I have a mystery.
Who has heard of Campbells Creek, Victoria, Australia?
Not many I guess.
I had never heard of it in relation to the Errey family in Australia.
It is a small town on the southern outskirts of Castlemaine, Central Victoria, Australia.
click to see Campbells Creek today
It was first settled in about 1852 following rich alluvial gold discoveries in the area. This very small town lies North North East of Camperdown and about 120 miles by road, Ballarat being almost half way.
David Errey, (my Grand Father) was born at Campbells Creek in 1875 so it seems, his parents David Errey b 1834 and his wife Elizabeth Errey b 1836 were living there for some time as a number of their other children were born there also.
The story told to me was that David 1875 lost part of his right hand in a mining explosion on the gold field of Western Australia where he had been involved in gold mining. I am not so sure this is correct now.
No story told to me or documentation I have seen relates to any of the Errey family ever living at Campbells Creek, Victoria. This place is never mentioned in any obituary or stories I have read of David Errey b 1834 or his son b 1875 or any other Errey family member.
click to see Campbells Creek Map
Now this is strange…
This silence surrounding Campbells Creek aroused my interest so I began to investigate and see what I could find.
Upon checking my records we have 26 Errey related children, born at Campbells Creek (17 with the Errey name), the earliest May Errey b 1860 who was David and Elizabeth’s first child.
We might assume then that they led the move of the Errey family, to the northern gold fields shortly after their marriage in 1858 at Camperdown.
The last of the Errey related births I have recorded is Benjamin Eddy in 1887. Benjamin was a child of Emily Errey & Thomas Eddy who had married in 1886 in Adelaide, South Australia.
Emily was one of Benjamin Errey’s daughter who migrated with his family to Australia in 1870. This is another sad story that may be told one day.
Now…
Back to David Errey 1834 & his wife Elizabeth Errey b 1836.
Their second child William B, born the next year in 1861 and was born in Camperdown.
Their third child Anne Errey was born in 1863 was born back at Campbells Creek but died 9 days later.
Francis Errey their fourth child was born at Campbells Creek and was the first of this family to survive having been born there.
Elsie Ruth their fifth child, was born at Camperdown in 1867.
Peter Errey was born at Camperdown in 1869.
Their seventh child Ebenezer David b 1871 was born back at Campbells Creek while child number eight Elizabeth Mary was born back at Camperdown in 1873.
George Edmund number nine was born in 1874 at Campbells Creek.
Child number ten, my grand father David Errey b 1875 was also born at Campbells Creek.
There eleventh child Henry was born in Camperdown on 3 Mar 1877 but died 12 days later.
John Thomas Peter Errey b 1878 was born in Camperdown but perhaps unsurprisingly his wife not an Errey family member was born at Campbells Creek. Perhaps there was quite a movement of families from the Camperdown, Cobden, Cobrico area back and forth to Campbells Creek area.
David and Elizabeth’s last child number thirteen Sarah was born at Camperdown also but died one month later in 1879.
Family members list where some records indicate they were born at Campbells Creek
Their mother Elizabeth died in 1880 the next year.
It seems the family returned to live at Cobrico about 1876 and settled there but why the silence of Campbells Creek.
What can we make of this?
Was their search for riches not successful and silence was the best response?
Perhaps I have not been listening?
Have you heard any stories about the Errey family at Campbells Creek, Victoria, Australia?
Do you have any documented evidence of there life there?
I would love to hear any responses.
Have a great 2015.
Neil Errey
Click to see Three generations of David & Elizabeth’s family tree