CONVICT CONNECTIONS

CONVICT CONNECTIONS TO BURIALS AT ST DAVID'S CEMETERY, KURRAJONG HEIGHTS

YEAR ARRIVED; NAME OF CONVICT; SHIP & DATE OF ARRIVAL; WHERE CONVICTED; SENTENCE; RELATIONSHIP TO BURIALS

1788; John Matthew EVERINGHAM; Scarborough 26/1/1788 (First Fleet); London Gaol Delivery; 7 yrs; Great grandfather of Alice EVERINGHAM, wife of Alwyn PECK

1803; John SHERWOOD/SHEARWOOD; Glatton 11/3/1803; Bedford Assizes on 16 July 1801; Life; father of Mary GREEN and father-in-law of Edward WILSON.
1808; Ann LANE; Speke 15/11/1808; Surrey Quarter Sessions; 7 years; mother of Mary GREEN and mother- in-law of Edward WILSON.

1808; James Charles MOSTYN (alias BUTLER); Admiral Gambier 22/12/1808; Life; Father of Fairlie Frances PITMAN and grandfather of Charles PITMAN and Frederick William PITMAN

1810; John BARWICK/BERWICK; Anne 27/2/1810; Essex Assizes on 7 March 1808; Life; Grandfather of Mary PECK

1812; Job WILSON; Guildford 1812; Essex Assies on 13 March 1811; Life; Father of Edward WILSON, grand- father of Roland WILSON, grand-father-in-law of Susannah WILSON, great grandfather of Amelia WILSON

1814; John Matthew PITMAN; Surry 27/7/1814; Somerset Assizes; Life; father of Charles Albert PITMAN, grandfather of Clement PITMAN and Charles, Minnie Gertrude and Frederick William PITMAN

1815; Joseph DOUGLASS; Baring 8/9/1815; Dumfries Court of Justiciary; 7 years; husband of Mary Orr BURGESS

1818; Samuel HURST; Ocean 10/1/1818; Warwick Assizes; Life; father of Mary PECK

1819; Alfred BROWN; Malabar 30/10/1819; Sussex Assizes; Life; grandfather of Henry BROWN, the husband of Emily Caroline BROWN

THE TELLING FAMILY

In Loving Memory

Of
┼
FRANK TELLING
DIED 5TH JUNE 1964
AGED 75 YEARS

And
GERTRUDE MAY TELLING
DIED 13TH APRIL 1966
AGED 78 YEARS

LOVED PARENTS OF
NORMAN & AGNES TELLING
& LES & ALICE BROWN

At Rest

Windsor and Richmond Gazette, Wednesday, 10 June 1964
One of the most affectionately, and widely known residents of Kurrajong, Mr Frank Telling, died at hospital on June 5 at the age of 75 years. Of him it has been said that nothing too kind could be written, for he was a most good-natured, willing, kindly, and hard-working, handyman-friend for all. He came from England about 52 years ago, and his lived most of his life since then at Kurrajong Heights, celebrating on April 2 with his wife, Gertrude May, who survives him, their golden wedding anniversary. He was a regular attendant at church, and lived up faithfully to his Christian ideals. His grandson, Bruce, played the organ at the funeral service. Surviving him are his son Norman and daughter-in-law, Agnes, of Carlton, and daughter, Alice, of Kurrajong Heights. To all of these, and to other relatives, a host of friends extend deep sympathy in their loss. The Rev. J. Hale (Riverstone), assisted by the Rev. L. Daniels, conducted the service in the Presbyterian Cemetery, on June 8, before burial took place in the church cemetery.

EMILY CAROLINE BROWN

In Loving Memory of
EMILY CAROLINE BROWN
WHO DIED 27th JANUARY 1910
…

IN HER 35TH YEAR
In the midst of life … in death

EMILY CAROLINE BROWN (nee JOHN) was the daughter of THOMAS J and CHARLOTTE JOHN. She was one of seven children, five boys and two girls.
When EMILY died, after childbirth, she had eight children, five sons and three daughters. The eldest was a boy 15 and the youngest, a baby girl three days old.
EMILY was born in 1874 and married HENRY A BROWN in Richmond in 1894.

HENRY was a grandson of convict ALFRED BROWN who had arrived in Sydney Town on the Malabar in 1819.
EMILY and HENRY BROWN had eight children: Arthur E (1894), Alfred G (1896), Darcy W (1897), Hilda C (1901), Clarence J (1900), Carlton J (1905) and the baby girl.

Windsor and Richmond Gazette, Saturday, 5 February, 1910
Quite a gloom was case over the Kurrajong on Friday of last week when it became known that Mrs. H. A. Brown had died suddenly on the previous evening. The deceased, who was 34 years of age, was a robust, healthy looking lady, and one who was loved and respected by all who knew her. She leaves a family of five sons and three daughters, the eldest, a boy of 15 and the youngest, a baby three days old; also a sorrowing husband and several brothers and one sister. Her father is Mr Thomas John, a much respected resident of Comleroy Road, and the brothers are William, Thomas, Henry (of West Australia,) Clarrie and Victor; and Mrs John Scott is the sister. The remains were interred in the Presbyterian burial ground at Kurrajong Heights on Saturday, the burial service being conducted by the Rev. W.R. Milne. The duties of undertaker were carried out by Mr A. Price, of Richmond.

