Wilberforce, NSW, is a rural suburb on the northern bank of Hawkesbury River and is and one of the five
The name used for the area around Wilberforce by Aboriginal people was recorded as, Wangie.
An Aboriginal person of the Hawkesbury region would belong to one of the kinship groups. Decent was patrilineal, with children belonging to the kinship or Totem of the father. Women married out of the group into which they had been born (Mathews and Everitt 1900:264).
Some Totems: Mulgoa - Black Swan, Wuban-Burumin - Possum, Guyun - Sun.
In traditional Aboriginal
society, marriages were arranged mostly, by the older men (elders) and often involved the betrothal of a young girl to an older man.
Many marriages were polygynous (with a husband having two or more wives).
(2.). A man and his mother-in-law were forbidden to directly address or look at each other. This mother-in-law taboo was likely due to the son-in-law and mother-in-law being of a similar age.
Aboriginal people of the region
sheltered in two-sided bark structures (gunyahs) and sometimes rock overhangs.
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| A 19th-century engraving showing Aboriginal people and shelters |
Weapons and tool types included spears, shields, clubs, boomerangs, digging sticks, bark containers and net bags. Watkin Trench in 1789 found a possum cloak
near Richmond Hill, Hawkesbury. William Bradley a pastoralist, born in 1800 at Windsor, described a skin cloak seen in the vicinity of the Nepean-Hawkesbury River.
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| Aboriginal art on the Hawkesbury River, NSW |
Burning the vegetation to flush out animals and increase bush regeneration was a strategy used. Notches were made in tree trunks to gain access to possums as food sources. Dingoes were used in hunting kangaroos.
The karadji (medicine-men) were
important in ceremonial rituals and as healers. They had greater status and authority.
According to lists compiled in 1829 by Presbyterian minister Reverend John McGarvie, on the west side of the Hawkesbury
River between Sackville and Wilberforce, there are 16 lagoons and four different Aboriginal words applying to the lagoons: Warretya, Warang, Warradé, Warrakia.
There are engravings, grinding grooves and rock shelters located in the region.
Read More:
The Original People of the Hawkesbury / Blue Mountains: - The Aboriginal Identification from Colonial History G.E. Ford, 2013,
here
"Gundungurra" language, by R. H. Mathews (free e-book),
here here
"People of the River: Lost Worlds of Early Australia", by Grace Karskens
NAIDOC Week, Gadigal, Eora1788
The first fleet arrived in January 1788. Captain Arthur Phillip established a convict settlement at Sydney Cove on January 26, 1788.
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| Lithograph of the First Fleet entering Port Jackson, 26 January 1788, by Edmund Le Bihan |
1789
The first Governor of New South Wales, Gov. Arthur Phillip, who founded the city of Sydney, set off on a boat
expedition along the Branches of what became the Hawkesbury River in 1789.
Capt. John Hunter
noticed Aboriginal people picking up root tubers (yams). Phillip's party camped at Sackville with local Aboriginal men Gomebeere and Yellowmundy. David Collins recorded the speech. Gov. Phillip wrote on his return:
"I found on the banks of the Hawkesbury, people who made use of several words we could not understand, & it soon appeared that they had a language different from that used by those natives we have hitherto been acquainted with......"
The Name of this Aboriginal
group was not recorded at the time but they were referred to as “The Branch” natives and and "Wollombi tribe". (Descendants of Gombeeree and Yellowmundi still live in the area)
They exchanged gifts of animal hair and a spear for a hatchet and newly shot duck.
1790s
In April 1791, Governor Arthur Phillip led a party of 21 overland to try and find Richmond Hill by travelling from Parramatta. They wanted to determine if the Nepean and Hawkesbury were the same river.
The diary of Captain Watkin Tench, who accompanied Phillip, published as "Sydney’s First Four Years 1788-1791", reported that Governor Phillip, along with two Sydney Aboriginal people, Colebee and Boladeree, acting as guides, led a party of men to the Hawkesbury via Baulkham Hills, through Maraylya and Cattai, to Pitt Town Bottoms and then to the Hawkesbury River. (a memorial is located on Pitt Town Bottoms Road)
Aboriginal people in canoes and fires were observed. They camped
overnight with Aboriginal men Gombeeree, Yellomundi and Deeimba at Bardenarang Creek.
Tench referred to the Aboriginal people whom they met in this area as "friends". As they parted company Tench wrote:
"they bade us adieu, in unabated friendship and good humour … we shook them by the hand, which they returned lustily".
The small pox of 1791 devastated Aboriginal populations who had no immunity.
Major Francis Grose initiated the plan to
settle the Hawkesbury. Grose reported in 1794: “I have settled on the banks of the Hawkesbury twenty two settlers, who seem very much pleased with their farms."
