From Chaneaz to Sydney

From Chaneaz to Sydney The greater majority of Varidels1 have Facts about Louis Samuel Varidel settled in Vaud, or in neighbouring Birth : January 27, 1834 ‘cantons’ (counties). A fewer number Baptism : February 14, 1834 have settled elsewhere in Switzerland Emigration : January 1854 or even in France. Louis Samuel Arrival in AUS : July 1854 Varidel, son of Abram Samuel, Marriage : May 16, 1868 however, ventured alone, far away. No Naturalization : May 11, 1869 document states why he chose to leave Death : February 6, 1918 his family in 1854. However, he seems Burial : February 8, 1918 to have travelled with a party of a few people from the neighbouring villages. We can trace their arrival in Australia and may assume he was most probably accompanying his maternal uncle, Jean Guidoux of Cronay, together with follow Cronay locals Jean Duruz, Jean Daniel Mottaz and François Viquerat 2. Parish records of Donneloye (village next to Prahins and Chanéaz) The article mentioned in the above note details the following: Louis Samuel left with 1 Due to the evolution of language, the two following spellings are also found in France and Switzerland: Waridels and Vuaridels. A number of fellow Varidels migrated to South America too, but all three names derive 2 MONBARON Patrick, Émigration vaudoise en Algérie au milieu du XIXe siècle: Sétif, eldorado genevois pour "petits capitalistes" RHV 98 (1990), pp. 78-79. We are very lucky to benefit from this study, the subject of which is essentially emigration from the French part of Switzerland to Algeria in the 19th century, but which lists all the migrants from Vaud between 1853 and 1854, stating why they left and with how much money! about 1,100 Swiss francs, and each of his fellow travellers with about 1,000 Swiss francs. That sum was most probably sufficient to pay their travel expenses and some accommodation whilst trying to find a job opportunity. The author of the study quotes the following record from the village authorities: ‘These fellows are all very active and witty; they left in order to gather money’! On January 18, 1854, a passport was issued for Louis Samuel, and was fetched at the Commissioner’s office in Yverdon on January 203. Register for passport delivery, with the mention of Louis Samuel’s age We don’t know the exact date of his departure, but he certainly did not delay. His most likely journey was a boat trip from Yverdon to Soleure, on the Lakes of Neuchâtel and Bienne, and on the river Aar. Louis Samuel then walked up to Basle, where he would have embarked upon a River Rhine river boat to Amsterdam. There he would have boarded the sail boat Medina that brought the 20-year old young man to the country of his dreams. We know indeed the name of the boat on which he spent a few months travelling; the Medina reached the State of Victoria – Melbourne most likely – in July 18544. Sailing would have been quite an experience for a farmer – but I also know a few Varidels who like it! After recovering from their trip, Louis Samuel and his fellow travellers would have made their way to their final destination, New South Wales. The journey would have been possibly made by stagecoach drawn by rented or purchased horses. Alternatively, Samuel may have chosen to sail at once to New Zealand. His wedding documents, a few years later, note his coming from New Zealand and his being a gardener. The location mentioned in NZ, Hokitiki (now apparently Hokitika), suggests he may have tried to find gold, as Hokitika is known for its Gold Rush in the years 18605, 3 Document in the « Archives cantonales » for Vaud, in Lausanne (ACV K VII G 9-4). 4 The website FindmyPast allowed me to find this information; LS Varidel’s name is mentioned on a « Victoria inward passenger list ». I sought to identify the boat or even obtain a picture of it, but I found that many boats of various tonnages bear the same name, and are anchored either in Plymouth, London or the Isle of Wight. So as it didn’t seem essential, I left it for later! 