Melinda was born in Devon in 1864, arrived in Rockhampton, Qld in Dec 1880, and died in 1957 in Parkdale, Vic aged 93. In between she had 4 daughters and 2 sons and travelled overland from the Barkly Tableland to Cooktown in Qld - 6 weeks on horseback - in order to give birth. She was accompanied by two young Aborigines. Another time she said she travelled by boat through islands of the Torres Strait and New Guinea with German explorer Otto Finsch. She also believed she was the first white woman in the Northern Territory and Barkly Tableland. Not sure about that, but the story is below.
I think Dad did meet her. Mum recalls Dad saying he used to be taken to visit “a very old lady” on the Mornington Peninsula, which is where Parkdale is.
What I know about her is thanks to a newspaper story about her, in the Melbourne Argus in 1944.
Here's my favourite quote from that article. Her farmhouse was lined with books. "I've only had one new hat in three years. You see, I would sooner put something into my head than on it."
"FIRST WHITE WOMAN IN FINSCHHAFEN
By DOROTHY GROVER
She was 80 this month, but the pioneering spirit in Mrs Melinda Morris, of Parkdale, still burns as brightly as in the early '80's, when she had the distinction of being the first white woman to land at Finschhafen and other places where our men have been fighting.
She believes, too, that she was the first white woman in the Northern Territory and Barkly Tableland.
It is not a distinction which any woman would choose, but, having won it, she would have something of which to be proud, especially if, like Mrs Morris, she had a large family miles and miles from civilisation.
"I was born in Devonshire," she told me, "and as a young girl I was sent to Australia for a holiday with relatives, because" — and here she gave a little chuckle — "I was the weakling of the family."
She married Richard Morris, and accompanied him to the Barkly Tableland when he went there to manage Barkly Downs cattle station, owned by Harold Finchatten, who represented North Queensland in Parliament, and was a brother of the Earl of Winchelsea, after whom the Victorian town of Winchelsea is named.
In these lonely parts Mrs Morris had six children, with no doctor or mid-wife to help them into the world. When her third baby was coming she set out on a six weeks' horseback ride to Cooktown, expecting to find another white woman there. She was accompanied on her long trek by her two children, an aboriginal woman, and blackboy — the latter a most important member of the party, for he led the way when they had to ride across rivers in case there were any alligators!
LONELY HUT
But the white woman Mrs Morris expected to find in Cooktown had left by the time she arrived, so during a week's confinement Mrs Morris was cared for in a lonely hut by two bachelors, whose concern for her welfare she has never forgotten. Another time the wife of the owner of a cattle station, nearer civilisation than the Morrises, lent her the services of her husband as "mid-wife," saying, "He assisted me in my confinements, and has had enough experience to be a comfort to you."
It was when she was going to have another baby, and decided to go south, that Mrs Morris was taken on board the boat of the German explorer, Finsch. There was no means of learning when a Burns Philp trading steamer was due, so she had to chance finding one inport. The only vessel there was Finsch's, which had been chartered for a scientific expedition. He agreed to take her to Thursday Island, where a British India Line steamer would take her south.
"I was treated like a queen during that trip with Finsch," she said. "We called at lots of islands, and at each the crew insisted that mine be the first foot ashore." Thus she came to be the first white woman on what was later called Finschhafen.
Although Mrs Morris took other difficulties of the Far North in her stride, the long drought of the early 80's was too much for even her tough spirit. For weeks supplies had to be rationed, and they were completely exhausted when eventually some fresh stores arrived. (It cost £50 a ton to transport goods by bullock wagon from the Gulf.)By that time, however, her children were so weak that she was picking blackberries - the only vegetation still living-and forcing them between their lips to keep them alive. There was not enough water to give the dogs, so one man kept spitting on the tongue of his favourite dog to try to save its life.
At one stage during the drought the Morrises tried to get through to Darwin, but had to turn back, and the spot is still known as "Morris's Turnback."
SPIRIT OF INDEPENDENCE
I said the pioneering spirit was still very much alive in Mrs Morris, and this is why.
That independence, which was so essential throughout her trials in the early days, she still clings to with a tenacity that is as remarkable as her youthfulness at 80. So that she can retain that independence to the end she prefers to live alone on her farm at Parkdale.
She milks her cow daily, and recently, when a heifer died, she skinned it and cut it up because it was too heavy for her to drag away and bury.
