Six Generations at Rumbelow Reunion

• Advertiser

• 1955

One of the best known families of the South - the Rumbelows of Encounter Bay - celebrated the centenary of the arrival of Malen Rumbelow Snr and his family to the south coast in on appropriate setting today.

More than 200 Rumbelows from all over the State, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania, representing six generations, gathered on the shores of Encounter Bay for the occasion. They are the descendants of flsherman pioneer Malen Rumbelow, who settled at Victor Harbor on his arrival from England exactly 100 years ago.

The Rumbelow aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, brothers, first cousins, second cousins and grandmothers spent the afternoon arguing over the family tree. A diary kept by Malen Rumbelow, senior, from the time he left Liverpool. EngIand, in July, 1854, until his arrival at Port Adelaide in October, was the main attraction for the older members of the existing Rumbelow family. 

Behind canvas break- winds on the shore, many Rumbelows met for the first time, while others who had not met for many years were reunited. Among the large crowd of descendants older residents of the district and friends who gathered were the chairman of the District Council of Encounter Bay (Mr A. G. Siegert) and Mrs. Siegert,  Mr. Jenkins, MP and Mrs Jenkins, the Lord Mayor of Adelaide Mr Philips and Mrs Philips (who is a grand daughter).

The oldest relative was Miss Alice Rumbelow, 83, of Encounter Bay, a sister-in-law. Miss Alice Rumbelow's sisters, Rose (Mrs Jack Strawbridge), Jane (Mrs J. Tugwell and Grace (Mrs D, Buck) were also at the reception.

Youngest Rumbelow there was 3 month Malcolm, son of Mr and Mrs Graham Rumbelow of Encounter Bay.

Mrs. H. Gaffnev came from Tasmania for the celebration. Mrs. J. Brown came from Sydney.

A whole day's celebration was first thought of by Mr. Ken Rumbelow and his cousin Mr. Laurie Rumbelow.

The celebrations took the form of a commemoration service at 11.30 a.m., conducted by Rev. A. C, Stevens. who was introduced try Mr. Ken Rumbelow (a great grandson).

Mr. Stevens was in charge of the circuit when the church was built. The service was held on the beach in front of the home of Miss Alice Rumbelow.

Mr K. S. Rumbelow sang "O, Happy Day," a favorite of his grandfather.

Mr Henry Rumbelow of Clarence Park, extended a welcome to all present. The earliest surviving male member of the family, he was the official host today's reunion. His son, Bruce Rumbelow is the well known Goodwood baseballer.

His daughter, Thora Blanche Rumbelow  (Mrs. E. Lang ) of Eden Hills made a cake which stood over 2 feet high. It took several days to bake. The three tiers were decorated with the Bluff, the islands, the original fishing shed, a porpoise, whale bones, a fish box, a cray pot and figures of fishermen incorporated in the icing; a work of art, greatly admired.

The Australian Women’s Weekly  - February 2 1955
A Family Occasion

By Freda Young

Centenary of Pioneer Family's Arrival

• Victor Harbor Times   

• Fri 3 Sep 1954 

At a meeting of the Rumbelows held recently it was decided to celebrate the centenary of the arrival of the Rumbelow family at Encounter Bay, in January 1855. The celebration will take the form of a reunion picnic preceded by a commemoration and thanksgiving service in the vicinity of the old home of Malen Rumbelow Snr.

The picnic is to be held between Yilki and the Bluff, on 8th January (1955), followed by an open air concert in the evening. 

Proceeds of an appeal to be launched at that time will be for the purchase of seats in the Yilki Church in memory of the Rumbelow pioneers and members of the family who died at sea or were killed in action.  All relatives and friends of the family will be welcome to attend the celebrations.

Arrived in State 100 Years Ago

•  Victor Harbour Times (SA : 1932 - 1986) 

•  Fri 10 Dec 1954 

On 8th January, 1955, the Rumbelow family, of Yilki, Encounter Bay, will celebrate the centenary of the arrival in this district of Malin Rumbelow and his family in 1855. A large family reunion is expected to take place on the  above date when a thanksgiving service will be held in the old homestead at Yilki, and later in the day a reunion picnic will be held on the beach in the vicinity of the Bluff. Celebrations will conclude with an open-air concert at night.

Malin Rumbelow, Snr. his wife, and nine children left their home in Bury near Middenhall, Suffolkshire, England, in 1854, aboard the barque "Pestongee Bomangee." They arrived at Port Adelaide on October 7th, where they stayed for three months. In early January, 1855, their daughter Alice, married a sailor, Cain Jelliff by name, and the whole party including the newly-weds, set out per bullock dray for the whaling settlement of Encounter Bay, being persuaded in this venture by a Mr. Mark Last, a cousin, and friend of the family. 

This trip took a fortnight, and in those days was a hazardous journey, many wild blacks roamed the area covered, and roads were mere bushtracks, or non-existant. Considerable hard-ship was therefore experienced by the little party before they reached their destination. The family consisted of six daughters and three sons. The daughters, several of whom married twice, were Alice, married to Mr. Cain Jelliff, who later was drowned whilst fishing near the Murray mouth; Mahalia, married Mr. Weymouth who was accidentally killed a few years later, she then married E. R. Bolger. She died a few years later, leaving children by both husbands. Mr. E. R. Bolger then married Alice, who by this time was a widow. 

Sarah married Mr. William Watson, Emma married Mr. Thomas Watson. Caroline married Mr. John Cakebread, Sophia married Mr. W. Robinson. Of three sons, only Malin sur-vived. Godfrey and David died at early ages, and were buried in the old churchyard cemetery in which the Rev. Ridgeway Newland's chapel known as the Tabernacle stood. 

