James Thurling
James Thurling established his blacksmith shop on the Great Western Highway, between what is now Bunnings and Lee St. There is a small brick cottage still standing on the corner of Lee St and the highway. This five roomed cottage was built for a Miss Cousins, who rented it to the Thurlings, and within that branch of the family it is still called Granny Thurling's cottage.The business grew, with three sons, Alfred, James jr and John, joining their father in it. James snr established a good reputation for the manufacture and repair of tools, ploughs, horseshoes, household goods and other metal items as needed. He was particularly well known for the repair of drays and wagons, with his sons achieving a similar reputation when cars became more common, fixing or making springs and axles.
The family worshipped at the Holy Trinity Church, Kelso, where they appeared to have been very involved, as there are several plaques there dedicated to James and Hannah, and some of their children. James died in 1898 at 67; Hannah died in 1920 at 84. They and many of their descendants were buried in the Church cemetery.
Note:
James Thurling is not RotarianTony's direct ancestor but a distant relative. Most of the information in this story was compiled by Karen Lloyd, great granddaughter, and Russell Thurling, great grandson of James Thurling. Karen and Russell are cousins.
James Thurling (b.1830) and his sister Muriel (b.1828) were born in Hardingham, Norfolk. They had four siblings. In 1850 they left England on the Castle Eden as assisted immigrants of the Canterbury Association for the Settlement of the Canterbury Plains, New Zealand.
On board the ship Muriel met William Rumsby, a paying passenger bound for Nelson, and they were married at sea in January 1851. On arrival at what is now named Lyttelton they sought and got permission from the Association for Muriel to travel to Nelson with her new spouse, and James to accompany his only immediate family. They departed for Nelson on 5th March 1851.
The ship ran into gale force weather in Cooks Strait and was unable to reach a port safely. With supplies low and the crew exhausted from trying to avoid shipwreck, the decision was made to head to Sydney, arriving on 2nd April 1851. They decided not to sail back to NZ, and headed to Paterson in the Hunter Valley and settled there for a few years. James married Hannah Pinchon (b. 1835, Wiltshire) in 1853. They had two children, the first one dying young. Muriel and James' brother Benjamin joined them in Paterson in 1854.
Muriel and family moved to Barraba, Northern NSW. Benjamin moved to Wingham. In 1856 James and Hannah moved to Prospect in western Sydney, where they lived for a few years and had four more children, two of them dying. Around 1865 they moved to Kelso , which would become their permanent home. Eight more children were born, one of them died. This makes a total of 14 children, four of them dying young.
James established his blacksmith shop on the Great Western Highway, between what is now Bunnings and Lee St. There is a small brick cottage still standing on the corner of Lee St and the highway. This five roomed cottage was built for a Miss Cousins, who rented it to the Thurlings, and within that branch of the family it is still called Granny Thurling's cottage.
On board the ship Muriel met William Rumsby, a paying passenger bound for Nelson, and they were married at sea in January 1851. On arrival at what is now named Lyttelton they sought and got permission from the Association for Muriel to travel to Nelson with her new spouse, and James to accompany his only immediate family. They departed for Nelson on 5th March 1851.
The ship ran into gale force weather in Cooks Strait and was unable to reach a port safely. With supplies low and the crew exhausted from trying to avoid shipwreck, the decision was made to head to Sydney, arriving on 2nd April 1851. They decided not to sail back to NZ, and headed to Paterson in the Hunter Valley and settled there for a few years. James married Hannah Pinchon (b. 1835, Wiltshire) in 1853. They had two children, the first one dying young. Muriel and James' brother Benjamin joined them in Paterson in 1854.
Muriel and family moved to Barraba, Northern NSW. Benjamin moved to Wingham. In 1856 James and Hannah moved to Prospect in western Sydney, where they lived for a few years and had four more children, two of them dying. Around 1865 they moved to Kelso , which would become their permanent home. Eight more children were born, one of them died. This makes a total of 14 children, four of them dying young.
James established his blacksmith shop on the Great Western Highway, between what is now Bunnings and Lee St. There is a small brick cottage still standing on the corner of Lee St and the highway. This five roomed cottage was built for a Miss Cousins, who rented it to the Thurlings, and within that branch of the family it is still called Granny Thurling's cottage.