14th (Hunter River) Infantry Regiment

Maitland Daily Mercury - 26th April, 1939 - page 10

YEARS ROLL ON

Historical Link with Maitland MR. ALICK ECKFORD

(By 'Easel')

On Saturday, April 22, Mr. Alick Eckford, a well-known resident of West Maitland, who lives at 'Mair Allyn,' opposite St. Paul's Church and Rectory, celebrated his 80th birthday. He is a direct descendant of the first settler to take up land in Maitland — William Eckford.

Pioneer William Eckford was a naval man, who arrived in the colony in 1800, as gunner of the frigate, Cornwallis, having then been in the navy 40 years. He was known as 'The Fighting Captain of the Frigate Cornwallis,' because it was he who 'trained and fired the guns.'

On this ship he met a lady named Mary Harrell. Upon arrivel in Sydney they married and settled first at Pennant Hills, then at Penrith, following farming pursuits. In 1811 William came to Maitland and took up land along the Morpeth-road, on the East Maitland side of the present brickworks. The pilot system was introduced into Sydney Harbour in 1811, and rates of pilotage were gazetted in 1813. Newcastle quickly followed suit, for in 1812 William Eckford was appointed the first pilot and harbour-master there. (It was called Port Hunter then).   The Eckfords were of Scotch descent, William having been born at the village of Eckford, near Irvine, a seaport town in Ayrshire. A brother, John, joined the American navy, where he served as doctor for many years. Another brother, Peter, carried on a stocking business at Paisley; a third brother, Henry, went to Turkey at an early age and there followed his business as a master ship builder; while a fourth brother was a Scottish farmer. Although Mr. William Eckford's grant at East Maitland had been under cultivation since 1811, orders issued in May, 1823, confirmed it, and at the same time a survey was made of 100 acres each to two of his sons, John and James. The latter took up residence against his father's grant, but on the Morpeth side of the brickworks. John went across the river bank on what is known as the Bush Farms, adjoining the Pitnacree property.

DISCOVERY OF COAL

It was this family who discovered the first East Maitland coal at Four Mile Creek. Where East Maitland coal is now obtained, stables belonging to one of Mr. Eckford's sons were once situated. As the years passed other members of the family obtained property and settled around him. William, junior, had land adjoining his father's (on the East Maitland side of the brickworks). Henry obtained ground in East Maitland. Mrs. Dixon (a daughter, Jane) and her husband settled on the property next to him. The other two son, Joseph and Peter, did not go in for the land. Joseph was the member for Wollombi for 20 odd years. A railed-in vault standing alone high on the hillside above Morpeth-road was built, by convict labour, for Mr. William Eckford, senior, about 1820, on his own property, for the burial of his dead. His daughter Jane and her husband lie within its sanctuary, though he himself was laid to rest in the old cemetery in Newcomen-street, Newcastle, near the Cathedral. Whilst he and his family attended to the cultivation of land in Maitland, he also continued his duties in Newcastle, using the Hunter River as his highway (there being no road then), until 1830, when he retired on   his superannuation allowance. His death occurred three years later. (1833). Mrs. Eckford survived until March, 1864. The burial ground wherein they lie is still in existence (Newcomen- street); but some of the graves are so old that time has obliterated the inscriptions on them. A number of stones are broken, others have crumbled almost to nothing — 'dust to dust.'

William Eckford, jun., married twice, the first wife being a Miss Muir, the second a Miss Clift, of East Maitland. Miss Elizabeth Eckford, a daughter of this second marriage, is still living in Sydney, at the age of 94. Some years ago when the railway authorities took a line through part of her property near Casino, a law- suit followed (at Grafton) in which Miss Eckford so ably conducted her own case that someone complimenting her said she was 'a barrister lost.' A grandson of James Eckford is still alive also. He resides in West Maitland.

ECKFORD'S LANE

Mr. Alick Eckford's father (George William) lived at Racecourse Farm. This extended from Louth Park-road to Elgin-street. A road running through it, formerly known as Eckford's Lane, now bears the name of Park-street. This was widened to a 33 feet roadway in 1889 under Mayor Wolstenholme, by taking in a portion of the park. The property of the notorious Molly Morgan bounded the other side of the road (Park side). Later, because ot the numerous acacia trees in the neighbourhood, Racecourse Farm changed its name to Acacia Farm. At the present time it is known as Banksia, and can be seen near the pipe works in Eckford's paddock, Park-street. This property belongs now to Mr. Alick Eckford, the grandson of William, jun., and great- grandson of the pioneer — although he has resided opposite St. Paul's for many years. The old home, Accacia Farm, or Racecourse Farm, was flood ed out in the '93,' and burned out in 1913.

Mr. Alick Eckford is a mine of information regarding old Maitland, most of which he knows from personal observation and experience. He well remembers the days when amateur horse-racing took place in the Park. Innkeepers promoted these meetings in every small settlement in the early days, Maitland was the most important of them all. Sydney owners   brought their horses each year to compete for the cup. A race meeting, convened on July 17, 1833, on the old Maitland course was the first to be organised in New South Wales outside Sydney. Maitland Park was the scene of the earliest efforts.

