The Peebles and Fox Family History:Information about William Haycox
William Haycox (b. 24 October 1877, d. 26 January 1957)
Notes for William Haycox:
Diary of William Haycox Snr on his voyage with wife Elizabeth, including Elizabeth aged 9, William jnr aged 7 and Louisa aged 5, from Plymouth, England to Sydney, Australia as per "Belgic" in 1885.July 26, day of general farewells weeping at night Mr Mason went upstairs to bring his children for us to see them for the last time one of them lay with his head out of bed and being cold and stiffhe thought he was dead whereat he brought him down stairs shouting and when he got to the bottom he fainted be he and the child were alright before we left when we got the the station Miss Gamble was in a faint she was very poorly for some distance on the way we were going to Plymouth to be ready to embark on the S S Belgic bound for Sydney NSW left Nottingham 11.48pm.July 27, in the train bound for Plymouth a long weary ride weather very hot and us very tired arrived at Plymouth 2.30p after 15 hours travelling some of the scenery we passed was beautiful went straight to Emigration Depot expecting to leave our luggage and then have a walk though town but when I got there found I could not leave again and had to wait till 6 pm for tea.July 28, weather very hot busy all day trying to get our luggage together and have it examined also passed the doctor saw a many ships pass by.July 29, still fine weather with a nice breeze luggage put on the boat to go on the ship which is outside the harbour.A clergyman came at night and preached a very nice and impressive sermon which caused much weeping among the women.July 30, they called us this morning at five am breakfast as six we were called early so as to be ready to embark had to pass the doctor again this morning got on the boat about 11 am all on board of the ship Belgic about 12 noon very busy time getting of the boat on to the ship it is a very nice ship quite fitted up as a first class passenger this being her first trip there are about six hundred souls on board one of the sailors told me she would would accommodate 14 hundred we had dinner at one o'clock roast beef and potatoes and for tea bread and butter and tea there is a lot of sea sickness among the women and a few cases among the single men we separated the single men at the fore part of the ship the married people mid ships and the single women at the hind part saw several ships pass by when the girls were going to bed they found a man stowed away among their bunks he had stowed himself away at Belfast they have made him work down the stoke holes.July 31, weather fair just passed a steamer wife very poorly I have just finished washing the dinner thing I am captain of the mess in the bay of Biscay.Baby dead on board thunder storm in the afternoon.August 1, called at four to be on watch till seven Irish stew coffee and bread for breakfast.After breakfast there was heavy rain which lasted several hours we had for dinner salt pork soup and potatoes and for tea bread and butter.Wind at night rather cold.Off the Spanish coast.August 2, Sunday rose at six breakfast at 8 coffee bread and porridge no church bells ringing no service very nice weather after tea two young men started singing and offered prayer and read a chapter out St John saw an American schooner pass by ink dried up in the bottle had to water it.August 3, Bank holiday but no difference here wife ill I have just washed the breakfast things and scrubbed the birth and mess table.August 4, sun rose on Teneriffe lighting the rocks up beautifulmaking them look like gold stopped while the natives put coal on board they also sold us fruit of different kinds of tobacco.They make a lot of dirt and bustle sailed away from Teneriffe about 8 o'clock very nice night.August 5, very nice morning general cleaning up day rice and tinned beef for breakfast salt pork for dinner.Dark at seven.Several flying fish seen by different people.August 6, very fine weather fruit served out.Women busy washing.August 7, nice weather saw several shoals of flying fish.August 8, on watch 4 am till 7 raining all day.August 9, Sunday inspection by captain and purser of the berths found fault with some of them.Service announced for 11am but prevented by the rain which came down hard and fast for 3 hours.Service held at 2 pm by the doctor.But no one could hear but the girls.A woman gave birth to a son this morning both doing well.August 10, very nice weather crossed the line to day no sport as you read about nothing to tell by.August 11, fine morning getting boxes up and looking in them many broken.August 12, nice weather beds on deck to air while washing bed boards.August 13, weather fair, washing day, saw the light from a ship at night the first since we left Teneriffe.August 14, nice weather bad with diarrhea.Salt pork for dinner dark at seven several flying fish seen by other people.August 15, same as about weather getting cold.August 16, cold morning service read by doctor who read prayers.August 17, weather very cold.August 18, weather very cold.August 19, man locked up for fighting confined for 48 hours.August 20, man locked up last night for selling stores, arrived Cape Town at night the man sent on shore in charge of a policeman natives busy coaling all night.August 21, natives still coaling other come alongside with oranges and cakes to sell.The man tried to that sold the stores sentenced to one month hard labour.Sailed from Cape Town at 2 pm.August 22, nice morning heavy sea a wave now and then coming on board and sweeping all before it swept a man into the scuppers and broke his leg.August 23, general inspection by the captain and doctor all hands muster on deck roll call at 10 am service at 11 am which was interrupted by a child falling off the bridge but he was not hurt much girl sick with diahera.August 24, weather very cold seagulls flying all round our ship having followed us from the Cape.August 25, Concert at night in the saloon spent a very enjoyable evening.August 26, weather a little warmer beds all on deck to air.August 27, sea rolling very much breaking over the ship all day and night coming through into our berth it being three inches deep at one time.August 28, sea breaking over the ship all day.August 29, sea very rough weather very cold wife thrown down by the sea and washed about the deck.August 