Windsor and Richmond Gazette, 28 January 1911
IN MEMORIUM. BROWN. In sad but loving memory of my dear wife, Emily Caroline, who departed this life, January 27, 1910.

There seems a shadow on the day,
Her smile no longer cheers;
A dimness on the stars at night,
Like eyes that look through tears.

Fold her, O Father! In Thine arms,
And let her henceforth be
A messenger of love between
Our human hearts and Thee.

Inserted by her loving husband and family, H.A. Brown.

WHERE THEY LIVED
The name BROWN appears on the map of the earliest land grands in the area. It was at the bottom of Bellbird Hill, near what is now Hermitage Road, Kurrajong Hills.

MARY ELLEN McLEOD

Sacred to the Memory of
MARY ELLEN McLEOD
DIED 24th MAY 1906
AGED 70 YEARS
[At rest] … with the Lord

MARY ELLEN McLEOD was born in 1836 according to information given on her tombstone, and was a contemporary of HENRY and MARY PECK. Her married name suggests her husband was a Scot.
In 1885 a DONALD McCLOUD is recorded as owning two horses and two cows in Kurrajong, but not any land. He may have been a tenant farmer.

His contemporaries were Stephen MYERS (father of Elizabeth Eunice MYERS who married a son of HENRY and MARY PECK), Charles PITMAN, John SHEPPARD and Edward WILSON Snr, and convicts Joseph DOUGLASS and Samuel HURST Snr.

Up on the Heights, his fellow farmers would have been convict Alfred BROWN, JOHN LUDICH (LEIDICH), HENRY PECK and the Rev. JAMES CAMERON.
The only other clues to this couple are some advertisements in the local paper.

Windsor and Richmond Gazette, Saturday, 16 June 1906
KURRAJONG. A clearing out sale of stock, implements, furniture, etc. Takes place at the residence of Mr. D. McLeod’s on Wed, June 27. Mr. Guest will sell, and full particulars will be found on page 11.

Windsor and Richmond Gazette, Saturday 16 June 1906
FOR ABSOLUTE SALE. SALE BY AUCTION. C S GUEST has received instructions from Mr. D. McLEOD, Kurrajong, to sell by auction at his residence on Wed, 27th June at 1.p.m. Chaffcutter, corn cracker, ploughs, harrows, and roller, planet Junior, Hoes, and Tools, etc; Village cart; set strong light Harness; Good Iron Tank and tubs; Dairy Utensils; Furniture; stove and cooking utensils, milking cows; 2 Springing Heifers; 1 calf; 3 head Horses. Terms at Sale. PRELIMINARY NOTICE. Clearing out Sale.

Windsor and Richmond Gazette, 23 June 1906
On Wednesday next Mr Guest will conduct a clearing-out sale at the residence of Mr. D. McLeod. Read particulars in business columns.

THE WILSON FAMILY

The original forebear of the FOUR members of the WILSON family who are buried in St David’s cemetery was convict, JOB WILSON.

He was born in Cambridgeshire, England in 1784 or 88 and was given a life sentence, arriving in the colony of New South Wales around the same time as fellow felon, JOHN MATTHEW PITMAN.
JOB WILSON arrived in Sydney Cove on 18 January 1812 on the Guildford. The following year, on 19 November 1813?, he married ELIZABETH ANN ROGERS at St John’s Church of England, Parramatta. She was just 13, and he was either 12 or 16 years older than her.
JOB was given a conditional pardon on 1 January 1816 by Governor LACHLAN MACQUARIE. As of the 1828 Census his occupation was a farmer and he had 50 acres of land. This was ‘Rocklands’, prime real estate with good soil, clean air and excellent views.

It was located on the other side of what is now Bell’s Line of Road from today's North Kurrajong Public School.
JOB and ELIZABETH WILSON had 15? Children. The eldest, EDWARD, born in 1815, died in infancy, and the next child, another son born the following year, was given the same name.

In Loving Memory

of
EDWARD WILSON
WHO DIED
30TH MAY 1902
AGED 86 YEARS.

Lost to sight but not to memory.

The EDWARD WILSON buried at St David’s was born at Castlereagh, one of the five Macquarie towns, on 15 December 1818. He married twice. Firstly, in 1838 when he was 20 to ANN SHEARWOOD, and again in 1847, when he was 29, to SUSANNAH RILEY.
His first wife appears to have borne him no children and disappears mysteriously off the scene. The second, the daughter of an Irishman, bore him 10 children.
EDWARD WILSON was very proud of his large family as his obituary published in the local newspaper shows after he died of pleurisy at age 86.