Mr. Alick Eckford well remembers too, his early days at 'Racecourse Farm,' when, after rising at 3.30 a.m. to help his father to milk the cows, he assisted generally with the work on the property. At the age of 15 he went into E. P. Capper's establishment in High-street, West Maitland, and stayed there until he was 69. That was eleven years ago — 53 years in one place, a grand record! In 1881 he married Miss Emily Augusta Brackenreg- (always known as Dot), whose family records in Australia date back to 1792. From private papers, still in the possession of her family, we learn that 'One of the oldest sporting and musical families of New South Wales is that of the Brackenregs.' In 1792 James Brackenreg arrived in Sydney from the Motherland in charge of State prisoners. He held the rank of captain in the Scots' Greys, having been a member of the first company formed of that famous regiment.

As a Government official, he was granted land at Liberty Plains, Parramatta, and there reared a family. Captain Brackenreg was one of the largest boat-builders of his day at Pyrmont, being associated with his brother-in-law, William Day (father of   the old returning officer for Sydney), and Sir Wigram Allen. The eldest son of the captain, born in 1795, at Parramatta, was named after his father, James Brackenreg, junr., came to Maitland in the early 1800's, one of the first settlers in the Paterson Valley. He married Marian Grace Guelph Fitz Stubbs, who was brilliant in music, literature, and fine arts (and whose brother, George, was also a great flautist and musician). The latter was never heard publicly to claim his relationship with the Georges, but his descendants do. Most of the Stubbs and the Brackenregs and their various connections seem to have been endowed with musical talent.   The children of James and Marian were Ossie, James, George, Eva and Charles. George became the first railway stationmaster at West Maitland. Eva's daughter was the famous Sydney actress, Una Maxwell. Charles was starter for the Northumberland Racing Club for over twenty years, and also owner of many good race- horses. In the historical records of Maitland now in the Mitchell Library one finds that he won the Maiden Plate at that town on September 9 1851, with a chestnut colt, Sir Alfred. His horse, Tom Brown, won Tattersall's Cup twice.  When the Duke of Edinburgh was in Sydney in 1868, H.R.H. was asked to start one of the races at Randwick. However, having suffered an injury at Clontarf, he was unable to officiate, so on the suggestion of their own starter the officials asked Mr. Charles Brackenreg to act in place of the Duke. The latter thought Mr. Brackenreg was an Englishman, and offered him a trip home on his ship, the 'Galatea.

BRACKENREG HOME

This was Mrs. Alick Eckford's father. The Brackenreg home was Bona Vista, Paterson. An excellent description of this estate is to be found in the 'Maitland Mercury' dated August 19th, 1854, thus: 'Rona Vista Estate, bounded by the Government High-road and the splendid Paterson River, navigable for vessels of various tonnage. 'The Bona Vista is beautiful for situation and proverbial for its fertility and vegetative qualities. The homestead is erected on a first-class site, and so commodious as to be admirably adapted to, and suitable for, a family of the first respectability. The land under cultivation comprising many acres (2090), with an immense proportion laid out in grass paddocks, is peculiarly adapted to the growth of wheat, maize, tobacco, cotton, etc., and is abundantly supplied with fresh water. 'In a word the princely estate of Bona Vista consisting of rich agricultural and pastoral lands, stands unrivalled amid the varied splendours everywhere visible in the fertile district of the Paterson, said to be the garden of New South Wales.' Mrs. Eckford's grandfather purchased Bona Vista, with its 2090 acres. Then a Mr. Brooker, who was a butcher, rented the grazing from him for years. Ultimately Mr. Brackenreg sold the estate to Dr. Bowker, of Newcastle, who spent frequent holidays here with his family.

The present home of Mr. and Mrs. Alec Eckford was once the residence of Mr. W. K. Colyer, first headmaster of Maitland Grammar School, whose educational activities wore carried on in the large hall against St. Paul's Church. It was erected for that purpose, by Mr. Colyer, whose initials can be seen incised in one of the bricks near the tower entrance to the rectory. Until St. Paul's Church was completed, the services were held in the hall which is now generally used as a Sunday School. Mr. Colyer first lived near the spot whereon the Convent now stands. He sold that to the Dominican authorities, and moved down near St. Paul's. Prior to the building of the present convent the Nuns lived in a small convent on the site of Post and Nancarrow's shop near Dr. Hollywood's. That would be 70 years ago.

Mrs. Eckford had the misfortune to lose her sight about twenty-one years ago, but that does not deter her from attending to all sorts of household and personal duties. She manages marvellously, and is always so cheerful and bright. Mr. Eckford claims this is because he has looked after her so well. Mrs. Eckford laughingly maintains that as she is the older (by 15 months — having reached her 81st birthday on January 3rd) she is 'the boss.' Happiness radiates from them both. Of their family of ten children eight are still living — one son died in childhood, another made the supreme sacrifice during the Great War. Miss Ida, in addition to managing the home, takes a prominent part in the activities of the town, and has a goodly share of the family's propensity for music. Mr. Alick Eckford has always been interested in stock, and in gardening. In the way of sports, he was the first captain of the Maitland Bowling Club, and one of its foundation members. He has always been keen on cricket and football too. Now that he no longer indulges in these, he is one of the most interested spectators when the High School boys have their sports in the park. Mrs. Eckford has also a fancy for both cricket and football, several of her people having distinguished themselves in these fields. During the Test cricket matches she follows the progress by the aid of the radio — especially when Don Bradman is making spectacular moves. In her young days she was a great horsewoman. In two years time Mr. and Mrs. Eckford hope to celebrate their diamond wedding. A recent photograph of the former shows him with his son, his grandson, and a great-granddaughter, the latter representing the sixth generation of Australian-born Eckfords. A 'happy birthday' and 'may there be many happy returns' of the birthday anniversaries of April 22, and of January 3, will be the ardent wish of the numerous friends of this well-known family.