Rookwood Cemetery Discoveries

  Well, the silly season has started .... yes Summer = Cricket and today's blog is about a cricket player who was the first NSW Cricket Captain and the raucous, rambunctious but endearing cricket fanatic from many years later. First up the cricketeer. GEORGE HENRY BAYLEY GILBERT George was born in Cheltenham England in September 1829 the eldest child of George Gilbert, a farmer and his wife Sarah Rose. His brother Walter Raleigh and his cousins, EM and WG Grace were keen and well-known cricketeers. George played six first class matches in England before he sailed to Australia in 1852 in the "Mary Ann" accompanied by his cousin William Gilbert Rees. William was an explorer and George accompanied him on an expedition into the interior of NSW almost immediately they arrived probably looking for gold. William continued exploring which eventually led him to New Zealand where he founded Queenstown, but George remained in Sydney. Gilbert enjoyed playing cricket and oft

  I have to say feisty, brave and resilient women are a true inspiration - well to me anyway. The person being honoured today fits that description to a tee! I can't help but like and admire her. BESSIE SIMPSON nee CHANT Bessie arrived in Sydney on 5 March 1868 as part of the contingent of five nurses sent to Sydney at the request of the Colonial Secretary, Sir Henry Parkes. They were led by Lucy Osborn, who had trained and studied at the Nightingale Training School attached to St Thomas's Hospital, London and worked in both men's and women's surgical, medical and accident wards. She also studied midwifery skills. At the time the Sydney Infirmary Hospital (later known as the Sydney Hospital) was a place of disease and Sir Henry had written to Nightingale, at the time the world authority on nursing, imploring her to send out trained nurses to attend to the urgent matter. Sydney Infirmary Hospital (as it was known) - Wikipedia Part of the criteria for the women

Today's blog relates to a man who arrived in the colonies in 1841, intending to be a labourer, became a member of Ludwig Leichardt's first expedition where he was lucky to survive several indigenous altercations. He went on to become a renowned botanist and land manager, married the first Australian born novelist, survived more tragedy and eventually called Rookwood "home". Who was this person? JAMES SNOWDEN CALVERT James was born in 1825 at Otley, Yorkshire, England, the son of William Calvert, and his wife Ann. An education in Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham set up a wanderlust for the young man and in 1841 he boarded the ship the "Sir Edward Paget". Another young man with a heart for exploration, even though he had poor eyesight and little exploratory skills, was also on board; his name - Ludwig Leichardt. James headed north to a relative's property for work but when he heard that Leichardt was looking for people to accompany him on an inland exp

 The subject of today's blog was brought to my attention in early 2019 and has had a lasting effect upon me. A strong, formidable man who let no one intimidate him but with a strong sense of moral fortitude   whose story I believe is one that would suit the small screen; let me introduce... HENRY EDINBURGH BAYLIS  Henry was born in Edinburgh (hence the second name honouring his birthplace) Scotland in 1826, the second son of Thomas Henry Baylis, Lieutenant of the 17th Regiment, and his wife Julia Dorothea. In mid 1832 he arrived in Sydney where his father continued his military career. Henry was educated at The King's School, Parramatta, one of their earliest pupils and then trained in the legal office of the Fitzhardinge family of Sydney. He worked briefly on a pastoral property near Bathurst and after gold was discovered in the Mudgee District in 1851, tried his luck there like many others, but to no avail. Baylis entered the public service as a Clerk of Petty Sessions at Har