Extended Family Extended

When I embarked on this journey, one of the things I wondered about was whether Edward Ogilvie or Charles Tindal would have Bundjalung descendants. Given that both had spent significant parts of their 20s and 30s as single men I figured that there was a reasonable chance that they might have had sexual relationships with local women.

In Squatters Castle an episode is described in which Edwards second wife Alicia berated an older Bundjalung lady for sitting in the kitchen doorway. This spirited lady responded that she needn't get too flash because she "had been Mrs Ogilvie long before" Alicia had! George Farwell's interpretation of this was in relation to the fact that the Ogilvie children had been wet nursed by Bundjalung women (because Edward felt breast feeding was unladylike!). Farwell was writing in the still conservative early 1970s and was to a large extent dependent on Ogilvie descendants as information sources so he needed to be coy. However, as a family member, I can be more frank. When I first read that passage, I made completely different assumptions. On that basis, when I made my approach to the Bundjalung community I asked if there was anyone with an oral history of descent from either family.

Dani, me and Robyne. See a family resemblence? The first thing everyone asks on meeting new family.

However, there was a surprise in store for me because a connection arose that is more recent than either Edward or Charles. I was contacted by Robyne Bancroft who told me that she is a great grand-daughter of John Travers Tindal. Her father's mother was Anne Bancroft who was the oldest of two daughters of John and a Bundjalung woman Alice. Robyne's family history is that John had two daughters by Alice in the 1880s. His family were not very happy with the way things were progressing so he was shipped home to England where he was married off to Mary Ogilvie, thus (sort-of) solving the problem. This makes Robyne's Gran and my Gran half sisters.

Robyne is an articulate, straight talking lady, about a decade older than me and an archeologist by trade. She offered to take Trish and I on a guided tour to Lionsville, just over the river from Yulgilbar, where she grew up, so this morning we packed a picnic before picking her up from her flat and setting out.

The Lionsville area is full of scar trees like this, indicating the previous scale of Aboriginal population.

We had a fabulous day. Robyne is a fount of knowledge on the history, both black and white, of the area and seems to know who lives in pretty well every place along the road. She also gave us a crash course in Bundjalung culture as we drove. En route we picked up Robyne's daughter Dani and Dani's 19 year old son Jirrayne, who live half way between Grafton and Lionsville. They were likewise knowledgeable tour guides. Dani and her family have a beautiful property on a ridge above the river that is part of the old Gordonbrook station.

On crossing the river at Yulgilbar and entering their home ground of Lionsville we stopped and Dani bade us formal welcome to their traditional home. Two eagles were hovering above us which Dani and Robyne said was a good sign because they are usually there to welcome them.

Jirrayne & Dani with a particularly spectacular scar tree.

Lionsville was once a thriving gold town with a population up to 4000 people. Anne Bancroft was obviously as competent as her grand-daughter because she was the Post Mistress there from the 1930s through to the 1950s. All that is left now though is the ruins of the Post Office and two houses. However, the extended Bancroft clan gather there and camp on the banks of the Washpool Creek every Christmas and we picnicked at their campsite.

Anne Bancroft at Lionsvile in 1940s with a rose that apparently came from a Yulgilbar cutting.

Hidden by overgrowth is the remains of the Lionsville PO.

Last house standing at Lionsville,  vibrantly decorated by the Bancroft clan.

Spending the day with them was a highlight. The people you form friendships with are obviously ones who share your views, thoughts and approach to the world and I feel completely at ease with Robyne, Dani and Jirrayne on that basis. Plus its nice to find cousins that you never knew you had.

Jirrayne, Dani & Robyne welcome Matilda & Trish to the Bancroft campsite. She declared it her new favourite picnic spot.