Free Settler or Felon
Convict and Colonial History




Archibald Bell - Settler

Corinda - Map 3


Archibald Bell
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 -

Archibald Bell James Black William Brooks John Cobb Henry Dangar John Earl John Gaggin William Harper William Kelman John Larnach George Wyndham George White Joseph Underwood A.B. Spark Benjamin Sullivan Alexander Shand Helenus Scott James Mitchell George Wyndham Helenus Scott John Larnach Shaw Stewart Early Settler Map 4

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 showing the location of Archibald Bell's estate Corinda. Shown as Kurrandarra on J. Cross's 1828 Map of the Hunter
Map of the Hunter in 1828 showing location of Archibald Bell's estate. Shown as Kurrandarra on the map above

References

[1]. Singleton Argus 16 March 1920

[2]. Sydney Morning Herald 11 August 1883