Andrew Farncombe - the Assistant Lighthouse Keeper

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 Andrew Farncombe, our 2 x great grandfather, was born in Pyecombe, Sussex, England to William Farncombe and Mary Reed in 1831.  He was baptised in the Transfiguration Church, Pycombe on 1st May, 1831.

Transfiguration Church, Pycombe.  

Andrew arrived in Portland, Victoria, on the south western coast of Australia by ship  in 1854.  He travelled across land by wagon to Belfast, now know as Port Fairy.  Andrew's entry into Australia is unknown, although the Port Fairy Museum advise that it was possibly through Tasmania as he was involved with the Mills brothers and they came across from Tasmania, in the 1830’s and 1840’s for whaling and sealing.

Andrew found a position with the Harbour Trust and life was good for this twenty three year old in his new land.

In February 1855 Jessie Hutchison and her sister Margaret arrived in the ship Athletae, into Portland.  Jessie had travelled from Birkenhead in Scotland to work as a domestic for the Coverlid family in Belfast.

Jessie Hutchison (1833-1913)

Andrew and Jessie were married on 1st November 1855 in the Manse of the Belfast Presbyterian church.

The Governor of the colony, Sir Henry Barkly, visited Belfast in 1856 and Andrew, as a boatman, was a proud member of the Harbour Master's Crew who brought him ashore from the H.M. sloop Victoria.  

Andrew and Jessie and their family - son William and daughters Mary and Martha - were well-known in the small community.  He was also known to his colleagues as "Jerry".

The Port Fairy lighthouse was situated away from the town out on a narrow stretch of land.  In 1859 Andrew was promoted to assistant lighthouse keeper and spent many cold wet hours over the years, walking across the sand dunes.  

This photo of the Port Fairy Lighthouse hung in my grandparents home.

The family lived in two houses in the years they lived in Belfast, a two roomed wooden cottage and a three roomed cottage with a yard.  Both these cottages were in Gipps Street.

In 1864 Andrew was appointed assistant lighthouse keeper of the Warrnambool lighthouse.  With high hopes for the future the Farncombe family packed their belongings and left their beloved Belfast.  

The Warnnambool lighthouse was situated on Middle Island, off the coast from Warrnambool. It was relocated to Flagstaff Hill in 1871. 


The Farncombes were happy with their life in Warnnambool.  The children had grown.  Martha, the youngest, was thirteen when after a long illness, Andrew died of lung disease on the 10th August 1874 at the age of forty three.

The obituary notice in the Warnnambool Standard stated that:-

"As the deceased had been a member of the Artillery Corps, about sixty members of that body under Capt. Cramer and the other officers preceded the hearse.  The band played the impressive music of the "Dead March in Saul" and other suitable tunes.  Deceased also belonged to the Druids Lodge here, and about thirty members attended the funeral, carrying green sprigs as is usual."

The notice in the paper also went on to record an unusual occurrence at the funeral:-

"We regret to state that, to the disgrace of humanity, a drunken man annoyed the mourners in a most unchristian and unwarrantable manner from the town to the cemetery, using horrible language all the time, and at the grace he interrupted the clergyman by his brutal language.  As the fellow is well-known, we are astonished that he either was not "collared", or taken to the police office; we hope yet to see him properly punished for his conduct which was worse that a savage would be guilty of."

Andrew Farncombe was buried in the Warnnambool Cemetery (Grave # 49, Compartment 17 in the Episcopalian Section). 

Information for this post has been taken from Dorothy Lillian Stanvi's (nee Romeril) story:- My Great Grandfather - 'paternal'.

Also from two books published on the Warrnambool lighthouse keepers which include excepts from the diaries written during Andrew's tenure.









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