Francis Sparrow : Short Biography

Francis Sparrow was born in Kilkenny, Ireland. He reputedly couldn't get on with his father and so moved to England and then on to Australia. According to his grandson, Lyndsay Sparrow, he came with a brother who moved on to New Zealand. His granddaughter-in-law, Marie Sparrow, wife of Eric, believed the same brother eventually returned to England and then came back to Western Australia. 

Francis Sparrow arrived in Sydney on 29th April 1844, as an assisted passenger, aboard the ship Elizabeth (II) [Reel 2135, 4/4785, page 93: Reel 2452, 4/4895].  He was aged 19 and listed as being from Kilmanaugh, Kilkenny.  The ship's passenger list also records that Francis was Protestant and could read & write.  His occupation was listed as 'labourer'.  In order to migrate to Australia Francis was required to undergo screening.  The record of his arrival in Sydney recorded that Francis had arrived aboard the ship "Elizabeth" and that he was from Kilmanagh in Kilkenny.  His parents are listed as Thomas & Eliza 'both alive'.  He is listed as a 'farm labourer' aged 19 and in good health.  His religion is given as Episcopalian and that he could read & write. The "Person certifying Registry of Baptism" was a Rev. Mortimer Collins of Shanagolden, County Limerick, Ireland.  His health was certified by [Dr] Robert Lloyd Roe, a surgeon of Shanagolden.  Three householders of Shanagolden, Michael Sheahan of Ballynach, John Conner & Pat O'Brien.  The "Magistrates & Clergymen certifying the correctness of the statement in the Form" were Mounteagle - Mount Trenchard, Rev George Vincent of Shanagolden and Rev Mortimer Collins R.C.C. Shanagolden.  Francis paid his own passage at a cost of £18.

There is a possibility that Francis travelled to  Adelaide aboard the Emma (2) from Sydney on 20th Oct 1845 however this has yet to be substantiated.  There are no other records listing his arrival in Adelaide.

There is a record of a Francis Sparrow, aged 28, travelling from Melbourne in July of 1852, aboard the City of Melbourne, travelling to Hobart.

Francis and Caroline married in Hobart at the Independant Chapel in Brisbane St. The wedding is listed in the Hobart Courier on 6 November 1852. "On 3rd of 11th month, by the Rev Frederick Miller, at the Independent Chapel, Brisbane St., afterwards by William Johnson, priest of the Israelite Society at the Sanctuary Bathurst St. FRANCIS SPARROW, late of Adelaide, to CAROLINE, second daughter of Thomas Lewin, late of Camberwell, Surrey England".  

Great granddaughter Lorna Wilson stated that Francis was a Christian Israelite (borne out by evidence obtained from the Christian Israelite Church in Fitzroy showing that several children were enrolled as members of that Church). Francis officially joined the Christian Israelite Church in Melbourne in 1852.  He may have met his future wife Peggy in Melbourne as a Mary Elizabeth Lewin (Peggy's mother) also joined the church in that year.  The church exists as a religious group started by Mr. John Wroe of Yorkshire. They believe they are descended directly from Seven Tribes of Israel. They wore a specific type of clothing - the men wore dark suits, homburg hats and didn't cut their hair.  The women wore special bonnets. (Christian Israelite Church, 193 Fitzroy St. Fitzroy 9417 4560, 17 Cairo Rd. Box Hill North 9890 5903, 26 Banerang Ave., Sunshine Nth 9311 5197, 12 Prospect St. Box Hill 9898 7333.)

The Christian Israelite Church has Francis year of birth listed as 1835.  This would have made him 17 at the time of his marriage. According to the Tasmanian registers he was of "full age" at this time.

Francis' occupation was cited as 'dealer' on his marriage certificate. Caroline was a minor and not employed.  Witnesses were Robert Robertson and Mary G Lewin (Caroline's mother).

At the time of son Judah's birth Francis was a butcher. The informant listed for Judah's birth was a friend of the family, a John Perry of Argyle St, Hobart.  When Reuben was born a year later Francis was the informant.  He is listed as a timber merchant living in Bathurst St, Hobart.