5 Buying of the land was secured in 1860 already, after negotiations with the chiefs of Poutini Ngāi Tahu, the people of the West Coast. They wrote to the government’s land purchase officer, Donald McLean, in 1857, outlining concerns about the sale of their land (source: Simon Nathan, 'West Coast region - European arrival and especially 1864 and 1867. Was he unsuccessful and then took a job as a gardener? Or was he frightened by the frequent fights between drunken goldminers and left? No source documents survive detailing how Louis Samuel met his future wife, but we may guess he worked as a day-worker on the Elliots’ farm in Canterbury, not far from the river Cooks. Louis Samuel married Mary Ellen Elliot at the age of 33, fourteen years after arriving in Australia. The wedding took place on May 16, 1868. The story could have been very different, of course, and he could very well have seduced the beautiful 25 year old Mary as a wealthy gentleman, having found some gold in NZ or with savings from years of labour as a gardener! I have just found another document – a study of the history of Belfield – that tells of the winemaker Louis Varidel from Bankstown, who bought an allotment of 8 to 10 acres for a good price from a gentleman called Charles Elliott. The text goes on to say “The Varidel family was to remain in the area for well over a hundred years. Louis Varidel’s property was used successively as a vineyard, a market garden, a poultry 6 farm, and, after 1900, a dairy.” Although of Reformed Church origin, Louis Samuel married according to the rules of the Roman Catholic Church; was his wife’s family catholic? settlement', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/interactive/21088/letter- from-poutini-chiefs). 6 Rae Fortier and Lesley Muir, Belfield History and Memories, City of Canterbury Library (Canterbury & District historical Society). We also know Louis Samuel’s father-in-law sold part of his estate to him in 1869, one year after Louis Samuel married Mr. Elliot’s fourth daughter. Alternatively he may have received the land as an advance on his inheritance7. The same source informs us that Louis Samuel had a dairy farm there, in Canterbury, which is not surprising, given he had been a dairy farmer before leaving Switzerland! The family continued the business until the 1930’s. Then, due to the recession, they had some difficulty paying their taxes and had to sell the property to the City council. I had access quite recently to his Certificate of Naturalization, and this document provides some new information. We learn that he was a winegrower (the French word ‘vigneron’ is used in the certificate!), and that he arrived in Sydney, having travelled from Melbourne in 1869 on board the steamer ‘Wonga Wonga’. His Certificate of Naturalization bears the date May 11th 1869 and now lists Samuel as a British citizen! Furthermore the document states his purpose on landing was ‘to purchase land’! Title (above) and extract (below) of the Certificate of Naturalization What did he do between his wedding and his naturalization? A one-year honeymoon?! Did he go back to the place he was in NZ? Was he working for some time, earning some more money? 7 The information was found in the City of Canterbury website, under the title ‘Rudd Park’ (see below for full reference). The fact is Louis Samuel was a man of many talents; he is documented as a winemaker, as a gardener (he was perhaps a gold-miner too, as hinted above) and finally as a farmer: his death certificate lists his occupation as ‘retired farmer’. Louis Samuel died on February 5th, 1918 in Canterbury, Margaret Street, NSW. Following a 9-month long illness, the cause of his death is ‘cystitis following enlarged prostate’. He prepared for his death long before it happened: he registered a will8 with a lawyer in 1907, listing his sons Jules Matthew and Louis Augustus as executors of his will, asking them to pay his debts first, then to share his goods equally between his wife and his children. This is the last will and testament of me Louis Samuel Varidel of Canterbury in the state of New South Wales, gentleman. First I declare that all my just debts be fully paid and satisfied and subject thereto I give, devise and bequeath the whole of my real and personal estate of whatever sort and kind the same may be and wheresoever situate[d] unto my wife and children to be equally between and amongst them. And I hereby appoint Louis Augustus Varidel, Jules Matthew Varidel executors of this my will and I hereby declare this only to be my last true will and testament. Dated at Canterbury this twenty-fifth day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and seven. Louis Samuel Varidel Signed by the testator in the presence of us who in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto sub- scribed our names as witnesses S.H. Garrett, A.Garrett. 3 July 1918 On this date Probate of the last will and testament of the said deceased was granted to Louis Augustus Varidel of Campsie Dairy man & Jules Matthew Varidel of Perrinuan9 Queensland Grazier, the executors named in the said will.

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