Charles Frederick Tindal (1857 - 1938)

Born 19 Nov 1857 in Clarence River, New South Wales (Australia)

Ancestors

Husband of Caroline Edith Tindal — married 2 Jul 1885 in St. Stephen's, Walcot, Bath, Somerset, England

Descendants

Died 8 Oct 1938 at age 80 in Armidale, New South Wales, Australia

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Biography

Charles Tindal is Notable.

Charles Frederick Tindal was born on 19th November 1857 on Ramornie Station, Clarence River, near Grafton, New South Wales (Australia). He was the older son (he also had five younger sisters) of Charles Grant Tindal and Anne Travers. Infant Charles was christened at seventeen days of age on 6th December at Clarence RIver. ^[1] His father had undertaken explorations of New South Wales, before purchasing Ramornie Station. In addition to cattle breeding and meat processing, Charles (Senior) was a highly successful racehorse breeder, both in New South Wales and England, where he retained his father's property of Fir Grove, Eversley, Hampshire. ^[2]

Like the sons of many 'landed gentry', Charles was educated in England; studying at Wellington College, Berkshire, Oxford University, ^[3] and a private school in Hampshire, England. ^[4] In 1871, he was recorded on the England and Wales Census as being a thirteen year-old scholar living at Sandhurst, Berkshire, England. ^[5]

Charles is recorded as arriving at Port Adelaide, South Australia in March 1879 with his family aboard the John Elder: ^[6]:

"ADELAIDE, Thursday.—The S.S. John Elder arrived here this morning under the command of Captain Cooper. She left London on the 30th January ... The following is a list of saloon passengers ... Mr. and Mrs. C. J. Tindall and servant, Mr. Charles F. Tindall, Mr. John T. Tindall, Miss Annie Tindall, Miss Louisa Tindall, Miss Jane Tindall, Miss Eliza Tindall, Miss Esther Tindall."

He joined his maternal uncle, Roderick Travers, on Aramac Station, Central Queensland, as a jackeroo for six months, before joining his father on Ramornie Station. ^[4]

Returning to England, Charles married his second cousin (they shared a paternal great grandfather) Caroline Tindal on 2nd July 1885 in St Stephen's Church, Walcot, near Bath, Somerset. ^[7]

"MARRIAGE NOTICE. TINDAL—TINDAL.—July 2, at St. Stephen's, Walcot, Bath, by the Rev. Dr. W. Sitwell, assisted by the Rev. H. Bothamley, Charles Frederick, eldest son of Charles Grant Tindal, of Fir Grove, Eversley, and of Ramornie, N.S.W., to Caroline Edith, only daughter of the Rev. H. Tindal, of 5, Lansdowne-crescent, Bath, sometime rector of Frankton, near Rugby." ^[8]

The couple voyaged to New South Wales, making Ramornie their home and there had six sons, one of whom died in infancy:

1. Charles Henry (1887-1926)
2. Archibald Arthur (1888-1916)
3. Acton Strangways (1891-91)
4. Travers Grant (1892-1906)
5. Louis Nicholas Lindsay (1895-1918)
6. Arthur Willoughby (1897-1949)

He was appointed manager of his father's Australian properties, consisting of Ramornie station and meat works, and Trigamon, Gunyan and Bonshaw Stations on the Queensland border. ^[4]

In 1890, Charles' father retired to England to take care of the business there, leaving Charles as managing director of the family's business empire.

In 1915 he sold Ramornie Meat Works to the Meat Preserving Company, of Sydney, and in 1920 sold Trigamon to the New South Wales Government to be subdivided into 'soldier settlement' blocks. Evidence of his interest in the welfare of the settlers was given in his gift of half the purchase money for the purpose of supplying funds for the soldiers to build rabbit-proof fences. ^[4]

Two of three sons who 'signed-on' with the British Army for the (First World) War were killed in action on the Western Front, Archibald in 1916 and Louis in 1918. Another son, Charles, died in Yokohama, Japan in 1926.

Charles gave Ramornie to his eldest son, Charles and, in 1923, sold Bonshaw and Gunyan to Texas Estates Ltd. ^[4]

Aged almost 81 years and having been widowered for nearly twelve years, Charles passed away on 8th October 1938 in Bona Vista, Armidale, New South Wales. Following a funeral in St Peter's Cathedral, Armidale, he was buried in Armidale General Cemetery. ^[9] He was survived by his youngest son, Arthur, several grandchildren and four of his younger sisters.

"DEATH NOTICE. TINDAL.—October 8, 1938, at Bona-Vista, Armidale, Charles Frederick, of "Ramornie," Clarence River, elder son of Charles Grant Tindal, of "Ramornie," and of Fir-grove, Eversley, England."

Charles' obituary in the The Armidale Express and New England General Advertiser also covered several other aspects of his life, including his philanthropic and charitable interests: ^[4]

"The late Mr. Tindal ... was one of the district's most public-minded citizens. His generosity was unbounded, but he did good by stealth, and countless persons had reason to be thankful for his kindliness and sympathy.

"His main public interests were centred in the Armidale and New England Hospital and the returned soldiers of this and other districts. He was a member of the committee of the Armidale Hospital continuously from 1915, was vice-president from 1918 to 1921, in 1923, 1925, and from 1925 to 1931. He was chairman in 1931 and 1932, and declined office in 1932. He remained a member of the board of directors until the time of his death. Until ill-health compelled him to discontinue, the late Mr. Tindal was a regular visitor, at the hospital, and many patients watched for his cheery word and the basket of books which he carried for distribution.

"His interest in returned soldier activities was maintained to the time of his death.

"Membership of the Armidale Picnic Race Club, Clarence River Jockey Club and the defunct Armidale Hospital Benefit Race Club instanced his interest in sport. One of the main races of the Grafton Cup meeting is named after the old Ramornie Station."

Sources

1. ↑ New South Wales Birth Index #7002/1857
2. ↑ 'Tindal, Charles Grant (1823–1914)', Obituaries Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University; accessed 11 Sep 2022
3. ↑ Alumni Oxonienses: the Members of the University of Oxford, 1715-1886 by Joseph Foster: "Tindal, Charles Frederick, 1s. Charles Grant, of Ramomie, Australia, gent. New Coll., matric. 13 Oct., 1877, aged 19. "
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5} The Armidale Express and New England General Advertiser (NSW : 1856 - 1861; 1863 - 1889; 1891 - 1954) Obituaries Mon 10 Oct 1938, Page 4
5. ↑ 1871 England & Wales Census
6. ↑ Evening News (Sydney, NSW : 1869 - 1931) Fri 14 Mar 1879, Page 2
7. ↑ Marriage
8. ↑ Marriage Notice: The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) Wed 26 Aug 1885, Page 1
9. ↑ New South Wales Death Index

See also

• Wikipedia: Australian Tindals; accessed 9 Sep 2022.