1836
George and Catherine Tailby began living at Rockville around 18361 .
1848
REWARDS
£25, £10, £10, AND £6.
INCENDIARISM.
WHEREAS, some evil disposed person or persons, on the 5th instant, or early on the following morning, set fire to a stack containing about (150) one hundred and fifty bushels of wheat, near my residence at Dabee, thereby totally destroying the same, I hereby offer a reward of (£25) twenty-five pounds, to any person or persons giving such information as will lead to the conviction of the parties concerned in and perpetrating such act.
CATTLE AND HORSES stolen or strayed: I FURTHER offer a reward of ten pounds to any parties giving such information as will lead to the conviction of the person or persons who stole (if stolen) about the fifteenth day of October last, from my paddock Rockville, Dabee, a piebald or skew-ball coloured pony, about four years old and fifteen hands high, branded B near shoulder, and GT off shoulder, and recovery thereof, late the property of Mr. Ceeve.
As, also,
A reward of ten pounds on conviction of the parties stealing (if stolen) several head of HORSES and FAT CATTLE, from my residence and from my station on the Castlereagh River, branded GT, and recovery of same. Should any of the above horses or cattle have strayed (£l) one pound per head will be paid on receipt at either of the above places.
And, also,
A reward of five pounds (£5) will be paid on conviction of the party or parties who, about the 10th of January last, stole a new tarpaulin from the before mentioned, slack of wheat.
GEORGE TAILBY.
Rockville, Dabee, March 11.
Application will be made to his Excellency for the alliance of a pardon (if necessary) to the person or persons giving the required information. 47762
.
1857
FLOOD AT RYLSTONE.
THE Correspondent of the Mudgee Newspaper says:
"This township and district have again been visited by immoderate rain, and a flood has thence resulted, which - great as was the last influx of water three weeks ago - was this time even greater and the water mark stood higher in cubic measurement by three feet two inches than in the previous instance. The residents here had been very industrious the last few days, in repairing the damage caused by the last visitation, but in every case it is to be feared that, not only has their recent labour been useless and thrown away, but that there has been an excess of destruction of property, as fences, crops, &c., over that created by the former flood. The whole of Thursday, the 20th, the weather was very wet, and the river continued gradually to rise, and on Friday morning at daylight it was evident that a great flood had come down from the mountains. The water reached its highest at about eleven o'clock in the forenoon of that day, and it was only on the Monday following that the river had again resumed its banks, although the abatement was constant from the time the watermark was at the highest. The sufferers of course are the same in this as in the former inundation, especially at Dabee, where their distress was even greater, that village lying low. But some of the residents have been cautioned by a double lesson to move their dwellings, and are now rebuilding their huts further away from the bank of the river.
An interesting and somewhat amusing incident occurred soon after the flood was at its highest. A mob of fat cattle belonging to Mr. Tailby coming down from the Big River, arrived at the Cudgegong on Friday, at a point three miles below this township, being exactly opposite Mr. White's farm at Rockville. They were necessitated to remain there all day on Saturday, the river being quite impassable and the water coming down in a flood. Even on Sunday morning the Cudgegong was not yet within its banks, but as the weather appeared again threatening - thunder hanging around, and also as it was difficult to keep the cattle together in that particular place, it was thought best - although the river was so high - to endeavour to pass over. On the Rockville side were present Messrs. Tailby, Jethro White, and James Brown, and on the further side Messrs. John Keefe, W. Clarke, and John Donohoe of Rylstone, as well as a blackfellow who has come down with the mob. The whole of the cattle were driven down to a point where it was thought most practicable for them to cross, and they took the water, and swam cleverly over, but in the effort were carried some distance down the river by the violence of the stream. However, they all succeeded in reaching the further bank, with the exception of one, a bull, which made three several attempts, but in the end it was found necessary to haul him over with a rope. It was still necessary that the stockman and his black fellow, the horses, dogs, camp effects, &c., &c., should be conveyed across. The horses were young and it was not thought safe to ride them over. So some other means must be devised. The plan hit upon was the construction of a raft, which was thus effected. Two logs of rough timber were firmly lashed together, and upon these were placed a large half-puncheon to afford a safe and convenient receptacle for the passengers. This raft was constructed on the Rockville side of the river and a rope was there, made fast to it. From the farther side Mr. Clarke succeeded, after several attempts, in throwing over a second rope, which was made fast to the raft, so that it now became practicable to haul her up to either bank at pleasure. In the first place she was pulled across to the further bank, Mr. Tailby himself going over to test her efficiency and river worthiness. The raft then returned, Messrs. Tailby and Keefe coming over safely to this side. A second time the raft was hauled across in order that the blackfellow might be conveyed over, but there appeared to be some little difficulty in persuading him to venture. In fact, from his procedure, it would appear that he concluded it bail budgery. At last he was persuaded to step into the butt or puncheon, and before he had time to make up his mind whether he would cross or not, he was hauled over without further ceremony. The only difficulty now remaining was the transit of the horses ; they were conveyed over separately, in the following manner: Each horse was haltered, and to the halter a rope was attached, the animal was then urged into the swollen stream, and hauled across to the further bank by main force. All the mob of cattle, &c., being now safely on this side the swollen river, they were enabled to proceed forthwith on their journey. Rafts have since become popular here, and one is now plying on the township, near the former site of Taylor's famous missionary bridge, which was swept away by the first flood3
.
