Part 9 Where to from here…..

 

cont... Part 9 The Harris family of Derbyshire – pioneers of the Swan Valley,  Western Australia  from 1833. 

 

This story originally evolved over nearly 12 months back in 2013.  When I wrote the first edition of the story in November 2013 information was coming to hand as I wrote from St Marys, Swan and the Anderson family.  I said it would be a work in progress for eons to come with visits and when further historical resources become available over the internet.   

The purpose of writing this history is to get people talking and remembering, asking why and exploring from different perspectives.  My job is done if a historic record, relic or painting is recorded, preserved or shared. Certainly plenty has come to hand already.

First I had known of the Harris family was from Jill Sparrow of Derbyshire who pointed the arrow and then Greg Strelley  my 5th cousin fired it to Western Australia.  I was hooked. Research has also encompassed the Gregory and Yule families as well as touching on the others like the Bussells who traveled to Australia with our Harris family.

Robert Strelley and Elizabeth Clayton’s daughter Lucy married a Doctor and had six children.  Who would have thought that in 1833 they would move to the ends of the earth, across the oceans to a very basic pioneer settlement?    What interesting (or hard) times they had –exploring, farming, discovering minerals, viticulture and Public Service.  Each of the Antipodeans had their own story and the wealth they amassed allowed for comfortable lives especially after Lucy, her daughters and son returned to England. 

Robert Strelley m Elizabeth Clayton

 

Joseph Harris m Lucy Strelley

                                                                                       1789 – 1846           1788 – 1886

 

 

 

Joseph Strelley Harris       Lucy Harris       William Edward Strelley Harris      Elizabeth Harris              Mary Harris                     Herbert Roby Harris

1811 – 1889                       1814 – 1838                   1818 – 1901                              1819 -                             1825 – 1901                              1832 - 1874

Lucy and Joseph had six children . Only three married. Lucy’s first grandson John was born under tragic circumstances in 1838. She was to wait a further 38 years for her second grandchild Elizabeth Frances Gregory and her final two grandchildren died after she died at age 98! All four grandchildren died childless.   –no descendants to carry on the name unless there is any truth in the story that one of the aboriginal elders  named Norman Harris is descended from the Harris family. 

This is something to track down as well as graves,  photos and momentos of the family and their time in the colony of WA. Elizabeth Gregory inherited some relics and was the last remaining relative from both the Strelley side and the Harris’ in England. Greg Strelley has “inherited “ via a circuitous route  the portraits of Robert Strelley and Elizabeth Clayton from Old Denby Hall. 

Back in WA Emily Anderson’s grave has been  visited and is well kept.  Perhaps the visitor doesn’t realize just who is buried beside her.  It’s likely some of William Edward Strelley Harris’ paintings are still circulating in both England and Australia. Like I said -a work in progress…..

I would like to thank people who have helped me complete this story- Greg Strelley, Jill Sparrow and Richard Kuchnovski for the Strelley/Harris insights and photos.  

Many organisations have answered my emails and sent me files, links etc including the Western Australian Art Gallery, Swan Pioneers Association, St Mary’s Anglican Parish Swan.  Thanks Joan Lawrence and her friend Jeanette Wood for interest and photos.  Ross and Kevin  of the Anderson family have shared and offered to show me around Perth and surrounds- I was perhaps too slow to take up the offer and now it will have to be when things calm down on the Covid front.

 

Anyway as an update to the 2013 research I have discovered more of the family going pioneering the land in WA and in fact NSW and Victoria. As it so happened Lucy Harris' sister in law was Matilda Johnston from Edinburgh. Her sister Sophia was married to the infamous Deputy Commissary of NSW colony, David Allan. They and all their children played a part in the development of Australia in NSW and Victoria. Sophia and Matilda's brother Henry Johnston was a famous thespian but his son Harley Robert Johnston was a surveyor who came to WA and was part of the Australind development of the land near Bunbury. Lots of local history in that family. (Public Administrators and Politicians)   

Thanks Steve for editing. This has enabled an impressive story to come together.  Stories provide so much more than just names on a page or lines on a tree. I love how this story has fallen together .

Any mistakes are mine – I will always welcome insight or information to enhance the cause! Photos will always be welcome.

Thankyou

Robyn Ford  (Lucy Strelley  and Sophia Johnston were my 4x Great Aunts)

Nov 2013 Updated 2021

 

Bibliography

 

People, Fire, Forest and Water in Wungong: The Landscape Ecology of a West Australian Water Catchment  David Jefford Ward  Curtin University of Technology.

Gregory of Rainford- A Man of His Time , Wendy Birman , University of Western Australia Press 1979 First edition

A History of Swan Parish,  H.S. Wilson , Access Press,  1997