Archibald Bell - Settler
Corinda - Map 3
Archibald Bell was born 15 April 1804, one of the ten children of Maria (Kitching) and Archibald Bell.
Arrival in Australia
He arrived in Australia with his family on board the Young William when he was three years old. His father Archibald Bell served with the N.S.W. Corp, and as a military commander at the Hawkesbury and Magistrate at Windsor.Bell's Line of Road
In 1823 Archibald junior discovered a new route across the Blue Mountains from Richmond to Cox's River. This became known as the Bell's Line of Road and became the cattle road of the north and west. He also explored the Hunter River district. For his discovery of the track across the Blue Mountains he was granted 1000 acres which was selected near Singleton and called Corinda. The location can be seen below centre on the map -
St. Helier's
In 1828 Archibald junior was a tenant and employed as an overseer at St. Heliers, the estate of Colonel Henry Dumaresq near Scone. Convicts were assigned to him at St. Heliers and also at Corinda where he built a two story stone house, probably with the use of convict labour.Marriage
One sister, Mary Ann Fennell married Francis Little of Invermein in 1831. In 1833, the same year his sister Sophie married Henry P. Dutton, Archibald Bell junior married Francis Ann North, daughter of Windsor Magistrate Lieutenant Samuel North.Singleton
Archibald Bell jun. and Henry P. Dutton were active in Singleton community life attending meetings such as the Patrick Plains Turf Club and served as Trustees for the Singleton Church. Archibald Bell was nominated for district council and was a Steward at the Patrick Plains Races.In 1847 along with other prominent settlers, Archibald Bell jun. was introduced to the Governor Sir Charles Fitzroy on his visit to the district.
Corinda
On the centenary of the founding of Singleton, Corinda was described -The house was a long two storied building facing the river and was built of stones quarried at Glendon and brought across the river in punts. When Corinda homestead had fallen to decay (for Mr. Bell returned to Belmont, and this estate passed from his family), the stones were removed to Belford to build the Church of England there, so that it forms an interesting link with the past. [1]
Archibald Bell was renown for his coach and hackney horses which he bred at Corinda. He owned other properties in the Valley and later moved to Milgarra and then to Pickering near Merton, the former estate of Captain John Pike.
Death
Archibald's wife Frances North Bell died at Milgarra in December 1852 age 27. Archibald Bell died at Pickering on 9th August 1883.....The Hon. Archibald Bell M.L.C., whose death was announced in our columns yesterday, was an old colonist, and a son of Mr. Archibald Bell, who was a member of the old Council before the days of Parliamentary elections. About 14 years ago Mr. Bell entered the Legislative Assembly as a representative of the Upper Hunter, for which electorate he was never defeated. Subsequently he retired from the active political arena of the Assembly, and entered the Legislative Council in October 1879 and was a member at the time of his decease. Though not a prominent politician or in the habit of speaking much in the House, Mr. Bell performed his legislative duties conscientiously, and both in and out of Parliament he was popular among all classes for his courtesy and amiable temperament. His age at the time of his death was about 80.[2]
James Millar purchased Corinda from Archibald Bell.
Assigned Convict Servants
The following men were assigned to Archibald Bell junior. The Records aren't always specific as to which estate the convicts were assigned. Some were assigned to Bell when he was employed as Superintendent at St. Heliers, others at Segenhoe / Invermein, and the rest to his estate, Corinda. Workers may not have remained on the same estates they were assigned to. They were often transferred or loaned to different farms and stations at harvest and shearing times. Some may have also been assigned to Archibald Bell senior's estate Belmont at Richmond as well.They were convicts and ex-convicts unless otherwise stated. Transportation of convicts ceased in 1840 and there were fewer convicts assigned afterwards although many remained the district as they worked out their sentence until the 1850s. The list below states Ship and Year of arrival; the name of the Estate, year of assignment and occupation are included where known:
Aldwell, John
Canada 1815; St. Hiliers 1828; shepherd
Askeren, John
Albion 1827; Upper Hunter; 1827
Bailey, John
Roslin Castle 1834; Patrick Plains 1837
Barastan, James
Marquis of Hastings 1828; Invermein 1837
