|
*Have you found the information and Maps
on these pages useful? Please acknowledge the Free Settler or Felon site if you
wish to reproduce anything from these pages
Select from the
links on the map or the links below
Newcastle - Ash Island - Hunter River - Iron Bark Creek -
John Laurio Platt - was born
in 1782 in Nottingham, England.
He joined the Navy when he was nineteen and sailed to Australia with his
wife Rosanne Dutton - and children Frederick William, Robert and Jane
- on the Providence in 1822. Son Robert was just three years
old. After bringing with him letters of introduction Platt was officially
granted 2000 acres in the County of Northumberland on 21 August 1822. He had
already settled on the grant by this time, arriving in Newcastle on the
Elizabeth Henrietta in February 1822.9 It was here, on his land opposite
Ash Island, with the use of convict labour he built a homestead, windmill
and farm on a rise east of Iron Bark Creek.19 A daughter Mary was born
to John and Rosanne in 1823 and Louisa followed in 1825. 13 Some convicts
assigned to him in the early years were Edward Chapman who arrived on the
Morley and by May 1822 had been assigned to Platt; Samuel Chapman who
arrived in the Neptune in 1818 and was to die in Newcastle in 1836,
William Vallance who arrived on the Adamant in 1821 and was assigned
to Platt in 1825 after first being assigned to Alexander Livingstone;
and wheelwright James Gilroy who arrived on the Mangles in 18229.
Overseer at Iron Bark Creek in the 1830's was William Vitnell.
In 1824 fire destroyed Platt's crop and he
had difficulties with his workers as well as with the mill he had built. He
attempted to mine coal from his land, taking the coal to the harbour in a
barge. By 1826 circumstances may have improved for him as his land was
sown with wheat down to the river19 and he had been issued with 20 cows from
the Government Store in 1825. He was also in possession of a town allotment
in Newcastle. In 1829 when John was 47 and Rosanne 35 their last
daughter Ann was born. A son William was born in 1831.
In 1831 tragedy struck when two sons Robert
aged 13 and and John aged 4 were killed in a fire. Their bodies
were buried in the Christ Church burial ground, the Church of which could
perhaps be seen in the distance from Platt’s farm. John and
Rosanne both passed away in the late 1830's leaving the remaining children
orphaned. They were adopted by E.C. Close of Morpeth.11
Eleven years later in 1847 Louisa aged 22 married Edward Close junior in
Morpeth and there were great festivities on the occasion with firing of guns
and ringing of bells. That evening a huge bonfire was set alight and a
procession with tar barrels made round the town.18
Eldest son Frederick William Platt remained in Newcastle. In 1837 he was
employed by James Reid at his Stores and an overseer, Mr. Godfrey was
employed at the family property. The land that had been granted to Platt was
sold to the Australian Agricultural Company in 1839 for
£6000,
however Frederick remained in the district. His house, nine miles from
Raymond Terrace, was robbed by four bushrangers who were believed to have
escaped from Newcastle in 1842. By 1843 Frederick was residing in Morpeth.
Some of the convicts assigned to Platt at
Iron Bark Hill - John Benson per
Recovery; James Browne per Prince Regent; Thomas Butler per
Neptune; Edward Chapman per Morley; Samuel Chapman per Neptune;
Thomas Collins per Almorah; James Curtis per Prince of Orange;
Joseph Garratt; James Gilroy per Mangles; Thomas Glenny per
Brampton; Thomas Harriott per Minerva; Mary Hart per Woodman;
John Kelly per Morley; John Lewis per Marquis of Hastings;
James Limeburner per Sesostris; John Penton per 'Prince Regent;
John Savage per England; Lydea Smith per Louisa; James Whittle
per Nithsdale; James Witney per Hercules; Eli Wooton per
Greyhound
.
