Baker Family History

( Reproduced with kind permission of Maxine Purcell , grand-daughter of Thomas and Maggie Baker.)

“ Grandma and Grandpa Baker came from London. Bridget McKinley came to Hobart, Tasmania, in 1855 from Ballymovery, near Belfast, Northern Ireland and married Robert Baker at New Norfolk, 5/1/1856, in the Catholic Church there. They went on a farm 40 miles from Hamilton, Tas., Ouse district

Edward Baker,	born 8. 6. 1857
William Baker	born 27.6. 1859
Daniel Baker	born 15.10.186
Jeremiah Baker	born 15. 3.1866 died 20.1.1932
Rose (Mrs Chambers)	born 11. 7.186
Thomas	born 7. 7.1876 * see photograph and footnote
Catherine (Mrs Smith)	born 10. 1.1873
Louisa (Mrs O’Brien)	born 21. 8.1875

Grandpa Callaghan born in Dublin, married Catherine Forbes ( our grandpa and grandma) Bill Callaghan born Kiama, NSW 2.4.1859, a week after his pa and ma arrived in Aus. Granny Callaghan was educated by a C of E Minister. John has called Forbes after Granny’s maiden name.

Grandpa Baker in 1877 got a job on a station near Deniliquin, and Granny and all the family traveled from the “Ouse” by coach to Hobart, crossed by boat to Melbourne. There Grandpa Baker met them with a spring cart and horses and they then went back to Deniliquin.

Later on Ted, Bill, Dan and Jerry (our dad) went to Milparinka. All worked at various jobs, fencing etc. I remember Dad telling us he put in the first corner post, South Australia-Queensland and NSW. Dad was in the two hotels in Milparinka, first the one right at the end of the town, on the road to Theldarpa, and then the existing one, know then as the Albert Hotel. Time went on and eventually as you know Dad, Les and John got Theldarpa.

Dad died on the 20^th Jan., 1932 in the Tibooburra Hospital and was buried at Milparinka. Tom died in Adelaide, but lost touch with all of the others, except Edward. He (Edward) died at Yancannia, was married to Rosy Tapp of Nuntherungie Stn., she married Tapp after Edward died, his only child was born two weeks after he died and was always known as Edna Tapp ( not Baker). She died a few years ago in the Hill (Broken Hill). I met her once but do not know whether knew I would be her cousin or not.

Regarding our Mum’s people, I do not know a great deal. Catherine Forbes (our Grandma) married James Callaghan; think she came from Ireland and James from England, not too clear. However, later they had five girls and I think, four boys. Girls-Francis, Letitia, Ellen, Martha and Mary. Martha and Mary as only small girls were drowned in a river. They with another girl got into a hole and the three were drowned.

They all lived about Bodalla on the South Coast, Leticia and Mum, (Ellen) worked at the time for Mr Mort, one of the Goldsborough Morts, way back.

Leticia Callaghan, our Mum’s sister and our aunt, married Fred Conners, a Sgt. Of Police and a brother to Hughie O’Connor’s father. ( Hughie's, that family’s name was Conners, but they changed it to O’Connor.) However, Aunt Leticia and her husband went to Milparinka. Fred later was going to Wilcannia with an escort of gold, had his revolver in his overcoat pocket, threw the coat over his arm, the revolver went off, and shot him in the arm, he had his arm amputated by candle light, so then of course, he had to retire from the Police Force, so he and aunty built the pub, "The Royal Standard” built in Milparinka, opposite the existing pub. Later he died and Aunty lived on, did various jobs, such as house keeper at some of the stations etc., she died in 1923, and was the dearest aunt we kids ever had. Girlie was called after Letitia, and Catherine after our Grandma Callaghan.

Mum went to Milparinka later to be with Aunt Leticia and help in the hotel, and then she and Dad married in 1891, and I think that you would know the remainder of the story. Edward Ross was born 6^th March, 1903, Leslie James 12^th Aug. 1895, Leticia Catherine 2cnd. Dec., 1897, John Forbes 6^th May, 1901, 1905, Helen (Fanny) 11^th July 1903, Barbara Louise 21^st October. Mum died on the 7^th April 1942, a wonderful and loving mother.

Mum had a brother Ross, went out on horse-back to train for a race meeting in Milparinka, a pig ran out, tripped his horse, and he was killed, is buried in Milparinka.

After Aunty’s husband, Fred Conners died, she married Bill Baker, one of Dad’s brothers. Anyway, they later parted, he went to Tasmania and died over there.”

In time they operated the Iduna Hotel, near Packsaddle , and later Milpa Station itself.

Excerpts from a letter from Ellen (Nell ) Baker to her sister-in-law, Myrtle.