The Torode Origins
George Torode was born on the 12th of February, 1828 in the parish of Saint Saviour on the island of Guernsey, one of the Channel Islands. He was the sixth child born to Abraham Torode and Marie Carre and, as seemed to be the local custom, he was baptised in Saint Saviour shortly afterwards on the 24th of February, 1828.
Betsey Queripel was born on the 21st of November, 1828 in the parish of Saint Martin as the first child of Jean (John) Queripel and Rebecca Heaume. She was baptised in Saint Martin on the 7th of December, 1828.
George Torode married Betsey Queripel in the Parish of Saint Martin on the 21st of October 1852, by license. Their first child, George, was born in the town of Vale, Guernsey, on the 30th of July 1853 and he was baptised in that parish on the 21st of August 1853. Their Second child, John Thomas, was born in the parish of Saint Sampson on the 3rd of July 1856. On the Birth registration entries for both of these children George Torode stated that his occupation was "Carrieur" which is to say that he was a Stone Cutter.
George Torode seems to have decided, sometime around 1858, to emigrate to the colony of Australia under the scheme of Assisted Immigration. Along with his wife Betsey and two sons, George and John, they made their way to Liverpool and there they boarded the ship for the passage to Port Phillip and their new life.
The ship on which they journeyed was named "Dirigo" and it sailed from the port of Liverpool, England, on the 28th of November 1858 captained by a Mr Robert White. Shortly after it departed, the "Dirigo" was hit by a very severe storm and lost her three top masts. It was not safe for the ship to continue on its voyage and it was decided to put in to Milford Haven for a repairs. The repairs took some time and they eventually departed Milford Haven on the 4th of January 1859 to resume their voyage. The voyage continued uneventfully and the ship made good time until, on the 20th of March 1859, the first mate (Mr Henry Doyle) fell overboard during a bout of heavy weather. The captain reported that there was no chance to attempt a rescue as the ship was "running with double - reefed topsails" and the man quickly disappeared. The "Dirigo" eventually arrived in Melbourne on the 28th of March 1859.
A New Land, A New Life
The Assisted Shipping lists of the "Dirigo" listed both George and Betsey as being able to both read and write. Their religion is nominated as being Church of England. George had his profession listed as a Labourer and the family was eventually discharged on their "own account" to an address given as Hotham Street, Collingwood. The date of this discharge is shown as the 16th of April 1859.
George and Betsey had their 3rd child, Elizabeth Anne, on the 8th of May 1859 in Collingwood which means that Betsey must have endured the long voyage from England while she was heavily pregnant. This was not an uncommon thing at the time but shows the strength and courage needed by the new settlers, especially the women, to sail half way around the world to an unknown land even at the risk of their unborn children.
Their next three children were all registered as being born in Campbell's Creek, Victoria. They were the 4th child, Mary Jane Torode, who was born 13th of June 1862. The 5th child, Eliza Torode, who was born 10th of July 1864. The 6th child, Frederick Torode, who was born 3rd of June 1866.
The eldest son, George Torode, was involved in an accident on the 2nd of October 1868 and died in the Castlemaine Hospital on the 4th of October 1868 as a result of his injuries. He was only 15 years of age at he time of his death. He had been away working for a Mr Elliot Fox, driving a dray, for about 10 days. It appears that he may have fallen from the dray and been run over or he was crushed between the wagon and the gate-post of the yard he was driving into. In his statement to the inquest Mr Fox stated that he had not seen the accident as he was driving another wagon some way behind George but had come across him crawling out from beneath the dray. He had gathered George up and taken him, "with all speed", to the hospital at Castlemaine where he was attended by Dr McGrath.
He lay critically ill in hospital for 2 days and was visited by his father, George Torode (Snr), who later testified to the Inquest that his son had told him that no-one was to blame for the accident but himself.
The Inquest was held at the Castlemaine Hospital on the 5th of October 1868 where the statements of Mr Fox and George Torode were given along with the Post-mortem results. This showed that George had died at 1.30 PM on October 4 from "effluxion of blood into the left side of the chest" and that these "injuries were caused by an accident". The report also found that the 4th to the 9th ribs were all crushed.
In 1871 the Torode family were visited by tragedy once more, this time with the death of their eldest daughter, Elizabeth Anne, in Collingwood at the age of 12 years.
George and Betsey had their 7th and last child, Emily Ann, at Guildford, Victoria, on the 19th of March 1873.
During this period George Torode owned three properties in the Parish of Guildford. They were located just to the North-East of the township of Yapeen. The properties consisted of one of 20 acres 1 rod 32 perches, one of 14 acres 0 rods 16 perches and one of 9 acres 1 rod 12 perches. Several of the neighbouring properties were listed as being owned by a "J. Fox" which is probably of the same family for whom young George Torode had been working at the time of his unfortunate accident.
In 1882 the Torode's lost another child. This time it was their daughter Mary Jane. She is listed as dying at Guildford, Victoria, at the age of 19 years. She is probably buried at the Guildford Cemetery although this is not certain.
Their 5th daughter, Eliza, was married in the Castlemaine Wesleyan Church, in April 1885, to a local man named Thomas Moon. Thomas Moon was the seventh child of John Moon and Mary Ann Littleton of Muckleford, near Castlemaine.
Some time after this date the Torode family moved back to Melbourne and from 1891 to 1895 they were listed in the Sands & McDougalls Directory of Melbourne as residing at an address in Normanby Street, Northcote. Betsey Torode (nee Queripel) is listed as dying in Northcote in 1895 at the age of 66 years. She was buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery on the 24th of April 1895 (Grave location :- Wesleyan - Compartment K - Grave 427).
George Torode continued to live in Northcote and at the time of his death, in 1902, he was listed in the Sands & McDougalls Directory of Melbourne at No. 21 Elm Grove, Northcote. He was buried in the same grave as his wife at the Melbourne General Cemetery on the 18th of April 1902 (Grave location :- Wesleyan - Compartment K - Grave 427). He was 64 years of age when he died.