Joseph
Weller and his wife and daughters Fanny and Ann and son George arrived in
Australian on the ship Nancy in June 1830. Their passage out was
trouble free and on arrival they publicly thanked the Captain H. Pryce for
his attention and skill on the voyage.22
The family was was granted 1200 acres of land on 20 October 1824 by Sir
Thomas Brisbane,9
the land being between East Maitland
and Newcastle and adjoining John Platt's land at Iron
Bark Creek. They used some of their capital to build a
large sandstone brick house ('The Oaks') - about
200 yards from the Wallis Creek Bridge. John Baxter who had arrived on the Phoenix
in 1828 was assigned to Joseph at Iron Bark Creek in
1828.2
The Wellers were also granted 1360 acres in
1828 at Falbrook not far from James Glennie's Dulwich
and a farm belonging to William Powditch. 20 They
purchased a Government cottage about 1
½ miles from
Newcastle in 1832. This was situated on the road leading to
Maitland
21
The family had whaling
interests in New Zealand after Edward and Joseph junior
established a whaling station at Otago. Joseph junior
died from tuberculosis in New Zealand in 1834 and his
body was shipped to Sydney for burial. Edward continued
to run the successful business until 1840 when he
returned to Australia due to ill health. He lived until
1893 when he was drowned in rising flood waters.7
George
Weller
immigrated from England with his parents and sisters Fanny and Anne in June
1830.
Brothers Joseph and Edward had arrived earlier. He travelled to Otago in New Zealand
in the family barque Lucy Anne in 1832 to assist
his brothers in re-establishing their whaling station
after it had been destroyed in a fire.22
Later when he returned
to New South Wales, he took up his grant of 2560
acres at Argenton ('Hampton'). This had been granted by
Governor Darling on 29th June 1830. In 1841 part of the
Hampton Estate was divided into 25 village allotments
and 30 farms on the banks of Cockle Creek 10 miles from
Newcastle. There was a Reserve for a wharf and market
and two acres for a Church and Parsonage. The proposed
township adjoined the lands of W. Brooks, J. Warner and J.B. Weller.
This venture was
unsuccessful and in February of 1842 land belonging to
the Messrs. Weller Consisting of Lot 1 2560 acres at
Lake Macquarie, Lot 2 1200 acres at Hexham as well as
320 acres at Hexham and Lot 3, 2560 acres near Lake
Macquarie bounded in part by David Mazier's land were
advertised to be auctioned by order of the mortgagee
Mrs. Louiza Stevens.23
In
1844 notice was given by the proprietor of 'Weller's
Grants' that sawyers, splitters and others were not to
cut timber on the grants at Ironbark Creek and Cockle
Creek. Persons offending would be prosecuted with the
utmost rigour. Steps were being taken for recovery of
damages from the sawyers at work on the land.
George and his wife
Eliza had two sons and two daughters in the 1830's -
George b 1830, Edward b. 1840, Ellen b. 1835 and Fanny
b. in 1838. George was involved in public life, serving on committees
and raising funds, although he was fined 40/- when he failed to show
for jury duty in 1847.24 He worked to raise funds for the relief of
the Irish famine victims and contributed to other fund
raising efforts such as a community fund raising for a
testimonial for Reverend Stack. He requested that a
public meeting be called for repairs to the Wallis Creek
Bridge (near the family home 'The Oaks') in August 1847
and also in that month made a donation towards the
building of a Presbyterian Church at Maitland.10 It was in
the burial ground of this Church that he was
interred 28 years later after dying suddenly in 1875.
George Brooks
was appointed assistant surgeon by Principal surgeon
James Bowman in 1819 and was resident in Newcastle as
assistant surgeon in 1822. In these early years he and
his convict servant were supplied from the stores in
Newcastle and probably lived in the quarters at the
Hospital. In 1824 he had the burden of running the
hospital with untrained, inadequate female assistants
and convicts and possibly inadequate supplies.9
He had the usual problems with recalcitrant convict
servants – assigned servants George Harwood and Samuel Roe were both
sentenced to 50 lashes in 1833 for misconduct. 25
He took on extra duties when appointed a Justice of the
Peace in 1825 and was called on when a prisoner was
stabbed with a bayonet at a riot that occurred on
Christmas Day 1825.5
He was called on as witness in a well reported Court case involving Captain
Gillman, Magistrate at the settlement and settler Vicars Jacob.
George
Brooks was held in high regard by James Reid who recommended that Brooks
accompany William Carter who was sent by Governor Darling to enquire into
troubles with native at Hunter River in 1826. Reid wrote that 'during his
residence of several years at Newcastle, Dr. Brooks had taken great pains to
civilize some of the natives, and to some extent had made himself acquainted
with their language.'52
Although he was a respected member in
the young township Brooks often came under criticism from the editors of the
Australian newspaper because of his government positions.
