William (Bill) Cream
1861 - 1934 (72 years)
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Name William (Bill) Cream Birth 30 May 1861 Geraldton 
Gender Male 
Droving16 Feb 1884 Nookawarra Station Western Australia [1] Droving15 May 1888 Tibradden Station Western Australia [2] Droving8 Oct 1890 DeGrey Station Western Australia [3] DrovingSep 1908 Mulga Downs station Western Australia [4] Droving27 May 1909 Millstream Station Western Australia [5] Droving27 Oct 1909 Muralgarra Station Western Australia [6] Droving12 Nov 1909 Boolathanna Station Western Australia [7] Droving2 Dec 1909 Boolathana station Western Australia [8] Station/Pr 4 Jan 1913 Bidgiemia Station Western Australia [9] Mr. W. Cream, a well known Geraldtonian from youth upwards, was in town on Thursday. He has just relinquished the management of Fitzpatrick's Dairy Creek station, and left for the North West on the Charon to take charge of Bush's Clifton Downs property. Death 17 Feb 1934 Abydos Station Burial 19 Feb 1934 Port Headland Person ID I8 The Cream Family Last Modified 8 Mar 2023
Father Timothy Cream, b. 1822, Churchtown County Cork Ireland d. Dec 1863, Geraldton (Age 41 years) Mother Mary Ann Cushen, b. 1822, Scotland d. 15 Sept 1895, Rudds Gully Geraldton (Age 73 years) Marriage 12 Feb 1846 Marleybone, Middlesex, England Family ID F2 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family Mary Jane Gould, b. 1863, Tibradden, W.A.. d. 15 Mar 1933, Cobra Station W. A (Age 70 years) Marriage 1892 Geraldton, W.A. Children 1. Ada Constance Cream, b. 1893, Geraldton, W.A.. 2. Edith Marion Cream, b. 1900 d. 16 May 1973 aged 73, Geraldton, W.A. 3. Ethel Maud Cream, b. 1899 4. Raymond William Alfred Cream, b. 1903 d. 1 Sep 1974 (Age 71 years) Family ID F13 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 7 Oct 2018
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Event Map 
Droving - Mr. and Mrs. Rotton have arrived at Nookawarra, having sent their sheep from Nalta Pool to the Murchison River. It seems that the sheep were in. charge of a drover named Cream, and that he, prior to taking the sheep over, sent a team with troughs to a rock-hole on the Murchison called the Elizabeth Springs with instructions for the troughing to be made ready for watering the sheep. When he arrived there with the sheep the team was not to be seen, and the sheep, suffering from two days thirst, rushed in a body to the water, and over three hundred were smothered. Another lot got away, and from last report is that 900 are lost. - 16 Feb 1884 - Nookawarra Station Western Australia 
Droving - TRAVELLING STOCK Mr. William Cream, of Geraldton, has forwarded us the following report of a recent trip which he made to the Upper Gascoyne and back :- I left Geraldton Friday 15th last with pack horses, etc accompanied by Mr.S. Davis of Tibradden. After leaving Geraldton 65 miles behind the grassy country commenced to put in an appearance and the country got better and better the further eastward we went. It was splendid to see rolling grassy plains as far as the eye could reach and this was my expression nearly the whole of the distance I travelled, about 455 miles from Geraldton. We reached Mr. John S. Davis's Upper Gascoyne station on February 29th. The country here is simply splendid, consisting of rich grass and salt-bush plains, with plenty of water every three or four miles. I left on my return journey for Perth on March 2nd, with 1862 sheep. I had plenty of feed and water as far as the Irwin, where the country was, looking, very dry. I reached Mr. Davis's runs in this quarter on April 15th the sheep being all well. I then sent 950 sheep to Geraldton for shipment to Fremantle by steamer, and left the Irwin for Perth with 904 Sheep. Part of the road was very bad and I had hard work to get along. I arrived at Perth on May 23, and was not sorry that the journey was over. Drovers between Geraldton and the North West can always succeed in finding water but there is very little between Geraldton and Perth. I consider that the Government should expend money on the latter part of the stock route in sinking wells for at present it is very difficult to bring stock safely along it. You have to drive your stock stages of 13 to 37 miles without water and they suffer considerably in consequence, and fall off in condition when they reach the meat market. Between Geraldton and Murchison you will find pools every day and if the pools are dry you come to wells every five to twelve miles. The Perth end of the route can be made equally as good by the expenditure of a, fair amount of money, as water can almost everywhere be obtained at a depth of from five to eight feet, and at distances of from five to ten miles. - 15 May 1888 - Tibradden Station Western Australia 