Windsor and Richmond Gazette, 14 June 1902
Mr. Edward Wilson, who died on the 30th instant, at the ripe old age of 86, may be referred to as the patriarch of the Kurrajong. He was the man who spent the whole of his days in the shadow of his house, so to speak, for he was born at North Kurrajong and never strayed away from the place. No name is better known among the hills of the Kurrajong than the name of Wilson, for the descendents of the deceased still living in the locality are numerous. He reared a family of 11 children, and they had descendents of grand-children and great-grand-children. The late Mr. Wilson always attended the Presbyterian Church at the Heights.
A good story is told of the old fellow, which is worth retelling. One day, Mr. Comrie of “Northfields”, met him at the church and introduced him to a distinguished visitor, a friend of Mr Comrie’s, as the patriarch of the hills, and the chief of a numerous clan. 'Yes,' replied the old veteran with conscious pride, ‘and there are 20 of them in the church today.’
About 20 years ago he had an arm amputated through cancer, which he endured for over 20 years. His remains were interred in the Presbyterian Cemetery, Kurrajong Heights, the last sad rites being performed by Rev. J.J.F.L. Fergusson, M.A. Immediately after the burial, Rev. Mr. Fergusson preached a funeral sermon, the dead man in his last days having requested the minister to do this. The text chosen was from Job 5, 12: “Thou shall come to thy grave in a full age, like a shock of corn in his season.” The preacher paid tribute to the sterling worth of the old man, and to his integrity and uprightness throughout his long life. The funeral was very largely attended, and Mr. A. Price carried out the funeral obsequies.

In Loving Memory

of
SUSANNAH WILSON
DIED 23 JUNE 1905
AGED 77 YEARS
AT REST
…Wilson

SUSANNAH WILSON (nee RILEY), wife of EDWARD WILSON, died at the age of 77 following a bout of influenza.

Windsor and Richmond Gazette,
The sudden death of Mrs. Susannah Wilson, relict of the late Edward Wilson, of Kurrajong, which took place at her late residence, caused widespread sympathy throughout the Kurrajong. About seven o’clock on the morning of her death, Mr. Alfred Wilson, who resides with his mother, was alarmed by a peculiar guttural sound proceeding from her room, and on entering found the old lady in a state of collapse. He immediately aroused the attention of the neighbours, but in a few minutes she passed away.
At a magisterial enquiry held by the district coroner (Mr. J. B. Johnston, J.P.) on Monday, it was agreed that the death was due to the effects of influenza, from which she had been suffering and to old age and heart failure. The late Mrs. Wilson was 77 years of age, and had reared a family of six children, viz., Messrs John Ambrose, Edward, James, Mrs. Shepherd, Mrs. Merrick, and Mrs Paterson, all of whom survive their mother.
The funeral took place on Tuesday and was largely attended, four fifths of those who composed the cortege being relatives of the deceased. The internment took place at the Presbyterian Cemetery, Kurrajong Heights. Rev. Dr. Cameron officiated at the grave, and Mr. Price, of Richmond, was the undertaker.

Windsor and Richmond Gazette, 23 June 1906
IN MEMORIUM. WILSON. In loving memory of my dear mother who died suddenly at her residence, Kurrajong, June 25, 1905. Dead but not forgotten.

Just twelve months have passed away,
But with sorrow still I think
Of you, dear mother, my dearest friend,
In your long and peaceful sleep.
Friends may think I have forgot you,
When at times they see me smile;
But they little know what an aching heart
That smile hides all the while.

Inserted by her loving daughter, Diana Shepherd.

In Loving Memory of
ROLAND EDWARD WILSON
DIED 26 AUGUST 1895
AGED 35 YEARS

Bade be not forgotten.

ROLAND EDWARD WILSON, son of Edward and Susannah WILSON, died of influenza in 1895 at age 35. He had married Ellen M RILEY in Sydney 10 years earlier in 1885 and they had three children – Grace (1886), Gladys O (1888) and George A (1890). The youngest was only five when his father died.

In Loving

Memory of

MAUDE AMELIA
BELOVED DAUGHTER OF
E. R. AND J. WILSON,

AGED 14 YEARS

AND 11 MONTHS

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN.

AMELIA MAUD WILSON, a daughter of EDWARD and SUSANNAH WILSON and a sister of ROLAND EDWARD WILSON, AMELIA MAUD died of tuberculosis two months before her 15th birthday.

Windsor and Richmond Gazette
A particularly sad death at Kurrajong has to be chronicled this week. Amelia Maud Wilson, aged 14 years and 10 months, daughter of Mrs and Mrs Edward R. Wilson, died on Tuesday night from acute pulmonary tuberculosis, after an illness of 5 or 6 weeks. Very great sympathy is expressed for the parents and family in the loss of a bright and promising daughter. Dr Helsham attended the deceased during her illness. The funeral took place on Wednesday afternoon, the remains being interred in the Presbyterian Cemetery at Kurrajong Heights. Rev. J. J. F. L. Fergusson, M. A. was the officiating clergyman, and Mr A. Price, the undertaker.

