Silas Charles Sheather

1824 - 1906  (82 years)

• Name	Silas Charles Sheather
  Born	29 Feb 1824	Sussex, England   [1]
  Gender	Male
  Buried	May 1906	St John's Church of England, Parramatta, NSW, Australia
  Died	17 May 1906	Parramatta, NSW, Australia   [2]
  Newspaper	19 May 1906	The Cumberland Argus and Fruit Growers' Advocate, Parramatta, NSW, Australia   [3]
  	MR. SHEATHER'S LIFE HISTORY. Mr. Sheather's birthplace was Sussex, England. In 1838 he left England with his father and mother, and three brothers and four sisters, and came out to this country, in the 'Royal George' -- a vessel chartered by Mr. Wm. Macleay and Sir James Macarthur. In April, 1839, he landed at Redbank (only a few yards lower down on the banks of the Parramatta River than where he subsequently made his picturesque home) -- and near where the Sandown Meatworks now stands. He went to Camden Park from Parramatta, the party being accommodated in waggons, which were 24 hours on the journey. After eight years' gardening at Camden Park, during which time he learned much, in regard to the Australian climate and productiveness, as he afterwards freely confessed, under the hints of Sir William Macarthur, he left Camden Park. He was at Mr. Henry Watson Parker's establishment, at Elizabeth Farm, for three years. It was then that he met his wife (then Miss Annie Bellamy, a young lady belonging to Pen- nant Hills). Mr. Sheather was after wards at Mr. George Oakes' place, New lands, (near Mr. Fairclough's present re- sidence). The gardener there when Mr. Sheather was at Mr. H. W. Parker's was Mr. Brown, the first to graft the orange on lemons stock - as Mr. Sheather always claimed - and a smart man generally. Mr. Brown was scalded to death in an accident. Mr. Sheather took his place, and stayed there two years. About that time Mr. Sheather got married; and he lived in George-street, Parramatta. Subsequently he took up three acres at Camellia Grove, as he called the spot just at the bend of the river before Subiaco is reached from Parramatta. The young settler started growing vegetables, though the demand for that commodity was very limited, till the diggings broke out. Then things began to improve all round. As much as ten shillings would be given at that time for a cwt. of cabbage -- some- times ten cabbages making up that weight. Mr. Sheather then took to the nursery business proper, and in those early days we are now speaking of the Sixties things were brisk in that line. He received as much as 6s for a single orange tree, and ?6 and ?6 6s per hundred often. Mr. Sheather was a man of quiet temperament, and retiring disposition; and did not mix up very much in public matters. Three of his children predeceased him, one daughter -- a popular local young lady -- dying only a few years ago.
  Newspaper	19 May 1906	The Cumberland Argus and Fruit Growers' Advocate, Parramatta, NSW, Australia   [3]
  	DEATH OF MR. S. SHEATHER. For some time past the health of Mr. Silas Sheather had been of such an unsatisfactory character that his many friends could not fail to realise that the end of his earthly career was not far off. He died at 3 a.m. on Thursday at the advanced age of 82 years. He suffered some time ago from rheumatism and dropsy; then his illness merged into senile decay. The deceased was one of the best known residents of Parramatta, he having lived at Camellia Grove (his far-famed old Parramatta River nursery) for about 54 or 55 years. He leaves three daughters - Mrs. J. Ridal, Mrs. J. Muir and Miss Sheather. and six sons, Messrs. Henry, John, Silas, William, James and Arthur Sheather. The funeral, which was largely attended, took place on Friday afternoon (yesterday), and moved to St. John's Church, then to St. John's cemetery. The coffin was carried to St. John's Church, where the family had been worshippers for over 50 years ; and the service at the graveside was conducted by tho Ven. Archdeacon Gunthor. A number of beautiful wreaths were laid upon the coffin. Arrangements in connection with tho interment were in the hands of Mr. Ralph Metcalfe. Mr. Sheather had seen the growth of Parramatta from a straggling military village. He originally came to Parramatta with the Macarthurs, when those sturdy pion- eers commenced sheep-raising on Elizabeth Farm, within sight of what was to be Mr. Sheather's home for so many years. That was over 60 years ago. He landed in New South Wales when he was 14 years of age, and had really lived in Parramatta ever since. Mr. Sheather was widely known amongst the old horticulturists as tho most successful raiser of the camellia in Australia. When that beautiful flower was enjoying its day of popular favour, Mr. Sheather's fine grove was one of the spots marked out for the tourist and the sight-seer to visit. The old gentleman to the last still clung to his fancy, and could see in the camellia a flower that surpassed all other creations. His latest creation was a beautiful flower, and he brought to us the first bloom and asked us to suggest a name. It was Commonwealth time, and we suggested the flower be called "Commonwealth." He was delighted with the name, which he accepted. His whole soul was wrapped up in his flowers, and he loved to meet and talk with one whose fancies ran in the same direction. In the good old days he made a fortune out of his camellias, and it was a common thing to see two or three men, each bearing a couple of long bamboo poles from which were suspended bunches of camellias. These men would go to Sydney by the early steamer, and convey the flowers to the markets, where they commanded a ready sale at a good price. But Mr. Sheather was not the man to hoard up wealth. He was easy, hospitable and generous, otherwise he might easily have ended his days in comparative affluence. But that was not to be. There is something, however, more to his credit. He and his good wife will ever be remembered as two of the kindliest natures that ever existed in the old town. His name was unsullied, and he knew not the name of an enemy.
  Name	Cyrus Sheather
  	as shown in the birth entry for his daughter Harriet in the NSW BDM Index
  Person ID	I6721	Mote/McInnes
  Last Modified	1 Jun 2014

