World Travels An English-native-speaking expatriate, Warren Rodwell has lived in Asia for most of this century; having taught university in China, and written / edited hardcopy magazines. World travels include: UK-Europe-Middle East-Asia-Australia and Latin America

• David Rodwell & Family Circa 1880
  Percydale, Victoria, Australia

Pictures kindly obtained/supplied by Tom Roberts,
a direct descendant of David Cornelius Rodwell.

David Cornelius Rodwell was the son of emancipated English convicts David Rodwell & Rosina Hammond. The older David Rodwell arrived in Australia at Old Hobart Town, Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) in 1838. The grave of his son, David Cornelius Rodwell, along with various others belonging to OUR ancestors, can be found at Avoca Cemetery in Avoca, central Victoria, Australia. The township of Percydale is very near Avoca.

Avoca & District Historical Society Inc. http://home.vicnet.net.au/~adhs/ADHSMain.htm

Avoca is located 71kms northwest of Ballarat in the heart of the Pyrenees Shire of central west Victoria, Australia. The town's rich gold mining history places it in the centre of the Golden Triangle. Daily buses provide access between Avoca & Ballarat.

Gold was first found in Victoria in 1849 in the Pyrenees Ranges near Avoca. In 1851, the first discovery of importance took place at Clunes, 40kms away from present-day Avoca, setting off a gold rush to the region. By the beginning of December 1853, the population had increased from 100 to 2,000. By June the following year, Avoca with a population of 16,000 was regarded as one of Victoria's more important gold rush districts.

Footnote:

DAVID CORNELIUS RODWELL was born 11 August 1848 at Clarence Plains in Tasmania, Australia: