1875-1920
Father
Mother
Siblings
William Thomas, Arthur John, Charles Ernest, Frank Percival
Married
Children
David Anthony, Norman Arnold, Florence Edith, Charles Oliver, Thelma Elsie, Harriet Irene, Rebecca Ella, Benjamin Albert, Joseph Orlando, Lillian Ann, Miller Adele, Grace Iris
George’s Life
George was born in Cawdor on 11 November 1875 to David Doust and Harriet Blundell. The family moved to the Molong District in the late 1800’s.
Martha and George were married in 1902 and eventually made their home in the Tullamore/Fifield district. The first confirmation of their arrival at Loomvale, Fifield is early 1907 when George is mentioned in a Police Gazette regarding stolen horses (he was not the perpetrator). Although Norman John Strudwick (my Father) advised that George came to Fifield before he was married. This is indicated in the 1901 Molong Census.
Martha and George’s first four children, David, Norman, Florence and Charles were born at Cargo with Harriet being the first child born at Fifield in 1909. Norman John Strudwick has confirmed that George moved up first, lived in an old hut on the property and prepared the way for his wife and children. The first Parish Map that shows the Dousts owning land in the Parish of Fitzroy is dated 1914. It appears the land was taken up from a subdivision of the Burra Burra estate and some land may have been leased as well, hence the ability to name their property Loomvale in keeping with Martha’s family tradition.
Martha and George built a pisé house for the family to live in. They used butter boxes to form the walls and applied the mud. Dad remembers as a child, his brothers and he filling buckets of clay for running repairs. The house was listed in the National Trust but unfortunately it has now been destroyed. The floors were of pounded earth and the walls were whitewashed (Dad remembers getting special clay to facilitate this). As the family outgrew the house, a structure of canvas and corrugated iron was added out the back for the girls.
George and Martha had twelve children, seven girls and five boys, one of the girls dying in infancy. Their happiness was not last though with George dying in 1920. A rainstorm while George was working a paddock with his team of horses forced him to take the team back to the stables. George ensured that his horses were all rubbed down and dry to keep them healthy for work before looking after himself. The stable was wet and full of humidity, hot horses providing an atmosphere that led to George sickening then dying of pneumonia. He was only 44. Martha was 40 with 11 children aged 18 years to six months old and very much on her own. Their families, in the Toogong district, tried to assist Martha. William and Rebecca Loomes took over the care of Harriet and the Dousts cared for Charles.
George was sorely missed by his wife and young children. However, they inherited his tenacity and succeeded in all their endeavours.
Authored by Leah Burnheim