JOB and ELIZABETH WILSON, the grandparents of AMELIA and ROLAND, are buried at St Peters Church of England cemetery at Richmond.

ARTHUR'S MEMORIES OF KURRAJONG HEIGHTS

MEMORIES OF THE PECK FAMILY
by
Arthur Poole
Great Grandson of Henry Peck
& Grandson of Ted Peck

‘My grandfather [Ted Peck] was a speculator. [When he died, my grandmother] was left with all this schmozl, as was common in those days. He drank a lot more than water. Rum was a pretty widely used beverage in those days. He was addicted to that, and so were some of the boys, but not Ernest. Fortunately the girls stuck with grandmother. The boys did too in a sense.
H E Peck & Sons [Ted Peck] had a big orchard stretching from the present CWA site [next door to St David’s cemetery] down to the Church of England. It was called Uplands after the stone house in Queen Street. He built that. When his father died, grandmother was left with properties dotted all over the place, including Mt Tomah.
He took over Uplands, 27 acres, joined Cherry Park on top of the hill. He helped grandmother no end. Took that off her hands. A good worker. Pretty heavy drinker. Liked whiskey. My father and he were good friends. My father was not an educated man. He came from Mt Tomah to work with Ted on Uplands. He married Ted’s sister, Clara.
Ted made a lot of money dealing in property. From Tomah Street to behind the hotel, all that land, and on the left side to Warks Road, except for five acres. He had all that under orchard. I’ve heard said he had 80 acres of orchard at one time here.
My father told me there was very little between Kurrajong and North Richmond that didn’t pass through Ted Peck’s hands. He would buy unimproved land, put orchards on it and sell it. My father worked for Ted Peck for 50 years.
I wanted to work for him too. When I left school, I worked for him for one week in about 1930-31. It was a pretty tough time. Mum said, “I don’t think so. You’ve got Dad, Cyril and Maurice working for him. I don’t think you should.” That burst my bubble. I was very disappointed.
The other five acres, near Tomah Street, were owned by Mrs Daniels, the wife of Rev. Lennon Daniels, an Anglican minister based at Wilcannia. This land was rented out to the Peck’s and used for growing fodder for dairy cattle. It became my first business venture. I grew crops, peas and beans, a few passionfruit and turnips. Sold them at Sydney Markets. I kept the land until 1939 when I bought Woodside.
I cleared land by hand and ended up with 20 acres. Don’t know how I did it now. My wife’s father would come for a week, work like a nigger, then thank me for having him!
When Mrs Daniels died, I dug her grave at the Anglican church at Kurrajong Heights.
I drew up a plan of the cemetery [St David’s]. There hadn’t been a plan ever. Headstones make upkeep of the cemetery very hard. These days, the only thing approved for this cemetery is cremations.’

From interview conducted with Arthur Poole by Pamela Mawbey
October 2000

ARTHUR POOLE

A special tribute needs to be paid to Kurrajong born and bred ARTHUR POOLE who tended the cemetery and conducted some of the burials there or many years before he died in 2005. He was much loved by all who knew him.

When I first expressed interest in researching the lives of those buried at St David's cemetery, Arthur POOLE kindly took me on a guided tour, showing me the location of two unmarked graves of his siblings, and telling me about the others resting in peace there whom he had know well.

Thank you, Arthur, and also your lovely wife, Aileen.

THE POOLE FAMILY

The forebears of the members of the Poole family buried in St David’s cemetery were Irish-born free settlers, BENJAMIN and CATHERINE POOLE(nee CAVANAGH).

They married in County Wexford, where they were both born, in 1826.
On 25 February 1840, they arrived in the colony of New South Wales on the Earl Grey.

BENJAMIN and CATHERINE POOLE had six children, four girls and two boys. The eldest, CATHERINE, was born in 1839 which means she was just a babe in arms when her parents left their homeland.

Their first child born in Australia was MARY ANN. Her birth in 1842 was followed by that of a sister, MARTHA (1844), a brother WILLIAM (1847), another sister, ELIZABETH (1850) and another brother, BENJAMIN JAMES (1852).

MARY ANN had six children out of wedlock to at least three different fathers. They were: HENRY John Poole, ALICE Elizabeth Poole, ALBERT LLEWELLYN POOLE, LILLIAN EVA Poole, ALFRED CHARLES Cribb and THOMAS BENJAMIN Cribb.

The father of her first child is believed to have been James STINSON, and that of her second and third, James EYERS. Lillian’s father is unknown. Her two youngest boys took the name of their father, RICHARD JOHN CRIBB, with whom MARY ANN co-habited for a while.

Two of MARY ANN POOLE’s children are buried at St David’s cemetery, Kurrajong Heights – Alice Elizabeth and Albert Llewellyn.

