Some of the information below about Joseph Worland is derived from the Convict Records site.
Joseph Worland was born around 1824, likely in Cambridgeshire where other Worlands come. According to his death record in 1911, his parents were Joseph and Sarah Worland. See this page on the Cambridgeshire Worlands, including details of another Joseph Worland who migrated to Victoria. Joseph and Sarah Worland cannot at this stage be identified, but the Worland name is mostly found in Cambridgeshire.
Joseph Worland was caught stealing and was subsequently tried for burglary at the Cambridge Assizes on 19 March 1847. He was sentenced to a period of 7 years. His sentenced was changed to to seven years transportation to Australia.
As a young man, Joseph Worland was unlikely to have spent time on board a prison hulk before departing England as, from 1843, both the new Pentonville Prison and the existing Millbank prison were used. The remaining hulks were only used for the old and infirm, and those in poor health. (Source: 'Convict Hulks' on the digital panopticon site.
Wherever he was located, Joseph was transferred to the convict ship Adelaide which departed London on 17 August 1849. The Adelaide was carrying 303 male convicts and travelled via Portland.
Unknown to anyone in England at the time, certain anti-transportation despatches dated late April 1849 from Australia that preventing convicts landing in Victoria and requiring them to be forwarded to Sydney, had not been received by the time the Adelaide departed. (Source: Herald (Melbourne) 15 December 1849).
In August 1849, according to The Melbourne Daily News of 15 December 1849:
'... the Governor acceded to the public importunities, and took the responsibility of ordering Mr La Trobe to forward the first convict arrival to Sydney. The same reasons that were applicable to the transfer of the convicts by the Randolph to Sydney in August last, are equally applicable to the removal of the felons by the Adelaide, and we feel satisfied that Mr La Trobe may safely act upon the example set in the former instance, and despite the Adelaide without delay to Botany Bay, where we have reasons to believe their presence will not be unacceptable. [Since the foregoing was in type, we are informed that the Superintendent has determined to make the Adelaide follow the example of the Randolph and expresses his regret that this communication to Sir W Denison, requesting His Excellency to despatch the Adelaide to Sydney, had not arrived in time to prevent her appearance in this harbour.
The Adelaide arrived in Hobart, Van Dieman’s Land (Tasmania) on 29/30 November 1849 after a journey of 104 days. 40 men were offloaded at that location. The following notice was published in the Launceston Examiner on 1 December 1849:
Hobart Town. The ship Adelaide, arrived yesterday, has brought 299 male convicts, who are to proceed to Port Phillip, except Cuffy, a political offender, who is to receive his ticket of leave and remain here. There will be agitation in Port Phillip when the convicts arrive there ...
The Captain of the Adelaide may not have been fully aware of the requirement regarding the offloading of convicts in Port Phillip. His instructions were to proceed to Port Phillip Bay.
The Courier (Hobart) of 26 December 1849 reported that 'A great anti-transportation meeting had been convened (in Port Phillip) to deliberate on the steps to be taken in anticipation of the arrival of the Adelaide convict ship.' Quoting The Argus (Melbourne), it noted that 'His Honor Superintendent Latrobe has written to Sir William Denison to request they may be sent, at once, to Sydney'.
A letter dated 14 December 1849 by William M Bell, Chairman of the Anti-Transportation committee, published in the Geelong Advertiser on 19 December 1849 provides evidence of the public feeling in Port Phillip. It stated that the 'colonists of this free Province (have a deep rooted repugnance) to the attempt made by the British Government to convert Port Phillip into a receptable for British crime'.
The Port Phillip Gazette and Settler's Journal of 15 December 1849 carried the following note:
The Convict Ship. We are happy to hear that the convict ship, Adelaide, will be sent on to Sydney, and that no attempt will be made to land the convicts at Port Phillip. It is reported that the Superintendent of Port Phillip wrote to His Excellency Sir W Denison, requesting him to send the vessel direct from Hobart Town to Sydney, which that official declined to do. The Adelaide will not remain more than a few days in Hobson's Bay'.
The Argus of 18 December 1849 noted that:
Today the harbour of Port Phillip will be happily freed from the second attempt made to render this province a receptacle for British crime, for the Adelaide proceeds with her cargo of pollution to seek the more genial atmosphere of Sydney.