In 1825 he applied for and received a
warrant to purchase Crown land. He married Mary Stephena
Cowper, daughter of William and Hannah (Horner) Cowper
in 1828. Mary brought with her 1280 acres of land. They
built their family home on land he had purchased nearby.
By 1829 George and Mary had a daughter Hannah. John was
born in 1833 and Mary in 1837.
13
George participated in town life in the
Hunter Valley. He may have attended social
functions such as Balls and Race Days. In the summer of
1834 George and Mary accompanied Sir Edward Parry,
riding from Newcastle to Maitland. They called on
Captain Aubyn, Mr. Bloomfield and Mr. And Mrs. Wood
where they dined in the Wood’s new log hut. They stayed
the night at Mr. Bloomfield's property and heard the
news of the latest devastating floods, Maitland
being in ‘broad sheets of water’ at the time .6
On a
stormy day in 1836 he accompanied traveller James
Backhouse around the settlement, acquainting him with
the Christ Church burial ground where convicts could be
seen toiling as well as other sights around the town.
19
In the 1840’s he was Vice President of
the Newcastle Mechanics Institute and a committee member
working to ensure Newcastle became a free port. 10
By 1847 George Brooks was unwell and
resigned from his position as Surgeon of the hospital.
He died in 1854 aged 57 and is buried in Christ
Church burial ground where Mary who died in 1859 was
also laid to rest.
William Brooks -
Lochend
was the
name given by William Brooks to his estate situated on
the eastern bank of Cockle Creek, land he selected in December 1828. The area was also known as
Milloba and Biddabee and encompassed the present day towns of
Boolaroo and Speers Point. A son was born the Brooks in December 1837
at Lochend. Brooks cleared and farmed the
land and in September 1843, having receiving deeds to his grant in 1839, opened
the Lochend Colliery.26
He had discovered a seam of coal
on his land and after the monopoly the Australian
Agricultural Company held on coal had been challenged by
Rev. Threlkeld, Brooks also appealed to open a mine. In
1843 in the Maitland Mercury, Brooks advertised
that excellent coal had been satisfactorily experimented
on at Newcastle and the Stockton Manufactories,
and that a Cargo had left his wharf for Sydney where it
could be viewed at Crofts Wharf in Sussex Street. The coal was extracted from
the foothills of the Boolaroo area and transported by trolley down to a
jetty at Speers Point. He
could provide a regular supply at the Pit or inside the
heads of Lake Macquarie. He charged 7/6- per ton at the
pit and 9/- at the heads. Vessels drawing 3' 6" when
laden could take their cargo at the wharf beside the
pit. Vessels drawing 4’6” could receive their cargo
inside the heads from barges. The difficulties for
buyers of transporting his coal to Newcastle together with
the cost involved proved unprofitable and the mine
closed.
By 1848 Brooks was advertising in the
Maitland Mercury that he had left Lake Macquarie
and had begun a business from the Commercial Wharf in
Sydney as a Commission Agent. He had convenient and
ample offices and Stores and offered to dispose of
produce and purchase supplies for Settlers on the Hunter
and Paterson Rivers.27
William Speer purchased
1280 acres of the grant in 1870.
Jonathon Warner
- Born
in Lymington, Hampshire, Lieutenant Jonathon Warner
arrived in Australia on 12 September 1826 on the ship 'Orpheus'
with other members of the Royal New South Wales
Veterans including Lieutenant Colonel Henry Dumaresq and Captain Robinson.
Warner was posted to the Newcastle district.
Later after retiring from military service, Warner
worked as an assistant surveyor of roads and bridges. In
1828 he examined a line of road
recommended by Percy Simpson, causing him to travel
through the Lake Macquarie area .3 It was here in July
1829, that he selected 1280 acres at the northern end of
the lake. Warner had settled on the land by 1831
and established a farm with an orchard and a house
overlooking the bay. From his farm a track led over the
hills to Newcastle . His property, 'Biddaba',
adjoined that of William Brooks
and
George Weller.
Warner was appointed Magistrate for Brisbane Waters in
1833 and he travelled to Brisbane Water from the lake
each fortnight by horse.
3
In 1840 a portion of
land possibly from Warner's estate was laid out for a
township in 1/4 acres lots and advertised in the Sydney
Morning Herald. It was called 'Lymington' and
was described as being on the north eastern side of Lake
Macquarie with a gradual ascent from the lake and
an abundance of grape vines. 3
There were no sales made and the lots
were re advertised once again in 1855 however again
failed to sell.
Alexander Walker
Scott
brother of Hunter Valley settlers Robert
and Helenus, was granted 2560 acres of land
at Ash Island (Glanville) in 1829. A
visitor to his homestead in 1834, after crossing by boat
found a pretty house with a fine black swan, newly shot
by the overseer, hanging above the entrance to the
house. The house was surrounded by dense bush and
tropical vegetation.29 Scott
was visited here by explorer Ludwig Leichhardt in 1842 and offered
clear 10 acres in the district, construct a cottage and establish a vineyard for Leichhardt. He had a keen interest in natural
sciences and was a supporter of the Australian Museum.28 Later his daughters, Harriett and Helena,
apparently sharing his interest, would prepare
outstanding drawings of the flora and fauna on Ash
Island.
Their life on Ash
Island was not without excitement. In 1834 Lieutenant
Zouch from Newcastle township was required to visit the
area to quell natives who had gathered after one of
their tribe had been shot by a constable. 29
In 1842 settlers in the vicinity of Newcastle were
warned to be prepared for a nocturnal attack after
four prisoners and a soldier absconded from Newcastle,
stealing a boat belonging to Mr. Scott at Ash Island.
The men were said to be desperate and a 'strong party of
gentlemen with some soldiery' were in pursuit of them
30
In 1834 Scott
purchased 50 acres on Stockton Peninsular. It was very
sandy and unable to be used for agricultural purposes.
In partnership with his brother in law, James Mitchell,
he began a salt making industry on the peninsular and
later an iron foundry which in 1842 provided castings
for the Australian Agricultural Company's pit engine.
Pots were made for the boiling down of sheep and a
boiler for the Hunter Brewery was being made by 1843. 28 However this was a time of great economic downturn and
Scott's iron foundry business did not survive. He
continued his salt making venture and was advertising 70
tons of Stockton Salt for sale in 1847.50
In 1848 James Mitchell bought
out Scott for £8320.
Alexander Scott was instrumental in establishing a copper
smelter, firebrick works and textile factory in the area. Early in
1843 artisans and labourers had arrived at Stockton to begin constructing
the textile works. He canvassed to represent in the Legislative
Council in 1843 and stated then that he was 'an employer to a large extent
of free labour - and had a constant desire for the advancement of the
district and discouragement of foreign imports. At his own expense a line
had been already surveyed and accurate levels taken for a railroad between
Newcastle and Maitland'. 10 He had foreseen the advantages of
steam and attempted to purchase a steam vessel for the
Hunter before the first steamer 'Sophia Jane' arrived.
This did not eventuate although later he was to
contribute to the building of the steamer 'Ceres'. In
1847 he was offering for sale from Ash Island 100 tons
of prime Lucerne hay (hydraulic pressed and bound with
iron or lashing), as well as 8000 large well flavoured
oranges and 10 tons of pumpkins.
50
During these years Scott played an active part in Newcastle life. In 1836 he
was treasurer of the newly formed Mechanics institute. In the 1840's he
attended meetings at Christ Church and, raced his boat at the Newcastle
Regatta
10
In 1848 he advertised
'Deega Estate' and his Pacific Street, Newcastle
property for sale. Deega estate was 2560 acres
within two miles of Lake Macquarie. Abundantly watered
with several flats of rich land suitable for
agricultural purposes with an unlimited back run; The
city property consisted of almost a quarter of an acre
with a five roomed cottage .31
By the 1860's he was
again experiencing financial difficulties and was declared
bankrupt in 1866 at which time he left Ash Island.
Adam Beveridge and
Richard Windeyer - Tomago House - A grant of eight
hundred and fifty acres was made to A.M. Beveridge in
1824.11
The land adjoined that of MacLean and Peppercorn. Adam Beveridge who arrived
free on the Amity in 1824 and probably
resided in Tasmania, sold this land to Richard Windeyer between
1836 and 1838. Here Windeyer and his wife Maria built
Tomago House, a sandstone villa with cellars, vineyards
and servants huts.11 In 1844 the
Maitland Mercury reported - Raymond Terrace is a very prettily
situated town, and one which has made rapid strides in
improvement. It is finely situated as regards frontage,
being at the junction of the Hunter and Williams Rivers,
but the great drawback is the want of back country.
