Richard Joye Baker

Born October 5, 1863, at 36 Almond street, Philadelphia. Pennsylvania census 1870. Name.............................Age.................Born. Joseph Shead-------28---------England. Anna Shead---------26---------Canada. John Baker----------12----------Pennsylvania. Richard Baker--------7----------Pennsylvania. Catherine Baker------3----------Pennsylvania. Shead and son bread makers, Philadelphia. ( The Revolt of the Field ) 1870's South East England. Wages of farm labourers cut. Labour shortage in New Zealand. New Zealand Government offer too good to refuse. Free passage to N.Z. In 1879 they sailed to New Zealand from England on the steamship Stad Haarlem. The barque rigged, Stad Haarlem was built to carry only 450 passengers, but converted for 600 passengers who made the long voyage from Plymouth, to Lyttleton, New Zealand. Anyone over 12 years old was considered an adult. The journey to N.Z. took 57 days, it would of been a lot quicker, but they had trouble loading coal at a few ports. The ship left Plymouth Sound on 15th Feb 1879, arrived N.Z. 14th April 1879. The passengers were mostly farm labourers from East Kent and Sussex, who had had enough of paycut's due to the fall in the price of wheat and hops. The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser. 17th April 1879. NEW ZEALAND. Wellington, Monday. The steamship Stad Haarlem, with 602 passengers, all well, arrived off Port Chalmers Head to-day. There was too much sea on the bar to permit her to enter. She proceeds to Lyttelton. She was detained eight days at Table Bay ( Cape Town) for want of coal. Joseph Shead had a bakery in High street, Christchurch, N.Z. When Richard was young his stepfather Joseph Shead (a baker) made him climb into the oven to get the loaves at the back. Richard disembarked off the brigantine Forest King in Sydney in March 1883 from New Zealand. The Forest King was renamed Vailele in 1890. - Papers Past N.Z. January 30, 1883, Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Forest King for Sydney. ........................................... Richard married Norah in 1884 ---------------------------------- Electoral Roll. 1890. Vic. Aus. Norah Baker .........King street..Queenscliff....home duties. Richard J. Baker.....King street..Queenscliff.....lightkeeper. The Mornington Standard 1907. - DROMANA. Mr. Baker who recently had charge of the Rosebud lighthouse has been transferred to the Cape Everard station, during his sojourn here he and his family by their kind and obliging disposition made many friends who are sorry to hear of their departure. Mr.Baker was a staunch supporter of the Dromana football club and the genial lighthouse keeper and his family carry away with them the good wishes of the members. RICHARD JOYE BAKER --Lighthouses 1890..................Queenscliff. Assistant keeper. 1891-1892.........Cliffy Island. 1893-1895.........Cape Otway. 1896-1900.........Split Point, Airey's Inlet 1903....................Queenscliff. 1904.....................Port Fairy, Griffiths Island. 1906.....................South Channel. Rosebud. 1907-1910.............Cape Everard, ( Point Hicks ) 1910-1912...............Cape Schanck. 1912-1915................Cliffy Island. 1915-1919.................Split Point, Airey's Inlet. 1921...........................Cape Nelson, Cape Schanck. 1922...........................Airey's Inlet. The Mornington Standard. 29th April,1911 - Sports Gathering at Cape Schanck.- A very successful picnic and sports gathering was held by the Cape Schanck and Main Ridge State schools at Cape Schanck on the 19th April. A large number of friends and visitors attended in drags ( horse carriage ) etc., from Dromana, Rosebud, Boneo and Fingal. The lightkeeper ( Mr.Baker )and family doing everything possible to make all enjoy themselves. Parties visited Pulpit Rock, caves and the lighthouse. Races were held there being fifteen, following are the results: Infants, 50 yds...Beryl Baker 1, Mona Peters 2; Boys,14 years,100 yds, T. Cairns 1, T. Speakman 2. Boys 12 years,100 yds, Arthur Baker 1, P. Cairns 2. Girls 16 years and over 100 yds, Q. Baker 1, E. Cairns 2. Boys 18 years and over 100 yds, Ernest Baker 1, H. Cairns 2. Hop,step and jump, D. Baker (47 feet 6 inches) Tug of war won by George Patterson and his side. The best thanks are due to Mr. and Mrs. Baker for their efforts. A social was held in the evening dispersing at 1am. The Geelong Advertiser, November 1919. AIREY'S INLET. On the 31st of last month a very pleasant social evening was held at Inlet Hotel, where many friends gathered together to bid au revoir to Mr and Mrs. Baker on the eve of their departure from Airey's Inlet. For the past five years Mr. Baker has been head keeper at the Split Point Lighthouse, where recently an automatic light has been installed, making a keeper unnecessary. Friends motored from as far as Mt. Duneed, Freshwater Creek and Geelong to be present at the gathering. The musical programme was as follows:- song- Miss Baker, "The Rose of No Man's Land" : duet- Les and Percy Anderson "One of These Days"......song Mr. Baker-"I Love to be a Sailor" The Argus, Melbourne, November 1919. CAMERON.-On the 28th, October 1919, at his residence, "Glennifer", Boundary road, Surrey Hills, Alex Pullar, late A.I.F., loved pal of Bert ( late A.I.F. ), Ernie ( late A.I.F. ), Dick and Arthur Baker, and loved friend of Annie ( Mrs. Griffith ), Queenie ( Mrs.Graham ), and Mr. and Mrs. R. J. Baker, and Beryl, Lighthouse, Airey's Inlet. Son of Mr. and Mrs. John Cameron, of Genoa, Victoria, aged 25. ( Alex was wounded at Bapaume, France 1917 and repatriated to Australia, he died of Tuberculosis. Ernie and Alex were in the 4th Artillery Brigade, they embarked from Melbourne 18th November 1915, on HMAT Wiltshire.) ( Boundary road, name changed to Warrigal road in 1939). The Portland Guardian, 11 July 1921. TRANSFER. Mr. H. Dickson, who has been in charge of Cape Nelson Lighthouse since the retirement of Mr. H. Stafford, took his departure this morning for Cliffy Island. He is a native of Scotland and has decided to make "Aussie" his permanent abode, he represents a class of men most welcome to these shores. Mr. Baker, of Cliffy Island succeeds Mr. Dickson as the Nelson's chief. There is an old story passed down that Richard scratched some paint off the window that was facing inland of the Split Point light so that he could keep an eye on it from the pub. After Norah passed away in 1921,Richard married Clara Lear from Portland in 1923. One of Richard’s daughters Adelaide Catherine Noyes and her daughter Winifred Balzer were in charge of "Corinella " private hospital in Hannan street, Williamstown.