  
  

  Father	Henry Sheather,   b. 22 Oct 1797, Brede, Sussex, England ,   d. 16 May 1865, Redfern, NSW, Australia  (Age 67 years)
  Mother	Mary Button,   b. Abt 1801, Hawkhurst, Kent, England ,   d. 18 Jun 1839, Camden, NSW, Australia  (Age ~ 38 years)
  Married	01 Jan 1822	Beckley, Sussex, England   [4]
  Family ID	F488	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Annie Bellamy,   b. 1827, Pennant Hills, NSW, Australia ,   d. 15 Oct 1909, Granville, NSW, Australia  (Age 82 years)
  Married	16 Jul 1850	St John's Church of England, Parramatta, NSW, Australia   [5]
  Children	1. Harriet Sheather,   b. 19 May 1851, Parramatta, NSW, Australia   2. Henry Thomas Sheather,   b. 14 Aug 1853, Parramatta, NSW, Australia ,   d. 03 Oct 1945, Parramatta, NSW, Australia  (Age 92 years)   3. Cyrus Sheather,   b. 26 Feb 1855, Parramatta, NSW, Australia ,   d. 09 Jul 1855, Parramatta, NSW, Australia  (Age 0 years)   4. Margaret Annie Sheather,   b. 1856, Parramatta, NSW, Australia ,   d. 1936, North Sydney, NSW, Australia  (Age 80 years)   5. John Edgar Sheather,   b. 19 Apr 1858, Parramatta, NSW, Australia ,   d. 24 Jul 1912, Parramatta, NSW, Australia  (Age 54 years)   6. James Sheather,   b. 1860, Parramatta, NSW, Australia ,   d. 1860, Parramatta, NSW, Australia  (Age 0 years)   7. George Sheather,   b. 1860, Parramatta, NSW, Australia ,   d. 1860, Parramatta, NSW, Australia  (Age 0 years)   8. William Lewis Sheather,   b. 1861, Parramatta, NSW, Australia ,   d. 12 Dec 1927, Parramatta, NSW, Australia  (Age 66 years)   9. Silas G Sheather,   b. 1863, Parramatta, NSW, Australia   10. James Reuben Sheather,   b. 1865, Parramatta, NSW, Australia ,   d. 25 Feb 1925, Parramatta, NSW, Australia  (Age 60 years)   11. Edith Mary Sheather,   b. 1868, Parramatta, NSW, Australia ,   d. 24 Jul 1949, Harris Park, NSW, Australia  (Age 81 years)   12. Amy Lucy Sheather,   b. 1870, Parramatta, NSW, Australia ,   d. 12 Sep 1902, Parramatta, NSW, Australia  (Age 32 years)   13. Arthur Bellamy Sheather,   b. 1872, Parramatta, NSW, Australia ,   d. 1953, Australia  (Age 81 years)
  Last Modified	11 Dec 2021
  Family ID	F2223	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Sources

  [S419] Sheathers in New Zealand, McIntyre, Miles, (21 October 2003). [S2] NSW BDM, Compiler: NSW Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages, (Royal Melbourne Institute of Techno, Melbourne, Vic, 1995), Place of Death Registration: Parramatta, Registration Year: 1906, Registration Number: 6278. [S999] Trove. [S51] Sheather List, Compiler: various, (N/A, N/A, 2000), record # 13. [S2] NSW BDM, Compiler: NSW Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages, (Royal Melbourne Institute of Techno, Melbourne, Vic, 1995), Denomination: Church of England, Parish: Parramatta, St John's, Volume Reference: V1850559 36B, Registration Year: 1850.