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JAMES
CRONK
James Cronk was born in Tottenham, England in 1811. He was
apprenticed to the sea as a lad and made voyages to such places
as the Cape of Good Hope, Sydney and Van Dieman's land before
returning to London. James gave his address as 1 Brook Street,
Radcliff when he applied for assisted passage on his application
to immigrate to South Australia. James was engaged as an
agriculturalist to John Brown an Emigration Agent .
At the age of 25 years old he sailed for South Australia
in the three masted
barque the Afficaine. The Africaine
was approximately 126 feet long and 27 feet wide and 316
tons and was the first ship to bring paying immigrants to South
Australia. The voyage took 4 months, and arrived at Holdfast
Bay on the 4th
November 1836 after leaving London Docks on the 28th
June 1836. John Brown also arrived on the Africaine.
While
waiting the arrival of Governor Hindmarsh
on the Buffalo, with the assistance of shipmates he sank a
well, the first in the province and obtained a moderate supply
of water at 14 feet. James later sank
two more wells, one in Halifax Street, and one in Gilles
Street. James Cronk
was present a few weeks later at the Proclamation of the
Colony of South Australia.
In
1837 James wrote a letter to his
family in England, that he was the first person to venture over
the hills in search of the natives, and that about 18 miles from
the town he found a group of 35 Aboriginal people. The women and
children were very frightened; as he was first white man they
had ever seen. James told his mother
in his letter that he gave the Aboriginal people sugar and
biscuits and in return they took him hunting for birds and
possums. In his letter he went on to say that he was learning
the Aboriginal language and that the Aboriginal people brought
him Cockatoos and Opossum skins for which he gave them bread in
return. To earn his living James
sold these skins for 3 shillings each and cleared 1 pound
a week.
In
'Robert
Gougers
‑ South Australia in 1837',
a footnote reads ‑
Mr. Brown, the Emigration Agent to whom Mrs. Brown and
this enterprising (J Cronk) servant,
the natives of the colony are under great obligation. They have,
in fact done the work of Protector of Aboriginals as far as the
maintenance of good feelings between the whites and the natives
are concerned. Their kindness to the Aboriginals has been
uniform and striking. At the arrival and reception of Governor
Gawler, James Cronk was noted as being a Sub Inspector and
Interpreter in 1838.
In
a letter of Williarn Wyatt's, Protector to Aborigines he
recommended the appointment of James Cronk
and stated 1 have twice communicated with a person called James
Cronk
and find he is willing to accept the vacant position
provided he can obtain 30 shillings a week and rations. The high
character borne by Cronk
and the confidence placed in him by the Aboriginals
rendered him extremely eligible to fill the situation. He is now
getting 25 shillings a week as a survey labourer. 1 may also add
that he is the only man in the colony whose knowledge of the
Aborigine dialects is sufficiently extensive to be immediately
available".
James
Cronk
made
one of the earliest contacts with the Kaurna people, and retained his position until the end of
1840. At this time James
was living in Halifax Street and owned along with John Bagg
block 523. On the 13 h March 1841 James
married Jane
Storer
(widow) who was proprietor of the Rob‑Roy
Hotel. Later that year James
Cronk
was offered 45 pounds for his block, which he accepted.
With this money he bought land at Modbury. In 1842 James
and Jane
moved onto section 840 where they took up farming and
built their home.
In
1845 James
Cronk
who was able to read and write was appointed Pound Keeper
of the Public Pound erected on section 840, district A (later Highercombe)
on the Dry Creek. James retained this position for a few years. In 1852 James
Cronk
went to Forest Creek in Victoria searching for Gold and
was listed as having sent home 17 ounces of gold with Tolmers
first gold escort from Bendigo,
Victoria.
James
Cronk
signed
a petition (memorial) to form the District of Highercombe in 1853 and the first assessment records state
that he owned 114 acres on Sections 840 and 1573.
Notes
taken from a family history, (though not proven) state the name
was originally De
Cronk and the family were French Huguenots, that James
father was a gardener to a wealthy family and married
their daughter. A brother John arrived in South Australia in
1838.
