Australian Agricultural Company; Dungog; Eldon; Stroud; Uffington, New South Wales, Australia

Church of England Parish, Australian Agricultural Company; Dungog; Eldon; Stroud; Uffington, New South Wales

The Australian Agricultural Company

The Australian Agricultural Company was enabled by a Colonial Government Act of 21 June 1824.
It was granted control over an area of one million acres bounded by the Williams River in the west,
the Manning River in the north and Port Stephens in the east.

Most of the company's shareholders were merchants and bankers in England, but Mr E C Close of Morpeth
was recorded as one of the colonial shareholders. By 1826 there were 250 people settled within its boundaries.
In later years, schools, churches, post offices, court houses and other facilities were built.

Ref: Ford, R J: Williams River - the land and its people (June 1995) Page 34

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Notes from the Internet site: FREE SETTLER OR FELON? - Jen Willetts

The Australian Agricultural Company was incorporated in 1824. With a capital of one million pounds an agreement
with the British Government was undertaken that a million acres of land in NSW would be alienated to the Company under
certain conditions. A Court of Directors was appointed and a colonial committee to advise. This committee had control of
expenditure and the appointed agent was to answer to them. They were to select the most advantageous site for the
million-acre Grant. The Companyâ€™s main purpose was the production of fine wool with the addition of crops not readily
available in England. They would provide workers for the Colony at no cost to the Government and also employ a large number
of convicts. The Directors of the Company in England requested that James McArthur,H.H. McArthur and James Bowman assist
the new agent Robert Dawson with advice and information on his arrival in NSW as to the most suitable land for the
Companyâ€™s purposes. Mr Oxley, the surveyor general was consulted and suggested the Liverpool Plains, the district he had
first sighted in 1818. The Committee rejected this and Port Stephens was next suggested.

Port Stephens was noted in James Cook's log in 1770 and named in honour of Phillip Stephens, the Secretary to the
Admiralty. The area was surveyed by Charles Grimes, the Surveyor General in 1795 who gave an unfavourable report to the
Secretary of State. In 1795 four runaways from Parramatta, John Tarwood, John Watson, George Lee, and George Connoway were
found in the area by Captain Broughton captain of the ship Providence. Broughton had anchored in the port to escape bad
weather.

After the penal colony was established at Coal River, other runaways frequently followed the coastline to Port Stephens
where they were prevented from going any further unless they managed to procure a canoe from the natives. These escapes
became so frequent that authorities decided to station a party of soldiers under a corporal at the point where the
absconders were first likely to be found. This area became known as Soldiers point. After the station was abandoned,
settlers mostly ignored the area. Timber getters such as Daniel Farrell and Patrick Farrell employed by Sydney Trader
Simeon Lord were to be found but otherwise there were few European inhabitants until the area came to the attention of the
Australian Agricultural Company.

When newly appointed Commissioner of the Company, Robert Dawson arrived in 1825 with 79 settlers on the York and the
Brothers, he set out to examine Port Stephens and the country around Maitland, Luskintyre and Newcastle. He travelled
northward to Port Stephens, crossing the inlet where he met an advance party with horses and equipment and they then
followed the Karuah River. Dawson then determined the site for the future settlement.

Dawson left the party at Port Stephens to continue setting up the main camp while he returned to Sydney by schooner to
gather the remainder of the settlers and stock awaiting him at Retreat Farm. While Dawson was in Sydney, Mr. Harrington,
(secretary of the Company), Henry Dangar, (Govt. Surveyor) and Mr. Armstrong, (Company surveyor), explored the country
beyond the harbour bringing back a very favourable report.

Five months later a substantial settlement had been formed and by October 1000 head of cattle, 2000 sheep were grazing.

Under Dawsonâ€™s management the undertaking did not flourish to the Companyâ€™s requirements and he was dismissed and replaced
by James E. Ebsworth. The number of sheep on the estate by 1828 was 17,459, a huge increase in just three years; the
population reached almost 600 and farms and gardens had been established to provide food. There was a lumber camp at
Booral, a wharf and other buildings as well. Twenty-three stations had been established and were connected by roads by the
time Dawson left.

