Joseph and Betsy Worland from Foxton

1854 - Arrival of Parish family

Elizabeth Parish arrived as an assisted passenger with her parents Ephraim and Eliza Parish (nee Everett) on the Maria Hay in 1854. Their other children were James Mitchell Parish (12) (died in Camperdown in 1918, Vic BDM Ref 11927), Ann Parish (10), Hannah Parish (8) and Esther Parish (2).

1858 to 1862 - Children born to Elizabeth Parish

Elizabeth Parish gave birth to the following children with no father named on any of the records:

1857 - Joseph Worland and Elizabeth (Betsy) Cooper

Some of the details below are on this site, sourced to Vicki Doody (nee Worland), and from Vicki directly.

See this site for details of Joseph and Betsy Worland and their families in England.

Note: It is not known how or if Joseph Worland may be related to brothers John Worland and Frederick Worland who also came from Foxton.

Joseph and Betsy Worland departed from Birkenhead, England on 29 September 1856 aboard the Arabian, arriving at Geelong on 27th January 1857. According to Vicki Doody, the family first started off in a quarry business at Portland and did very well before taking up land and farming first around Geelong and then Euroa. Joseph Worland's parent's names are not recorded on his death certificate.

Joseph and Elizabeth Worland had the following children (including Betsy's son Edgar and two more born in the UK):

1864 - Ann Parish marries Frederick Wright

Ann Parish, the daughter of Ephraim and Eliza Parish who arrived on the Maria Hay in 1854, married Frederick Wright in 1864 (Vic BDM Ref 2302). Ann and Frederick had ten children:

1867 - Edward Myhill Worland dies

Edward Myhill Worland (born 1855) was the third son of Joseph and Betsy Worland. At the age of 12, Edward drowned in a waterhole at Gnarwarre (Geelong) on 4 December 1867 on the farm of his employer, when he lost his footing and fell into the water. The Herald (Victoria) reported on the incident on 6 December 1867 noting that 'The poor boy had been sent to the waterhole by his master to fetch a hay rake and pitchford which were lying on the bank, and it is supposed that he slipped in'.

1876 - Edgar Worland marries

Most of the following details were kindly provided by Vicki Doody (nee Worland).

Edgar Cooper/Worland (born 1846), the son of Joseph and Betsy Worland, established himself in the district of Creighton via Euroa in Victoria. He selected part of what was called the 'Green Hills' now known as the Worland Hills. Edgar named his property Foxton Park after the parish of Foxton in Cambridgeshire where his parents came from. He was a noted breeder of Lincoln Sheep and had a top stud farm. He exhibited wool in London, gaining a special award there and presented one of his prize fleeces to Queen Victoria. In the boom prices of the middle 1890's he received 18 pounds 18 shillings for full grown Lincoln sheep.

Edgar Worland married Isabella Davis (1852, Inverness, Scotland - 1884, Mortlake, Victoria, Australia), the daughter of John Davis of Scotland in 1876 (VIC BDM Ref 738). Isabella's mother's name is not (yet) known. Edgar and Isabella Worland had four children.

Edgar's wife Isabella died in 1884 aged only 32 (Vic BDM Ref 2271). The death certificate states that she died of an asthma attack in the district of Mortlake, near Geelong.

Edgar then married Elizabeth Isabella Halsall, daughter of Gilbert and Charlotte Halsall of Creighton, on 17 January 1889 at Creighton in the district of Longwood. They had six children:

These were the families of Foxton Park, the sheep property at Euroa named after the Parish of Foxton the parents had left in England. The Worland children attended school in Longwood until a school opened at Creighton in 1884.

Edgar Worland died at Euroa in 1906, aged 62. (Vic BDM Ref 8954). When his brother Walter died, it was noted that Edgard and their father had both died of the same cause - syncope.

1881 - Walter Worland marries

Walter Worland (1857 - ), the son of Joseph and Betsy Worland, married Henrietta Parish (1858 - ), the daughter of Ephraim and Eliza Parish and sister to Elizabeth and Ann, in 1881. (Vic BDM Ref 2450).

Walter Worland and Henrietta Worland (nee Parish) (Photos courtesy Ormes Sawyer, a descendant on the Parish line).