10
children. Ann
was borne in 1849, married Charles Morris when she was 18
years old and had 7 children. William
was born in 1851 and married Rebecca
Barber when he was 23 years old and had 8 children. Henry
John was born in 1853, married Susan Rawlings
when he was 23 years old and had seven children.
Jane
Cronk
died 13'h
March 1884 of Dysentery aged 66 years old and is buried
at the Walkerville Cemetery. James Cronk
died 5.7.1904 of Senile Decay aged 93 years old and is
buried at Hope Valley along with three other family members.
James
Cronk
lived
a long life at his farmhouse on Wright
Road, Modbury
near Dry Creek. He came to South Australia when the
colony was first settled. He was an enterprising young man who
worked for the government and then moved to Modbury
as farmer, a true pioneer of the district and the State.
His home on Wright
Road is no longer there, as it was demolished in 1971 to
make way for new development.
Information
taken from :
‑
"From Settlement to City" ‑
Alan
Auffi
‑
Upright Files ‑ Tea Tree
Gully Library
‑
Cemetery Records ‑ Tea
Tree Gully Library
‑
Records ‑ Births, Deaths
& Marriages
Cronk
‑
Family
History ‑
Robyn Outram
(nee
Corston)
&
Joy Coker
Africaine
Ships Manuscript
(S.A. Archives 565 D.T.)
James
Cronk ~who was engaged
by John Brown the Emigration Agent. for 35 pounds was recorded
in the Register of Emigration labourers as �Agriculturist� aged 26 and was writer of
the only letter
to be discovered from a Steerage passenger on the Africaine.
November
2nd. 1837
Dear Mother, Sisters and Brothers
I have embraced this opportunity of addressing you with these
few lines to you.
hoping they, will reach you with safety and find you all ill
good health, as It leaves me at present. and thank God for it,
for 1 have never enjoyed better health than I have in
this country,.
The climate is exceedingly" fine, the winter here is, like Spring in England.
for the frosts are very
trifling, not sufficient to cause ice. The spring is very
pleasant, the summer
is warm, but w
c have
cool breezes generally
from the westward,
they rise about 10 o'clock. and continue all day
I think in my opinion that this country is far. superior
to Sydney
and Van Dieman�s
Land. as I have experienced all these colonies. I
decidedly pass my opinion on this place in every respect to land
and climate for I have been a good
deal about the country
since I have been here and had a good deal of
Intercourse with the natives. I begin to talk their
language very fair‑.
considering the short time
I have
been here, 1 was the first person to venture over the
hills in search of them,
about 18 miles from the town.
there were
35 In number. The women
and children were very frightened when they, saw
me as I was the first white man they
had ever seen. They, gave a shriek, the men took to their spears, but did not
offer to throw
them
at me. The men were quite naked., as that Is their usual
way here in the woods. for they, could not climb trees with
their clothes on, they chip a piece of bark out. to place
their foot in every step. until they come to the limb of the
tree, for they
get
young
birds and possums out of the holes, But me and my master
‑were out shooting cockatoos a few days before when we fell in with 4 of the them
and we took them down to our tents and gave them
plenty.
of biscuits and sugar
so those men knew us again
and made much of us. I took with me 6 lbs
of' sugar and 16 lbs
of biscuits. I shared it amongst them.
except about 2 lbs
as 1 kept them
for myself. The sun was just going down as I fell in with
them.
