 Part 2 section 3 of the autobiography of Cockney Tom. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Anne Boulet. The autobiography of Cockney Tom by Thomas Bastard. Part 2 section 3. A day or two later I was destined to witness a painful sight, which depressed my spirits for several days afterwards. As I was going home to my tent, I saw a crowd of diggers walking three abreast and carrying in front what seemed a sailor's chest. It looked very much like a rollicking party of drunken fellows, bent on some bacchanalian festival. Some were smoking, while others were indulging in coarse jokes and loose conversation. And it was quite evident to me that most of them were very much under the influence of drink. When I came to the party, I naturally inquired what was the matter. Oh, nothing particular. It's only a digger that has been found dead in his tent. He was bad for some time, and his mates have got permission from the police to bury him. Has he no relations with him, I inquired? None that are known. Nobody even knows his real name. He is called Bill the Sailor. I followed them to a place leading up to the mount, where they stopped, let down the box by the side of a hole about three feet deep, and tried to get the box in. But the hole was not big enough, and they had to set to work digging until it was the proper size. At last they managed to get the box down, and when fairly in the hole, it was about two feet below the surface. They shoveled the earth over the poor fellow, who was buried like a dog, without a word of prayer. But not without a certain amount of jesting and rude remarks, which nearly made me commit myself. My feelings were harrowed up to such a pitch at this exhibition of the demoralizing influence of gold digging, that I felt almost ready to exhort them to think of their own latter end. But on thinking the matter over, I decided that it would be better not to do so, but offered a prayer to God in silence instead. When I got back to the hall, Fiddler Jim and a man whom we had better call, Mr. Fiddler Number Two, who knew Jim in London, were waiting to see me on business. What is it to be? I asked. Well, said Mr. Fiddler Number Two, I am sent by Mr. Hitchcock of Castlemane to offer you an engagement for a day and a night, you to sing, and Mr. Fiddler Jim to play the fiddle with me and a pianist. We don't want much rehearsal as you understand each other's business. You will have to sing at the opening dinner, for which there are two hundred tickets issued, at two guineas each, and there is a ball and a concert. It is to celebrate the opening of a large restaurant to dine three hundred a day, and they are sparing no expense to get the thing up in all style. Now what do you think would pay you to come down the day before and go back the next afternoon? Well, said I, I don't think we can do it for less than five pounds each and expenses. What do you think, Jim? I should say that is little enough, but mind, we are not going down in a bullock-drey. He must send us up a decent trap and a pair of horses. All right, said Fiddler Number Two, write out the agreement, and if you are agreeable to the terms, you shall sign it. I will witness it and I will send it up to you with particulars when you are to come. All right, I said, we will come and now let us have a liquor. Had you not better stop to our show tonight and go down tomorrow? All right, he said, but I only wish I had brought my fiddle with me. Never mind that, I said, we can borrow one for you. We had a very jolly night of it, for bottled ale, porter and sherry, being the order of the band. It was proposed we should have the Huntsman chorus, which we all sang in union with the black man Ashton, and several others, arranging the words as follows. We will chase the kangaroo, we will chase the kangaroo, through the wild woods we will follow, and we'll chase the kangaroo. No less than twenty times was this repeated, till everyone thought we were mad, and they were not far out in their judgment. The next day we saw our friend Fiddler Number Two off, but not before we had arranged with him about our benefit. From that time, we did very little gold digging. I made the acquaintance of a somewhat intelligent Chinaman, who was cook at the police camp. He was well dressed, and had his hair closely cropped. He drank no beer or spirits, but indulged freely in tobacco smoke, but no opium for him. He used to relay droll stories about his country and their clever tricks, and said for plundering, no nation could beat his at that sort of thing, as their depredations were simply wonderful. They could buy with all creation, and they could live cheaper than any other people. Also, that they were more numerous than any other people, excelled in gambling and cheating, and were the oldest-fashioned people on record. In fact, everyone was just simply nobody when compared with the Celestials. John Chinaman completely shut me up. On the following Sunday, Fiddler Jim and I received an invitation to dine on Mount Terran Gower. Mrs. Ashton gave out the invites, and the party consisted of Mr. Blackman and his wife, Mr. New York and his sweetheart, a neighboring digger and his wife, two young ladies, one of whom was a dressmaker, and the other took in washing, and Mr. and Mrs. Ashton, with two kangaroo dogs for hunting. We started at 10 a.m. from the camp on a very hot day, and consequently had to rest and refresh very often, and by the time we reached the top of the mount, it was past one o'clock. But the magnificent sight rewarded us for all our trouble in getting there. The view is altogether beyond my power to describe. The scenery about Mount Lofty and Adelaide are grand, but Mount Terran Gower eclipsed both. We had dinner, prepared by the ladies, and then took a walk. Meet a native with boomerangs under his arms, and the dogs would have bitten him had not Ashton called them off. We asked the native to show us how they used the boomerang, and he did so very cleverly. The next thing to be done was, under orders from the ladies, to get some dry wood and make a campfire. As a matter, of course, we instantly obeyed, and on went a billy which they had brought with them. Now, you can have a smoke, said Miss Dressmaker. Yes, till tea is ready, said Miss Washerwoman. And a nobler, said Fiddler Jim. I second that, said Ashton, and it was carried unanimously. After a short stroll, we returned to tea, everything being first class, consisting of boil fowls, ducks, pickles, cakes, etc. After tea, we had noblers all around, the ladies joining in, and then made a start for home, which we reached in half the time it took us to ascend. We were all very tired and soon got to bed, some to dream, and others to think over the wonderful works of the great creator. I could not sleep, my thoughts wandering from the mount to Adelaide, and my wife and children who were waiting to receive me. But eventually, I dozed off. I slept until rouse for breakfast, after which I went to the post office to see if there were any letters for me. Sure enough, there was one addressed to Cockney Tom and Fiddler Jim, Esquires, National Hotel Terran Gower. It read as follows, Dear sirs, consider yourselves engaged at Castle Main for Wednesday next. Your terms are accepted, and I shall be there to meet you with carriage and pair. Get everything ready to start, and on our way back, we can see the races at Mucklesford. Trusting you are all jolly, believe me, my dear brothers, you're sincerely Fiddler number two. All right, said Jim, we must get everything ready, clean white vests, white shirts, neckties, and dress coats. By George, I said, our boots are very bad, and we will have to see what we can borrow. We must not look shabby in our carriage. I believe, said Fiddler Jim, that I shall be the first of my family who ever rode in a carriage to a five-pound engagement. I can say ditto to that, replied I. We had got everything ready when Wednesday morning arrived, and the carriage and pair, with our friend, Fiddler number two, looked mighty big in it. Give the horses a spell, and let's have a nobler before we start, I said. I am quite agreeable, said Fiddler number two. By the by, he said. Do you think I could do anything in the photographic lineup here? I think you would do well, I said, as there is a lot of women about, and they are fond of that sort of thing. I'll think it over, he said. By this time we had got all our luggage in the carriage, ourselves seated, we waved our hands to our friends, and started. Nothing particular occurred on the road. We arrived at Mucklesford, and repaired to the race course, about a mile off. What a sight it was to see so many people there. Where did they all come from, was the general inquiry. Some from one digging, and some from another was the reply. Gambling and drinking were all the rage. We saw about one race, they called it a steeple chase, and in that race, a jockey, a poor little boy, fell from his horse, broke his arm, and was carried off for dead. We did not stop to see any more races, but drove on and arrived safely at Castle Main, refreshed ourselves, and got ready for business. We were introduced to lots of people, including our host, Mr. Barnes, who treated us as gentlemen. We then made our program, which he approved of. The dinner was to be on the table at 5 p.m., concert and ball to begin at 9 p.m., and to wind up, we sat down Sir Roger DeCoverly for 4 a.m., eye-acting as toastmaster, singer, manager, etc. At 5 o'clock, the first act commenced with eating and drinking, and corks were soon flying about in all directions. In course of time, they got tired of that. Then the chairman rose, he was the commissioner of police station there, amid thunders of applause. Gentlemen, he said, Dr. Brown will preside at the piano, and a gentleman from London will lead the singing. First, I'll give you The Queen. I then sang the solos and the company joined in the choruses, after which several grand speeches were made and songs were sung. I sung several songs and was on chord, and then occupied myself in getting