The Company was given a grant of 2000 acres of land at Newcastle in the late 1820â€™s to develop the Coal mines in a more
efficient manner. The Government handed over possession of the Newcastle Coal works in 1830 and by 1831 the Company had
repaired machinery and commenced operations. The official opening was held on the 10th December 1831 and the new
Commissioner, Sir Edward Parry, was accompanied to the Company's wharf in Watt Street by Sir Thomas Brooks, Rev. Threlkeld
and other dignitaries. A large crowd cheered as two loaded coal wagons descended on a incline plane at the same time the
empty ones were drawn up. The full wagons then travelled along the railroad to the wharf where the bottom of the wagon was
dislodged by a single blow. The steamer Sophie Jane was loaded and as she pushed off the assembled miners
gave three cheers. Many convicts were employed in the mines. Francis McNamara (Frank the Poet)was one of the few who
could put voice to his protest.

Sir Edward Parry was appointed Commissioner in 1830. Parry, previously a Captain in the Royal Navy and an Artic explorer
placed the settlement at Port Stephens under a strict regime and began building, clearing and road making. In 1831 after a
chance meeting with Hamilton C. Sempill in Sydney when he was informed by Sempill of the excellent land at the Liverpool
Plains which would be suited to sheep breeding, he decided to send Henry Dangar to seek more suitable land as replacement
for their present grant.

In March 1832 Parry travelled from Port Stephens via the Hunter Valley with Henry Dangar, Charles Hall and William Telfer
to examine the land that Dangar had found at the Peel Valley and Liverpool Plains. The party proceeded to the Peel Valley
through Maitland, Glendon, Ravensworth, Segenhoe, crossed the Liverpool Range to Warrah, Goonoo Goonoo, Quirindi and
Currabubula. They met Joseph Brown and his overseer Mr. Cann and explored up the Namoi River past present day Manilla. He
noted the coloured limestone near Attunga and returned to Port Stephens via Crawney.

Later, in August of 1833 after negotiations, Parry arranged to exchange land at Port Stephens for the land in the Liverpool
Ranges and Peel Valley. Six thousand sheep were then moved to the Peel grant. The company erected its first buildings
(houses and stores for its employees and 200 convicts) along a track that became Ebsworth Street. The house for the Peel
Superintendent, Charles Hall was known as Calala.

Officers of the Company at Port Stephens in 1832 were:
Commissioner, Sir Edward Parry, Assistant, Mr. J. E. Ebsworth; Clerks, Messrs. William Croasdil, J. White, and J. Burnet;
sheep superintendent, Charles Hall; assistant sheep superintendent Mr. John Swayne; surgeon Dr. J. E. Stacy; surveyors,
Messrs. John Armstrong and Henry Dangar; store superintendent, William Wetherman; commander of the cutter Lambton James
Corlette; stud superintendent Henry Hall; mining superintendent, John Henderson; postmaster, A.S. Menson, Captain R.G.
Moffatt of the 17th Regt of foot was in charge of the military establishment which comprised a sergeant, and 13 rank and
file.

While Dawsonâ€™s tenure was made difficult by his relationship with the Company Directors, Parry also had a multitude of
problems during his time at Port Stephens. Recalcitrant convicts, idle indentured servants, bushrangers and floods all
added to his difficulties. A major thorn in his side throughout his tenure was William Barton, (father of Australiaâ€™s first
Prime Minister Edmund Barton) the Company accountant, who was later to return to England and publish The Affairs of the
Australian Agricultural Company in 1833. This was an attempt to vindicate his actions while employed by the Company and
defame Parry. He later sued the Company for libel and malicious prosecution. Sir Edward Parry returned to England in 1834,
handing command of the Company to Henry Dumaresq who moved into Tahlee House with his wife and children.