ALICE became the first wife of RICHARD ERNEST PECK in 1894 and ALBERT married RICHARD ERNEST’s sister, CLARA MAY in 1902.

ALBERT and CLARA POOLE had seven children – ELLA M, CYRIL GORDON, HESTER, ANN, ERNEST(died in infancy), MAURICE HENRY and ARTHUR CHARLES.

Three of them are buried at St Davids – ELLA, ERNEST and ARTHUR, plus the wife and infant daughter of their brother, CYRIL - DOROTHY MAY and BEVERLEY MAY.

CYRIL's wife DOROTHY MAY (nee ELDER) died at the birth of her first child, BEVERLEY MAY, in 1933. Cyril married again, but not until 1947.

ERNEST died in infancy of pneumonia when his sister ELLA was aged 2 and seriously ill with the same complaint. He and the infant daughter of CYRIL POOLE are buried beside each other in unmarked graves at St David's cemetery. [The location of their graves was shown to me by their brother and uncle, ARTHUR POOLE, who took care of the cemetery.]

MARY ANN POOLE is buried in St Gregory’s Catholic cemetery at Kurrajong.

OBITUARIES
Windsor and Richmond Gazette, 3 February 1910
The death of the infant son of Mr. and Mrs. A. Poole took place at Richmond on Sunday evening from the effects of pneumonia. The little fellow was six months old. The remains were taken to Kurrajong Heights and interred in the Presbyterian cemetery on Monday. We hear that a daughter two years old is seriously ill with the same complaint.

Windsor and Richmond Gazette,Friday 9 August 1935
A particularly sad double bereavement took place at the Royal North Shore Hospital last week, when Mrs. DOROTHY MAY POOLE, wife of Mr. Cyril Poole, of Kurrajong Heights, passed away on Sunday, followed by the death of her eight-days-old baby daughter, BEVERLEY MAY, four days later. Mrs. Poole was only 32 years of age and was a sister of Mrs MILL DUNSTON, of Kurrajong. Deep sympathy is expressed for Mr. Poole and his double loss. The remains of both mother and babe were interred in the Presbyterian cemetery at Kurrajong.

WHERE THE POOLE FAMILY LIVED
In the 1841 Census, the POOLE family is living in Lennox Street, Richmond. They moved to South Kurrajong in around 1847.
Ten years later, in December 1851, BENJAMIN POOLE Snr bought PATRICK BOYLAND’s section of Kurrajong 147.
When MARY ANN POOLE and her children were with RICHARD CRIBB, they lived at Tomah Cottage at Mt Tomah.

RELATED FAMILIES: Cavanagh, Cribb, Dunston, Elder, Eyers, Peck, Stinson.

THE PITMAN FAMILY

The forebears of the SEVEN members of the Pitman family buried at St David’s cemetery, Kurrajong Heights, were JOHN MATTHEW PITMAN and MARY PITMAN (nee SUNDERLAND. He was an English-born convict and she was a native-born daughter of an English soldier in the NSW Corps.

JOHN MATTHEW PITMAN was a native of Somerset, England transported to Sydney Cove for ‘the tern of his natural life’ for stealing a mare. He had initially been given the mandatory death penalty for thefts above 40/- (the mare was valued at 20 pounds), but following an appeal, his sentence was commuted.

He was aged 28, tall with dark skin and hair when he left England on the Surrey on 22 February 1814 bound for Sydney Town.

PITMAN recovered from an outbreak of cholera on board ship and was assigned as a farming labourer to WILLIAM COX, Esq. who had an estate called Clarendon situated between the townships of Windsor and Richmond.

He married another convict, MARY SUNDERLAND, who had arrived in the colony six years earlier than he did, in 1808 on the Speke. She was only 14 when they tied the knot.

MARY's father had come from Yorkshire and her mother had come free on the same ship. They married in the colony in 1799.

PITMAN was granted a Ticket of Leave by Governor THOMAS BRISBANE on 2 August 1824. A conditional pardon followed on 18 November 1825, making him a truly ‘free man’ and entitled to own land.

He ended up getting land at the far end of Hermitage Road, Kurrajong. The house he built there was called Lindsey Farm and one of his sons, JOHN, lived in Rose Farm next door.

JOHN MATTHEW and MARY PITMAN had 10 children. Their youngest son, CHARLES ALBERT PITMAN, is buried in St David’s cemetery, along with his wife, 'currency lass' FAIRLIE FRANCES PITMAN (nee MOSTYN) and four of their nine children - Clement (the eldest son), Charles Jnr, Minnie Gertrude and Frederick William (the youngest son). CLEMENT'S wife, DAILY ANN, is buried with him.

Charles Pitman Snr was known as ‘Charlie’ and was a drover. He drove sheep and cattle from Dubbo across the Great Dividing Range to the markets at Sydney.
FAIRLIE FRANCES PITMAN was the daughter of two convicts, JAMES CHARLES MOSTYN (alias BUTLER) and MARY FRANCIS / COLLINS. She was their 12th and last child, born at Kurrajong on 12 April 1844 and baptised at St Peter’s CE at Richmond.

