Author Topic: "Pioneering New England" lookup offer  (Read 9295 times)

Offline PrueM

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Re: "Pioneering New England" lookup offer
« Reply #18 on: Monday 06 August 07 09:01 BST (UK) »
It would be very cool indeed (or warm, as the case may be).
The current owners of Salisbury (my mate  ;) Sir Owen Croft and his wife) were kind enough to take some piccies of the fireplace for me - one is attached FYI  :D

Offline mickalex

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Re: "Pioneering New England" lookup offer
« Reply #19 on: Monday 06 August 07 09:04 BST (UK) »
Wow, would they mind donating it to me!hehe it is sensational, the work is amazing!
Suffolk
Barnes- Iken
Brooke-Iken
Meadows-Witnesham
Rust-Wortham
Graves-Botesdale
I can do lookups in the Newcastle in NSW, library if anyone needs it.

Offline PrueM

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Re: "Pioneering New England" lookup offer
« Reply #20 on: Monday 06 August 07 09:06 BST (UK) »
No way - I've got first dibs on it!!
Apparently he carved it all with a penknife  :o  Obviously being a shepherd gave one lots of free time!

Offline mickalex

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Re: "Pioneering New England" lookup offer
« Reply #21 on: Monday 06 August 07 09:11 BST (UK) »
Free time or not, it is beautiful! The hours it would have taken even with todays tooling, would make it worth a fortune to make.
Thanks for sharing! His calling was sure carving.
Suffolk
Barnes- Iken
Brooke-Iken
Meadows-Witnesham
Rust-Wortham
Graves-Botesdale
I can do lookups in the Newcastle in NSW, library if anyone needs it.


Offline PrueM

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Re: "Pioneering New England" lookup offer
« Reply #22 on: Monday 06 August 07 09:14 BST (UK) »
Thanks Mick  :)
Sorry I hijacked the thread a bit, but I suppose this is kind of on-topic.  Besides, it's my thread, so I suppose I can do what I like with it!!

Cheers
Prue

Offline sparrett

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Re: "Pioneering New England" lookup offer
« Reply #23 on: Monday 06 August 07 09:17 BST (UK) »
Hi Prue and All,
Now you've got me enthralled with this piece of work.
I am one of those people who actually looks at the pattern in cast iron lace-work and tries to identify things in it.
Now in this lovely mantle  I can clearly see a very 'thistley theme 'in the top part beautifully stylized, but totally recognizable.
But what kind of leaf and plant life do we have in the lower part?
I wonder if it is native to his new region or carved from memory from his home region.
  
Some people might say
'Does it matter?'
I say greatly!!

Sue
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline mickalex

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Re: "Pioneering New England" lookup offer
« Reply #24 on: Monday 06 August 07 09:44 BST (UK) »
My guess {and im not good at this sort of thing} is that its a blackboy fern in the lower section and bottle brush{banksia} above ???
Suffolk
Barnes- Iken
Brooke-Iken
Meadows-Witnesham
Rust-Wortham
Graves-Botesdale
I can do lookups in the Newcastle in NSW, library if anyone needs it.

Offline PrueM

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Re: "Pioneering New England" lookup offer
« Reply #25 on: Monday 06 August 07 10:09 BST (UK) »
Hi Sparrett  :D
Not sure what the motifs are  :-\  Very stylised versions of whatever they are - Mick I think you may be right about the fern, and possibly a waratah/banksia/protea at the top?
Here's a snip of what Owen Croft wrote to me about the fireplace.  Also I've included a bit of info about a local historian and a request from Owen for information about families who worked on the Marsh properties:

The carved mantlepiece is a feature in our dining room at Salisbury Court and I understand is was made as a wedding present for my grandfather, Sir Hugh Croft who managed Boorolong Station from 1896 to 1919, when he moved to Salisbury. We have just had some work done on it and the timber used was tallowwood which is amazing being so hard. Also I understand that he did all the work with pocket knives rather than wood working tools.
...Arnold Goode  "Spring Creek" Uralla would be your best bet as his is a remarkable local historian.
...Matthew Marsh was my great,great grandfather. I would be interested in any information you have of your family as I am gradually accumulation histories of people who worked on any of the three Marsh properties, Salisbury Court, Boorolong, and Maryland (near Stanthorpe)


So if anyone has connections, let me know, and I'll put you in touch with my buddy Sir Owen  ;) ;D

Offline sparrett

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Re: "Pioneering New England" lookup offer
« Reply #26 on: Monday 06 August 07 12:53 BST (UK) »
Oh Yes!!'
I can now see the flower is not a thistle at all! It is a kind of hybrid at some glances of maybe a Banksia/Protea/thistle. That's why the leaves are not right for thistle.
It must be a very special piece as the earlier woodworkers from UK reproduced what they were good at which was Uk flora.
I think also yes about the fern.
Sue
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk