Henry ANGEL (1791

Henry ANGEL (1791 - 1881)

convict, explorer, Farmer, Grazier

Children	Self + Spouses	Parents	Grandparents	Greatgrandparents
Henry ANGEL (1836 - 1924) William ANGEL (1838 - 1891) Keturah ANGEL (1841 - 1932) Robert ANGEL (1841 - 1870) Richard ANGEL (1844 - 1907) Mary ANGEL (1847 - 1932) Sarah M ANGEL (1847 - ) James ANGEL (1850 - 1926) Edward Jonathon ANGEL (1852 - 1934) Samuel ANGEL (1853 - 1938)	Henry ANGEL (1791 - 1881) + Mary BROOKER (1812 - 1890)	William ANGEL ( - 1844)



		Mary SHERAN SHERING ( - 1830)

Pic 3. Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney) 28 Jan 1882
The Late Mr. Henry Angel. In this issue we present a portrait of an old and worthy colonist, recently deceased, Mr. Henry Angel, who died at the extreme age of 91 years. The deceased gentleman was one of the oldest colonists of New South Wales, having come out to this colony more than 60 years ago. He was one of those who accompanied the late Mr. Hamilton Hume, and Captain Hovell, in their well-known exploring expedition to Victoria in the year 1824. He also connected himself with other exploring parties, and was one of the first that traversed the Darling River; in fact he has been in many instances a thorough colonist, attaching himself to many objects of interest to New South Wales. He was one of the first squatters who settled down on the lower Murrumbidgee, where he encountered many dangers with the blacks, who were very troublesome in that part of the colony in those early days. He afterwards settled down at his residence, Spring Vale, Wagga Wagga, where he passed the last few years of his life. He leaves a widow, six sons and two daughters.

b. abt 08 Jan 1791 at Woodgreen, Hampshire, England

m. 03 Sep 1834 Mary BROOKER (1812 - 1890) at Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia

d. 07 Dec 1881 at Lake Albert, New South Wales, Australia aged 90

Near Relatives of Henry ANGEL (1791 - 1881)
Relationship	Person	Born	Birth Place	Died	Death Place	Age
Father in Law	Jonathan BROOKER	1760	Kent, UK	14 Mar 1833	Airds, New South Wales, Australia	73
Mother in Law	Mary Anne WADE	1777	London, Middlesex, England	17 Dec 1859	Fairy Meadow, New South Wales, Australia	82

Father	William ANGEL			22 Dec 1844	Hale, Hampshire, England
Mother	Mary SHERAN SHERING			10 Mar 1830	Hale, Hampshire, England

Self	Henry ANGEL	abt 08 Jan 1791	Woodgreen, Hampshire, England	07 Dec 1881	Lake Albert, New South Wales, Australia	90

Wife	Mary BROOKER	28 Nov 1812	Hawkesbury District, New South Wales, Australia	29 Sep 1890	Lake Albert, New South Wales, Australia	77

Son	Henry ANGEL	16 Nov 1836	Fairy Meadow, New South Wales, Australia	09 Jul 1924	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	87
Son	William ANGEL	17 Oct 1838	Fairy Meadow, New South Wales, Australia	28 Oct 1891	Newtown, New South Wales, Australia	53
Daughter	Keturah ANGEL	05 Oct 1841	Fairy Meadow, New South Wales, Australia	22 Nov 1932	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	91
Son	Robert ANGEL	05 Oct 1841	Fairy Meadow, New South Wales, Australia	19 May 1870	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	28
Son	Richard ANGEL	19 Feb 1844	Fairy Meadow, New South Wales, Australia	16 Jun 1907	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	63
Daughter	Mary ANGEL	10 Feb 1847	Hay, New South Wales, Australia	07 Jul 1932	Kogarah, New South Wales, Australia	85
Daughter	Sarah M ANGEL	10 Feb 1847	Hay, New South Wales, Australia
Son	James ANGEL	08 Mar 1850	Hay, New South Wales, Australia	05 Jun 1926	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	76
Son	Edward Jonathon ANGEL	13 Jun 1852	Hay, New South Wales, Australia	08 Nov 1934	Lake Albert, New South Wales, Australia	82
Son	Samuel ANGEL	18 Feb 1853	Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia	21 Apr 1938	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	85

Daughter in Law	Emma TERRY	23 Aug 1843	Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia	12 Jan 1867	Hay, New South Wales, Australia	23
Daughter in Law	Frances Eleanor Jane CORNISH	1850	Hay, New South Wales, Australia	17 Apr 1927	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	77
Daughter in Law	Sarah Mary HARRIS	29 Jul 1849	Australia	04 Jul 1935	Sydney, New South Wales, Australia	85
Son in Law	John HURST	06 Apr 1836	Laughton, Leicestershire, England	14 May 1922	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	86
Daughter in Law	Sarah BOYTON	01 Jan 1846	Australia	17 Mar 1917	Ashfield, New South Wales, Australia	71
Son in Law	Henry HARRIS	abt 1824		1907		83
Daughter in Law	Eva FOOTE
Daughter in Law	Eliza Jane BOYTON	01 Jan 1856	Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia	28 Mar 1912	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	56
Daughter in Law	Elizabeth BROOKER	17 Aug 1857	Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia	30 Nov 1904	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	47
Daughter in Law	Ellen Maria POWER	08 Mar 1864	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	14 Apr 1930	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	66
Daughter in Law	Emma Ann POWER	27 Oct 1857		28 May 1946		88

Grandson	Albert Terry Australia ANGEL	03 Sep 1864	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	14 Jan 1867	Hay, New South Wales, Australia	2
Granddaughter	Christina Mary Beatrice ANGEL	13 Feb 1866	Hay, New South Wales, Australia
Granddaughter	Henrietta May ANGEL	18 Mar 1875	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	1957		82
Grandson	Henry George William ANGEL	1877	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	1941	Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia	64
Granddaughter	Edith Maud ANGEL	1879	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia
Grandson	Lewis Arthur H ANGEL	15 Feb 1881	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	1953		72
Grandson	Walter Edgar ANGEL	15 Feb 1881	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia
Granddaughter	Ethel Ann Victoria ANGEL	1882	Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
Grandson	Frederick Norman ANGEL	19 Jan 1884	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	1963		79
Grandson	Charles Ernest ANGEL	21 Dec 1885	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia
Granddaughter	Daisy Edith Maud ANGEL	1887	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia
Grandson	Sidney Percival ANGEL	23 Feb 1890	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia
Granddaughter	Alma Greta ANGEL	14 Jul 1892	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia
Granddaughter	Mary Jane HURST	14 Apr 1861	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	09 Feb 1954	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	92
Grandson	Henry HURST	02 Feb 1863	Balranald, New South Wales, Australia	28 Nov 1906	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	43
Grandson	Charles George HURST	04 Jun 1865	Oura, New South Wales, Australia	30 Sep 1924	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	59
Grandson	Robert John HURST	22 Aug 1867	Oura, New South Wales, Australia	17 Nov 1960	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	93
Grandson	George HURST	05 Sep 1869	Oura, New South Wales, Australia	31 Mar 1929	Narrandera, New South Wales, Australia	59
Grandson	Albert HURST	20 Aug 1872	Oura, New South Wales, Australia	29 Sep 1959	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	87
Grandson	Arthur HURST	28 Jul 1874	Oura, New South Wales, Australia	02 Feb 1968	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	93
Grandson	Walter James HURST	24 Dec 1876	Oura, New South Wales, Australia	03 Jun 1934	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	57
Granddaughter	Eliza Alice HURST	23 Apr 1879	Oura, New South Wales, Australia	11 Dec 1936	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	57
Granddaughter	Ada May HURST	11 Oct 1881	Oura, New South Wales, Australia
Granddaughter	Maude Elizabeth HURST	08 Jun 1885	Oura, New South Wales, Australia	28 Oct 1961		76
Grandson	Frederick William HURST	04 Jun 1888	Oura, New South Wales, Australia
Granddaughter	Emma ANGEL	06 Jan 1867	Lake Albert, New South Wales, Australia	15 Aug 1950		83
Granddaughter	Ada ANGEL	30 Jun 1868	Nangus, New South Wales, Australia	19 Nov 1952	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	84
Granddaughter	Sarah ANGEL	29 Jul 1871	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	18 Jan 1964	Culcairn, New South Wales, Australia	92
Grandson	Robert Henry ANGEL	30 Nov 1873	Nangus, New South Wales, Australia	11 Mar 1934	Temora, New South Wales, Australia	60
Grandson	Herbert James ANGEL	22 Aug 1874	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	04 Jan 1950	Temora, New South Wales, Australia	75
Grandson	Alfred Richard ANGEL	29 Oct 1876	Nangus, New South Wales, Australia	22 Aug 1919	Burwood, New South Wales, Australia	42
Grandson	Albert Charles 'Cap' ANGEL	24 Aug 1878	Lake Albert, New South Wales, Australia	06 Nov 1939	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	61
Grandson	Arthur Edward ANGEL	28 Mar 1880	Nangus, New South Wales, Australia	1958		78
Granddaughter	Eliza ANGEL	14 Mar 1882	Nangus, New South Wales, Australia	28 Aug 1962	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	80
Grandson	Walter Ernest ANGEL	28 Jan 1884	Nangus, New South Wales, Australia	1953		69
Granddaughter	Florrie ANGEL	09 Jan 1886	Gundagai, New South Wales, Australia	17 Oct 1938		52
Granddaughter	Harlow ANGEL	02 May 1888	Lake Albert, New South Wales, Australia	10 Jul 1888	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	0
Granddaughter	Olive ANGEL	02 May 1888	Lake Albert, New South Wales, Australia	05 May 1888	Lake Albert, New South Wales, Australia	0
Grandson	Ridley Amos ANGEL	08 Mar 1890	New South Wales, Australia	06 Jul 1976	Sutherland, New South Wales, Australia	86
Grandson	Allen Oswald ANGEL	1892	Lake Albert, New South Wales, Australia	28 Sep 1980	New South Wales, Australia	88
Grandson	Edgar Roy ANGEL	25 Jul 1895	Lake Albert, New South Wales, Australia	29 Jul 1923	Auburn, New South Wales, Australia	28
Granddaughter	Rebecca May ANGEL	18 Sep 1876	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	01 Feb 1920	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	43
Grandson	Stanley Edward ANGEL	1881	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia
Grandson	Leslie James ANGEL	16 Feb 1883	Lake Albert, New South Wales, Australia	07 Nov 1956	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	73
Grandson	Walter Edwin ANGEL	1885	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia
Granddaughter	Myrtle Evelyn Blanche ANGEL	1886	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia
Grandson	Harvey Edgar ANGEL	1888	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia
Granddaughter	Muriel E ANGEL	1890	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia
Grandson	Horace Edmond ANGEL	1892	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia
Granddaughter	Ivy ANGEL	1895	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia
Granddaughter	Eva ANGEL	1897	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia
Grandson	Harold B ANGEL	1897	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia
Granddaughter	Mary Blanche ANGEL	1877	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia
Grandson	Albert Charles ANGEL	1880	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia
Granddaughter	Clarice ANGEL	1882	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia
Grandson	Samuel ANGEL	1885	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	01 Mar 1950	Mangoplah, New South Wales, Australia	65
Granddaughter	Amy Grace ANGEL	1888	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	09 Apr 1922	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	34
Granddaughter	Linda ANGEL	1891	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	25 Jul 1916	Corowa, New South Wales, Australia	25
Granddaughter	Olive Bertha ANGEL	1894	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia

Niece	Mary RAY	16 Sep 1809		1837		28
Niece	Sophia RAY	28 May 1812	Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia	1877	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	65
Nephew	William RAY	07 Dec 1814		30 May 1885	Marrickville, Sydney, Australia	70
Nephew	John RAY	12 Oct 1817	Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia	10 Sep 1859		41
Niece	Maria RAY	16 May 1822		22 Apr 1924	Sydney, New South Wales, Australia	101
Nephew	Nathaniel BOON	14 Sep 1825		11 Feb 1911	Gundagai, New South Wales, Australia	85
Niece	Margaret BOON	17 Sep 1826		09 Jul 1904		77
Nephew	Thomas BOON	12 Aug 1828
Nephew	James BOON	20 Nov 1830
Nephew	Jonathan BOON	20 Nov 1830		15 May 1901		70
Nephew	Nicholas BOON	20 Nov 1830		18 Nov 1899		68
Niece	Sarah Ann BOON	02 Jun 1832		12 Oct 1854		22
Nephew	Daniel BOON	25 Nov 1852		19 Jul 1876		23
Niece	Mary Ann BROOKER	24 Mar 1821	Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia	09 Jan 1863	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	41
Niece	Sarah Elizabeth BROOKER	20 Mar 1823	Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia	23 Nov 1890	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	67
Nephew	William BROOKER	26 Dec 1824		09 Jun 1892		67
Nephew	Jonathan BROOKER	16 Jun 1827	Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia	14 Feb 1829	Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia	1
Niece	Elizabeth BROOKER	11 Mar 1830		08 May 1905		75
Nephew	Jonathon BROOKER	19 Jul 1832	New South Wales, Australia	03 Jun 1888	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	55
Nephew	James BROOKER	16 Oct 1834	Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia	17 Sep 1907	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	72
Niece	Sophia Jane BROOKER	19 Jul 1838	Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia	1916	Redfern, New South Wales, Australia	78
Nephew	Joseph Henry BROOKER	27 Feb 1840	Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia	21 Dec 1840	Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia	0
Niece	Eliza BROOKER	21 Feb 1843		20 May 1877		34
Niece	Mary BROOKER	18 Dec 1848		20 Jul 1931	Kangaloon, New South Wales, Australia	82
Nephew	Jonathan BROOKER	03 Dec 1849	Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia	17 Jun 1906	Kangaloon, New South Wales, Australia	56
Nephew	William BROOKER	24 May 1851	Charcoal Creek, New South Wales, Australia	05 Apr 1935	Kangaloon, New South Wales, Australia	83
Nephew	Murdo BROOKER	13 May 1853	Charcoal Creek, New South Wales, Australia	29 Jun 1913	Robertson, New South Wales, Australia	60
Niece	Sophia LOWE	14 Apr 1828	Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia	29 Mar 1893	Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia	64
Niece	Louisa Willison BROOKER	1853		1854		1
Niece	Rosina BROOKER	1855	Tarrawanna, New South Wales, Australia	20 Jan 1944	Corrimal, New South Wales, Australia	89
Nephew	James Albert BROOKER	22 May 1858		27 Oct 1939		81
Niece	Mary Louisa BROOKER	15 Mar 1860		02 Nov 1937		77
Nephew	William Willison BROOKER	03 Nov 1862	Fairy Meadow, New South Wales, Australia	19 Mar 1863	Fairy Meadow, New South Wales, Australia	0
Niece	Mary Anne HARRIGAN	1835		07 Aug 1870		35
Niece	Elizabeth HARRIGAN	10 Jun 1837		20 Dec 1915		78
Nephew	James Edward HARRIGAN	28 May 1839		12 May 1929		89
Niece	Sarah Jane HARRIGAN	1855		28 Oct 1893		38
Nephew	William HARRIGAN	22 Dec 1857		04 Sep 1948		90
Niece	Louisa Emily HARRIGAN	22 Mar 1860		17 Jan 1889		28
Niece	Alice Clara HARRIGAN	05 Aug 1863		17 Jan 1956		92

