Despite being of a quiet and retiring disposition, George Watkins was very popular and had a large circle of friends in Colac where he lived for thirty years. The fifth son of Charles and Joanna Watkins, George was born in 1855 at Woady Yalloak, Victoria, where his father practised medicine and acted as the district coroner. One of nine children, George’s early childhood was stable and happy, but in 1861 his father, aged just thirty-nine, died unexpectedly, forcing his mother to raise the children alone.
In 1863 George gained a stepfather from an English landed family when his mother married William Wyndham. The family relocated to Colac, residing at Canterbury Cottage on a large allotment bordering the town common. When George was fourteen another devastating event occurred — the death of his mother, just five weeks after being stricken with heart disease.
George never married but continued living in the country town for the rest of his adult life, working as a shearer, an occupation demanding great physical strength and dexterity. An active member of his rural community, he participated in social events whilst also contributing to charitable causes to aid others.
In 1897 George entered Colac Hospital suffering from a severe infection believed to have originated from untreated tooth decay, together with a hydatid infection. At first the doctors entertained hopes of his recovery, but he slipped into a coma, dying on October 16th. At his burial his brother publicly thanked George’s mates for their regular visits during his illness and their assistance with the funeral arrangements. They in turn deeply missed the quiet, dependable man whose companionship and loyalty had become part of everyday life in Colac.
Research by Merrill O’Donnell
Story by Lynne Johnston

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