Johnston (George & Esther Branch)

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NameJohnston (George & Esther Branch)DescriptionLieutenant Colonel George Johnston played a significant role in the history and development of N.S.W, travelling to the colony in 1788 as a member of the military contingent accompanying the First Fleet.

George began a relationship with Esther Julian Abrahams, transported to Australia for seven years for stealing lace. At the time of her conviction, Esther was 15 years old and two months pregnant with daughter, Rosanna. Esther travelled on the First Fleet ship ‘Lady Penrhyn’, the same ship as George Johnston. The two did not marry until 1814 but had a large family of seven children.

Rosanna (Rosetta) b.1787 (married Isaac Nichols & James Stewart, died 1837, Sydney)
George b.1790 (died 1820, Waverly)
Robert b.1792 (married Frances Weller, died 1882, Annandale)
Julia b.1796 (died 1879, Blacktown)
David b.1798 (married Selina Willey, died 1866, Waverly)
Maria b.1800 (married Thomas Brotheridge, died 1827, India)
Isabella b.1804 (died 1806, Waverly)
Blanche b. 1806 (married George Edward Nicholas Weston, died 1904, Horsley)

Youngest daughter Blanche Johnston, married George Weston, the fifth son of Henry and Jeanne Weston, of West Horsley Place, Surrey, England).

George and Blanche Weston settled on 'King’s Gift' at Prospect, which Blanche inherited on her father’s death. They renamed the property 'Horsley' after the Weston family estate in England. George and Blanche had eight children. The two eldest children, Mary and Emma, were George Weston’s, from a previous relationship.

Mary Louisa (married James Turquand Laidley, died 1903 UK)
Emma b.1829 India (married Edward Pryce, died 1861, Victoria)
George b.1830 India (died 1831, India)
Julia Marie b.1831 (married Frederick Perry, died 1868, Abbotsford)
Edward Henry b.1833 (married Esther Emily Johnston, died 1913, Mosman)
Frederick b.1836 (married Mary Ann Elliott, died 1886, Harris Park)
Blanche Eliza b.1838 (married Malcolm McDougall, died 1923, QLD)
Isabella b.1841 (married Donald McDougall and Thomas Whyte Smith, died 1878, Wollongong)
Francis Jenkins b.1844 (married Annie Wardell, died 1902, Smithfield)
Augusta Alice b.1849 (married Arthur Smart, died 1925, Woollahra)

George and Blanche’s son, Edward Henry Weston, married his first cousin Esther Emily Johnston, also a grandchild of George Johnston and Esther Abrahams. Edward and Esther settled on 'Macquarie Gift' at Albion Park, a 1500 acres grant given to their grandfather in 1817. The Weston’s’ bred fine bloodstock racehorses on their property, later named 'Weston’s Meadows'. The estate had its own private racetrack where the family held picnic races and social events. Edward formed the Illawarra section of the NSW Lancers, which later became the Australian Light Horse.

Edward and Esther’s son Alick Horsley Weston, married Adelaide Norris of Albion Park. They lived at 'The Meadows' where Alick served as an Alderman on Shellharbour Municipal Council, Director of the Illawarra Cooperative Central Dairy, and Treasurer with the Albion Park A.H.&I Show Committee.

Alick and Adelaide’s son, Bert Ernest Weston was born in 1901 at Albion Park. Bert pursued a career as a civil engineer in Sydney. He was commissioned in the Royal Australian Engineers, advising the military in Papua New Guinea during WWII. Bert wrote many wonderful local accounts of his childhood days in Albion Park.

'Weston’s Meadows' remained in the Weston family until 1952, when the last of the farms was auctioned.

External LinkDeath William Wilson 1852Obituary David Johnston 1866Inquest on the Fire at Weston's 1887Burning of Mr Weston's Hayshed 1878A Page in the Early History of NSW 1880Albion Park Races 1887Death of Mr John Raftery 1887Melmoth 1896The Historic Bull 'Melmoth' 1896The Late Mrs Weston of Horsley 1904Obituaries Australia Weston, Blanch (1806-1904)Annandale House An Historic Residence Now Being Demolished 1905Major Weston 1913Obituary Major EH Weston 1913Albion Park Accidents 1918Reminiscences of Illawarra The Weston and Johnston Estates 1924Late Mr AH Weston 1941Obituary Mr Alick Horsley Weston 77 Years 1941Horsley, An Old Fairfield Home 1931

Major George Johnston.

CONNECTIONS

CollectionFamiliesFamilyWestonLocalityAlbion ParkPersonWeston, BertPlaceJohnstons EstateWestons Meadows EstateRelated ItemMajor George JohnstonMacquarie Pass & Johnston's Spur from Marshall Mount c.1847Macquarie Pass & Johnston's Spur from Marshall Mount 1984Subdivision of Johnstons Meadows 2Subdivision of Johnstons Meadows Hand Drawn

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Johnston (George & Esther Branch)