Sister in Law	Sarah WADE	27 Sep 1793	Norfolk Island	05 Jul 1887		93
Brother in Law	William James WADE BROOKER	10 Dec 1796	Norfolk Island	09 Oct 1885	Lake Albert, New South Wales, Australia	88
Brother in Law	John BROOKER	24 Jun 1809	Windsor, New South Wales, Australia	07 Dec 1886	Kangaloon, New South Wales, Australia	77
Sister in Law	Elizabeth BROOKER	07 Dec 1810	Hawkesbury District, New South Wales, Australia
Brother in Law	James BROOKER	30 May 1814	Airds, New South Wales, Australia	15 Mar 1880	Fairy Meadow, New South Wales, Australia	65
Brother in Law	Edward BROOKER HARRIGAN	20 Aug 1803	Sydney, New South Wales, Australia	09 Jul 1891	Fairy Meadow, New South Wales, Australia	87

Events in Henry ANGEL (1791 - 1881)'s life
Date	Age	Event	Place	Notes	Src
abt 08 Jan 1791		Henry ANGEL was born	Woodgreen, Hampshire, England		71
05 May 1818	27	Immigration	Sydney, New South Wales, Australia	per 'Neptune'	71
10 Mar 1830	39	Death of mother Mary SHERAN SHERING	Hale, Hampshire, England
03 Sep 1834	43	Married Mary BROOKER (aged 21)	Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia		71
16 Nov 1836	45	Birth of son Henry ANGEL	Fairy Meadow, New South Wales, Australia	1065/1836 V18361065 20	71
17 Oct 1838	47	Birth of son William ANGEL	Fairy Meadow, New South Wales, Australia	1109/1838 V18381109 22	71
05 Oct 1841	50	Birth of daughter Keturah ANGEL	Fairy Meadow, New South Wales, Australia	1516/1841 V18411516 25A	71
05 Oct 1841	50	Birth of son Robert ANGEL	Fairy Meadow, New South Wales, Australia	1517/1841 V18411517 25A	71
19 Feb 1844	53	Birth of son Richard ANGEL	Fairy Meadow, New South Wales, Australia	1867/1844	71
22 Dec 1844	53	Death of father William ANGEL	Hale, Hampshire, England
10 Feb 1847	56	Birth of daughter Mary ANGEL	Hay, New South Wales, Australia	946/1848	71
10 Feb 1847	56	Birth of daughter Sarah M ANGEL	Hay, New South Wales, Australia
08 Mar 1850	59	Birth of son James ANGEL	Hay, New South Wales, Australia	947/1848	71
13 Jun 1852	61	Birth of son Edward Jonathon ANGEL	Hay, New South Wales, Australia		71
18 Feb 1853	62	Birth of son Samuel ANGEL	Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia	4242/1853	71
19 May 1870	79	Death of son Robert ANGEL (aged 28)	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia		71
07 Dec 1881	90	Henry ANGEL died	Lake Albert, New South Wales, Australia		71

Personal Notes:

https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/angel-henry-2891
ANGEL, HENRY (1791-1881), grazier, was born in Salisbury, England, son of William Angel and his wife Mary, née Shearan. Lacking formal education and a marksman all his life Angel became a skilled farm worker.

At 26, Henry, convicted of highway robbery in England, with a life sentence from the Warwick Assizes in July 1817, he was transported in the Neptune and arrived at Sydney on 5 May 1818. He worked in road gangs before being assigned to a farmer at Appin, near the properties of Andrew Hamilton Hume and William Hovell.

In 1824 Hume and Hovell began their expedition to Port Phillip, accompanied by six convict servants including Henry Angel. Angel became the first white man to swim the Murray River at Albury, when he carried a rope across the river to aid the team's crossing.

He was granted a ticket of leave in 1825 and a grant of land near the Tank Stream and the present site of Sydney Town Hall. The land extended to what is now Angel Place but it was poor farming land so Angel exchanged it for "better land" in the Corrimal area. He joined Sturt and Hume on an expedition to trace the Macquarie River.

In 1824 he was one of six servants assigned to accompany Hamilton Hume and William Hovell on their journey of exploration in which they discovered the River Murray. Both leaders testified to Angel's ability in managing working horses and cattle and attributed part of their success to his careful planning of transport arrangements. On his return he was rewarded with a pair of bullocks and a ticket-of-leave for the Illawarra district. On 3 September 1834 at a schoolhouse near Wollongong he married the young widow, Mary Ledwidge (b. Hawkesbury River, 1812), daughter of 'John' Brooker, farmer, and Mary Wade, and in 1839 began buying small sections of farming land in Illawarra.

In October 1840 Angel was granted a conditional pardon and soon afterwards, when squatting was rapidly spreading in New South Wales, he and John Rae took up the rights to Uardry station on the saltbush plains of the lower Murrumbidgee. In 1844 he rented his Illawarra farm and moved with his ever-increasing family to the Riverina. Like most inland stations Uardry was first stocked with cattle, and in the 1840s Angel periodically set off for Sydney, 450 miles (724 km) distant, with a ton of cheese. On such trips he invariably spent a night with Hamilton Hume near Yass. Despite early difficulties, including trouble with Aboriginals, Angel remained at the Heavenly Plain until the early 1860s when he sold the station leasehold and moved to Spring Vale, in the more settled district near Lake Albert, south of Wagga Wagga, where he lived and worked until his death on 17 December 1881, at the age of 91.

With his remarkable energy and endurance he was described by James Gormly as 'one of the most reliable, honest, industrious men … abstemious, persevering and full of resource'. In his will he remarked how hard and long he had worked to gain his estate of several thousand acres and earnestly besought his children not to mortgage or part with it easily. On his death he left several dwellings, some dozen oddly-named pieces of land varying from 80 (32 ha) to 1000 acres (405 ha) each and many town lots scattered along the family track from Wollongong to Hay.

The fertility of the Angels was a byword in the Wagga Wagga district. Besides two children from her first marriage, Mary Angel bore eight sons and eight daughters to Henry; she died in 1890 leaving 13 children, 90 grandchildren and 49 great-grandchildren. Angel and his wife were buried in the Church of England section of the Wagga Wagga cemetery.
Select Bibliography

A. Andrews, First Settlement of the Upper Murray, 1835-1845 (Syd, 1920); J. Gormly, Exploration and Settlement in Australia (Syd, 1921); J. J. Baylis, ‘The Murrumbidgee and Wagga Wagga’, Journal and Proceedings (Royal Australian Historical Society), vol 13, part 5, 1927, pp 294-304; Wagga Wagga Advertiser, 4 Oct 1890, 2 May 1891; manuscript catalogue under Angel (State Library of New South Wales). More on the resources

Author: Gordon Buxton

Print Publication Details: Gordon Buxton, 'Angel, Henry (1791 - 1881)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 3, Melbourne University Press, 1969, p. 38.

Information downloaded from : http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A030040b.htm

Source References:

71. Type: Book, Abbr: Wagga Pioneers, Title: Pioneers of Wagga Wagga and District, Auth: Wagga Wagga & District Family History Society Inc, Publ: Wagga Wagga & District Family History Society Inc, Date: 2004, Locn: http://www.waggafamilyhistory.org.au/

- Reference = 5 (Immigration)

- Reference = 5 (Marriage)

- Reference = 5 (Death)

- Reference = 5 (Birth)

- Reference = 173 (Name, Notes)

85. Type: Book, Abbr: Mary Wade to Us, Title: Mary Wade to Us, Auth: Mary Wade Family History Association, Publ: Mary Wade Family History Association, Date: 1986, Locn: https://www.marywadefamily.org/items/show/1

