Thomas Makin (1838 – 1923) & Mary Ann Derritt (1842 – 1918)

Thomas Makin was born January 4^th 1838 at Parramatta N.S.W.[1] He came to Illawarra with his father about the year 1848, so that he may be considered as one of the early settlers in Illawarra.
 
Tom was apprenticed in the 1850’s to Messrs. Pollard and Fenwick, wheelwrights, of Crown Street, Wollongong. He was with this firm for a number of years, and learned the trade of wheelwright and blacksmith thoroughly.

 After leaving Pollard and Fenwick he took a position at Mount Keira as colliery blacksmith under William Robson as manager. He was employed at Mount Keira for many years, doing most of the heavy work at the bottom of the Mount Keira incline, repairing wagons, straightening arches, etc. During a number of breaks at his trade he pursued other occupations.

He married Mary Ann Derritt at the Church of Mt Michael in Wollongong on April 12^th 1859.[2]

Mary’s father was John Derritt. He came to Australia as a Free Settler from Wiltshire, England, and travelled on the Emigrant Ship “Orestes”, arriving in Sydney on November 28^th 1839. He had with him his wife, Sarah aged 22 years, and his baby daughter Isabella, aged 6 months. The baby died during the voyage, and his wife died on board the ship the day it arrived in Sydney.

He married again to Caroline Croft in Sydney on May 19^th 1840, and Mary Ann was their second child and was born July 13^th 1842.[3]

Mary died June 8^th 1918 from Chronic endocarditis which she had suffered from for 2 years.[4]

In the 1860’s Thomas was in the vanguard of the rush to the Snowy River diggings, and was on the field when most of the big lifts were made, but with not much success to himself.

While Thomas was attending his sister Mary's funeral in October 1871 his children were left alone at the old Corrimal Street home. Six-year old Thomas climbed up to reach a shelf with a lighted candle. Somehow, some grains of gunpowder spilt onto the candle. The flask of powder exploded and in no time, the kitchen was filled with flames and smoke. Samuel Stumbles heard the noise and when he arrived managed to extinguish the fire. Ben Fawcett also attended and applied homeopathic medicine to the boy's burnt hands and face.[5]

In 1880 Thomas became Insolvent with debts of £53 6s. 9d. and assets of £8 15s.[6]

During his residence in Wollongong he drove the mail coach to Campbelltown for the mail contractor – Mr. R. T. Hayles.

For over 60 years Thomas and Mary Ann Makin lived in the vicinity of Mount Kiera, where they reared a respectable family. For his last twenty years Thomas was crippled with rheumatism, and had not been able to do any work, and for the last five years he was hardly been able to leave his home.

Tom Makin died at his daughter’s residence, Burelli Street, Wollongong December 3^rd 1923 aged 85 years. Cause of death was a Cerebral Hemorrhage suffered 2 months earlier. [7] Tom was buried 5^th December 1923 in the Church of England Cemetery, Wollongong.

The Family of Thomas and Mary Ann Makin

William Samuel Makin              B. February 9^th 1860, Wollongong N.S.W.
                                                      D. July 23^rd 1932 Bulli N.S.W. Age 72 Yrs.
MARRIED Barbara Emery                   June 26^th 1884, Wollongong N.S.W.

                                                            B. 1865 Northumberland, England

                                                      D. May 1^st 1951, Bulli N.S.W. Age 86 Yrs.

Elizabeth Caroline Makin         B. July 27^th 1862, Yass Bridge N.S.W.
                                                     D unknown
MARRIED William Wilson                   April 18^th 1881, Wollongong N.S.W.

Agnes Makin                                   B. 1864

                                                     D. 1866  Age 2 Yrs

Thomas Derritt Makin                  B. January 18^th 1865, North Gap N.S.W.

                                                     D. January 18^th 1865, North Gap N.S.W.

Thomas Makin                               B. September 22^nd 1866, Urana N.S.W.

                                                     D. March 19^th 1929, Wollongong N.S.W.

John E. Makin                                  B. 1867

                                                      D. 1867

Lucy I. Makin                                   B. 1868

                                                      D. 1868

Eleanor Selina Makin                     B. January 15^th 1869, Wollongong N.S.W.

                                                      D. unknown

Emmeline G. Makin                        B. 1871

                                                      D. unknown

Mary Ann Makin                             B. 1874

                                                      D. 1874

Alice Mary J. Makin                        B. 1876

                                                       D. unknown

Frederick Alfred Makin                   B. 1879

                                                       D. unknown

Edwin Derritt Bolton Makin          B. October 15^th 1882, Cross Roads, Wollongong

                                                       D. unknown

Arthur Ernest Henry Makin           B. December 1^st 1885, Cross Road, Wollongong

                                                       D. November 20^th 1960 Age 75 Yrs

---

[1] New South Wales Births Deaths and Marriages No. 568 Vol:22

[2] MARRIAGE REGISTERED IN NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA Number 3224/143

[3] New South Wales Births Deaths and Marriages No. 168 Vol:26

[4] New South Wales Birth Deaths and Marriages Application 3157/91

[5] Illawarra Mercury (Wollongong, NSW : 1856 - 1950)  /   Tue 24 Oct 1871  /   Page 2   /   LOCAL NEWS

[6] Illawarra Mercury (Wollongong, NSW : 1856 - 1950)  /   Tue 10 Feb 1880  /   Page 2   /   Advertising

  [7] New South Wales Births, Deaths and Marriages Application 3249/91