The Adelaide departed Hobson's Bay and headed for Port Jackson where it arrived on 24 December 1849 and the convicts finally landed. The Adelaide was the last convict ship (after the Havering on 8 November 1849); transportation to the Colony of New South Wales was finally abolished on 1 October 1850.
(Sources: Convict Records site; this site, which has similar information to the first site).
Joseph Worland received a ticket of leave on 30 December 1849, six days after landing in Australia. This apparently allowed him to remain in the district of Broulee. (Source unknown, quoted on one of the sites above)
The New South Wales Government Gazette of 7 June 1850 (Issue No 73, page 884) stated that Joseph Worland (per the Adelaide) had been granted a ticket of leave in the County of Sr Vincent, Broulee.
The New South Wales Government Gazette of 10 January 1851 (Issue No 4, page 43), based on advice from the Principle Superintendent of Convicts' Office, Sydney, dated 10 January 1851, that the 'the undermentioned prisoners of the Crown holding tickets of leave, being absent from their districts, are illegally at large:
Joseph Worland, Adelaide, 26, Cambridge, groom, 5 feet 5 1/4 inches, ruddy comp., light brown hair, grey eyes, white speck on the right eye, mark from scrofula and raised mole under the right jaw, several moles on the right arm, another under left elbow, large broad scar above the outer ankle of leg; from Ticket of Leave Passport, and the service of Messrs. Layton and Co., since October last.
This fact was reported in The Sydney Morning Herald of 11 January 1851, noting that William Hill, Joseph Worland and Daniel McKay, all from the Adelaide and under the control of the Eden Bench, were absent from their allocated district.
Several months later in February 1851, Joseph’s absence was explained and his ticket reissued. (Source TBA)
For the rest of 1860 and 1860, Joseph Worland does not appear in any newspapers. He was likely establishing his new life in Cooma and the south coast of NSW (Bega area), as noted below from other sources.
Several siblings, the children of John Crawford and Ann Elder (no marriage record yet found) from Scotland, migrated to Australia on board the Bermondsey. The Bermondsey left Plymouth on 31 August 1848 'with emigrants direct for Twofold Bay'. The New South Wales Government Gazette of 15 November 1848 stated that 'the settlers of the Monaroo District (are invited to) make arrangements for hiring them at that place, and for removing them to their stations'. The ship, with 182 emigrants, arrived at Twofold Bay, New South Wales on 7 December 1848.
The Crawford siblings who arrived that day were:
All the passengers could both read and write. They had no relatives living in Australia.
Joseph Worland (reported as Warland in the BDM) married Anne Brabner Crawford on 22 Feb 1852 at Bombala, District of Maneroo, New South Wales (NSW BDM Ref 810).
They had the following children, all born at Cooma, NSW:
Joseph’s brother William Worland aged 23 years and his wife Mary Ann (nee Canham) also aged 23 years and their infant son William Worland arrived in Australia on board the ship Kate in 1852, three of 314 or 258 emigrants on board the ship who travelled in steerage.
Joseph found work on the sheep property of Bibbenluke owned by Benjamin Boyd in 1853. His occupation is listed as shepherd, shearer and shearer’s Cook. On his children’s birth certificates, Ann (b. 1858) and Arthur (b. 1860), his occupation is also listed as Shearer. His address was shown as Myalla district of Cooma.
A William Worland married Julia Robinson in 'JA' in 1854 (NSW BDM Ref 1407). Could this be the same William Worland who arrived in 1852?
The New South Wales Government Gazette of 12 January 1872 reported that Joseph Worland had been granted an 'undefined pre-emptive' lease of 300 acres of land at Cooma, of which 100 acres were 'of freehold in virtue of which lease is granted'.
The Manaro Mercury and Cooma and Bombala Advertiser of 30 January 1875 reported that the following had been granted land:
Sarah Worland (minor, spinster), Umaralla, 320 acres, section 13, county of Beresford, parish of Numeralla or Montague, to front Coarse Flat Creek and to join James Collins' 80 acres in the north. £80.
Arthur Worland (minor), Umaralla, 320 acres, section 13, county of Beresford, parish of Numeralla or Montague, on the west end of Coarse Flat Creek. £80.
Joseph Worland, senior, Cooma, 120 acres, section 21, country Beresford, parish of Bunyan, on the south side of his additional conditional purchase of 100 acres made on the 9th January, 1873, and fronting the Rock Flat Creek. £30.
