The Guggers

John Gugger's family going to school.jpg

Unknown photographer

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Click to view the Gugger Documents (e-Flipbook) Takes a minute to download

Contributions from The Gugger Collection

Firstly, a question frequently asked...

How do you pronounce Gugger?

Silly question! But, the more I thought about it...

Considering the original Gugger settlers in Fyansford were vignerons from the canton of Neuchâtel (a French-speaking canton in western Switzerland),

I would think they’d pronounced it with a French accent

(see: http://www.pronouncekiwi.com/Googer).

My preference is for one of the first three French alternatives.

The guggers

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The guggers

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"What's in a name?"

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2018 Aug 1

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and, would you believe

a Swiss vignoron from Neufchatel once roamed Fyansford...

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See contributions from the Gugger Collection:~

St Luke's Church ~ See: Courtesy John Gugger (Documents from the Gugger Collection)

The guggers

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The Gugger family

played a very important part

in Fyansford's history...

As store-keepers

As publicans

1928 – 1970 Norman Albert Gugger owned and occupied “Gugger's Store”

1933 Alfred Gugger built the adjacent house (on east side)

In her Barwon Blo Jo Mitchell observed,"

"... The Gugger name has a long association with the Fyansford district. The family were amongst the earliest of the Swiss vignerons to arrive in the area from the Canton of Neuchatel, encouraged to settle in the district by Lieutenant-Governor Charles La Trobe whose wife was Swiss. Their tenure as licensees ... lasted only until 31st December, 1917 when the Junction Hotel was de-licensed after a decision of the licensing board to reduce the number of hotels in the district (Public Records Office of Victoria, Index to Defunct Hotel Licenses (1847 - 1932)".

As vigneronsAn important chapter in ongoing Gugger family history...

An important chapter

in ongoing Gugger family history...

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the gugger collection

The guggers

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I am indeed priviledged to have been entrusted with this collection of historical documents which, for a better title, I label as The Gugger Collection.

I am somewhat daunted, but so excited, to be able to share with our community this library of notes, clippings, photographs, maps, titles and personal records that has over the years been amassed and which are currently in the care of the present custodian, John Gugger.

I welcome feedback from other members of the Gugger family and the broader community.

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Click to enlarge and to view

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let me introduce you to
selections from
the gugger collection

The guggers

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Over the next however long I will be featuring items from
The Gugger Collection.

The first to be featured is the St Luke's Church

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The Gugger Pedigree

I think it is fair to say the Gugger family has extra strong ties to Fyansford

having lived and worked in the area since their arrival in Australia

from Switzerland back in the 1860s.

The Guggers came from three areas of Switzerland; Thun, St Gallen and Ins.

Their historic family records are held in the village of family origin in Switzerland.

Lal, Ron and Gary Gugger researched their family’s lineage

and a copy of their findings are on file.

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Samuel Johann (John) Gugger came to Australia in 1864 where he married Frances Belperroud. Samuel died from pneumonia age 33 years on 27th August, 1878.

Franz Rudolf Gugger married Samuel’s widow, Frances.

Louis Albert Gugger born in Marin, Switzerland, came to Fyansford in the 1860s.

He had eleven children; most growing up in the Fyansford environs.

Franz Rudolf (Rudy) Gugger, son of Samuel and Margaretha (Jenni), was born at Ins, Canton of Bern, Switzerland. He came to Australia on the ship “Percy” arriving 27 April, 1870, age eighteen.

Johann Peter (John) Gugger, son of Samuel and Margaretha (Jenni) Gugger, was born in Ins, Canton Bern, Switzerland. He came to Australia on the ship “Percy” arriving 27 April, 1870, age twenty.

Albert Adolph (Dolf) Gugger married Janet Mary McEachern and had four children.

From

Ils, Switzerland

Posed, but still...

Supposedly 1860s

Ins, Switzerland 1954

Posed, but still...

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To

Fyansford, Australia

1835

S. Mossman Geelong 1840

Fred Kruger View on Barwon River Ca 1880

1835

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a picture is worth a thousand words

The guggers

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Bridges

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Quarry

Cementies

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Floods

1952 Floods 2

1953

1952 Floods 2

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Township

Balmoral 2

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River flats

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School

Fyansford SS 1932

Fyansford S.S. 1914

Fyansford SS 1932

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Special Interest

Gardens

Potters' gardens

From Joyces

Gardens

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John Gugger's family going to school

Who were they?

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The guggers

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2 I'm not expecting answers, but...

Also, can anyone tell me where Belperroud's Ford is?

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The guggers

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Roman Catholic School, Fyansford

While there has never been a Roman Catholic church in Fyansford,

there has been a Catholic school.

This school was situated on "Frogmore" land, about a quarter of a mile in off Merrawarp Road.

Whilst the exact location is not known it is thought to have been about two thirds of the way between Hamilton Highway and the Ceres bridge. Records show that the school was opened in 1849 and it appears to have continued into the early 1870s.

Some of the earliest teachers were:

McNally, John J. 1850

Flynn, F. J. 1851

Havell, William 1852

McNally, William 1.1.1853 – 30.6.1853

Buckley, Daniel J. 1.10.1853 – 31.8.1856

Buckley, Caroline 1.4.1854 – 31.8.1856 (wife of Daniel)

O'Driscoll, Daniel 5.9.1856 – 30.9.1856

Kinane, James 1.1.1857 – 30.9.1857

McSweeney,Terence 1.10.1857 – 31.8.1858

For the years 1853 to 1858 the average daily attendance was 26 pupils (17 Boys and 9 Girls). When writing to the District School Board on 7th January, 1856, the Reverend H. J. Parker says,

"The Fyansford school labours under a great disadvantage of not being in a central position. Many children

having to come over three miles. Mr. Buckley (Head Teacher) has at great inconvenience to himself

accommodated in his small cottage some of the younger children who could not walk so far".

On 6th July, 1857, payment of the sum of thirty pounds was made to the sewing mistress.

On 7th June, 1858, inspector Miller of Roman Catholic schools in Geelong district wrote, Fyansford school - wood and shingled - area 336 - in bad condition - a miserable erection.

Copies of school rolls have not been retained but it is known that Frances Belperroud - (Later Mrs. Rudolf Gugger), Jack Mc Carthy and Jack Lamb were among the pupils.

William McNally was the teacher at this school in the 1850’s. In his younger days McNally had been a despatch rider on the Duke of Wellington’s staff at Waterloo. This entitled him to a quarterly remittance from England and he would don his uniform, show the pupils his sword, commission and medals and tell them of the battle of Waterloo. More often, however, a heavy hangover would force him to send the pupils home. Possibly this behaviour was the reason that he was in charge of the school for only 6 months in 1853.

No traces of this school building now remain.