Ellis Baxter Crampton (1844 - 1929)

Born 25 Feb 1844 in Ramsgate, Kent, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Husband of Doborah Ellen Gorman — married 29 Jun 1874 in Kangaroo Point, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Descendants

Died 5 Nov 1929 at age 85 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

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Biography

Ellis was born on 25 February 1844 in Ramsgate, England. He was the second son of Thomas Bishop Crampton and Sarah Stannard ^[1]

He appears in the 1851 Census living at 3 Sussex Street Ramsgate

• Thomas B Crampton, 33 - Tinman & Gas Fitter
• Sarah Crampton, 32 - Dressmaker
• Thomas T Crampton, 11 - Scholar
• Ellis B Crampton, 7 - Scholar
• Stephen R Crampton, 5
• Walter J Crampton, 3
• Sarah M Crampton, 10 months ^[2]

Based on the birth records of Ellis's siblings, the family immigrated to Australia around 1853 when Ellis was 9 years old. The family settled in Glebe, an inner-western suburb of Sydney, 3 km from the CBD. His father, Thomas, was a gas fitter, Tinsmith and worker of metals and was a pioneer of the area^[3].

Ellis moved to Brisbane in 1861 at the age of 17 ^[4]. He worked as a journeyman plumber. In 1864 there were three major fires in Brisbane, including the Great Fire of Brisbane which destroy entire blocks in Queens, Albert, George and Elizabeth Street. In the aftermath of the fires, Ellis worked on the team that roofed the old Brisbane Town Hall which was completed in 1865 (located at 66-75 Queen Street). He also rebuilt houses and businesses in "Refuge Row" on Queen Street, between Edward and Creek Streets. These buildings were a refuge to accommodate businesses that had been burnt out in the fires^[5][6]. The fires of 1864 led to the establishment of the centrally organised Brisbane Fire Brigade in 1882, replacing the City Volunteer Fire Brigade formed in 1868 ^[7][8].

On the 29th of June 1874, Ellis aged 31, married Deborah Gorman aged 29 in Brisbane, Queensland. At the time, he was working as a Tinsmith, and Deborah was a Laundress ^[9]. Deborah already had 2 children, Ada and Sarah (See Research Notes). The couple went on to have two more children, Amelia and Sidney.

In approximately 1875, Ellis started to volunteer for the City Fire Brigade ^[10]. On 30 October 1880, Ellis was employed on the permanent staff of the Brisbane Fire Brigade. By 1888 he was in charge of the Kangaroo Point Fire Station located on River Terrace next to the school ^[5]. He and his family lived at the house attached to the Firestation at Kangaroo Point ^[11]. When Ellis first started in the fire service, the bucket brigade was the chief fire fighting machinery. This involved knocking a hole in a nearby tank and carrying water in bucket lines. When water was laid in Brisbane, leather hoses were brought to put out fires ^[5]. The firemen would bring hoses and other equipment to the fires on their 'Quad', which was an iron box slung between two tandem bicycles ^[12]. Ellis had many fortunate escapes during his career as a fireman and has suffered several injuries. He fractured an ankle during a fire. A brick was dislodged during a fire and crashed onto his head. On another occasion, he had a narrow escape from death, from a sheet of iron falling from the roof of a blazing house struck and gashed his nose, leaving a scar. He was drenched fighting a fire at the Central fire station, which caused severe rheumatism, bronchitis and his retirement from the fire service. While in the service, Ellis invented an acetylene hand lamp and a new helmet design to improve safety ^[5]. Ellis retired on 25 June 1924 after 49 years of service ^[10].

He passed away on 5 November 1929 in Brisbane, Queensland^[13].

Obituary -
DEATH OF MR E. B. CRAMPTON Mr Ellis Baxter Crampton, who for 48 years faithfully served the Brisbane Metropolitan Fire Brigade (Queensland), died on November 5th, at the Diamantina Hospital.
He was in charge of the Kangaroo Point fire station for many years and retired from the brigade service on June 25, 1924, at the age of 81 years.
Mr Crampton arrived in Queensland in 1861. He was a journeyman plumber and was among the men who roofed the old town hall. Sometime later he joined the brigade, in which he served for six or seven years in a voluntary capacity. For the remainder of the time, he was employed on the permanent staff.
The bucket brigade was the chief fire-fighting machinery in the days when Mr Crampton first joined. The first fire bell in Brisbane was erected within the walls of the old Police Court and lockup where the General Post Office now stands.
Almost all the early day fires saw the veteran in attendance, for example, the fires at Smellies, D. L. Brown's, and in the vessel George E. Crow.
For 35 years Mr Crampton was at the Kangaroo Point station, which, like the Petrie Terrace station, was done away with on the establishment of a new board.
He was the inventor of several appliances for the benefit of firefighters, including the acetylene hand lamp, which took the place of the old kerosene wick torch.
Mr Crampton was a native of Ramsgate, England; having been born there nearly 86 years ago. He entered the Diamantina Hospital in July 1926. ^[4]

Ellis was buried on 6 November 1929 at the South Brisbane Cemetery, Dutton Park, Queensland, Australia. His wife Deborah is buried in the same grave. ^[14]

