Search Result
88813
Surname: McGill (Biraban) (Indigenous)
First Name: -
Ship: -
Date: 1836
Place: Newcastle
Source: Backhouse
Details: Accompanied James Backhouse to Threlkeld s mission at Lake Macquarie. Described as a tall intelligent black who could speak a little English and was dressed in a red striped shirt, ragged trousers and old hat
175962
Surname: McGill (Biraban) (Indigenous)
First Name: -
Ship: -
Date: 1839
Place: Lake Macquarie
Source: Narrative of the United States Exploring Expedition During the Years 1838 By Charles Wilkes
Details: At Mr. Threlkelds, Mr. Hale saw McGill, who was reputed to be one of the most intelligent natives; and his portrait was taken by Mr. Agate. His physiognomy was much more agreeable than that of the other blacks, being less strongly marked with the peculiarities of his race. He was about the middle size, of a dark chocolate colour, with fine glossy black hair and whiskers, a good forehead, eyes not deeply set, a nose that might be described as aquiline, although depressed and broad at the base. It was very evident that MGill was accustomed to teach his native language, for when he was asked the name of any thing, he pronounced the word very distinctly, syllable by syllable, so that it was impossible to mistake it.
177447
Surname: McGill (Biraban) (Indigenous)
First Name: -
Ship: -
Date: 1839
Place: Lake Macquarie
Source: A Key to the Structure of the Aboriginal Language in the Vicinity of Hunter River and Lake Macquarie by L.E. Threlkeld
Details: At Mr. Threlkelds Mr. Hale saw Mc Gill, who was reputed to be one of the most intelligent natives ; and his portrait was taken by Mr. Agate. His physiognomy was more agreeable than that of the other blacks, being less strongly marked with the peculiarities of his race ; he was about the middle size, of a dark chocolate colour, with fine glossy black hair and whiskers, a good forehead, eyes not deeply set, a nose that might be described as aquiline, although depressed and broad at the base. It was very evident that M Gil1 was accustomed to teach his native language, for when he was asked the name of anything, he pronounced the word very distinctly, syllable by syllable, so that it was impossible to mistake it. Though acquainted with the doctrines of Christianity, and all the comforts and advantages of civilization, it was impossible for him to overcome his attachment to the customs of his people, and he is always a leader in the corrobories and other assemblies. Biraban was his native name, meaning an eagle-hawk, the analysis of which is at the latter end of this work. He was my almost daily companion for many years, and to his intelligence I am principally indebted for much of my knowledge respecting the structure of the language. Both himself and Patty, his wife, were living evidences that there was no innate deficiency of intellect in either of them. He had been brought up from his childhood in the Military Barracks, Sydney, and he understood and spoke the English language well. He was much attached to us, and faithful to a chivalrous extreme. We never were under apprehensions of hostile attacks when M Gill and his tribe encamped nigh our dwelling. A murderous black, named Bumble-foot from his infirmity, and Devil Devil from his propensities, had attempted to murder a European by chopping of the man s head with a tomahawk, and which he nearly effected ; the man recovered and I had to appear at a Court of Justice on the occasion; this displeased Bumble-foot, and he avowed openly, in their usual manner, that he would slay me at the first opportunity, in the bush; this came to the ears of M Gill, who immediately applied to me for the loan of a fowling-piece to go and shoot that fellow for his three , which was of course refused. M Gill was once present with me at the Criminal Court, Sydney, assisting as interpreter, when he was closely examined by the Judges, Burton and Willis, in open court, on the trial of an Aborigine for murder, 1834, in order that M Gill might be sworn as interpreter in the case; but though his answers were satisfactory to the general questions proposed to him by the Judges, yet, not understanding the nature of our oath in a Court of Justice, he could not be sworn. Patty, his wife, was pleasing in her person, black but comely, kind and affectionate in her disposition, and evidenced as strong a faculty of shrewdness in the exercise of her intellectual powers over M Gill as those of the fairer daughters of Eve, who, without appearing to trespass on the high prerogative of their acknowledged lords, manage their husbands according to their own sovereign will ; this might perhaps have