Photo of the first Wiradjuri black tracker with NSW Police in Mudgee, James 'Tracker' McDonald. This photo was supplied by and is published with permission of the descendants of Jim McDonald, Greg Ward and his family.

Pitt family

I am doing some family history research but have had difficulty anything about a woman called Alice May Pitt who supposedly came from Mudgee or the district and may or maynot have been of aboriginal descent.  It states on her death certificate this and that she was born in 1889 in Mudgee but I can't find a record of this.  This mystery has been haunting me for a couple of years now and I am hoping by writing to you that you might have some information on this woman. Thank you,  Susan William

Thunderbolt's lady: the Aboriginal lady bushranger Mary Ann Bugg in Cooyal, Mudgee.

http://hillendfamilyhistory.com/bushrangers/mary.php and http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=thunderbolt&id=I01114 This is a family tree list of Mary Ward from Cooyal, near Mudgee, Aboriginal bushranger married to Fred Ward, the famous bushranger 'Thunderbolt'. The site has links to her ancestors, so should be useful for descendants seeking their family history, particularly the Ward families from the Cooyal district. Also seek information from the new site connected to the new book, www.thunderboltbushranger.com.au.  But please note that there is controversy coming over Mary Ann’s death. New evidence is being published in a book by Carol Baxter, a lecturer in History at the University of New England, published by Allen & Unwin that Mary Ann actually lived 4 more decades and the quoted death at present was another half Aboriginal lady that Thunderbolt had an affair with. Baxter claims Mary Ann had 15 children in all and died as Mary Ann Burrows of Mudgee in 1905. So the story comes back to the Mudgee area and the family tree from 15 children in all should be quite extensive.

Rush/Rushby family

Hi, Thankyou so much for this site!  I am searching for any information on my grandmother's mother,  Pearl Mavis Rush, (also known as Rushbey, Rushby and Rushly) born in Murrumburrah around 1909. If you have any information or links that you can send, it would be much appreciated, thankyou, Trina Jackson

Jim and Peggy Lambert

I have been fascinated by your pieces on Jimmy and Peggy Lambert, the Bathurst Wars and Dabee tribe. I married into the Rogers family (I am from NZ) and my kids and nieces and nephews are very interested in this. You have some excellent sources of information.  

There were unsubstantiated rumours in the family of indigenous blood but nothing admitted to. So I have discovered the family is descended through Peggy Lambert's daughter Jane Lambert m. James Rogers and then through their daughter Lexina.I can find no mention of who the father of her children might be. Certainly not recorded in the NSW BMD. Ancestory.com has it as James Watts. This may or may not be so. Do you know where that information might be?  Can I post and ask? Thank you in anticipation.

Sue Fallon

Editor - Mickel Cowie has answered Sue personally. He is preparing a detailed history and family tree for Jim and Peg Lambert, which will be posted on this site shortly.

Kerry Love descendants 

Lynne Robinson gives some more information to Kerry:

Suggest Kerry obtain gg grandmothers d/cert Wilhelmine Moore who died 2/11/1939 buried Rylstone cemetery with her husband Edward Samuel Moore. This I think may lead to Alexander Dingwell & Mary Ann Tidswell of Coonabarabran area.  Her grandmothers name is Ilma not Alma and she died in Hawkesbury hospital on 11/5/2004, being born in Mudgee c1915.

Peg and Jim Lambert descendants 

I am trying to trace my husbands aboriginal family history and was very excited to find information on Peg and Jim Lambert.  They are my husband's Great Great Great Grandparents.   I would like to make contact with the people on your site who would have more information on them. Wayne and Sue Riley

For more information on Peg and Jim Lambert, see down this page more and for more again, click here

Jim and Peg Lambert descendants

I am a descendant of Jimmy & Peggy Lambert born in around 1802 jimmy died 1882. Their children Rose, Jane,& Eileen Rose (b. abt 1848 d.13/02/1924) married John Green  Was a servant to a family named Morrisons (Scotish-from the Isle of Sky) at Rylstone NSW. Alleged to have had one (1)son (1) daughter to the son Morrisons. The son possibly named George (Neddy and Mrs Murphy) Rose’s Children George, John, Mary, Janet, Jane, Sarah Anne Green (b.abt 1880) James, Thomas, Frank, & Charles. Sarah (d.28/07/1956) married John Sigard Hanson (md.Abt.13/02/1902 in Mudgee) then married Edward Dennison (Aft.1945 in Dubbo) Sarah’s children Violet, Muriel, Thomas, John & Olga Patrovia Hanson (b.29/09/1916) Olga (d.30/03/1982) married James Cook 24/12/1933. Olga’s children Ronald, Robert, Donald, Barbara Ann Blanche Cook, Norma, Lola, Denzel, & Reginald. Barbara (d.27/06/1995) married Richard Cerwyn Roberts then lived with Mark Arthur Pritchard then David Edward Faucett. Barbara’s children (with Richard) Glenys, David, Ronald, Donald, Tracy, (with Mark) Norma Ann, Steven, Lola, Peter, (with David) & Kylie. Jim

