Public Records Office
PRO.VIC.GOV.AU
REGISTER OF SHIPPINGARRIVALS
REF: 929.209945
B877F2
K863 387.20994 (4TH FLOOR MATHESON)
016.92939.P357N3 (4TH FLOOR MATHESON)
CHECK WITH CECILY; FICH 5025
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Don Macreadie
Barbara Hood
57 Yarraman Road
Noble Park Vic 3174
6 March 2000
Mr D Macreadie
Stony Creek Road
Cowwarr Vic 3857
Dear Sir
INFORMATION ON AGNES (DAVIDSON, BUNTINE) HALLETT
I have obtained a copy of the "Flynn History" from the Internet. I am extremely interested in the life of the above lady.
Perhaps you can help me with one query, all the documentation I have managed to obtain states that although she died in the Sale hospital she is actually buried in Rosedale. Last week I managed to find a copy of her death certificate and it states that she died in February 1896. I am inclined to think she would be buried in Sale but everything I've found says Rosedale. If you can shed any light on this I would be grateful.
I have travelled to Rosedale twice looking for her grave, the first time I thought I must have missed it but the second time I checked for the three surnames she had in her life and still did not find her resting place.
I have enclosed a stamped address envelope for your reply.
Thanks in anticipation.
Barbara Hood
57 Yarraman Road
Noble Park Vic 3174
6 March 2000
Mr D Macreadie
Stony Creek Road
Cowwarr Vic 3857
Dear Sir
INFORMATION ON AGNES (DAVIDSON, BUNTINE) HALLETT
I have obtained a copy of the "Flynn History" from the Internet. I am extremely interested in the life of the above lady.
Perhaps you can help me with one query, all the documentation I have managed to obtain states that although she died in the Sale hospital she is actually buried in Rosedale. Last week I managed to find a copy of her death certificate and it states that she died in February 1896. I am inclined to think she would be buried in Sale but everything I've found says Rosedale. If you can shed any light on this I would be grateful.
I have travelled to Rosedale twice looking for her grave, the first time I thought I must have missed it but the second time I checked for the three surnames she had in her life and still did not find her resting place.
I have enclosed a stamped address envelope for your reply.
Thanks in anticipation.
Barbara Hood
life of agnes
THE LIFE OF AGNES DAVIDSON BUNTINE HALLET
9.2.2000
Contact Lesley DuVe l.duve@latrobe.edu.au telephone 9479 1925)
1804
Hugh Buntine Born Kilwinning, Co Ayr in Scotland
1822
Buntine, Agnes (Davidson) 1822 - 1896
Bullock driver in Gippsland late (19)
Msb 208 Description of meeting between Mrs Buntine and JJ O'Connor
Ms 10409 the memoirs of JJ O'Connor
1822
Agnes Davidson, pastoralist and bullocky, Gippsland Vic
Daughter of John Davidson died Sale Vic 29February 1896
1822
Buntine, Agnes (Davidson) B 1822 - D 1896
643/10 (d) mother Buntine of Gippsland
3 p, Xerox copy of manuscript
copies from parade, September 1966
Enclosure
Marriage certificate of William O'Rourke and Margaret Thorne, Gippsland 22 April
Ms8092 Buntine, Agnes (Davidson) 1822 - 1896
O'Rourke, William
Ref from O'Callaghan, Mary
O'Rourke family, reedy creek, Victorian Gippsland
See also Buntine Hugh 1804 p 1867
1
1822
Born Agnes Davidson - Ayrshire Scotland
1838
Emigrated to Austral with Jane Symington on the Wilton Rogers
1838
Hugh Buntine came to Melbourne to escape the drought and depression of New South Wales and for a
time settled at Richmond Flat where he established a dairy farm on the Merri Creek. Here he married
Agnes Davidson, an 18 year old Scottish girl who had come out on the "Glenhuntly"
Together they decided to move to Gippsland, and Hugh took four of his children and tow men on the
"Corsair" to Old Port. Agnes and his eldest son, John, joined him and they set up home in a shack on
the Albert River settlement. Here Agnes gave birth to Gippsland firstborn child, Alexander Buntine
1839
Agnes Davidson arrived alone at Melbourne and was met by Hugh Buntine
1840
Worked as dairymaid 17.4.1840
1840
Married Hugh Buntine (B 30.10.1840d 1867)
1840
Married Hugh Buntine
1841
Son Albert was born, first white child born in that first Gippsland town
1841
Worked County Bourke 6 months to Gippsland with husband
1844
Hugh and Agnes settled at Running Creek, later called Morris's Creek at a place, which he called
"Waterholes". Hugh planned to set up an inn and applied for a licence, and here the second son,
William was born. Tyers checked out he Buntine's inn but was not impressed noting "the house which
was filthy, is built of logs and slabs" ugh tried again, setting up at Bruthen Creek with a lease over
some 4 sq miles (10.3 Km)
1844
2nd Son William born at Running Creek
1845
Ran cattle Port Albert Running Creek (Morris Creek) and Flooding Creek (Sale) obtained past lease
Bruthen Creek and opened hotel c1845
1850
after husband became ill established bullock carrying business
carried supplies between Port Albert and Walhalla goldfields
1852
A man by the name of Davy was travelling towards Walhalla. It was during one of his trip that he me
a dray and bullocks. They were slowly cutting a road through the scrub, and their team was the first
that made its way over the mountains from Gippsland to Melbourne. Their captain was a lady of
unbounded bravery and great strength - a model pioneeress, with a talent for governing the opposite
sex. When at home on her station she did the work of a man and a woman too. She was the one in a
thousand so seldom found. She not only did the cooking and housework, but she also road after stock,
drove a team, killed fat beasts, chopped wood, stripped bark, and fenced.