A report written by Sir Edward Parry concerning the Company's state of affairs was delivered by Mr. Ebsworth at the annual
meeting in June 1835. The shareholders heard that lands selected in lieu of those given up by the Company were now in the
possession of the Company's agent and some of the flocks were placed on them. The new location at Liverpool Plains
consisted of 250,000 acres, and at Peel's River of 310,000 acres, which together with land at Port Stephens made a total of
640,000 acres. Lieutenant Colonel Dumaresq, the company's new commissioner, spoke in the highest terms of these lands; but
as the location at Peel's River was preferable for sheep, the flocks had been removed there and the Liverpool Plains were
occupied by the company's cattle. The stock of sheep belonging to the company as follows:

French Merinos 4,940
Saxon Merinos 2,866
Anglo Merinos 1,55
Improved colonial 27,257

The stock of horses, including thorough-bred colonial and others was 384; and the company preserved 2,803 head of cattle
consisting of Durham improved , colonial and others. Arrangements had been made by Colonel Dumaresq for the sale of surplus
stock and sheep and horses and other cattle had been sold which had produced Â£2,700. Part of the horse stock had been sold
to furnish supplies for the Madras army; an officer residing in the colony expressly to make purchases (Captain Collins).
Wheat sowing up to June had continued favourably and the quantity of land under cultivation was as follows: 8 acres of
tobacco, 278 acres of wheat, 29 acres of barley, 128 acres of maize and 94 acres of grass, turnips, etc. A powerful mill
had been built at Stroud and the saltpans which had arrived were nearly completed at an expense of about Â£400. The wool
from the company's flocks had realised Â£7,017/13/6d and hides Â£208/2/3d. The sale of coal from the mines had increased
considerably and was expected to exceed 8000 tons. A depot had been formed at Sydney for shipping coals as ballast and the
project for making salt from sea water would be beneficial as the curing of colonial beef was thought to be rapidly
increasing. At the finish of the meeting a vote of thanks was given to Sir Edward Parry for his work while commissioner and
he was presented with a piece of plate to the value of two hundred guineas.

Phillip Parker King R.N. was appointed Commissioner in 1839, succeeding James Ebsworth who had taken over temporarily on
the death of Henry Dumaresq in 1838. King continued the improvement of the companyâ€™s stock, including horses. The Company
began to make available for sale to local pastoralists some of its bloodstock, although this was later found to be
unprofitable.

Wool was transported by bullock drays to Port Stephens for shipment to England. The drays also transported supplies to the
New England region.

From 'An Organised Banditti' -
In November 1840, a Company dray was bailed up by three members of the Jew Boy Gang - Marshall, Shea and Davis. During the
robbery they staved in a keg of rum and made all their prisoners drunk except for one man who was ill. The next day the
bushrangers robbed Warrah Station (near present day Quirindi), a Company station. A report in the Sydney Herald stated:
'I passed up the country the same time as Singleton's horse was stolen, and Mr. Edward White was robbed; but luckily missed
the Bushrangers of whom I heard a great deal. It appears, however, that they came to the station Warrah, where the
Company's cattle were mustering but seeing so many men about the place they considered it advisable not to molest them. We
left on the morning of 13th November very early, and within a quarter of an hour after we had left they came to the
station, three armed men, and besides robbing the Company's drays, which I perceive has appeared in some of the public
journals, they entered the house and plundered it of every thing valuable, breaking the firearms to pieces, and taking away
one of the Company's horses, saddle and bridle; they enquired for the other horse, which fortunately was away.

The nearest Mounted Police station to Liverpool Plains is distant about forty miles, and you may fancy to yourself the
probability of capturing these fellows who always had fresh horses and are miles away before the Police can be aware of the
movements ; but there must be great neglect somewhere , for the Bushrangers were in that neighbourhood for a fortnight at
least.'