For more information on Peg and Jim Lambert, click here

Firth from Cassilis

I am trying to find information on my Great Great Grandmother Frances Firth and her 2 daughters Agnes May Firth and Mary  Ann Firth. Frances died 22 August 1864 in Mudgee and , Agnes (born 1862) and Mary Ann (born 1863) were both born in Cassilis. After Frances died the 2 girls were either adopted or fostered by Walter Sherry and his wife Amy..  Agnes married my Great Great Grandfather William James Baker and Mary Ann married John Long. Walter was at one time the mayor of Mudgee and also owned some businesses in the town. I have had some reports that the girls father was an aboriginal boundary rider but have not been able to find out his name.  Frances was born in Ireland and it is unclear how she met the Sherry’s or if she knew them before living in Mudgee. Any information on this family would be greatly appreciated. Lyn

Nipperess

My husband and I are hoping that you might be able to help us. I am currently tracing my husbands family, we are at present stalled on the Nipperess line. My husband Johns' Great Grandmother Martha Nipperess was born on 'Dabee Station' Rylstone in 1857. Our paperwork printout from BDM shows her father as Henry Nipperess and her mother as Sarah but on her Birth Certificate it shows his wife Margaret as her mother. We have a copy of a photo of Johns' grandmother and you can see that there is Aboriginal there. This is the piece of the puzzle that is missing and I would like to be tracing the right lines. I had been in contact with Links but was told unless we know that Martha was from the stolen generaton they can't help. Once again your help would be greatly appreciated or if you can point us in the right direction. Thank you and Obliged John Webster and Cheryl A Webster .

Mickel Cowie answers:

“John Nipperess died 18 Nov 1930, aged 65 years, husband to Mary Jane, father, buried in the Lue General Cemetery. His wife Mary Jane, née Smith, died 9 Feb 1964, aged 91 years, buried in the Lue General Cemetery.” This is all the information I have on Nipperness it is sourced from the Rylstone Historical Society site. http://rdhsrwgroup.wetpaint.com/page/Nipperess%2C+John+%281865-1930%29  Nipperness is an unusual name so there may well be a connection. Bear in mind that it was common practice in the early days for aboriginals to take the name of their employer or the name of the property or station where they lived. It was also common for masters to sleep with the servants white or black. This may account for the aboriginal connection. I will keep my open for anything relevant and let you know and wish you good luck and success in your search. Kindest Regards, Mickel

And from Lynne Robinson:

I doubt there is aboriginal there .... This is generation that is being questioned . 4^th child Martha.

1.  HENRY³ NIPPERESS  (WILLIAM², ROBERT¹) was born 14 Dec 1826 in Rodbourn Cheney Wiltshire England, and died 05 Jan 1906 in Lue NSW.  He married MARGARET COOPER 1848, daughter of THOMAS COOPER and EMMA ROLLINSON.  She was born 28 Aug 1830 in North Richmond NSW, and died 19 Jun 1912 in Lue NSW.

Children of HENRY NIPPERESS and MARGARET COOPER are:

                  i.    WILLIAM⁴ NIPPERESS, b. 17 Jan 1849, Richmond NSW; d. 1928; m. CATHERINE KEMP DURANT.

                 ii.    ELIZA NIPPERESS, b. 01 Jan 1851, Cassilis NSW; d. 1852.

                iii.    CHARLES NIPPERESS, b. 02 Jun 1854, Rylstone NSW; d. 02 Mar 1926; m. ELIZABETH ANN COOPER.

                iv.    MARTHA NIPPERESS, b. 08 Jun 1857, Dabee Rylstone NSW; d. 26 Jan 1920, Lue NSW; m. JAMES COOK, 02 Feb 1875, Wollar; b. 31 Aug 1842, Wallerawang station NSW; d. 19 Oct 1926, Lue NSW.

                 v.    JANE ANN NIPPERESS, b. 13 Feb 1859, Dabee Rylstone NSW; d. 18 Mar 1938, Mudgee NSW; m. SAMUEL PICKETT, 24 Oct 1878, Lue; b. 12 Oct 1855, Botobolar NSW; d. 12 Feb 1944, Mudgee NSW.

                vi.    LYDIA ANN NIPPERESS, b. 13 Nov 1860, Pyangle Lue NSW; d. 25 Apr 1919, Sydney NSW; m. JOHN WATERS.

               vii.    EMMA JANE NIPPERESS, b. 20 Apr 1863, Pyangle Lue NSW; d. 13 May 1884, Lue NSW.