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| Views of The Hawkesbury, NSW |
The farms in the Hawkesbury area are Australia's oldest farms still under cultivation.
1874, trustees appointed: Wilberforce Common.—J.H. Fleming, S.J. Dunston, R. Greentree.
Violent clashes would soon begin in 1795 when British settlers established farms along the Hawkesbury River, resulting in competition for
food sources. The total deaths over the first 9 years of the Hawkesbury settlement were 30–34 Aboriginal people and 18 Europeans.
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| An illustration from The Voyage of Governor Phillip to Botany Bay, 1789 |
Captain Paterson's report, 15th June 1795, stated:
"The number of settlers on the banks of the Hawkesbury, with their families, amounts to upwards of four hundred persons, and their grounds extend nearly thirty miles along the banks on both sides of the river. They have for some time past been annoyed by the natives, who have assembled in large parties for the purpose of plundering them of their corn; and from the impossibility of furnishing each settler with firearms for his defence, several accidents have happened. Within a few weeks five people have been killed and several wounded. It therefore became absolutely necessary to take some measures which might secure to the settlers the peaceable possession of their estates, and without which, from the alarm these murders have created, I very much feared they would have abandoned the settlement entirely, and given up the most fertile spot which has yet been discovered in the colony. I therefore sent a detachment of two subalterns and sixty privates of the New South Wales Corps to the river, as well as to drive the natives to a distance, as for the protection of the settlers.
It gives me concern to have been forced to destroy any of these people, particularly as I have no doubt of their having been cruelly treated by some of the first settlers who went out there; however, had I not taken this step, every prospect of advantage which the colony may expect to derive from a settlement formed on the banks of so fine a river as the Hawkesbury would be at an end."
It must be noted, that Aboriginal people depended on the environment and climate to provide food and other resources, such as vegetable roots, seeds and berries, possums and kangaroos.
The river frontage along Wilberforce Reach, close to the future town, was occupied by the end of 1794 and the area along the north-eastern part of York Reach was being farmed by 1795.
John Cobcroft, born Yorkshire, UK, was initially sentenced to death at the 7 May 1788 Old Bailey sessions for highway robbery, but was instead
transported to New South Wales for life. He was granted a conditional pardon on 12 December 1794 by Lieutenant Governor Francis Grose. On 22 July 1795, he was granted 30 acres of land at Wilberforce, New South Wales, by Lieutenant-Governor William Paterson.
In April 1796, a cottage was constructed for the commanding officer of the garrison of soldiers stationed at Green Hills ( Windsor).
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| View of Wilberforce on the banks of the River Hawkesbury, New South Wales, Lycett, Joseph, approximately 1775-1828 |
John Frederick Cobcroft was born in Wilberforce, NSW on the 5th of March. 1797, and baptised there on the 6th of November, 1797. He was the son of convict John Cobcroft and free settler Sarah Smith. He was a Chief Constable
in the Police.
John married Mary Crew, daughter of convicts William Crew and Mary Cassidy, at St Matthew's, Windsor, in 1817.
1800s
David Collins, deputy judge advocate and lieutenant-governor, recorded in 1800: "The natives of the coast, whenever speaking of those of the interior, constantly expressed themselves with contempt and marks of disapprobation. Their language was unknown to each other, and there was not any doubt of their living in a state of mutual distrust and enmity."
Drought began in 1803.
Clashes and violence escalate.
In May 1804, Matthew Everingham, his wife and servant on their Sackville Reach farm were attacked by Aboriginal people He, his wife, and a servant were wounded by spears, and his house was burnt down.
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| SYDNEY. On Tuesday Hɪꜱ Exᴄᴇʟʟᴇɴᴄʏ and Fᴀᴍɪʟʏ returned to Town from Parramatta. A Hawkesbury boat was attacked in the River at the beginning of last week by a banditti of branch natives, but failed in their attempt to take the vessel, and were repelled with the loss of 𝑊𝑜𝑔𝑙𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑔ℎ; who was shot through the head; and there was much reason to suppose 𝐵𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑐ℎ 𝐽𝑎𝑐𝑘 shared a like fate. Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842), Sunday 8 September 1805 |
John Howe at Swallow Rock Reach farm were wounded. Governor King sent troops with orders for constables and settlers to support the Portland Head settlers.
Magistrates Samuel Marsden and Thomas Arndell give food and clothing to two Aboriginal men of Richmond Hill, Yaragowhy and Yaramandy [Yarramundi], and ask them to help putting an end to "mischiefs".
Governor Macquarie set out in November 1810 on a "
tour of inspection" to the outer western Sydney districts. Travelling with Mrs Macquarie and a group of aides and surveyors, including Captain Antill, Dr Redfern and Mr Evans, their route followed the Hawkesbury and Nepean Rivers, with Macquarie surveying the land.
