Thomas Roylance

Thomas was the son of Ann Roylance and Thomas Dean. He was born in 24 Lewin Street, Middlewich, Cheshire, England on 8 July, 1864. In 1871 he was living in Kinderton with his mother, step-father  John Booth, and step sister Elizabeth Booth. 

When he was eighteen years old Tom emigrated from England to Australia aboard the SS Waroonga. The vessel was a steamer carrying the Royal Mail to Queensland.

Members from his extended Roylance family travelled with him. They included  his maternal uncle and aunt William and Emma Roylance nee Scott, William's children Alf and Annie Roylance (Tom's cousin) and sister Eliza Roylance (maternal aunt).  The Immigration lists record the following information:

ROYLAME Alf 10 Waroonga 8 Jan 1884 IMM/118 592 Z1961 M1699
ROYLAME Anne 6 Waroonga 8 Jan 1884 IMM/118 592 Z1961 M1699
ROYLAME Emma 27 Waroonga 8 Jan 1884 IMM/118 592 Z1961 M1699
ROYLAME Wm 32 Waroonga 8 Jan 1884 IMM/118 592 Z1961 M1699
ROYLANCE Thomas 19 Waroonga 8 Jan 1884 IMM/118 589 Z1961 M1699
ROYLAND Eliza 30 Waroonga 8 Jan 1884 IMM/118 589 Z1961 M1699

Upon arrival in Brisbane, Thomas settled in Balmoral and worked as a timber getter and carter. During those boom years the work was regular.

In 1886 he married the widow Hannah Stubbs Brocklehurst at the home of  his maternal uncle and aunt William and Emma Roylance at Annie Street, New Farm. The newly weds settled at Wellington Street, East Brisbane where Tom worked as a timber getter and carter. They had three children called Edith, Maud and Robert Frank Roylance (my grandfather).

During Great Depression 1893 -1898 work in the construction industry was hard to get.  Thomas and his Uncle William travelled the countryside looking for work. The Queensland census records show a Thomas Roylance living  in the Marona District in 1903. The next record shows a Thomas Roylance dying at Cunnamulla, Maranoa, Queensland in 1913.

Hannah and the children lived at Highgate Hill, Brisbane. The children did not remember their father. Hannah died in 1922. She was buried at Balmoral Cemetery, Brisbane with her infant daughter, Edith  Roylance (1888-1890). Thomas's grave site is unknown.

William Roylance and his wife Emma (formerly Scott) settled at Kelvin Grove, Brisbane where they raised their family.  William worked in the construction industry. Emma managed the local grocery store.  While working in the country in 1903 William died. He was buried at Toowong Cemetery, Brisbane. Emma died in 1909 and was buried with her husband at Toowong.