"About 100 Years Ago by Harvey Bryce" Jane Dunlop carved out a living at Bald Knob

 

ABOUT 100 years ago one of our first settlers, Jane Dunlop, was carving out a
living on Bald Knob and living in a bark hut.

The nearest store was at Landsborough (Mellum Creek) and her fascinating daily journal sets out her life story of sweat, hardship and poverty.

For instance, on one page entry she writes the following:
(Please note words in parenthesis are mine) ...

5th October:  Falling tree in garden.

6th:  Sprained ankle.

7th: Sunday.

8th:  Putting up pig house.

10th:  Went to Burgess’s (walked from Bald Knob to Landsborough!) for paper;

11th:  Put cows in (Bald Knob) Pocket;

16th, 17th, 18th October:  Looking for cows in Pocket (uh-oh, no fences);

1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th November:  Putting up fence in rain (fences seem to have become a priority).

15th May: Sunday.

16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st May: Raining.

22nd May: Putting up pig sty in rain (obviously couldn’t wait).

24th May – going to Burgess’s (at Landsborough) for supplies.

And here is an order to Isaac Burgess, the store owner at Landsborough: Sugar, treacle, jam, raisons, dried apples, baking soda, pannikins @ 6d, 1 pocket knife, pair of boots, 16lbs of beef, 2lbs of suet (fat), 8lb salt, 1 spade and tea.   Total 7 pounds 51⁄2 shillings. Credit by cash 1 pound 101⁄2 shillings. Balance 5 pounds 141⁄2 shillings (Receipt written by William Grigor in Jane Dunlop’s Journal).

The following is a copy of receipt of sale of a cow and calf to Jane Dunlop: Glass Mountains.    February 1878. I have sold this day to Mrs Dunlop 1 red cow branded G on rump, 9 on ribs milking side and heifer calf branded 9WG on ribs milking side for the sum of six pounds, signed William Grigor, Bankfoot House (Cob & Co Depot).