Droving - A DROVING EXPLOIT The last issue to hand of the Victorian Express contains the following very interesting account of the arrival of a mob of cattle from North -West. On the 7th of September there arrived at Mr McKenzie Grants Irwin paddock a small mob of some 200 bullocks which had been driven overland from the Degrey River in the far north, by Mr. William Cream townsman of whom Geraldton has no need to be ashamed.The animals were in splendid condition, and looked like stock after a six month coddling in a fat paddock than a mob which had just completed a toilsome journey of some twelve hundred miles. In fact a portion of them have already been started overland for the for the local butchers. Mr. Cream left the DeGrey with young Miller, and a henchman to assist in the droving on the 5th of March last reaching the Fortescue May 5th. Here they encountered a tornado of exceptional violence accompanied by a phenomenal fall of rain, more than 26 ½ inches having been registered by the Government Observer at Fortescue as having fallen in 24 hours. In the flood which naturally came Creams promptitude and energy probably saved the lives of the cattle if not of the whole party. A small eminence was quickly discovered and selected merely a hill some 90 feet in elevation, and to this haven of refuge the cattle and horses were driven at their best speed the party being obliged to abandon their packs, saddles and worst of all their tucker. On this providential they were imprisoned for five days and would have been pretty well starved, but found a portion of the carcass of a sheep, which having been hung up in a tree they were enabled to save. Five days after the flood Cream made his way on horse back to the Fortescue River now a foaming torrent,but the current proved to strong. He then went lower down to comparatively smooth water and not liking to risk his horse, peeled off his country wardrobe and swam across with much difficulty to the other side, where help in the person of Mr. Stewart, the telegraph operator. He was rather disgusted to find that after all his dangerous and unpleasant bath might have been avoided for Mr Stewart bethought himself a boat;, which, although sunken by the flood they soon recovered and by its medium food and relief was conveyed back to Mount Safety as they had christened their little hill Thus happily ended what might have proved a most serious catastrophe. The Fortesecue flood detained them for 11 days in all the country being quite unfit for travelling. They were fortunate enough to recover some of their lost gear. Unparalleled as was the rainfall in this locality it proved to confined to a very circumscribed area, for, from the Robe River into the Ashburton the party were obliged to carry water with them, there being none on the way, except at the camps. They reached the Ashburton on the 1st of June where they celebrated Foundation Day with a real currant dumpling, a unwonted luxury. From this to the Lyons which was struck on June 18 there was an abundance of water, but little or no feed, They then had good travelling to the head of Dairy Creek. From the latter to the Murchison to within some 18 miles of Mullewa on the eastern road there was a great scarcity of feed, the grass just growing and no more. The water supply however, was fair and the journeys goal was attained, as stated before on the 7th of September, the cattle were looking in the pink of condition. The drovers however, showed unmistakable wear and tear but after all were little the worse for their arduous journey. Too much credit can scarcely be allowed to Cream and his gallant assistants, white and black for their successful carrying out of what is really a droving exploit of no mean order. - 8 Oct 1890 - DeGrey Station Western Australia 
Droving - Mr William Cream who has recently been on a visit to Geraldton, called at this office on Tuesday, and related some of his experiences while engaged in droving cattle from the Mulga Downs (160 miles south of Roebourne) to the Murchision. "Bill" evidently had a most trying trip, and is not at all anxious to seek relaxation in that direction again. He had charge of between 300 and 400 head of cattle owned by Mr. S. L. Burges, and they gave him no end of trouble. For thirteen nights, with out a break, after leaving their station, they "rushed." Forty six got away one night, and went 22 miles before they were overtaken. At the end of the thirteen days they settled down and travelled all right for a fortnight, when they started "rushing" again, and continued the game for nine nights