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William Huckel was born in 1825 at Bygrave, Hertfordshire, England, and baptised on the 1st of April.[1] He was the son of Robert Huckle and Ann Ardrey (Though born in Ashwell, his early life was spent at Baldock Herts about 7 kilometres south west of Ashwell.)
In 1841, William Huckel was living at home with his family at Bygrave, Baldock End, Hitchin, Herefordshire, England.[2]
William Huckle married Eliza Wilson at Edworth, Bedfordshire, England, on the 25th of December 1847.[3][4]
William and Eliza were blessed with eleven children in total. George died during the voyage to Australia, Abel was killed in an accident and Hardrey was never married. Their other eight children blessed them with seventy grandchildren.
In 1851, William was living with his family, Eliza, Betsy and Mary. Ann Wilson was visiting them at Back Lane, Clothall, Hertfordshire, England.[5]
In 1852 William, together with his wife and children (Elizabeth Huckel, Mary Huckel and George Huckel), emigrated to Australia as assisted immigrants aboard the vessel WILSON KENNEDY. George Huckel passed away on board the vessel during the voyage to Australia. The others arrived at Sydney in the Colony of New South Wales on Monday the 27th of December 1852. William Huckel's NSW immigration record mentions he was a farm labourer who could read but not write (December 1852)[6] [7]
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In the following extract from PICTURES OF MANY YEARS[8] William tells his own story, starting from his arrival in Sydney NSW:- "For some time I worked at Brick Field Hill, Sydney. On (Sunday) March 19th 1854 I had the offer of a job...... it was on a station called 'Douglas Gap'. A man named Walter Angel came down from the station with a bullock dray loaded with wool. We came to the Country Station with that man. It took us some weeks to get there....... it was our first experience in this great Country. ...........Some years later, I worked in the Murrumburrah district. I was at the Lambing Flat roll up when the trouble took place between the white men and the Chinamen on the gold field (this trouble occurred during the period from December 1860 to August 1861).
Later, I talked with the bushrangers, Ben Hall, John Gilbert, John Dunn and John O'Mealley. They had breakfast at my house. Afterwards I said to Ben, Will you come and give us a hand reaping now? 'I would, 'was the answer, 'but the Crushers might be about.' (Meaning the police from Murrumburrah.)
:See: Ben Hall Gang
Later, I left the 'Barwang,' and the Murrumburrah District. I went to 'Reedy Creek,' this was close to Maringo. I lived there for about six years."
(Maringo is probably the town known as Murringo which is about 24 kilometres east of Young, NSW. Barwang is in the Moppity area near Young, NSW. Young was originally known as Lambing Flat.)
Various passages in PICTURES OF MANY YEARS[8] indicate that William Huckel lived in the following places in NSW:-
Burrows (possibly the town known as Boorowa) in 1860, then Cunningar near Murrumburrah, the Barwang, then Reedy Creek near (south east )Maringo (Murringo), then (on Wednesday 9 April 1873) moving to a farm he took up at Mopperty (probably Moppity) at the foot of the hills of the Black Range (now known as the Douglas Range), selling the farm at Mopperty (Moppity) in 1877 and taking up land at Redbank (now known as Greenethorpe) on the banks of the Tyagong Creek where he was one of the early wheat pioneers, selling the farm at Redbank (Greenethorpe) after his wife ( Eliza) died in January 1898 and then living with James Huckel at "Alma" Koorawatha.
Burrows is mentioned as being in the birth registration district of Binalong.
A valley at Reedy Creek was known as Golden Gully. Mention is made of William having charge of 2,000 sheep at Reedy Creek and of them being attacked by dingoes one night, William running to the rescue of the sheep and in turn being attacked by the dingoes, calling out for help and his daughter going to his aid with a weapon. They beat off the dingoes and got the sheep to safety, but the losses in sheep were fory killed and mangled.
Mention is made that, in October 1910, William smoked a pipe and "is rather under than above the middle height, pale; of gentlemanly aspect. In spite of his 85 years his hair is not white. But is slightly tinged with gray (sic)."
William J. Huckel (born1860) gives the following description of his father's (William) death in chapter VIII of PICTURES OF MANY YEARS[8]
"I visited my father (William) a few days before his death in 1919. It was in the month of July. He was still living with Jim Huckel, who had temporarily removed to Grenfell. He laid down the paper which he had been reading withou the aid of glasses, and confirmed the notes of instructions that I had already made. Moreover, his brain was swift and clear; keener than many men of half his age, which was 94 years and 4 months. Living at peace with all men, he loved the life that God had given him in this beautiful world; for 94 years he had fought for that life; and worked for it, now he was ready...at the last...to yield it up without a whimper when time and fate asked for it.
Bolstered up against the pillows, he calmly said, 'I am going to your Mother (Eliza Wilson).'
Looking at him as his lips quietly and calmly uttered the words to us, it was almost a farewell. We knew it was the beginning of the end. He was going to that Great unknown world. The brown eyes were perhaps, somewhat dulled by the nearness of death; although one would never have judged him to e in his 95th year. There was only a very small streak of gray (sic) in the fair hair.
I stood by the motionless form of my dead Father; and gazed at the lived face made more striking by the chincloth which kept the mouth closed. It forcibly recalled sad memories of days when, as a child, I played at his knee. But now I was no longer a child....and my father was Dead.
How many years lay between these two: my father and my mother. And what years....some of pleasure..and some of Sorrow. I leaned over the beloved form, and pressed a kiss on the icey (sic) cold brow.[8]
William Huckel passed away at Grenfell, New South Wales, Australia on the 21st of July 1919[9] and was laid to rest in the Church of England section of the Cowra Cemetery.
The funeral was brought from Grenfell by Motor Hearse, and was met three miles out from Cowra by a Hearse drawn by two black horses. Silently....the sable draped horses stepped over the smooth road...moving at slow paces over the Great Iron bridge that spans the Lachlan River, followed by the long line of mourners through the town. It was Wednesday, 23rd July, 1919. In front of the hearse was the Minister of the Church of England. The cars followed the Hearse thus:- The writer's (William J. Huckel) car, with two brothers, Henry and Jack; The second car was Jim Huckel's; the third, Mr. & Mrs. Walrer (sic) Lane and Miss A. M. Mitchell; the forth, H. & E. and also T. A. Huckel. It was very impressive, as I held the wheel my heart was very full.
After the coffin had been carried to the graveside, the burial service commenced.....Under the Great old trees that shade the ancient tombs of the Cowra Cemetery, on that cold bleak afternoon in July, as the sky was darkened with heavy clouds, we laid him to rest beside my Mother. So the twin after a separation of twenty years are United in Death."[8]
The S.C.N.S.W. has no record of any grant of Probate or Letters of Administration having been made in the estate of William. (in other words, they do not have any record of a will for William Huckel). William's gravestone/monument incorrectly states he died on Tuesday 22 July 1919. His death certificate shows the correct date, Monday 21 July 1919. The death certificate gives his occupation as a farmer. In the Church of England Church Koorawatha NSW there is a glass-fronted bookcase erected by descendants of William and Eliza HUckel after a family reunion of Huckel's c mid 1960's. Attached to the bookcase is a plaque in memory of William & Eliza Huckel.
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Categories: Cowra Cemetery, Cowra, New South Wales | Edworth, Bedfordshire | Bygrave, Hertfordshire | Free Settlers to Australia | Migrants from Hertfordshire to New South Wales | Wilson Kennedy, Arrived 27 Dec 1852 | Grenfell, New South Wales | Colony of New South Wales (1788-1900) | Needs Profiles Created