others to sing, and so kept them alive. At 9 o'clock sharp, the ladies began to arrive for the ball, and the old adage that it is not all gold that glitters had its truth amply proved on this occasion. There were many at that ball who had no proper notion of ballroom etiquette. They had evidently come to see and be seen, just as some people go to places of worship, and in all such cases, we must carefully draw the line. There were some present who could not dance at all, and others who attempted and failed. The most amusing part was the women laying their heads together and taking stock of each other's dresses, and the vanity they displayed, some with gold rings on every finger, others with necklaces composed of nuggets of gold, with holes pierced through them, and strung together on a piece of narrow ribbon. The same with their bracelets and their dresses simply baffled description. Some, however, were their dress neatly and not gaudy, which showed at least that they had been respectively brought up, and consequently knew how to behave themselves and company. When the dancing first commenced, very few ladies stood up. We had a walk around and then a polka, and, more ladies arriving, things began to brighten up a bit. I dressed up for my caricature song and appeared on stage, which was composed of old cases from a draper store, one of which, not being very firm, gave way and let me fall to the great amusement of everyone. I, however, not being hurt, soon got on my feet again, and as the music began to play, I commenced singing, and the audience laughed tight heartily. I had to come on three times, and I was all the go with the company for the remainder of the night. We had supper at one a.m. and there was any quantity of champagne, all seeming bent on enjoying themselves. Those who could not dance were indulging in a little gambling freak in a back tent, got up for the purpose. The affair was kept up till four o'clock in the morning when a fight was about to take place, but the police interfered and all made tracks for their tents, not quite sober. I and my mates had royal coffee and then went to bed at five a.m. I slept till past eleven, got up refreshed, and had bottled ale and porter, after which we received our pay and ordered our carriage for two o'clock. Fiddler number two resolved to go with us and try his fortune as photographic artists at Terran Gower. We walked round town and saw many faces we recognized from the creek. Some of them were doing well whilst others had not earned their salt. We got back to Mr. Barnes, the landlord of the restaurant, and lunched with him. He was very sanguine of making his fortune and told us he had a good friend in Mr. Hitchcock as the restaurant in half the town belonged to him. About ten years afterwards I met Mr. Barnes in Adelaide. How do you do? he said. You've forgotten me. I think I have seen your face before, I said, but I don't remember your name. Don't you recollect me paying you five pounds for singing five songs? Is it Mr. Barnes? Yes, Tom, it is I. I was a rich man then and worth twenty thousand pounds, and now I am a poor draper's assistant and Mr. Blanks in Rundle Street. Is it possible, said Tom, what has become of Hitchcock? Ah, poor fellow, he went to law, lost all his property, and now he is as badly off as I am. You astonish me, cried I. Come and let us have a drink. I will with pleasure. And we did so. Since that time we have frequently met and talked over our experience at the Diggings. But to return to Castle Mane we started at about three p.m., stopped once only at Mucklesford, and got back to Terran Gower in time for supper and concert. We spent a very pleasant evening and got to bed early, tired out and almost done in. We went out the next morning with Fiddler number two to get a tent for him to start business in, and we got it for ten shillings per week. Walked down the town and called in at the saloon where we saw the proprietor. When did you get back, he said. Last night, said Jim, I heard that everything went off in first class style. Our ball comes off next week. It will take the shine out of the Castle Mane people. We have a committee of gentlemen and no one can get a ticket except through them. No diggers will be allowed in except they wear a silk jumper or dress coat. You bet, they will be very particular as to what ladies they admit. I have been authorized to entrust you with the job of working up the band. Ashton spoke to me about you. He says you understand all about it. Will you undertake to provide the band and super intend the dancing? And then I shall have nothing to do after the eating and drinking department. What he says, I'll agree too, said Jim. How many in the band, asked I? Five, said he. Two fiddlers, piano, cornet, and trombone. But we cannot get them up here. I'll tell you what we'll do, said I. I'll engage to provide you with as good a band as we can get. Five in number for 50 pounds cashed down on the night of the ball. Too much, said he. All right, replied I. There is no harm done. It will cost nearly 20 pounds to get a piano and player over from Bendigo. We then had a drink and left. We might have done it for 40, said fiddler Jim. He will give 50, said fiddler number two. He was right, for in the afternoon I was sent for, and the bargain was struck. We set to work to make the best arrangements we could. There was a pianist at Bendigo who owned a piano, and we wrote to him offering him 18 pounds to bring his piano and play at the ball. He accepted, and we retained fiddler number two for five pounds. With a promise to play for our benefit for nothing. We got a clarinet and cornet player with a triangle to come for nothing just to see the fun and have a good booze. The night of the ball arrived and with it a great number of people. The band played, God save the queen but no dance music. When are you going to begin, asked the proprietor. When you pay me 50 pounds, I replied. That be blown, he said. But I'll tell the committee. All right, we don't play till we get the money and mind no checks. He went away and soon returned with the cash and paid it down with a bad brace. I gave him a receipt and ordered the band to play up. It was for the pleasure of the evening until after supper. When a digger ran up against the clerk of the police who for some offense had got him fined a day or two before. I'll have that fine out of you, he said and struck him such a violent blow that I thought he was killed. The digger was arrested and the man was taken into a small tent where the camp doctor mesmerized him and got him round and then sent him to the camp to be taken off. And the next day the digger was fined 15 pounds for assault. The ball was kept up till 5 o'clock in the morning and then by way of a change they indulged in skittles and champagne and how they got to their homes is a mystery. We found our way home and that is all we knew except that the castle main ball was the best. The next morning we paid the band people after which we took a rest and wished ourselves a way at Taren Gower. After thinking the matter over we decided to stay for our benefit and take away as much money as we could and then no more digging or fiddling till we got back to Adelaide. So it was settled to get out our bills at once and the benefit was arranged to come off on the following Monday. We had a fair house and everybody seemed sorry we were going. Ashton drove as part of the way to castle main where we arrived that night and put up at friend barns where we met several gentlemen who invited us to the police barracks to play at Wist and they proved very kind to both of us. We left castle main the next morning after breakfast and met nothing worth recording till we arrived at Saw Pit Gully where we met with some troopers whom we knew at Maryborough. What? Fiddler Jim? Is that you? Where are you bound for? asked one of the policemen for Adelaide to our wives and children we have had enough of the diggings said. If it is not a rude question said Fiddler Jim where are you going to? Melbourne he replied we are taking down a man to be hanged for murder he was tried a few weeks back but you must have heard of it he nearly killed a poor woman with a stick and then completed the job by putting her on the fire and burning her to death. What a beast said I where have you locked him up? Nowhere said the policemen are eating his dinner. What? That old man? Why he must be 70 years old at least? You are not far out according to his account he does not think much about it we let him have what he likes to eat and drink and we are not to hurry him on the road he will be there soon enough. We are going to stay here tonight and you had better stay and keep his company over a hand of cards. No things we must be getting to kind in tonight as the landlady expects us and we must keep our engagement well if you must go let us have a liquor first. We did not refuse the drink and glad we were to get away Jim remarked that he could not have stopped in the house with a man who had committed a crime like that I also said that when the police spoke of murder I thought of our two forest creek friends and it would not have surprised me if he had been one of our late mates in Gower. We reached Mrs. Holidays in time for dinner had a refresher and enjoyed our meal and after a little chat went to bed slept soundly and dreamed not of murders but of home sweet home. We were up next morning early and made arrangements with the driver of a conveyance to pick us up on the road. We had to pass through some bad country for horses but pushed on were taken up by the coach and arrived safely at Gisborne. We stopped there that night and next day got into Melbourne where all our friends were glad to see us. We put up at our lodgings and my Catholic friends begged me to stop in Melbourne but I could not be so persuaded. As the steamer did not leave for several days I went to work for a warehouse man in a large firm. The principal of the house was a Mr. Mont Fiore the original owner of property situated on a hill known by