Mary Stewart (nee FitzRoy) was the only daughter of Governor Charles FitzRoy. She was living in England with her husband Keith Stewart when her mother, Lady FitzRoy, was killed in a tragic carriage accident at Government House, Parramatta in December 1847. At this point the Stewarts had
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In 1878, Old Government House at Parramatta opened as a genteel boarding house. When the local bowling club was looking for a green in 1882, they approached the proprietor, Mrs Abrahams, about leasing a piece of land behind the house. To sweeten the deal they suggested her
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It’s hard to imagine Sydney having an epidemic of bubonic plague, but that’s what happened in 1900. The infection arrived on a visiting ship in January, and spread in overcrowded, unsanitary slums. THE PLAGUE – PARRAMATTA’S PRECAUTIONS I hadn’t realized there was a vaccine against plague, but
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My original story of Sydney born Mary Drummond (nee Gallagher) was a sad one (*there is a link to it at the end of this piece). The doctor she married in May 1887 turned out to be a complete charlatan. He had stolen another man’s medical diplomas
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Mention the term ’colonial architect’ in New South Wales and most people would respond with the name Francis Greenway. That is quite understandable, but let’s bring another deserving character out of the shadows. Who better to speak of John Cliffe Watts’ ability and character than Elizabeth Macquarie?
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The spectre of climate change and periods of prolonged drought have created an upsurge of interest in the growing of Australian native plants. However, we have been slow to embrace them. I suspect this would surprise and disappoint women pioneers such as Elizabeth Macarthur, who began
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UPDATE – OCTOBER 13 2021. FAREWELL TO THE RETIRING MANLY FERRY QUEENSCLIFF. Forty years of carrying us across the water. 🚤🚢 HELLO, EDITOR DES HERE. I HOPE YOU LIKE THIS STORY ABOUT THE DEAR OLD FERRIES THAT PLY SYDNEY HARBOUR. MY GUARDIAN PAULINE CONOLLY WROTE IT. I
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