James Wiburd
Contents
Background
James Wiburd was born in 1835 at Harrow Road, Paddington, London, England. He arrived at Port Phillip in August 1852, on board the Fanny. After employment for some time in an iron foundry he went to the Ovens diggings with a tandem team of a bullock and horse. With varying luck he visited many other diggings and was involved in the Lambing Flat and Eureka Stockade encounter. Wiburd married Elizabeth Margaret Dumbrell in the Wesleyan Church, Surrey Hills, Sydney on 26 August 1857. After his marriage in Sydney and the birth of his first two children he proceeded to Bathurst in 1861 where he and his wife had another eight children. He was a building contractor throughout his working life at Bathurst. James Wiburd was buried on 13 February, 1918 in the Methodist section of Bathurst Cemetery. es 12 February 1918 in which it stated “ … fought in the Eureka Stockade and still had the gun used in that conflict”.[1]
Goldfields Involvement, 1854
Wiburd was inside the stockade and a participant in the Eureka battle. He was one of the Eureka veterans who attended the 50th Anniversary celebrations in 1904. He was at that time, living at Bathurst. His obituary notice appeared in the Western Times.[2]
Post 1854 Experiences
Obituary
- Death of a Bathurst Pioneer.
- WAS IN EUREKA STOCKADE RIOTS.
- Mr. James Wiburd, a resident of Bathurst for 50 years, and who was one of the few survivors of the Eureka Stockade, died on Monday at the age of 87 years. Mr. Wiburd arrived in Australia at the age of 19 years, and settled in Victoria. He took part in the early gold rushes in that State, and was one of those who participated m the riots at Ballarat in December, 1854, which culminated in the attack on the Stockade. He received slight wounds in the melee.
- Up to the time of his death he had in his possession an old Win chester rifle - which he used on the historic occasion. He has left a large grown-up family, including Geo. Wiburd; at one time champion cyclist of Australia, and Carvossa Wiburd, who for many years has been in charge at Jenolan Caves.[3]
See also
Further Reading
Corfield, J.,Wickham, D., & Gervasoni, C. The Eureka Encyclopaedia, Ballarat Heritage Services, 2004.
References
External links