30, Sunday owing to the bad weather could not have service.August 31, sighted the Island of St Paul at 12.30am weather a bit better this morning but still cold.September 1, warm sunshine cold wind concert at night. September 2, nothing fresh.September 3, wet day raining all day.September 4, finer weather today.September 6, Sunday, inspection by the Captain and Doctor church service read by the Doctor after.September 7, nice morning but very cold concert at night.September 8, nothing fresh today.September 9, childrens school treat.September 10, sighted the coast of Victoria and Tasmania, another baby born on board yesterday.September 11, sailing along the Australian coast.September 12, sighted Sidneys heads this morning anchored in Watsons Bay at 1.30pm the quarantine officer came on board and examined the ship then we sailed to Neutral Bay and anchored for the time.September 13, a clergyman came on board and held a service and preached a very impressive sermon after dinner passed an examination as to region whether we had any friends in the colony.September 14, girls going to the depot this morning after that passed another examination.September 15, we went shore to hunt for some friends with wife of whom we had the address but found they had left and gone to live in the country found Sydney very dirty place owing to the rainy day went back on board at night.September 16, went on shore by myself seeking work not to be got any where walked all over Sydney and went to Randwick rather cast down did not find things as the represented to us before leaving old England or even as represented by immigration agent who came on board on Sunday who painted the Colony in the most glowing colours.September 17, went on shore again to try for work went to the hiring room where the men are hired found that only a few grooms and lads were wanted don't know where to go no one to advise went and asked immigration agent told me to inquire round the docks went there saw a lot of men out of work no advise only get out of Sydney as quick as you can went back to the agent who advised me to go to Mudgee got a pass for Mudgee was told the train would leave at eight o'clock went back to the ship to get the luggage found two boxes missing found they had been taken on shore with the girls boxes and left on the jetty the police took them to the girls depot went to the depot and was told I would have to pay for the carriage of them from the jetty to the depot before I could get them.By the time I had made arrangements to get them away the depot was closed at 5 pm made up my mind to go without them went to the station found the train did not go only half way so that we would have to wait at Walerawang for 8 hours in the night time so we stopped at Sydney it being too late to find lodgings and not knowing where to go we stopped at the station all night.September 18, started from Sydney at 9 am found it a long dreary weary ride very hot and dusty some of the scenery very fine especially the Zig Zag the girl sick on the road got to Mudgee at 7 pm dark at night and raining left the wife and children at the station while I went to seek a place for them to stop could not get a place suitable so we was compelled to sleep in the railway carriages that night by kind permission of the station master who had very kindly taken my wife and children into his house during my absence and given them some tea and he also offered them the use of an empty house which belonged to government for our use till we could get accommodation elsewhere.September 19, got our luggage from the station and ourselves comfortable as we could in the empty house after that went to every like and unlikely place in the town seeking work could not get any but see plenty of men who wanted work was told I had better clear out as there was not enough work for the men belonging to the town came to the conclusion that if the immigration agents go us away from Sydney they did not care what became of us or where we went.September 20, got in converse with a driver and fireman found the fireman came from Hasland and been a fireman on the M R he invited my wife and children to stay at his house till I could get a place form them his home was at Walerawang went to church at night.September 21, leaving Mudgee for Lithgow left the wife and children at Walerawang to stay with the fire mans wife got to Lithgow tried every place before I could get work which I got at the last pottery digging day next business was to get a house I got a small castle containing two rooms and when it was daylight I could see out of doors all around the house.Went to work found it very hard work to.After I came home wrote to the wife who came next day.
Occupation:William started in May, 1898 with the WA Government Railway as a Cleaner and Fireman.He then joined the NSW Government Railway as a Fuelman, August 1899, Harden NSW; December 1900, Cleaner, Harden NSW; November 1902, Fireman, Harden NSW; September 1909, Driver, Harden NSW; July 1913, Driver, Kiama NSW; August 1917, Driver, Eveleigh NSW.William remained loyal during the Strike of 1917.One month's leave on full pay was granted after 20 years' service, applied and taken from 22 September, 1919.William retired on 12 September, 1939 and like his brother in law Arthur Springthorpe, he was awarded an Imperial Service Medal on 9 October, 1940.William is believed to be the first man in NSW in 1926, to drive an electric train either from Sydney to Oatley or from Oatley to Sydney.
More About William Haycox:
Burial: Unknown, Woronora Cemetery, Sutherland, NSW.
Immigration: 30 July 1885, William 31, Elizabeth 33, children Elizabeth 9, William 7 and Louisa 5 left Plymouth, England and arrived in Sydney on 12 September, 1885 on board the "Belgic's" maiden voyage as paying passengers..
Place of death: 59 Union Street, Kogarah, NSW.
Residence: 1881, Handley Road, Whittingham, Derbyshire, England..
More About William Haycox and Florence Matilda Springthorpe:
Marriage: 12 September 1900, Murrumburrah, NSW.
Children of William Haycox and Florence Matilda Springthorpe are:
- Florence Elizabeth May Haycox, b. 9 August 1901, Harden, NSW, d. 11 June 1990, Arncliffe, NSW.
- William Henry Adolphus Haycox, b. 23 June 1906, Murrumburrah, NSW, d. 7 August 1975, Dubbo, NSW.
- Thelma Haycox, b. 25 January 1918, Hurstville, NSW, d. 10 May 2001, Canberra, ACT.