When the family arrived at Encounter Bay they found the whaling industry well established, and Malin Rumbelow Sen found employment for a time in the store shed of the Whaling Company and helped in the cutting up of the last of these monsters of the deep caught by this company at Encounter Bay. It is of interest to note that when whaling was abandoned in these regions, one piece of equipment came into the hands of the Rumbelow family. This was a whaling gun which fired an explosive lance into the whale. This gun was later presented to the S.A. Museum. 

Eight years after the Rumbelow family arrived in South Australia young Malin, then a youth of 16 years of age, joined his brother-in-law, Mr. Cain Jelliff, in a fishing partnership at Encounter Bay. The young man proved an apt pupil, and a boat-man by nature. In those days fish were plentiful, also crayfish. Mrs. Cain Jelliff (Alice) helped the two partners by doing much of the selling of the fish, hawking it in the metropolitan area. Young Malin soon decided to marry and took unto himself a wife, a daughter of a local farmer, Mary Glassenbury, who was born at Hope Valley, S.A. 

From this happy union nine children were born (five boys and four girls) — William Henry, Malin, Godfrey, Cain, and Samuel. The latter died at the early age of five years. The girls were Alice, who remained single; Rose (Mrs. John Strawbridge; Jane, who married Joshua Tug-well; and Grace (Mrs. David Buck). Some years after the commencement of the partnership, Cain Jelliff was lost overboard from his boat, and was drowned. He was later picked up on the Coorong not far from the Murray Mouth. The fishing business was continued by Malin, and later became known as M. Rumbelow and Sons. Young Godfrey Rumbelow replaced his Aunt Alice, selling and hawking the fish, carrying much of it through the city with horses and van. 

When the railway commenced, the fish was sent through to E. Daw's Central fish market. Godfrey found the sea and fishing not to his liking, and for many years carried on a dairy and milk-round in the locality and Victor Harbor. Henry, Malin Jnr. and Cain proved first-class fishermen and skilful boatmen. Malin was an exceptionally fine boatman, and often skippered the cutter Ferret to victory at the Victor Harbour New Year's Day Sports, where a fishing boat sailing race was an annual event. The Rumbelow father and sons were of a jovial and friendly disposition, and became popular with visitors and tourists and were largely responsible for the beginning of the tourist trade which now flourishes at Victor Harbour and the locality. Henry and Cain became renowned fishermen in the South. Henry had to his credit, 2 record hauls of mullet. 250 doz. at one time, and 300 doz. at another time. 

The partners owned several very fine fishing cutters, the best-known being tbe Rambler, and the Ferret. The Rambler made many fishing trips to Kangaroo Island and many exciting and adventurous excursions were undertaken in this boat. The Rambler is still fishing in South Australian waters under different owners. The Ferret, after many years of useful service during which time she was twice rebuilt, featured in some very adventurous incidents, missions of mercy, and pleasure trips on the River Murray when skippered by Henry Rumbelow's son, Walter. She featured in one of the few tragedies which befell the family. While on a fishing trip along the coast on December 23rd, 1932, she was wrecked. Two sons of the original partners, Walter and David Rumbelow were drowned; Lionel Rumbelow, the other occupant at the time, had a marvelous escape from death, and still lives to take the silver harvest from the deep. 

In April 1905, (David) Malin Rumbelow, who was almost a giant in stature, and loved by everyone who knew him, was brought home dead, having suffered a heart seizure whilst on a fishing excursion with the Rambler. He left a widow, and eight children, the youngest not a fort-night old. The children left were Charles, Susan Rose, Ivy (Mrs. F. Bartel), David, Ernest, Eric, Lionel, and Malin. This tragedy happened on April 10th, 1905, Malin Rumbelow, the father of the victim of this tragedy and son of the first Malin Rumbelow, had been suffering from ill health for several years, bowed under the heavy blow of the loss of his son, laid his burden down on July Ist, 1905, and he too was carried to his grave to lay at rest with his father and sons. 

For here let it be noted that Malin Rumbelow, Snr. and his wife (the original pioneers of the family) are buried in the Victor Harbour cemetery where the other members of the Rumbelows who have passed on are laid to rest, with the exception of the two young children of Malin Rumbelow Senr. and Frank Rumbelow, who was killed in action in France in 1917. The double bereavement in the family meant a very heavy blow to the little fishing community and though Henry and Cain remained to carry on the fishing business the health of the former became very indifferent, and in 1907 the Doctor advised him to leave the sea, this he did and took up farming on Narrung taking his family there on August 7th, 1907. Thus the partnership of M. Rumbelow and Sons was dissolved. 

Henry left the sea for some years, but after World War I, he transferred his farm to his son, Herbert, and with his son Walter, fished in Lake Alexandrina until 1924 when he returned to Encounter Bay. He died on March 10th, 1928, leaving a widow, and ten children. They were, Caroline (Mrs. Jos. Shan-non), Mary (Mrs. Alf Bird), Henry, Walter, Ruby (Mrs. Jack Bottrill), Herbert, Lawrence, Thelma (Mrs. W. Montgomerie), Freda (Mrs. Ernest McKeon), and Dulcie (Mrs. Keith Watson). 

Cain Rumbelow remained to fish at Encounter Bay when Henry left in 1907, and purchased that very fine fishing cutter, the Swallow, which he took on many fishing trips to Kangaroo Island, and along the local coast. He also sailed the Swallow to victory in many of the sailing races at Victor Harbor on New Years Day. Cain died in 1952. 

He left three children, Hubert, Laura (Mrs. F. Kemp) and Cyril.