Harry’s sister, Emma Muriel Dalziel born Herberton Qld on 6th June. d.1960.
Three babies were born by early 1893 to the Dalziels. The family then moved to Victoria where another baby was born in 1894. That makes four children aged 4, 3 and 1, and a newborn.
This would have been typical of mining families in those days, moving a lot with young families.
The Dalziels moved from North Queensland where three children were born, to Victoria where three more were born, to Western Australia, one more was born, and back to Atherton Tableland (where four more were born).
There were 11 children over a 20 year period.
It can only be imagined how difficult it would have been for them, but life then was as it was, and people dealt with it.
How did they travel?
Train, steamer, horse, horse & cart, Cobb & Co.
In time older children might help with the younger ones.
How did their mother, Eliza Maggie Dalziel, do it?
The moves around Australia made by the family were a retracing of the steps of father James Dalziel.
He was born in Costerfield, Victoria, into a gold mining family.
He mined in Western Australian gold fields too.
Later he went back to these places with his family. Was it a little less arduous for mother and children because James had been there before?
They were a tough lot, the Dalziels.
James Senior lived to 64 years of age. His life as a prospector-miner was nothing but hard work. A life like that took a toll on his health.
See a press article on James Dalziel from January 3 1931, from The Northern Herald (Cairns) in the Trove Pages
Eliza Maggie, Harry’s mother, perhaps had an even tougher life. She lived for 86 years.
Harry Dalziel V.C. lived till he was 72 years and 5 months of age.
That’s 47 years after Hamel, where his injury would have killed him, you would think.
Harry’s Injuries
He was injured multiple times, he had scars on his back, left leg, left arm.
Shrapnel was never removed from his left arm.
Then there was a GSW (gun shot wound) above his left temple, which left a gaping hole in his skull. That wound changed the way he lived the rest of his life.
Following is the record of the 11 children born to James and Eliza Maggie Dalziel. The children were-
Emma Muriel 1890 Herberton. Nth Qld
James 1891 Orient Camp. Nth Qld
Harry 1893 Ragged Camp. Nth Qld
Eliza Maggie 1894 East Ballarat. Vic
Mary Cecelia 1896 Steiglitz Vic
Victor 1898 Steiglitz Vic
Mabel Hartley 1900 Norseman. WA
Helen Sarah 1903 California Creek. Nth Qld
Doris Kathleen 1905 Atherton Nth Qld
Jessie Gladys 1907 Atherton Nth Qld
William McGregor 1910 Atherton Nth Qld
The children are placed in their respective years in the timeline following to show how the family moved about and what Harry’s early life was like.
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