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Note: arrived in Victoria in 1852 When James Lockett’s mother died the young James went to sea. At an overseas port he met this older brother who told him to ‘Get Back Home’, but James disobeyed and kept on with his life at sea.
One of his jobs on the ship was to light the Captain’s pipe at the stokehole or kitchen and take it to the Captain at the wheel.
James went Whaling in ‘Newfundland’(sic). The crew used to sight the whales, and when in the area jump from iceberg to iceberg, holding a spear up high, thrust it into the whale and head back to the ship. Back on board the men were filled up with rum, and the whale was then hauled on board.
Once James missed his footing on an iceberg and went down a crack between the ice. By holding his spear across the top he saved his own life.
On his return from one voyage his sister told him his elder brother was in Australia. James decided then that he would work on a ship bound for Australia. By chance, James met his brother in the street in an Australian port so he then worked on the ship back to England and on arrival, booked for work on a ship going back to Australia. This time it was a one way trip, destination Melbourne.
Early after his arrival in Australia, James was at Geelong but soon travelled to the goldfields namely Waanyarra.
At Waanyarra he planted grape vines and brewed wine, he also had cows and a milk round. His room in his house was at the front of the dwelling and his boys lived in a building at the back of the house. James had a cowbell hooked on a wire from their room to his so he could call them each morning without much bother to himself.
In his old age James took a boat trip to Sydney, but it was “ a land lubber run”, he said.
He then went to live in Tarnagulla with Alf and Birdie (Bertha and Alfred Reilly).
Cribbage and his vegetable garden were James’great interests then. When Alf and Birdie went to the Mallee in about 1919, James went to stay with Mary who lived nearby.
My great delight was listening to Grandfather’s cylindrical recordings on his gramophone. I remember well that he loved his game of Crib. And although washing day was a Monday, rain or shine, he asked Eliza, “What about a game of Crib?”. She said, “Get the one up top”, which was her sister Elizabeth Ann. So the washing was interrupted and the card game was set up. “Only one game”, the girls said.
I can remember Elizabeth Ann was always called by both names. Arrived on James Carson aged 22 in July 1854.. unassisted passages
Living in Redruth in 1851 census (lodger)show as copper miner
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