William Swindail

   Another name for William was William Swindell.

  General Notes:

Monica Foggin notes:
Shipping records reveal W. and D. SWINDAIL sailed from from Gravesend, England, via Falmouth, on 2/11/1879, and arrived in Auckland, New Zealand on 4/2/1880, aboard the barque "British Empire" (Captain ROWE). When the "British Empire" sailed into New Zealand waters, it flew the yellow flag, denoting disease on board as 13 days into its voyage measles had been detected, and by 2 months, 36 people had been infected. The last person infected brought on a more noisome and deadly disease, scarlet fever, which resulted in the deaths of 8 passengers. After quarantine, the passengers were finally disembarked, and fittings of the ship were burnt, and the vessel fumigated.
It is possible that the D SWINDAIL on this boat, was David Manassah SWINDAIL, born in England about 1840, but what relation was he to William SWINDAIL? Both William and David were stonemasons, as were their fathers. However, on certain records William's father is listed as Isaac, while on his death certificate it was given as William. David's father is listed as David. It is doubtful these two are brothers, more likely to be cousins.

William stayed for about 4 years. David SWINDAIL remained in New Zealand, while William SWINDAIL sailed to Sydney, in the early 1880's. A William SWINDALE, labourer, was found aboard "Rotorua" 20/12/1880 from Auckland. The dates do not add up! The spelling is one of many variations of SWINDAIL.
William worked on St Mary's Cathedral during the late 1880's. He also worked on Curzon Hall in Balaclava Rd, Marsfield at the same time as Robert Hastie, who later married William's step-daughter, Barbara Mann. Barbara was the daughter of William's wife, Jame Cormick Melven from her first marriage to Benjamin Fairfax Mann.
William built his own home at 59 Bridge St (later changed to Pittwater Rd) Hunters Hill, on the corner of Aston St. His sons, William and David, were born here. Hunters Hill Council have placed a Herritage Order on the house. It appears the name of the house was "Wellwood". The directory has William and his family living there until at least 1899. However sometime within the next 10 years, they moved to 63 Hill Street, Leichhardt. Perhaps this happened because a family story says William mortgaged the property and wasted the money. Perhaps it was spent on alcolhol as, according to other family stories, William was a heavy drinker, who drank a bottle of brandy a day. When drunk, he became noisy and violent. His step-son, Ben Mann, used to ride off on his bike to buy beer for him.
William SWINDAIL died of heart disease on 23/6/1918 at "Seacombe" Private Hospital, Wolsley Street, Drummoyne. He is buried in Field Of Mars Cemetery CE 1274, and the headstone still exists.

  Noted events in his life were:

• connection. ⁶²

• Immigration.

• Occupation: stonemason, 1901, Marsfield, Sydney, NSW Australia.

William married Jane Cormick Melven on 26 Apr 1884 in Holy Trinity, Millers Point, Sydney, NSW Australia.⁶² (Jane Cormick Melven was born on 8 Mar 1845 in Campbelltown, Sydney, NSW Australia, died on 6 Aug 1914 in Leichhardt, Sydney, NSW Australia and was buried in Field of Mars Cemetery, Cnr Quarry & Cressy Rd, Ryde, Sydney, NSW Australia Portion: Ang - Sec D Plot: 1273.)