that name in North Adelaide and I might have stopped there but preferred going on to Adelaide. While I was there however I met with a gentleman from Adelaide who had heard of my church singing. This gentleman was a church warden and held a responsible position under government. I was introduced to him and found him to be a kind hearted man. He made me promise to call on him when I got back to Adelaide and fortunately I did not forget as he turned out to be a good friend to me afterwards. As the time arrived for the steamer to leave we bade Melbourne and our friends goodbye, took our swags on board and had a pleasant passage back. There was plenty of fun as a great many diggers were returning home with lots of gold but alas neither I nor Fiddler Jim belonged to that class so could not join in their merriment with anything like zest. Our pleasure was confined to the knowledge that we were going home to those whom we loved and who were anxiously awaiting our return and although we were returning not much better off than when we started yet we had seen something of the world beyond the ordinary horizon and hoped at least that we had grown wiser. What do you advise me to do when I get to Adelaide said Jim get a place and turn dancing master I said he did so and made a lot of money left Adelaide and went to Melbourne again where he did nothing worth mentioning and died only a poor Fiddler. We arrived at last safe and sound after being away five months we had acquired much more knowledge than gold it is true but in spite of all defeats and failures there were two at least who were thankful for all things and they were my wife and I in this short period of five months that completes the second stage of my history I experienced many adventures and vicissitudes and had much experience which though perhaps not very interesting to the general public contained many lessons highly interesting to me and which I have reason to believe acted beneficially upon my subsequent career and which also I cannot but think tended to give a better tone to the third and last stage of my history which I am spending in south Australia where in spite of all my faults and the almighty ruler of events has been pleased to bless me with a much greater measure of prosperity than I am conscious of having ever deserved. End of part two, section three Part three, section one of the autobiography of Cockney Tom. This is LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by John Thomas Kuz. The autobiography of Cockney Tom by Thomas Basterd. Part three, section one. In those days there were no telegraphs or railways so that when I arrived at Port Adelaide I had no means of making my arrival known to my wife and family and was unable to make a quick journey to the city but had to be jolted along a rough road in a very modest spring cart. I was not even favored with a public demonstration but never mind that I stopped till I get home. For there I know I shall meet a warm and loving reception from my dear wife and children. Perhaps more so than if I had been the governor of the province and as it happened I was not far wrong. After a great deal of pulling and hauling by the children and kissing and hugging by my wife there was a pause and then came questions and answers too numerous to mention and amongst others there was have you been lucky Tom? Yes replied I. Lucky to get home safely. That is not what I mean said my wife. Have you got any gold? Very little I am sorry to say with my reply. The news of my return however soon spread and the neighbors flocked in to see a return to digger but a loss with very little gold. The next day I employed myself in ticking stock and approved anything but satisfactory but it was no use to grumble at finding myself in debt as it proved to the tune of two hundred pounds and with only about one to pay it such however was the case. The first thing to be done was to call on all my creditors report myself and say have patience and I will pay the all and I did so and was kindly received. Mr. Johns had taken a shop in Ruddendal street and Mr. Sweet William was engaged as his shopman. What luck said Mr. Johns when I saw him. Very little I replied. Do you get any gold? Asked he yes said I and I have brought you a nugget for your kindness to my wife while I have been away I won't take it as a gift said he I shall give you full value for it and you can pay me what you owe in installments as soon as you can. As I believe you're honest said he. Well said I I am as honest as most men and time will prove that. I gave Mr. Johns the nugget it weighed an ounce and was a very pretty specimen pure native gold. Mr. Johns was much pleased with it and said I will send this home to my dear sister in London which decision pleased me very much whilst Mr. Johns was showing nugget to his wife Mr. Sweet William called me aside and said keep in with Johns he is a good sort of fellow at least I have found him so and he is going to start me in business on my own account so he will want a shopman he will just suit him. I thanked Mr. Sweet William and told him I intended to go in for seeing if I could get well paid for it I won't lose sight of you however said Mr. Sweet William I do a little preaching and singing myself on Sundays I don't intend to stick to shoemaking myself either if I can help it said I we then all adjourned to the York Hotel and had a nobler each on my way home shortly afterwards I met a postman named Chapman what are you back again said he have you no engagement no and said I I know of one said he where a man like you is wanted a fellow that can please everybody what is the salary I asked you had better call and make your own terms he replied you can mention my name if you like thanks said I but where is it at the black horse assembly rooms not far from the black bull Hindley Street said he I accordingly called there saw the proprietor and took the engagement at three pounds per week and a bottle of wine to treat my friends with on Saturday nights not so bad I thought and much better than doing nothing so I went home to tell my wife of my good luck I just got home when a clergyman came in and inquired for me I am the party said I what is your pleasure sir I have been informed said he that you understand church singing and your neighbor Mr. Lily White has recommended you to me what are the duties I asked and what church the duties he replied are to teach the children to chant and sing a few hymns practice on Fridays and morning and afternoon service on Sundays we are holding service in the school room until we get our church built it is situated at Glen Osmond about four miles from Adelaide what is the salary as I 30 pounds a year to begin with and refreshments on Sunday and when the church is finished I will increase the salary I accept the offer and things went on smoothly for some time I afterwards called on my friend Mr. Hawks good at the treasury who inquired into all the particulars of my family and what they were doing I'll take your eldest boy city and see what I can do with him I'll consult my wife said I and let you know in a day or two very good city I will not forget my promise if you want a friend let me know I will said I and wishing him good morning with many thanks I departed I thought a great deal about my new friend and told my wife all about his offer she consented provided the boy was allowed to come home once a week and go to church which was agreed to about this time the Crimean war broke out France joined England and all the world seemed up in arms and eager for the fray said we should have privateers paying us a visit some fine day who would burn our houses and send our wives and children to drift meetings were called and it was decided to form a volunteer force and every man was called upon to join and for myself I thought the matter over seriously now at this time I had a companion from London whom I will call George Rowlinson we met together and conversed on the subject and Rowlinson said that unless he had a chance to go in as a substitute and get well paid for to he would not join I said I would on condition that they made me an officer which Rowlinson said was not very likely a meeting was called at the Dover Castle North Adelaide to enlist those who took an interest in bloodshed the most agreeable part of the program put forth was that each man was to receive six shillings per day when called out for practice and each company was to have the election of its own officers who were to be chosen by ballot each company was also to appoint its own shoemaker and tailor in fact there was to be everything to make the men comfortable a neighbor of mine a good fellow whom we will call Mr. Sain afterwards Captain Sain and who had an eye to business called on me and said I think manage what? said I well I have been thinking a matter over about the appointment of officers for the volunteer force and I don't see why I shouldn't be made captain with you as my color sergeant it would be good thing for me and you too how is it to be done? said I I will tell you city after we are sworn in you make a proposition that William Sain is a fit and proper person to represent the company as captain I have a man who will stand for lieutenant and if we are elected you shall be a sergeant I don't care about the job said I for it don't seem to me quite the thing as everybody will have a vote but to oblige you I'll do it the time came around for holding the meeting of the company for the men to select the officers these captain, lieutenant ensign, color sergeant second sergeant and two corpals there were three cheers given for the queen and then more or less all present got the words for liquor and I went home full of the soldering business my wife laughed at me for being such a donkey never mind said I wait till the Russians show up and then you won't laugh of course the Russians never did show up Rowlandson did not come up to the swearing business possibly because he objected to swearing on principle he acted however afterwards as he said he would as substitute