Stewart
DESCRIPTION
NameStewartDescriptionWilliam Stewart born c.1931, Glasgow was sentenced to seven years for stealing flax and arrived in Australia aboard ‘Hashemy’ in 1849.
William married Catherine Wright (daughter of convicts James Wright and Eliza Kenny) in 1853 at Dapto.
The couple farmed at Stoney Creek/Terragong, and after William’s death in 1879, Catherine and sons continued there for many years. The land they lived on was originally owned by Farragher, and more recently was associated with 'Myee Hill', the McGlinchy family farm.
Catherine and William Stewart had several children –
William Clarkson b.1854 Dapto
James b.1856 Dapto (married Margaret Sweeny & Amy Andrews, died 1914, Wollongong)
Mary Louisa b.1858 Stoney Creek (married David Hughes, died 1905, Shellharbour)
Peter John b.1860 Stoney Creek (married Catherine Turner, died 1935, Kiama)
Margaret Elizabeth (Maggie) b.1862 Albion Park (married Thomas McNabb, died 1940, Sydney)
Thomas b.1864 Shellharbour (married Mary Kelleher, died 1914, Shellharbour)
Charles b.1866 Albion Park (married Ann Jeffries, died 1943, Kurri Kurri)
Alfred Henry b.1868 Albion Park (married Emily Clements, died 1939, Lismore)
George b.1871 Stoney Creek, (died 1930 Wingham)
Robert b.1873 Stoney Creek, (died 1915, Dunmore)
Walter b.1875 Stoney Creek (married Eliza Johnston, died 1937 Nashua)
Jane Catherine b.1877 (married George Johnston, died 1945, Byron Bay)
William Stewart died at Terragong in 1879. Catherine remained on the farm for some years. In 1885, the Kiama District Landholders Police Survey states Catherine lived on 200 acres at Terragong with seven horses, 96 cattle and 30 pigs.
By the early 1900's, Catherine was living on 12 acres (Section 7 Lots 6-9) at Shellharbour Village, owned by Thomas James.
Catherine lost her eldest daughter Mary Louisa, aged 47, in 1905. It may have been around this time she moved to Shellharbour Village. Mary Louisa had married David Hughes in 1884 and they had several children, the youngest just 5 years old when she died.
William David (Bill) b.1885 (married Annie Southam, died 1942, Grevillia, NSW)
Oscar b.1887 (died 1925, Hornsby)
Margaret Lillian (Lillie) b.1888 (married Robert Ecclestone, died 1909, Shellharbour)
Alice Jane (Allie) b.1890 (married Thomas Oxford, died 1969, Kogarah)
Catherine Hilda (Hilda) b.1892 (married John Walpole, died 1982, Kyogle)
Mary Irene (Rene) b.1898 (married George Magnay, died 1994, Lismore)
Mildred Louisa (Millie) b.1900 (married Reuben Doman, died 1993, Kyogle)
Mildred Louisa’s (Millie’s) recollections of her family were recorded by Stewart family descendants in 1984 and 1986, and they are written below.
(Personal Recollections)
‘Millie’s mother, Mary Louisa, died when Millie was five years old. Her Aunt Maggie (Margaret Elizabeth Stewart) and grandmother Catherine Stewart took Millie and Rene (aged seven) to live with them at Shellharbour. Millie went to Shellharbour Public School until she was ten years old.
Millie’s father (David Hughes) had many jobs which took him away from home a lot. He was a butcher, he mined for gold and diamonds, he was also a cooper, worked on the breakwater at Shellharbour, and then a share farmer.
In 1910, Millie’s father took her and Rene to Horseshoe Creek in northern NSW. Millie remembered her father showing her a grand time in Sydney before travelling to Byron Bay in a boat.
For approximately three years the moved from relative to relative until settling at Green Pidgeon. During this time Millie attended school at Eltham and Mockharra, where she planted a silky oak in 1911 which is still there.
It was at the store at Horseshoe Creek where Reuben first saw Millie in 1913. Millie finished school the same year and worked on the farm at Green Pidgeon for a while. She then went to Sydney with Alice. Here she worked for Mr Bailey at Penshurst. The Bailey’s owned a grocery shop. Millie’s job was to look after the two older boys, and do cooking and housework. For this she earned 5 shillings a week.
While in Sydney, Millie’s father died. She was invited to spend Christmas 1916 with her brother Bill and his wife at Ettrick, so she went back to the north coast, working on the farm for her keep.
Between 1916-1917, Millie met Reuben while visiting sister, Rene. She remembered the first time she saw him riding a white horse. Reuben left for war shortly afterwards, but not before asking Millie to wait for him to return.
(Aunts and Uncles)
‘William (Bill) used to work for Peter, taking cream to the Jamberoo Butter Factory. Peter was married to Nell. They with their children would drive and horse and sulky to Shellharbour.
James (Jim) had a boot repair shop in Wollongong.
