NEWSLETTER OF FELLOWSHIP OF FIRST FLEETERS ·1;, li1•e ,111111 the h,·,1rt,, ,11uJ 1n111d. 1 ,,(JJ,·,1c,·11da11/,, 1., m·,•,·r /,, th~·.'' PATRON: Her Excellency, Professor Marie Bashir, AC, Governor of New South Wales PruiJent:, report am sure that you will join with me, 2.00pm. Please RSVP to FF House for regardless of any individual views on the catering purposes. It is a good opportunity to future of our Constitution, in mourning the meet some members of the Executive and I death of the Queen Mother, Queen gain an insight into the running of your Elizabeth. She was undoubtedly unique in the Fellowship. history of the Commonwealth of Nations. • On Friday 24 May and Saturday 25 May the We were also saddened by the recent death Fellowship will man a table at the Society of of a former Patron of the Fellowship, Sir Roden Australian Genealogists for an Open Day for Cutler. He was the first of our Vice-Regal Patrons Genealogical Societies. Pamela Hempel has and during the presidency of Mrs Beryl Lewis he made all of the arrangements for these two took a keen interest in the Fellowship. days - a good opportunity, hopefully, to At the March meeting ofyour Executive the increase membership and show the flag. Ring go ahead was given to member George Griffiths, First Fleet House for further details. FF John Palmer, to create a website on the The Executive also has a number of outings Internet for the Fellowship. This may be viewed later in the year, one being a tour of The at www.geocities.com/fellowship of first fleeters. Museum of Sydney on the Site of First The website will be updated from time to time and Government House, including the viewing of we are indebted to George for his interest in the the models of the 11 ships of the First Fleet and Fellowship. a tour of the precincts of this important First INSIDE For some years Joan Cox has been filing Fleet site. We shall keep y ou informed. our records at First Fleet House and has Our Annual Soup and Damper Day will be 2 NEWS OF MEMBERS decided that this is the time to retire. We thank held at First Fleet House on 24 July next at 2 URGENT-NEW Joan, who is a very proud descendant of Henry 11.00am. We hope to have an interesting guest Kable and Susannnah Holmes, for her help and speaker together with the delicious soups and TREASURER abiding interest in the Fellowship over the damper both Bonney and Phyllis prepare. 2 THOMAS AKERS years. Numbers are limited to about 40, so book in DESCENDANTS Our updating the computer has been early on 9360-3788. Cost will be $5.00. proceeding at a slower rate than we expected. By Our best wishes go out to recent Life Member, .J CRUISE ON SAILING the new financial year all should be in readiness! ! Syd Ballard from the Northern Rivers Chapter, SHIP SVANEN Hopefully??J In 1988 the installation of computer on reaching the grand age of 101 years. equipment cost the Fellowship some $10,000, Lorraine Prothero, FF John Cross, the author 4 WILLIAM CHARLES courtesy of a State Government Grant. This of two books held in our library on this First WENTWORTH update will cost in the vicinity of some $4,000 Fleeter, has passed to the Fellowship the index which, with the help of the Daytime Fellowship, cards on all known descendants of John Cross 5 FROM THE CHAPTERS and the temporary increase of fees last year, we and Mary Davison, convict, Second Fleet. This• will be able to meet. We are also indebted to a is indeed a valuable acquisition to our records and 6 FREDERICK MEREDITH - number of members who have donated to this I express gratitude to Lorraine on your behalf. A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY cause. Some information has an embargo of privacy Two dates for your diary: which we will respect. It contains the names of 7 POTTED BIOGRAPHIES • There will be a President's Welcome at First some 4,100 descendants. Fleet House on Sunday 19 May next. Both 8 AM I REALLY Me? 