She did not hanker after woman's rights, nor rail against the male sex. She was not cultured, nor
scientific, nor artistic, nor aesthetic. She despised all the ologies.
All great men respected her, and if the little ones were insolent she boxed their ears and twisted their
necks.
She conquered all the blackfellows around her land with her own right arm. At first she had been kind
to them, but they soon became troublesome, wanted too much flour, sugar, and beef, and refused to go
away when she ordered them to do so. Without another word she took down her stockwhip, went to
the stable and saddled her horse. Then she rounded up the blackfellows like a mob of cattle and started
them. If they tried to break away, or to hide themselves among the scrub, or behind tussocks, she cut
pieces out of their hides with her
1863
Agnes Adamson Buntine married Charles Ignatz Du Vue
1868
Hugh Buntine 11.8.1868, born Scotland 1834 was the youngest son of Hugh Buntine and Mary
Buntine (nee Symington), he was four years old when the family arrived in Australian , and when his
mother died in the Quarantine Station in Sydney 1838
1868
Hugh Buntine (13.8.1868 son) die, "guardian newspaper" reporting his death by accident, stated that
he had hired one of Mr Sinnbeck's horses to ride to Sale, leaving Rosedale at 1.00 pm and starting back
fro Sale about 6.00 pm. He was found dead on the roadside, about five miles along the road,
apparently having been thrown from the horse, and possibly kicked. The paper added that his death
was "a crushing blow to his wife and young family" he is buried in the Rosedale Cemetery, the
officiating clergyman being Rev W.S. Login, Presbyterian Minister at Sale.
1873
Married Michael Dawe Hallet
1876
Robert Buntine - counsellor Shire of Rosedale
1877
John Buntine - member of the twelve member council, shire of Rosedale
1898
George Dunderdale, The book of the bush
(London: Ward, Lock, (1898)) pp 281 - 2 - facsimile published 1975 by Penguin
1915
Both Agnes Adamson and Charles Ignatz Du Vue died
Grandmother of William Talone Raymond Ordell B (ADB11 under Tal Ordell
From State Library
Entry in Biographic register
other references.
Diana Chase & Valerie Krantz, The Outback spirit
(5th Melbourne: Macmillan, 1995) pp 24 - 29 - children’s book
Several references in Peter Synan, Index to the Gippsland Times
(Churchill, Vic Centre for Gippsland Studies, Monash University 1993)
Gippsland time is available on microfilm at State Library.
Several references in catalogue of the State Library’s Australian Manuscripts Collection
Copies of catalogue entries enclosed.
If you wish to look at the manuscript material, please phone the Australian Manuscripts Collection,
9669 9014 to arrange for it to be made available.
Manuscripts office hours are 1 - 5 Monday, 10 - 5 Tuesday - Friday.
The reading room for manuscripts and Rare Books is open
1 - 8.45 pm Monday,
10 am - 5.45 pm Tuesday,
10 - 8.45 pm Wednesday.,
10 to 5.45 pm Thursday and Friday and
0 - 12 and 1.30 to 5.45 pm Saturday and Sunday.
Prior arrangement must be made for retrieval of manuscripts and rarebooks.
(From page 33 of a book on Victoria).
Roads within Victoria.
Walhalla.
“Amongst the very first suppliers was Mrs Buntine of Rosedale. She had her own bullock team, and
drove it herself, loading at Port Albert, and delivering at Seaton, from whence she despatched the
loading by packhorses to Walhalla. I think I hear some city lady of the present generation exclaim:
“goodness me! A lady drive a bullock team - shocking” - Dear young friend don’t be shocked. I have
not only seen her drive her own bullocks, and follow her own plow and harrows, and sow her own seed
corn, on her own farm, but once saw her flog at Seaton with her own bullock whip, a cowardly,
drunken ruffian, who had dared grossly to insult an unoffending girl, while other cowards, who should
have been his chastisers, turned away and laughed. An active, enterprising strong woman - a
representative of the best of the old business pioneers.