Margaret (Aunt Maggie) raised her. Because Margaret’s mother (Catherine) disapproved of her beau, Maggie didn’t marry until after Granny Stewart’s death (1911).
Charley worked in the mines near Newcastle. Alfred lived at Clunes and moved to Eltham. Millie used to ride in the bread cart with him to Nasha (via Lismore).
George left home and did not keep in touch.
Robert had a coach run between Shellharbour and Wollongong. He would take passengers to and from the station. He was killed on one of the trips home from the station, after falling from a horse.
David Hughes (Mary Louisa’s husband) mined gold at Kalgoolie and diamonds at Glen Innes. Mary Irene (Rene) owned a brooch made up of 12 uncut diamonds and gold found by her father. David and his stepbrother John, were in partnership at one stage in a business called Craig & Hughes where they made casks for the big piggery near Shellharbour’.
(Siblings)
‘Bill had been working on a dairy farm for a Mr Emery. When Millie, Rene and their father (David Hughes) moved to the north coast, sister Alice left her job in Sydney and moved into a two-bedroom house on Emery’s property.
Lillian died in 1909. She had worked in a guesthouse on the south coast until she married, and then died during childbirth (her obituary states she died after a lingering illness).
Oscar lived in a home in Sydney as he was disabled.
By 1910, the family was together on the north coast, except for Hilda (Catherine Hilda) who was a servant in a boarding house in Shellharbour. Hilda moved north by 1915 and was housekeeping for her father Bill, during the time Millie and Alice had moved back to Sydney.
Rene (Mary Irene) married in 1915.
Allie (Alice Jane) was married in Sydney to Tom Oxford,
Catherine Stewart (nee Wright) died in 1911 and was buried at Shellharbour General Cemetery.
Information with thanks from Robyn Gibson.
External LinkMarriage Hughes Stewart 1884Stewart's Farm 1890Terragong Road 1893Terragong Swamp Lease Portion 39 1901Death Mrs David Hughes 1905Thomas Stewart Horse 1906Mrs R Eccleston Death 1909Peter Stewart Horse Death 1910Deaths Mrs R (sic) Stewart 1911Death Catherine Stewart 1911Death Robert Stewart 1915Driver Killed 1915Mr Peter Stewart 1935Mr Walter Stewart 1937Mr Alfred Stewart 1939Death Margaret 'Maggie' McNabb 1940Mr C Stewart 1943Grevillia Farmer's Death 1943Mrs Jane C Johnston 1945
William married Catherine Wright (daughter of convicts James Wright and Eliza Kenny) in 1853 at Dapto.
The couple farmed at Stoney Creek/Terragong, and after William’s death in 1879, Catherine and sons continued there for many years. The land they lived on was originally owned by Farragher, and more recently was associated with 'Myee Hill', the McGlinchy family farm.
Catherine and William Stewart had several children –
William Clarkson b.1854 Dapto
James b.1856 Dapto (married Margaret Sweeny & Amy Andrews, died 1914, Wollongong)
Mary Louisa b.1858 Stoney Creek (married David Hughes, died 1905, Shellharbour)
Peter John b.1860 Stoney Creek (married Catherine Turner, died 1935, Kiama)
Margaret Elizabeth (Maggie) b.1862 Albion Park (married Thomas McNabb, died 1940, Sydney)
Thomas b.1864 Shellharbour (married Mary Kelleher, died 1914, Shellharbour)
Charles b.1866 Albion Park (married Ann Jeffries, died 1943, Kurri Kurri)
Alfred Henry b.1868 Albion Park (married Emily Clements, died 1939, Lismore)
George b.1871 Stoney Creek, (died 1930 Wingham)
Robert b.1873 Stoney Creek, (died 1915, Dunmore)
Walter b.1875 Stoney Creek (married Eliza Johnston, died 1937 Nashua)
Jane Catherine b.1877 (married George Johnston, died 1945, Byron Bay)
William Stewart died at Terragong in 1879. Catherine remained on the farm for some years. In 1885, the Kiama District Landholders Police Survey states Catherine lived on 200 acres at Terragong with seven horses, 96 cattle and 30 pigs.
By the early 1900's, Catherine was living on 12 acres (Section 7 Lots 6-9) at Shellharbour Village, owned by Thomas James.
Catherine lost her eldest daughter Mary Louisa, aged 47, in 1905. It may have been around this time she moved to Shellharbour Village. Mary Louisa had married David Hughes in 1884 and they had several children, the youngest just 5 years old when she died.
William David (Bill) b.1885 (married Annie Southam, died 1942, Grevillia, NSW)
Oscar b.1887 (died 1925, Hornsby)
Margaret Lillian (Lillie) b.1888 (married Robert Ecclestone, died 1909, Shellharbour)
Alice Jane (Allie) b.1890 (married Thomas Oxford, died 1969, Kogarah)
Catherine Hilda (Hilda) b.1892 (married John Walpole, died 1982, Kyogle)
Mary Irene (Rene) b.1898 (married George Magnay, died 1994, Lismore)
Mildred Louisa (Millie) b.1900 (married Reuben Doman, died 1993, Kyogle)
Mildred Louisa’s (Millie’s) recollections of her family were recorded by Stewart family descendants in 1984 and 1986, and they are written below.
