the 1980s, which forty years later is still less than a foot long – but I’m delighted to have a family connection with Sophia’s.

Sources

 

Other scarves were also knitted for General Birdwood during 1916

St Marnocks

01 Thursday Aug 2019

Posted by in Beaufort, Beggs, Eurambeen

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In Australia, a horse’s birthday is the first day of August. Mating usually happens early in the previous spring, with foaling eleven or twelve months later. Having a common birthday means that horses of a similar age can be entered together in racing events.

Francis Beggs (1850 – 1921), called Frank, the husband of my 3rd great aunt Rose Beggs nee Champion de Crespigny (1858 – 1937), owned a Thoroughbred called Saint Marnocks, probably named after a village near Dublin with a connection with the Beggs family.

Beggs Francis and Rose

Francis and Rose Beggs. Photograph from Flickr uploaded by Guy Goodman.

 

The Australasian of 19 September 1891 reported that:

Mr. Francis Beggs, Eurambeen, Beaufort, requests permission to supplement our correspondent’s report of the Ararat show by stating that his colt Saint Marnocks, by Macgregor-Nightlight, took first prize at Ararat in the class for two and three year old thoroughbreds, and also Messrs. Briscoe’s special prize for the best thoroughbred stallion in the yard. In the light-weight hack class his horse Malahide, by Macgregor, took first prize.

In March 1892 St Marnocks was reported as being 3 years old when he came third in the one mile Trial Stakes at the Buangor Races on 15 March. His sibling Elphinstone, also by Macgregor-Nightlight, came first. Later in the day St Marnocks came third again in the one mile Welter Handicap. The newspapers over the next two decades have many report of St Marnocks.

St Marnocks Beaufort Races 1894

In the annual races of the Beaufort Jockey Club on New Year’s Day 1894 St Marnocks won the Handicap race by a neck. In 1899 he won the three quarters of a mile Flying Handicap at the Beaufort races. The Ballarat Star reported that the win was “A gift to St Marnocks, who won in the last few strides by two lengths in 1 min. 35 sec.”

At the March 1899 Beaufort Show St Marnocks won first prize for best blood entire horse and also the Champion prize for best blood horse or mare, any age, in the yard.

In the next decade Aloha, the son of St Marnocks, began to feature in the turf reports. St Marnocks again won first prize for blood entire and also Champion at the 1902 Beaufort show. St Marnocks sired many progeny, for example in 1908 10 horses all sired by St Marnocks were offered for sale by Mr Francis Beggs of Eurambeen.

On 13 August 1908 Melbourne Punch reported “Mr. and Mrs. Frank Beggs, who for many years have lived at Eurambeen East, are now settled in their new home at St. Marnocks, Mr. Beggs having purchased part of the Stoneleigh Estate in the Beaufort District.” The new property was named after their successful horse.

Punch reported in January 1909 “Mrs. C. De Crespigny, of Brunswick-street, Fitzroy, and her little son, are visiting their relative, Mrs. Frank Beggs, of St. Marnock’s, Beaufort.” The ‘little son’ was my grandfather Geoff (1907 – 1966); his mother was Beatrix de Crespigny nee Hughes (1884 – 1943).

BeggsFrank and GeoffCdeCrespigny StMarnock 1908

Frank Beggs and Geoff de Crespigny St Marnocks 1908

Beggs Frank obituary Pastoral Review

Pastoral Review, 15 October 1921, p 795 retrieved from ‘Beggs, Francis (1850–1921)’, Obituaries Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://oa.anu.edu.au/obituary/beggs-francis-95/text95

In 1927 an article in the Australasian reported that Francis Beggs was responsible for building the homestead and outbuildings. He also established plantations to provide shelter for the paddocks and a created a garden surrounded by acacias. After the death of Frank Beggs in 1921 the property was taken over by his nephew Theodore George Beggs (1903 – 1936).

St Marnocks 1927 Australasian

beginning of a lengthy profile of St Marnochs (St Marnocks) in PASTORAL (1927, December 10). The Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 – 1946), p. 42. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article140807599

St Marnock's rams 1935

ST.MARNOCK’S (1935, July 20). The Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 – 1946), p. 36. Retrieved August 1, 2019, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article141759823

In 1930 the homestead was photographed as part of a series of pastoral homes and again in 1987, by that time somewhat run down.