'old' and 'new' members are welcome from co11ti11 ae'J 011 page 8 Price 50¢ Registered by Australia Post Publication No NBH 1271 JOHN GRIFFITHS: Mr Lawrence Arthur MEMBERSHIP REPORT Pomeroy Troode. FOR PERIOD 26 JULY 200 I TO I 6 FEBRUARY 2002 HENRY KABLE - SUSANNAH HOLMES: Mrs Frances Joan Laughton. We extend a warm welcome to new members joined during this period, 25 adults and nine MARTHA KENNEDY: Mrs Barbara Mary JUntors. Morton. THOMAS ACRES: Mrs Kathleen Mary NATHANIEL LUCAS OLIVIA Brosnan. GASCOIGNE: Mr Raymond Thomas Arthur, Mr Darren Andrew Arthur, Mr Gareth Jon JACOB BELLETT + PLUS JOHN Arthur, M Stephen John Murphy. HERBERT+ THOMAS KIDNEY+ JOSHUA PECK: Mrs Heather Joan Eleveld, Mrs Helen FREDERICK MEREDITH: Mr Carl Ashley Marie Monaghan. Purcell (jun). PATRICK BURN -ANN SMITH: Mr Maxwell JOHN REDMAN: Mrs Judith Isabel Jackson. John Hennessy (jun). WILLIAM ROBERTS: Mr Jonathon Mark BENJAMIN CUSLEY: Mrs Tania Fay Naughton (jun), Miss Kylie Elizabeth Naughton Hartigan, Mrs Nerida Melville-Smith, Miss Rana (jun). Melville-Smith, Mr lain Kenneth Waddell-Smith, Miss Kathryn Ellen Waddell-Smith, Miss Anne JOHN RYAN: Mr John Charles Doddemade. Barbara Waddell-Smith (jun). JOHN SMALL-MARY PARKER: Mr Bryce PHI LIP DEVINE: Mr Thomas Phillip Devine. Trevor Hemmons (jun), Mr Corey Ronald Hemmons (jun), Miss Shannon Rose Hemmons PHTLIP DIVINE+ WlLLIAM EGGLETON (jun). - MARY DICKENSON: Mr Geoffrey Arthur Carwardine. JAMES SQUIRE: Dr Adrian Arthur Dunn. MATTHEW EVERINGHAM: Mrs Shirley Rae ROBERT WILLIAMS: Miss Evangeline Grace Robards, Mr Barry Neville Walmsley, Mr Lawton Butler (jun). Edward Gordon Weber. JOSEPH WRIGHT: Mrs Vi.Ima Beryl Hurditch. ROBERT FORRESTER: Dr Noel Hodge. OYEZ ... OYEZ ... OYEZ DESCENDANTS OF URGENT! Our long-serving Treasurer is calling it a day! THOMAS AKERS F.F. He has served us well for many years but he feels that the time has come to step down ATTENTION! Closing date for to let new blood take over. copy The Quest is On! Members of this First Fleet Family are advised May/ ssue Who among our many members of myriad that notification of entries for updating of the May 31 2002 skills will volunteer to be our revered Family Tree closes on Hon. Treasurer. I June 2002. Roy assures the successful nominee that he will stay for a period while the changeover Contacts are: takes place. Miss A.Akers Please write to the President Box 484 PO Dee Why, NSW 2099 OFFICE HOURS First Fleet House, IOS Cathedral Street, Woolloomooloo 20 I I, with your offer to Mr J.Walker become Hon. Treasurer. Box 39 PO Leeton NSW 2705 GJ RE TRIP TO BELLINGER Sunday, 2 June to Friday, 8 June. Coach leaves Bay 4 at 8.00am Return about 5.00pm to Central. i I ' / CD ILLIAM 1790-1872 HARLES ENTWORTH orn on the way to Norfolk Island, the Sydney in 1823 he was admitted to the Bar and son of t he Assistant S urgeon c um within a year had joined forces with Wardell to S uperinte ndent of Police, Willia m 's publish the fi rst free newspaper in Australia. By early days were far removed from the 1827 W illiam was established in his new home at Bfamily backgrou nd m England w here Vaucluse and had been appointed a director of the descendancy to the Stuart courtier Thomas, Earl reorganised Bank of New South Wales. After of Stafford, was cla imed. helping to create the Patriotic Association and It was not until he was six years of age that leading the fight to have the M ilitary Assessors the y oung W Jliam came to live in Sydney and by replaced by the civilia n jury system, his first the time he was 13, he was sent off to E ngland major defeat came when Governor Sir George to be educated . H e rema ined there until he was G ipps disallowed his claim to have p urchased 22. He returned to Sydney and for a while he was the w hole of the South Island of New Zealand. appointed Acting Provost Marshal. W ith the last of the imperial convicts It was about this time he teamed up with discharged, the Colony was making rapid strides Blaxla nd a nd Lawson and together they to becoming an attractive home for free migrants pioneered the crossing of the Blue M ountains. a nd in 1849 Willia m headed a Select Unfortunately he contacted a lung infection w hich Parliamentary Committee to inquire into the best altered the course of his life. means of establishing an independent university. Following his return from the mountains the As much of the report was his own work, as was family sent William to convalesce on a trip on the the subsequent bill, it was not surprising to learn Sydney-built schooner C umberland, a nd it was that he was appointed to the original Senate a year during this trip he na rrowly missed death w hen later. H is eldest son Fitzwillia m became the attacked by savage natives in circumsta nces university's first Gold Medallist. similar to those which brought about the untimely F rom the hig h level of excelle nce so far death of Captain Cook, RN. achieved W ill iam became the boldest advocate of T he year 18 16 found Willia m Charles constitutional self-government, and it was he Wentworth back in E ng land as a student at w ho was largely responsible for d rafting the bill Peterhouse College, Cambridge, and q uali fying and taking it to London and have the Westminster as a Barrister-at-Law in London.