Shep's Place Family Tree

Francis Ifould, a friend of the Buttfields, had married Jane Hewston in 1860. Francis and Jane had had a daughter born in 1862, the year that Percy was born. Perhaps Jane Ifould was able to feed both babies, or the "old foster mother" could have been her mother, Mary Hewston.

We do not know when Percy rejoined his family, or if he had regular contact with them. His older brother William ‎(Wandering Willile)‎ wrote a letter in which he mentioned meeting Percy in Blinman when Percy was keen to know more about himself and his family. William was only too glad to help.

In 1895 Percy Algernon Buttfield, Groceer, of Wentworth, Bachelor and Blanche Jane Gray, private life, of Wentworth, Spinster married on the 8th of May. They were married by the Wesleyan minister at Wentwroth in Mr. Buttfield's residence. The witnesses were E. Davies and W. Davies.

A year later their first child, Blanch e Carey "Tina" was born in Wentworth.

A grocer at the time of his marriage, Percy later worked for John Martins General Store; and later became a shop keeper in his own right. Deck hands helped Percy with the heavy work and sole goods such as groceries and clothing to stations along the river. It was a floating general store.

The railways had not yet come to this part of South Australia, and it was during the gold age of river trade on the Murray when Percy rented the paddlewheelers Alpha and Pyap to trade between Wentworth, Pooncara and Morgan.

The Buttfields' second child was born on 24 March 1897, but died on Christmas eve at the end of the year. She is buried in the Wentworth Cemetery. The Buttfields had three other children: Arthur 1900, Marvis 1902 and Percy "Barney" 1904.

Because of the economic deperession in the early 1900s, Percy decided to look for work in Broken Hill. He travelled by bicycle from Wentworth to Broken Hill, a distance of 170 miles. Broken Hill was a booming town with rich mines supplying silver, lead and zinc. When Percy found work there, Blanche and their four children came by stagecoach to join him. Percy later became a foundry manager at the Barrier Crystal Foundry.

Percy died of stomach cancer on 17 December 1932 at the Broken Hill & District Hospital. His wife died on 24 March 1960 at Broken Hill. Both are buried in the Roman Catholic section of the Broken Hill Cemetery.