The Company promptly offered a reward:
Thirty Pounds Reward
Whereas, three armed bushrangers came to the Australian Agricultural Company's station at Warrah, Liverpool Plains, on the
13th November, and after robbing from the dwelling, took away a horse, saddle, and bridle. A reward of five pounds will be
paid for the recovery of the horse, and a further reward of twenty five pounds for such information as will lead to the
conviction of the thieves.

The horse is a dark bay or brown colour about sixteen hands, high, six years old, small star on forehead, and white spot on
belly, hair rubbed off the wither, and short switch tail, branded C with O inside off side, and 204 on near side under the
saddle. PHILLIP P. KING., Commissioner for the Australian Agricultural company.

Transporting wool and goods by Bullock dray was a difficult means of transport so Capt. King decided to introduce a number
of mules from South America, as they were able to carry heavy burdens along the mountain roads. They were used for a number
of years however were not successful. A number of them were supplied to explorer Ludwig Leichhardt on his expedition in
1847 (leaving from Stroud) from which he never returned.

Captain King also experienced many set backs, as his predecessors had. His tenure co-incided with the depression of the
1840â€™s. Serious problems occurred when stock depreciated in value and became difficult to sell. The drought caused 80 acres
of wheat to be lost at Stroud and Booral. King was also troubled with supplies of labour in the pastoral, Agricultural and
mining activities of the company. One hundred Irishmen were sent out by the Company, however they proved unfit for the
duties they had undertaken, absconded or refused to ratify the agreements they had taken with the Company. Welsh miners
introduced to work the mines in Newcastle were of little use to the Company, although Scottish shepherds did prove useful
and English miners such as Ralph Thornton who arrived on the Emerald Isle in 1841, settled in to their work without causing
the Agent Mr. Croasdill any further worries.

In May 1844 the inhabitants of the Stroud district were kept in a 'state of excitement' for some time, fearing a visit from
six convicts who had made their escape from Newcastle in the 'Brothers' vessel. They had landed near Seal Rocks between
Port Stephens and the Manning River. Upon Captain King hearing of the escape he immediately dispatched guards to
out-stations and a party to proceed up the Myall River to attempt to capture the escapees. Nothing was seen of the
prisoners however and the Mounted Police under Lieutenant Gall were then sent to the district. Although pursuit parties
were sent in two different directions, they also failed to catch up with the bushrangers. The six men had made their way to
'Bunderbot', a cattle station of the Company's and bailed up all the inmates for several hours before decamping with
firearms, provisions, clothing and horses.

Back in Carrington, upon hearing of this, Captain King immediately set out with two troopers of the Maitland Police and
several other well mounted citizens. They came upon the bushrangers the following day at noon twenty miles from
'Bunderbot'. The six men were secured immediately and returned to the Stroud lockup where they were examined before Captain
P.P. King R.N., and P.G. King, Esq., J.P., and fully committed for robbery and being illegally at large with firearms.
Captain King generously rewarded the party who made the capture with a gift of Â£30, independent of the reward to be
recovered under the government regulations. From the fatigue the bushrangers experienced since abandoning the vessel, one
of them became so ill that Capt. King kindly provided two horses and a cart to take the whole of them to Raymond Terrace,
where they would go on board the steamer for Newcastle under an escort of the mounted police. (The six men - James Edwards
per Royal Admiral; Henry Elgan per Waterloo; Henry Hughes per Exmouth; Robert Whitehead per Lord Lyndoch; Samuel Ringwood
per Moffatt and Buchanan Wilson per Marquis of Huntley, were later sentenced to transportation for life to a penal
settlement).