CLEM PITTMAN was the eldest son of Charles and Fairlie Pitman. He was born at Hermitage Road, Kurrajong, in 1869 and became the local postman at 18. But then he acquired a block in another part of Kurrajong, on the way to Bilpin. He married DAISY PITMAN who belonged to another branch of the family living in the Hunter Valley, at Broke near Singleton.

Windsor and Richmond Gazette,
The marriage of one of our best bachelors, Mr. Clem. Pittman, eldest son of Mr. C. A. and Mrs Pittman of Hermitage Road, Kurrajong, to Miss Daisy Pittman of Broke, near Singleton, was celebrated in St Andrew’s Church, Broke, on the 7th instant, and the young couple came to “Weronna”, Kurrajong, next day in Mr. A. S. Middleton’s motor car. About two years ago Mr. Pittman had erected a very pretty little home. The name he gave it is an Aboriginal one and means ‘haven of rest’ and I am sure that it is the wish of every person who has the pleasure of Mr Pittman’s acquaintance that it will be a home of rest and happiness for him and his bride. Mr Pittman who was born at Kurrajong, and has resided here all his life is a worthy son of worthy parents – a son of whom the parents may justly be proud, and a citizen who any person if asked 'Do you know Clem. Pittman?’ will feel a tingling of pride and pleasure in giving the answer, Oh, yes, I know Clem – he is a particular friend of mine’. We wish him and his young wife all the joys and happiness of this life which they justly deserve and that the life will be to a ripe old age.

THE PECK & BOATWRIGHT FAMILIES

There are NINE members of the PECK family buried at St David's cemetery, plus ONE relative by the name of BOATWRIGHT. This is the biggest representation of any family buried there.

Sacred
to the
MEMORY OF
ROBERT PECK
WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE
SEPTEMBER 13 – 1882
AGED 69 YEARS

He is gone, the one we loved so dear
To his eternal rest:
He is gone to Heaven we have no fear
To be for ever blest.

ROBERT PECK
The oldest actual grave in the cemetery is that of ROBERT PECK who died on 13 September 1882 at the age of 69. [Only the tombstones of the earlier Burgess, Douglass and Green burials are St David's, not the burials.]

His wife, HANNA PECK, died six years later on 23 December 1888 aged 70.

Sacred to the Memory of
HANNAH
Wife of Robert Peck
WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE
DECEMBER 23 – 1888
AGED 70 YEARS

What though in lonely grief we sigh
For mother dear no longer nigh
Submission still would be wrought
Thy will be done.

ROBERT and HANNA PECK (nee BOTRIGHT) arrived at Sydney Town as free settlers on the Templar on 27 August 1844.

They were both born in Suffolk and married there in 1841. Hanna already had a son born out of wedlock called HENRY who was aged 6 when his parents left England for the colony of New South Wales. He had a sister, Mary Ann, aged two who died during the sea voyage. Another daughter, Mary, was born in 1844.

ROBERT and HANNA PECK appear to have moved straight to the Hawkesbury district, 50 km north west of Sydney Town, and lived in Richmond before obtaining land in Kurrajong Heights.

HENRY & MARY PECK
HENRY PECK, eldest son of ROBERT and HANNAH PECK, married MARY HURST, a local girl at North Richmond District's Registrar's Office in 1839. He was 24 and she 23.

MARY's father was a convict, SAMUEL HURST, and her mother, ELIZABETH BERWICK, the daughter of a convict.

Sacred
To the
Memory of
HENRY PECK
WHO DEPARTED
THIS LIFE
NOVEMBER 9 TH 1888
AGED 50 YEARS.
MY LOVING WIFE
MY LIFE IS PAST.
YOU FAITHFULLY LOVED
ME TO THE LAST.
WEEP NOT FOR ME
BUT PITY TAKE.
AND LOVE OUR CHILDREN
FOR MY SAKE.

Also MARY PECK
DIED 4TH JULY 1926
AGED 87 YEARS.

HENRY and MARY had 13 children, all of whom were present at their mother's funeral at St David's Kurrajong Heights, when she died on 4 July 1926 aged 87.
HENRY had died 38 years earlier at age 50, leaving his wife with a mortgage and more than a dozen children, the youngest aged 4.

Windsor and Richmond Gazette, Saturday 17 November 1888
Mr PECK, so well known in the districts of Richmond and Kurrajong, passed over to the great majority on Saturday last and was interred at Kurrajong on Sunday, the funeral service being performed by Rev. Dr. CAMERON.
Mr. PECK was during his lifetime highly respected wherever he was known, and his death will be deeply regretted not only by those who were intimately connected with him, but by the people of Kurrajong generally, whose interests he always studied.
A very large concourse of mourners paid the last tribute to his memory by attending his funeral.