1885
ANTIMONY, GOLD AND SILVER
041 ACRES OF VALUABLE FREEHOLD. THE ROCKVILLE ANTIMONY MINE. FOR POSITIVE SALE, BY AUCTION.
THURSDAY, 15th OCTOBER, at 12 o'clock.
AT FARRAR'S HOTEL, RYLSTONE.
CROSSING and COX (in conjunction with RICHARDSON
and WRENCH) have received Instructions from A. Tindale, Esq., trustee in the estate of the late J. Tindale, to sell by public auction, as above stated.
All that block of land, containing 640 acres, being a Crown
Grant to J. Tindale, on which is situated the ROCKVILLE ANTIMONY COMPANY'S MINE, of 40 acres, leased for 10 years whereof four have expired.
N.B. Samples of the ore may be seen at Farrar's Hotel, Rylstone; Richardson and Wrench's, Sydney; and Crossing and Cox's, Mudgee.
GOLD and SILVER have also been obtained on the property.
The whole is good going and portions agricultural, well watered by the Cudgegong River, to which it has extensive frontage, being situated on the left bank of that stream, between Rylstone and Cudgegong.
Terms: 25 per cent, cash, balance in one, two, and three years by approved bills, with 6 per cent, interest added.
AT FARRAR'S HOTEL, RYLSTONE, WEDNESDAY, 11th OCTOBER, at 12 o'clock4
.
1906
Abel White lived at Rockville before selling it to George McQuiggan5 .
1912
Geo McQuiggan, Rockville, Rylstone, 14 horses, 12 cattle, 560 sheep6 .
1927
28 February 1927
23 March 1927
Woodlawn Purchased
G A McQuiggin purchases the neighbouring property Woodlawn and incorporates it into Rockville8
.
8 September 1927
Shearing
Shearing begins at Woodlawn in early September 19279
.
27 October 1927
Quicksilver CINNABAR LODE.
The cinnabar lode, on Mr G. W, McQuiggln's 'Rockville' property at Rylstone, is to be worked again. Messrs Bert Thew and W. Foley, -who have great faith in the proposition, are the principals. It is some 30 years since the lode was opened up, and abandoned after a good deal of capital had been expended10
. Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative, Thursday 27 October 1927, page 7.
1932
George McQuiggan owned Rockville until he sold it to his nephew G A McQuiggin when George moved to the city11 .
1938
KANDOS R.S.S.I.L.A.
The monthly meeting of the above sub-branch was held in the Soldiers' Hall on Monday last, Mr. W. Munro presiding. The local diggers have decided to hold a picnic for diggers' wives and children at 'Rockville,' Rylstone, the property of Mr. G. A. Mcquiggin. (This gentleman is always ready to help the diggers. Thank you, George). The picnic will take place on Saturday, December 17. Diggers, please get in touch with secretary Fred Bingham, so that transportation can be arranged12
. Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative, Thursday 8 December 1938, page 6.