The Maitland Mercury recorded the following information in 1846:
'We have been favoured by a correspondent with some particulars of the census recently taken of the persons in the service
of the Australian Agricultural company at Port Stephens. It appears that between the period of the census in 1841 and that
just taken the number of persons in the employment of the Company had decreased from 633 to 532. The decrease is confined
to the government men. In 1841 there were 262 persons in private assignment, while in March last there were only 9. The
free population has increased from 308 to 443. The following is an abstract of the returns with which we have been
furnished:

Married Males 83
Married Females 68
Single Males 276
Single Females 103
Total 532

Arrived free or born in the colony 1841, 293; 1846, 382
Other free persons 1841, 25; 1846, 61
Holding tickets of leave 1841, 53; 1846, 80
In private assignment1841, 262; 1846, 9
Total 1841, 633; 1846, 532

Education
Cannot read: - Males 109; Females 57
Read only: - Males 58; Females 33
Read and write: - Males 192; Females 83

There are 167 houses. Of these 33 are built of brick, 134 of wood; 101 are shingled, 1 slated, roofing of the remainder not
described; 166 are finished, 1 unfinished; 154 are inhabited, 13 uninhabited.'(1)

In 1847 the Company had a stock of 125,815 sheep. However after a particularly calamitous year with casualties from age,
disease, accident, 4207 sheep being slaughtered, 5143 boiled down for tallow and others sold they were left with a stock of
94,962. The Company had also disposed of a large number of cattle , horses, ponies, asses and mules during the year. They
sold 38,122 tons of coal an increase of over 4,000 tons from the previous year.

By the end of 1847 the total number of people employed (excluding females and children) by the Company was 472:
Agricultural establishment - 282 free men, 85 ticket of leave holders
Colliery - 52 free men, 36 ticket of leave holders, 14 convicts.

Early in 1849 the Maitland Mercury reported that Phillip Parker King 'that old respected colonist' was to travel to
England on Company business with the intention of returning to Australia in 1850. James Edward Ebsworth took over as
Commissioner for the Company in King's absence. He advertised the Company's rams for sale in September. Buyers could
purchase a First Class Company ram for 50/-, Second class for 40/- and a Third class for 30/- by applying to Charles Hall
who was Superintendent of the Flocks at Tellighery.

In May 1849 in England potential immigrants read of the Company's intention to throw open their grant of a million acres
for the settlement of a 'respectable class of colonist who possessed some capital'. They were told of the 'finest land in
the colony' owned by the Company at Port Stephens where corn, cotton, tobacco, olives and oranges could be grown in
abundance. Splendid pasturage for sheep cattle and horses was available. The land would not be sold at public auction but
would be sold at a uniform price of one pound sterling per acre. Buyers could pay immediately or pay interest at the rate
of 5 per cent per annum. As soon as a sufficient number of purchases were made the Company intended to charter a ship
direct for Port Stephens with free passage to purchasers of allotments over 200 acres. The Company would provide
provisions for the new arrivals and buildings would be prepared to receive them until they could provide food and shelter
for themselves and family.

They were told the estate was within 100 miles sea voyage of Sydney with the river Karuah running through it. There were
said to be several villages, churches and schools upon the property and a large population chiefly in the employ of the
Company. The cattle on the estate included pure short horns, Devons, Herefords and Highlanders; the sheep thorough bred
Saxony and Spanish merinos. There were salt and fresh waters abounding with fish and timbers, lime and building stone were
said to be plentiful. Imported goods, implements and clothing could be purchased at the Company's stores almost as cheap as
England where settler would also be able to sell their own produce.

By August the 'handsome cottages' at Carrington, formerly occupied by the officers of the Australian Agricultural Company
were being put in proper repair, preparatory to the arrival at Port Stephens, of the first ship with emigrants (with their
servants) direct from England.

By October the cottages were ready and the 'Tahlee Gardens' were fresh and gay. The vines at Carrington were looking better
than they had for several years it was reported that the first ship with immigrants were expected daily. Captain Corlette
had received instructions to be on the look out for the appearance of the ship at the Heads so that he could pilot her in
safely to anchorage in the 'commodious and beautiful harbour of Port Stephens'.

Captain King was still in England at this time and no doubt voiced his opposition to this colonization scheme. Word soon
arrived from London that he was to be replaced as Commissioner of the Company.