Manuscript department 96699014 - ms11235 - John Buntine - lived in the Rosedale Port Albert area.
(no original to find, this was just a note I had written from the telephone
Gwen Hardy, 56 Duke Street, Rosedale Vic - 5199 2015. Rosedale - 150 years pictorial history
Mr D Macreadie, Stony Creek Road, Cowwarr, Vic 3857 - The Rosedale Story, Volume 1 with
foreword by Elsie Wright
Bullockies - L Braden 636.212 B79813
“A colourful female bullocky was a Mrs Buntine, who is mentioned in the private memoirs of J.
O’Connor (reproduced by kind permission of Mrs Gross of Ferntree Gully).
Refer photocopies of “Book of the Bush”
For future information the email address of the Australian Literature and History Team is
“ltres@newvenus.slv.vic.gov.au “
1871 - 1971
Main Collection A919.45 M179C (Gippsland)
Centenary History of the Shire of Rosedale 1871 - 1971
Author IT Maddern
7a - Refer photocopies of Shire of Rosedale Centenary - 1871 - 1971
Third child born 18.. at Bruthen Creek was Agnes Adamson Buntine
C:\A_WORK\BJH\BUNTINE\history.doc 4 - 4
9.2.2000
Contact Lesley DuVe l.duve@latrobe.edu.au telephone 9479 1925)
1804
Hugh Buntine Born Kilwinning, Co Ayr in Scotland
1822
Buntine, Agnes (Davidson) 1822 - 1896
Bullock driver in Gippsland late (19)
Msb 208 Description of meeting between Mrs Buntine and JJ O'Connor
Ms 10409 the memoirs of JJ O'Connor
1822
Agnes Davidson, pastoralist and bullocky, Gippsland Vic
Daughter of John Davidson died Sale Vic 29February 1896
1822
Buntine, Agnes (Davidson) B 1822 - D 1896
643/10 (d) mother Buntine of Gippsland
3 p, Xerox copy of manuscript
copies from parade, September 1966
Enclosure
Marriage certificate of William O'Rourke and Margaret Thorne, Gippsland 22 April
Ms8092 Buntine, Agnes (Davidson) 1822 - 1896
O'Rourke, William
Ref from O'Callaghan, Mary
O'Rourke family, reedy creek, Victorian Gippsland
See also Buntine Hugh 1804 p 1867
1
1822
Born Agnes Davidson - Ayrshire Scotland
1838
Emigrated to Austral with Jane Symington on the Wilton Rogers
1838
Hugh Buntine came to Melbourne to escape the drought and depression of New South Wales and for a
time settled at Richmond Flat where he established a dairy farm on the Merri Creek. Here he married
Agnes Davidson, an 18 year old Scottish girl who had come out on the "Glenhuntly"
Together they decided to move to Gippsland, and Hugh took four of his children and tow men on the
"Corsair" to Old Port. Agnes and his eldest son, John, joined him and they set up home in a shack on
the Albert River settlement. Here Agnes gave birth to Gippsland firstborn child, Alexander Buntine
1839
Agnes Davidson arrived alone at Melbourne and was met by Hugh Buntine
1840
Worked as dairymaid 17.4.1840
1840
Married Hugh Buntine (B 30.10.1840d 1867)
1840
Married Hugh Buntine
1841
Son Albert was born, first white child born in that first Gippsland town
1841
Worked County Bourke 6 months to Gippsland with husband
1844
Hugh and Agnes settled at Running Creek, later called Morris's Creek at a place, which he called
"Waterholes". Hugh planned to set up an inn and applied for a licence, and here the second son,
William was born. Tyers checked out he Buntine's inn but was not impressed noting "the house which
was filthy, is built of logs and slabs" ugh tried again, setting up at Bruthen Creek with a lease over
some 4 sq miles (10.3 Km)
1844
2nd Son William born at Running Creek
1845
Ran cattle Port Albert Running Creek (Morris Creek) and Flooding Creek (Sale) obtained past lease
Bruthen Creek and opened hotel c1845
1850
after husband became ill established bullock carrying business
carried supplies between Port Albert and Walhalla goldfields
1852
A man by the name of Davy was travelling towards Walhalla. It was during one of his trip that he me
a dray and bullocks. They were slowly cutting a road through the scrub, and their team was the first
that made its way over the mountains from Gippsland to Melbourne. Their captain was a lady of
unbounded bravery and great strength - a model pioneeress, with a talent for governing the opposite
sex. When at home on her station she did the work of a man and a woman too. She was the one in a
thousand so seldom found. She not only did the cooking and housework, but she also road after stock,
drove a team, killed fat beasts, chopped wood, stripped bark, and fenced.
