••• The Lister Archives •••  


John Hardman Australia Lister
(1828—1890)




 BORN 12 May 1828 at Hentland, Herefordshire.
 BAPTISED 1828 at St Mary's, Whitechapel, London, England.
 DIED 17 September 1890 at Tallwood, Brown’s Creek, near Blayney, NSW (of pleurisy). Link 
 Data 

NSW Death Record 3106/1890

LISTER JOHN H A
JOHN H & SUSAN
@ BLAYNEY
 
 BURIED 20 September 1890 in Millthorpe Cemetery, NSW. (Headstone birthdate should read 1828.)
 
 FATHER John Hardman Lister (1803-1850)
 MOTHER Susanna Pymble (1806-1889)
 
 MARRIED Ann Hannah Arthur (1838-1924) on 1 Nov 1860 at All Saint's, Bathurst, NSW Link  
 Data 

NSW Marriage Record 1292/1860

LISTER JOHN HARDIMAN A & ARTHUR ANN HANNAH
@ BATHURST
 
 CHILDREN   John Hardman Erin Lister (1861-1942)
Charles Thomas Lister (1866-1890)
Eveline Caroline Lister (1866-1890)
Fanny Rebecca Lister (1868-1953)
Arthur Lister (1871-1942)
Anne Susan Lister (1875-1953)
 

The name Australia is said to represent Capt Lister’s admiration for Matthew Flinders, originator of the term Australia.

Farmer. Using advice of Ed. Hargraves, discovered gold at Ophir 1851 with friends James and Bill Tom using a Miner’s cradle made in living room at Springfield with Parson & Hargraves. After discovery of a heart-shaped nugget, Hargraves set off alone for Sydney claiming reward for himself, identifying Lister & Tom boys as his employees.

A NSW Parliamentary committee ruled in the boys’ favour after their deaths. The full parliament, however, voted to reject the findings of the committee.

The association with gold did not help JHAL financially — he was before the Insolvency Court on 29 December 1871.

The Perth Mint says:
In 1851, Edward Hargraves claimed the discovery of the first payable gold in Bathurst, New South Wales. Hargraves was a master of publicity and self promotion. He named the field Ophir, after the biblical source of King Solomon’s gold, secured for himself many rewards and significant government positions and subsequently became known as the first discoverer of gold in Australia. The reality was that his partners, John Lister, William and James Tom, did most of the work and made the real discovery, but the gold industry was and still is, an environment for entrepreneurs and men quick witted enough to exploit their circumstances.

On my tree I have him probably arriving in Australia on 10 October 1842 on the Aden with his sisters. Though he does imply in the Brunie papers he came when his father retired from the sea in 1838. Gwen Oglivie, his great granddaughter, suggests he came 1838. Unlike his sisters he so far has not turned up in the 1841 Census of England.

— Margaret Hardwick











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