Joseph Worland, senior, Cooma, 100 acres, section 21, country Beresford, parish of Bunyan, on the north side of his conditional purchase of 800 acres made on the 9th April, 1874, and fronting the Rock Flat Creek. £25.
The Manaro Mercury and Cooma and Bombala Advertiser of 26 February 1876 reported that the following had been granted land:
Joseph Worland, senior, Green Hills, Cooma, 141 acres, section 13, county of Beresford, parish of Bunyan, being measured portions Q and R and gazetted for sale on Friday the 10th march 1876 at the Cooma Land Office £35 5s.
The Manaro Mercury and Cooma and Bombala Advertiser of 17 June 1876 reported that Joseph Worland (senior), Joseph Worland (junior) and David Worland were charged with having, on 5 June, unlawfully rescued a number of sheep that were about to be impounded by James Collins. The defendants pleaded not guilty. The newspaper report reported the basic evidence as follows:
Charles Collins, a boy about 13 years, of age, son of complainant, deposed; I live at Bush station, and am shepherding; was shepherding last week, on Monday, when mine got boxed with Worland's sheep on Mr. Harnett's land; it was about half-a-mile on Coarse Flat; took the sheep home; Worland's boy, who was standing on a hill, said he had no dog, and he could not help the sheep being mixed; I was at the tail of the sheep, and the lead were going over a hill; none of my sheep were on Mr Worland's land; it was about 340 yards from Mr. Worland's land. ...
The article describes what happened after that. Annie Worland tried to take them, and Pat Worland and Mrs Worland came. Joe, Pat, Annie and Mrs Worland took them out, defendants helped to take the sheep out of the yard; they said they would defy anyone to stop them. Joseph Worland (senior) gave evidence that where the sheep were mixed was positively his land. He did not see the mixing, but his wife saw the sheep being taken off the land. He claimed that the other sheep were continually trespassing on his land.
The court discussed issues with who possessed the land and why there was no markers; it was suggested that people 'seem to leave it open purposely to catch each other'. The case was postponed for a week. When it resumed, the court decided that the Worlands were not justified in taking the sheep and were fined 6s 8d each, with professional costs and costs of the Court and witness expenses.
These events probably didn't help the relationship between the Collins and Worland families and the matter was obviously not resolved. The Manaro Mercury and Cooma and Bombala Advertiser of 7 October 1876 reported a new case involving the neighbours. John James Collins, aged around 10, was chaged with assaulting Joseph Worland on 24 September. The newspaper noted that statement from the Bench that 'this was the second time these parties had been here with paltry cases. They should give or take a little where there is no fence. Both were very trivial cases, and they would decide both alike'.
This was not to be the end of the feuds between the Collins and Worlands.
David Worland (1853 - 1931) married Elizabeth Nichols in Cooma in 1876. They appear to have had only one child:
The Burrowa News of 13 October 1877 reported on a 'strange libel action' at the Goulburn Assize civil sittings involving an action for libel. The paper noted that 'The circumstances of the case were to the effect that the defendant (Worland) caused an advertisement to be published in the Monaro Mercury as follows: 'I should like to know if it is the 80 acres on the Coarse Flat which James Collins holds under a false declaration that he referred to'. He sought £500 in compensation.
Both sides gave evidence. James Collins noted he had selected 80 acres of land and lived on them and made a declaration as to residence and improvements. Worland called him a liar, saying that improvements had been made. The issue of the sheep trespassing came up again. Worland alleged that he was a free-selector, adjoining Collins' land, and there had been difficulties between them, but 'did not state anything in extenuation of the libel'. The jury took twelve minutes to consider the case and returned with a verdict for 40s.
John Worland (probably the one born in 1851 - 1941) married Emily Walter in Cooma in 1878. They had the following children:
The Manaro Mercury and Cooma and Bombala Advertiser of 17 April 1878 reported on the land enquiry. It noted that Joseph Worland was residing at Woodend, near the Green Hills.
Elizabeth Worland, the daughter of William (Nichols, mother not named), and wife of David Worland, died suddenly at Cooma or Jindabyne in 1879 (NSW BDM Ref 5043).