Plenty of fresh air and exercise is her recipe for good health. Till two years ago, when she had an accident, she had not had a doctor for 40years.
My story would not be complete if I failed to tell you of Mrs Morris's passion for reading. Books line three walls of her sitting-room. "I would sooner buy books than clothes," she told me. "I've only had one new hat in three years. You see, I would sooner put something into my head than on it."
She pointed with pride to the cosy, well-fitting navy woollen stockings she was wearing. "That's how I solve the stocking problem," she said. “They’re made out of the sleeves of an old jumper.”
Neither does the shortage of corsets worry Mrs Morris. She’s never worn them, and many a younger woman would be proud of her straight back and comely figure.
Among Mrs Morris’s proudest possessions are carved thurunga sticks, given to her by Boko, the one-eyed chief of a tribe in the Far North.
“These sticks would be my pass-word among any of the tribes if ever I went north again,” she said.
And I fancied there was a nostalgic note in her voice."
Family Background [source Geni.com]
- Thomas Elliot, born 2 December 1850, died 19 June 1939;
- John Samuel, born 16 August 1852, died 17 March 1861 in Plymouth, Devon;
- Betsy Stoneman born 16 February 1855, died between 1861 and 1871 [source: Census]
- Eliza Elliot born 27 November 1856 in Tormoham, died 7 April 1925 in Tormoham
- James William born 6 April 1858 in Tormoham, died 8 July 1861 in Tormoham
- William Henry born 6 April 1858 in Tormoham, died 19 July 1858 in Tormoham
- Priscilla born 19 July 1859, died 5March 1952 in Tormoham
- Anne Stoneman born 8 July 1860 at 6 East St, Tormoham, died 4 July 1903
- Louisa S born 9 February 1863 at 22 South St Tormoham, died about 1930 at 22 South St
- Melinda born Tormoham, about 1863.
- Janet Rosa born 16 June 1868 Tormoham
- William Thomas born 16 June 1868 Tormoham
- John born 21 July 1869 Tormoham, died 4 February 1890
- George Charles born 21 July 1869 Tormoham, died 4 February 1890
- Alice Mary born 18 June 1873 Tormoham, died 22 April 1874
- 22 July 1881 at Ipswich - birth certificate of first child, Annie Lorraine
- 7 July 1881 - birth certificate of third child, Violet.
- July 1881 at Mackay - birth certificate of fifth child, Melenda Leila Wittseel
- 18 July 1881 - birth certificate of sixth child, Colon
- 16 July 1881 - birth certificate of seventh child, Eric
- 16 December 1881 - birth certificate of eighth child, Glyn
"It was when she was going to have another baby, and decided to go south, that Mrs Morris was taken on board the boat of the German explorer, Finsch. There was no means of learning when a Burns Philp trading steamer was due, so she had to chance finding one in port. The only vessel there was Finsch's, which had been chartered for a scientific expedition. He agreed to take her to Thursday Island, where a British India Line steamer would take her south."
We know that Melinda's third daughter, Melinda, was born on 26 June 1886 at South Grafton. This was her first child born outside Queensland. Newspaper reports of 8 and 9 April 1886, and ships' passenger lists, tell us that she arrived in Sydney from Queensland on 7 April 1886. Mariners and Ships in Australian Waters April 1886 tells us that Mrs Morris & Black Girl arrived in Sydney that day, from Brisbane as steerage passengers aboard the Egmont.
Melinda claimed that six of her children were born in the "remote parts", without doctors or midwives to assist. This cannot be corroborated based on available evidence. Her fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh children were recorded as born in South Grafton, NSW, and there were doctors and nurses recorded as witnesses. Her eighth child was born in Victoria.
The newspaper reports below tell us she came from "the interior of Queensland". It is quite possible that she had reached Brisbane by hitching a ride with Finsch from somewhere else. Below is what is known about Finsch's movements around this time. [Australian Dictionary of Biography, and emails with Dr Hilary Howes].
Finsch's voyages
"Posing as a group of scientists to dispel potential Australian suspicions, Finsch and his fellow expedition members made six separate voyages between 1884 and July 1885 in the misleadingly named steamer Samoa, resulting in the declaration of NE New Guinea and the Bismarck Archipelago as German protectorates."
I emailed Hilary Howes, who was intrigued by the story. She had not come across any mention of a woman mentioned in any of the voyage logs.