              viii.    JOHN NIPPERESS, b. 05 Jul 1865, Pyangle Lue NSW; d. 18 Nov 1930, Lue NSW; m. MARY JANE SMITH; b. 1873; d. 1964.

                ix.    ROWLAND HENRY NIPPERESS, b. 20 Oct 1867, Lue NSW; d. 1940; m. ELIZABETH ELSTON.

                 x.    ADA NIPPERESS, b. 26 Feb 1870, Lue NSW; d. 06 Jul 1941, Lue NSW; m. DAVID RICHES, Abt. 1905; b. Abt. 1868, Rylstone; d. 05 Mar 1960, Lue NSW.

                xi.    GEORGE ROBERT NIPPERESS, b. 13 Jun 1871, Lue NSW; d. 30 Nov 1948.

Many Nipperess family members are buried in the Lue Cemetery - see

http://www.family.joint.net.au/index.php?mid=14&cid=815

Aboriginal rellies

Hi Diane – I’m related to the Williams’ from Home Rule, Gulgong and also related to the Camerons’ and Hannahs’ of Gulgong , Coolah area.
In particular I’m trying to find my great grandfather who was an Aborigine from the Coolah area. My grandmother was born 1909 to Mary A. Hannah and this aboriginal man whom I cant locate.
Are there any Elders that I can contact to clear this up?

James Williams

Editor's note: I would like to start a ledger recording Aboriginal families in the Mudgee region and beyond. If you have been searching for your Aboriginal family and have some records, please send them and I will begin a new section on this site to record the answers I get. From that links will be made and eventually we might have a good family history base to build on.

More from James:

My grandmother, Gladys EF Hannah, was born in 1906 at Coolah. An old fellow at Coolah told me the only 'black' side  came from my great, great grandmother Caroline Droy. Cant find any info on her. He also told me he can remember old ‘Jack’ Hannah. And Jack had a blacksmith called George Hayter.
My great grandmother, Mary A Hannah, died at Narrabri. She was 29. My grandmother was raised by her grandparents , John and Caroline Hannah until Mary A Hannah took over.
An aunt has mentioned to me that when she was young an aboriginal man knocked on their door and asked for my grandmother. She introduced him as her cousin. His name was Norman Roy. Also, some years back the ‘family went to Coolah – Hannah’s Bridge for a reunion. My mum said that there were a lot of ‘aboriginal’ people there. The other side of the family sprang from the Stuart/Magick side. Apparently, Sara Magick was part aborigine. The older folk in my family have told me that my great, great, grandmother Sara Stuart (nee Magick) looked after Jimmy Governor at Gulgong when he was a kid!

Births of my great grandmother and her siblings.

They lived in the Coolah region at a place called Hannah’s Bridge.

Help from Peter Henderson of Hannah’s Bridge.

John Hannah known as Jack.

John Hannah had a blacksmith named George Hayter

Caroline Hannah nee Droy is reported to be of Aboriginal extract also.

Nan’s cousin was an aboriginal man named Norman Roy.

 Births of Mary A Hannah’s children – who is their dad?

Deaths of Mary A and siblings

Peggy and Jimmy Lambert descendants

I am sending an email in response to this web page I found when looking through the Greens Family tree. Reading about Peggy Lambert and Jimmy Lambert who are my Great, Great Grandparents on my father side.It was exciting to read this family history that you have posted in your Mudgee History web site. My father Edward born in 1931 and currently residing in the suburb of Ashbury Sydney. He will be excited to find out more about his history as both his parents died of TB when he was very young his father died in 1937 and his mother died in 1938 in Kandos. My father became an orphan and then was looked by some families in Lithgow and later bought him to Newton, Sydney to live and grow up. My Father is Edward Leon Green of Kandos son of Gerard James Green and wife Daisy Willermina Smith. Gerad James Green was son of George William Green and wife Frances Adeline Halloran. George William Green was son of John Green and wife Rose Lambert. Rose Lambert was daughter of Jimmy Lambert and Wife Peggy Lambert. We would appreciate any other history that you could enlighten us with on our family tree. Thank you, Greg Green.

Mickel answers Greg Green

As you know everyone has a different slant on history and it is best to get as close to the original material as possible. Mum (Madge Green 1901-1972) was your grand father’s sister and they were very close, she spelt his name Gerred. When his mother Francis registered his birth she spelt it Gered and I notice you spell it Gerad... Francis also reduced his father’s age by ten years. Probably because George was almost twenty-five years older than her. In fact your G Grandfather George Green (Aka Morisson Lambert) was born 11/9/1854 and died at Lithgow 21/6/1942.  Rose Green was not the daughter of Jimmy Lambert but the daughter of Peggy and a white teamster named Mr. Rose. And obviously the source of her Christian name. Jimmy and Peggy only had one child, a daughter Eileen, who died as a child.  