She did not hanker after woman's rights, nor rail against the male sex. She was not cultured, nor
scientific, nor artistic, nor aesthetic. She despised all the ologies.
All great men respected her, and if the little ones were insolent she boxed their ears and twisted their
necks.
She conquered all the blackfellows around her land with her own right arm. At first she had been kind
to them, but they soon became troublesome, wanted too much flour, sugar, and beef, and refused to go
away when she ordered them to do so. Without another word she took down her stockwhip, went to
the stable and saddled her horse. Then she rounded up the blackfellows like a mob of cattle and started
them. If they tried to break away, or to hide themselves among the scrub, or behind tussocks, she cut
pieces out of their hides with her
1863
Agnes Adamson Buntine married Charles Ignatz Du Vue
1868
Hugh Buntine 11.8.1868, born Scotland 1834 was the youngest son of Hugh Buntine and Mary
Buntine (nee Symington), he was four years old when the family arrived in Australian , and when his
mother died in the Quarantine Station in Sydney 1838
1868
Hugh Buntine (13.8.1868 son) die, "guardian newspaper" reporting his death by accident, stated that
he had hired one of Mr Sinnbeck's horses to ride to Sale, leaving Rosedale at 1.00 pm and starting back
fro Sale about 6.00 pm. He was found dead on the roadside, about five miles along the road,
apparently having been thrown from the horse, and possibly kicked. The paper added that his death
was "a crushing blow to his wife and young family" he is buried in the Rosedale Cemetery, the
officiating clergyman being Rev W.S. Login, Presbyterian Minister at Sale.
1873
Married Michael Dawe Hallet
1876
Robert Buntine - counsellor Shire of Rosedale
1877
John Buntine - member of the twelve member council, shire of Rosedale
1898
George Dunderdale, The book of the bush
(London: Ward, Lock, (1898)) pp 281 - 2 - facsimile published 1975 by Penguin
1915
Both Agnes Adamson and Charles Ignatz Du Vue died
Grandmother of William Talone Raymond Ordell B (ADB11 under Tal Ordell
From State Library
Entry in Biographic register
other references.
Diana Chase & Valerie Krantz, The Outback spirit
(5th Melbourne: Macmillan, 1995) pp 24 - 29 - children’s book
Several references in Peter Synan, Index to the Gippsland Times
(Churchill, Vic Centre for Gippsland Studies, Monash University 1993)
Gippsland time is available on microfilm at State Library.
Several references in catalogue of the State Library’s Australian Manuscripts Collection
Copies of catalogue entries enclosed.
If you wish to look at the manuscript material, please phone the Australian Manuscripts Collection,
9669 9014 to arrange for it to be made available.
Manuscripts office hours are 1 - 5 Monday, 10 - 5 Tuesday - Friday.
The reading room for manuscripts and Rare Books is open
1 - 8.45 pm Monday,
10 am - 5.45 pm Tuesday,
10 - 8.45 pm Wednesday.,
10 to 5.45 pm Thursday and Friday and
0 - 12 and 1.30 to 5.45 pm Saturday and Sunday.
Prior arrangement must be made for retrieval of manuscripts and rarebooks.
(From page 33 of a book on Victoria).
Roads within Victoria.
Walhalla.
“Amongst the very first suppliers was Mrs Buntine of Rosedale. She had her own bullock team, and
drove it herself, loading at Port Albert, and delivering at Seaton, from whence she despatched the
loading by packhorses to Walhalla. I think I hear some city lady of the present generation exclaim:
“goodness me! A lady drive a bullock team - shocking” - Dear young friend don’t be shocked. I have
not only seen her drive her own bullocks, and follow her own plow and harrows, and sow her own seed
corn, on her own farm, but once saw her flog at Seaton with her own bullock whip, a cowardly,
drunken ruffian, who had dared grossly to insult an unoffending girl, while other cowards, who should
have been his chastisers, turned away and laughed. An active, enterprising strong woman - a
representative of the best of the old business pioneers.
Manuscript department 96699014 - ms11235 - John Buntine - lived in the Rosedale Port Albert area.
(no original to find, this was just a note I had written from the telephone
Gwen Hardy, 56 Duke Street, Rosedale Vic - 5199 2015. Rosedale - 150 years pictorial history
Mr D Macreadie, Stony Creek Road, Cowwarr, Vic 3857 - The Rosedale Story, Volume 1 with
foreword by Elsie Wright
Bullockies - L Braden 636.212 B79813
“A colourful female bullocky was a Mrs Buntine, who is mentioned in the private memoirs of J.
O’Connor (reproduced by kind permission of Mrs Gross of Ferntree Gully).
