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William Eckford was born
in Scotland in 1757 to John and Janet (nee Black) Eckford. He
served as a Lieutenant and had seen active service as a gunner in the British Navy.
William
arrived free on the Earl
Cornwallis in 1801.
On the journey out he met Mary
Horrell, a prisoner from
Devonshire who was only 14 years old when she was
convicted of stealing a muslin apron and
handkerchief and sentenced to 7 years
transportation.
(1)
In 1813 William was convicted of
stealing three
sheep and was sentenced to death.
(The Sydney Gazette recorded him as William
Hickford)
(2).
The
sheep had strayed into
Eckford's flock and were killed
and pickled by John Johnston, William's overseer.
Both William Eckford and
John Johnston
were tried and condemned to death,
however William's
sentence was commuted and he was sent to
the Newcastle Penal Settlement in 1814.
He was exonerated of the stealing incident in 1821.
(1)
William was employed as harbour pilot at Newcastle where he remained for many years however received no salary. Instead he
was allowed to collect fees. For every vessel in or out of the harbour under 50
tons, 10/-; over 50 tons and under 100 tons, 20/-; over 100 tons and under 150
tons' 30/-; for every additional 50 tons, 20/-.
William Eckford was interviewed by Commissioner J.T. Bigge in 1820.
Select here to read the evidence he gave.
Sons Joseph and Peter were born
in Newcastle, and his last daughter Mary Ann was
also born there in 1820. She
and a native boy perished at Newcastle in
1826 after a calamitous
explosion in the settlement's store house blew the roof off the
building. Mary aged 6 and her friend had been playing inside and both
died a few days later. The native lad was buried in the Parsonage garden.(3)
and Mary was buried in Christ Church
burial ground where her father William was interred in 1833.
Read more about the explosion here
In June
1828 the sloop
Dove was lost off Port Stephens after experiencing strong winds. Seven people lost their lives in this disaster. The famous
Lord Liverpool
also ran into difficulties in these June squalls, and if not for
the skill of Captain Livingstone the cutter would have been lost. William Eckford
had attempted
to come to the aid of the Lord Liverpool in his leaky old pilot's boat,
('a cockle shell' that should have been replaced eight months previously) but
almost drowned in the process.(5)
Eckford retired soon after this after many years service as a pilot.
Few probably knew the harbour better than William Eckford, however
perhaps this near calamity with the Lord Liverpool was the last straw. He
was over 70 years old by this time and retired to Maitland where his
sons John, Henry, William, James, Joseph and Peter resided. He received
a pension of £4/13/9- on retirement. (4)
(1) McRae-Clift,
AEnone, (from Maitland District Pre 1900 Pioneer
Register, Maitland Family History Circle Inc. 2001, p87)
(2) Sydney Gazette
20 November 1813
(3) Australian
21 October 1826
(4) Sydney Gazette
8 September 1829
(5) Australian
13 June 1828
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