Frederick William Wilkes (1849-1920) (Second generation)

Frederick William Wilkes (was) an Englishman, who at the age of 11 sailed before the mast as a midshipman… He was in the Merchant Marine until he was about 27 or 28 and finally rose to getting his Master Mariner’s Certificate… He left his ship in Adelaide… he could read and write…

Des believes he may have been the son of a wealthy Englishman, who was related to the parliamentarian, but Frederick never returned to England to collect his inheritance. arrived in Australian around 1865, and initially spent time as a merchant marine seaman in NSW. In 1882 Frederick opened a business in Wentworth as an accountant (in partnership with a land broker) and in that same year was appointed Town Clerk of Wentworth, a job he held until his death in 1920 at the age of 69.

Des also believed that he became a riverboat captain. There is no documentary evidence of this, but his occupation was given as ‘river trader’ in 1884 when his second child (Maisie) was born.

Frederick married Christina Power/Minogue in 1879. He was 30, she was 19.

They lived at Tara with the Minogues and had four children – Selina Elizabeth 1879, Mary Florence (Maisie) 1883, William Frederick 1884 and Bernard Bede 1887 (see tree).

In the same year as the birth of her third child (William), Mrs Wilkes appeared at a fundraising fancy dress ball 'in an evening dress', according to the Wentworth Telegraph and Murray Darling News.

There were no nuns (in Wentworth) during Selina’s childhood and she was sent to the Brigidine convent in Echuca by steamer (and horse coach) and it took at least 12 to 14 days to get there and to come back. I’ve seen to it in my Will that one of the prizes that she won at the Brigidine convent called ‘Ferdinand’s Adventures’ is still available.

In 1892, when Selina was 13 years old, and Maisie nine, the Mercy nuns began teaching in Wentworth. Maisie was educated mainly at Wentworth convent. In 1898, Maisie, aged 15, was listed in the local paper as one of the prize winners at the end of year prize giving.

Both Selina and Maisie were accomplished pianists and recreational activities included musical evenings. The young women played tennis and picnics seemed to be popular. The men folk delighted in fishing, shooting etc.

I (Peter) have some faint memories of both Maisie (as a frail old lady) and ‘uncle’ Bern (a boisterous character) from my childhood.

Frederick in 1894 was one of three appointed to enquire into the burning of the famous Rodney (when it carried shearers up Darling river to break the first shearing strike in Australia – mentioned in the timeline) which was burned to the water line by the shearers who (were trying) to stop scab labour in the shearing sheds. The outcome of the enquiry some of the people on the Rodney were prosecuted but there was no proof as to how the fire started.

As Council Clerk, Frederick went to the Exhibition building in Melbourne to celebrate federation in 1901. The invitation refers to it as the opening of the ‘Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia’ where he would meet ‘the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York’. The Duke, in 1911, became King George V and the Duchess became Queen Mary

Jean Roper (nee Loomes), daughter of Maisie Wilkes and Jim Loomes, and grand daughter of Frederick, restored a chair given to Frederick on his retirement (shown right). On it is a plaque that reads: