[Index]

Robert KILBY (1839 - 1915)

blacksmith, farmer

Children	Self + Spouses	Parents	Grandparents	Greatgrandparents
Christina Jane KILBY (1865 - 1951) Sidney William KILBY (1867 - ) James Kinlock KILBY (1870 - 1950) Edith Lavinia KILBY (1875 - 1951)	Robert KILBY (1839 - 1915) + Jane WEBSTER (1839 - 1913)	William KILBY (1811 - 1903)	John KILBY
			Jane SHELTON
		Sarah Mary SMITH ( - 1854)

b. 1839 at Huntingdonshire, England

m. 19 May 1864 Jane WEBSTER (1839 - 1913) at Yass, New South Wales, Australia

d. 19 Nov 1915 at Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia aged 76

Near Relatives of Robert KILBY (1839 - 1915)
Relationship	Person	Born	Birth Place	Died	Death Place	Age
Grandfather	John KILBY
Grandmother	Jane SHELTON
Father in Law	Arthur WEBSTER
Mother in Law	Christina KINLOCK
Father	William KILBY	abt 1811	Ramsay, Huntingdonshire, England	02 Mar 1903	Ginninderra, ACT, Australia	92
Mother	Sarah Mary SMITH			abt 1854	England
Self	Robert KILBY	1839	Huntingdonshire, England	19 Nov 1915	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	76
Wife	Jane WEBSTER	abt 1839		16 Dec 1913	Weetangera, New South Wales, Australia	74
Adopted Daughter	Ann WEBSTER	1856
Daughter	Christina Jane KILBY	1865	Weetangera, New South Wales, Australia	20 May 1951	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	86
Son	Sidney William KILBY	1867	Weetangera, New South Wales, Australia
Son	James Kinlock KILBY	1870	Weetangera, New South Wales, Australia	21 Jul 1950	Hall, New South Wales, Australia	80
Daughter	Edith Lavinia KILBY	1875	Weetangera, New South Wales, Australia	08 May 1951	Ainsley, ACT, Australia	76
Son in Law	Richard VEST	1855	Abergaverny, Monmouthshire, Wales	21 Nov 1922	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	67
Daughter in Law	Beatrice SOUTHWELL	26 Aug 1868	Ginninderra, ACT, Australia	30 Sep 1947	Hall, New South Wales, Australia	79
Son in Law	Evan CAMERON	1868	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Grandson	William Henry VEST	1888	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	14 Jun 1952	Canberra, ACT, Australia	64
Grandson	Arthur Roy VEST	1891	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	1959	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	68
Granddaughter	Elsie Jane VEST	1892	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	20 Jul 1964	Canberra, ACT, Australia	72
Grandson	Walter John VEST	1894	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	1894	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	0
Grandson	James Rex VEST	1896	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	1906	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	10
Grandson	Darcy Robert VEST	1898	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	13 Aug 1972	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	74
Grandson	Owen Douglas VEST	abt 1901	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Grandson	Keith Kinlock KILBY	31 Jan 1898	Parkwood, New South Wales, Australia	28 Mar 1976	Canberra, ACT, Australia	78
Grandson	Athol Carlyle KILBY	28 May 1899	Parkwood, New South Wales, Australia	02 Sep 1962	Ginninderra, ACT, Australia	63
Grandson	Clyde Redvers KILBY	1901	Parkwood, New South Wales, Australia
Grandson	Selby William KILBY	1903	Parkwood, New South Wales, Australia
Granddaughter	Beryl Beatrix Mary KILBY	1904	Parkwood, New South Wales, Australia
Grandson	Bruce Beltran KILBY	1907	Hall, New South Wales, Australia
Granddaughter	Grace Allison Jane KILBY	1909	Hall, New South Wales, Australia
Granddaughter	Cleon Kennison Robert KILBY	1912	Hall, New South Wales, Australia
Granddaughter	Thelma J CAMERON	1908	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Granddaughter	Freda A CAMERON	01 Jan 1908	Weetangera, New South Wales, Australia	10 Dec 2001	Yass, New South Wales, Australia	93
Granddaughter	Heather G CAMERON	1909	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Grandson	Selwyn E CAMERON	1911	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Grandson	Ewan K CAMERON	1916	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Aunt	Mary KILBY	1818	Ramsay, Huntingdonshire, England	07 Aug 1907	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	89
Uncle	Edward SMITH	1822	Wistowe, Huntingdonshire, England	29 Jan 1888	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	66
Cousin	Shelton SMITH	1842	Ramsay, Huntingdonshire, England	1922	Lismore, New South Wales, Australia	80
Cousin	Louisa SMITH	1844	Ramsay, Huntingdonshire, England	1926	Junee, New South Wales, Australia	82
Cousin	Ann Annie SMITH	1846	Ramsay, Huntingdonshire, England	05 Jan 1917	Weetangera, New South Wales, Australia	71
Cousin	Maria SMITH	1849	Ramsay, Huntingdonshire, England	1852		3
Cousin	George SMITH	1853	Pialligo, ACT, Australia	1939	Hornsby, New South Wales, Australia	86
Cousin	Ellis SMITH	1856	Pialligo, ACT, Australia	03 Nov 1928	Wallaroo, New South Wales, Australia	72
Cousin	Amelia SMITH	1859	Pialligo, ACT, Australia	31 Mar 1927	Wallaroo, New South Wales, Australia	68

Events in Robert KILBY (1839 - 1915)'s life
Date	Age	Event	Place	Notes	Src
1839		Robert KILBY was born	Huntingdonshire, England		6
abt 1854	15	Death of mother Sarah Mary SMITH	England		6
1856	17	Birth of adopted daughter Ann WEBSTER			80
04 Sep 1856	17	Immigration	Sydney, New South Wales, Australia	per 'Lloyds'	6
19 May 1864	25	Married Jane WEBSTER (aged 25)	Yass, New South Wales, Australia		6
1865	26	Birth of daughter Christina Jane KILBY	Weetangera, New South Wales, Australia
1867	28	Birth of son Sidney William KILBY	Weetangera, New South Wales, Australia		6
1870	31	Birth of son James Kinlock KILBY	Weetangera, New South Wales, Australia		6
1875	36	Birth of daughter Edith Lavinia KILBY	Weetangera, New South Wales, Australia		6
02 Mar 1903	64	Death of father William KILBY (aged 92)	Ginninderra, ACT, Australia		6
16 Dec 1913	74	Death of wife Jane WEBSTER (aged 74)	Weetangera, New South Wales, Australia		6
19 Nov 1915	76	Robert KILBY died	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia		6

Source References:

6. Type: Book, Abbr: Queanbeyan Register, Title: Biographical register of Canberra and Queanbeyan: from the district to the Australian Capital Territory 1820-1930, Auth: Peter Proctor, Publ: The Heraldry & Genealogical Society of Canberra, Date: 2001

- Reference = 168 (Immigration)

- Reference = 168 (Marriage)

- Reference = 168 (Name, Notes)

- Reference = 168 (Death)

- Reference = 168 (Birth)

80. Type: Web Page, Abbr: Hall Museum, Title: Hall School Museum and Heritage Centre, Locn: https://museum.hall.act.au/

- Reference = https://museum.hall.act.au/display/1939/person/2266/robert-kilby.html (Name, Notes)

- Notes: Born: 1839; Died: 1915; Married: Jane Webster Related Places Lands End [based on edited extracts from ACT Heritage Council. Background Information, Old Lands End... Robert Kilby was born in England in 1840, the only son of William and Sarah Kilby of Ramsay, Huntingdonshire. After both his mother and his sister died of tuberculosis, at the age of sixteen Robert accompanied his father William Kilby on a migrant ship to Australia, the 'Lloyds', arriving in Sydney on 4th September 1856. Ship's records say of Robert: "Can read and write; good reports; paid ₤10 for passage". As newly arrived migrants, they had the distinct advantage that Robert's aunt Mary and her family had arrived in Australia on the 'Irene' four years previously. She and her husband Edward Smith has established themselves in the Ginninderra district, Edward working at Duntroon, then the Palmerville estate. Accordingly, William and Robert made directly for Weetangera where they were all reunited. Three years later Robert set off with three companions from the Ginninderra district for the Kiandra goldfields. His companions were Edwin Palmer, James Hatch, and William Bowyer. Returning after twelve months Robert had not made a fortune, but had earned good wages, and decided to take up farming. He duly acquired a 40 acre block at Weetangera - Portion 73, Parish of Weetangera. His father Bill took up three adjacent Portions amounting to a further 120 acres - a total of 160 acres between them. They cut timber and built a slab home close to the point where the four blocks met. 'Lands End' was to be the Kilby family home until 1915 when the Weetangera district land was resumed by the federal government. On 19th May 1864 Robert married Jane, the daughter of Arthur and Christian Webster (nee Kinloch - a name that was incorporated into the Kilby lineage) - who lived at 'Bloomfield' near Murrumbateman. Robert and Jane Kilby [Webster] had four children - Ann (Webster) (1956), Christian Jane (1865), Sidney William (1867), James Kinloch (1870) and Edith Lavinia (1875). By chance three of his children were to become associated with Yarralumla Homestead. Christian married Richard Vest, who was overseer / caretaker for over thirty years (1881-1913); Sidney was employed as gardener, firstly by Frederick Campbell and then for a succession of Governor-Generals. The brothers-in-law both had cottages in the Yarralumla grounds. James was apprentice from 1891 for a short while to Fred Young, Queanbeyan builder / architect, and worked on the construction. As a farmer Robert was highly skilled and very versatile. Although freed from his indentures as an apprentice blacksmith when he left England, he set up a blacksmith workshop at home where he shod horses and repaired farm equipment - his own and his neighbours. He was a very capable builder, a good shearer and a ploughman, and always had a fine vegetable garden and orchard. He tanned and made rugs from wallaby skins, and was a fine musician - playing many instruments and leading the singing at St Ninian's Presbyterian church. He was especially good on the flute, and was in great demand at bush dances. His community involvements of many kinds are catalogued over the years in the Queanbeyan Age and Goulburn Evening Post. In 1875 he was amongst the parents listed in an application for a school at Weetangera and was subsequently a member of the school board (Clough, 10); Christian (9) and Sidney (7) were named as prospective pupils. Clough reports that Robert whitewashed trees to mark the route through the dense scrub and built stiles for the children to get over fences, or small ladders where there were no corner pasts to build a stile. Although his children had long since completed their schooling Robert Kilby was one of the petitioners for a new school in 1906. Along with Charles Cameron, William James Cook, James Gillespie and James Kinlyside he was a Trustee of St Ninian's Church; elected to the committee of the Ginninderra Protection Union (1888); a regular participant in district hare drives, pigeon and wallaby shoots; elected to the committee of the newly formed Canberra and Ginninderra Ploughing Association (1879). In 1894 he chaired a meeting at the Cricketers Hotel when free trade candidate Mr A H Conroy addressed the electors. In 1881 he won prizes for 'best truss of hay, best bag of potatoes and best ham' at the Ploughing Matches held at Gungahleen in association with the Canberra Pastoral and Agricultural Association. A misfortune in mid summer of 1872 was wryly reported in the Age: 'A shed containing three saddles and harness and other effects together with some money concealed at Ginninderra the property of Robert Kilby has been destroyed by fire. The origin of the fire is attributed to a pet cockatoo setting fire to matches by nibbling the points of them. The bird perished in the flames'. Samuel Shumack says of Robert: "When threshing had to be done in the locality we helped each other and no money passed between us for labour done - the spirit and amity never dies and this showed that the true Christian spirit existed. My friend Robert Kilby was a model neighbour - a half day was usually sufficient to complete his threshing, yet he often spent five days assisting me with mine and he would never accept anything for his labour, nor was he ever absent". [Shumack, 13] Jane died in 1913. Less than two years later Robert and his neighbours were informed that the Federal Government would be resuming their land and converting it to leasehold. They could apply to lease back the farms their labours had won from the bush over fifty years or so. Robert was one of the many who opted to leave. He passed away only three months later and is buried in the Hall cemetery alongside his wife Jane. Obituary - Robert Kilby: A very old and well known resident of this district and for many years a resident on his own estate at Lands End, Weetangera. He had reached the advanced age of nearly 76 years when his end came on Friday last at the local hospital. He had not been in good health for a long time past suffering from kidney trouble. For many years past deceased was a prominent member and senior elder of the Presbyterian Church. His surviving children are two sons and two daughters, viz J K Kilby of Hall, Sidney Kilby of Weetangera, Mrs R Vest of Yarralumla and Mrs Evan Cameron of Weetangera. The funeral obsequies took place on Sunday, Mr John Jordan having the directorship of the burial. The remains were conveyed to Hall cemetery and were there placed alongside those of his wife. Rev A G McIntosh-Carter Minister of the Queanbeyan Parish assisted by Rev D C Hughes Methodists, conducted the service. [Queanbeyan Age 23.11.1915] References Campbell, W.J.M. Four pioneers of the Limestone Plains, Canberra 1955 Clough, M.Spilt milk. A history of Weetangera school 1875-2004, Weetangera School, Canberra, 2004. Gillespie, L.L., Ginninderra, Forerunner to Canberra, Canberra, 1992. Kilby, E. The Kilby Family. 'Lands End' 1852-2013, author published. Canberra [available from the author (02)6230 2234] Shumack, S., An autobiography or Tales and Legends of Canberra pioneers, ANU Press, Canberra, 1967 Queanbeyan Age. 23 November 1915

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