George Francis Skingle Barwell Boy

George Francis Skingle

Born 1 March 1907

Education 1918 – 1923 Leith Industrial School, 57 Lochend Road, Leith, Scotland

Occupation 1923 Joiner

Residence 35 Shorrolds Road, Fulham, London

Emigration 4 Oct 1923 Port of London to Adelaide on the SS Balranald. One of the Barwell Boys

Arrival/Residence 20 Nov 1923 - Minlaton, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia. Farm hand

Residence 26 Aug 1924 - Rosebank Farm, Port Victoria (aka Wauraltee), Yorke Peninsula, South Australia.

Disappearance 23 March 1925 - Adelaide, South Australia

In 1918, at the age of 11, George was sent into the care of a Superintendent Mr A S Nelson at Leith Industrial School (formerly one of the Victorian Ragged Schools Institutions for destitute and poor children), 57 Lochend Road, Leith, Scotland. At Leith he completed an apprenticeship in joining and turning and returned to London in 1923 residing at 35 Shorrolds Road, Fulham, London, though his mother’s residence was at 48a Wardo Avenue, Fulham, London. His occupation in 1923 is given as a joiner.

35 Shorrolds Road 48a Wardo Avenue

On 29 June 1923 George applied, with the permission of his mother, Mary Skingle, to migrate to Australia and on 17 July 1923 at Australia House he was given a medical and signed up to engage in farm work in Australia. He finally signed the South Australia Immigration Amendment Act 1913 on 17 August 1923 at the age of 16 years and 5 months, to become one of the ‘Barwell Boys’.

(1)

A number of references were provided; one from the Church Army Overseas Settlement Passenger and Shipping Bureau describes him as ‘a boy of good character’ and another, from an F W Webb, the Industrial Schools Officer, of the London County Council, who had know the family since 1916, and which attests to the fact that ‘during the time his father was at the war he truanted and got into bad company and was sent to a school’ but that ‘given an opportunity he would prove his worth’. A memo date 9 June 1923 from Leith Industrial School’s Superintendent, Mr A S Nelson, describes him as, ‘a smart, well behaved boy’, ‘well educated and fairly expert at the trade of wood turning’, ‘and has a slight knowledge of garden work’.

Leith Industrial School (Lochend Rd., Leith, Scotland - now modern apartments)

George, having been accepted, had his £22 passage and £2 landing fees paid for him by the Australian Government as a loan, with an additional £11 contributed by the Commonwealth and O.S.O. George sailed on the 4th October 1923 on P & O’s SS ‘Balranald’ from the Port of London arriving in Adelaide on the 20

th November 1923.

P & O’s SS Balranald

On arrival George, along with the other ‘Barwell Boys’ who had arrived on the Balranald, was taken to the Women’s’ Destitute Asylum on Kintore Road, Adelaide, where a group photograph was duly taken. Shown below are the SS ‘Balranald’ arrivals of 20 Nov 1923 (2). George is on the far left of the back row. Richard Ernest Charles Markall who had travelled out in the same contingent and had been friends with George is shown front row 6

th from the far right.

Looking at their faces you have to wonder what was going though their minds; 10,000 miles away from their families and friends in England, between 15 – 17 years old and facing the unknown. About to be split up after travelling in cramped conditions for a month to start work in areas like Yorke Peninsula that were then probably quite isolated. They must have also been fairly gutted to be parting from the friends they made on the voyage. A list of the boys in this picture is at the end of this document; though putting faces to names may be impossible. George was placed with Mr H Ross Martin at a farm at Minlaton on the Yorke Peninsular, South Australia. Though George seemed often to be in need of clothing; his first few letters to the State Immigration Officer were requests for a suit, two pairs of working trousers, two ‘pairs’ of shirts and one pair of working boots; his letters indicate that at the time he seemed happy enough, and according to Mr Martin’s letter of the 9 June 1924 to the State Immigration Officer George seemed ‘to be getting along pretty well and is a willing worker, we do all we can for him’. Mr Martin’s letter also goes on to say that George is ‘quite happy with us’ and ‘he plays in the Minlaton Brass Band, also going to play football this winter, but don’t seem to get many letters from his home’.

Minlaton Brass Band circa 1899 (3)

Members of the Minlaton band. Standing, left to right: H. Ferries; W. Peterson; D. Fletcher; J.

Litster; H. Peterson; G. King: T.W. Marlow. Sitting: F. McKenzie; D. McKenzie; J.S. Blood; Alex Ford (leader); G. Martin. Sitting on ground: J. Vierk; E.

Mathews; W. Blood for J. Barlow.