Walter and Henrietta Worland had the following children:

1884 - Ann Wright (nee Parish) dies

Ann Wright (nee Parish) died in Camperdown in 1884 (Vic BDM Ref 8064, which names her parents as Ephraim 'Parsih' and Eliza (nee Everett), the couple who arrived with children on the Maria Hay in 1854.

1887 - Frederick Wright marries Esther Parish

After the death of Ann, Frederick married Ann's younger sister Esther in 1887 (Vic BDM Ref 4064).

1889 - Charles Worland marries

Charles Worland (born 1852/1854), the second son of Joseph and Betsy Worland, married Susannah Lilian Looker (1865, Geelong - 1927, East Melbourne) on 22 May 1889 in Geelong, Victoria (VIC BDM Ref 2836). Susannah was one of four children born to Phillip Looker and Susan Wright. (Coincidentally, another Susan Wright also from Cambridgeshire, married John Worland in England and arrived in Victoria in 1854).

Charles and Susannah Worland had four children, all born in Euroa:

1896 - Death of father Joseph Worland

Joseph Worland, aged 81 and born in Cambridgeshire to unknown parents, and the wife of Betsy Worland, died at Clarendon in 1896 (Vic BDM Ref 1167). His funeral notice was carried in The Ballarat Star of 15 February 1896, noting that his remains would leave the residence of his son (Walter), the Corduroy Hotel, Clarendon on that day. Note that Joseph appears to have died of 'syncope', or blackout and fainting. See this site for details of that condition.

Walter was a successful businessman (see obituary below). He owned the Corduroy Creek Bridge Hotel at Clarendon via Geelong and a two story home called 'Morongo' in Geelong. When Walter's father Edgar died in 1906, Edgar's five year old daughter Violet Estella Worland (born 19 August 1901) went to with her uncle Walter Worland and his family at Morongo for a number of years.

Walter Worland died on 7 August 1909, Geelong. The Age (Melbourne) carried the following notice on 9 August 1909:

Mr. Walter Worland, aged 50 years, retired farmer, residing at Bell Post Hill expired suddenly on Saturday at 11.30 p.m. just after getting into bed. Dr. McCallum, who was sent for, says that death was no doubt due to syncope. It is a coincidence that the two brothem and the father of the deceased died in the same way. Mr Worland came from Ballarat district, and leaves a widow and family of grown up sons and daughters.

The Geelong Advertiser of 9 August 1909 provided more detail in its report:

CASUALTIES AND FATALITIES - SUDDEN DEATH AT BELL POST HILL - A retired farmer named Walter Worland, aged 50, and residing at Bell Post Hill, died suddenly at 11.30 o'clock on Saturday night. He had lately been somewhat worried through the illness of his daughter, and during the evening complained of internal pains. These he attributed to the hearty meal he had eaten at tea, and he was explaining his illness to his wife when he collapsed. Dr. McCallum was summoned, but found on his arrival that death had occurred some time previously. Constable Loughton was deputed to investigate the case and ascertained that some of deceased's relatives had died suddenly through heart troubles. After hearing the views of Dr. McCallum and perusing the police report, the coroner. Mr. Read Murphy, P.M. gave an order for burial. Deceased at one time kept a store at Mt Moriac, and subsequently engaged in the same business at Clarendon. He was well-known in Presbyterian circles and was generally respected. He leaves a wife and grown-up family. The cause of death was syncope.

Their third daughter Clara Warland died on 25 August 1909 (The Geelong Advertiser, 26 August 1909). The Geelong Advertiser of 28 August 1909 carried the following obituary for Clara:

The late Miss Clara Worland, third daughter of Mrs. Henrietta and the late Mr Walter Worland. of 'Morongo',. Bell Post Hill, were interred in the family grave.in the Presbyterian portion of the New General Cemetery yesterday afternoon in the presence of a large gathering of sympathising friends. The hearse and coaches were followed by 22 private vehicles. The coffin, which, was covered with floral tributes was carried from the hearse to the grave bv Messrs. J. J. P. and T. Robb. The pall was supported by Messrs. B Clarke. J. Robb, sen. W. Saddler, C. Brown, T Gleeson and A Brunty, of Clarendon. The Rev J A Forrest conducted an impressive service at the house and grave. Mr. Alex. Monro, of Ryrie-street, conducted, the funeral arrangements.

