Shep's Place Family Tree

In 1845 Thomas Spencer West and Lucy moved in with the Masons at Kingsgrove, and remained there after the Masons moved to a property called Barambah in Queensland in 1849.

Spencer West, son of Thomas Spencer West and Lucy had been born on the 15th June, 1825, and was now ‎(in 1845)‎ left in Sydney.

He had learned the trade of cabinet making, signed a Total Abstinence petition, and married Susan Dubois at the Pitt Street Presbyterian Church on the 7th December, 1846, by the popular evangelical Ulsterman Dr. Fullerton.

Two children were born in Sydney in 1847 and 1849, then Spencer West joined his father and Lucy at Kingsgrove ‎(after the departure of his sisters family)‎, and four more children were born there.

Following the death of Thomas Spencer West and Lucy in 1856, Spencer West inherited the Kingsgrove farm and the Ship Inn ‎(which was leased out)‎. He went to the Californian and Turon goldfields, and later used to wear a velvet waistcoat with buttons made from nuggets of gold, and a gold knotted broach, which were made from gold which he had discovered himself.

He became friendly with his grandfather, Thomas West, who gave him part of his property - Lot 4 of the Barcom Glen estate. Spencer West built some cottages here, in West Street, Paddington. After his wife Susan died in March 1860 at Pembroke Cottage, he sold the Kingsgrove property in November 1860, and moved into one of the Paddington cottages.

Spencer West married again. On the 8th April, 1861 at St. Paul's Church of England, Canterbury he married Susan Parker. She moved in with Spencer and his five children from his first marriage, and soon produced a son of her own.

On the 12th of January, 1863 Spencer West bought the 120 acre farm at Soily Bottom, Lugarno, with a partner John Parrot, and the family took up residence here until it was sold on 7th February, 1870.

We do not know why Spencer West chose the Lugarno property, however it seems that Spencer West preferred life on a farm, he may have found timber suitable for cabinet making on the 120 acres, and he may have needed more room for his growing family than was available at Paddington. Two more boys were born at Lugarno: Edwin on 12th March, 1864, and Azer William on the 26th September, 1866.

A story handed down in the family explains the selling of the farm as being caused by Susan's loneliness, especially when Spencer was away attending to his business in the City. The nearest neighbours would have been a few miles away, there would have been no passing traffic, and little social life in the district.

It is said of Susan " As darkness fell she would see shadowy forms moving silently about in the surrounding bush and would hurry to lower the shutters - they were the old wooden shutters hinged at the top and propped open by a stick. A few knot holes or gaps in the warped frame served as peep holes. At times when the menace seemed greater and almost overpowering Susan would screw up her courage and fire a gun into the darkness. At least, she thought, they know I am armed. Nothing ever happened, but the dread of what might happen remained..." ‎[Thomas West of Barcom Glen, p.131]‎