Topics: Families and children: North Coastal

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1832 - view

Birth recorded of Mark Bungaree, son of Naney or Maria.

1833 - view

Mrs Felton Mathew, on a visit to Marramarra Creek with her surveyor husband on 3 rd August writes “then appeared a miserable hut of rough logs covered with bark, from whence issued a number of dogs barking … and then the inhabitants; two old men and a woman with child in her arms … These dreary solitudes might serve for the abode of a misanthrope so utterly are they secluded from all approach and so entirely destitute of all comfort”

1835 - 1861 - view

The Oliver family on a farm in Elvina Bay (then Lovett Bay) recall “blackfellows who stole (or as they called it ‘bandicooted’) a whole paddock of potatoes”. Mrs Oliver would place an old musket at the open door to warn the Koori people away.

1836 - view

Bowen (Toura Bungaree) and his wife Maria, and daughters Jonza, Nan, Theda (Jane), and son Mark, move to Pittwater, near Barrenjoey. Bowen has perhaps decided to lead his clan away from the destruction and poverty of Sydney life back to a semi traditional existence.

1837 - view

Birth of Maria Nanberri.

1837 - view

The ( Sydney Gazette , 2 Feb 1837) reported that Bridget Riley an Aboriginal native arrayed in a robe of spotless white, which contrasted strongly with her skin, was charged with having suffered from the influence of ‘bool’: she stated that she sat down [lived] at Broken Bay, to which place she was ordered to betake herself with all speed, and not be again seen drunk in the streets of Sydney.

1840s - view

Birth of Mary Jane Fonseca, daughter of Esther Aiken, a descendant of Kitty. She dies in 1924.

1845 - view

According to correspondence from Howard, Maria and Bowen have a son and two daughters all baptised at St Mary’s Church Sydney.

1846 - view

The mother is Biddy, the sister of the blackfellow Bowen, of Pitt Water and the daughter of an aboriginal woman by an English seaman. There are seven children by this connexion, from nineteen to two years of age, living in their father’s house after the manner of the settlers of the Creek … The two lads are employed in the boat with their father, four of the younger children are yet at home, and the eldest girl is living with a man of the name of Rose, a fisherman at Marramarra Creek.

1846 - view

There are many reported cases of white men living with Aboriginal women and having children.

1848 - view

European settlement severely impacts on environment. NSW Surveyor-General Major Mitchell writes “the omission of the annual periodical burning by natives, of grass and young saplings, has already produced in the open forest lands nearest Sydney, thick forests of young trees, where formerly a man might gallop without impediment and see miles before him”.

1860s - view

Birth of Hannah Matilda Ashby, daughter of James Ashby.

1863 - view

Clara Duggan, born 4 November 1863 at Wattle Flat, NSW. Esther’s daughter (William’s mother), descendants of Bowen.

1880s - view

Mrs Benns (and husband Joseph Benns) are still living on Pittwater. She acts as midwife to all the families along the Hawkesbury River.

1880s - view

Marriage of Hannah Matilda Ashby to Henry Stanford Boyd. These descendants of Bungaree have many children including Jean Boyd and Matilda Ellen Boyd.

1881 - view

“went to North Shore – gave rations for children – meat, flour, tea and sugar. In evening called at black’s camp – glad to see me, conducted by ’fire sticks‘ [led by Koori guides] blacks drunk – back to Sydney in ferry – saw Jane half caste street walking at night”.

1881 - view

William Henry Allsopp is born 25 th October at Sallys Flat, NSW. He is a direct descendant of Kitty. Other family members include Madge Gweneth Allsopp who has a son Ronald William Fletcher.

1899 - view

Birth of Clarise Malinda Morris (Nana Watson, grandmother of Dennis Foley).

1900s - view

Birth of Marie Robinson, daughter of Matilda Ellen, descendants of Bungaree and Matora.

1920s - view

About a dozen girls from the Cootamundra Training Home for Aboriginal Girls are placed in North side homes as domestic servants. They looked after small children or worked in the kitchens and seldom had any contact with their families or friends from Cootamunda.