for a man who had to go into the country another meeting was called and the election took place a poll was demanded and my proposition carried Mr. Sane got in by a majority of one vote and lieutenant Franklin being a friend of mine they decided that I should be sergeant Tom number one my uniform however was far more brilliant than my military career was destined to be in order to work myself up in discipline I employed the drill master to give me private instruction in the art of self-defense and military movements so I soon became passable but there was one part of the drill which I could not manage and that was the goose step I well remember on one occasion receiving orders from my colonel to take a file of men and proceed to private Hornebrook's residence in Kermadoe street north Adelaide and bring him on to the parade ground to be dismissed from her majesty service as a warning to all volunteers for getting drunk which poor Hornebrook was in the habit of doing this duty I carried out to the letter and when I arrived on parade the men were standing at ease and a great deal of giggling was going on ill the ranks Private Rowlandson was laughing so I called attention which brought Rowlandson to stand at ease and dress up the colonel called Hornebrook to the front attention shouted I Private Hornebrook I dismiss you from her majesty service you are disgraced to the company and ought to be drummed out of the regiment and drunkard now you can go said the colonel thank you my bunny said Private Hornebrook on the first of every month one of my duties was to go with the captain to the treasury to receive the men's money now it happened that the captain kept a public house and one of my orders was that after drill on pay days I was to march the men for breast from the parade ground to his house to be paid the natural result of such a course was that the men the better part of their pay in drink as a frightful example of this may be mentioned the fact that ex-private Hornebrook mortgaged his cottage and land to sergeant Phelps the landlord of the Scotch thistle for money to spend in liquor and was never able to redeem the property I merely mentioned this as an illustration which came under my notice of one of the evils resulting from the curse of drink such conduct didn't speak much from military discipline in those days happily things are much better in this respect now and doubtless they will go on improving as the temperance flag waves through our streets in those old times however I went on progressing with shoemaking singing and soldiering and upon the whole was making a fair living about this time a change took place in my position in life by a gentleman calling on me to ask if I would sing at a concert for the benefit of a poor widow woman who had suffered severely in being burnt out through a bushfire and had lost all her property consisting of a small farm and its belongings the gentleman who called on me was a merchant in Grenfell street Adelaide and having heard that I could sing in please requested my help to make up the number required I said that I would most willingly give my services under an engagement I had to ask leave which was granted on my agreeing to find a singer to take my place at the assembly rooms for that night I went to the rehearsal which was at the old theater off Curry street and everything passed off well the governor was there and the poor widow had a good benefit the next night when I went to my engagement I was told that after the following week my services would not be required alright so now I can get my engagement says good you may to the landlord but not at three pound per week as soon however as it became known that I was about to leave the black horse I was offered one pound per night for two years to sing at the black bull which I of course accepted my next trouble arose through the clergyman of the church where I was singing on Sundays having a dispute with a Mr. Oddsman Gillies who had given him the living and a dispute was the result the clergyman lost his living and as consequence I lost the percentorship with its emoluments however I did not fret much about it as it was a long way to travel to the church every week I next joined the choir at Saint Peter's College church in which Mr. Hawksgood a friend of mine took great interest I sang sometimes at Christchurch North Adelaide at Trinity church and at St. John's church but mostly at the college end of part 3 section 1 recording by John Thomas Kuz www.validateyourlife.com Part 3 section 2 of the autobiography of Cockney Tom this is a Leeravox recording all Leeravox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit Leeravox.org recording by John Thomas Kuz the autobiography of Cockney Tom by Thomas Basterd part 3 section 2 about this time another change took place in my history whilst I was at work one morning I received a note from a friend who was then a church warden of St. John's informing me of a BA at a bank which my friend thought would suit me better than Chewmaking secured at once that he or somebody else will be before you and take with you the letters you brought out with you from London I lost no time and was soon at the Union bank not far from King William Street and was introduced to the manager there what's your name said he Cockney Tom said I where do you come from London have you any letters as to character yes said I here they are sir one from my late clergyman one from the Countess of Cardigan one from Bishop Short's brothers and so others after carefully reading them over he said have you anyone in Adelaide you can refer me to yes sir I know Mr. Hoxgood at the Treasury said I well can you wait till I go out for a short time and when I return I will give you an answer I accordingly waited in a small room till he returned when I was again called into the manager's room what wages do you expect said he just what is usual replied I it is a position of great responsibility said he you'll have to sleep on the premises collect large sums of money and do whatever you're told to do either by myself will be a hundred twenty pounds a year at first which will be increased according to length of service do you think you could live and pay your way out of that I have lived on much less than that I said well you may consider yourself engaged say from this state he introduced me to the accountant and teller and I was soon set to work with orders which were sent in from the country for collection I soon shaped myself to my work I went home after business hours and told my wife all about my good fortune which made us happy and grateful well it was a slice of luck said my wife I will call on my friends Mr. Hawksgood and Mr. Churchward and Delaney and report said I and tender my thanks and also my resignation of my engagement at the bull for it would be hardly consistent with my engagement at the bank during the day to be singing at a place of that description at night just do what you think would be right said my wife the next day lost on my rounds collecting I called on my friend Mr. Hawksgood and informed him what I had done I know all about it said he the manager is a very intimate friend of mine and came to me respecting your character and I popped in a word for you oh said I it's you then that I have to thank for my appointment in the bank it's a pleasure said he to be able to assist anyone I think is deserving I then informed my friend private Rowlinson that I did not intend to do any more shoemaking so if he would like to take my shop and the little business connected with it he was welcome I'll consider Sir Rowlinson you know city that I have a wife and family in England and if I could manage to get them out I would accept your offer at once think it over said I and if you make up your mind I will help you all I can I suppose said Rowlinson you will be above drinking with me now that you're connected with the bank I wonder what you will be next I was a little proud of my improved position but I was not too proud to drink with private Rowlinson he promised to let me know his decision about the offer the next night which he did and said I have thought over the matter and accept your offer I have saved a little money and should have had much more had it not been for my long illness at the port so I should like to get my family out here as I think that my son George would get on better in Adelaide than in London it was settled that his wife and family should come out the passage money was paid and Rowlinson took my business and all went well for several months when Rowlinson received a letter from his wife saying that they were about to sail for Adelaide he came to me and reported the fact keep steady old boy said I and it will be alright by the time they arrive when they did Rowlinson donned himself in full military uniform looking for all the world like a lieutenant and such was the effect of his disguise as his family scarcely knew him sometime after this a circumstance occurred which was the cause of great unhappiness in my family I should be remembered that I had some Roman Catholic friends in Milburn who had been very kind to me whilst I was there and I had some in Adelaide also and amongst them was a watchmaker a man of good moral character who persuaded me to go with him to hear Bishop Murphy preach I went and was very much struck with the Christian charity and goodwill to all men enforced in his discourse instead of speaking against this or that denomination the bishop spoke rather in favor of every religion being good and calculated to make bad men better I remembered my pledge to my Milburn friends and thought much over it shortly after this I was introduced to the Reverend Father Smith whom I found to be very essence of goodness in everything and had several private interviews with him on matters of faith and a number of other things hard to be understood but Father Smith soon explained them all by telling me there were many things practiced in the church of Rome which were not necessary to a man's salvation he then introduced