in succession. Twenty four broke away on one occasion, and went 52 miles before being overhauled the next day, in the after noon, when 23 of the number were secured; the other had his legs so badly smashed that there was no alternative but to leave him to his fate. On the night of their being brought back, they made another "rush" and in pursuing them in the darkness, Mr. Cream, who was going at full gallop on horseback, met with an accident. Fortunately the horse fell on his feet down an 11 foot bank into the river bed below, which happened to be sandy. If it had been rock, horse and man would have been no more. But although the animal was uninjured. Mr Cream was unable to take his place in the camp for nine days. In the course of his interview, Mr. Cream told us that during his 350 miles travel from Nullagine in the north to Wanderry on the Murchison, he was passing Mr. Charlie Smith's cattle with the well-known brand, O41 all the time. He estimates that. Mr. Smith must have at least 25,000 head of cattle. Robourne, he says, is in a bad way. Many of the old residents have left for Port Hedland. and not a few houses formerly tenanted were occupied by goats. From Roebourne to Yalgoo feed and water are abundant all the way. Mr. Cream never had to draw one bucket of water during the journey of 1000 miles he saw wild turkeys by the hundreds - Sep 1908 - Mulga Downs station Western Australia 
Droving - Nor West News. (From the Northern Times.) Drover W. Cream, with 2,400 sheep from Millstream, entered Clifton Downs paddocks on May 27 en route to Mingenew - 27 May 1909 - Millstream Station Western Australia 
Droving - The s s. Kapunda on Monday last landed 2015 ewes on account of Sir Edward Wittenoom, which we understand are destined for his Muralgarra station. The ewes are a splendid and hardy lot, and were brought over from Bombala station, which is one of the most important stations in the famous district of Deniliquin. N.S.W. The sheep were under the care of Mr. William Cream who accompanied them in the steamer from Melbourne, Sir Edward joining the vessel at Fremantle. The Kapunda made a special trip from Fremantle to land the sheep before discharging her Eastern States cargo at that port. She arrived in the Bay at 11 in the forenoon, the trip from Fremantle occupying 16 hours. After discharging the sheep she left again for Fremantle at 1 in the afternoon. Great satisfaction was manifestly by the importer owing to the very small percentage of loss on board due to the splendid carrying facilities of the steamer. - 27 Oct 1909 - Muralgarra Station Western Australia 
Droving - Mr W. Cream who went north to Carnarvon in the Paroo will lift 5000 sheep at Mr Butcher's Boolathanna station for Messr Wittenoom and Burgees, and picking up others on the way will take 12000 on to Mulga Downs, arriving there about the first week in January. While the manager, Mr Miller, goes on a holiday Mr Cream will relieve him. - 12 Nov 1909 - Boolathanna Station Western Australia 
Droving - Messrs. Wittenoom & Burges intend stocking their Mulga Downs (Roebourne district) with sheep. Five thousand were dispatched from the Murcbison, and 10,000 (purchased, from Boolathana station) are now on their way, also overland. Mr. W. Cream has charge of this latter consignment, which has been split into two mobs. On arriving at Mulga Downs Mr. Cream will probably relieve the manager (Mr. A. F Miller), whilst the latter has a holiday trip,Address:
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74882964 - 2 Dec 1909 - Boolathana station Western Australia
Station/Pr - Mr. W. Cream, a well known Geraldtonian from youth upwards, was in town on Thursday. He has just relinquished the management of Fitzpatrick's Dairy Creek station, and left for the North West on the Charon to take charge of Bush's Clifton Downs property. - 4 Jan 1913 - Bidgiemia Station Western Australia = Link to Google Earth
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Photos Upper Gascoyne Roads Board.
Upper Gascoyne Roads Board.
Cobra Station 
Bill Cream
Loading at Bidgemia for Carnarvon. Bill is the centre of the 3 men on the left
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Notes - THE LATE MR. W. CREAM
A WELL-KNOWN PASTORALIST DEATH AT PORT HEDLAND
Another link with the pioneering days of the Victoria District was severed on Saturday last with the death of Mr. William Cream, which occurred at the, residence of his daughter Mrs. Frank Leeds at Port Hedland. The news of deceased's passing was received in Geraldton by deceased's brother Mr. Alf Cream early yesterday morning, and will be received with regret by residents of Geraldton and the district generally.