St Marnock's 1930

PASTORAL HOMES OF AUSTRALIA (1930, September 13). The Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 – 1946), p. 32 (METROPOLITAN EDITION). Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article140832545

St Marnocks 1987 1

St Marnocks photographed 28 October 1987 by John T Collins (1907 – 2001) and in the collection of the State Library of Victoria Image H2013.6/11

St Marnocks 1987 2

St Marnocks photographed 28 October 1987 by John T Collins (1907 – 2001) and in the collection of the State Library of Victoria

St Marnocks 1987 3

St Marnocks photographed 28 October 1987 by John T Collins (1907 – 2001) and in the collection of the State Library of Victoria

St Marnocks 1987 4

St Marnocks photographed 28 October 1987 by John T Collins (1907 – 2001) and in the collection of the State Library of Victoria

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Sources

Aunt Rose’s teapot

04 Saturday Feb 2017

Posted by in Beggs, Champion de Crespigny

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My family has an old silver teapot said to have belonged to Aunt Rose, my grandfather’s great aunt, Helen Rosalie Beggs née Champion de Crespigny (1858-1937).

Aunt Rose’s teapot

The pot has 5 hallmarks.

The first mark, a lion passant guardant- a lion walking with one paw raised from the ground and head turned to full face – indicates the teapot is sterling silver, an alloy of 92.5% silver and 7.5% other metals, most often copper. Pure silver is too soft to be used for teapots. Between 1720 and 1822 lion passant guardant appears on all silver wrought in England. After 1822 the lion the lion passant ceased to be guardant and faced to the left, that is the lion’s face was no longer turned to the viewer but looked forward.

The second mark is a crowned leopard’s head. This was used on silver made in London made between 1478 and 1822. The town mark was the hallmark of the assay office that tested the purity of the piece, in this case the Goldsmiths’ Company Assay Office in London.

It is thought that the marks were changed in 1822, without public announcement, with the hope of catching out forgers.
The third mark, a lower case e, identifies the year the piece was made. Legislation prescribed that there should be a mark “to denote the year in which such plate is made”. Each assay office used a different system. The letters were used in a cycle, and for the London office, this e was used in 1740, 1780, 1820, and 1900.

The fourth mark is a duty mark. From 1784 a duty was imposed on all manufactured silver articles. An image of the head of the sovereign was stamped on all plate to show that the requisite tax had been paid to the Crown. The tax was discontinued in 1890 and the mark was no longer used. On this teapot the sovereign’s head is poorly formed and worn, but I think this mark is the head of George III which appeared on silver from 1786 to 1821.

The fifth mark is the maker’s mark. I think it is the mark of Richard Pearce, a London silversmith, used from 1817 to 1824. See http://www.silvermakersmarks.co.uk/Makers/London-RJ-RQ.html#RP and for an example identified as his work: http://www.antiques-atlas.com/antique/georgian_silver_toast_rack_1823_-_fish_handle/as530a709 .

Since the the first mark the lion appears to be guarding, looking towards the viewer, it dates before 1822. The second mark is definitely crowned, thus I am sure the the pot was made before 1822. Because there is a duty mark, the pot was made after 1784. I believe the teapot was made in 1820, as that is the only possible year indicated by a lower case e between 1784 and 1822.

We do not know how the teapot was acquired or came to be in the family’s possession.

References

A George IV silver teapot by Richard Pearce, London 1821, Of oval form, with flowerhead, leaf scroll and shell borders and bands of curved lobes and flutes, raised on flowerhead, leaf scroll and claw feet, engraved with a crest and monogram, height 17cm.

de Crespigny – Beggs 1891 wedding

06 Wednesday Nov 2013

Posted by in Beggs, Champion de Crespigny, Wedding, Wedding Wednesday

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In 1891, one hundred and twelve years ago, my great-great-grandfather, Philip de Crespigny (1850-1927) married Sophia Beggs (1870 – 1936).

The Sentinel. (1891, November 7). Queenscliff Sentinel, Drysdale, Portarlington & Sorrento Advertiser (Vic. : 1885 – 1894), p. 1. Retrieved November 5, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article73592032

 

This news item was reproduced in the Euroa Advertiser of 13 November, with the bride’s surname given correctly as Beggs.

His marriage to Sophia Beggs was Philip de Crespigny’s second, and this wedding seems a little more sedate than his first. In 1883 Philip’s first wife, Annie Frances née Chauncy, had died at the age of twenty-five, leaving him with two young boys: Philip born 1879 and Constantine Trent (then called Con) born 1882.  At the time of her death, Philip and Annie had been married for little more than five years.

In March 1889 P. C. Crespigny was manager of the South Melbourne Branch of the Bank of Victoria.  He had previously served at Queenscliff (where Annie Frances had died ) and Epsom near Bendigo (where his son Philip was born).  By August 1890 he had been promoted to Assistant Inspector of Branches for the bank, and went on to  become General Manager in 1916. 

Sophia Beggs was the cousin of  Philip’s brother-in-law, Frank Beggs (1850 – 1921), who had married Rose de Crespigny (1858 – 1937) in 1876.

References