This, however is likely in a year or two to be obviated,
for the swamp at the back, which covers an immense
tract, is in course of being drained by the spirited
proprietor, R. Windeyer Esq. and I am credibly informed
this will be accomplished effectually. When the
undertaking is completed Raymond Terrace must go ahead'.32
Richard Windeyer
became ill in 1848 and while visiting relatives in
Launceston to recover his health, died aged 42.
33 The
estate, already in financial difficulty, was auctioned however Maria
Windeyer continued in residence. Windeyer's estates were auctioned in 12
lots on Monday 28th August. At this time Tomago House was described as a
substantially built stone mansion, with slated roof and spacious cellars.
The out buildings consisted of superintendent's house, brick built and
shingled, containing two rooms, laundry, and kitchen; brick built store and
storekeeper's residence, a stone built Gothic Cottage in the vineyard, a
double weather boarded cottage, gardener's cottage and eight huts and
stabling; as well as stockyards.10
John MacLean - The MacLeans were visited by Sir
Edward Parry in 1831 when he was on his way to Newcastle
and attempting to cross the River to avoid the swamp. On
this occasion, Parry narrowly escaped bogging all of his
horses on MacLean's property.
Parry states 'Mr. Maclean lives in a
worse hut than Mr. Graham. His wife is a sister of
Colonel Snodgrass, a woman, accustomed in Scotland I
understand, to all the elegancies and comforts of life'. 6
Colonel Snodgrass' sister Jessie
(MacLean) died in 1839 at Kilray, Raymond Terrace.
34
William Sparke
William was the son of Edward Sparke
and Mary (nee Hosking). He travelled to Australia with
his family on the 'Aguilar' in 1824. William's grant of land was finalised in 1838 and adjoined his father's estate. 35
The road from Newcastle to Maitland passed through the
estate. William
married Mary Ann Holt ( a granddaughter of 'General'
Joseph Holt) and they called their estate at Hexham, Webland Park after the
Sparke family's former
estate in Devon. Later, in Newcastle, William's
son William Andrew Sparke named his two story house in
Blane Street (Hunter Street), Webland. In the 1832
Directory, Barrahinebin (swamp land) was part of this
estate. William was licensee of the 'Wheatsheaf
Arms' in the 1830's.
April
1843 part of the Estate comprising house, outbuildings
and stable was put up for sale and in July Thomas
Prentice advertised that he was taking over premises (Webland
Park)
formerly occupied by William Sparke. To be known as the Hexham Hotel.
36
Assigned servants in 1833:
Robert Hamilton
William Archer
Samuel Edward
William Kay
William Bradridge
and
his wife arrived on the 'Aguilar' in 1824. He was promised 500 acres by
Governor Brisbane on 26 August 1824 and he and his family and convict
servants were 'on the Stores' at Newcastle. William Carlisle who
arrived on the Ann & Amelia in 1825 was assigned to Bradridge at this time. This
property was later acquired by John Sparke who had also
arrived on the 'Aguilar'.
William Peppercorn
L'Amende Honorable
To the Editor of
The Australian.
Sir, As you constantly
avow yourself an advocate for truth I beg to rectify a false statement
respecting myself in your paper of Febr 3, 1830.
Your correspondent in his
article headed "The River Hunter," and subscribed "An Old Hand", writes
thus: - "Bye the bye, the very hospitable Mr. Peppercorn has a
most remarkable crop of wheat". This is false, inasmuch as it was not at
all remarkable, for it was almost invisible in a week after it came
up, being eaten off every day by sheep and cattle. Secondly - He says - "The
wheats are transplanted out in wide ditches, like celery on a new plains".
Profoundly false; as I never transplanted "wheats" (a miserable
expression) in my life - I never made ditches for wheat - and I never made
wheat look like celery on a new plain. - quere - Can your correspondent tell
me what a new plain is? I believe all the plains in this Colony are upwards
of a thousand years old. "The wheats are very easily reaped -
one active man will cut down seventy to thirty acres in a day." Execrably
false; for it was totally impossible for ten thousand active men to cut down
one ear of the said wheats. Bye the bye I did sow wheat in drills
which could not have come up better than it did. With respect to "the
very hospitable," I must own I am not fond of sitting over the steam of
the tea pot (although tea is so cheap), talking scandal, and endeavouring to
foment discord in a colony; but if your correspondent is in want of a week's
rations, he can have the same by calling on me,
Your obedient servant. W.H.