The second youngest of a family of five brothers and two sisters, the late Mr. William. Cream belonged to a family which has been associated with the Victoria district for a period extending over about eighty years. The deceased gentleman, who was well known throughout the State, was born in Geraldton in 1861, and was reared in the district. In his earlier youth he followed the occupation of a drover, and later, retaining his interest in the pastoral industry, became manager of a station on the Murchison for Sir Edward Wittenoom.
In subsequent years the late Mr. Cream managed Dairy Creck Station for a time and also Bidgemia Station, the latter place for about eighteen years. When that statiion was sold he acquired for himself the property known as Cobra Station, in the Gascoyne district, where he has resided for about the past five years. The late Mr. Cream was one of the. best known figures in the pastoral industry of Western Australia, and was held in the highest esteem by all who knew him.
He was the soul of hospitality, and delighted to welcome visitors when they called on him. Although he suffered from a severe form of deafness he was excellent company, and he had many interesting reminiscences to relate of the early days of the northern portion of the State. During the past eighteen months deceased had been steadily failing in health but until quite recently he continued to manage his own affairs at Cobra Station. He visited Geraldton on various occasions since settling in the Gascoyne, and was last in the town about nine months ago.
About two months ago he went to Port Hedland on a visit to his son-in-law and daughter (Mr. and Mrs. Frank Leeds), of Abydross .Station, and' it was while there that his health really failed him and he was forced to take to his bed, finally passing away on Saturday last. With the exception of his brother (Mr. Alf. Cream) deceased's other three, brothers and two sisters predeceased him, while his wife died on the Gascoyne only eleven months ago. The late Mr. Cream reared a family of three daughters and one son, the latter (Mr. Ray Cream) and one daughter (Miss Ethel Cream) being still resident at Cobra Station. Mrs.E. Gould, of Nabawa, is the eldest daughter, while the other is Mrs. Frank Leeds of Abydross Station, Port Hedland. Tho deceased's son (Ray) and his daughter (Ethel) recently journeyed to Perth with the intention of spending a holiday in the Eastern States but at the time of their father's death they were still in the metropolitan area. The funeral of the late Mr. W. Cream took place at Port Hedland yesterday. [10] - 1934 'OBITUARY
OBITUARY.
MR. W. CREAM.
The death of Mr. Willian Cream of Cobra Station, of the Upper Gascoyne, took p!ace suddenly on Saturday last at Port Headland. The news of his death will cause sorrow among his very many Gascoyne friends.
The late gentleman was manager of Bidgemia station for many years, and his unbounded hospitality was extended to all who had occasion to visit Bidgemia. A few months ago he returned
from Perth, and shortly afterwards left to pay a visit to his daughter, Mrs. Leeds, of Abydos station, Port Hedland.
As a mark of respect to his memory, flags throughout Carnarvon were flown at half-mast when the news of his death was received on Monday. [11] - CARNARVON.
The telephone connection between Carnarvon and Junction and the Lower Clifton Downs Station, a distance of 120 miles was opened on Wednesday afternoon by Mr. William Cream, chairman of the Upper Gascoyne Roads Board, who spoke to the subscribers in Carnarvon. Mr. Cream congratulated the district on the completion of the service [12] - Down in Perth on a business and pleasure spell after the strenuous wool season shearing, pressing, baling and carting Bill Cream, of Clifton Downs.
Bill is famous throughout the whole of the Murchison, Gascoyne, Pilbara, all the Kimberley's and the far Wyndham and Darwin as a quaint sayer of Quaint sayings. He is extremely deaf, but can read the lip language as an expert scholar reads print, and hundreds are the yarns, true and untrue, that are circulated in and around shearing sheds, stockmen's camps, pearling, cattle and other towns concerning the doings of' Bill Cream.
As an astute manager he stands alone, and there is no make of sheep yard, sheep dip, stables, barns, pumps, windmills, dams, wells, motor cars and motor wagons, shearing sheds and wool presses unknown to Bill Cream.
