George Frederick Willis was the father of David John Willis [1], in whose memory Beecroft’s Boer War memorial was built.
George Frederick was a first generation Australian. His parents Lewis and Mary Ann Willis lived at Dapto with Lewis having migrated to NSW in 1849 at the age of 19 years. Lewis was a farm labourer. They had 10 children of whom George Frederick was (with his twin brother John) the eldest both having been born on 15 August 1851. George Frederick was at varying times a labourer, quarryman, fettler and road contractor. A warrant was issued for his arrest in 1871 when he was alleged to have disobeyed a summons about fighting in a public place. At that time he was described as 5’11”, slight build with a dark complexion [2]. He was working in Boorowa where he met Delilah Haines (born 1857 the daughter of Thomas Haines and Charlotte nee Hilder of Menangle) and married her in Goulburn on 25 July 1875. They had nine children (including one set of twins) [3].
In 1891 George Frederick was working as a fettler, living at Toongabbie. In 1893 the family lived at Carlingford, while George Frederick worked on building that railway line – initially a private line called Simpson’s Railway [4]. By 1893 the family moved to Beecroft and the next year the father is a leading proponent of the construction of a primary school: “I have a large family to send to scool thare is a grate many children near and no scool.” In February 1895 he wrote again to the Minister for Education saying that “our little ones have to puddle through mud and slush to reach the station [to travel to school in Thornleigh] …When thare are so meny to go they cannot be kep still one of mine has been thrown off luckily without misshap.” Other members of the school committee included Charles Churchill Tucker and William Chorley – but Willis was the chief correspondent to the Minister.
George Frederick had a strong community spirit. He publicly protested at the use of labour from outside the district, the language of a visiting police officer and also organised fund raising functions for families in need.
In 1891 George Frederick was working as a fettler, living at Toongabbie. In 1893 the family lived at Carlingford, while George Frederick worked on building that railway line – initially a private line called Simpson’s Railway [4]. By 1893 the family moved to Beecroft and the next year the father is a leading proponent of the construction of a primary school: “I have a large family to send to scool thare is a grate many children near and no scool.” In February 1895 he wrote again to the Minister for Education saying that “our little ones have to puddle through mud and slush to reach the station [to travel to school in Thornleigh] …When thare are so meny to go they cannot be kep still one of mine has been thrown off luckily without misshap.” Other members of the school committee included Charles Churchill Tucker and William Chorley – but Willis was the chief correspondent to the Minister.
George Frederick had a strong community spirit. He publicly protested at the use of labour from outside the district, the language of a visiting police officer and also organised fund raising functions for families in need.
Initially the family lived in a slab hut built with stone and timber cut on the site in Welham Street with George Frederick purchasing 3 acres around their home in 1906. They sold this land to the Byles family in 1911. The initial land purchase took place the year after Delilah died of influenza. Following the sale in 1911 the family moved into rented premises on Beecroft Road, to the north of Welham Street. Of the children George Alfred married a young lady in domestic service in Beecroft, Ada grace married in Ryde and Abraham Job in Thornleigh.
George Frederick was remembered as a forceful personality who went to his labouring jobs attired in a bowler hat and with shirt cuffs and collar stiffly starched. He was active in the Beecroft Community and was clearly respected in return. He gradually became a recluse, moved to a hut near Princess Street Ryde, and died by being accidentally burnt to death in 1921 while (it was presumed by the Coroner) reading in bed. He left no cash or property for which probate could be taken out. One of his dogs stayed by his side was and also burnt to death [6].
The son of George Frederick and Delilah, David, had been born in Boorowa on 2 October 1880 and may already have completed his schooling by the time the family moved to Beecroft. He worked for his father and had been a pony groom for Andrew Murray of Murray Farm Road. Charles Tucker said that he had a physique well suited to the rigours of the African veldt. He was said to have been “a favourite among all with whom he had come into contact.” Having said that, the police were called when Dave and Ernest Martin got into a fight [7].
In 1898 (when aged 18 years) David joined F Company of the 6th Volunteer Regiment (Australian Rifles) based in Hornsby. To be a member of the Regiment David had to buy his own uniform which was often an impediment for those of poorer families. Once qualified and proficient he would have received some payment. Of the uniform all wore an emu plume on the turned up side of the hat at a time that pre-dates this use by the Australian light horse regiments such as the Parramatta Lancers.
In 1899 he was one of 12 men of the Regiment selected to join the NSW contingents to travel to South Africa – and of these only 6 (including David) passed the medical examination. After arrival David formed part of E Squadron of the 1st NSW Mounted Rifles. It was while serving with this Squadron under Captain Frederick Dove that he was killed on 1 October 1900 at Elands Kop.
A memorial service was held for him at St Johns Church of England on Sunday 28 October 1900 and was attended by 300 to 400 people with some 60 members of his former F Company and 30 members of the regimental band – all in full dress uniform.
A drinking fountain was erected in his memory and this was unveiled on 24 November 1901 by the Member for Ryde, Frank Farrell with William Chorley presiding and later hosting afternoon tea at his residence. While not appearing on his birth certificate, Dave Willis (as he was known) is named on the memorial as David John Willis.
His oldest brother (George Alfred) named his first born (Alfred) David John Willis in 1902.
Henry Whittell, a prominent member of the Beecroft village, in December 1901 collected (on behalf of the Willis family) the military pay due to David.
David’s remains were eventually moved to a cemetery in Heilbron, South Africa.
The subsequent history of the family includes the story of Dave’s niece Helena Willis who was charged with travelling on a train without a ticket in 1919. It was noted in mitigation that it had been her first trip to Sydney in 12 months and that she had recently been discharged from hospital. Her husband drove the bakers cart [8].
[1] The information in this biography largely derives from T McCaskill One Great Hour (Beecroft, 2000)
[2] NSW Police Gazette, 25 January 1871
[3] The children were Frederick Lewis (1876-1956); George Alfred (1877-1925); David John (1879-1900); Ada Grace (1883-1906); Jacob Isaac Joseph (1887-1965); Abraham Joseph (1887-1939); Sidney James (1890-1970); Amy Maud (1891-1972) and Ernest Charles Victor (1898-1968).
[4] The railway was an authorised private construction: Simpson Railway Act 1893. It was meant to be built in three stages – firstly from the Parramatta line to Carlingford, secondly to Rogans Hill and thirdly to Dural. Only the first stage was completed (in 1896) as the line was a financial failure. The government then introduced the service of a steam tram in 1902 from Parramatta to Baulkham Hills which was extended in 1910 to Castle Hill. The tram was replaced by a branch line to Castle Hill in 1923 extended to Rogans Hill in 1924. The branch line was closed in February 1932.
[5] Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate, 23 October 1893, 27 August 1898 p12.
[6] Evening News, 30 September 1921
[7] see article elsewhere on this web site under People-Martin, Ernest.
[8] Sydney Morning Herald, 18 October 1919