AUSTRALIAN AGRICULTURAL COMPANY'S COAL MINES
Copy of letter from the Colonial Secretary to Sir Edward Parry, Commissioner to the Australian Agricultural Company
25 June 1830

Sir -
I have had the honor of receiving and communicating to the Governor your letter of the 8th of last month, acquainting
me for his Excellency's information, that the Governor and Directors of the Agricultural Company have now sent out a
superintendent, together with necessary apparatus for working the coal mines at and near Newcastle, according to the
original understanding between his Majesty's government and the Company, and stating that not a moment shall be lost on
your part, in carrying into execution the intentions of the government and the Company on this head, according to the
conditions specified in your letter.

In return, I am directed by his Excellency to inform you, that in furtherance of the instructions of his Majesty's
government, he is ready to give you possession of the coal mines now worked by the government at Newcastle, and to afford
you all he facilities in his power by convict labour, whenever you will authorise the superintendent to take charge of
them.

I am also directed to state, that the several conditions on which the Company are to hold those mines, and such other
lands, to the extent in the whole of two thousand acres, as may be selected by you in their name, are not stated by you
with sufficient precision, but may be more correctly specified as follows, viz:

1. The Company to have five hundred acres of the coal land at or near Newcastle, including the mines now worked by
government.
2. The company may select fifteen hundred acres of additional land on the banks of the river Hunter adjoining the said five
hundred acres, or otherwise, provided the same be unlocated.
3. Each allotment to have a liberal water frontage.
4. All possible assistance in convict labour to be granted for working the mines
5. The colonial government to cease working as soon as the Company may be ready to commence
6. The usual rate of quit rent to be charged, according to the surface value of the land for the five hundred acres, and
for as much of the fifteen hundred acres as may be coal land, without reference to its value as mine land
7. The quit rent on all such coal land is not to be redeemable
8. The land may be resumed by government if in any year the Company shall raise a less quantity of coals than two thirds of
the annual average quantity raised in the three years ending 31st December 1828
9. The government to be entitled in perpetuity to all coal wanted for its own consumption, not exceeding one quarter of the
annual produce, to be delivered at the pits mouth at prime coast, which is to be ascertained from the accounts of the
Company's Manager
10. No land is to be granted by government during thirty one years , after the date of the present grant, without a special
reservation of all coals an coal mines, nor is government during that time to afford assistance in convict labour for the
purpose of working any coal mines, to any other company or individual without the previous sanction of the Secretary of
State, which however, would probably be granted if the Company were to avail themselves of their monopoly, by imposing an
exorbitant price for their coals.
- E.C. Harrington.

Early Cedar getters in Port Stephens (not a complete list)
Thomas Morley per Tottenham
Christopher Bray per Guildford
John Connolly per Ocean
William Daniel per Baring
Foresto De Santo per Guildford
Daniel Farrel per Elizabeth
Patrick Farrell per Guildford
William Farrell per Boyd
George Field per Earl Spencer
Thomas Fuller per Larkins
Patrick Gaffney per Three Bees
William Goodwin per Batavia
William Goulding per Princess Royal
John Grant
William Gray
John Jones per Princess Royal
Thomas Rook

Sources
Bayley, William A, Lobsey, Ian R, Hills of Gold, 1953.
Dungog Chronicle, Early Days of Port Stephens - Extracts from Sir Edward Parry's Diary, Cambridge Press Pty. Limited,
The Northern Dailey Leader
Sydney Herald 4/12/1840
Roope, C., Gregson, P., 'An Organised Banditti,The Story behind the Jewboy Bushranger Gang.,Lake Macquarie, 2002
Maitland Mercury
Maitland Mercury 15 April 1846

REF: FREE SETTLER OR FELON?
http://www.jenwilletts.com/Australian%20Agricultural%20Company.htm

Background material on the Australian Agricultural Company (sources noted)