Rediscovering Ginninderra:
William Hatch (senior)
Born: 1828; Died: 1907; Married: Margaret Nugent Ryan
William was the eldest son of Robert and Mary Hatch (nee Thompson), born to them at Newry, County Down, Ireland, on 28 March 1828. A sister, Sophia, was also born in Ireland (1830) not long before the Hatch family sailed for Australia on the 'Sarah', arriving at Tasmania on 14 October 1832. They first settled in Hobart, where Robert was a baker for around four years, and two more daughters were born. On 30 July 1836 the family of six arrived in Sydney from Hobart on the barque 'Strathilsa'. Robert and Mary had another five children, and lived in a number of different places - Goulburn, Tarago, and Queanbeyan before settling on a farm at Mullengandra (Albury) - where they each passed away.
Meanwhile William, their eldest son, married Margaret Nugent Ryan at St Gregory's Catholic Church Queanbeyan on 18 April 1854. Margaret evidently took her middle name from the fact that she was born on board the 'Lady Nugent' while it was anchored in the Thames before setting sail for the colonies in December 1834. William and Margaret lived in Queanbeyan for a number of years after their marriage before moving in the early 1860's to the Ginninderra area where they were to establish a fine home and property, and a large family, at 'Rosewood'.
While according to Samuel Shumack, William was farming in the Ginninderra district from 1862, he did not start purchasing land of his own until 1872 - with Conditional Purchase of Portions 23, 73 and 76, Parish of Ginninderra - followed in 1873 by Additional Condition Purchase of the adjacent Portions 74, 82, 84 and 87. This land was not far out of the village of Hall, along the south side of Halls Creek, where the closest neighbours were Edmund Ward and Patrick Grace. From the ACT Feature Map it appears that the 'Rosewood' homestead was built at the north end of Portion 74, accessed by a track leading from 'Five Ways'.
'Rosewood' was to be their family home for nearly half a century. William and Margaret had a family of twelve children, at least six of them born at 'Rosewood', and they became integral members of the Ginninderra community. William became a respected farmer and grazier. Shumack records that his first wheat crop yielded 56 bushels 'despite hard ground and very little rain'. In 1890 he sold 52 aged wethers at 4/6 each at a stock sale conducted at the Cricketer's Arms. In Yemen's Directory of 1900 he was recorded as growing wheat and oats, and dairy farming. As part of the farming fraternity he participated in the breeding and racing of horses, and the cooperative hare and wallaby drives that were a prominent feature of the 1890's.
Of Margaret meanwhile - in the nature of the times - it is reported that she was a stalwart of the 'ladies auxiliary' that furnished the refreshments - for example, at the Ginninderra Bachelors Ball (1881 - at 'Rosewood'); a ball and supper at James McCarthy's woolshed at 'Glenwood' in aid of Catholic church funds; and in 1895 a 'sumptuous lunch' at the official opening of the Hall creamery. The Hatch family would no doubt have been supporters of the building of St Francis catholic church at Ginninderra in 1872, and it seems likely that some of their children attended the school which operated there for the next decade or so.
At the turn of the century the family moved for a while to the nearby property 'Rose Hill' while renovations were undertaken at 'Rosewood'. Rose Hill was bought by William and Margaret's son, George, around that time and later sold (April 1909) to Edwin Davis. Margaret and William were both to pass away at 'Rosewood' - Margaret (aged 69) on 20 November 1904, and William (aged 79) three years later on 21 July 1907. 'Rosewood' stayed in the family as the home of William Hatch Junior until the property was resumed by the Commonwealth in 1915.
Obituary: William Hatch sen.
Another Pioneer Gone
The early pioneers of the district are passing away from the race for life one by one. away one by one. The last to pay the debt of Nature was Mr Wm Hatch, sen. of Rosewood, Hall, relict of the late Mrs Wm Hatch, who predeceased her husband some two years ago, and who, like his good wife did a full share of the pioneering work in the early days. Deceased successfully followed farming and grazing pursuits and had the comfort of a good compact and comfortable home, acquired by downright honesty and perseverence. The writer once heard him tell the hardships of the early settlers of Ginninderra and their many experiences with the blacks who used to in those days frequently pay Ginninderra a visit. The old gentleman had reached the ripe age of 79 years and had resided most of of his life in the district, throughout which all his relatives are as well-known as they are esteemed.
He is survived by one brother, Mr. Robert Hatch, of Bungendore. Three sons, Mr. E. T. Hatch, of Millpost, Mr. George Hatch, of Rosehill, and. Mr. Wm. Hatch, jnr., who resided with his father and sister. There are also two married daughters, Mrs. M. Lazarus of Hall and Mrs. George Wilson of Royalla. The large attendance at the funeral on Tuesday bore testimony to the high esteem in! which the deceased was hld. [Queanbeyan Leader, Friday 26 July 1907, p 2]
Related Photos
References
- Warman, M. 1981. The Hatch Family in Australia: a Record of the Descendants of Robert and Mary Hatch, Who Came from Ireland and Settled in Southern NSW - 1828 to the Present Day. Privately published: Canberra