Francis and Caroline remained in Tasmania until after their 3rd child Athalia was born on 11th December 1856.  Just prior to that, on the 2nd December, Peggy's mother Mary had died.  Francis was the informant on the death certificate.  It seems that they were living in the boarding house owned by Peggy's parents as the Christian Israelite Church has most of their first 3 children listed as being born in Bathurst Street.  These children were baptised in the same church in Hobart as infants.

The Hobart Courier of 7th June 1855 lists contributors to the Patriotic War Fund.  Included are Mary Lewin who donated 5 shillings, Caroline Sparrow who donated 2 shillings, sixpence & Francis Sparrow who donated 2 shillings sixpence.

By 1859 the family had moved to Victoria. They lived at Harker St., North Fitzroy, a suburb of Melbourne, until 1875 and then were in Brunswick Street, North Fitzroy, running a General Store.  According to daughter-in-law Martha (Henderson) Sparrow, Francis was an Irish Shopkeeper. David Millard (descendant) has found entries in the Sands McDougall Electoral Rolls that Francis and Caroline lived at 154 Drummond St. Carlton from 1864 to 1869, then at Cunningham St, Northcote between 1870 and 1873 and they are listed at their Harker Street address from 1874 to 1875. At the time of Judah's death Francis & Caroline were living in North Fitzroy.

Son Frank's death certificate lists Francis as a timber merchant. David Millard has found records of "Francis Sparrow Sawmills and Timber Yard" in A'Becket St. Melbourne. This was situated on the north side between Colgin Place & Stewart St and the 1867 directory lists the business at this address.  By 1871 the woodyard was owned by James Johnston.  At this time Francis business had moved to Franklin St East (on the south side) nest to the Highland Chief Hotel.  By 1873 it had become Kruse, John & Co. Sawmills.

On 2nd Apr 1868 there was a fire at the A'Becket St. Timberyard.  A notice in the Victorian Government Gazette for 1st May 1868 reads:
" FIRE AT SPARROW'S TIMBERYARD, A'BECKETT ST NORTH MELBOURNE
FIFTY POUNDS REWARD
Whereas at about One o'clock in the morning of Thursday the 2nd April instant, a Fire at the Timberyard of Francis Sparrow, a'beckett street, North Melbourne, by which timber to the value of £50 or £60 was destroyed, and timely discovery only prevented more extensive damage, lime bags or pieces of such soaked in tar, and some pieces of paper having been thrust among the timber and set on fire: And whereas at an inquest a jury returned a verdict that the said Fire was wilfully and maliciously caused: Notice is hereby given that a reward of £50 will be paid by the Government for such information as will lead to the conviction of the person or persons guilty of causing the said fire.
J McCulloch, Chief Secretary.
Chief Secretary's Office.
Melbourne, 29th April, 1868"

The "Argus" newspaper also records the outcome of the inquest into the fire:
"Dr Youl held an inquest on Wednesday on the origin of a fire, which occurred at an early hour on the morning of the 2nd Inst., at the timber-yard of Francis Sparrow, Stewart Street, off Franklin Street.  The evidence taken was very voluminous, but the essential facts were as follows:- Some persons living near the timber-yard heard a noise, as of a match being struck there about one o'clock in the morning, and soon afterwards the fire became visible.  The alarm was raised and, after some time, the fire brigade arrived, and the fire was soon extinguished.  The damage done was the destruction of a wooden shed, and some timber was also burned: the proprieter estimating his loss at between £50 and £60.  The property was not insured.  The next day it was found that a quantity of rags soaked in oil or tar, had been placed about amongst the timber and lighted, and the fire was easily traced to this cause.  The fire was thus seen to be of incendiary origin, but the evidence failed to show by whom it had been kindled.  It appeared that a man named Campbell had occupied a piece of ground for a long time, that had recently been rented by Mr Sparrow.  Campbell was very angry about this, and his wife had made use of threats to some men employed by Sparrow.  A summons had been served on Campbell by the owner of the ground the day before the fire took place.  On the other hand, Campbell's wife swore he was in bed an hour before the fire arose, and that he did not rise until afterwards; and it was further shown that he rendered good service in keeping the fires from spreading to the adjoining premises.  On the whole of the evidence, the jury found that the place had been wilfully set fire to, but they were unable to say by whom."