Refer photocopies of “Book of the Bush”
For future information the email address of the Australian Literature and History Team is
“ltres@newvenus.slv.vic.gov.au “
1871 - 1971
Main Collection A919.45 M179C (Gippsland)
Centenary History of the Shire of Rosedale 1871 - 1971
Author IT Maddern
7a - Refer photocopies of Shire of Rosedale Centenary - 1871 - 1971
Third child born 18.. at Bruthen Creek was Agnes Adamson Buntine
C:\A_WORK\BJH\BUNTINE\history.doc 4 - 4
her name was agnes
6 March 2000
The first time I came across her name was some years ago in the Herald Sun during
middle of 1997 it was under a heading similar to this "Pioneering Women of
Australia". As I read in amazement at to what "These" women had done I decided that
considering she had been exceptional that we (Alan and I) should travel to Walhalla
and check out any further information about her there. This we duly did. It was a
beautiful day when we left and on the journey down there I could not help but look at
the mountains on either side, the Strezlecki's to the right and the great divide to our
left. I imagined what it must have been like trying to travel through these vast
mountains with a team of bullocks and a wagon of supplies.
When we arrived at Walhalla we went to the museum. As I walked around on the
wooden floorboards of the museum searching for any information about her it soon
became clear that in fact there was nothing about AGNES. Initially my
disappointment turned to anger and when I left I told Alan that it was about time I
rattled some cages and obtained information about her.
The following Monday I contacted the Rare Books Librarian and asked for any
information he may have on Agnes. He had very little there by very generously
checked the other libraries and found a couple of books on bullockies in Clayton and
a few more pages in the Gippsland Library. With the information I was given I then
contacted the Professors concerned and asked for any help they may have. By return
mail I received a number of short documents but nothing terribly substantial.
Within the documentation I was given it stated that she was buried in the Rosedale
Cemetery so I decided to go there and place some flower on her grave. But alas I
could find nothing there. I could find the grave of Hugh Buntine her first husband
and also graves of other family members but nothing of Agnes, why? I started to ask
myself, surely there has to be something here. On the return to Melbourne my file lay
idle until one day I spoke to Sue Gore (a friend) and told her the story of Agnes and
she encouraged me to go and collect as much data as I could . Put it all together and
that she would assist me in approaching the ABC and seek advice on producing a
documentary on Agnes.
It was about this time that I spoke to a girl at work Kate Roberts and she also has
given me a lot of encouragement and has assisted me in my endeavours to find more
information. But so far all I have become is madder and madder.
A month or so ago Alan and I travelled back to Rosedale looking of the grave of
Agnes, we didn't find it. We found everyone else but her, so I suppose the bottom line
is if in fact she is buried there she is in an unmarked grave - what could this woman
have done to be treated like this. Or is it because when Hugh died she married a
Michael Hallett some 20+ years her junior - go on ya Agnes is all I've got to say. I am
prusuming this many made her happy because she stayed with him until her death.
Maybe this is the problem maybe they thought she was a bitch on heat - doubt it - she
was in her fifties
This is what I have found out about Agnes so far she married a man call Hugh
Buntine shortly after assisting him with his children. I have serious doubts as to
whether this man actually loved her. I have had my suspicions for a while particularly
when it is always said he was "ill" for some time, I am inclined to think he hit the
bottle and the raising of the children and keeping the home together landed in her lap.
Although I have at this stage been unable to find out what was actually wrong with
him. I know I'm fairly mad at the Buntine family and from now on I shall call her
either Agnes, Agnes Davidson or Agnes Hallett. This mainly comes from the fact that
when I visited the SLV last Thursday 2.3.2000 I found a small booklet produced by
the Buntine family, although I may have missed something (but I'm sure I didn't) H
Buntine's marriage to Agnes nor the children she had by him are mentioned in the
book!
For me the bottom line is "it was she (Agnes) who took the bullock wagon into
Walhalla not any of the other members of the family" I have also found a note of a
conversation that she had with a JJ O'Connor at Toongabbie where she said "they
laugh at me now" this was after they had been in discussion for sometime one night at
the Toongabbie Inn (no doubt Hugh was tucked away in bed - not for him saddling up
8 bullocks day and night and trying to traverse across a rough and uninviting
landscape. No way.
20 Mar. 00
Last Friday 17.3.00 a girl at work suggested that I check the firstfamily2001.com.au
site on the www. I did a quick check on the Buntine Family and up popped Hugh
(surprise surprise). On the documentation a Marilyn De Vere Wicking supplied that
was there I found out the information, and even here Agnes was not mentioned. I
wrote to this lady requesting any information she may have on Agnes and received a
reply today, I also said in my message that I thought Hugh had remarried after Mary
had died. In her reply she stated that yes in fact Hugh had remarried a woman named
Agnes Buntine and that she had left her out of the item "My husband is descended
from the first wife whose children were all born before they arrived in Australia. I
kept to just these on the FirstFamily database as they were the one s who actually
arrived here, and it kept things simpler than adding the "second family” who were
born here.
