River Boat Captain on the Murray Darling Rivers, from a woodsman family in Dorset
This Family Line
A Dorset pauper’s son who became a river steamer captain on the Murray. His father died at forty-three and the parish tried to move his widow and five children on; his mother refused, and kept the family together. Frederick went to Australia.
Carters and labourers at Winterborne Anderson - the Toomer family in the Dorset parishes.
○ In preparationWoodsmen at Mapperton in Almer parish - the family Frederick’s mother came from.
○ In preparationWidowed at forty, with five children and a parish that wanted them gone. Elizabeth won, and brought up her family.
○ In preparationThe Murray years - the log books, masters’ letters and telegrams of Captain Frederick Toomer, 1866-1883.
○ In preparation PhotographsAlmer, Mapperton, Winterborne Anderson and the Dorset parishes the Toomers and Dashwoods moved between - photographed on a visit in 2026.
○ Photographs coming soon