The Manaro Mercury and Cooma and Bombala Advertiser of 30 April 1879 carried an article titled 'Sudden Death of Mrs David Worland'. It stated that she died suddenly while going to the well for a bucket of water. David Worland gave evidence that 'I last saw my wife alive on Monday morning last, when she left home to stay with her sister, Mrs Sheehy [Catherine Sheehy, wife of Patrick Sheehy], for a week; she sometimes use to complain of a pain in her left-side; I never heard of her being ill.' Catherine Sheehy stated that her sister appeared to be in poor health. 'On Thursday, the 24th, the deceased and myself went for some water; the deceased took suddenly ill and asked for water, saying she thought she was dying; she sat upon the ground, and I attempted to lift her up, but did not succeed; she died in a very few minutes; when dying she seemed as if she was smothering'. According o the doctor, Elizabeth died of 'disease of the heart'.
The New South Wales Government Gazette of 12 August 1880 reported that several members of the Worland family (among 100s of others) had forfeited a pre-emptive lease for non-payment of rent.
Joseph John Worland (1855 - possibly 1913) married Caroline Kaufline, the daughter of Vincent and Eva Kaufline, in Cooma in 1881 (NSW BDM Ref 4744). Caroline had a brother, George Kaufline, who was born at Bombala but went to Cooma with his parents when he was 9. He later became a butcher and grazier and was an alderman on the Cooma Council.
Joseph and Caroline Worland had the following children:
Note, an Edwin J Worland was born to and Edward J Worland and Caroline in Cooma in 1897 (NSW BDM Ref 27186). It is possible that the BDM record is incorrect and the father is Joseph.
Caroline Worland (nee Kaufline) was one of several subjects who attended the Cooma Landa Inquiry Court on 24 March 1884, as reported in The Manaro Mercury and Cooma and Bombala Advertiser of 26 March 1884. Caroline was asked about 100 acres, granted on 2 May 1878. It was noted that there was a new cottage - no more than six months old and an old hut. The selector had lived with her married sister, Mrs Francis Smith, and in town. Caroline gave the following evidence:
My name formerly was Kaufline; I took up the selection before I was married; I commenced to reside in a small wooden hut six weeks or two months after I selected; the hut was built of palings; I resided there for three years; I was married two or three days before; my sister Annie was living with me in the hut the whole of the time; my father and mother lived a few hundred yars away, within call; the selection was the real home of myself and my sister Annie during the three years; I gave evidence before the late Commissioner King on 14 August 1882; the evidence I gave then differs little from what I have given now.
Annie Kaufline also gave evidence supporting her sister. She confirmed that the hut was very small with a bed just wide enough for two. Their brother (George) was living with the parents where all the beds were in the one room. Annie noted that 'the accommodation was so small at my father's that I was glad to sleep in the hut, with my sister of course'.
Caroline Worland died in Cooma in 1902 (NSW BDM Ref 13455).
Joseph Worland may have remarried, but died in 1913 - see below.
Arthur Worland (1860 - 1922) married Mary Matilda Smith in Cooma in 1882 (NSW BDM Ref 5354). They had the following children (the list of which is not completely clear):
Arthur Worland and family had moved to Coff's Harbour by 1916. The Sydney Morning Herald of 18 July 1916 carried photographs of 'Father and Sons in Khaki' that showed Arthur Warland (father, 56 years), Mrs Worland (mother), David Arthur Worland (33 years), Alick [Patrick Alexander] Worland (26 years), Harold Worland (24 years), Joe [John Joseph Harold] Worland (31 years), Arthur Worland (19 years) and Les [Eric Leslie] Worland (16 years). All the sons were in military uniform. See this listing for details of their service numbers and AIF Group where known.
Arthur Worland died in late April 1922 in Sydney. The Coffs Harbour Advocate of 6 May 1922 reported that Arthur, who had been living in Surry Hills, Sydney, was 62 when he died. It noted that he had enlisted in the AIF from Coffs Harbour an dwas the father of five boys, all of whom enlisted (as noted above), one of them receiving the Military Medal with bar. The article stated that Arthur Worland 'served with the Egyptian remounts, and was stationed at Heliopolis'.
After the death in Cooma of his wife Elizabeth (nee Nichols) 1879 (NSW BDM Ref 5043), David Worland (1853 - 1931) married again, this time to Emily Smith in 1883 (NSW BDM Ref 5677). They had the following children:
Patrick Alexander Worland (1862 - 1889) married Ellen M Cridge in Cooma in 1886 (NSW BDM Ref 6052). Ellen's sister Louisa married Patrick's brother Robert in 1892, see below.
