Category Archives: New South Wales

Alexander Fairweather : Pioneer Builder.

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My great grandfather, Alexander Fairweather, was a well-regarded builder and contractor in the Grafton district of Northern New South Wales. Born at Kinnaird farm, Lintrathen, Forfarshire, Scotland on the 22nd August 1840 to Alexander Fairweather and his wife Jean Anderson, he was the youngest of six children. Kinnaird and the surrounding farms occupied land owned by the Earl of Airlie and by all accounts his father had worked there from prior to 1835.[i] Following the death of Alexander Snr in … Continue reading

Life and times of John Beale.

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John Beale (or Beal as he was sometimes known), had an interesting life in the early years of the Colony of New South Wales. In many ways, he was no different from any other person in early Australia, but he certainly had an active life. John Beale, the son of Joseph Beale and Rebecca Heppy, was born in Essex in 1783 and baptised at All Saints’ with St Peter, Maldon, Essex on 23 March the same year.[1]  John was the … Continue reading

The Wrong Place at the Wrong Time

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Johann George and Maria Barbara Heldt and their children, Peter, Nicholas, Elizabeth and Barbara, arrived in Australia in March 1853 on board The Helene. They were among the numerous German immigrant families who settled in the Clarence River District in Northern New South Wales. Johann and Maria were my 3xgreat grandparents. Their daughter Elizabeth was my 2xgreat grandmother. It was whilst researching my Heldt ancestors, I got “lost” in Trove, as often happens, and came across the tragic story of … Continue reading