Journal #62 – June 2020

Patrick Sloane: A Convict Assigned to William Wynter

Patrick Sloane, transported to Australia in 1802, spent most of his life in Australia in convict labour in Newscastle, Port Macquarie and, finally, the Manning Valley assigned to the Valley’s first permanent settler, William Wynter. And this is where he died, at the grant old age of 101, a free man.

The Original Manning River District Hospital

The 1880s decade was the “coming of age” decade for Taree – the Municipal Council has been established, a magnificent courthouse had opened and the town had become the capital town in the Manning Valley. A top-class hospital to serve the needs of the entire Valley was urgently needed.

The Founding of Taree

Taree was established as a private township in 1854 by the owner of the Taree property, Henry Flett. In financial difficulties before the land sale, Flett went on to become the Valley’s richest man and leading citizen. The site chosen was excellent, with large ships able to tie up at its wharves and the center of town, Victoria Street, above the flood level (except for Mill Creek). By the 1880s, Taree had expanded to become the leading town of the Manning Valley.

Graphic: Taree Circa 1950

This is a fantastic two-page serial photo of Taree taken about 1950.

Fault Driven Divorce

Since 1975, Australian’s have been able to divorce “by natural consent”. Before this, for marriages in difficulty, one partner could only obtain a divorce by finding fault with their spouse – the fault usually being adultery or desertion. Scandal sheets thrived on these cases.

German Immigration to the Manning Valley: Part 2

This article focuses on the German immigration to the Manning Valley, the largest non-British non-English speaking group to settle in this area. In Part 1, we looked at the following families: Ahronson, Calov, Cluss, Geiss, Ochs, Paff, Ruprecht, Schlenert, Schmitzer, Schnider, Schubert, Weismantel, Wolff, Zeininger. In Part 2, in this issue, we look at Hau7g, Kitz, Lilier, Unger, Weber and the growth of all German families in the Valley. This is by no means a complete list of German immigrants in the Manning Valley, but their selection was determined by the available source material.

Wingham Gymnasium Club 1925

The Wingham Gymnasium Club was formed in 1925 at a time when gymnasiums were rare in country districts. It put on displays, where it was the sole attraction, as well as featuring among musical items in a number of functions. It was led by Wingham doctor, Gordon Forsyth, and seems to have withered after his departure from the district. The most attractive items of display were the human pyramids and tableaux.

Cost: $10.00  36 pages  A4: 21cm x 29cm