THANK YOU to all who contributed in any way

JOSEPH WILLIAM TAYLOR (Pommy Joe)
English Stockman 30 years 1923-1954
Drowned Gwambegwine Creek, 1954 Taroom Floods

We’ve done it! Pommy Joe now lies in a clearly marked grave in Gwambegwine Station’s (Private) cemetery, his contributions to life in the Australian bush now memorialised.

Heartfelt THANKS for the generosity of donors; persistence of Joe’s mate Laurie Pointing; Gwambegwine station current employees; the TDDA; and anyone else who assisted with research (Vaughn Becker); guidance (David Parry-Okeden; Colin Boyce MP); and support… it couldn’t have happened without you.

Over $2000 was raised via donations to TDDA and the Go-Fund-Me “Stockmans’s Grave Project”, for the production of Brass plaques to mark the grave of Joe Taylor, an English stockman who was tragically drowned while crossing the flooded Gwambegwine Creek on horseback to fix a broken telephone party line on 13th February 1954. Joe was just 30 years old.

LAURIE POINTING was a 17 year old ringer working with Joe and he witnessed the tragedy unfold. He was part of the party who found and buried Joe 5 days later, wrapped in his swag and a placed in a bush coffin fashioned by his bereaved mates from whatever dry timber they could find.

It has been Laurie’s mission to mark Joe’s resting place ever since. Laurie was very emotional when he asked me to pass on his sincere gratitude to everyone who played a part in honouring his wish.

Laurie Pointing’s poem “Yorkshire Joe” is mounted on a large sandstone boulder at the entrance to the property, together with a memorial plaque placed by Daandine Pastoral Co, for any travellers to read and remember the life of a stockman and ex-serviceman who fought for our freedom.

It has recently been discovered that Joe Taylor and manager DOUG DAY, both born 1923, had known each other in the war, when Doug was an RAF pilot in England, flying Spitfires, Tiger Moths, and the like. They never spoke of the war. Nobody was aware that they’d known each other from an earlier (unimaginable) time, nor did they let on to anyone that Joe was promised a job for life, so long as Doug Day was manager of Gwambegwine. It certainly helps to explain Laurie’s words:

” Joe Taylor was a small man with a big heart, and he’d do anything for the boss.”

Laurie Pointing is now 89 years old and he would very much like to visit and pay his respects one last time, should his health improve enough to make the trip from Townsville. My father LEX SMITH a mate of Laurie’s prior to 1952 (when Laurie moved to Taroom from Ipswich), laid gum leaves on Joe’s grave on Laurie’s behalf, when we delivered the plaques to the station.

CLICK HERE to read the tribute poem YORKSHIRE JOE© by Laurie Pointing

RESEARCH ASSISTANCE

I would like to hear from anyone who is interested in assisting with further research, or who can offer advice on how to track down English relatives of Joe Taylor. We have a sister’s name and address from the death certificate, and we know he served in WWII, most likely in the Airforce if that is how he first met Doug Day. It would be most satisfying to find any of Joe’s long lost family, to share the details of his Australian life and death. Please contact me via email: taroomtales@gmail.com if you are able to assist in any way.

Next Project… SALSBURY GRAVES WALANGARA & BEDOURIE

Marking/restoring the graves of the Salsbury pioneer family, and other unmarked graves of stockmen, possum hunters, and employees at Walangara and Bedourie. Excess funds raised for the Stockman’s Grave Project will be used, but another fundraising campaign will be necessary to cover the full cost of plaques required. Stay tuned for further updates and stories on these pioneers of Taroom.

BOOK RECOMMENDATION

“Salsbury’s Dash” by Antony Rogers, a novel based on the life of Robert James Salsbury (29/04/1834 – 31/03/1897), compiled by letters found in the National archives and extensive research by descendants. Paperback – Available through Amazon.com $22