Funeral Notice
FIREMAN'S FUNERAL.
Mr. Ellis Baxter Crampton, whose death was reported in "The Telegraph" yesterday had a firemen's funeral this morning. The oak casket containing his remains was carried to the South Brisbane Cemetery, from Cannon and Cripps' funeral parlour, Stanley Street, on one of the Fire Brigade Board's motor machines, another machine being used to convey the floral tributes.
The former comrades of Mr. Crampton present were Chief Officer William Younger, District Officers H. J. Wiltshire and R. Greer, and ten representatives of the various metropolitan stations.
The chief mourners included Mr. H.R. Crampton, of Singleton-, (brother), Mr. and Mrs. C. Melloy (son-in-law and daughter), Mr. and Mrs. W. Sanders (son-in-law and daughter), Mr. and Mrs. W. D. R, Walker (son-in-law and daughter), Mrs. S. E. Crampton (daughter-in-law), Messrs, J. and C. Melloy (grandsons). The Metropolitan Fire Brigades Board was represented by Messrs. W. B. Denmead, L. D. M, Purkiss and Robert W. Turner-Jones (secretary).
Rev. Ivan S. Stebbins (Vulture Street Congregational Church) officiated at the graveside. ^[15]

Research Notes

Ada Louisa and Sarah Ellen were born before Ellis and Deborah were married. Neither are on Ellis's death certificate. Ellis is not on Ada and Sarah's birth or death certificates. DNA matches prove that Ada's descendants are related to the descendants of Ellis's father Thomas and mother Sarah. Relationship is confirmed by an AncestryDNA ThruLines test match between Kathy Melloy and 7 descendant of Thomas, Stephen, Walter, and John. Predicted relationship from AncestryDNA: 5th-4th Cousins, based on sharing between 23-11cM. Thus, it is possible that either Ellis, Thomas Bishop or one of his sons fathered Ada and Sarah.

It is unclear the exact date Ellis arrived in Australia or aboard which ship. His obituary says he came to Queensland in 1860. He appears on the 1851 census with 4 siblings in Ramsgate. Then on 24 March 1853 his younger brother, John H Crampton's birth was registered in NSW as were his younger siblings, Mary A (1855), Harman R (1857), Ada E (1859) and Sydney R (1862). ^[16]. It is assumed that his parents would not leave him (9 years old) and his other siblings in England and come to Australia. Some other research suggests his Father and Mother came out to Australia aboard the Genghis Khan in 1853, however, the children don't match. Secondly, the Thomas Crampton aboard the Genghis Khan came from Lincoln, England, 1851 census records show this Thomas Crampton came from Kent, England.

Sources

1. ↑ "England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2N4N-TG7 : 1 October 2014), Ellis Baxter Crampton, 1844; from "England & Wales Births, 1837-2006," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Birth Registration, Thanet, Kent, England, citing General Register Office, Southport, England.
2. ↑ Ancestry.com. 1851 England Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005
3. ↑ Trove.nla.gov.au various records tagged "Thomas Bishop Crampton" in the 1860s
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} "MR. E. B. CRAMPTON" The Week (Brisbane, Qld.: 1876 - 1934) 8 November 1929: page 40. Accessed 22 Feb 2022 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article189653552>.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3} "Fireman at 79" Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld.: 1872 - 1947), Wednesday 25 June 1924, page 6
6. ↑ East, John W. (2020). Queen Street, 1900: a study of the Victorian architecture of Brisbane's principal thoroughfare. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: John East. Accessed 5/3/2022, https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:24981bc
7. ↑ "Brisbane capital of Queensland" 2022 Paul Budde History, Philosophy, Culture. https://paulbuddehistory.com/convict-history-of-brisbane/brisbane-capital-of-queensland/
8. ↑ Brisbane Fire Brigade Board. Queensland State Archives, Agency ID A11483. https://www.archivessearch.qld.gov.au/agencies/A11483
9. ↑ Marriage Certificate of Ellis Baxter Crampton and Deborah Gorman.1874/B/4420, Queensland
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1} "RECORD OF SERVICE. FIREMAN E.B. CRAMPTON" The Daily Mail (Brisbane, Qld.: 1903; 1916 - 1926) 25 June 1924: page 2. Accessed 22 Feb 2022 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article219086720>.
11. ↑ Melloy, Robert Sydney, and Diane Melloy. Time Will Tell: Memoirs of a Kangaroo Point Kid. Brisbane, Queensland: Boolarong, 1993.
12. ↑ Jack Melloy 1988. Unpublished Manuscript "Life as I saw it". Accessed from the Melloy private collection
13. ↑ Queensand Government. Family history research service. Accessed 26/2/2022. Record number 1929/B/9483. https://www.familyhistory.bdm.qld.gov.au/details/70e1d211aeea28ec897263044f320704b22970b4bf44e46c1f54b1e9faa2315b
14. ↑ Brisbane City Council. Cemetry Search. https://graves.brisbane.qld.gov.au
15. ↑ FIREMAN'S FUNERAL." The Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld. : 1872 - 1947) 6 November 1929: page 9 (5 O'CLOCK CITY EDITION). Accessed on 22 Feb 2022 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article180093843>.
16. ↑ New South Wales Family History Index, Birth search https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/lifelink/familyhistory/search/result?16

See also

• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 25 December 2020, 10:02), entry for Ellis Baxter Crampton (PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:LDY2-PYV ); contributed by various users.
• https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LDY2-PYV
• Find A Grave: Memorial #48722739
• Brisbane Old Town Hall - https://www.flickr.com/photos/queenslandstatearchives/32073105163