Eliza Jane (Kimball) Bryant (1866 - 1960)

Born 9 Jan 1866 in Ironbark, New South Wales, Australia

Ancestors

Wife of Benjamin Bryant — married 5 Feb 1890 in Parkes, New South Wales, Australia

Descendants

Died 25 Dec 1960 at age 94 in Parkes, New South Wales, Australia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Ian Gallard [send private message]

Biography

Buried DEC 1960. Parkes Cemetery, Parkes, NSW, Australia.^[1]

Note: The following was taken from the Parkes ' Champion-Post ' January 1946. " Living Link with Earliest Parkes. Mrs E. J. Bryant Celebrates Eightieth Birthday. Mrs Eliza Jane Bryant, one of Parkes' oldest residents, and a real district pioneer, celebrated her eightieth birthday last Wednesday. Looking hardly older than sixty, despite her hard working life, Mrs Bryant told a ' Champion-Post ' representative something of her life in the early days here. Her parents Mr. & Mrs. Cyrus Kimball, were among hundreds of thousands of immigrants who flocked to Australia in the raw, rough, colonial days when the oppressed peoples of Europe saw in Australia their chance to begin a new life free of persecution. Mr. Kimball himself originally hailed from Maine, US., while his bride was a Welsh girl. When their daughter Eliza was born^[2] they were living at Ironbarks^[3], now known as Stuart Town, where Mr. Kimball set up business as a contractor. In 1871 the western gold fields were opened and enormous numbers of people flocked to the scene. Early in 1872 the Kimballs joined in the rush, establishing themselves at ' The Welcome ' ( now known as Parksborough ). Aged six years when they came to this district Eliza Kimball spent her early years surrounded by the bustling camp scenes of the gold fields. Mrs. Bryant debunks stories of the legendary rough and wild life of the miners, whom she declares were the finest class of men she has ever encountered. In those early days, she continued, Parkes itself was a canvas town with a few slab humpies. Kelly's Hotel did a roaring trade exchanging potent liquids for hard won gold where the Commonwealth Bank now wins the citizens' cash by gentler methods. Tattersall's Hotel was a straggling collection of slab shanties, while the beginnings of Howard's emporium of today were a narrow gabled shed with residence at the back. A blacksmiths shop operated on the site of Jack Best's corner. Her most vivid recollection of those days, however, is not of the colourful mining scenes, but of the breath taking beauty of the country between Parkes and Tichborne - a blaze of wattle scrub, now, alas, seen no longer. Fifty six years ago she married Mr. Ben Bryant of Bindogundra^[4][5][3]. Born in New Zealand, Mr. Bryant had accompanied his parents to Australia and had settled down with them in this district. Mrs Bryant bore her husband five children and enjoyed a happy married life until, in 1899, a tragedy came when Mr. Bryant was killed in a mine accident at Peak Hill. The eldest child was aged seven and the youngest son ( Benjamin ) not born until three months after his fathers death. To support her lusty young family, Mrs Bryant became storekeeper and postmistress at The Welcome, in addition to running a small farm. Years of hard work followed, but Mrs. Bryant gamely continued to struggle to educate her children. At length the day came, twenty six years ago when she was able to leave Parkesborough and reside in Parkes itself. Since then Mrs. Bryant has watched many of her old friends and family pass away, until today few of her childhood companions are still living. Her eldest son ( Jim ) was killed at Lone Pine, where so many fine Australians perished in the attempt to force a passage to the Dardanelles. Looking back over the years Mrs. Bryant is somewhat wistful for the " pretty " Parkes she first knew. However she still realises the advantages of modern developments - especially swimming baths. She has seen the laying of the foundation stone on three Church of England churches her and herself taught Sunday School for the Church of England at ' The Welcome ' in the days of Archdeacon Neild who performed her marriage ceremony. Her eightieth birthday was celebrated quietly, at the home of her son Ben, of Endicott & Bryant. Her daughter Gwen ( Mrs. Parker ) came from Hillston for the occasion, while another daughter Beryl ( Mrs. Peter McGirr of Bourke ) telephoned her, being unable to attend. Mr. Keith Bryant who lives with his mother in Cooke Street, played a prominent part in the celebrations. There are ten living Grandchildren. Despite her years, this sturdy pioneer still looks fresh and energetic, good for many birthdays yet. We join with many others in wishing her a happy and healthy life for many years to come. "Eliza died 25th December 1960 aged 94."^[6][3][7].

File Format: JPEG. Eliza Jane (Kimball) Bryant. Format: JPEG. Eliza Jane (Kimball) Bryant.

Sources

1. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 30 November 2020), memorial page for Eliza Jane Bryant (1866–25 Dec 1960), Find a Grave Memorial no. 123546808, citing Parkes General Cemetery, Parkes, Parkes Shire, New South Wales, Australia ; Maintained by III (contributor 47426837) .
2. ↑ NSW BMD Register Birth #16059/1866
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Parkes Historical Museum
4. ↑ NSW BMD Register Marriage #6028/1890
5. ↑ 1890 'Wedding Favors.', Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870 - 1907), 1 March, p. 35. , viewed 29 Nov 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71108398
6. ↑ NSW BMD Register Death #30698/1960
7. ↑ Death notice, late of Parkes, Sydney Morning Herald 26 DEC 1960

• Personal recollection of events witnessed by Ian Gallard as remembered 29 Jan 2018.