Tilka Family - F542

Voyage to Adelaide in 1876
Under command of	Captain Edward Alston
Departure port	London
Departure date	26th May 1876
Arrival port	Port Adelaide
Arrival date	18th August 1876
Voyage duration	84 days

Martin and Marie Tilka were married on 7th September 1872 in Germany. They migrated to South Australia on the City of Adelaide in 1876 with their six children, Caroline (16), Ann (11), Elizabeth (8), Marie (6), Gustav (3) and Carl (2).

The ship's passenger list showed that Martin's age was 34 and Marie's age was 32. As they were married in 1872, it is unlikely that the four daughters were from their marriage. After living at Klemzig, Riverton, Gilles, and Dublin they moved to Kangaroo Island in the early 1880s.

In about 1901, Martin had tried his hand at mining on Kangaroo Island and sank an 80 foot shaft near Cygnet River - the Cygnet Mine. Martin made enough money to pay for a man in his employ and for other expenses, but not enough money to pay anything to himself.

Martin and Marie lived happily until 1903, when Marie became influenced by Dowism (presumably Taoism) and their mariage broke up in relation to Martin's smoking (see "Called him a Stink-pot" below).

By 1906 two of their daughters were living together at Tilka Hut on the remote Western end of Kangaroo Island. They had a significant role in helping shipwrecked survivors from the French ship 'Montebello' which had gone aground near their Stunsailboom Station in the early hours of Sunday the 18th November 1906.

Marie Tilka, who was born in Brandenburg, Germany, died at Cygnet River on the 16th November 1928 aged 90 years . It is noted that this age suggests that she was born c1838; whereas her age on the 1876 passenger list suggested she was born c1843.

CALLED HIM A "STINK POT."

WHAT DOW'ISM DID.

DESERTION AND JUDICIAL SEPARATION

In the Supreme Court on Friday morning, before his Honor the Chief Justice, Martin Tilka, farmer, of Cygnet River, Kangaroo Island, brought a petition, for judicial separation against his wife, Maria Tilka, on the ground of continued, desertion for over two years.

The petition setout that the parties were married on September 7, 1872, in Germany, and that they had lived together in Germany for four years and subsequently at Riverton, Gilles, Dublin, and Kangaroo Island, South Australia, until October, 1903, when the respondent left the petitioner without any reasonable cause and had not returned to him. There were five grown-up children.

Mr. C. M. Muirhead, appeared for the petitioner and the respondent did not enter an apperance.

The petitioner spoke English indifferently, and Mr. Alfread Krichauff acted as interpreter.

Mr. Muirhead, in his opening, said the trouble between the parties had arisen through the respondent joining the Dowieites. The petitioner deposed that he was a farmer living at Kangaroo Island. He supported the allegations set out in the petition, and said that he had fought in the German-Australian and the Franco-Prussian wars. He had medals for each. The witness and his wife live happily together till 1903. He had been a smoker ever since he was a grown-up man. In 1903 or thereabouts the Dowieities began preaching and visiting at Kangaroo Island.

The respondent could not speak English, but her daughters explained the doctrines of the Dowities to her. On the day she left the petitioner she said, "Go back, you stinkpot." Prior to this she had told the petitioner that he must not smoke in the house, but could go out into the garden to smoke. After this he did not smoke in the house.

The Chief Justice - Well, I'm very much of her way of thinking.

The witness continuing said that after that she objected to hrm smoking in the garden.

The Chief Justice - That was the result of giving in in the first instance. You had better be firm when you take the first step, Mr. Krichauff. I believe you are a bachelor.

The witness, continuing, said for about three months before the respondent left him they occupied different rooms. The respondent, when coming near the witness used to put her handkerclrief over her nose. He discontinued smoking altogether for a month and told his daughter that he had not been smoking. In October, 1903, the respondent, without saying a word to the witness, left him and went to their son-in-law's place and subsequently to their son's place. She had never returned to him and he had not asked her to do so.

He went to the son's house once a fortnight, but his wife went away as soon as she saw him.

His Honor found the desertion proved and decreed a judicial separation.