- Reference = page 179++ (Name, Notes)

- Notes: Mary Brooker was the third child born to Mary Wade and Jonathan Brooker in New South Wales. She was born on 28th November, 1812, in the Hawkesbury District where her father, freed by servitude on Norfolk Island, was supporting his family - possibly as a carpenter. While Mary was a very small child the family moved to their new home at Airds (Campbelltown). When 11 years old, Mary shared with her family the tragic experience of being rendered destitute by a severe bushfire. By 1828 we find the family established on the Illawarra, near Corrimal. Jonathan’s household consisted of his wife Mary, their children John, Mary and James, and Edward Harrigan, referred to as Edward Brooker.

Shortly after her 16th birthday, Mary Srooker married John Hart on 14th February 1829. Father Therry, a Roman Catholic priest, performed the ceremony and the marriage was registered at Liverpool. John Hart, who had arrived a free man on the EarlSt Vincent, was about 29 years of age. This marriage was short lived and without issue as John Hart soon died.

Mary's second marriage, to Christopher Ledwidge, was also conducted by Father Therry on 17th November, 1833. Ledwidge had arrived on the transport Isobella in 1822 to serve a term of 7 years transportation. Christopher was listed as a Catholic labourer, assigned to Charles Tunstall, a bricklayer of Lower Minto. In 1824 he was sent to Port Macquarie as a punishment for attempting to rob a cart. He returned to Lower Minto in 1827, gained his freedom the next year, and settled at Fairy Meadow in the Illawarra District. It was here that he met the young widow Mary Hart, daughter of Jonathan Brooker and Mary Wade. She bore him a son, John, in 1832, and they married on 17th November, 1833. The following year, on the very day of Christopher's death, a second son was born and named Christopher. This meant that within four years, and still only 21, Mary was twice widowed and the mother of two boys. These circumstances probably explain why, less than a year later, Mary married for a third time. The groom was Henry Angel, a farmer of Fairy Meadow. The marriage was by Banns with the consent of the Governor, and took place on 3rd January, 1834, in the Church of England School House in Wollongong.

Henry Angel was a very colourful character. He was born in Salisbury, England, in 1791, and had worked on the land from an early age, becoming proficient in the skills of farming. At the age of 26 a brush with the law earned him a conviction and he was sentenced to transportation for life. Exact circumstances of his crime remain a mystery but according to family folk-lore, Henry may have been the innocent victim of a miscarriage of justice. This version holds that at the age of 17 he purchased a pair of blood-stained boots from a stranger for one shilling and was subsequently charged with the murder of the owner of the boots. Since Henry could not produce evidence to the contrary, he was tried, convicted and sentenced to be hanged, the sentence being commuted to transportation for life. The second explanation for Henry's transportation rests on more reliable documented evidence. An extract from a sworn statement in the Public Records Office, London, states that Henry Angel and an accomplice were tried on 18th March 1817 for highway robbery. Henry was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment. He arrived in New South Wales aboard the transport Neptune on 9th May 1818 to serve his sentence.

Henry was described as having a ruddy complexion, 5'2½” tall, brown hair and hazel eyes. Sometime after his arrival Henry was assigned to William Cox, a considerable land holder, best remembered for his role in the construction of the first road over the Blue Mountains in 1815. It appears that Cox recommended Henry Angel to Hamilton Hume when Hume was preparing for his overland expedition with Hovell, to Port Phillip. Subsequently Angel was assigned to Hume for the expedition and a close bond of friendship developed between these two men.

As the overland journey continued, Angel proved of great value in difficult situations. On reaching the Murray, Angel became the first white man to swim across the river. He did so to get a line across in order to facilitate the crossing over of equipment and stores.

