Between the time of their marriage in 1818 and 1846 Samuel Cosstick and Mary Weller had thirteen children. They were living at Croydon, Surrey – then a small town south of London.
As their children grew up social conditions in England worsened and news arrived of wonderful new opportunities in the colonies of Autralia.
Many took the chance and travelled half way around the world to start a new life. For those who had doubts the announcement of gold discoveries in the Port Philip district during the early 1850s was hard to resist.
Six of the Cosstick sons and one daughter decided to go to Australia during the 1850s.
Henry and William made a respectable living both looking for gold and servicing the needs of other goldseekers.
John tried his luck in New Zealand for several years before returning to Victoria.
Charles also went to New Zealand and then to Canada.
George and Sam, especially Sam, left the gold for others and played cricket instead.
This is the story of the Cossticks.

When the first edition of this book was published in 1999, it set out to give some substance to the bare names and dates that usually make up a “Family Tree” – who were they; where did they come from; what did they do; why did they come to Australia. It also set out to clarify some of the myths and legends that arise when stories are passed down from one generation to another.

Much of this story relates the adventures of six Cosstick brothers who came to Victoria during the 1850s, and, where possible follows some of their descendants down to the year 1900 – because after that there were just too many descendants to do justice to them all. The book does not comprehensively covering all possible branches of the family or all possible stories.

One family is inevitably related to many others and brief excursions are made into the stories of other families which were related to the Cossticks — the Shove, Henderson, Martin, Matthews, and Reeves families for example. The Hamilton family, connected to the Cossticks through marriages to John and William Cosstick in the early 1860s, have had their story told in The Hamiltons 1762-1862.

As usually happens, as soon as the book was printed new information was discovered, and people called to say their branch of the family had been left out. That is almost inevitable in historical research. A second edition was subsequently published and is the version available from the link below.

A third edition is being prepared and includes new details about Samuel Cosstick’s last years in Croydon, Surrey; new information about Henry Cosstick’s last years after leaving Amherst and returning from Queensland; and new details of what Charles and John Cosstick did in New Zealand and Charles’ business interests and reasons for leaving New Zealand.

There has been substantial rewriting and extensive new information about Sam Cosstick, his wife Annie Shove and her father Andrew Shove, and an expansion of the section on Luke and Ruth Martin whose granddaughter Lusy Elizabeth Martin married James Edward Cosstick. There are also additional chapters about the descendants of John Cosstick and Hannah Best, including the family of Edwin Chapman Cosstick.

The story of the Cossticks in the Australia of the nineteenth century is inseparably linked to the story of the town of Amherst. A substantial chapter on the development of that town and the events of the 1850s and 1860s has been included. Those who have a greater interest in the history of the town might like to refer to The Sink of Iniquity : Education in the Amherst and Talbot Districts 1836-1862, which is based on the 1986 MEd Thesis The History of Education in the Amherst and Talbot Districts 1836-1862.

The story of the Cossticks is not just a family history, it is a social history.

Comments about the extracts from the 2nd edition of The Cossticks available on the internet:

“Thank you so much, the anecdotes and character descriptions of the “children of Green Gully” mean so much to us when we sit at the peaceful ruins of their home. Will we ever know the fate of Tom Davis? My version of your book doesn’t go that far…I would happily buy the next version if you are writing it!” Cheers Airlie

“This website has been an invaluable source in researching our family histories. Thank you so much for sharing it all.” Suzie.

“I have enjoyed reading this article about the Cossticks, and only wish I’d found it sooner! … Thank you for the lovely insight!” Jennifer Harding

“Thanks for this. I have been looking into Daisy Cosstick for a friend of mine. Thank you,” Vicky

“Wow… very nice.” Jason Herboth, Canada

“Daisy Dorothy was my grandmother, its great to read all about her.” Joanna, London

“I found your article very interesting and informative. Lots of information I didn’t know. Thank you very much!” Susan Griggs

“I find the article on the Cossticks in the early years very interesting. Thanks.” Phillip Cosstick, Port Huron, Michigan.

“So fascinated to find this site!”Vicky Cosstick, England

“This is great info.” Michelle Pogue

“Congratulations on your website and research … I found this history helpful.” Anonymous

“Thank you so much for compiling so much information and making it available to everyone. … I find it all very fascinating.” Penny Cassie, Kempsey NSW

“This is cool.” Don Cosstick, Stratford, Ontario, Canada

Purchase this book

The 2nd Edition of The Cossticks can be purchasedhere.