me to good Bishop Murphy who listened kindly to my history and was pleased to accept me as a member of the Catholic Church I tried to keep all this to myself but it was soon spread abroad and my wife felt very much hurt at what I had done and declared that she would sooner have her arm cut off than desert the church in which she had been baptized many cross words ensued and my wife strongly objected to our children being taken from the Protestant and sent to the Catholic school and I for the sake of peace yielded after a time I was summoned by the bishop and told it was my duty to join the choir I mean that I was but a poor scholar and did not understand English much less Latin but he introduced me to Father Maurice Lentioni a good man who held the office of choir singing master and confessor and whose duty it was to visit the sick, bury the dead and bring young people together for merit everybody liked this priest myself particularly he was an Italian, a Spindy musician and gifted with a good voice he undertook to teach me the Latin service and he had his work to do it was a long time before I could manage it but at length I succeeded fairly well but never became a one about this time the bishop announced his intention to raise money to build a cathedral and the collections were made and the money came in from all parts of the colony a building committee was formed I was selected a member my duty was to watch the work attend the meetings and collect as much money as I could and every Sunday I might have been seen I was first adelaide with a collection book receiving from the poor Catholics their small gifts of 3D, 6D and 1S per week and they gave most freely according to their means. Just about this time the good bishop was taken ill he had an account at the union bank and on one occasion meeting me there he offered me the collectorship of all the town rents belonging to the church which I accepted with thanks and he died and was buried in the unfinished cathedral the funeral was the largest ever known in Adelaide and was attended by all classes and denominations afterwards when the cathedral was partially finished and opened I was requested to join the choir and consenting was appointed receiver of all monies taken at the doors by the collector. Which money I had to pay into the bank every Monday to the credit of the cathedral fund about this time the great singer Madame Anna Bishop paid a visit to Adelaide accompanied by Mr. George Loeder an accomplished musician they took apartments at the York Hotel kept by a Mrs. Bray who conceived such a liking from Madame that in her will she bequeathed her a legacy of 1,000 pounds besides making her other presence Madame required a local agent and Mrs. Bray knowing me recommended me to her I was accordingly sent for and engaged to myself generally useful to sing when required and to act as money taker at her concerts and White's rooms were fixed upon and engaged by me from the proprietor Mr. Gio White on behalf of Madame the bank authorities allowed me the privilege of taking the engagement of White's rooms so long as I did not neglect my duty at the bank and by such engagements I was brought into the society of all the leading artists who visited Adelaide perhaps it would not be out of place to mention some of their names these Madame Kailey fellow pupil of Jenny Lind Richard W. Kohler Miska Hanser the greatest violinist that ever came to Australia Linley Norman Richard White Madame Carandini Walter Sherwin Madame Goddard the premier pianist W. Montgomery at the Union Bank for about three years and a half the manager Wittor got married which made me more work than I could well do my salary besides not being proportionately increased as was promised when I entered on my engagement with the bank I began to be discontented and thought that I would look out for something better than remaining in the BA about this time a new bank was projected by a gentleman from Melbourne as it was generally believed that as there were at that time only three banks in Adelaide and the colony was steadily progressing that there was room for one more and so it was decided to establish another Adelaide can now boast of seven I thought I would try for a BA in the new bank which has to be called the national I made application and was engaged there was only half the amount of work to be done as at my old BA at the union bank with a much better salary I held a position of bank messenger and collector there for seven years and a half the bank prospered and the average collection for the last three years of my service amounted to no less than two hundred thousand pounds per annum and I'm glad to be able to say that I never made a mistake or lost any of the bank's money one or two things worthy of mention occurred whilst I was in the banks to serve as a lesson to bank clerks should any of them per chance read this narrative on one occasion the teller was in such a mighty hurry to get to the races that in locking out the cash he forgot the exchanges on other banks after they were all gone my duty was to go around to see that everything was alright when lo and behold I found the exchanges left in the drawer instead of being locked up in the safe there was only the trifling sum of seven thousand pounds in bank notes and it was a good thing for the bank that I was not a Kelly I locked them up, engaged a cab drove to the race course found the teller, brought him back and showed him what he had done or rather what he had not done he locked up the money safely, thanked me and begged that I would not tell the manager upon another occasion five hundred pounds were overlooked and left under the counter I slept with the money under my head that night and thought what a rich pillow I had and what a temptation it would have been to many who not only had money on the brain but the love of it in their hearts I gave it up the next morning and was glad to be rid of it just about this time one of my daughters was living with a family who were spending their summer months at Brighton for the pleasure of sea bathing while indulging with them in this luxury she got out of her depth and had it not been for two gentlemen who happened to be passing she would doubtless have been drowned they rushed in with their clothes on and brought her out nearly dead when I heard of it I was very much concerned and called on the gentlemen and thanked them for saving my daughter's life I wondered how I could show my gratitude and the idea that struck me was that though there were baths at hand there was no swimming master I will apply to the corporation to be allowed to teach swimming but I did so and the privilege was granted to me and for two years I taught every Saturday afternoon without fee or reward many availed themselves of this opportunity and became good swimmers about this time the Adelaide city baths were advertised by the corporation to be let by tender and as I began to want to change for I felt that I had been in the national bank long enough once more so I tendered for the lease which was granted me not alone because my tender was the highest but that I was thought to be the best man out of the four that tendered I consequently sent in my resignation to the bank and in return they made me a present of 21 pounds as an acknowledgement for past services they also gave me a testimonial as a character which I am proud of to this day it was in February 1866 that I took charge of the baths and I flattered myself that I would make my fortune out of the speculation but at the end of the year I found myself on the wrong side of the ledger I then had to turn my attention once more to professional pursuits and accordingly I engaged to serve Mr. George Coppin as money taker at the town hall and theater royal and I was also engaged with the south Australian jockey club in the same capacity for ten years after this time a friend of mine suggested the advisability of adding Turkish baths to my business in Adelaide believing that it would pay well as a great number of people were compelled to go to Melbourne and Sydney to obtain them I pondered over the matter and also called on a gentleman that had been to Sydney for that purpose and who had received much good there from now as I knew very little of Turkish baths I consulted my old friends Mr. Sweet William who was then mayor of Adelaide and Mr. Johns who was then a large tradesman and who since then has been a corporation counselor and a member of parliament a meeting was called at which the mayor took the chair and Turkish baths were decided on the first thing to be then done was to get the opinion of the medical faculty and a promise of their support and I undertook that work and succeeded my next step was to see what money I could raise towards building them and succeeded in this also beyond my most sanguine expectations I then employed an architect to prepare plans and wrote to the corporation explaining everything and offered to put 400 pounds towards the building if they would supplement rather more than 350 pounds was subscribed by friends of the movement to whom I gave subscribers tickets representing the full value of their subscriptions and the balance I made up myself after the matter was discussed in the city council it was passed after considerable opposition by a majority of 3 and tenders were called for the building and the work commenced and it was eventually opened to the public by the mayor and councillors of the city from that time to the present 1881 the Turkish baths have been a blessing to many especially to the afflicted and numerous testimonials have been given to me for establishing this institution in the city of Adelaide at this time the then town clerk received a letter from a man calling himself Edward Baldiston stated to be manager of the Turkish baths in Melbourne giving a long account of his experience at Constantinople and other places in Turkey and applying for the management of the Adelaide Turkish baths the town clerk sent his letter on to me and advised me to answer it I did