Finsch left Berlin for Sydney on 16 June 1884. There he fitted out the Samoa and sailed on 11 September for Duke of York Island in the Duke of York Islands group in the East New Britain Province in the Bismarck Archipelago, New Guinea. Between October 1884 and May 1885 he made five explorations between East Cape and Humboldt Bay on the northern coast of New Guinea.
Finsch was at Cooktown from 2 January to 24 January 1885 as the Samoa was being repaired and provisioned. He sailed from Cooktown to Mioko between 24 January and 1 February 1885 - still too early for Melinda to be on board.
On 4 July 1885, Finsch journeyed from Cooktown to Townsville, where he left the Samoa for repairs and headed south - to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and returned to Germany.
Finsch's voyage dates, and Melinda's children's births do not coincide in a way which can make sense of her story.
Melinda would have become pregnant about September 1885 with Marian, born 26 June 1886. She must have been about six and a half months pregnant when she arrived in Sydney on 7 April (assuming a full-term birth). The two children with her in Sydney, mentioned in newspaper reports, were Annie and Violet, aged four and two.
Arrival in Sydney, 7 April 1886
The Globe (Sydney) Thursday 8 April 1886, p 8 [from Trove.com.au]
F Jones was charged with stealing purse containing about £4 in money and other things valued at about £5, the property of Melinda Morris. Senior-sergeant Higgins stated that he went on board, in company with S.C. Taylor , the Iberia, questioned the prisoner and arrested him. Found a quantity of money upon him, including some foreign money that was stolen; Senior constable Taylor corroborated the evidence with the addition that the prisoner stated that he would give Mrs Morris £20 to withdraw the charge. A steward on board the Iberia stated that he found the purse in the pocket of the coat he had lent the prisoner during the afternoon. Melinda Morris, the prosecutrix, stated that she only arrived in Sydney yesterday from interior of Queensland. She went to the Golden Age Hotel. The prisoner was introduced to her by the landlord of the hotel. While he was in the room she took out her purse to get some money for the children to purchase some sweetmeats, and after doing so placed her purse upon the table to tie one of the children's hats. She then missed her purse, and could not find it. When asked, the prisoner stated that he did not know where it was. He left about ten minutes afterwards. The witness recognised the purse and money produced as her property. The prisoner pleaded guilty, and made a statement to the effect that he had been in company with the landlord of the Golden Age, and had been drinking. He could not think what made him take the money. Sent to gaol for six months.
Evening News (Sydney), Thursday 8 April 1886, page 5
A MEAN THEFT Frederick Jones, 24, a steward on the R.M.S. Iberia, was sentenced to six months imprisonment with hard labor, for having stolen a purse containing £4, a silver watch, and coins, the property of Mrs Melinda Morris. From the evidence it appeared that the prosecutrix, who is a half-caste*, arrived in Sydney from Queensland on Wednesday morning, and went to board in the Golden Age Hotel. The landlord was in the sitting-room with the prosecutor [sic], and he introduced the latter to the lady, wo was in the room with her children and a gin.* Teh landlord had occasion to leave the room, and it was during his absence that the purse was missed. The accused denied any knowledge of i. The prosecutrix visited the vessel, and the stewards were mustered, but she could not see the accused. Subsequently another steward found the property in a coat which the accused had worn when he was ashore, and which was stowed away in a cabin between some pillows.
Daily Telegraph (Sydney), Friday 9 April 1886, page 3
At the Water police Court yesterday, before Mr March, S.M., Fredk Jones was charged with stealing a purse containing about £4, a silver watchchain, some receipts, a 25 cent piece and a rupee, value in all about £5....
How Melinda obtained the foreign coins is unknown.
Residence in Victoria
Between the birth of son Eric Arthur on 10 January 1893 at South Grafton, and that of son Glynn Ian on 2 March 1908 at Collingwood, Melbourne, Melinda moved to Victoria. Why she did, and whether her husband was with her is unknown. Her children married in Victoria - Violet in 1903, Annie in 1905, Leila in 1910, Colin in 1912 Marian in 1913.
In 1909 the electoral roll shows her living at Boundary Rd, Mordialloc, profession Dressmaker. There was no Richard Morris at that address. This remained her address on electoral rolls in 1913, 1914, 1927, 1936, 1942 and 1949. Richard died in Western Australia in 1922, where a newspaper report described him as having had "a long connection with the pastoral industry", on the Murchison. It appears therefore that Melinda was not with Richard for some time.
Richard's father, Jesse, died by drowning by suicide in July 1891, and his mother, Ann, on 28 October 1925.