I slept but little that night, but one of the natives
kept singing and beating 2 sticks until daybreak, which I
thought was to keep watch. The next morning I went out hunting
with them, the women and children were so frightened of my gun
that they would not go with us, they all seemed astonished at
its sending a bullet 3 inches in a tree at a distance of about
200 yards. I shot a quantity of birds and they got several
opossums which is rather larger than a foot so we had a
sumptuous feast. The next morning I persuaded them to come down
to our tents: the women objected at first, I then made motions
to them that I would give them plenty of sugar and biscuits,
then they consented to come, but when the women saw the ships in
the bay they stared in astonishment to look at them. They
stopped close to my tent that night, the next day they went
away, they came down again in about a fortnight afterwards and
had several corroborees, but now they stop about the town and
fetch wood for the people for some bread. They now bring me in
young cockatoos and opossum skins for which I give them bread in
return. I sell them for 3/- each so 1 clear about 1 pound per
week, that and my wages together is better than I should get in
England. The natives, just before I wrote these lines to you,
ask me to go with them about 11 miles in a north east direction
and ask me to take two kangaroo dogs with me. They tell me there
is plenty of kangaroos, emus and other birds. They tell me there
is two big rivers of fresh water where there is plenty of wild
duck and black swans, they say that there is some large plains
out that way and that the natives are very frightened of us for
they were coming to have a look at us when there was a ship
coming in it fired two big guns which frightened them so they
turned back again. I have not made up my mind whether I shall go
or not. Dear Kindred I do not know what sort of account you have
heard of this place, my opinion is, as many more, that there is
every promising prospects of a flourishing colony.
The
town is improving very fast and we have not had to undergo one
half of the inconveniences as I expected we should, for we have
never been short of provisions yet, for the vessels are
continually coming from Sydney, Van Dieman's Land and other
places. We have some large flocks of sheep and herds of bullocks
and cows, also horses; and vessels still coming in with stock
and provisions. The land produces very fine rich grass of
various sorts. The town is beautifully situated on 2 spots of
rising ground, with a strong running stream of water through the
centre which runs all the year round. The town is surrounded by
large plains. The people have made gardens and their crops have
turned out very fair crops. I have seen small spots of wheat and
oats, looks remarkably well at present. Any person coming out
here can never regret it; for labour will always be in full
demand and 1 hope 1 shall have
the
pleasure of seeing my, brothers and
relations out here. I have 1 � acres of land in the town
which wi11 become very
valuable in
the course of a few
years. My master gave 5 pounds per acre and I
have been
offered 80 pounds for It but refused to sell. 1 sold 3/4i acre
I purchased for 10 Pounds per
acre I sold for 23 pounds a few later. Labour of' every
kind Is in full demand.
Wages
here is for
labouring,
men, about 30/- to 36/-
per \week. mechanics from 50/-
to 60/‑
per week.
Price for provisions,
Fat beef' and mutton
1/‑
per lb. Salt pork 10d.
butter 2/-.
fresh butter 3/‑.
sugar 8d.
tea 3/‑,kangaroo
9d. mild 8d
per. quart. beer 1/2 to 1/6
per quart.
Dear
Mother. I hope you have
received the
letters I have sent to you. 5 in number, for I
am
in expectation of seeing my
brother John and William Gray;
here
shortly, also a letter from you. The
gentleman Mr
Gouger
has had the kindness to favour me
with
bringing these lines to London for
you,
which
he will be so
kind as to send ,on a letter when he resides. As you
can ask any
questions of' the colony. and of' our way
of employment:
and if either
of my sisters and brothers would like to come out here.
He
will have the kindness to give
you any
instructions how to proceed. When I write
the next letter I will endeavour
to send you something home. You will be so good as to give
my
kind respects to Mir
& Mrs
Lambert &
family
that 1 have not seen John yet, but
hoping they have heard from him.
Dear Mother. give my kind love
to Uncle
and Aunt Nolles.
that 1 sent their letters to Sydney by, post, soon after
1 arrived ill the colony
and tell them
I am doing well:
and to my cousin
Thomas
Grandshaw
and family, and tell him
to remember me to his
father,
mother and family.
Deal‑
Mother.
Give
my kindest
love to all my
sisters. brothers and relations
and remember me to all inquiring
friends and tell them
1 am
in good
health and doing
well. Thank God for It.
I
remain
your
affectionate son.
James
Cronk
In South Australia
To
Mrs
Cronk,
Next door to the Prince Regent|
Globe Road,
Mile End.
STEPNEY
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