HEARTLAND MAGAZINE ISSUE 37 JAN/FEB 2020

Casino NSW has a rich history and was built upon the shoulders of the oldest pioneering families to the area. The Dockrills are one such family, originating from Wexford, Ireland.

Benjamin Dockrill was born in 1835 in the county of Wexford, to Sarah Oakes and Benjamin Dockrill. Although his parents were farmers Benjamin saw no future in the trade at that time in Ireland so following the Wexford tradition, he became a cabinet maker. At the age of 25 and like so many others at that time, Benjamin searched for a better future and arrived by ship at Morten Bay. It is unclear what his time was like when first arriving in Australia, however a short time later Benjamin finds himself droving horses

from Beaudesert to Richmond. Benjamin Dockrill

Another farming family from Wexford were also destined for Australia. John Barber and his wife Elizabeth Swaine had children with Margaret being born in 1836. 21 years later Margaret and her family arrived in Australia on her 21st birthday. Records were lost of the family for some time but re surface when Margaret became a Governess at the Barns Family Dyraaba Station. Margaret Dockrill

Although both Benjamin and Margaret did not cross paths back in Wexford, their fates were to align with Margaret saying yes to Benjamin’s wedding proposal. On June 13th, 1867, the couple were married and were the first Casino couple to be married in the Church of England parish of Casino. They were the 6th in the whole of the Richmond due to this being when records where kept and marriages being documented. Margaret was accompanied by Caroline Askew up the isle toward Rev. Herd-Shaw who performed the ceremony and made their bond official.

Casino at this time had a small population of about 150 people and only a few buildings including a post office, a school, 2 stores, a court of petty sessions, a lock up and 2 hotels. The hotels were the Tattersall’s and Durham Ox.

The newly-weds had planned to start a cabinet making business but instead worked a short time at Runnymede Station before going to South Casino or Roseneath, as it was known back then. Benjamin and Margaret made a home for themselves and raised 6 of their 7 children without the aid of a Doctor at the births. Unfortunately, the couple had to over-come the loss of one of their children and farm life was

Before the youngest child was born, the family moved to the Clovass property. In 1878 they acquired part of the Tomki Station and named it Clovass after a river back in Ireland. The couple were doing their best but struggling to keep up on the payments of the property. In 1885 Benjamin went to Sydney to have a medical treatment and never returned to Clovass. Margaret was left in heavy debt after Benjamin’s death. Margaret and her children were determined to carry on and at the age of 16 William took over the responsibility of breadwinner.

The family continued on and prospered and grew as the children grew into adults, getting married and having children. Margaret was then known as Grandmother Dockrill and enjoyed the comfort of being able to watch her family advance into the next cycle of the Clovass property. The pioneering spirit from both Benjamin and Margaret had been passed onto the next generation and continues to be a strong theme of the Dockrill linage.

Grandmother Dockrill passed in May 1922 at the age of 86 years. The marriage of Benjamin and Margaret 100 years on from their anniversary left an impressive line of descendants which stood at 172 direct descendants, namely: 7 children, 31 grandchildren, 86 great grandchildren and 48 great, great grandchildren.

From humble beginnings in Wexford Ireland to the hardships of moving to Australia and starting a life from scratch. Benjamin and Margaret were truly great pioneers and began a history which continues into the future.