Death of husband, Richard Morris
Richard's death was reported in The Geraldton Guardian (Western Australia) on 23 July 1922:
The death occurred on Sunday evening at Rosella Hospital of Mr Richard Morris more generally known as Thomas Morris, who was well-known on the Murchison, where he had a long connection with the pastoral industry. Deceased, who was 75 years of age, had been engaged on stations near Sandstone and Nannine. He was manager of Polole Station when it was owned by Messrs. Clarke and Builder, and when the property was acquired by Messrs. D. and A. Grant he remained with them. Later on when Messrs Grant disposed of the station he went to Yandanooka for Mr. A. Grant. He leaves a widow and family who reside in New South Wales*. The funeral took place yesterday afternoon at the Anglican Cemetery, the service being conducted by the Rev. H. Vine.
* they were not in NSW, but Victoria.
Death notice in Grafton Daily Examiner, Saturday 29 July 1922.
Melinda's death
Melinda Morris, neé Blackler, died on 9 December 1957, at Parkdale, Victoria, and was buried at Cheltenham.
*********
Husband Richard Faithful Morris's family were not without their troubles. Richard was born at Grafton on 24 July, 1856. His father, Jesse Morris was born in 1830 in Stanwick, Northamptonshire. His mother, Ann, née Crabbe on 7 June 1840 in West Chinnok, Somerset, England. Her father's name was Faithful, hence Richard's middle name.
Report of Jesse Morris's death
The Richmond River Herald and Northern Districts Advertiser, Friday 10 July 1891, page 4
"Mr Jesse Morris, an old resident of the district, was found drowned in Alipou Creek, immediately in front of his own residence, on Wednesday morning last. The deceased had been very despondent for some time back, in consequence, it is said, of legal troubles, and had several times said it would be better if he were dead. He followed his usual practice on Monday last of rising early, but his non appearance at the breakfast table gave rise to some alarm, and a search was immediately instituted, which resulted in finding the body on Wednesday morning. He had been resident in the district for nearly 50 years, and had been largely concerned in horse and cattle dealing, at one time being fairly well off. He leaves a large family of sons and daughters, all settled in life. He was 61 years of age, and a native of Northamptonshire, England.
An inquiry was held before Mr W.Clarke, on Wednesday afternoon, touching the death of the above named deceased, when the following evidence was adduced:-
Ann Morris, widow of the deceased, last saw her husband alive at daylight last Monday morning. He then seemed quite sensible, but did not say where he was going. At 8 o'clock her son came in and asked for his father, as he had not milked the cows. Deceased was always in the habit of getting up early. Her sons made inquiries for him, and also searched, but nothing was heard until the body was found. Deceased sometimes said 'I would be better dead', and said so on Sunday night.
John Parker, a timber merchant, deposed to finding the body of the deceased in Alipou Creek that morning in 9 or 10 feet of water about 300 yards from his residence. Deceased could not swim. The inquiry resulted in an open verdict being returned.
Referring to the death of Mr Morris, the Examiner says in the sudden and withal mysterious death of 'poor old Jess', another of the Clarence River identities of the older days has passed away. He had his peculiarities and some of his wild freaks on occasions will long be remembered by those who knew him. Amidst them all, however, he was as humble towards others as a child, and it was this fact "best known to those who know him best" that made him friends of so many who will hear of his sad end with regret. Jesse Morris was thoroughly trustworthy and upright - a fact that testimony can be borne to by many persons whom he served in his lifetime in responsible positions of trust, and which renders the apparent cause of his death the more painful to those who knew him well. We say cause of his death, for there can be little doubt but that impending litigation, in which his honesty was impugned, led him during temporary aborration to seek peace in that quiet pool adjacent to the house he prided himself so much upon and loved so dearly. "
Evening News, Sydney, Thursday 2 July, 1891, page 6
Drowned In A Creek
"Grafton, Wednesday - Mr Jesse Morris, an old identity and well-to-do farmer, who had been missing for several days, has been found drowned in front of his residence in the Alipou Creek, near South Grafton. Senior-Constable Cowie, with some other policemen, recovered the body this morning by dragging. It seems Mr Morris was defendant in an action brought by the official assignee in his son's bankruptcy to recover £200 on the ground that his son had unduly transferred or sold to him his property, consisting of horses and farming implements. This the police suspected was preying on his mind, and hence their search in the creek on hearing he was missing. "
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