Henry Ponchard appears to have become connected with the area around Wangaratta soon after gaining his freedom. He firstly appeared in the employ of Joseph Docker, who was the owner of a large property caled "Bontherambo". In the book "The Two Lives of Joseph Docker" in the Chapter relating to the period of 1841 - 1844, it is mentioned that Joseph Docker allowed the stockmen in his employ to "accumulate their own small herds of cattle, preparing for the day when they could set up a run of their own." He stated that each of the stockmen had around twenty head of cattle and he went on to name the stockmen in his employ :Peter Flanagan John Markeslie Isaac Webb John Doughety
Henry Ponchard Michael Heffernan George Teale Soloman Cooper
It is certain that Henry was working for the Docker family around this time as there is a listing in Sarah Docker's account book (held at the State Library of Victoria, ref. no. 1388/2) which states under the heading for the year 1844 -
"Nov 18 6 yds cambric muslin by Ponchard".
Other references appear under the heading of "Cheques on the Bank of Australasia"
"16 May 1844 Ponchard £1-0-0"
"16 October 1844 Ponchard £1-15-0"
"1 February 1845 Ponchard £12-4-0".Another entry lists what appears to be acknowledgement of receipt of some goods from Henry Ponchard by Joseph Docker and may explain one of the above cheques -
"16 October 1844 Received 6 bushels wheat by Ponchard".Henry also appears on a "Half-yearly Return" of persons who were resident a Bontherambo Plains on January 1, 1846, in which Joseph Docker detailed the identity of all 52 people at his station. Again in the "Bontherambo Papers" held at the State Library Henry is mentioned again, as follows -
"22 April 1846 - This day Ponchard took 185 wethers and 30 rams to Cullen and Boardman."There is another reference in this same file which is also of interest. The next day Joseph Docker has the following entry in the ledger -
"23 April 1846 - This day Riley fetched 86 dry ewes from Hephnin."
There is no other mention of a Riley that I could find about this time but it may be possible that this was one of Elizabeth Reilly's brothers and that this was how she and Henry Ponchard met. The names Riley and Reilly were often transposed and Henry and Elizabeth were married at the end of the next year. Henry was probably one of the labourers that Joseph Docker used to drive livestock from Bontherambo to his holdings in Melbourne, a trip that would have also taken them through Kilmore, the place of residence for the Reilly family. In his book "Wangaratta 1824 - 1863" D. M. Whittacker says, on page 33 -
"Jacob Vincent and Harry Ponchard grew 2 3/4 acres of wheat near Como; this was probably in 1847, although the date is not certain.....".
Although there is an area named Como near Melbourne it seems possible that this referring to the area just South of the township of Wangaratta. It is known that Henry Ponchard and Jacob Vincent jointly owned a property of more than 56 Acres on the banks of the Ovens River which was purchased at a later date.Henry was married at St. James Church of England, Melbourne, on the 7th of December, 1847. His bride was an Irish girl named Elizabeth (Betsey) Reilly who would have been about 23 years old at this time. On the marriage certificate they are both described as being of the Ovens River Parish. To this time it has not been established when Elizabeth and her family arrived in the Colonies, or through which port.