John SMYTH-BLOOD [12079]

  General Notes:

The Overland Telegraph, as the transcontinental telegraph line became known, required a number of repeater stations where telegraph operators received and then retransmitted messages, so overcoming the steady weakening of the signal over long distances. The line reached Beltana in 1871. On 30 Sept. 1874 John Forrest, in his Explorations in Australia, writes about meeting a Mr. Blood, probably John Henry Smyth Blood (1840-1890), also known as Johnny, who is known to have had a short fling as a professional photographer before settling into a long career in the Post Office:
"30th September 1874.
We were soon introduced to Mr. Blood, the officer in charge of the telegraph station [at Beltana], and, after unloading, were soon engaged at dinner, the roast beef and plum pudding being a striking contrast to our fare lately!
Both Mr. and Mrs. Blood [née Mary Enoch], as well as Mr. Bagot, did all they could to make us comfortable during our four days' rest."

John Blood's second son, John "Jack" Smyth Blood (1881-1950), was born at the Beltana Telegraph Station on 27 Jan. 1881.
Ref: https://www.dolmetsch.com/Bebinfo.htm

John married Catherine Digby HOWIE [12080] [MRIN: 4051]. (Catherine Digby HOWIE [12080] was born in 1890 in South Australia and died in 1977 in South Australia.)