On returning to Sydney at the completion of the journey, Hume received a land grant on the Shoalhaven. Henry Angel's part was recognised by the granting of a ticket-of-leave on Hume's recommendation. This was granted on 5th Jul 1825 for the district of Appin by special order of the Governor and was later altered to cover the District of Illawarra. Hume also recognised Angel's contribution by making him a gift of two good quality bullocks and a watch. This watch was in the possession of one of his grand- daughters until fairly recently. Its immediate location is not at present known.

Angel lived in the Corrimal area, but on 14th January 1828, his ticket-of-leave was revoked on a charge of harbouring a notorious cattle stealer in his house, and with having some connection with the gang. He was returned to Government Service and in the 1828 Census taken in November, he is listed as Protestant, aged 36 years and living in convict barracks, Liverpool.

At about this time, Sturt invited Hume to accompany him on his first expedition to trace the head-waters of the Macquarie River. Together, Sturt and Hume selected a small party of soldiers and convicts to assist them on the journey, among whom Henry Angel was included. This expedition reached the Darling River before returning to Sydney.

On 22nd February 1832, Henry Angel's ticket-of-leave was restored in recognition of his assistance in the capture of a bushranger named Patrick Burke, notorious for his activities on the lonely road between Appin and Illawarra. Thereafter he was registered at the P.O.
Wollongong as a resident of Fairy Meadow and to 1834 he married Mary Ledwidge (nee Brooker). It is interesting to note that Henry did not get his conditional pardon until 1st October 1841 so he was still a ticket-of-leave convict at the time of his marriage.

Alter this marriage, Henry and Mary lived in a pit-sawn timber shed on the Angel farm, together with Mary's two young sons, John and
Christopher Ledwidge. The two small boys were soon joined by some Angel children. There were Henry (1836), William (1838) and twins, Keturah and Robert (1841). The Ledwidge boys and Robert Angel in due time attended the local school, a simple slab and bark building about one mile south of Angel's Bridge which spanned Towradgi Creek running through the Angel farm. From time to time the boys would arrive at the school with the two bullocks Hume had given to Angel, in order to carry firewood for the teacher. The bullocks carried the double H (HH) brand of Hamilton Hume and were always of great inlerest.

Angel's English farming upbringing, together with his bush experience in Australia, stood him in good stead as a pioneer settler. James Gormley recalls "I had frequent opportunities of seeing how Angel cultivated his land and managed his working horses and bullocks and the plan he then adopted I have not since excelled . . . (he) did the work slowly and carefully, evidently on a well defined plan."

A good description of the area at about the time was recorded in 1846 by a retired army colonel, Godfrey Mundy: "The pretty village of Fairy Meadow, close to Wollongong, separated by a ridge of highish land from the seaboard, backed by the mountain range, with a meandering stream of fresh water running through the flat; settlers' houses perched on the hills, bark huts overgrown with passion flowers, vines, ivy or gourds; fields of growing wheat or maize with its tall, green flags and yellow plumes; rude barns at the corners of the enclosures, where the cheerful sound of the flail reaches the traveller's ear."

A prominent feature on the range behind Fairy Meadow is called Broker's Nose. (Broker was the spelling used for Brooker in many old documents).

90. Type: Book, Abbr: History of Wagga, Title: A History of Wagga Wagga, Auth: Keith Swan, Date: 1970

- Reference = p29, 98 (Name, Notes)

- Notes: Among the many others who came either to select or to purchase land at this time were John Hurst, who was born in Leicestershire in 1836, worked on the Turon goldfields in 1851, was a stockman on Lower Murrumbidgee stations in the late 1850s and selected land at Oura in 1864; his father-in-law Henry Angel, a member of the Hume and Hovell expedition in 1824, squatter on the Lower Murrumbidgee in the 1840s, who with his family began to select land near Lake Albert in the 1860s; and Edward Graham, native of Ireland, who tried his luck at the Lambing Flat goldfields in the early 1860s and selected land near Lake Albert a few years later. All of these people, and many others, added a new element to Wagga Wagga's population in the 1860s and 1870s, promoted its economic development and involved themselves in its society.

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