Hatch descendants still making history

Helen and Marion Warman are grand-daughters of William Hatch Junior and Elizabeth Bard who took over the running of Rosewood farm when William Hatch (Senior) died in 1907. Good friends of the Centre, they have contributed generously to the Rosewood display which is part of our 'Selected Spaces' exhibition, and were photographed in front of the Rosewood story board other most recent visit.

Rosewood homestead was only a couple of miles downstream from Hall on Halls Creek, and the property extended almost up to the village behind the Cricketers Arms site. William Hatch Senior selected the land in the early 1870's, but had evidently been tenant farming for some years previously. As with many other of Canberra pioneer settlers, the farm enterprise was built, then taken away by the Federal government within a couple of generations. The Hatch family were amongst those who took their compensation and went elsewhere.

Marion has authored a family history published in 1981 - 'The Hatch Family in Australia'. Their curiosity continues however, and has resulted in a couple of very rewarding visits to the Rosewood site, now within the CSIRO Ginninderra Experimental Farm. Towards the end of his time there, William (Junior) made a very detailed inventory of the property - paddocks, buildings, fruit trees, etc - and it is fascinating now to 're-imagine' the Rosewood of old.

The Hatch family story provides a fine window on the settlement. It is one of half a dozen 'case stories' in our exhibition - 'Selected Spaces'. It will be on display for around another month.