As we shall see this last comment, about the lack of communication with his family back in London, may have influenced George’s emotional development and subsequent relationship with Mr Martin. In July 1924 a Mr Menelaus Newbold, of ‘Rosebank’ Farm, Wauraltee, near Port Victoria, wrote to the Immigration Department requesting a ‘British Boy Farm Apprentice, one desirous of agricultural knowledge. A Protestant boy is preferred but is not essential’. However, Menelaus was told that the scheme had been discontinued, though there was the possibility that from time to time boys may be available through transfers, for whatever reason, from their present employers. A Police memo of the 17

th July 1924 attests to the fact that Menelaus ‘is a very successful farmer and a boy would be well

placed’. Then, around August 1924 the situation changed alarmingly. Mr Martin wrote to the Immigration Department on the 11

th to express his shock that George ‘has refused to obey all orders’ and had

been intent on returning to the Immigration Department in Adelaide for a transfer to a sheep farm and had only been stopped by the intervention of the Chairman of the District Council and a Policeman, Constable Millowick, one of whom it turns out had advised George that ‘in view of the continuing dry season in the Northern Districts the prospects of securing employment there are very remote’ and that ‘Station owners are… …shortening hands rather than taking on fresh ones’. In the letter Mr Martin describes George as ‘a good boy to work, but has a violent temper and it was in one of these rages that this came about’. Mr Martin also reveals that George wanted to become a sheep farmer and did not like mixed farming. The issue that led to George’s change of heart and violent response was, according to Mr Martin, that on the day that the main incident occurred he had complained that he had no time to write letters and wanted to half sole his boots. It happened on a Sunday when George had been asked ‘to put chaff out to eight horses from an adjoining shed and milk one cow, no more than a quarter of an hours work ‘their’ was one more cow to be milked and separating to be ‘down’ he was told to separate while the other cow was being milked’. Most poignant is one of the final comments in Mr Martin’s letter that they had ‘always looked on him as a boy a long way from home and treated him as one belonging to us’. Further comments made by Mr Martin in a subsequent letter to the Immigration Department state that ‘Mrs Martin patched and patched his trousers, we give him a new shirt and a pair of new trousers, and he had several new things given him from others’. George’s brief letter of the 14

th August 1924 to the Immigration Department shows how determined he

was to leave Mr Martin’s employ. Mr Martin’s letter dated the same day says that ‘he has made up his mind to go from me, so I think he should have a transfer, as I fear trouble again. He wanted to fight and said he would knock me down but I did not want to make trouble unless I could help it. I let the boy go hunting on several times all day in the middle of the week to try and make him happy. He has had a horse to ride every time he wished to go out and he has been asked to go in the motor car with us almost every time we went out. He has always had meals with us, and had the best of whatever we had and always done our best to make him happy’. George’s transfer was granted and Menelaus Newbold writes in a letter dated 28 August 1924 that he ‘got him (George) from Mr Martin last Tuesday evening 26

th inst.’

One wonders what was going through George’s mind at the time. That he was deeply unhappy is obvious from the letters and the various incidents. It may have been a combination of things; feelings of isolation, separation and lack of communication from the family in England. The change of employer seems to have done the trick and George wrote to the Immigration Department on the 21

st December 1924 to say that he ‘was getting on very

well’ and that ‘Mr Newbold has kindly given me a weeks holiday’ and asking for £5 to pay for his holiday expenses. The Immigration Department wrote back to highlight the state of George’s funds (£4 in credit with £2 10 shillings to come after the repayment of the £24 passage loan) and that should he take £5 he would be almost with any money for any emergencies.

Victor Herbert Ryan (1874 - 1956), by Australian National Travel Association, courtesy of State Library of South Australia. SLSA: B11188 .

Then, on the 23

rd March 1925 George went on holiday to Adelaide for two to three weeks. It would

seem from Menelaus subsequent letter to the Immigration Department dated 29th April 1925 informing

them of George’s date of departure that he may have put his holiday on hold from December of the previous year in order to save enough funds for a longer holiday. The same letter states that as of the date of the letter George had not returned and Menelaus had no idea if he would return. A memo was then issued on 8

th May 1925 by Victor H Ryan, the supervisor and Director of the Barwell

Boys scheme addressed to the Commissioner of Police in Adelaide requesting assistance in tracing George. The Police report states that George had left whilst Menelaus was absent and had taken all his things with him. George had also been telling other residents in Wauraltee that he wanted to join the South Australian Railways. He left no forwarding address and the only lead that they had was another Barwell Boy in Minlaton who was employed by Alex Lister, a Richard Ernest Charles Markall (originally of 12 Holtham Road, St. John’s Wood, NW London) with whom George had been friends. Richard confirmed that he had travelled out with George on the SS ‘Balranald’ but that he had not heard from him for some time, did not know where he had gone, but that he would inform the authorities if George got in touch. On the 31

st December 1925 a record states that the Church Army had been in touch with Mary Skingle,

George’s mother, but that she had not heard from him for some time and was not aware of his whereabouts. The record also requests immediate notification should he be traced ‘in order that the anxiety of the mother may be relieved’ Menelaus Newbold and his wife, Mary Edith Hannah, are buried side by side in Port Victoria Cemetery. Menelaus Newbold’s descendants are still living and the Martin’s are still farming in the Yorke Peninsula. Richard Ernest Charles Markall, George’s friend who travelled out with him on the SS Balranald, and his wife Doris Flora, and Richard’s first employer, Alexander Lister and his wife, Flora Godwin, are all buried in Minlaton Cemetery.