so but was sorry for it afterwards the baths in Melbourne were burnt down shortly after that and Baldiston found his way to Adelaide and presenting himself and wife at the baths gave me to understand that he had come over to request of several gentlemen to superintendent the Turkish baths department I disabused his mind at once and told him that no one had any power to engage him but myself whereupon he said I'll see about that he called on several of my friends and made out that I knew nothing about keeping baths and in every possible way tried to injure my character he did not however succeed as well as he expected the next thing he did there was a document for me to sign appointing him shampooer and came down to the baths with this document while no one but the boy was about when he saw me he said will you sign this? I have nothing to do with you he thereupon struck me a blow in the face which knocked me into the water I called for help and my wife came to my assistance and found Baldiston who was a powerful young man trying to hold me under water you're trying to drown my husband yes he answered and I'll drown you too and the next moment in she was sent likewise hearing the noise some passersby came in to whom he declared that the swimming master and his wife had been trying to drown him and in the struggle we had all slipped into the water together I went for a policeman and gave him in charge but the policeman refused to take the charge on account of not having seen the disturbance and before I could change my clothes I went to the police court Baldiston had anticipated my action and taken out a summons against me for an assault with intent to drown all that I could then do was to issue a summons against the bad man and employ a respectable solicitor named Brooks when the time arrived for the case to be heard Mr. Brooks could not attend so I secured the services of Mr. Bundy a very able lawyer and now a QC Baldiston who of course came down like a thousand of bricks on me for the alleged attempt to drown his most respectable client my solicitor however gave a very different version of the whole affair and called my wife who declared that Baldiston was holding the under the water when she came to my assistance and that before she knew where she was she found herself floundering about in the bath with Baldiston threatening to drown her and her husband into the bargain Roars of laughter came from everybody in the court my daughter also gave evidence that she saw her father and mother both in the water at the same time more laughter Mr. Bedoum and the commissioner gave their joint opinion that all parties were in the wrong and inflicted a fine of five feelings on each with costs and I and my family and friends left the court disgusted but nevertheless felt glad to be rid of a man who had taken his maker's name in witness to a most deliberate falsehood a few days later after that I received a letter from Baldiston in which he confessed that what he had stated in court was untrue and begged me to forgive him and forget the past and that he would endeavor to make amends to me by working the baths into such a state of perfection that I would be sure to make my fortune out of them in a very short time all my eye and Betty Martin the lie I will have no more truck with you but alas I did have in such a manner as will astonish the reader about this time an important undertaking in which I had taken a great interest and which was known as the Torren's Dam was completed and I had obtained permission from the mayor to put boats on the river as I reckoned it a speculation that would pay well so I called on a friend who was blessed with plenty of money whom we will call Mr. Gray this gentleman was then reading for the law and I mentioned this because as one of our colonial youths he won golden opinions for his talent and industry and did great things to advance South Australia he also represented our fair city and parliament and raised himself to the high position of attorney general what's your pleasure he asked well sir I replied I have a notion that money can be made on the river Torren's by boating and I want someone to go in with me and supply and I myself will undertake to find the skill and labor to make it in paying concern how much money do you want to begin with asked he besides what I can raise I want 50 pounds I replied well here's my check for 50 pounds said he draw out an agreement and we will sign it at once I will trust to your proper management of the whole thing it was soon settled and I took out a waterman's license purchased three boats to begin with and had them on the river the next day boating then was all the rage and my fleet amounted in a short time to 10 crafts I formed rowing clubs and my boats were well patronized at one time there were no less than 40 boats on the river and it gave quite a new appearance to the city but it proved too good to last for a sudden change took place that nearly ruined me bad weather set in as late as October and the floods came down from the hills carrying everything before them at last the water got underneath the dam and down it went and everything was carried away in the flood and amongst other things all my boats at this disaster I was greatly discouraged seeing that all my hopes and expectations respecting the dam were suddenly dashed to the ground but my friend Mr. Gray took the matter quite easily and endeavored to cheer me up shortly after this the Duke of Edinburgh arrived in the colony on a second visit to Adelaide and about the same time the new governor James Ferguson arrived now at this stage of my history something connected with the celebrated Baldiston occurred which is worth mentioning through the interest of the late Governor Daly he had been appointed valet de chambre to the prince and had been recommended to him as a smart man and in a very short space of time Baldiston sustained his reputation in this respect for whilst the Duke was looking at government house he wantonly robbed him of his linen and other valuables and not being content with that he forthwith fell in love with the governor's property and not only stole his plate but had the audacity to appropriate the governor's undergarments house breaking at this time was quite common in Adelaide so much so that the government had to increase the police force but with all their sagacity the police could not detect the thief end of part 3 section 2 quoting by John Thomas Cous www.JohnCous.com part 3 section 3 of the autobiography of Cockney Tom this is LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by John Thomas Cous the autobiography of Cockney Tom by Thomas Bastard part 3 section 3 now amongst my acquaintances at this time was one Tom Doyle a corporal in the detective department of police he called on me one morning and said how are you old fellow quite well said I have you heard of the numerous robberies that have been committed lately Tom said he I saw a letter in the newspaper said I complaining of the police and making out that they could not be over smart or they would long since have discovered the thief but don't you suspect anyone well said he as you are a sworn constable I'll tell you in confidence that I suspect that fellow that tried to drown you and your wife so keep your eyes open and if you hear anything let me know at once a family in North Adelaide of the name of Fitzpatrick has had their house robbed while they were at church the thieves took Mrs. Fitzgerald's dresses the child's clothes and a musical box that was on the table now as you are fond of music should such a thing as thing be brought here for sale makes me inquiries about it and let me know the result I kept a good look out and it so happened that I was destined to be the means of bringing the thief to justice one of my friends kept a watchmaker shop in Rundle Street and I cautioned him that if any person called to sell it musical box or to have one repaired to take down the particulars well I shall have enough to do said he for every day I have repairs to make of that kind I however kept calling on my friend every day as we were very great chums and saying together at the cathedral and other places not worth mentioning and on one of these occasions my friend said do you remember speaking to me about a musical box I do said I what about it nothing particular said he only a woman came in today with one to have a new frame made for it the instrument is good but there are one or two teeth broken I never had a job like it before what is the name of the person that brought it asked I he looked in the book and read as follows Mrs. Baldiston Grenfell Street Adelaide goodbye said I I will see you this evening and the first thing I did was to see my friend Tom Doyle whom I soon found my boy I've got a cent believe I can put you to the man who sold the musical box and with that I told him all I knew and when mentioned the name Doyle was ready to jump out of his shoes that's the man at the government house and we will soon have him the first thing to be done is to see Mr. Pathandler the watchmaker and then to call on Mr. Fitzpatrick and arrange with him to meet us at Pathandler's to swear to the box if you can do so I'll get out warrant to arrest my man and search his house we met at the appointed time at Pathandler's set the musical box going and before it had finished the second tune Mrs. Fitzpatrick exclaimed that is my box and I will swear to it in any court of justice sign this paper then said Doyle and I will see you tomorrow morning Doyle immediately took out a warrant and sent a policeman to Baldiston's house he then walked down to government house to inquire when who should answer the door Baldiston himself in full library I want you, said the detective want me, what for? asked the indignant valet here is my authority, said the detective showing his warrant if you will be good enough to wait till I change my clothes said the valet I will go with you, I won't be long the detective was taken off guard by this little stratagem for this prisoner quickly made tracks for the back door bolted down the garden, jumped the wall and made straight for his house as soon as the detective discovered the trick and fearing the escape of his man he also proceeded to Baldiston's house in Grenfell street to catch him there as soon as he found the detective was at his heels he made his escape at the back door mounted the fence, got into Rundle street and crossed North Terrace followed by a crowd of men and boys who had heard the cry of Stoff Thief from the detective who was not far behind him in the chase as they neared the Botoni gardens they lost sight of Baldiston for a short time but a boy having given information that he had seen a man get over the railing into the stable yards of Sir Henry Ayers the detective and the mob that had gathered besieged the yard and stable Doyle got into the hay loft, turned over the hay and found the wretched man rolled like a dog the detective pulled him out ornamented him with the bracelets and took him first to his own house where he took Mrs. Baldiston also in charge and marched both of them off to the station he had also taken the precaution to leave a policeman in charge of the house where the thief had an immense lot of stolen property the next day they had their hearing and the wife was discharged but Baldiston was committed and afterwards tried at the Supreme Court and was sentenced to seven penal servitude I never appeared as a witness against him for although he had robbed and mistreated me and my wife's early yet I bore no malice towards the poor fellow but left him to his fate neither were the Prince or his Excellency of the Governor called at the trial this evil disposed man had robbed so many people that at least a hundred charges could have been laid against him and there was a perfectly draid load of stolen property taken to the police station to be claimed by the owners while Austin Prison his conduct at first was fearful he even attempted to cut his own throat but after a time finding it was no good to be stubborn he got to be as quiet as a lamb and became very pious even preached to the prisoners on Sundays when he could get a chance and wrote a long letter making a full confession of what he had done and left undone amongst the latter was a design to blow up the city baths he stated in his letter that he intended getting on to the roofs of the baths and dropping down the chimney's sundry bags of gunpowder so that when the strings got burnt the bags of powder would fall and a general blow up of the whole place would have been the happy result the Reverend Wilton Hack a good man and a minister of the gospel used to visit the prison the gentleman took a liking to the prisoner and is said to have converted him and after a time baptized him in the presence of all the prisoners he was relieved from hard labor and appointed attendant in the sick ward his general behavior was so good that at the end of four years he was released Mr. Hack helped to set him up in business in North Adelaide as a green grocer his wife rejoined him and all seemed to go well for some time he held prayer meetings and occasionally preached on Sundays sometimes at one place and sometimes at another but his wickedness could not have been thoroughly eradicated and an evil fate seemed to have cast a shadow over his life truly the way of transgressors is hard his wife left him and he mixed himself with some old chums from the stockade at this time a cart and horse were missing and somehow or other he was summoned as a witness in the case and when asked his name he said it was Edward Turner but the judge remembered him as the notorious Baldiston who had robbed the prince the indefatigable detective Thomas Doyle was prompted to the rank of sergeant with a reward of 20 pounds for the zealous performance of his duty in the celebrated Baldiston case about this time the governor Sir James Ferguson was taking a course of Turkish baths and used to attend him professionally and instruct him in the art of notation and the governor in appreciation of my services employed me to teach his children Master Charles and to Mrs. Ferguson's I had some scruples at that time with regard to teaching ladies to swim but these were soon got over Sir James pointing out that it was nothing but false modesty and one that ought to be abolished and further that in his travels around the world he had observed in every place yet visited where bathing was practiced that the males and females bathed together in costume and concluded his remarks with the well-known quotation Evil be to him that evil things I then undertook the task and commenced my labors the next morning 6 am young ladies were very anxious to learn and soon became good swimmers Master Charles was not quite so quick as his sisters but in time he also became a first class swimmer his excellency was so delighted when he came to the baths to witness their performances in the water that he complimented me and sent me a very handsome present in the shape of a beautiful breast pin ornamented with a miniature painting on ivory of Lahore Gale Palace India it is mounted in gold and bears the following inscription presented to TB by his excellency Sir James Ferguson Bart Adelaide 1870 and was accompanied with the following written testimonial Government House 3rd December 1872 Mr. TB I am much obliged to you for the care you have taken of my children and for your excellent instruction to them in the art of swimming which I am sure will be of lasting service to them signed James Ferguson it was indeed destined to be of very great service to them for in the month of April of the following year while Master Charles was bathing in the sea at the robe he swam out too far his strength but his sisters swam out to his assistants and saved his life See Adelaide Express 3rd May 1872 sometimes after the above event I was appointed swimming master to the government of model schools and ever since that date of my diploma 24th March 1874 I have enjoyed the distinguished title of professor from this time my business increased considerably my swimming matches which I had established in 1864 became very successful and many thousands of good swimmers have been the result and many lives have been saved in consequence two of my daughters I brought out as swimming mistresses and they have taught a great number of young ladies swimming accomplishments about the end of the year 1877 business was very bad and my health also began to fail and my medical attendant Dr. Wei advised me to abstain from drink and take a change in the country for the reader must know the truth these that I had given way to excessive drinking and I think now that it was hardly to be wondered at considering the temptations I had been exposed to as landlord of three public houses in Adelaide namely the Prince Alfred, the Earl of Zetland and the theatre Royal Hotel in these places I saw dissipation enough to make men shudder at the thought of a drunkard's life the effect on me was the growing habit of taking noblers with everybody who asked me which habit became so confirmed that I felt as though I could not live without it but happily for me I have since found out that was hardly a mistaken notion my good wife at this time was becoming too ill to work so I thought it was my duty to let her rest I therefore took a house and made over the business to my son Philip and retired believing it would be as good for myself as for my wife everything being arranged we left the baths I still retaining the lease and the rights there under shortly after this my wife's illness became serious and she gradually got worse and three months afterwards departed this life in hope of a better beyond I'm glad to be able to say and those who knew her will endorse the statement that there was no reason to fear as to her future for she died trusting holy in our lord her savior I was then left with ten children out of fourteen but fortunately most of them were grown up men and women it was a great blow to me to lose my partner in life after being married to her thirty-seven years I returned to the baths and lived there with my children but not as the indivisible man that I had once been after that time I kept myself alive with free indulgence in company and noblers both of which stimulants I have since discovered were woefully deceiving my end seemed to be fast approaching and I began to think seriously over my past life and came to the conclusion that to a very large extent it had been a mistake and that now it had become a case of life or death with me and that whichever it was to be rested entirely with myself to be or not to be that was the question I had no strength of my own left upon which to act and I felt that unless superhuman help came to me I was a doomed man I prayed for help and it came in a way I little expected now about this time there arrived in Adelaide a good man by the name of Matthew Burnett he brought a good character from Netherlands and self-sacrificing work with him from Victoria where he had spent eighteen years of his life in preaching the word of God and advocating the cause of temperance he had made many thousands of converts some people in Adelaide looked upon him at first as one of the many adventurers who had come over from Melbourne with the idea of doing better here but they had misunderstood him as it was quite clear such was not his aim it was no pecuniary or sort of motive that brought him over but the grand object of his life evidently was to rescue from an early grave and to lead on to God and to everything that was good those who were being allured by the construction through indulgence in the cursed drinking system at this time I met an old chum named Dyer have you been to hear this man Burnett said he no I replied I don't go to such humbug come and have a drink well said he I will just have one with you but I mean to give it up Tom I went to hear him said he and he opened my eyes somewhat a woman there who nearly fainted his eloquence had such power over her he is a great man and no