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| Lachlan Macquarie attributed to John Opie (1761-1807) |
On the 6th December 1810, Macquarie recorded in his journal: “After dinner I christened the new townships…I gave the name of Windsor to the town intended to be erected in the district of the Green Hills…the township in the Richmond district I have named Richmond…” The district reminded Macquarie of those towns in England, whilst Castlereagh, Pitt Town and Wilberforce were named after English statesmen.
On 5 January 1811, James Meehan laid out Wilberforce, in a perfect symmetry of three rows, each containing five sections.
Meehan laid out 2 acres for a burial
ground at Wilberforce and on 2 February 1811, Macquarie instructed Reverend Samuel Marsden to consecrate the burial grounds.
The earliest burials in Wilberforce Cemetery were three drowned men, James Hamilton (Hambleton), Joseph Ware and John Tunstal on 13 December 1811, whose gravesites are unknown.
Wilberforce Park at 47 George Road is also known as Great Square, Reserved Square and the Recreation Ground.
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| Macquarie's instructions to James Meehan for the laying out of the Five Townships of Windsor, Richmond, Pitt town, Wilberforce and Castlereagh dated 26 December 1810. Notice Macquarie's attention to detail in the instructions: he sets a regular width for the streets and the assignment of land to be used for the Church, School, Gaol and Guard house. He even gives directions as to the type of dwelling houses which may be built. Secretary’s Office Sydney 26th December 1810, Museums of History NSW - State Archives CollectionThe name (Wilberforce) being painted on a board was nailed on a high post and erected in the middle of the large square in presence of a great number of the most respectable settlers in this district". (Macquarie, Journals) |
Wilberforce developed as an area of small farms.
Thomas Rose (1754?-1833), a farmer, born at Blandford, Dorset, England, and his family together with four other free settlers sailed in the
Bellona for New South Wales, arriving in 1793. At first, the Rose family settled on the Liberty Plains, now the Strathfield-Homebush district, then Prospect.
Moving to the fertile Hawkesbury region, they proceeded to farm the land on which Rose Cottage is now situated, originally part of a 30 acre grant to William Mackay made by Governor Hunter in 1797. Rose Cottage is recognised as Australia's oldest known timber slab house still situated on it's original site. The family occupied the cottage continuously until 1961.
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| Rose Cottage, Wilberforce, NSW, The oldest known timber slab dwelling in Australia still standing on it’s original site |
On 8th June, 1811, Rev. R. Cartwright was appointed a magistrate for Wilberforce, which position he held untill 1817.
Severe drought began in 1812 creating more
pressure on settlers and Aboriginal people.
A ferry or punt operated by Michael Nowland commenced between Pitt Town and Wilberforce on 25 April 1812. The ferry continued until June 1921.
More skirmishes between 1814–16. Military detachments permanently in the district.
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| Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842), Saturday 12 October 1816 |
Surgeon James Mileham arrived on the
Ganges, 2nd June, 1797, located at Wilberforce 1815-20.
At Wilberforce a school was taught by Mr P. Thompson (1815-20), then by William Gow (1822-42).
Floods during 1816.
Governor Lachlan Macquarie issued a proclamation on 4 May 1816, declaring that no Aboriginal person could carry "offensive weapons" within a mile of settlements.
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| Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842), Saturday 16 November 1816 |
Fighting ceased on the Hawkesbury Nepean River system in 1816.
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| Matthew James Everingham (1768-1817) Wilberforce, NSW |
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| "Corroboree around a campfire" by Joseph Lycett (ca. 1817) National Library of Australia, |
Captain Brabyn in 1817 was appointed Magistrate for Wilberforce.
St John's Anglican Church and Macquarie Schoolhouse was designed by Edmund Blacket and built from 1819 to 1859 by James Atkinson (senior). The schoolhouse was built by John Brabyn.
1820s
John Cobcroft kept the George and Dragon public house, Wilberforce Road, Wilberforce, from around 1822-1846.
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| Aboriginal group at Windsor, 1815. Detail of 'A view of Hawkesbury and the Blue Mountains'. Drawn by Captain James Wallis, probably in 1815, and engraved by William Preston in 1820. |
William Greentree leased 30 acres at Wilberforce, and in 1822, it was reported that he had 5 acres under wheat, 5 under maize, 2 under barley, 3 under oats, ¾ of an acre under peas and beans, 1 acre under potatoes, ½ acre used for a garden and an orchard and a further 10 acres of cleared ground; he also owned a horse.
In 1829, the Reverend John McGarvie made a handwritten list of 178 Aboriginal place names along the Hawkesbury River. Rev. McGarvie also noted geographic features and the names of settler’s farms. A sketch of a gunya (shelter) he saw Aboriginal people building near his house can be seen
here.