Peppercorn. Eyeball Reach, Hunter's River, 26 February 1830
Patrick Mulouney and Patrick Hegarty who
both arrived on the City of Edinburgh in 1832 were assigned servants
to William Peppercorn in 1832.
Richards
Siddons
arrived in Australia in 1804 aboard the English
whaler Alexander. He had an adventurous life and
captained ships in the sealing and sandalwood trade.
He
became master of the King George at the end of 1807 and
brought cargoes of sandalwood, seal oil and seal furs to
Port Jackson.
37
In Sydney, Siddons was
employed as Captain of the Campbell Macquarie
by ship owner Joseph Underwood. Underwood had
purchased the Campbell Macquarie in Calcutta In
1811 and in 1812 Siddons returned to India on the
Campbell Macquarie and later in that year arrived in
Port Jackson with prisoners and a cargo of
spirits. Also on board a soldier of the Dragoons,
Captain Locjyer.
Soon after he again
set out on the Campbell Macquarie on a sealing
voyage to the South seas. They called at Kangaroo Island
and collected seal skins and salt and then headed for
Macquarie Island. The area was treacherous, and the seas
wild when on a foggy night in June 1812 the first mate
James Kelly failed to notice how dangerously close the
ship was to the shoreline. When the alarm was
finally raised, Captain Siddons called all hands to
deck, however attempts to set sails failed and the ship
struck rocks.
Siddons tried to
anchor the ship but the anchors dragged and the ship
began taking water. That night they launched their
lifeboats in gale force winds and luckily made it to
shore where the next day they began salvaging efforts,
rowing through the dangerous surf again and again. They
continued to toil or a fortnight and built a hut for
storage during this time. Some of their efforts were
doomed however as high tides washed some of the precious
water supplies and seal skins out to sea where they were
destroyed. While they awaited rescue the crew foraged
for food, killed more seals and dried the skins. They
probably made shelters and clothes for themselves
but conditions were harsh and at least four of the
castaways died. Twelve of them were rescued by the
Perseverance, a ship that had arrived at Macquarie
Island to collect a gang of sealers in October of 1812.
Underwood sent the ship Elizabeth and Mary to the
Island to rescue the remaining crew.
37
In 1816 he married Jane Powell at St. Phillips in Sydney.
The couple set sail in the Campbell Macquarie soon
after.
In
1823 he applied for the position of harbour pilot in
Sydney. The couple's son Joseph was born the following
year.
In 1824 Richard
Siddons received a 640 acre grant of land at the Hunter
river, The boundary commenced at the South West corner
of Graham's Farm. Across the river in 1837 was the
holding of J.T. Lamb. The area was known as Motto Farm and Heatherbrae.
Two of his convict
servants in 1828 were Jeremiah Burnes and Darby Burnes
(Byrnes) who had arrived on the Ann and Amelia in
1825. Darby married Mary Duffy in Maitland in 1837. They
were described as living at 'Hollow Tree'
Newcastle and Hunter River.
However the Siddons family
did
not reside at the Hunter River property as he continued his position as
harbour pilot in Sydney. In 1830 as a Mr. Furneraux
(or Furner) was renting his lands. Furneraux and
Oliver Graham (cousin of George) assisted Sir Edward
Parry as he travelled from George Graham's property
to Newcastle. They had to swim across the river with
their horses to a landing spot just below Sparks farm,
'a heavy swim' that they would have been unable to
manage without the assistance of Graham and Furneraux .
6
In 1830 while working as
Pilot (Sydney) his boat was upset forcing him to swim for over 1/2 an hour to reach
shore. He was luckier than his crew however, one of whom drowned.
In 1832 he resigned from
this position due to ill health. He was then employed as Superintendent of
the Light House at South Head a position he retained for several years.
Richard became unwell and sold his
property at Hunter River. He died in Sydney in
1846. His son Joseph took over his duties as Light House
keeper at the Macquarie Lighthouse and remained there
until 1897. Joseph married Frances Hannah, the fifth daughter of Rev. L.E.