mistake and I intend to join next week just have one nobler with me now you paid for the last you know will you join if I do said Dyer I'll think it over said I I did think and that was all until I got so bad that I had to send for my friend Dr. Wei he said very sadly Tom you have been at it again and could not deny it for it was too true the doctor gave me good advice and physic and I swallowed the ladder but forgot to practice the former I stayed at home for several days and got a little better and tried hard to knock off my habit but although I was fully aware of the fact that my frequent indulgence was the cause of my illness I had not the resolution to abstain from drink days after this Mr. Burnett paid visit to the workmen fit the railway works to give them a short lecture during their dinner hour a great number were present besides the workmen and among them was I who went there merely as liquor on and to kill time the subject of the lecture was Yankee Bill a man that at one time wrote some lines to Mr. Burnett threatening to hang him on a waddle tree he afterwards thought better of it and became one of Mr. Burnett's best friends working with him in the good cause of temperance life of Yankee Bill is a lesson most people might learn I took a great interest in the lecture and studied well the good advice it contained and it seemed to me to go down much better than physic a day or two afterwards when I was taking a glass of ale my son Charles came to me and said while there was a gentleman waiting to see you upstairs he says he don't want any money but he wants to give you something good I'll be there said I and went to him at once your pleasure said I well the truth is said he I heard you were unwell and called to see if you were better you remember Mr. Giles who used to deliver letters to you some time back I think I do said I and it's very kind of you to call I have been very ill for some time but I know the cause of it I take too much to drink I thought so said he now if you were to join Mr. Burnett's crusade it would make a new man of you I have been a teetotaler myself for the last two years and can therefore speak from experience said Giles I have a very good mind to try it said I why don't you say it once that you will try it you will never repent it as long as you live said Giles and with your permission I will call in and introduce Mr. Burnett to you he is a very pleasant man to speak to well you may said I but mind I do not pledge to join good afternoon keep yourself quiet said he I can see you are in a very weak state but you will get over that in time if you follow Mr. Burnett's advice the next day while I was indulging in a glass of ale my daughter Grace rushed into my room and said here is Mr. Burnett come to see you ask him in said I will see him directly at that moment I was engaged in warming my beer I however left it in the glass on the mantelpiece and went to see Mr. Burnett how do you do said he I have much pleasure in making your acquaintance professor for I have heard a great deal about you a great deal of no good I fear said I unless it has been to landlords of hotels you mistake me you have many good friends who fear that in your love for society you are yielding rather too freely to indulgence and drink and positively injuring your health by it they don't want to lose you yet and they tell me that you are hardly sorry to see such a marked difference in your looks and I tell you my friend said he it cannot positively last long I have witnessed many cases like yours and I tell you candidly the remedy entirely rests with you there are many days of health and happiness in store for you only embrace the present opportunity pledge me your word now that you will positively give up the drink and all that I promise is yours peace of mind and good health well it's worth trying for said I but if the sudden knocking of it off kills me as many say it will I shall have caused my own death by doing so that's all nonsense said Mr. Burnett you try it and you will find that I am right and they are wrong over the subject pretty well said I and I think I'll give it a trial good said Mr. Giles who was present at the interview sign it once oh do father said my daughter Grace will you sign if I do said I yes father was reply Mr. Burnett thereupon produced the agreement and I signed it and my three sons and daughters have since joined together with my three servants it is scarcely necessary to say that there was great rejoicing I threw my glass of ale into the fire and I'm glad to say that I have not touched alcoholic liquors since I then described to Mr. Burnett how the desire for drink increased and the more I drank the more I wanted to prevent that craving said Mr. Burnett I will give you a very simple remedy it was given to me by the celebrated Dr. Dunge it is this and you take three spoonfuls of it every four hours the first day two the next one the next and so on until you have taken the contents of the bottle my dear friend continue Mr. Burnett I will call you and see you again in the course of a day or so and in the meanwhile take as much nourishing food as you can goodbye I will call in say on Friday and Mr. Giles will call tomorrow with Dr. Dunge's medicine the first day and night was a sore trial for me I longed for beer and novelers but I had given my word and I would not break it I had lost my appetite and managed to take a cup of cocoa and a small slice of toast and was so reduced in body that when I weighed myself I was alarmed to find that I had brindled down from ten stone four pounds to eight stone one and a half pounds the next morning Mr. Giles called what sort of a night did you pass that he very bad replied I you will be better tonight after you have taken this medicine which is not nauseous you will find your appetite return and it will make you sleep as well I found it all true what was said it is a most wonderful discovery and its effect is simply marvelous the second day after I had taken it I could eat and sleep well a thing I had not done for years Mr. Burnett called me on Friday according to promise and gave me a few comforting words which tended to encourage strength in me under my severe trial but happily for me the medicine was so effectual that every day seemed to bring with it less of the craving for drink in the course of about a month I found myself getting the master of the cursed passion that had enslaved me so long and alas not only me but hundreds of thousands besides and I intend with God's help to continue steadfast in my resolution to the end of life and as long as I live to use all my influence to promote the good cause of total abstinence and to follow the example of Mr. AWP Ward one of Mr. Burnett's converts and the veritable Yankee Bill before mentioned whose warm advocacy induced no less than 17,000 persons to take the pledge in drawing this long story of my life to a close I desire to inform the reader that it is not for my own glory it has been written but with the hope that some good may be the result I hope that nothing has been written that will offend anyone for I have endeavored to avoid anything like arguments on vexed subjects and to write the whole truth and nothing but the truth if I have not been perfectly accurate in my dates I wish to set myself right by recapitulating the following facts on September 22nd, 1818 in the city of London and was baptized at Old Cripplegate Church I was married on August the 10th 1840 left England in 1852 and arrived in Adelaide on July 16th 1852 left Adelaide for the Diggings in March 1853 and returned the same year pursued the banking and professional part of my life until the year 1866 established the Turkish baths in 1870 lost my wife in 1877 and became a follower of Mr. Burnett in 1880 I here finish my autobiography up to the present and give place to those who may think fit to criticize this humble attempt and leave the after to someone who knows me well to add something by way of comment concerning my life and refer to what I have done and undone and I trust that when my hour shall arrive to depart from this present state being I will be able to depart in peace with God and good will to all men in concluding this narrative I desire to inform the reader that I do not for a moment flutter myself that I am giving forth to the world anything that may be designated a literary production but only an emanation from one born within the sound of Bob Bells I feel that I am merely contributing a simple and unvarnished story that may be fairly taken as the type of a large class in the great city of London my epilogue, his education that forms the mind just as the twig is bent the trees inclined so runs the adage of an age that's past an aphorism that is bound to last long have I taught our gentle youth notation and tried to raise the physique of our nation to better their physiques no physique they require to train developed biceps that never tire to keep their heads with ease above the waters much have I done to train our sons and daughters now as an author I humbly strive to win old pupils help come gratify my whim and float me on the literary tide and make your old professor gratified grant me your patronage for Tiz I am most sure this is the first fruits of my water cure before dear Matthew Burnett came my nose did blush and blossom like the budding rose and conscientiously I did take my beer as well as any in the hemisphere with festive glass I strove to drown my care reflect upon the past I scarcely dare knew on the path I came a man I tread and have cast off the ban help me old colonists to do what's right help me old pupils with your smile so bright help me daughters of this sunny climb you'll never regret it in the coming time when you and yours upon the stream of life shall safely ride as husband or as wife and as you con my book you'll think of him who in youth first taught you how to swim. End of part 3 section 3. End of the autobiography of Cockney Tom by Thomas Basterd. Recording by John Thomas Scuse-Gismarski www.ValidateYourLife.com