There are five other members of the PECK family buried at St David's:
RICHARD EARNEST PECK - one of HENRY's sons, and his two wives, ALICE ELIZABETH POOLE and ELIZABETH EUNICE MYERS; as well as two adult children of HENRY PECK's eldest son, TED PECK - DORIS PECK and ALWYN PECK.

TED & JULIA PECK
TED PECK followed in his father’s footsteps as an entrepreneur and successful businessman. He married JULIA A LEIDICH, the daughter of the local postmaster at Kurrajong. Her father had been brought to the area by the Rev James CAMERON to be the overseer of Douglas Cottage.

TED and JULIA PECK had five children - Alwin, Henry J, Lena A, Doris Irene, and Frank C. Alwin and Doris, both of whom are buried at St David’s cemetery, came to tragic ends

DORIS who was engaged to be married died after an appendix operation at Windsor hospital.
ALWYN returned from the war and apparently unable to cope, shot himself in the head, leaving a widow and baby.

The grief of TED PECK over the loss of his beloved daughter, DORRIE, is evident in his sparing no expense in erecting a monument with a granite column over her grave.

GEORGE BOATWRIGHT
GEORGE was the older brother of HANNAH BOTWRIGHT, the mother of HENRY PECK, grandmother of TED PECK and great grandmother of DORRIE and ALWIN PECK. He was born in 1816, two years earlier than his sister, and in the same county of Suffolk, England. According to his Death Certificate, he shared the same parents, WILLIAM and LYDIA BOTWRIGHT. Hannah’s birth certificate does not name her father.

MARY & BENJAMIN GREEN

MARY GREEN

DIED MAY 24 – 1881
AGED 68 YEARS

ALSO

BENJAMIN GREEN
Infant son of Joseph & Eliza Green
DIED 21 DECEMBER
AGED 15 WEEKS

MARY GREEN who died on 24 May 1881 aged 68 years, was a daughter of two convicts, JOHNSHERWOOD and ANN LANE. She was also a sister of ANN SHERWOOD whose

husband, EDWARD WILSON, is also buried at St David's.

MARY SHERWOOD, a currency lass, married JOHN GREEN on 9 May 1831 at Richmond when she was 16. [Source: NSW Births Deaths Marriages]

Buried with MARY GREEN is BENJAMIN GREEN, the infant son of JOSEPH and ELIZA GREEN, who appears to have been her grandson. The tombstone says he died on 21 December (no year given) aged 15 weeks. His death certificate gives his year of death as 1877. [Source: NSW Births Deaths Marriages]

In 1877, a JOSEPH M GREEN married ELIZA A PARTISS at Richmond. Their son BENJAMIN died ca. 6 September the same year.

As in the case of Mr and Mrs DOUGLASS, only the tombstones - a headstone and a footstone - were moved from across the road to St David's cemetery.

JOSEPH DOUGLASS & MARY ORR BURGESS

Sacred
To the
Memory

MARY ORR BURGESS
Wife of Joseph Douglass
Who Departed This Life
DECEMBER 21 1857
AGED 75 YEARS

ALSO
JOSEPH DOUGLASS
WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE
September 21 1865
AGED 82 YEARS

This gravestone is the oldest in St David's cemetery, but the burials remain in the original cemetery further up the hill and on the other side of the road. When the road was widened, only this gravestones of Douglas and Burgess and that of Mary Green and her grandson were moved to the cemetery.

JOSEPH DOUGLAS arrived in the colony of New South Wales on the Baring on 7 September 1815. He had been given a sentence of transportation for seven years at Dumfries Court of Justiciary prior to his departure from Scotland in April 1815.
He was assigned by Governor LACHLAN MACQUARIE to Sir JOHN JAMISON, owner of a large estate, Regentville, near Penrith.
JOSEPH worked out his entire sentence there as a labourer and then became a tenant farmer on the estate until he obtained his Ticket of Leave.

His wife and children arrived free on the Woodman on 25 June 1823, almost eight years after he set foot on the sand of Sydney Cove.
The following year, on 10 September 1824, he was granted 50 acres of land at the Kurrajong Brush and early the following year, his son, ORR DOUGLASS, was granted 80 acres nearby.
JOSEPH DOUGLASS had originally wanted land south of Sydney Town at Cow Pastures near Liverpool, but was given Kurrajong instead.
MARY ORR BURGESS died on 21 December 1857 aged 75 years.
JOSEPH DOUGLASS died on 21 September 1865 aged 82 years.

JOSEPH DOUGLASS gave part of his land to the Presbyterian Church Trust for the purpose of building a church. St David's, originally a Presbyterian church and now Uniting Church of Australia, stands on part of his original land grant.

KURRAJONG CONVICTS GET A BAD RAP

"...The Kurrajong district is extremely fertile, and in many parts cultivation is carried out to the summits of the mountains. It is of course thickly populated, but the settlers are of the lowest class, and amongst the most vicious and depraved in the whole colony." Diary of Mrs Felton Mathew, wife of a surveyor, 1834.