arisen from the circumstance of M Gill, once, when intoxicated, having shot his wife, the which he deeply deplored when he became sober; the injury sustained was not much, and ever afterwards he treated her with that affection which appeared to be reciprocal. It was a romantic scene to behold the happy pair, together with many others, on a moonlight night, under the blue canopy of Heaven, preparing for the midnight ball, to be held on the green sward, with no other toilet than a growing bush, with none other blaze than that from the numerous fires kindled around the mystic ring in which to trip the light fantastic toe. Then each might be seen reciprocally rouging each others check with pigment of their own preparing, and imparting fairness to their sable skin on the neck and forehead with the purest pipeclay, until each countenance beamed with rapturous delight at each others charms. The cumbrous garments of the day were laid aside, and in all the majesty of nature they would dance as Britons did in days of old
72537
Surname: McGill (Indigenous)
First Name: Little McGill
Ship: -
Date: -
Place: -
Source: Threlkeld
Details: Of the Lake Macquarie tribe
82201
Surname: McGill (Indigenous)
First Name: Little McGill
Ship: -
Date: 16 June 1837
Place: Lake Macquarie
Source: Australian
Details: Billy Blue and Little McGill taught to read and write in their own tongue but disposed to wander
82147
Surname: McGill (Indigenous) (Beerabahn) (Biraban)
First Name: -
Ship: -
Date: April 1836
Place: Lake Macquarie
Source: Backhouse
Details: Guided James Backhouse to Rev. Threlkeld s missionary at Lake Macquarie
178860
Surname: McGill (Indigenous) (Biraban)
First Name: -
Ship: -
Date: 16 July 1836
Place: Newcastle
Source: Sydney Gazette - Annual Report of the Aboriginal Mission at Lake Macquarie (Threlkeld)
Details: Several of the blacks belonging to this district headed by McGill, are travelling to Windsor, Parramatta and Sydney in order to teach other tribes a new song and dance which have lately been brought from the regions far beyond Liverpool Plains where my son has ascertained that the song exists though the dialect is different to that used in these parts on the sea coast.
187570
Surname: McGill (Indigenous) (Biraban)
First Name: -
Ship: -
Date: 1 May 1846
Place: Newcastle
Source: Sydney Morning Herald
Details: At Newcastle, on the 14th April, McGill, the aboriginal native well known a few years back at the Supreme Court as assistant interpreter in several cases in which the aborigines were tried for capital offences. He was a living witness against the assertion of the French Phrenolongists that the blacks of this colony were physically incapable of instruction from organic malformation
82202
Surname: McGill (Indigenous) (Biraban)
First Name: (the elder)
Ship: -
Date: 16 June 1837
Place: -
Source: Australian
Details: Rarely visits Rev. Threlkeld at Lake Macquare, preferrring to stay in Newcastle
72536
Surname: McGill (Indigenous) (Biraban)
First Name: John
Ship: -
Date: -
Place: -
Source: Threlkeld
Details: A chief of the Lake Macquarie tribe and Rev. Threlkelds assistant
178862
Surname: McQuarrie (Macquarie) (Indigenous)
First Name: -
Ship: -
Date: 7 August 1840
Place: Newcastle gaol
Source: Newcastle Gaol Entrance Book. State Archives NSW. Roll 138 (Ancestry)
Details: Admitted to Newcastle gaol. Sentenced to 24 hours hard labour. Discharged 8 August
187655
Surname: McQuarrie (Macquarrie) (Macquarie) (Indigenous)
First Name: -
Ship: -
Date: 7 August 1847
Place: Newcastle gaol
Source: Newcastle Gaol Entrance Book - State Archives NSW; Roll: 757
Details: Sent to Newcastle gaol under sentence of 24 hours hard labour
173960
Surname: Mellon (Indigenous)
First Name: -
Ship: -
Date: 3 March 1805
Place: Newcastle
Source: SG
Details: The women who accompanied the rash adventure from Newcastle a few days since got into Parramatta; their names, Susannah Danford, Mary Murphy and Ann Gooder. Their travel through the woods was attended as might be expected with every vicissitude of famine and fatigue. The body of natives by whom they were stripped consisted of several hundreds; who departing from their accustomed hospitality to travellers within their power, were content with plundering them .This mark of extreme forbearance was owing to the friendly interference of one of the Newcastle natives among the number, who had received civility from one of the deplorable travellers and in return afforded his protection. This fellow distinguished by the name of Mellon was still further induced by a sense of gratitude to to past obligation, to assist them with part of a kangaroo, when sinking under extreme hunger.
