George Downing ALSTON [1011]

  General Notes:

George Downing Alston
Baptism Date: 11 Jan 1829
Baptism Place: Colchester, St Nicholas, Essex, England
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Father: Charles Alston
Mother: Matilda Alston

George produced the magic book in 1847. He was 24 when he sailed on 14th January 1853, from London, aboard the JAMES L BOGART, arriving in Port Philip Bay in April 1853. Also on board was his wife to be, Emma Taylor who was 20 years old.
They were married in St. Paul's Melbourne in June 1853 and settled in Warrnambool, Victoria.

George was a Cabinet Maker and later a Picture Framer, he was aged 65 years at his death, and his religion is given as Episcopalian.

Alston Fenn hosted a Mrs Iris Clarke of 711 Toorak Rd Kooyong Melb at Alston Court in 1959, and gave her her pedigree's.

The magic book is a fantasy story written and illustrated by George, the origional is in the possession of Julia Redman (1999) a pdf on file, copy with Edward Fenn in NZ.

The Magic Book.
In ancient times an Eastern Sage,
Renowned for skills, and learned lore;
Dwelt on Arabia's scorching sands,
There the billows lash the red Sea shore,
He lived alone save a youthful page.
Whom he taught in his mystic skill.
Dark spirits quailed before the Sage,
And obeyed his sovereign will.

In a lofty tower on the red-sea shore
Reared alone in a desert of sand.
The bursting wave and the seagulls scream,
Were the only sounds to be heard I ween,
In that wondrous desolate land.

See sky and sand - and nought beside,
No shrub, or leafy tree;
No sparkling brook - no gay wildflower,
But sky and sand and sea.

T'was a wild home for the Sage to choose
So still and drear the land,
That you feared to break the silence dread,
Of that wild spot - and with noiseless tread
Passed over the desert sand.

One night when the wind howled mournfully,
Around the lonely tower:
And the stormy sea with angry roar,
Hurled its proud billows on the shore.
Exulting in its power,
The Sage glided up the winding stairs,
That led to a loophole high;
And looked forth on the raging sea
And the gloomy murky sky:
The stormy clouds were hurrying past
Driven fiercely along by the winds wild blast.

The page was left in the room below,
Where a lamp from the ceiling hung:
It's faint light gleamed on horrid shapes,
Of uncouth monsters - hideous snakes
Coiled up in eases - forms of dread
Were all around - high overhead
A monstrous crocodile swung.

On a table there, was a wondrous book,
Into which he had often wished to look;
That the Sage had strictly charged him
Not to open the book or to look therein:
But now when the Sage at the loophole high
Was watching the sea and the stormy sky,
He thought he would find out the mystery.

He opened the book with leaves so thin,
T'was written with blood without and within,
And the leaves were made of dead men's skin.
The book contained some fearful spells,
To raise the spirits of the dead:
And demons fierce obeyed the power
Of the Magic book, and swift to the tower
Came with dusky pinions spread.

The Page read on spell after spell,
Not one glance round he took;
Nor heeded the lamp that burned so dim
And he saw not the spirits that glided in
Invoked by the Magic Book.

On, on he read, and in the room,
Arose a misty cloud:
Deep voices smote upon his ear,
In murmurs wild and loud.
Aroused by the voices from reading the book
Up started the Page, and a terrified look
He cast on the demons encircling the room,
Half hid and half seen through the mantle of gloom.

A chief of the horrid goblin band,
And one of mighty power
Demanded why in that stormy night,
They had been called to the tower.

The frightened Page could answer nought:
His lips moved but no sound
Came fourth - and with a fearful look
Sank down upon the ground.
The spirits under no control
Seized on the hapless Page:
And yelling tore him limb from limb,
In their demoniac rage.


The old Sage burned his magic book,
And left the haunted tower:
And never from that fatal time
Sort ought by Magic's power.

Geo Downing Alston
June 1847

Geo Downing Alston
Death Registration Year: 1893
Death Registration Place: Victoria, Australia
Father: Chas
Mother Maiden Name: Cross
Reference Number: 16400

  Other Records

1. Census: England, 7 Jun 1841, Maidenburg St Colchester. George is recorded as aged 12 born Essex

2. The Magic Book: By George Downing Alston, Jun 1847.
The magic book is a fantasy story written and illustrated by George, the origional is in the possession of Julia Redman (1999) a copy with Edward Fenn in NZ.

The Magic Book.
In ancient times an Eastern Sage,
Renowned for skills, and learned lore;
Dwelt on Arabia's scorching sands,
There the billows lash the red Sea shore,
He lived alone save a youthful page.
Whom he taught in his mystic skill.
Dark spirits quailed before the Sage,
And obeyed his sovereign will.

In a lofty tower on the red-sea shore
Reared alone in a desert of sand.
The bursting wave and the seagulls scream,
Were the only sounds to be heard I ween,
In that wondrous desolate land.

See sky and sand - and nought beside,
No shrub, or leafy tree;
No sparkling brook - no gay wildflower,
But sky and sand and sea.

T'was a wild home for the Sage to choose
So still and drear the land,
That you feared to break the silence dread,
Of that wild spot - and with noiseless tread
Passed over the desert sand.

One night when the wind howled mournfully,
Around the lonely tower:
And the stormy sea with angry roar,
Hurled its proud billows on the shore.
Exulting in its power,
The Sage glided up the winding stairs,
That led to a loophole high;
And looked forth on the raging sea
And the gloomy murky sky:
The stormy clouds were hurrying past
Driven fiercely along by the winds wild blast.

The page was left in the room below,
Where a lamp from the ceiling hung:
It's faint light gleamed on horrid shapes,
Of uncouth monsters - hideous snakes
Coiled up in eases - forms of dread
Were all around - high overhead
A monstrous crocodile swung.

On a table there, was a wondrous book,
Into which he had often wished to look;
That the Sage had strictly charged him
Not to open the book or to look therein:
But now when the Sage at the loophole high
Was watching the sea and the stormy sky,
He thought he would find out the mystery.

He opened the book with leaves so thin,
T'was written with blood without and within,
And the leaves were made of dead men's skin.
The book contained some fearful spells,
To raise the spirits of the dead:
And demons fierce obeyed the power
Of the Magic book, and swift to the tower
Came with dusky pinions spread.

The Page read on spell after spell,
Not one glance round he took;
Nor heeded the lamp that burned so dim
And he saw not the spirits that glided in
Invoked by the Magic Book.

On, on he read, and in the room,
Arose a misty cloud:
Deep voices smote upon his ear,
In murmurs wild and loud.
Aroused by the voices from reading the book
Up started the Page, and a terrified look
He cast on the demons encircling the room,
Half hid and half seen through the mantle of gloom.

A chief of the horrid goblin band,
And one of mighty power
Demanded why in that stormy night,
They had been called to the tower.

The frightened Page could answer nought:
His lips moved but no sound
Came fourth - and with a fearful look
Sank down upon the ground.
The spirits under no control
Seized on the hapless Page:
And yelling tore him limb from limb,
In their demoniac rage.

3. Census: England, 30 Mar 1851, 22 Brooksby St Islington LND. George is described as a nephew (of Henry Alston) unmarried aged 22 an engraver born Colchester ESS HO107/1499

George married Emma TAYLOR [181] [MRIN: 1824] in Jun 1853 in St Paul's, Melbourne, Vic. (Emma TAYLOR [181] was born about 1833 in Cambridge CAM, died in Apr 1916 in Warrnambool VIC AU and was buried on 1 May 1916 in Warrnambool VIC AU.)