Well, at the time Mrs Mathew made this observation of the local inhabitants, the Irish-born JOSEPH DOUGLASS and his wife and family had been living at Kurrajong Heights for 10 years. His next door neighbours, convicts SHERWOOD and LANE, had been there for five after purchasing their block of land from another ex-convict, ROBERT FORRESTER.

JOB WILSON had married in 1813 and had subsequently been granted 50 acres which he called Rocklands near the current location of the North Kurrajong Public School. MATHEW PITMAN had petitioned for land which he called Lindley Farm at the far end of what is now Hermitage Road, Kurrajong Hills.

This gives some idea of who Mrs Mathews may have been talking about, or had in mind, when she made that entry in her diary.

Back in those days, the term 'Kurrajong" applied to a much wider area than it does today, extending from the present Kurrajong township along Bell's Line of Road as far as Bilpen.

CONVICTS, FREE SETTLERS, CURRENCY LADS & LASSES

The hamlet of Kurrajong Heights is located on the edge of the Great Dividing Range, overlooking the vast expanse of the Cumberland Plain and further east the Pacific Ocean in the distance.
It has rich soils and a temperate climate which attracted early settlers looking for good farming land.
The original settlers were convicts, men and women transported to the colony of New South Wales for misdemeanours committed in England, Scotland, Ireland or Wales.
The first to arrive was JOSEPH DOUGLASS and the area now known as Kurrajong Heights was originally named after him as Douglass's Hill.
He was soon joined by other convicts like JOB WILSON, JOHN MATTHEW PITMAN, JAMES MOSTYN (alias BUTLER), ROBERT FORRESTER, ALFRED BROWN, JOHN BERWICK, JOHN SHERWOOD and ANN LANE, SAMUEL HURST and JOHN SHEPHERD.
All raised large families in the Kurrajong district.
Only a couple of these original convict settlers are buried in St David's cemetery, but some of their descendants are.
The children of overseas-born convicts, who were born in Australia, were known as 'currency lads and lasses'. There are several of them buried at St David's too.

THE BURIALS & MEMORIALS

KNOWN BURIALS AT OR NEAR*OR COMMEMORATED AT** ST DAVID’S CEMETERY KURRAJONG HEIGHTS
OCTOBER 2006

Note: Numbers have been assigned to each grave purely for the purpose of identifying where they are located on the plan of the cemetery. [See CEMETERY PLAN as a separate page under MORE INFO in sidebar.]

1. PECK Robert 2. PECK Hannah 3. PECK Henry & Mary

4. PECK Alice Elizabeth & Richard Ernest & Elizabeth Eunice

5. PECK Alwin 6.PECK Doris Irene 7. BOATWRIGHT George


8.POOLE Albert Llewellyn 9.POOLE Clara Mabel 10.POOLE Dorothy May

11. POOLE Arthur Charles 12. POOLE Ernest 13. POOLE Beverley May 14. POOLE Ella May


15.PITTMAN Clement & Daisy Ann 16.PITMAN Charles & Minnie Gertrude

17. PITMAN Fairlie Frances & Charles Albert 18. PITMAN Frederick William


19. WILSON Edward 20. WILSON Susannah 21. WILSON Maud Amelia

22. WILSON Roland Edward

23.McLEOD Mary Ellen

24.BROWN Emily Caroline

25.TELLING Frank & Gertrude May

26.BURGESS* / DOUGLASS* Mary Orr Burgess & Joseph Douglass

27.GREEN* Mary & Benjamin

28.McRAE Eva Edwina

29. FREDERICK Janet Doris May & William Lloyd Ludwig

30.FORD Jessie H M & Arthur Thomas Jnr [memorial: Arthur Thomas Snr**]

31. BERESFORD Lona Doreen 32. BERESFORD Leslie

33. SMITHERS & William Frederick & Margaret Isabella

34. DYSTER Edith Emma & Colin McKenzie

35. SCOTT Ronald Malcolm

36. McPHERSON David

37. TELFORD Juliana Elizabeth

St David's cemetery is now closed for burials other than for those with an already allocated site. Cremated ashes can still be placed there.

STEP BACK IN TIME ...

Back in 2000, the year of the Sydney Olympics, I lived across the road briefly from the St David's Uniting Church cemetery at Kurrajong Heights.
During the three months I was in this beautiful, uplifting part of the world, duly dubbed by the locals 'God's Own Country', I wandered through the cemetery and wondered about the people buried there. Who were they and what happened in their lives? And what caused them to die?
My curiosity kept gnawing at me and six years later, I finally began researching the 50 souls resting in St David's cemetery, hopefully in peace.
It was almost as if they wanted me to tell their stories, and were not going to let up on me until I had done so.
Well, it's been a long time coming, but I've finally done it. I think they will be happy now.
It's been a fascinating journey of discovery for me. When I wander through the cemetery now, I'm on familiar speaking terms with them all because now I know who they were and are and always will be for eternity.
I do hope you, dear reader, enjoy making their acquaintance.

Pamela Mawbey