(Personal Recollections)
‘Millie’s mother, Mary Louisa, died when Millie was five years old. Her Aunt Maggie (Margaret Elizabeth Stewart) and grandmother Catherine Stewart took Millie and Rene (aged seven) to live with them at Shellharbour. Millie went to Shellharbour Public School until she was ten years old.
Millie’s father (David Hughes) had many jobs which took him away from home a lot. He was a butcher, he mined for gold and diamonds, he was also a cooper, worked on the breakwater at Shellharbour, and then a share farmer.
In 1910, Millie’s father took her and Rene to Horseshoe Creek in northern NSW. Millie remembered her father showing her a grand time in Sydney before travelling to Byron Bay in a boat.
For approximately three years the moved from relative to relative until settling at Green Pidgeon. During this time Millie attended school at Eltham and Mockharra, where she planted a silky oak in 1911 which is still there.
It was at the store at Horseshoe Creek where Reuben first saw Millie in 1913. Millie finished school the same year and worked on the farm at Green Pidgeon for a while. She then went to Sydney with Alice. Here she worked for Mr Bailey at Penshurst. The Bailey’s owned a grocery shop. Millie’s job was to look after the two older boys, and do cooking and housework. For this she earned 5 shillings a week.
While in Sydney, Millie’s father died. She was invited to spend Christmas 1916 with her brother Bill and his wife at Ettrick, so she went back to the north coast, working on the farm for her keep.
Between 1916-1917, Millie met Reuben while visiting sister, Rene. She remembered the first time she saw him riding a white horse. Reuben left for war shortly afterwards, but not before asking Millie to wait for him to return.
(Aunts and Uncles)
‘William (Bill) used to work for Peter, taking cream to the Jamberoo Butter Factory. Peter was married to Nell. They with their children would drive and horse and sulky to Shellharbour.
James (Jim) had a boot repair shop in Wollongong.
Margaret (Aunt Maggie) raised her. Because Margaret’s mother (Catherine) disapproved of her beau, Maggie didn’t marry until after Granny Stewart’s death (1911).
Charley worked in the mines near Newcastle. Alfred lived at Clunes and moved to Eltham. Millie used to ride in the bread cart with him to Nasha (via Lismore).
George left home and did not keep in touch.
Robert had a coach run between Shellharbour and Wollongong. He would take passengers to and from the station. He was killed on one of the trips home from the station, after falling from a horse.
David Hughes (Mary Louisa’s husband) mined gold at Kalgoolie and diamonds at Glen Innes. Mary Irene (Rene) owned a brooch made up of 12 uncut diamonds and gold found by her father. David and his stepbrother John, were in partnership at one stage in a business called Craig & Hughes where they made casks for the big piggery near Shellharbour’.
(Siblings)
‘Bill had been working on a dairy farm for a Mr Emery. When Millie, Rene and their father (David Hughes) moved to the north coast, sister Alice left her job in Sydney and moved into a two-bedroom house on Emery’s property.
Lillian died in 1909. She had worked in a guesthouse on the south coast until she married, and then died during childbirth (her obituary states she died after a lingering illness).
Oscar lived in a home in Sydney as he was disabled.
By 1910, the family was together on the north coast, except for Hilda (Catherine Hilda) who was a servant in a boarding house in Shellharbour. Hilda moved north by 1915 and was housekeeping for her father Bill, during the time Millie and Alice had moved back to Sydney.
Rene (Mary Irene) married in 1915.
Allie (Alice Jane) was married in Sydney to Tom Oxford,
Catherine Stewart (nee Wright) died in 1911 and was buried at Shellharbour General Cemetery.
Information with thanks from Robyn Gibson.
External LinkMarriage Hughes Stewart 1884Stewart's Farm 1890Terragong Road 1893Terragong Swamp Lease Portion 39 1901Death Mrs David Hughes 1905Thomas Stewart Horse 1906Mrs R Eccleston Death 1909Peter Stewart Horse Death 1910Deaths Mrs R (sic) Stewart 1911Death Catherine Stewart 1911Death Robert Stewart 1915Driver Killed 1915Mr Peter Stewart 1935Mr Walter Stewart 1937Mr Alfred Stewart 1939Death Margaret 'Maggie' McNabb 1940Mr C Stewart 1943Grevillia Farmer's Death 1943Mrs Jane C Johnston 1945
Donated by Robyn Gibson.
CONNECTIONS
Stewart. Shellharbour City Council, accessed 11/05/2026, https://discover.shellharbour.nsw.gov.au/nodes/view/18016