Regarding the descendants of Queen Peggy Lambert this was collected by Len Brown and summarized in History Magazine published by the Royal Australian Historical Society in the September 2001 number 69 edition. This is available for a tiny fee plus postage.                           Ph. 02 92478001. Email history@rahs.org.au  Len brown did a fine job of researching this, however did not discover that Peggy’s two daughters were fathered by a white man surname Rose who disappeared from the scene soon after the birth of Jane. When Peggy partnered Jimmy Lambert he reared her girls and quite understandably on Jane’s dearth certificate Jimmy Lambert is named as her father.

For more on Wiradjuri History by Mickel Cowie, click here.

For more information on Peg and Jim Lambert, click here

If you have more information for Greg, please email the administrator at info@mudgeehistory.com.au and I will pass it on to him.

Information on Mawbey family and Jimmy Governor

Thank you so much Diana for your help.
My family history which I began early last year is in the form of a blog, entitled MAWBEY FAMILY AUSTRALIA.
You can view it at http://mawbeyfamilyaustralia.blogspot.com
I have taken on the challenge of tracking down all the MAWBEYS, and MAWBYS too, in the earliest days of white Australian settlement...
I also have another blog which might be relevant to visitors to your website called JIMMY GOVERNOR FORENSIC.
I am using that to try and look at what happened with the benefit of modern psychology.
The link is http://jimmygovernorforensic.blogspot.com
Best wishes. Pamela Mawbey

JIMMY GOVERNOR FAMILY HISTORY: http://jimmygovernorforensic.blogspot.com/p/corrections.html

JIMMY GOVERNOR TIMELINE
http://jimmygovernorforensic.blogspot.com/p
/governor-family-timeline.html

NSW MAP as occupied by native tribes:
http://jimmygovernorforensic.blogspot.com/p
/governor-family-timeline.html
Click: Map Fraser NSW Native Tribes 1882

NSW MAP depicting boundaries of Aboriginal tribes:
http://jimmygovernorforensic.blogspot.com/p
/governor-family-timeline.html
Click:Tindale Map

Looking for Wiradjuri family

Dear History, I believe my family has an aboriginal ancestor of the WIRADJURI TRIBE MUDGEE and would like to confirm this. James Ward is the person who we believed to have had a relationship with an aboriginal woman we don’t have any history of him but I have his daughter Jane DOB 24/7/1826 DOD 22/8/1897 Mudgee. How do I go about confirming this. I would appreciate any assistance. Sincerely Sheriden Bird

If you have information for Sheriden please contact the administrator on iinfo@mudgeehistory.com.au

Aboriginal Ancestors on Winburdale and Brucedale near Bathurst

Thankyou for getting back to me both Toni and Suzanne are related to me as well.  Can you also tell me if you have any information on Sofala about a Trooper called Robert Lovell McDougall for me. Cindy

Can you tell me how I can find out about my family that lived on

Winburndale & Brucedale near Bathurst? I believe they were aboriginal.

My G Grand father Edward Thomas Wright was an aborigine and was killed

at Hill End. His parents Thomas Edward Wright and Esther Matilda Smith

were living in Sofala when they got married.  How can I find out about aboriginal ancestors? Toni

Wally Washbrook

 I recently received a link from one of my brothers to the mudgee history website, that had an article about my late grandfather, Wally Washbrook in it. I am researching history of our family, and am particularly interested in researching Aboriginality, as one of my degree majors was in Aboriginal Cultural Heritage. I would like to know if the information in the article was directly from my grandfather, and whether he told you some specific contacts, more about his history, his grandfather's name and where on the Murray he was from. Our family has always known that "pop" had a collection of artefacts and a keen interest in them, but we have no knowledge of any Aboriginality although it has been suspected. I would like to investigate this further, as like my grandfather, I have been a Ranger, am currently a Teacher and have a very strong interest in Aboriginal Culture, and i am the Aboriginal Contact Teacher for our school. Any more information that you could give me would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you  for your assistance, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Wonnarua History and Native Title

I am interested in talking to you about Wonnarua History and Native Title. See our website below for more information about us. My contact details are below. Laurie Perry, CEO, Wonnarua Nation Aboriginal Corporation
Email: wonnarua@bigpond.com.au
Website: www.wonnarua.org.au

Hello Wiradjuri

Hello to your ancestors.This page is wonderful [www.mudgeehistory.com.au Wiradjuri Nation page.] Thank you for making it available.I am not aboriginal, but like to see and hear as much as possible about it. I met Barbara from Waterloo at my house...If I'd known about Wiradjuri then when I met her at first it would be better. That is her people.I am of 3 generations from Bondi, coastal of what they currently call NSW. Now when I hear that name, Wiradjuri.....the people are a part of my knowledge because of this extensive page...I wish I knew this history from the time I could read. Really, thank you very much Regards Bruce

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