The bicentenary of European settlement in Port Macquarie will be acknowledged in April 2021. The Port Macquarie News will publish monthly feature stories to mark the occasion.
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For Port Macquarie resident Jennifer Mullin, walking across Allman Hill can send a shiver down her spine.
It's even noticeable that the hairs stand up on her arms just talking about her seventh generation ancestor, Thomas Currey.
And it's little wonder: Thomas Currey was the seventh-last person buried in Port Macquarie's original cemetery on Allman Hill.
The year was 1824, a mere three years after European settlement.
Port Macquarie was established as a penal colony, firstly as a place for second offenders or those convicted in the colony to serve their time and, because of its relative isolation from other settlements in the new colony.
Captain Francis Allman led the establishment of the settlement, ordering the convicts to undertake preliminary clearing works to establish farming and construction of huts and other buildings.
Those first convicts arrived as volunteers with a pledge of freedom once the works were complete.
One of the tasks was to identify a burial site with Allman Hill originally chosen before a second site opened in November 1824.
The historical society has a plinth inside the historic cemetery on what is now Gordon Street, that carries the names of those known to be buried at the original site.
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"While I don't have any records for Thomas prior to his conviction in England, his is still a fascinating story.
"He came from Bakewell in Derbyshire and was before the courts at the age of 23 years. While I am unsure of the charges against him, I believe it was for stealing clothing.
"He was sentenced to seven years transportation to NSW.
"Thomas left England on the Elizabeth in May 1816, arriving here in the October. But they waited on the ship for a full six days before they were brought to shore.
"Can you imagine travelling for months by sea and then having to wait a further six days onboard before you are allowed ashore.
"You can see this land and it is totally foreign to you. Your life has been tipped upside down.
"Thomas must have thought that he had just escaped the northern summer, but he arrived here in spring and would endure a summer that would be totally different for him."
It wasn't long before Thomas was put to work as convicts were either allocated to free settlers or to work for the government.
It appears Thomas was in the latter group because Mrs Mullin has found details of him working as a nurseryman, head gardener and seedsman in what could have the Royal Botanic Gardens.
Married life
Thomas married Charlotte Cubitt in 1820 in Sydney, with permission from her parents.
Her father, Daniel Cubitt, was a bootmaker in England before he was sentenced to transportation to the new colony in NSW.
But misfortune was to strike Daniel, according to Mrs Mullin.
"His ship left England between the first and second fleets but was shipwrecked after hitting an iceberg off the Cape of Good Hope.
"While many of the convicts fled overboard, Daniel stayed with the vessel before being picked up by the Neptune - which was part of the second fleet.
"On arrival in the new colony, Daniel was pardoned. He was soon in a de facto relationship with Maria Cook and they went on to have a number of children.
"One of those was Charlotte who was born in 1805.
"Charlotte would have been just 15 or 16 years while Thomas was around 28 years at the time of their marriage.
"Their first son, Thomas would be born the same year. Another son, George, was born in 1822 but would not survive infancy."
Cheating death
Thomas was soon to come under the scrutiny of the authorities in the new colony.
Mrs Mullin has found two charges against Thomas - both in 1822 - for stealing from a Thomas Rushton.
"Thomas was found guilty on both occasions and sentenced to death.
"Reading between the lines, I think that because Charlotte's father was apparently well-connected, they were able to petition the governor and get Thomas' sentence commuted to life imprisonment.
"So he was transported to Port Macquarie, arriving in the new penal colony in 1822 onboard the Lady Nelson.
"He was not in line for a happy life here in Port Macquarie.
"When his sentence was commuted he was to be put in chains from the minute he arrived in the new settlement. He would have been assigned to hard labour."
As was the custom of the day, it appears that Charlotte and Thomas both petitioned for her and young Thomas to join him in Port Macquarie.
Mrs Mullin is unsure if she ever made the trip, however, she has unearthed some documentation on the topic.
"I found some information that says that: 'He (Thomas) recovered his senses. Requests wife and child to join him in Port Macquarie'.
"That was written in late May 1822.
"That information would suggest that Thomas was unwell."
Life goes on
While it is unclear what happened to Charlotte, Thomas would eventually pass away on August 5, 1824. He was buried on Allman Hill.
Mrs Mullin has found evidence that Charlotte petitioned the governor to marry at least two men - a Robertson and a Heldreth.
Surprisingly, the latter was also a volunteer convict in the newly established penal settlement at Port Macquarie.
"I have been able to locate documentation showing that Charlotte ended up marrying John Robertson," she said.
"I often wonder how my life would have been different if Thomas had lived. What if Charlotte did come to Port Macquarie, maybe I could have been a true local?"
Search for burial sites
Mrs Mullin does have one wish for the bicentenary celebrations of European settlement which are scheduled for April 2021.
She would like to see technology used to ascertain exactly where the grave sites are located on Allman Hill.
There are two burial plots still visible - one for a soldier and the second for an infant.
"When I walk up there I could be walking over the grave of Thomas Currey," she says.
"It is a bit creepy to think of it in those terms.
"But I would love to bring back that part of him so we can all remember why we are here.
"Thomas arrived in Australia and was made to carve out the settlement of Port Macquarie.
"At times you feel like a detective piecing together different elements of his life.
"It's like putting together a jigsaw when you don't really know what the entire picture looks like.
"Being part of a group such as Port Macquarie Family History Society is a definite advantage in the research journey.
"But I think we should be doing more to preserve our heritage both Indigenous and European.
"There is very little of our history from 1778 available. Maybe, as convicts descendants, we didn't want to look back."
Mrs Mullin says she is proud of Thomas and of having a convict in her family.
"It's great these facts are no longer frowned upon or hidden away," she said.
"We should celebrate our history and our heritage."
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