First of all this may sound Ok but then on the other hand why kept it "simpler" when
you have someone in the family that has completed a task that no other has succeeded
in doing!
Reading between the lines there must be a hidden reason why the "Buntine" family
only acknowledge Agnes as a last resort. Perhaps she was a real "Bitch" then again
maybe she suffered more that you or I can possibly imagine. She apparently did this
trip when she was in her late twenties and this was after she had 4 or 5 children plus
caring for "Hugh's" first family of 4.
There is one thing for certain in my mind I can visualise her walking very heavily into
the inn at Toongabbie. No doubt she would have been wet as it was winter and to
make that final 400 yards she had to cross yet another creek. Lets face it she was tired
and hungry, there would have been little help at the inn as far as organising her
bullocks or horses.
22 March 2000-03-22
Last night when I got home from work I had two letters waiting for me on from
Don Macreadie
Stoney Creek Road
Cowwarr Vic 3857
And one from
Gwen Hardy
56 duke Street
Rosedale
The letter from Don Macreadie was very interesting, initially I thought that he had
said that Agnes had been married prior to marrying Hugh, but later I realised that
when he said
The first time I came across her name was some years ago in the Herald Sun during
middle of 1997 it was under a heading similar to this "Pioneering Women of
Australia". As I read in amazement at to what "These" women had done I decided that
considering she had been exceptional that we (Alan and I) should travel to Walhalla
and check out any further information about her there. This we duly did. It was a
beautiful day when we left and on the journey down there I could not help but look at
the mountains on either side, the Strezlecki's to the right and the great divide to our
left. I imagined what it must have been like trying to travel through these vast
mountains with a team of bullocks and a wagon of supplies.
When we arrived at Walhalla we went to the museum. As I walked around on the
wooden floorboards of the museum searching for any information about her it soon
became clear that in fact there was nothing about AGNES. Initially my
disappointment turned to anger and when I left I told Alan that it was about time I
rattled some cages and obtained information about her.
The following Monday I contacted the Rare Books Librarian and asked for any
information he may have on Agnes. He had very little there by very generously
checked the other libraries and found a couple of books on bullockies in Clayton and
a few more pages in the Gippsland Library. With the information I was given I then
contacted the Professors concerned and asked for any help they may have. By return
mail I received a number of short documents but nothing terribly substantial.
Within the documentation I was given it stated that she was buried in the Rosedale
Cemetery so I decided to go there and place some flower on her grave. But alas I
could find nothing there. I could find the grave of Hugh Buntine her first husband
and also graves of other family members but nothing of Agnes, why? I started to ask
myself, surely there has to be something here. On the return to Melbourne my file lay
idle until one day I spoke to Sue Gore (a friend) and told her the story of Agnes and
she encouraged me to go and collect as much data as I could . Put it all together and
that she would assist me in approaching the ABC and seek advice on producing a
documentary on Agnes.
It was about this time that I spoke to a girl at work Kate Roberts and she also has
given me a lot of encouragement and has assisted me in my endeavours to find more
information. But so far all I have become is madder and madder.
A month or so ago Alan and I travelled back to Rosedale looking of the grave of
Agnes, we didn't find it. We found everyone else but her, so I suppose the bottom line
is if in fact she is buried there she is in an unmarked grave - what could this woman
have done to be treated like this. Or is it because when Hugh died she married a
Michael Hallett some 20+ years her junior - go on ya Agnes is all I've got to say. I am
prusuming this many made her happy because she stayed with him until her death.
Maybe this is the problem maybe they thought she was a bitch on heat - doubt it - she
was in her fifties
This is what I have found out about Agnes so far she married a man call Hugh
Buntine shortly after assisting him with his children. I have serious doubts as to
whether this man actually loved her. I have had my suspicions for a while particularly
when it is always said he was "ill" for some time, I am inclined to think he hit the
bottle and the raising of the children and keeping the home together landed in her lap.
Although I have at this stage been unable to find out what was actually wrong with
him. I know I'm fairly mad at the Buntine family and from now on I shall call her
either Agnes, Agnes Davidson or Agnes Hallett. This mainly comes from the fact that
when I visited the SLV last Thursday 2.3.2000 I found a small booklet produced by
the Buntine family, although I may have missed something (but I'm sure I didn't) H
Buntine's marriage to Agnes nor the children she had by him are mentioned in the
book!
For me the bottom line is "it was she (Agnes) who took the bullock wagon into
Walhalla not any of the other members of the family" I have also found a note of a
conversation that she had with a JJ O'Connor at Toongabbie where she said "they
laugh at me now" this was after they had been in discussion for sometime one night at
the Toongabbie Inn (no doubt Hugh was tucked away in bed - not for him saddling up
8 bullocks day and night and trying to traverse across a rough and uninviting
landscape. No way.