Another accident involving a timber-yard owned by Francis appears in the Argus on 26th October 1872:  "The recent explosion in North Fitzroy has had the effect of drawing attention to the necessity for some systematic inspection of boilers for the prevention of accidents.  In inquest held by Dr Youl, at the Melbourne Hospital, on the body of the lad Charles Haysey, who died from injuries caused by the explosion.  The deceased was the stepson of Edward Levier, hatter, was 15 years old and was in the employ of Francis Sparrow, proprieter of the Plenty Saw Mills, Fitzroy.  Judah Sparrow, sawyer and son of Francis Sparrow, said that he was driving the engine at the mills on Tuesday 22nd inst.  Had been so employed for the last seven months, but had never received any instruction as an engineer, having learnt to drive an engine at the factory.  At half past 3 in the afternoon, he had plenty of water in the indicator.  He had left the engine about two minutes, and was sawing when he heard the explosion, and found that the boiler had blown up.  The deceased Haysey was working opposite the boiler, and was found between some boards, where he had been driven by the explosion.  He was much hurt.  Witness was 19 years old.  Never saw an explosion before.  Proper precautions were taken when they started the machinery.  The boiler was cleaned out six weeks ago.  The boiler was a second hand one when erected at their factory.  Francis Sparrow said he erected the engine himself.  He understood doing it.  Left it in charge of his son to drive.  There was no indicator except the glass to show the state of the water inside the boiler.  There was no public inspection of boilers in Victoria.  Witness had been using engines for the last 20 years.  Was on the premises at the time, and liable to feel the effects of any explosion.  Thomas Scott, engineer, Fitzroy, deposed that he had examined the boiler since the explosion, and had found the inside tube very thin.  The inside plates of the boiler were good.  There was only one gauge glass to the boiler.  There should have been three gauge cocks, but there was none.  The hole in the gauge glass was so small that it was liable to be corroded.  The water would then still remain in the glass, although there was none in the boiler.  He thought the tube got hot, and the water, on being pumped in, caused the explosion, which was due to want of water.  Every engine should have a competent engineer.  Any engineer would have seen the faults in this boiler.  Dr Bradford, surgeon at the hospital, said the deceased was scalded all over his body, while his head was wounded, and there was a cominuted fracture of the thigh.  He was sufferning from shock, from which he never recovered, and he died on the 23rd inst.  The jury found that the deceased died from the effect of injuries accidentally received, and added 'The jury would beg to urge the attention of the Government the necessity of proper inspection of machinery before its use is permitted'. "
This article was also printed in the Brisbane Courier.

Francis business seems to have done well.  The Argus of 28th Oct 1871 lists Francis as having been successful in a government tender to supply "50,000 blackwood railway keys for the Victorian Railways, for £241 5s, was yesterday accepted by the Board of Land and Works."

The Victorian Government Gazette of 3rd Feb 1873 lists an application for "patents for inventions" by Francis and his son Reuben "both of Melbourne, chair manufacturers, for 'an improved method for and apparatus for providing an improved Motive Power' 16th January 1873".

Lorna Wilson described Francis as a "Victorian Martinet" who disapproved of things he considered to be frivolous, e.g. frills and lace on clothing and  pictures. He threw some drawings, done by his daughter Emily's beau for her, down the stairs. Lorna also says Caroline Sparrow would sit up until midnight, after Francis had gone to sleep, sewing calico frills onto their daughter Ruth's wedding dress. Emily always referred to him as "the Old Gentleman".  She also said that Francis was a "Gentleman Traveller" or a Commercial Traveller who was away from home a lot. He often returned home with sides of bacon and barrels of butter instead of cash.  She thinks this may be the reason that Caroline opened her General Store. According to Edward Sparrow's birth certificate, however, he was a Sawyer.

Francis' death certificate states his occupation to be a Draper. He died of heart disease at 110 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy. His parents are listed as Thomas Sparrow and Alice Coin. He is cited as having been born in Kilkenny, Ireland. He was buried at the Melbourne General Cemetery on 12th April 1890. The informant was Reuben Sparrow. The probate records
list him as a "gentleman". It has also been said that Caroline Sparrow made and sold babies' clothes in the shop. Apparently Francis was worth 1100 pounds sterling when he died.  He left a gold and a silver watch.