Rediscovering Ginninderra:
Ms Lydia Jones
Born: 1870; Died: 1904; Married: August Frederick Hellmund
Lydia Jones was the was the eleventh child of Isabella Jones and Thomas Jones, and was born on 5 November 1870 in Ginninderra and was educated in the Canberra district. Her early childhood was spent at Ginninderra and Rocky Gully (near Oak Hill, Goorooyarroo) but her family later moved back to Ginninderra, - where she was living when she married August Frederick Hellmund at St Stephens Queanbeyan.
Augie, as he was affectionately known, was born on 18 August 1871 in Queanbeyan. He was the son of August Ferdinand and Elizabeth Hellmund (nee Wollschlager) who had migrated to Australia about 1858 after their marriage the previous year act Saltzgitter, Hanover, Germany.
Lydia is reported to have been very good with a needle and did all kinds of sewing. After their marriage Augie and Lydia lived on Jeir Station, where he was the blacksmith, for a number of years. Later they moved to Gundaroo, where Augie went into partnership with a Mr Dun as blacksmiths.
Lydia died of consumption on 4 December 1904 at Hall where they were living. She was buried the following day. Her funeral service and burial were at St John's, but her grave was unmarked. In 2010 as part of an Australian Government grant, a bronze and granite headstone was installed, inscribed as follows:
'In memory of Lydia Hellmund. Died 3 December 1904, aged 34 years. Daughter of Thomas and Isabella Jones. Wife of Frederick Hellmund'
Augie was employed in his trade by George Kinlyside, who was in business in Hall as a coach maker and general blacksmith. Augie and the children remained in Hall until around 1912 when they left to work in other areas. He spent some time in mining towns near Booroowa and Orange. On 9 Jul 1948 Augie died at Leichardt and is buried in Botany cemetery.
Lydia and Augie had three children - Ruby (Mrs J Crouth), Gladys Pearl ('Pearly') (1895-1916); Frederick Thomas (1898-1967).
An accident in 1904 (the year she died) involving both daughters was described in some detail in the Goulburn Evening Penny Post:
NOTES FROM GININDERRA. By the Wizard
A Runaway.
What might, under other circumstances have proved a most serious incident occurred here on Thursday last. It appears that early on the morning named Mrs. Hellmund, who resides at the old Gininderra store, sent her two daughters, the eldest being about 12 or 13 years of age, in a sulky to Rose Hill the residence of Mr. G. Hatch, on a message. When returning and coming down the police station hill, the pony they were driving increased its speed to a furious pace. The oldest girl, who had the reins, in her endeavours to lessen the horse's speed was thrown from the sulky, the wheel passing over her. The younger one then pluckily collared the reins, which had got caught on the steps, and after the runaway had proceeded on its career some 10O yards further succeeded in pulling the horse off the road near the residence of Mrs. Harcourt, where it stopped of its own accord. Constable Hallett, who witnessed the occurrence, was quickly on the scene and found that fortunately beyond a few nasty cuts and bruises sustained by the older girl in her fall no damage whatever had been done.
[Goulburn Evening Penny Post, Thursday 19 May 1904, p 4]
Related Photos
References
- Hams, R. 1987. The Donaldson family in Australia 1837-1987. Author published
- Gillespie, L. L. 1992. Ginninderra: Forerunner to Canberra. The Wizard (Canberra local history series): Campbell