William Hunt

9.0
William’s Life in Australia

William was married [37] in Toodyay on 30th July 1855 to Catherine Murphy. She was born in 1830, and died in 1915 [38] in New Norcia, Victoria Plains, Western Australia.

Catherine’s father was Patrick Murphy. A translation of the marriage certificate in a letter from the Benedictine Community of New Norcia dated 24th March 1989 gives Catherine’s origins in Kilkenny in Ireland.

“In the year of our Lord 1855, on the 3rd day of December, I, Raphael Martelli, the delegated priest, was present at the celebration of marriage between William [Protestant], the son of William, Hunt from (?) [province] Norfolk in England and Catherine Patricia Murphy from (?) [province] Kilkenny in Ireland. The witnesses James and Catherine Higgins from Ireland. Raphael Martelli.”

Research has shown Catherine was born in West St, Parish of Callan, Diocese of Ossory, Kilkenny, Ireland c. 1827 and baptized on 7th January 1827. She was one of four siblings. James b. 1825, Catherine b. 1827, Margaret b. 1830 and William b. 1833. [39]

After leaving Toodyay, William was most probably employed by the monks of the Benedictine Community at Bolgart near Toodyay. His first daughter was born here on 10th Jan 1856.

Bishop Salvador [40] , Head of the Benedictine Community, took up land In Wyening, in 1856 on the monks’ journey from Fremantle to New Norcia [41].

Before William eventually became a farmer, he was documented by the Benedictine Community, New Norcia, with the digging of 13 wells, starting with his first well in 6th Feb 1866 at the last on 30th April 1873. “Holy Waters: the development of criteria for the identification of the monkish wells of New Norcia in colonial Western Australia”, a journal written by ROSS BERTINSHAW [42] , notes William’s activity:

“The well sinkers do not appear to have had any particular expertise in well construction before their arrival in the colony. The convicts came from a number of occupations though they were mostly labourers, with only a few having occupations that would have been useful. The three convicts who were the most prolific well diggers were Charles Delaney (35 wells) a labourer and soldier, John Ryder (15 wells) a Parkhurst boy trained as a farm servant, and William Hunt (13 wells) a labourer/sawyer who became a local farmer. The small farmers probably brought some suitable prior experience in well sinking but they typically only contracted for one or two wells, perhaps to gain some experience or earn extra cash.”

On 11th August 1878 William converted to Catholicism.

“On 11th August 1878, I the undersigned, did conditionally baptise in the church of the Most Holy Trinity at New Norcia, Western Australia, a man called William Hunt, from the island of England, but actually living in the place commonly called Jiriol of this Benedictine mission. He is about fifty years old and has publicly renounced Protestantism and has accepted the solemn profession of the Catholic and Apostolic faith according to the Holy Roman Church. The witnesses were James, and Anne, the children of William Hunt and Catharine Murphy. Bernard Martinez, priest, OSB.”

This and other events relating to William are noted in Bishop Salvado’s, Vol 15 [43] , transcriber unknown.

1880 saw William take on a farm; he called it “Norfolk Farm”.

“William Hunt, a ‘Glentromie’ workman took up Location 496, 50 acres of land, in 1880, which he called ‘Norfolk Farm’.”

Norfolk Farm, Melbourne Location Lot 496

The Original “Norfolk Farm” farmhouse with thatched roof

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[37] Western Australia Marriage Index – Reg No:865/55
[38] Western Australia Death Index – Reg No: 3
[39] National Library of Ireland parish registers of the Catholic Church
[40] Bishop Salvador on Wikipedia
[41] The Story of New Norcia
[42] JSTOR – source of academic journal articles
[43] Bishop Salvado’s Diaries, Vol 15