AUS-NSW-Hunter-Valley-L Archives

From: "Janice Doughty" <>
Subject: A London Convcit's Story-Part 6.
Date: Sat, 25 Dec 2004 23:14:48 +1100

Good evening Marg and Listers on this evening of Christmas Day,

The story of Elizabeth Macginnis and her two children continues:-

It is Christmas Day in 1818, at the town residence of Simeon Lord, Esquire. The mansion was called "The Swan", however commonly known around the town as "The White House". The servants had been up before dawn, preparing the Christmas fare for the Lord household that day. For Christmas luncheon important guests had been invited, noted businessmen and their wives and some gentry of the Colony. Actually, there was even a rumour below stairs, that the Governor himself may even drop in to offer his Christmas greetings to the Lord family.

Elizabeth Macginnis, in Servitude was in the large kitchen, helping with the preparation of the vegetables required for the Christmas lunch. Elizabeth's expertise through her running her Greens Stall at the Markets in London, was recognised very soon after her arrival in January 1818, and she was in charge of all the fresh produce purchased for the household. The vegetables Elizabeth was preparing today, she had purchased the day before at the markets. After she arrived back from the markets, she saw a ship sailing down the harbour to Sydney Cove, like most in the Colony overtime Elizabeth had learnt to read the signal flags the ships flew as they entered the harbour. A shiver passed down her spine, it was another convict ship and she whispered a small prayer for all those on board. The ship was the Martha, she had sailed from Cork and she was carrying male convicts.

Elizabeth was busy washing the vegetables she had selected the day before and was being helped by one of the young serving girls, to peel and prepare them for the oven. Elizabeth's children Thomas and Elizabeth, who were now well trained in being seen, but not heard, sat quietly in the corner of the large kitchen watching their mother and the other servants busy preparing the festive meal for the family. However, they knew that they would not miss out, as there would be plenty of food left over for everyone below stairs, to sit at the large timber refectory table and have their fill. Every now and then, Elizabeth would look over at her children and given them a loving smile.

Very soon Mistress Mary would be visiting the kitchen, to see how things were progressing and to give instructions regarding how she wished the table to be set up in the formal dining room and to generally supervise the day's preparation, for this important Christmas luncheon. Elizabeth had a lot of respect for Mistress Lord and found that even though was the wife of the Master of the house, she had a soft side. Mary Lord, had also lost a husband, her first husband had been Captain Black who had drowned, when his ship the "Fly" sank on a voyage to Calcutta. When Mary took up with Simeon Lord, she was a widow woman with two children, her relationship with Simeon Lord had turned her life around.

Thomas was anxiously waiting for young Simeon, the son of Simeon and Mary who was the same age as Thomas, to come down to the kitchen, as he was hoping they may go out to the stables and play, or that Simeon might show Thoms the Christmas gifts he had received from his parents.

This was Elizabeth's first Christmas in the Colony, and she and the others below stairs, were suffering from the stifling heat put out by the fuel stove and also by the very hot day this day was already promising to be. While Elizabeth was busy with her work, she found time to think.

A lot had happened over the past year and Elizabeth was surprised at the amount of freedom she had. She could go to the markets by herself, or if she asked with another maid in Servitude to assist her to purchase fresh vegetables daily. Elizabeth would arrange with the Merchant, to deliver what she had selected to the residence and to pass on his bill to Mr. Lord's accounts clerk.

The Lighthouse up on the northern headland was finished and opened at last. It was named Macquarie Lighthouse, in honour of the Governor. In Macquarie Place, there had been an island of land, which ran down the middle of the street. It had once been the meeting place of the local aborigines, however for some years it was just bush. That was until Governor Macquarie had ordered that it be made into a Park, when it was decided to erect an obelisk on this vacant land, which would be used to measure all roads leaving from the town of Sydney.

Elizabeth still mourned the death of her husband Daniel, but the pain was no longer so intense. However, she knew that no other man would ever come into her life to replace him, she had made a vow long ago in the prison at Newgate in London, that to atone for any wrong doing she had done, which may have contributed to Daniel's death, she would dedicate her life to her children.

Christmas day was a great success and as long as everything went along smoothly in the household and nothing was done to upset the Master, all the convicts assigned to him, had a reasonable life. This was how it was for Elizabeth and her two children over the next year. Where young Thomas received his education is not known. He may have received tuition at the home of Simeon Lord, he may have even attended class with the Lord children. Or Thomas may have attended the school, attached to the Orphanage for boys. The school was just across the bridge and up on the corner of Bridge and George Streets, next door to the estate of James Underwood.

A lot of hard work was expected from Elizabeth and she felt she was up to it. Actually, it was almost an ideal life compared to what she had, had in London. That was until she was advised in December of 1819, that her daughter Elizabeth, under the new ruling by Governor Macquarie had to received an education, and under the circumstances she would have to be sent to the Female Orphanage at Parramatta.

Elizabeth Macginnis was devastated. What could she do? How could she stop her daughter being taken away from her? She begged her Master, Simeon Lord to help her. What could she do, to convince the Governor that her daughter was better to be with her mother and not in a cold and unfeeling orphanage. After some thought, Simeon Lord advised her to send to the Governor a Petition for the mitigation of her sentence. If it was granted, then she could go out and earn her own living and there would be no reason for her daughter to be taken from her. Mr. Lord arranged for his clerk to set aside a time for his Servant Elizabeth Macginnis to sit with him and draw up this Petition.

..............to be continued.

Regards,
Janice
Happy Christmas night.

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• A London Convcit's Story-Part 6. by "Janice Doughty" <>