20 Mar. 00
Last Friday 17.3.00 a girl at work suggested that I check the firstfamily2001.com.au
site on the www. I did a quick check on the Buntine Family and up popped Hugh
(surprise surprise). On the documentation a Marilyn De Vere Wicking supplied that
was there I found out the information, and even here Agnes was not mentioned. I
wrote to this lady requesting any information she may have on Agnes and received a
reply today, I also said in my message that I thought Hugh had remarried after Mary
had died. In her reply she stated that yes in fact Hugh had remarried a woman named
Agnes Buntine and that she had left her out of the item "My husband is descended
from the first wife whose children were all born before they arrived in Australia. I
kept to just these on the FirstFamily database as they were the one s who actually
arrived here, and it kept things simpler than adding the "second family” who were
born here.
First of all this may sound Ok but then on the other hand why kept it "simpler" when
you have someone in the family that has completed a task that no other has succeeded
in doing!
Reading between the lines there must be a hidden reason why the "Buntine" family
only acknowledge Agnes as a last resort. Perhaps she was a real "Bitch" then again
maybe she suffered more that you or I can possibly imagine. She apparently did this
trip when she was in her late twenties and this was after she had 4 or 5 children plus
caring for "Hugh's" first family of 4.
There is one thing for certain in my mind I can visualise her walking very heavily into
the inn at Toongabbie. No doubt she would have been wet as it was winter and to
make that final 400 yards she had to cross yet another creek. Lets face it she was tired
and hungry, there would have been little help at the inn as far as organising her
bullocks or horses.
22 March 2000-03-22
Last night when I got home from work I had two letters waiting for me on from
Don Macreadie
Stoney Creek Road
Cowwarr Vic 3857
And one from
Gwen Hardy
56 duke Street
Rosedale
The letter from Don Macreadie was very interesting, initially I thought that he had
said that Agnes had been married prior to marrying Hugh, but later I realised that
when he said
Mrs Harrup - Traralgon
Barbara Hood
57 Yarraman Road
Noble Park 3174
14 February 2000
Mrs D.M. Harrup
37 Sunderland Court
Traralgon Vic 3844
Dear Mrs Harrup
I am writing seeking your permission to use an article you have written
about "Agnes Buntine" I would like to retype your article (of which I'll
forward a copy to you).
Some years ago I came across her name in the newspapers and have been
intrigued about her ever since. I intend to research the life of Agnes
Buntine. One article that I have says that she was " a lady of unbounded
bravery and great strength" this alone was enough to catch my
imagination.
My family is from Gippsland my mother's maiden name was Jean
Christensen she lived out a Glengary, but now resides in Melbourne.
Mum is about 78 (but looks much younger) and keeps good health.
I am hopeful that you will allow me to reproduce you article and look
forward to hearing from you. I have enclosed a stamped address
envelope.
Yours faithfully
Barbara Hood
57 Yarraman Road
Noble Park 3174
14 February 2000
Mrs D.M. Harrup
37 Sunderland Court
Traralgon Vic 3844
Dear Mrs Harrup
I am writing seeking your permission to use an article you have written
about "Agnes Buntine" I would like to retype your article (of which I'll
forward a copy to you).
Some years ago I came across her name in the newspapers and have been
intrigued about her ever since. I intend to research the life of Agnes
Buntine. One article that I have says that she was " a lady of unbounded
bravery and great strength" this alone was enough to catch my
imagination.
My family is from Gippsland my mother's maiden name was Jean
Christensen she lived out a Glengary, but now resides in Melbourne.
Mum is about 78 (but looks much younger) and keeps good health.
I am hopeful that you will allow me to reproduce you article and look
forward to hearing from you. I have enclosed a stamped address
envelope.
Yours faithfully
Barbara Hood
Gwen Hardy - Rosedale
Barbara Hood
57 Yarraman Road
Noble Park Vic 3174
29 February 2000
Mrs Gwen Hardy
56 Duke Street
Rosedale Vic 5199
Dear Mrs Hardy
I am interested in obtaining a copy of the book "Rosedale - 150 Years Pictorial
History". I am hoping had this book will have some information on a woman called
"Agnes Buntine". It is my understanding that she is buried at Rosedale but even
though I have travelled to Rosedale twice I have been unable to find her grave. I've
found just about everyone else in her family except her!
If you could let me know the cost I would be grateful.
My husband and I came down to Rosedale on Sunday, we travelled to Toongabbie
where Agnes Buntine had dinner with a J.J. O'Connor and then we came across to
Rosedale. I thought we'd make it over to Port Albert but unfortunately the day just
disappeared and we had to come home
I originally came from Gippsland, my mother was Jean Christensen and lived out at
"Scarne" near Glengarry but I spent most of my childhood between Yallourn and
Morwell and eventually we moved to Melbourne and have been here ever since.