As the only JP in a huge district, he is a conspicuous success, none of his decisions having ever been referred to the Crown law Department. They tell a story (and he agrees with it) that having fined a couple of contractors for getting considerably over the odds, he paid the fines himself and remarked to the penitent pair that they had better wait until after the rest of the cases and fix that contract up.
They didn't know of any contract, and said, so, but Bill Cream, JP, pointed out the fact that he needed a lot of fencing done, and they could start in when they were sober and get the work going ahead. They signed. [13] - PASTORALISTS
There is printed and published in America a wonderful monthly entitled "The National Geographic Magazine.
The subjects dealt with include almost every country from Hudson's Bay to Cape Horn, from London to Lapland and from Skye to the Croettes.
Only a privileged few can obtain the magazine, which is very high priced and contains some of the most beautiful as well as intensely Interesting pictures and articles.
Some time ago Squatter Paddy Duarck saw a copy of it and noting that it was of supreme value sent a subscription and in time was allowed to nominate a few friends as eligible to be allowed to subscribe.
He sent in the names of half a dozen of his squatter friends, Including Charlie Atkins , Bill Cream, Jimmy Nicholas , Alec McLeod Felix Edgar and others. When recommending them he named them as "pastoralists which they all are.
In three months the the first copies came to hand, to the various squatters.
The address on each was "The Reverend Chas. Atkins, the Reverend William Cream, the Reverend James Nicholas, the Reverend Alexander McLeod, the Reverend Felix Edgar, the Reverend Gordon Gooch, the Reverend William. Burges, and so on.
The receivers of the magazines mistook it for a Yankee joke, but an American soon undeceived them.
In the U.S.A. a pastor is the common name for a clergyman, and pastoralist appealed to them as being a super sky pilot! [14]
- THE LATE MR. W. CREAM
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Sources - [S2] National Library of Australia, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2990546.
OCCASIONAL NOTES. (1884, February 16). The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), p. 3 - [S2] National Library of Australia, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3118737.
TRAVELLING STOCK. (1888, May 31). The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), p. 3. - [S2] National Library of Australia, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article67199069.
A DROVING EXPLOIT. (1890, October 17). The Inquirer and Commercial News (Perth, WA : 1855 - 1901), p. 6 - [S2] National Library of Australia, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article210918770.
A Droving Trip. (1908, September 11). The Geraldton Express (WA : 1906 - 1928), p. 4. - [S2] National Library of Australia, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66276283.
Nor'-West News. (1909, June 26). Geraldton Guardian (WA : 1906 - 1928), p. 4 - [S2] National Library of Australia, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article210923802.
IMPORTATION OF SHEEP. (1909, October 27). The Geraldton Express (WA : 1906 - 1928), p. 2 - [S2] National Library of Australia, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article210921675.
LOCAL and GENERAL (1909, November 12). The Geraldton Express (WA : 1906 - 1928), p. 2. - [S2] National Library of Australia, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74882964.
STOCK AND STATION NEWS. (1909, December 4). Northern Times (Carnarvon, WA : 1905 - 1952), p. 2. - [S2] National Library of Australia, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66659882.
Personal Items. (1913, January 4). Geraldton Guardian (WA : 1906 - 1928), p. 3. - [S2] National Library of Australia.
1934 'THE LATE MR. W. CREAM.', Geraldton Guardian and Express (WA : 1929 - 1947), 20 February, p. 1, viewed 25 August, 2011, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article67265377 - [S2] National Library of Australia.
1934 'OBITUARY.', Northern Times (Carnarvon, WA : 1905 - 1952), 21 February, p. 3, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74871857 - [S2] National Library of Australia, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article26976800.
COUNTRY. (1916, April 13). The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), p. 8. - [S2] National Library of Australia, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article58262976.
EEPS at PEOPLE (1925, February 22). Sunday Times (Perth, WA : 1902 - 1954), p. 15. - [S2] National Library of Australia, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article58330889.
"PASTORALISTS." (1927, August 7). Sunday Times (Perth, WA : 1902 - 1954), p. 6.
- [S2] National Library of Australia, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2990546.