Nothing was ever heard of, or from, George, and to date attempts to trace his movements after 23

rd

March 1925 have been fruitless. References: South Australia Immigration Department File 1113 George Francis Skingle, State Archives of South Australia (1) Australia Emigration for British Boys poster c 1920 (2) Accession No.: GN03227 Title: Farm Lads – Barwell Boys Source: SAA GRG 35 (Lands Dept) 342 Box Glass Neg Date Year: 1923 Date Month: 20 November The record also refers to the Balranald. List of boys details below (3) http://www.harrogate.co.uk/harrogate-band/vbbp-oz.htm Note Under Australian law, all photographs taken in Australia before 1955 are in the public domain. Images used in this document are in the public domain under both Australian copyright law and US copyright law. State Library of South Australia. SLSA

(2) Barwell Boys who travelled out on the SS Balranald, 3rd class, departing the Port of London 4 Oct 1923, arriving Adelaide 20 Nov 1923. Actual DoBs are from the official UK

records

Family Name

First Name

Last Address

Trade

Age Given Actual Age Actual DoB

Country

1

Shire

Albert Charles M 16 Holtham Rd., Abbey Rd., Hampstead, London, NW

Builders Asst

17

19

June 1904

England

2

Gibling

William

c/o H G Burden, Tendring, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex

15

Dec 1908

England

3

Markall

Richard Ernest C 12 Holtham Rd., St. John’s Wood, London, NW

Clerk

16

June 1907

England

4

Skingle

George Francis

35 Thornold Rd, (should be Shorrolds Rd.) London, SW

Joiner

16

1 March 1907 England

5

Brazell

Bertie

26 Oakbury Rd. Wandsworth Common, London, SW

Hotel porter

15

13

June 1910

England

6

Kelly

Martin

1 Woghill St., Sutton-in-Craven, Yorkshire

19

June 1904

England

7

Taylor

William

17 Hampden Road, Sunderland, Durham

Grocer

16

June 1907

England

8

Bradshaw

Cyril Martin

36 Mearsbrook Rd., Sheffield, Yorkshire

Butcher

17

Sept 1905

England

9

Brocklesby

Frederick Cecil

49 Ruthin Rd., Westcombe Park, Blackheath, Surrey

Farming

17

10 Sept 1906 England

10 Tearle

Reginald Jeffry

10 Harefield Rd., Brockley, London, SW

Scholar

14

15

Dec 1908

England

11 Gant

Lewis Henry

15 Blakenham Rd., Tooting, London, SW

Farming

16

Jun 1907

England

12 Wittering

Jabez Aubrey

24 Earl St., Sheffield, Yorkshire

Labourer

16

Jun 1907

England

13 Puddick

Robert George

27 Fourth St., Kingston, Portsmouth, Hampshire

Butcher

16

Sept 1907

England

14 Cramp

Joseph William

8 Constance Rd., Leicester, Leicestershire

Butcher’s asst

16

17

Dec 1906

England

15 Upton

Thomas

959 Ninth St., Trafford Park, Manchester, Lancashire

Labourer

16

18

Jun 1905

England

16 Belford

Sydney John

6 Wilkie Buildings, Millbank Estate, Westminster, London Messenger

16

Sept 1907

England

17 Anderson

James

Craigielinn Boys Farm, Paisley, Glasgow

17

Scotland

18 Clark

James


16

Scotland

19 Bryant

William McKeen


16

Scotland

20 White

Robert


17

Scotland

21 Herdman

William


17

Scotland

22 Davis

George


15

Scotland

23 Hugh

Brown


16

Scotland

24 Hammond

William


16

Scotland

25 Roworth

James Albert

50 Brook St., Kennington, London, SW

Shop Asst

15

England

26 Stonehouse

David

17 Keith St., Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire

16

Sept 1907

England

27 Skillen

Bertram Albert

137 Gloucester Rd., Peckham, London, SE

Farming

15

16

Dec 1907

England

28 Evans

William George

177 Burrels Walk, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire

16

Dec 1906

England

29 Ricketts

Maurice William

25 Dorothy Rd., Battersea, London, SW

15

June 1908

England

30 Harris

William

Cary Castle, St. Mary’s Church, Torquay, Devon

Gardener

15

16

Sept 1907

England

31 McAvenna

Martin Edward

3 James St., Alexandria, Dumbartonshire

Stable lad

15

14 Oct 1907

Scotland

32 Wiltshire

Arthur

43 Montague Rd., Dalston, London, E

Farming

15

18

Dec 1905

England

33 Barrett

Philip Fifield

27 Worlsey St., Eastney, Portsmouth, Hampshire