74366
Surname: Melville (Indigenous)
First Name: -
Ship: -
Date: 1 March 1843
Place: -
Source: CO
Details: Hunted by chief of the Glendon tribe Jemmy
167290
Surname: Melville (Indigenous)
First Name: -
Ship: -
Date: 1840s
Place: Paterson district
Source: Maitland Mercury 18 August 1877
Details: Reminiscences of days gone by.a....description of a fight between King George of Cawarra and his tribe and Melville and his tribe (This was the same Melville who would be hung in Maitland in later years)
176260
Surname: Melville (Indigenous)
First Name: -
Ship: -
Date: 25 March 1843
Place: Newcastle gaol
Source: State Archives NSW; Roll: 757 Ancestry.com NSW Gaol Description and Entrance Books, 1818-1930
Details: Melville and Harry admitted to Newcastle gaol from Maitland on a charge of wilful murder
183349
Surname: Memorial (Indigenous)
First Name: -
Ship: -
Date: 10 March 1924
Place: Sandgate Cemetery
Source: The Voice of the North
Details: A very interesting ceremony will take place at Sandgate cemetery in the near future when the memorial to the last of the Hawkesbury tribe of aboriginals will be unveiled. A movement is also on the tapis to mark the final resting place of the last of the Awabakal people
184741
Surname: Messengers (Indigenous)
First Name: -
Ship: -
Date: 18 April 1919
Place: Dungog
Source: Dungog Chronicle
Details: MESSENGERS. The carrying of messages from one tribe to another in the early days was an important matter for the aboriginals. This was done particularly when the tribes were being summoned to a bumbat, and in different districts different methods wore observed. The practice of the Kamilaroi tribes may be taken as that of the tribes that lived nearest to Maitland some seventy or eighty years ago. In each clan there was one man who, was a herald and had an official designation. He was well known in all the adjoining tribes and could go with safety between them, even when they were at war. When sent as an envoy to the enemies camp he might have to wait for a night to bring back a message from them. While there he made a camp by him self a little distance from their encampment. These heralds, being well known, did not need to carry any badge or emblem of office, but if a black were employed as a white man s messenger, the message was written on a piece of paper which was fastened in the end of a split stick. Carrying this before him he might pass safely through the enemy s country because he was seen to be the white man s messenger, and if any harm were done him the tribe of the white man would be angry. With the Gringal, wrote Mr Boydell, a messenger could pass in safety from one tribe to another. A red coloured net was worn round the forehead if the messenger were on an errand to summon the tribes, together for a bumbat, or for any other great occasion such as a council of war. It was customary for a messenger, when within sound of the camp that was his destination to give a particular coo-ee. Immediately this is heard the whole tribe gathered together to hear what he had to say, but not a word was spoken to him until he thought it proper to deliver his message. Sometimes, for the sake of effect probably, the herald would sit silent for hours. When, however, he unburdened his mind his eloquence was wonderful and he was listened to with the greatest attention. No message Sticks were used in this tribe.
183645
Surname: Mick (Indigenous)
First Name: -
Ship: -
Date: 5 July 1862
Place: Darling Downs
Source: Maitland Mercury
Details: A large piece of land adjacent to Dr. Stacys new house has been ploughed for the first time by a young man named Mick, an aboriginal of the Maitland tribe. Considered a first rate hand at the plough
177036
Surname: Mickey (Bungewah) (Indigenous)
First Name: -
Ship: -
Date: 14 June 1849
Place: Singleton
Source: State Library of NSW. Papers relating to Aborigines in the Singleton District, Blanket for Native Blacks, Colonial Secretarys Office
Details: Age 30. On Return of Aborigines to receive blankets