EDWARD TIMOTHY HOOLEY

1842 - 1903

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edward Hooley
Edward Hooley

 

Timothy Hooley (listed in various sources variously as Edwin Timothy and Timothy Bolivar Hooley) was born aboard the ship Bolivar which was on route to Tasmania. His father (Daniel)was an overseer on a farm for three years before the family moved to Coleraine in Victoria.

 

Timothy worked with his father once he finished his schooling and later became a sheep and cattle dealer.

 

In 1861 Hooley married Jane Mayes and the couple eventually had 9 children. Jane outlived her husband by some 35 years.

 

Initially he was part of the Camden Harbour debacle but he saw the 'writing on the wall' and got out early.

 

In 1865 he joined an expedition led by T.C. Murray that travelled overland from Roebourne south to Duck Creek and then west to the Ashburton River. The aim had been to find a stock route south to Champion Bay but Murray was disillusioned by the land they found and turned back to Roebourne.

 

His exploration of the area around the Ashburton River led the government to offer him 100,000 acres of land rent free for 4 years on the proviso that he stocked it within 12 months. This was the motivation for him to look for a stock route north.

 

Hooley was convinced that a way could be found and he convinced the Government to support an expedition from the south.

 

Leaving Toodyay in November 1865, Hooley travelled north to Champion Bay before trying unsuccessfully to find a way further north.

 

He tried again in April 1866 and following Gregory's route inland Hooley pioneered a new route north from Lyons River to the Fortescue. He took with him almost 1,945 sheep and only lost 6 along the way.

 

On the strength of this new route he applied for (and was granted) a pastoral lease and then he returned east to collect his wife (Jane) and daughter (Sarah) before returning to the Pilbara to settle on his lease along Duck Creek.

 

The family never managed to get properly established on the property and after problems with local tribes they moved to Ashburton in 1869 before leaving for the south in 1870.

 

In 1881 Timothy went into partnership and in 1882 attempted another overland trip droving sheep north but this time he lost almost half of the 6500 sheep he started with.

 

In 1890 Timothy became a Justice of the peace and the following year became a founding member of the Aboriginal Protection Board. He became a founding Manager for Dalgety and Co. and a Member of the Legislative Assembly but despite holding property in the north west in partnership with other for the rest of his life, Hooley never again attempted to settle there. He was also involved in the W.A. Turf Club, the Swan Brewery the lady Shenton Gold Mine and the Menzies Syndicate.

 

Hooley wrote a number of articles for various newspapers under the pen name of 'Bucolic'. These have been collected in a book by P.J. Bridge titled 'Pastoral Pioneers of W.A.'

 

He is quoted in one source as having died in 1901 but another source says he retired to Switzerland and died in 1903 and his obituary was printed in 1903 by the Western Mail so this appears to be the correct year.

 

Chronology

 

1842 - Born on September 30th aboard the ship Bolivar.

1861 - Married Jane Maze on December 4th .

1864 - Joined the Camden Harbour Pastoral Association.

1865 - Part of an expedition that travelled overland from Roebourne to Duck Creek.

1868 - Travelled by horse from Point Walcott to Albany (2092 km) and from there by ship to Melbourne..

1868 - Arrived in Fremantle aboard the schooner Liberty that he had purchased.

1882 - Drove sheep and cattle to the Ashburton but lost almost half of them on the journey.

1887 - Became manager of John Monger's mercantile company .

1890 - Appointed as a Justice of the Peace.

1891 - Appointed to the Legislative Council.

1892 - Became a founding member of the Aboriginal Protection Board.

1900 - Ill health forced Hooley to retire.

1903 - Died in Switzerland on August 3rd.

 

Links to more information:

 

Hooley, Edward Timothy (1842-1903)

Edward Timothy Hooley

E. T. Hooley

 

 

 

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