THE Inverell Reconciliation Group has invited descendants of English convict settler Henry Harrison to a meeting concerning the restoration and resetting of his headstone in the Wellingrove Cemetery.
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The project was requested by Aboriginal Elder Elizabeth Connors, great-granddaughter of Henry Harrison.
Many individuals among the Munro, Williams, Boney, Brown, Blair, Cutmore, Connors and Bowden families have been linked to Henry Harrison’s lineage. Representatives of those families or other individuals who have interest in the project are invited to the meeting.
Henry Harrison was convicted of allegedly stealing a handkerchief in 1847, and served two years in an English prison before transportation to Australia in 1849.
He settled in the Wellingrove area where he operated a sawmill from about 1853. There, he married two to three Aboriginal women; Lena Emmaville, Amy White and Kate Robinson, also known as Yibbatjang Ngarrabal. The women had a total of seven children with Henry, and he lived in the Aboriginal community until his death in 1913, leaving 61 descendants in the New England district. The bulk of his broken stone was carefully removed from its plot at the Wellingrove Cemetery on June 16 by group members Rosemary Breen and Anthony Dale. The base of the stone will be removed for restoration shortly. Aunt Elizabeth was determined to see it stand again for future generations.
“It’s very important to me, because I would like to pass on all of this to my grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and to wider families,” she said.
Inverell Reconciliation Group members propose to have the headstone restored to professional standards, and replaced in the plot.
The group was eager to have as many of the descendants aware of, and part of this project.
Once re-set, the group hoped to host a gathering of the families at the Wellingrove Cemetery.
The group has worked with the Aboriginal communities establishing the Nhunta Karra Kara Goonoowigall Bush Tucker and Cultural Project and building a monument for those lost in a fatal car accident on the Tingha Road.
The Reconciliation Group seeks projects to build bridges between cultures.
“Here’s just another example where we can work together on a project where we have a shared interest,” Anthony said.
The meeting is at 4pm on Tuesday, June 23 at Rosemary Breen’s home, 20 Moore Street, Inverell. For more information, please phone 0402 531 844.