1830s
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| New South Wales Government Gazette (Sydney, NSW : 1832 - 1900), Wednesday 30 October 1833 |
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| Surveyor General's Sketch books.Wilberforce inhabitants petition for roads. Dated: 20/05/1836 |
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| New South Wales Government Gazette (Sydney, NSW : 1832 - 1900), Wednesday 27 March 1839 |
Stannix Park House, built from sandstone, was constructed in 1839 on a 1280 acre grant to William Hall dated 1837.
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| Stannix Park House, built from sandstone, was constructed in 1839 on a 1280 acre grant to William Hall dated 1837, Wilberforce, NSW |
1840s
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| New South Wales Government Gazette (Sydney, NSW : 1832 - 1900), Tuesday 19 September 1848 |
1850s
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| John Cobcroft & Sarah Smith arrived in NSW on the Scarborough & Neptune on the Second Fleet. Sarah's portrait painted in 1856 by Joseph Backler is held in the State Library of NSW. Sarah, a midwife, bore a total of ten children. In 1828, Cobcroft was described as a farmer of Wilberforce, aged 68, living with his wife, aged 57 |
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| New South Wales Government Gazette (Sydney, NSW : 1832 - 1900), Friday 22 July 1859 |
The historic St John's Anglican Church, designed by Edmund Thomas Blacket and built by J. Atkinson of Windsor. was constricted 1856-9.
1870s
In 1871 Aboriginal people were included in the total population of the colony, although only including people in settled areas.
Captain Thunderbolt (Frederick Ward) was born in Rose Street, Wilberforce, NSW, in 1835, going on to become an Australian bushranger renowned for escaping from Cockatoo Island, and also for his reputation as the "gentleman bushranger".
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| 25 May 1870, Frederick Ward aka 'Captain Thunderbolt' was shot by Captain Walker (an off-duty policeman) after a dramatic showdown when Walker shot Thunderbolt’s horse out from under him in swamp land in Kentucky Creek, near Uralla. Thunderbolt was born in Rose Street, Wilberforce NSW in 1835, going on to become an Australian bushranger renowned for escaping from Cockatoo Island, and also for his reputation as the "gentleman bushranger" and his lengthy survival, being the longest roaming bushranger in Australian history and the last professional bushranger in New South Wales. |
1880s
James Tuckerman, who lived at Sackville published a list of local Aboriginal words in 1887.
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Aboriginal fishermen on the Hawkesbury River, NSW, c1888
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The
Windsor and Richmond Gazette owned by John Charles Lucas Fitzpatrick commenced publication in 1888 and continued until 1982 when the name was changed to the
Hawkesbury Gazette.
In 1889 an Aboriginal Reserve was established on 150 acres at Sackville.
1890s
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| Windsor and Richmond Gazette (NSW : 1888 - 1965), Saturday 30 December 1893 |
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| Windsor and Richmond Gazette (NSW : 1888 - 1965), Saturday 26 August 1893 |
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| Windsor and Richmond Gazette (NSW : 1888 - 1965), Saturday 23 December 1893 |
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| Windsor and Richmond Gazette (NSW : 1888 - 1965), Saturday 14 December 1895 |
Robert Mathews, who worked with Aboriginal people recording their languages and cultures, met a Darkinjung man called Andy Barber, who led him to a rock engraving that he remembered being made in the 1850s.
The engraving located in Wilberforce depicts a white settler wearing a cabbage-tree hat and carrying a metal axe. Barber said that the engraving was
made by an Aboriginal man, called "Hiram" in the 1850s, with a European axe instead of traditional tools.
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| Grape pickers, including Aboriginal employees, from the Tizzana Winery at Sackville Reach, NSW, on the Hawkesbury River |
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| Mrs. Greentree had a family of eight children, among whom are the following : Mr. Reuben Greentree, Wilberforce ; Mr. George Greentree, Freeman's Reach ; Mrs. Wenham,Orange ; .Mrs. G. Turnbull, Sackville ;Mrs. J. Gosper, Meranburn. She has also 60 grandchrildren, and 103 great- grandchildren. She has resided at Freeman's Reach and Wilberforce, NSW, nearly all her life, Hawkesbury Advocate (Windsor, NSW : 1899 - 1900), Friday 22 December 1899 |
1900s
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| Windsor and Richmond Gazette (NSW : 1888 - 1965), Saturday 14 April 1900 |
Robert Mathews published a record of the Hawkesbury Aboriginal language spelt by Matthews as Darkiñung in 1903. According to G.E. Ford (2010), the people of the Hawkesbury were misidentified as Dharug, which was mistakingly applied it to the Darkiñung of the Hawkesbury and Blue Mountains. (
1.)
1904: Old Wilberforce Revived. [By WILLIAM FREAME]
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