Barrett, George
Lloyds 1833; Invermein 1837
Bridger, William
Recovery 1819; Newcastle district 1824
Broom, George
Atlas 1816; Newcastle district 1825
Brown, George
Emigrant per Lady Kennaway 1838; farm overseer
Careen, Patrick
Sir Godfrey Webster 1826; St. Heliers 1828; stock keeper
Carroll, Thomas
Hive; Patrick Plains 1837
Cartwright, James
Hive; Invermein 1837
Cojonney, Francis
Came free per Success 1825; St. Heliers 1828; house servant
Crane, John
Countess of Harcourt 1824; St. Heliers 1828; groom
Craven, Uriah
Prince Regent 1827; St. Heliers 1828; watchman
Curtis, John
John Barry 1819; Corinda 1828 (free by servitude); labourer
Davies, David
Speke 1826; St. Heliers 1828
Emmett, Henry
Ocean 1818; Corinda 1828; shepherd
Ellis, Joseph
Asia 1832; Upper Hunter; carter and labourer
Ellston, Mary
St. Heliers 1828; servant, came free
Fagan, Patrick
John Barry 1821; Corinda 1825-1828; stockman
Farden, Mary
Corinda 1828
Fearn, Richard
Exmouth 1831; Invermein 1837
Felkins, John
Katherine Stewart Forbes 1830; Invermein1837; groom
Fitzgerald, William
Java 1833; Invermein 1837
Fussell, Simon
Asia 1833; Invermein 1837
Hall alias Raynor, Thomas
York 1831; Invermein; 1837
Hammett, Phillip
Norfolk 1825; Corinda 1828; bullock driver
Hardy, William
Speke 1826; St. Heliers 1828
Healy, John
Sir Godfrey Webster; Segenhoe 1828; shepherd
Hickey, Thomas
Forth 1830; Invermein 1833; shepherd
Hockley, John
Marquis of Huntley 1828; Segenhoe1828; painter
Hinton, Thomas
Speke 1821; Corinda 1828; shepherd; T/L holder
Hitchman/Aitcheson/ Hutchinson Daniel
Guildford 1822; Corinda 1825 - 1828
Hogan, John
Dorothy 1820; Newcastle district 1825
Hodgson, William
Albion 1827; St. Heliers 1828
Johnson/Johnston, Edward/ Henry
John 1832; Invermein 1833 -1837; shepherd
Kinnear, George
Vitoria 1829; Constable employed by Archibald Bell 1833
Lanaghan, Edward
Clyde 1832; Invermein 1837
Lanyard, Peter
Lady Castlreagh 1818; Corinda 1828; stonemason
Leonard, William
Guildford 1816; Hunter Valley 1825
Llewellyn, Daniel
Prince Regent 1827; Invermein 1828; overseer
Lomond, Charles
Albion 1827; Segenhoe 1828; bullock driver
McCarty, Joseph
Camden 1831; Invermein1832
McDade, James
Henry Porcher 1825; Corinda 1828; pigman
McFadyn, Henry
Susan 1839; Emigrant; wheelwright
McCowan, Hugh
Nithsdale 1830; Corinda 1837
Moir, Henry
Albion 1827; St. Heliers 1828; shepherd
Mullen, Michael
Neptune 1838; Corinda 1841
Munton, William
Claudine; Invermein 1833; shepherd
Murphy, Michael
Lady McNaughten 1835, Invermein 1837
Nash, Edward
Recovery 1819; Invermein 1828; farrier
Owen, Samuel
Overseer to Archibald Bell at Segenhoe 1833
Palmer, Thomas
Layton 1829; Segenhoe 1833; watchman
Palmer, William
Planter 1832; Invermein 1837
Pennington, Richard
Albion 1827; St. Heliers 1828; labourer
Perry, William
Marquis of Hastings 1827; St. Heliers 1828; milkman
Polling, William
Speke 1826; Segenhoe 1828; labourer
Pool, William
Adrian 1830; Corinda 1837
Pugsley, Thomas
Neva 1833; Corinda 1837
Rawlins, Robert
Mangles 1824; Segenhoe 1828; carpenter and sawyer
Riley, Owen
Providence 1811; Corinda 1828; shepherd
Robinson, John
Surry 1823; Segenhoe 1828; carpenter
Rogers, John
Isabella 1832; Patrick Plains 1837; stonemason
Rourke, Richard
Lady McNaughten 1835, Invermein 1837
Russell, John
Surry 1834; Segenhoe 1837
Ryan, William
Lady Harewood 1831; Corinda 1838
Riley, Owen
Providence 1811; Patrick Plains 1828; free by servitude, shepherd
Schofield, James
Earl St. Vincent 1820. Overseer employed by William Bell at Gammon Plains
Scrimshaw, William
Roslin Castle 1834; Corinda 1837
Silvester, Henry
Roslin Castle 1834; Corinda 1837
Smith, Joseph
Lady Feversham 1830; Invermein 1837
Smith, Susan
Indispensable 1796; St. Heliers 1828; free by servitude
Smyth, James
1828
Somers, Francis
John 1832; Segenhoe 1837
Stanton, Patrick
Minerva 1819; St. Heliers 1828; house servant
Starkey, James
Speke 1826; St. Heliers 1828
Stiles, William
Royal Admiral 1830; Segenhoe 1837
Taylor, Jeremiah
Burrell 1830; Hunter River 1830
Tobin, James
Dunvegan Castle 1830; assigned on arrival; Corinda 1830 - 1837
Walker, Edward
Exmouth 1831; Invermein 1837
Walker, Joseph
Albion 1827; St. Heliers 1828; labourer
Walters, George
York 1831; Invermein 1837
Watkins, Joseph
Neptune 1818; St. Heliers 1828; gardener
Wells, Thomas
John; Segenhoe; 1837
Wilson, John
Asia 1833; Invermein 1837
Notes and Links
1). Archibald Bell senior's Tombstone - Windsor and Richmond Gazette 15 Jun 1895
Map of the Hunter in 1828 showing location of Archibald Bell's estate. Shown as Kurrandarra on the map
References
[1]. Singleton Argus 16 March 1920[2]. Sydney Morning Herald 11 August 1883
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