Mary (Hill) was born in 1833 at Wendron, Cornwall to Thomas and Elizabeth Hill. She married Thomas Bath in 1851 in the Church of St John, Adelaide. Mary’s husband, Thomas Bath, was born on 18 July 1826 in Cornwall. Thomas came to South Australia with his sister Ann in the vessel Cheapside on 10 October 1847. Ann Bath was a signatory to their marriage making her mark ‘X’. Thomas Hill was the other witness. At the time of their marriage Mary was living in Pirie Street and Thomas in King William Street, Adelaide. They proceeded to Ballarat where a daughter was born in early 1854. Thomas was described as a miner and also a carter. He carried goods for Eyres Brothers, Ballarat. Some of the first minutes of the Black Lead Church and Sunday School show that Sister Jane Bath formed a female Sunday School Class. On 6 October 1862 they indicate that Thomas Bath handed over a loan of ₤60 for the Church Chapel which cost ₤130. Jane, W, and Louisa Bath were children who took part in a concert among the parishioners of the Black Lead Church on 19 October 1862. There is no mention of the Bath family after 1869 when they went to Swanwater West.

In the first year Thomas had cultivated 107 acres of wheat. After three years of occupancy Thomas fenced his land and could apply for a lease at St Arnaud. Thomas had applied for the lease on land at St Arnaud at which time he stated he had a one acre building allotment on Lake Burrumbeet. Land Officer Phillips on 22 April 1870 stated that the land applied for at St Arnaud was chiefly undulating and there was nothing of any public interest for reservation on it. Mary and Robert had six sons and four daughters: Louise Ann b. 1852 (married Maximillian Brown 1876, died 13 November 1840 aged 87); Elizabeth Jane b. 20 February 1854, baptised in the Wesleyan Chapel, Ballarat 10 December 1854 (married John Henry Mellinson, Jane died in childbirth 3 April 1882); William Henry b. 1855 Ballarat (married Elizabeth Trollope 1879); Angeline b. 1856, registered 1857 Buninyong (married Edmond Barker 1897, 28 June 1929 aged 81 years); Mary b. 1862 Buninyong (married Richard Carne 1886); Thomas John b. 1864 Black Lead (married Jane Barker 1898); George b. 1867 Buninyong (died 1867 Black Lead aged 14 days); Alfred Paul b. 1869 Buninyong (married Frances Grewar 1894 and then Selina Barker); Joseph Stephen 1870 Cambrian Hill (married Fanny Hughes 1900 and then Amy Speedy, died 24 June 1947); and Edwin George b. 1873 Cambrian Hill (married Annie Jane Barnes 1907). On his marriage certificate on 11 September 1907 Edwin states he was born at Doctor’s Creek, near Avoca. He died on 12 March 1948 aged 74 years. Thomas died 14 February 1901 at Swanwater West. Mary died 12 August 1916 at Swanwater.

Notes courtesy Robert Bath.