Private: 3441 George Percy PERFECT. Aboriginal Serviceman.

Margaret Reid, known as "Peggy"  was from the Burramatta clan of the Dharug (Eora) nation in Sydney. Records show that she was removed from Kissing Point (close to Ryde) and put in the first Native Institute which later became the Parramatta girls home.

There has been lots of research done on her history and family tree. The Darug Tribal Aboriginal Corporation have a research centre which holds much of this information.

The traditional clans of this area are the Burramattagal, as in ‘burra’ the eel (Parramatta area) and the Wallumattagal (Ryde area) as in ‘wallumai’ the snapper fish of the Dharug language group. Wallumattagal and Burramattagal are the Saltwater people who make up the clans at Parramatta. Wallumattagal territory followed the north bank of the Parramatta River up to Turrumburra (Lane Cove River) in the east. Burramatta territory was located from the head of the river to the west.

The curves of the fast moving tidal river was once scattered with sandy beaches littered with midden piles; the leftover shells from the oysters and shellfish the Dharug fished from the river. The settlers later used this as a source of lime for their building mortar. Many of my mum’s family, who were living at Harris Park and later Parramatta in the 1930’s, remember a crescent-shaped beach on the Parramatta River known as ‘Little Coogee’ (known in colonial times as the Crescent). It was where the eels congregated and was known as a great place for camping and eating. My uncles, as young boys, regularly caught eels from the river in a canoe they fashioned out of bitumen and corrugated iron and would take them home to Nan who would cook them up for dinner.

Many stone tools have been found around here; spear points, axes, anvils and grinding stones. These were used to crush grass seeds to make flour for johnny cakes. Larger stones were also used in the camp fires to retain the heat for warmth and cooking. These rounded stones were not from here but were valued trade items brought in by the Hawkesbury and Grose River clans.

The Burramattagal had special sites set up along this river. Some were marked as women’s places and further away, hidden from camp, men’s ceremonies would be carried out. On the north bank of the river is where the female convict factory and later the institutions for girls were built. Before the construction of the institutions, this place was said to be a used as a site for women’s ceremony. It is where the saltwater from the harbour meets with the freshwater of the river.

In 1821 the convict women were relocated to the Female Factory a short distance up river from the gaol and 20 years later Australia’s first Catholic orphanage was built beside the Factory, the orphanage later became Parramatta Girl’s Home – a place where once all I knew of Parramatta were its enclosed sandstone walls.

On the north bank of the river is where the female convict factory and later the institutions for girls were built. Before the construction of the institutions, this place was said to be a woman’s place for collecting and gathering and a site for women’s ceremony. It is where the saltwater from the harbour meets with the freshwater of the river.

On a rise overlooking the river where salt and freshwaters blend beyond the horticultural grounds an allotment of land was set aside in 1827 for a Roman Catholic Chapel for the mostly irish convicts and their families. Here was to be Australia’s earliest Catholic Parish School, the earliest mortuary Chapel, and the first convent (Sisters of Charity).Dedicated to St Patrick by Bishop Polding in 1836 the original building was replaced with a Gothic style structure in 1854 but was badly damaged by fire in 1996. Rebuilt from the ashes St Patricks was once again consecrated in 2003.

Not to be outdone the protestant ruling class determined to build a school and chapel between the Catholics and the river and so rose an imposing edifice- a

In the 1828 Census Margaret Reid is recorded as a "native of the colony".
She is believed to be an aboriginal and was at an early age, placed into a "church home" .
The Rev Thomas Hassall and his wife Ann, (Ann was the daughter of Rev Samuel Marsden), were in charge of the "home" where she was placed.

Margaret Reid was very religious; literate; an extremely fine seamstress; stern and fair. She was a very well respected member of the community, (during her married life).
Margaret Reid (according to the Marriage Banns), was aged 19 when she married Jonathan Goldspink in 1832. This would make her birth date as 25 December 1813. Apparently all aboriginals were "given" their birth date as either "25th December" or "1st July". She would have been "put into service" at the age of 12 or 13. Jonathan was working for Thomas Hassall's son James Hassall (so this is apparently how Jonathan and Margaret met). They were married by Chaplain Thomas Hassall, who, prior to the Goldspink's marriage, had already organised construction of Heber Chapel, (where Jonathan and Margaret were married). The two witnesses on Jonathan and Margaret's Marriage Certificate were Elizabeth Fish, aged 18, daughter of William Fish, who was a groomsman for Hassall; and the other witness was George Horne who was a convict working for, or assigned to Hassall. Their first daughter Ann Goldspink was actually born before they were married and this was possibly because Jonathan already had a wife in England, and seven years had to pass before he was allowed by law to re-marry.

Apparently some of the children of Jonathan and Margaret were named after "influential" people who were probably friends of Thomas Hassall and his wife. (their middle names mostly). Ann, their first daughter was probably named after Ann Campbell, who was the wife of Robert Campbell, who owned a property named "Harrington Park". Margaret was probably working for them, before her marriage, as the Application for Marriage states " late with Robert Campbell". Their son, Samuel Goldspink's middle name was Atkinson, and there was a magistrate who was a friend of the Hassalls around at that time. Another son Edward Walker Goldspink was named similarly. It was apparently really unusual for a convict or an aboriginal to be held in such high esteem, that they would be very successful in their life. (they apparently knew how to curry favour with influentials around them).

Successful they were, for when Jonathan died in 1876, Margaret was a wealthy widow. They had owned Bago Station, (wool sheds), at Tumbarumba, up until they retired to live at Yass NSW, where two months before Jonathan's accidental death, (he was thrown from his horse), he had become an "Alderman" on Yass Council. Margaret did not die until 1898, but had an ornate fence constructed, surrounding Jonathan's grave, with provision for herself, beside him, when her time came. In 1898 she was buried beside Jonathan, but, because she was an aboriginal, was not allowed to have any gravestone or inscription.