Family Histories

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NORRISH Ellen

From ‘Country Cavalcade’ by Judith Parnell. (Edited).

Ellen was the daughter of Michael and Margaret Cull of Albany. She had arrived in Western Australia with her parents when she was seven years old and in 1863 at the age of seventeen she married Josiah Norrish (1841-1884).
Josiah, born in England, was barely literate and was working as a shepherd at Nigalup close to the town that was later to eventuate at Gnowangerup.
They settled at Nigalup, as pastoralists.
She returned to her parents’ home in Albany for the birth of her first two children but she gave birth at Nigalup to two other sons Charles and Frederick.
Ellen later undertook the duties of midwife for other women in the area – assisting at the birth and usually staying a few days to do the housework and child care until the mother had recovered.
When Josiah was cutting sandalwood he would be away for long periods of time.
Ellen and Josiah had nine children. Frederick was drowned in the Gordon River at the age of 12 and is buried alongside his brother near their homestead.
The boys became shepherds responsible for small flocks of sheep at an early age, possibly as young as 8 years. After a long illness, (probably dropsy) Josiah died in March 1884 in Albany.

                
This was the year the contract was signed for the Great Southern Railway, which heralded the end of the pastoral era.

Following Josiah’s death Ellen decided to continue to farm their land with the help of her eldest sons aged 17 and 13.
These were difficult economic times and she forfeited many of the leases.
However, her daughters were able to earn an extra income by killing and skinning sheep which they sold to the men working on the railway line.
From 1892 to 1893 Ellen forfeited thousands of hectares of land held under pastoral lease.
The family was able to transition to farming.
Ellen’s granddaughter later recalled her regularly visiting the graves of her children. (Ellen died in 1929).
Her son Charlie lived to celebrate his 100th birthday.
One of her granddaughters has recalled her visits to the old homestead:
"Beautiful brown sugar plums grew in abundance.
The natives were told they could always have some but I remember the different times we were there, they always came and asked if someone would come with them.
They didn't like taking them on their own. It was the same with the gum from the trees. It was plentiful and a good price in those days, but they never went to the paddocks to help themselves but were very good helping Auntie Nellie fill her bags.
When their little children were sick they used a lot of those medicinal plants that grew around the soaks or water holes. When we went to their mias the ground for wide areas would be so clean and free from rubbish.
Granny used to tell us that too and we children would break limbs from bushes along the creek and sweep her great big yards till our hands were sore. I am sure that she had many a chuckle at our expense.
Granny would never talk about the graves. I can see her now tramping through the grass with her long black dress but she would never take us with her.
I remember we would all go for a walk to gather everlastings to make hanging decorations. Granny would always leave the group and wander over to the graves”.

 

 

Every endeavour has been made to accurately record the details however if you would like to provide additional images and/or newer information we are pleased to update the details on this site. Please use CONTACT at the top of this page to email us. We appreciate your involvement in recording the history of our area.

 

References:                 Article:       From ‘Country Cavalcade’ by Judith Parnell. (Edited).

 

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