The Shelley Family
Samuel Fellows Shelley was born 6 March 1835 in Stafford, England. Samuel Shelley received a commission to the Rifle Volunteer Corps in 1860 at the age of 26. In 1862 he resigned after being promote to the status of Lieutenant. On 5 April 1864 Samuel left Liverpool, England bound for Queensland.
When he arrived in Australia he received a Land Order from the Treasury authorising him to purchase land to the value of £30 but he would not receive the title deeds (of ownership) until he had lived in Australia for 2 years. In 1867 he paid £20 as the first year’s rent on the Coomera Agricultural Reserve. He started work as a timbergetter at Tamborine and continue at this job until gold was discovered in Gympie and he tried his hand at mining for gold. Several years later he returned to Coomera and lived in one of the first farming homesteads consisting of 165 acres. He used this land to grow sugarcane but later followed the neighbouring farmers and switched to maize and potato crops. Later he changed to dairy farming with good results. As years went by he added to his selection until his estate increased to 2000 acres which included a third of Hope Island.
In 1879 he married Ellen Binstead (3rd daughter of William Binstead). Samuel and Ellen had 8 children (4 sons and 4 daughters) all educated locally at Coomera. Their eldest son Walter was born in 1873 and at fifteen he worked with his father on the farm. When Samuel passed away in 1903 Walter and a younger brother Anthony took over the property leases from the trustees to continue working the family farm.
Samuel Shelley was a commissioner of the peace and served on the Coomera Shire Council for many years.
When he arrived in Australia he received a Land Order from the Treasury authorising him to purchase land to the value of £30 but he would not receive the title deeds (of ownership) until he had lived in Australia for 2 years. In 1867 he paid £20 as the first year’s rent on the Coomera Agricultural Reserve. He started work as a timbergetter at Tamborine and continue at this job until gold was discovered in Gympie and he tried his hand at mining for gold. Several years later he returned to Coomera and lived in one of the first farming homesteads consisting of 165 acres. He used this land to grow sugarcane but later followed the neighbouring farmers and switched to maize and potato crops. Later he changed to dairy farming with good results. As years went by he added to his selection until his estate increased to 2000 acres which included a third of Hope Island.
In 1879 he married Ellen Binstead (3rd daughter of William Binstead). Samuel and Ellen had 8 children (4 sons and 4 daughters) all educated locally at Coomera. Their eldest son Walter was born in 1873 and at fifteen he worked with his father on the farm. When Samuel passed away in 1903 Walter and a younger brother Anthony took over the property leases from the trustees to continue working the family farm.
Samuel Shelley was a commissioner of the peace and served on the Coomera Shire Council for many years.
Coomera School register of children - see how many of the Shelley children you can locate.