Anyhow enough of me, I have enclosed a stamped address envelope and look forward
to hearing from you.
Regards
Barbara Hood
57 Yarraman Road
Noble Park Vic 3174
29 February 2000
Mrs Gwen Hardy
56 Duke Street
Rosedale Vic 5199
Dear Mrs Hardy
I am interested in obtaining a copy of the book "Rosedale - 150 Years Pictorial
History". I am hoping had this book will have some information on a woman called
"Agnes Buntine". It is my understanding that she is buried at Rosedale but even
though I have travelled to Rosedale twice I have been unable to find her grave. I've
found just about everyone else in her family except her!
If you could let me know the cost I would be grateful.
My husband and I came down to Rosedale on Sunday, we travelled to Toongabbie
where Agnes Buntine had dinner with a J.J. O'Connor and then we came across to
Rosedale. I thought we'd make it over to Port Albert but unfortunately the day just
disappeared and we had to come home
I originally came from Gippsland, my mother was Jean Christensen and lived out at
"Scarne" near Glengarry but I spent most of my childhood between Yallourn and
Morwell and eventually we moved to Melbourne and have been here ever since.
Anyhow enough of me, I have enclosed a stamped address envelope and look forward
to hearing from you.
Regards
Barbara Hood
First families
first families
2001
Details
First Family Member Details
Descendants
First Family Member Details
Surname:
BUNTINE
Given Name(s):
Hugh
Occupation(s):
Farmer
Birth Details
Birth Town:
Kilwinning
Birth County,
Region, Province:
Ayrshire
Birth Country:
Scotland
Birth Date:
1804
Death Details
Death Town:
Rosedale
Death
State/Territory:
VIC
Death Country:
Australia
Death Date:
1867
Immigration
Details
Air/Port Landed:
Sydney
Ship/Plane:
William
Rodger
Year Arrived:
1838
Surname:
SYMINGTON
Given Name(s):
Mary
Birth Details
Birth Country:
Scotland
Death Details
Death Town:
Sydney
Death
State/Territory:
NSW
Death Country:
Australia
Death Date:
1838
Immigration
Details
Air/Port Landed:
Sydney
Ship/Plane:
William
Rodger
Year Arrived:
1838
Descendants
Children
BUNTINE, Jane
Symington 1
BUNTINE, John 2
BUNTINE, Robert 3
BUNTINE, Mary Ann 4
BUNTINE, Hugh
Symington 5
BUNTINE, Alexander 6
Grandchildren
BUNTINE, Helen Murray
3
BUNTINE, Hugh 3
BUNTINE, Jane
Symington 3
BUNTINE, Jessie
Elizabeth 3
BUNTINE, John
Symington 3
BUNTINE, Mary Harriot 3
BUNTINE, Robert
Andrew 3
BUNTINE, Walter Murray
3
BUNTINE, Walter Murray
3
NB: Superscript behind each descendant name represents the lineage number of
that descendant.
This family information was last updated by MARILYN DE VERE WICKING on
the 8 August, 1999.
2001
Details
First Family Member Details
Descendants
First Family Member Details
Surname:
BUNTINE
Given Name(s):
Hugh
Occupation(s):
Farmer
Birth Details
Birth Town:
Kilwinning
Birth County,
Region, Province:
Ayrshire
Birth Country:
Scotland
Birth Date:
1804
Death Details
Death Town:
Rosedale
Death
State/Territory:
VIC
Death Country:
Australia
Death Date:
1867
Immigration
Details
Air/Port Landed:
Sydney
Ship/Plane:
William
Rodger
Year Arrived:
1838
Surname:
SYMINGTON
Given Name(s):
Mary
Birth Details
Birth Country:
Scotland
Death Details
Death Town:
Sydney
Death
State/Territory:
NSW
Death Country:
Australia
Death Date:
1838
Immigration
Details
Air/Port Landed:
Sydney
Ship/Plane:
William
Rodger
Year Arrived:
1838
Descendants
Children
BUNTINE, Jane
Symington 1
BUNTINE, John 2
BUNTINE, Robert 3
BUNTINE, Mary Ann 4
BUNTINE, Hugh
Symington 5
BUNTINE, Alexander 6
Grandchildren
BUNTINE, Helen Murray
3
BUNTINE, Hugh 3
BUNTINE, Jane
Symington 3
BUNTINE, Jessie
Elizabeth 3
BUNTINE, John
Symington 3
BUNTINE, Mary Harriot 3
BUNTINE, Robert
Andrew 3
BUNTINE, Walter Murray
3
BUNTINE, Walter Murray
3
NB: Superscript behind each descendant name represents the lineage number of
that descendant.
This family information was last updated by MARILYN DE VERE WICKING on
the 8 August, 1999.
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