Christofero Palmerston Carandini (abt. 1850 - 1897)

Born about 1850 in Melbourne, Colony of Victoria

Ancestors

Husband of Teresa (Rooney) Carandini — married 6 Dec 1886 in Queensland, Australia

Died 15 Jan 1897 at about age 47 in Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia

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Australian Explorer and Prospector.

Biography

Christofero Carandini was an Australian explorer.

Christofero Carandini is Notable.

Christofero " Christi Palmerston " Carandini was probably born at Van Dieman's Land and baptised at Melbourne, in about 1850, the son of Jerome Carandini and Maria Burgess.

MARRIAGE. 6th of December 1886, St Joseph's Church, Townsville, Colony of Queensland to Teresa Rooney, daughter of Matthew Rooney & Sarah (Murphy) Rooney [an architect's daughter and violinist]^[1]

Children:

1. Rosina Marie Carandini, b. 13 Jun 1889, d. 28 Sep 1935, m. ?? Vaughn-Smith, son of ??

(1889). CHRISTIE PALMERSTON, the well-known North Queensland explorer, whose portrait has appeared in FIGARO, together with his own diary account of his prospecting and discovery of the Russell river diggings, has decided to "jack up" yacker, and has retired to the delce far niente of bossing a beer-engine! He has secured the lease of and settled down at the Hotel Metropole, Ross Island, Townsville.

DEATH. 15th of January 1897, Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia

OBITUARY. DEATH Of CHRISTIE PALMERSTON. A FAMOUS BUSHMAN GONE. In notifying the death in the Straits Settlement of Christie Palmerston, the well-known North Queensland prospector, a Townsville contemporary says it is not generally known that his baptismal name was Christefero Palmerston Carandini, and that he was a son of the Marquis of Carandini and Madam Carandini, the famous vocalist. He left his parents at an early age, and since he was fifteen years old he was identified with mining in North Queensland up to seven years ago, when he left for the Straits Settlement.

He was only forty-five years old, and leaves a wife and one child.

The North Queensland Register gives the following further information about the famous North Queensland bushman and prospector:—The death of Christie Palmerston removes a man who was a prominent figure in North Queensland from 1875 to 1889. He was probably the best bushman ever known in the North, and in this no doubt was aided by the wonderful control he had over the natives. In the early days of the Palmer his career was a doubtful one, but his rescue of people who were lost restored him to public favour. He was on the Hodgkinson in the early days, and was among the first to visit the Herberton field. He was in great request opening up tracks, and was the first to blaze a route from Mourilyan Harbour to Geraldton. He never settled down in mining, deserting a camp as soon as it was settled, and going prospecting for another. In the early eighties he was prospecting in the Daintree district, a country containing the fiercest blacks in North Queensland. He incautiously handled some spears that he found in a camp, and subsequently rubbing his eyes became blind. His only companion was "Pompo," a blackboy about eighteen years of age, and his situation was truly a terrible one. "Pompo," however, proved faithful, and led his sightless master through the wilderness of scrub for several days until Herberton was reached. A few weeks treatment soon restored his eyesight, and"Pompo " became famous.Unfortunately, however, "Pompo" was shortly after seized with fever. He was taken to the hospital, became delirious, escaped from the institution one winter's night, and contracted a cold which carried him off. His master erected a handsome monument to his memory in Herberton Cemetery, on which was set forth the the faithfulness of the untutored savage, It is related of "Pompo" that nothing pleased him better than to have a fight with the blacks of other tribes, and even when he was leading Christie he was with difficulty persuaded to leave the blacks through whose country they passed alone. About eleven years ago Willie Joss and George Clarke discovered the Russell Terraces, but Christie had been for some time "specking" in Cooparoo and Wareambar Creeks, below them, and aided by the natives had secured about 400oz. of gold. This had taken months to secure, during which time Palmerston had lived with the blacks, and was quite at their mercy. When on such expeditions he troubled himself little about rations, being quite content to exist on the food which satisfied his aboriginal companions.There has always been much speculation how Palmerston escaped death at the hands of the blacks ; he was in their power scores of times when finding tracks, prospecting, or alluvial working. Some assert his mastery of the aboriginal language enabled him to scent out danger, and if a plot were hatching against him he could be relied on to disperse the plotters. The most accepted theory, however, was that, his reputation as a relentless foe, as an unfailing revolver shot, and his strict, non-interference in the conjugal happiness of his dusky companions for the time being, were his greatest security. When the Russell River rush broke out the Geraldton Divisional Board gave Palmerston £100 to blaze a track to the field from the Johnstone River. This he did, and so finished his work in North Queensland.Shortly afterwards he married a Townsville lady, but even then he could not settle down, and the alleged glories of the Raub attracted him to the Straits Settlements. Subsequently he was prospecting in North Borneo, and kept himself safe from the head-hunters there, who, it is rumoured, suffered severely in their attempts to secure his "cobra." Though unquestionably a courageous and resolute man, Palmerston loved theatrical effect, and he was never happier than when, an arduous trip completed, he rode into Herberton all battered and torn, bootless, with toes in stirrup, and followed by a ragged, half-naked troop of myalls, whose rolling eyeballs expressed the greatest mistrust of the civilisation to which their master was introducing them. Now that railways and Cobb's coaches traverse North Queensland, track-finders and prospectors of the Palmerston stamp find their occupation gone, but in the early days there was ample scope for their abilities, and among all the crack bushmen of the olden time it is safe to say that none came up to Christie Palmerston, who could fight his way as well as mark his way when travelling for a given point. Christie Palmerston was over medium height, stocky and active, with thick black curly hair matching his black bushy beard. He rarely wore a hat and kept a Snider rifle handy at all times. His usual garb consisted of a cotton shirt held around the waist by a broad belt glistening with cartridges, which accompanied a large colt revolver at his hip.6 He was born around 1850 in Melbourne to Jerome Carandini, the Marquis of Sarzano and Marie Carandini, an Australian opera singer and was baptised Cristofero Palmerston Carandini. This name appeared on the marriage certificate when he married violinist Teresa Rooney in Townsville in December 1886. Palmerston, as a young man, joined the gold rush to the Palmer River in 1873, came into conflict with authority and went bush to escape questioning.

Sources

1. ↑ Qld BMD Marriage registration: Name: Teresa Rooney; Marriage date:06/12/1886; Spouse's name:Christofero Palmerston Carandim; Registration details:1886/C/1807.

See Also:

• "Biography - Christie Palmerston - Australian Dictionary Of Biography". 2020. Adb.Anu.Edu.Au. Palmerston Bio, ADB
• Chapelhill, Palmerston
• Monument Australia
• Christie Palmerston
• (1889). Christie Palmerston: Queensland Figaro and Punch (Brisbane, Qld. : 1885 - 1889) Saturday 23 March 1889, p27 S, Article
• Obituary: Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 - 1954) Wednesday 10 March 1897, p6 Article