Patrick and Ellen Worland had one child:
Thomas Francis Worland (1869 - ?) married Edith Phillips in Bega in 1890 (NSW BDM Ref 2392). They had the following children, and appear to have moved to Sydney by - or for - the birth of Douglas (if it is their child):
Augustus H Worland, the son of James and Margaret Worland, married Bridget Higgins in Sydney in 1890 (NSW BDM Ref 1333). His relationship (if any) to others on this page or other Worlands in Victoria is not yet known. There is no obvious record of his birth in Sydney.
Augustus and Bridget Worland were the parents of several children:
Augustus H Worland drowned off Manly beach in 1906 (NSW BD Ref 1990). According to The Daily Telegraph of 12 February 1906, Augustus was fishing off the rocks at Manly with his thirteen year old son [Augustus], brother-in-law and several other friends, when he was swept into the surf and drowned. At the time of his death the family lived at 85 Glebe Street, Glebe.
Bridget Worland (or someone with the same name) married Henry Graham at Canterbury, Sydney, in 1919 (NSW BDM Ref 8856).
Robert William Worland (1867- 1954) married Louisa Cridge (likely the sister of Ellen Cridge who married Robert's brother Patrick in 1886) in 1892 (NSW BDM Ref 3208). They had the following children:
According to his obituary in the Cairns Post on 30 August 1954, Robert William Worland was 'for many years engaged in pastoral and farming pursuits on the Monaro Tablelands and the Tweed River Districts of New South Wales. He came to the Millaa Millaa district 23 years ago [1931] and was well known on the Atherton Tableland. He later came to Mareebra where he had resided for the past five years. The late Mr Worland's wife died 22 years ago [1932]'.
His obituary reported his surviving children as:
An Edward M Worland, the son of Isaac and Mary A Worland, died in Blayney in 1893 (NSW BDM Ref 3401).
Joseph Worland, the (convict) son of Joseph and Sarah Worland died at Woodend, near Cooma on 18 August 1898 (NSW BDM Ref 9146). He was 74. He was buried at Cooma, New South Wales, Australia. His death was also noted in the Sydney Morning Herald of 20 August 1898, reported as another old Manaroite (from the Manaro later Monaro area of NSW).
Mrs Joseph Worland (likely junior) was noted in the Manaro Mercury and Cooma and Bombala Advertiser of 14 April 1899 in relation to the display of fruit and vegetables at the local show.
As noted above, Caroline Worland, the first wife of Joseph Worland (born 1858), died in 1902.
Joseph Worland (aged 46) then married Annie Crapp of Moruya at Bemboka (near Cooma) on 16 February 1904 (NSW BDM Ref 980). The marriage was reported in the Manaro Mercury and Cooma and Bombala Advertiser of 19 February 1904, which noted that the bride was given away by Mr Charles Goodwin (junior) of Black Rock, while the bridesmaid was Lizzie Roach from Mittagong. After the wedding, the reception was held at the residence of Mr and Mrs Edward Agnew.
In 1905, Joseph Worland was reported as a (horse) driver for Mr Rawson of Bemboka. (Southern Star, Bega, 12 July 1905).
In 1909, he was reported suffering from a slight attack of blood poisoning, but was on the mend. (The Twofold Bay Magnet and South Coast and Southern Monaro Advertiser 13 December 1909).
Joseph Worland died in 1913. The Southern Record and Advertiser of 28 June 1913 reported that: 'Mr Joseph Worland, formerly fruiterer at Bemboka, died this week in the Taree Hospital after an operation for a kidney trouble of long standing. He was 55 years of age and left Bemboka a couple of months ago'.
His son Vincent Hubert Worland was named as 'a son of the deceased' and was granted his estate.
Ann Worland (probably the wife of Joseph) died on 4 November 1906 at her son’s residence Yowrie and is buried at Cobargo, New South Wales, Australia.
Robert HA Worland married Delia Solway in Bellingen in 1910 (NSW BDM Ref 4299). They had children.
Harold R Worland married Agnes M Hardie in Sydney in 1911. (NSW BDM Ref 647).
Walter F Worland married Harriet E Rofe in Bega in 1912 (NSW BDM Ref 1031).
Cleopatra Worland married Leonee SO d C Smith in Sydney in 1928 (NSW BDM Ref 14816).
Page created 7 April 2013, updated 15 September 2020. Copyright © Andrew Warland. (andrewwarland(at)gmail.com)