Threlkeld on 6th October 1847, in Bathurst Street, Sydney.
George Thomas
Graham was twenty four years old when he arrived in 1827 on board the Marquis
of Anglesea. He was granted 640 acres of land by Governor Darling on 14
December 1827.
Known by Aborigines as 'Warraburreen',(49)
it was situated about 12 miles from
Newcastle. In 1830 Sir Edward Parry on a trip from Tahlee to
Newcastle writes there was a good marked path all the way
which could not be mistaken and the distance was about
21 miles from Tahlee which took them three hours. They
were most kindly received by Mr. George Graham and his
Cousin Oliver however the Graham's boat was not
available for Parry to cross the river and he was
obliged to accept the Graham's hospitality for the
night. He then writes of Graham's farm:
'Everybody who
complains of their lot in this colony ought to visit
those who are established as settlers. For nothing in
the shape of description can possibly convey an adequate
idea of the state of dirty wretchedness and want of
comfort in which they live for several of their first
years. Mr. Graham's father kept his hunters in England.
They now live in a miserable slab hut of their own
building open to admit the wind and rain in most parts
badly thatched with reeds, of which the color is not to
be seen within for smoke and dirt with which it is
covered - no floor - the fireplace a recess
made of slabs - their beds a sort of cot slung with
bullock's hide to the rough rafters, and everything
giving the idea of filth and wretchedness. They wait
entirely on themselves chop their wood, boil their
kettle, wash their cups. and pannikins - plough, reap -
and everything else, themselves. They slept under their
cart for three weeks, keeping watch with a loaded gun
alternately. Mr. Graham has about 80 acres under
cultivation, all good alluvial land close to the river,
with a bank forming a natural wharf which will admit of
a vessel drawing 8ft. of water. The grant of 640 acres
is certainly an excellent one - probably 540 acre of
excellent land. A good creek runs up from the river
close to the house, with a good depth of water in it.
The ground still requires draining in some parts but is
easily drainable; a rising bank , which has evidently
been once the bank of the river affords an excellent
position for building, Graham rents also from the
Government a few hundred acres of grazing land at the
bank of his own. His average crops have been the last
year , from 14 to 40 bushels per acres of maize (
average about 30) and 7 to 10 bushels of wheat. '6
Despite this
description, George Thomas Graham did have convict servants assigned to him
in 1828 - William Abrahams, William Daniel, James Coombs and John Horton who
arrived on the Hooghley and
Thomas Clifton who arrived on
Earl St. Vincent
2
Settlers like the
Grahams not only had to battle fires and floods but also
had to contend with escaping convicts who turned to
bushranging to sustain themselves. Convicts who had absconded
from Vicars Jacob's farm and formed a gang
'Jacob's Mob' were active in the area in these years, terrorising settlers and travellers alike. The Graham's
were robbed by John Callaghan and their convict servant John Horton who were
indicted for the theft in 1831.
39
In September 1833 George Graham married Miss Janet
Carmichael a sister of Rev. Henry Carmichael
(40)
and then in December 1835
the Rev. Henry Carmichael married Mrs. Nancy McClymout
at the residence of G.T. Graham of Newtown, Sydney.
The estate was advertised
for sale in the Sydney Herald in February 1834 and described as - ' 640
acres, a Grant from the Crown, having one mile of frontage on the navigable
part of Hunter's River; bounded on the west by the Hunter, on the South by
Siddon's grant and on the north by a village reserve. The steam boats afford
a communication three times a week with Sydney and the estate commands an
extensive and never failing grazing run reaching for several miles over
undulating forest and reedy swamps towards Port Stephens. One hundred acres
of brush land, alluvial soil and blady grass flats have been cleared, fenced
and in cultivation. There is an orchard stocked with worked fruit trees of
the finest kinds; a vineyard of one acre, trenched three spade deep, fenced
and planted with choice vines of the more hardy sort; the frame of a
substantial and commodious verandah cottage residence of 4 rooms with a
kitchen detached hasa been erected and part of the materials for completing
it were on the ground. A large substantial slab barn, with stock yard, huts
are built.'
In October 1839 Archibald Windeyer purchased Kinross from Graham.
Windeyer enlarged Kinross purchasing two parcels of land
adjoining in 1841.
|
