HERBERT Mary   NEW  

Compiled by Gordon Freegard based on research by Merilyn Stewart

Mary Herbert (nee Davies) of Clear Hills, Gnowangerup, was born in Aberdare, South Wales. She emigrated to South Australia and landed at Port Adelaide in 1860 aboard the Ramalese. She lived for many years at Wallaroo, where her husband Uriah Herbert worked—he was employed for 24 years at the Wallaroo smelting works—before the family took up land at Green's Plains. They later moved to Clear Hills near Broomehill, where they farmed sheep and grew wheat.

Mary Herbert married Uriah Herbert in 1881 at Holy Trinity Church; the ceremony was conducted by Bishop Short. They had eight children born in Wallaroo, of whom the surviving children named in the account were: Mrs. J. Jessop (Kalgoorlie), Mr. Uriah Herbert (Broomehill), Mrs. J. Manners (Perth), Mrs. Joe McGuire (Perth), and Mrs. G. Stenning (Cowell). The family included 21 grandchildren and 29 great grandchildren.

MARY HERBERT           #1
 

Mrs. Herbert recalled arriving in South Australia as one of thirteen emigrants who accepted terms offered by Captain Dashwood; she was the only one of the thirteen who boarded on the day of sailing. During the 1860 voyage a six year old child fell overboard and was rescued.

She described early conditions at Wallaroo, noting scarce water and frequent bushland; she recalled Aboriginal people in the area and described customs she had observed. James (Peter) Allen was a neighbour at Green's Plains.

Mary Herbert later visited relatives, including two sisters aged 83 and 81. She made a later trip to England with her husband seventeen years before the 1925 interview and subsequently lived in Perth. Mr. Herbert died while on holiday in Kalgoorlie. At the time of the 8 October 1925 interview Mrs. Herbert was aged 91, remained active, and was residing with a niece in Croydon.

ROBYNNE WALSH: Her daughter Jenet Herbert was married to Philip Joseph McGuire junior known as Joe .

They owned the Coffee House in the Main Street of Albany and also the Esplanade Hotel in Albany.

Joe was my great grandmother’s brother, he was the son of pensioners guard Philip and Mary Anne McGuire originally from Albany and later they farmed at Eticup at Fermoy.”

Mary Herbert’s maiden name was Davies. She was also born in Wales so perhaps there was a connection with her and Uriah before they met in South Australia.

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