16

17

Dec 1906

England

34 Martin

John William

Barnes Cottage, Sedbury Park, Chepstow,

Gloucestershire

Garden boy

16

13

Mar 1910

England

35 Miles

Lionel Edward

The Lodge, Neywood House, Rogate. Petersfield,

Hampshire

Gardener

16

Dec 1907

England

36 West

Albert

4 Moorland Rd., Weston Supermare, Somerset

16

June 1907

England

37 Crunkhorn

George Arthur

Boston, Lincolnshire

16

17

Mar 1906

England

38 MacDonald

Stanley Goodwin 2 Blagg St., Hurdersfield, Macclesfield, Cheshire

Farming

17

16

Mar 1907

England

39 Goodfellow

Frederick

Matthew

67 Monkton St., Kennington, London, SE

Packer

15

16

Dec 1907

England

40 Lillico

Stewart

77 Paragon St., Walworth, London, SE

Seaman

17

England

41 Greves

William

41 Roxburgh St., Greenock, Renfrewshire

Messenger

15

Scotland

42 Lindquist

Ernest Victor

62 Victoria Rd., Thornaby-on-Tees, Yorkshire

Painter

16

Prob

Sweden

43 Attree

Leonard

Evalyn, Chantry Rd., Tarring, Worthing, Sussex

Greengrocer’s

asst

15

Sept 1907

England

44 Newman

Herbert Charles

8 Warrant Officer’s Quarters, Blackdown Camp. Frimley,

Camberley, Surrey

Labourer

16

England

45 Snelling

Thomas Arthur

10 Riddell St., Peckham, London, SE

16

Mar 1907

England

46 Clithero

Charles

115a Eade Rd., Finsbury Park, London. N4

Milkman

16

Mar 1907

England

47 Vinton

Herbert

105 Harewood Rd., Fulham, London, SW

Farming

17

Jun 1906

England

48 Hayden

Leonard John

Market St., North Walsham, Norfolk

Cabinet

Maker

21

Jun 1902

England

Note: Though there are 50 people in the photograph one, the man centre row centre of the picture with the wing collar, is a local official posing with the group; he appears in

other photographs of Barwell Boys. There may be one other official in the picture, though who is hard to say.

9 Frederick Cecil Brocklesby returned to England, though it is not known when, and died in Jul 1984 in Lewes, Sussex.

17-24 Craigielinn Boys Farm was opened on 22nd September 1923 and was situated on the Gleniffer Braes, about two miles south of Paisley. The purpose was to train boys

for work on farms in what was then “the Dominions” The training scheme itself had began in 1910, initiated by a Dr. George C. Cossar. Initial training was at a farm in Kilwinning,

before further training in Canada. The Craigielinn Boy’s Farm seems to have been an extension of this scheme. The Centre closed in 1937 due to a lack of employment

opportunities in farming work. (ref. Local Studies Library, Central Library, 68 High Street, Paisley, Renfrewshire, PA2 8EE) Further information about Craigielinn Farm can be

found in Golden Bridge: Young Immigrants to Canada 1833-1939, by Marjorie Kohli, Natural Heritage Books (15 Oct 2003), Australia, Britain and M

igration, 1915-1940: A Study

of Desperate Hopes by Michael Roe, Cambridge University Press (6 Jun 2002), Emigration from Scotland between the W

ars by Marjory Harper, Manchester University Press

(10 Dec 1998) and Report of the annual meeting, 1932, 102nd year, York, August 31-September 7. British Association for the Advancement of Science. Meeting

27 Bert Skillen resided at the Air Force Care Village, Bull Creek, Perth. In 1999 he published a dairy of his experiences as a prisoner of war in Germany between 1940 – 1945,

and another of his experiences as a Barwell Boy. Both are archived with the National Library of Australia. Respective library id numbers 749264 and 2310635

31 Teacher - Black Forest School. Enlisted for active Service (110/41) (Discharged 13 Jan 1946). Born 5b Main St., Alexandria, Dumbartonshire. Died 07 May 1959

37 Dad killed in 1st WW, mother moved to Australia after he completed apprenticeship

42 Member of the SA Masons, Lower Murray Chapter, No 499, Masonic Temple, Murray Bridge, SA warrant 26 APR 1956

43 Died 17 June 1976, buried Barmera, SA with wife Ada d 21 May 1995

48 Leonard Hayden, though 21 years old is listed amongst the Barwell Boys.

Trevor Skingle 12 June 2008

Documents

George Francis Skingle Barwell Boy