The Age (Melbourne) of 9 June 1910 carried the following article regarding the acquisition of 'Morongo' at Bell Post Hill. This raises the question of whether Walter Worland had actually owned the property before his death, although possibly it refers to the actual land rather than the house where the Worlands lived.

GEELONG. Mr H. F. Richardson has disposed of the well known property 'Morongo,' at Bell Post Hill, consisting of 267 acres, for £6000. The purchaser was Mrs. Walter Worland.

Sometime after this point, Morongo was sold and became the Presbyterian Girls College of Geelong. During the Second World War the house served as a home for WAAFs.

Henrietta Worland died in Kew, Melbourne in 1940 aged 83 (VIC BDM Ref 8582).

1890 - Death of Joseph Cooper Worland

Joseph Cooper Worland (born 1873). Joseph spent six months in hospital with meningitis before but unfortunately died on 8 July 1890 in Geelong.

1891 - Elizabeth Emily Worland marries

Elizabeth Emily Worland (born 1865), the seventh child and first daugther of Joseph and Betsy Worland, married Albert/Alfred N Knight in 1891 in Seymour, Victoria. They had the following children:

Elizabeth appears to have died in November 1901 after giving birth to Walter.

1893 - Charlotte Amelia Worland marries

Charlotte Amelia Worland (born 1867) was the eighth child and second daugther of Joseph and Betsy Worland. Charlotte appears to have moved to Sydney where she married Amos Edward Sharratt on 19 December 1893 in Glebe, NSW. Amos died in 1940. They had one son:

1896 - George Worland marries

George Worland (born 1861) was the sixth son of Joseph and Betsy Worland. George married Ellen Jane (Nellie) Groth (1875, Yandoit - 1939, Prahram (Vic BDM Ref 382)) in Euroa on 5 August 1896. Ellen was the daughter of Herman Frederick Groth and Jane Jeffrey. George and Ellen had the following children, all born in Euroa:

George bought a farm on the Goulburn River near Nagambie, not far from Euroa. According to family source (possibly) the property was put in the wife's name. The Benalla Stanard of 12 August 1910 carried details of a divorce case between George and Ellen. According to the article, Ellen (aged 34), petitioned for a dissolution of her marriage from George (a farmer aged 47), on the ground of repeated acts of cruelty (as reported in the article). George in turn filed an affidavit denying the allegations. The article stated that 'some passion or affection for the nephew [Edgar John James Worland, born in 1877) had given rise to a suit brought from an improper motive ... (but) that did not appear. The husband might have objected to the acquaintance, but though the wife should have desisted from kissing the nephew when her husband spoke to her, there was nothing to show that the kidding was more than a breach of good manners'.

The judge granted a decree nisi and gave Ellen custody of the children 'for the present', with liberty apply to the Court later on. Alimony was also fixed at 10/- a week. George was unable to claim anything for himself. Ellen married George's nephew Edgar John James Worland (the first cousin to her six children) in 1912 (VIC BDM Rec 8049).

George then lived with his nephew Edward Alfred ('Alf') Worland (the half-brother of Edgar John James Worland, his former wife' now husband) and Alf's wife Ada for a few years later in his life. He died in 1929

1896 - Louise Jane Worland marries

Louise Jane Worland (born 1870) was the eighth child and second daugther of Joseph and Betsy Worland. Louise married William Henry Larcombe in 1896. The marriage was celebrated at Foxton Park (Louise's father Edgar's property at Euroa). The Larcombes lived on a property at Petaville out of Geelong. They had the following children:

1940 - Death of Henrietta Worland (nee Parish)

Henrietta Worland (nee Parish) died in Kew in 1940 aged 83 (Vic BDM Ref 8582, does not list her husband Walter but shows her parents as 'James Parrish' and Eliza (unknown maiden name)).

Page created 7 April 2013, updated 7 September 2023 (additional details on the Parish family). Copyright © Andrew Warland. (andrewwarland(at)gmail.com)