Home Among the Gum Trees

This Australia Day, I set myself a challenge to write a brief overview of my ancestors who made us who we are today, fair dinkum true-blue Aussies. Some came of their own accord, paying for their passage, while others were sent here courtesy of the British Government and whom we now call Australian Royalty!

This post was inspired by Pauleen Cass and her challenge in 2014. Read more of that post here.

1845, 4 July – My first ancestor to arrive in Australia was Thomas Green alias John. He is also my first ancestor with Australian Royalty, having been transported to Tasmania on the convict ship Theresa, for counterfeiting coins. Unfortunately he did not to live a very long life, dying at Port Arthur near Hobart ten years later in 1855 and is buried on the Isle of the Dead. Thomas is my grandmother Annie Norma Cripps’ great grandfather.

1848, 30 June – Thomas’ wife Ann Green alias Ann Barrow, is also of Australian Royalty. She was transported on the convict ship Elizabeth & Henry to Tasmania for stealing lace. She brought with her their two surviving daughters, Annie & Matilda. Ann Green died in Hobart in 1853 shortly after she had received her Conditional Pardon. Ann left behind a new born baby son and two daughters. Annie was to become my great great grandmother on my paternal side of the family.

Edmund Alexander Delisser

1848, 14 September – Adam Lymburner (Delisser) arrived in Adelaide, South Australia on the ship Royal George, with his wife Elizabeth and daughter Agnes. Adam is my great great grandfather on my paternal side of the family. In 1851 he supplied two bullock teams and took with him a large party overland from Adelaide to Bendigo. He returned to Adelaide, and, having tried farming without success and a short stint at wine growing, he moved with his family to Gympie in 1870 where he continued his profession of an analytical chemist and assayer. Adam died in Gympie on New Year’s Eve, 31 December 1893. His brother, Edmund Alexander Delisser, was famous for having named the Nullarbor Plain in 1865.

James Albert Herbert

1853, 28 April saw the arrival of James Herbert & Mary with two children, James Albert, Helen Herbert and step daughter Elizabeth. They arrived on the Palestine from England to Fremantle, Western Australia. James is my great great grandfather on my maternal family tree. He settled in Rockingham and built the “Bush Inn” or Rockingham Inn as it became known, then later Chesterfield Inn. He built a schooner and named her after his wife, Mary Herbert. Unfortunately he was to go down with her in September 1875, off the south west coast of Western Australia, leaving Mary a widow. His son James Albert Herbert, built the Federal Hotel in Fremantle, in 1887.

1853, 28 April – John Snook & his wife Elizabeth with three children, Elizabeth, Annie Marie and Emma arrived in Fremantle on the Palestine, the same ship as James Herbert. Annie Snook went on to marry James Albert Herbert in 1865. John Snook lost his life when his wife’s nephew, William Conroy shot him at the opening of the Fremantle Hall in 1887. He died from his wounds and William was sentenced to death and was the last person executed at the Perth Gaol.

Owen Williams

1859, 6 April – Owen & Mary Williams arrived per Hamilla Mitchell from Wales to Fremantle, Western Australia with two sons. They went on to have seven children, one of whom was a daughter Margaret Williams, who was reputed to be the first white girl born in Northampton in 1859, she married my great paternal grandfather Charles Thomas Cripps in 1882. Owen was a mine manager brought out from Wales along with four other families to oversee the mining in the Northampton district. He died in 1888.

Charles Cripps 1916

1870, 25 January – Charles Thomas Cripps my paternal great grandfather ran away from his London home to escape his step father at the age of 16. He came via the ship Palestine and is said to have jumped ship somewhere in the north. Charles swapped a team of horses for 100 acres of land. There were 3 blocks in total and one became the well known Mumby Merino Sheep Station in the Northampton District. Charles went to the Western Front in WWI at the age of 65. He fortunately returned home to his eight children and two step children. Charles died in Northampton in 1923.

James Caddy

1884, 8 July – James Ryan Caddy & his wife Anne & son Thomas, arrived on the Lady Douglas in Fremantle, Western Australia. James first established iron works in Wellington Street, Perth in partnership with Mr Tomlinson. The partnership dissolved and he was employed on the Eastern Railway line, working as a ganger. On its completion, James went into partnership with Mr Henley and established the Avonside Iron Works in Northam, and later was employed as a brass and iron moulder at Withnell’s. James my maternal great grandfather died in Northam in 1931.

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Samuel Mansell

1854, 10 October – Samuel Mansell, my husband Bob’s great grandfather on his maternal side of the family is also of Australian Royalty. Samuel was a collier (miner) in Wales and he was sentenced to transportation for stealing a watch and escaping from the convict hulk. He came via the convict ship Ramillies and was stationed at Port Gregory and worked on the Geraldine mine before working at the Wannernooka mine in Northampton. Samuel died in 1902.

1858, 12 August – Sarah Darling, Bob’s great grandmother. Not of Australian Royalty, but she did marry Samuel Mansell (above) soon after her arrival on what is known as a “Bride Ship” the Emma Eugenia. She went on to become a domestic servant for Mr Burges at the Bowes, where perhaps she met Samuel who had to report as a ticket-of-leave man every so often to Mr Burges the then magistrate of the district. Sarah and Samuel had eight children, however sadly she died in childbirth in 1875 aged 43.

John & Mary Thomas

1859, 6 April – John Thomas & his wife Mary arrived on the same ship, the Hamilla Mitchell as the Williams family. They had two children with them and their son Daniel is reputed to be the first white boy born in Northampton. John and five other families were brought out from Wales to oversee the mines in the district. He was at the Geraldine mine in Ajana and went on to be a pastoralist on Balline Station and Spring Valley Farm. John died at Balline in 1895. John & Mary are Bob’s great grandparents on his maternal side of the family tree.

Donald MacKay

1924, 4 April – Donald MacKay is Bob’s father, making him a second generation Australian. Donald arrived in Fremantle from Scotland on the ship Largs Bay with his brother Janetas (Jock). They share farmed for a short time before buying their own property named Rogart Farm, in the district of Chapman Valley. He married Sarah Thomas and lived on the farm before moving to Geraldton. Donald died in 1959 and Sarah in 1963.

I think we have some pretty awesome ancestors who through them we are here today and can be proud that we are who we are, true-blue!