Hello, Here's a few things I think I "know" of this German vinedressers' immigration topic .. but might not be too correct. Thanks for the reference - as some of my ancestors (Grandfather's family) were German immigrants, brought to work in vineyards of large estate owners, yet I had not known about that book by Patricia Cloos and Jurgen Tampke which should obviously be very relevant. Mine went to the Nepean River valley west of Sydney, not to the Hunter. But the principles are presumably similar, so I'll say what I "know" (with the proviso that it might be wrong .... e.g. I could not find for "my Germans" any records at all of how they entered the colony, although I know they must obviously have come by ship). On the Nepean virtually all of the richer agricultural families "brought out" German wine workers in the mid 1800s. This includes the Coxes at Mulgoa, the Blaxlands at Wallacia-Luddenham area, and the Macarthur family at Camden Park. The first vines arrived in Australia in 1788 with the First Fleet. They did no good at se vines were first planted out at Farm Cove and were soon replanted to Parramatta. In 1791, Governor Phillip reported that he had established a three-acre vineyard at Parramatta, and that a settler named Schaffer had also planted one acre of vines. No "Schaffer" rather sounds German ... so many the first non-government vine growing in Australia has German handiwork to it? Someone would certainly know the full facts .. I just assume that. Phillip Schaeffer's vineyard farm was named, not unsurprisingly "The Vineyard". "The Vineyard" was later leased to William Cox, until 1803. Later on Gregory Blaxland also took over the lease of "The Vineyard" at Parramatta, and later still a Macarthur had it. Coxes and Blaxlands (and Macarthurs) acquired extensive holdings along the Nepean Valley and expanded their wine interests there. But also along the Nepean the most notable early effort at grape growing was by Captain John Macarthur at Camden Park. Camden Park played a vital roll in the fledgling wine industry through its importation and distribution of vine cuttings throughout NSW and the Barossa Valley. In 1812 "The Vineyard" was aquired by Hannibal Hawkins Macarthur; and in 1817 John, William and James Macarthur returned from Europe with a range of vine cuttings to propagate at Camden Park. In 1824, 14 acres of vineyards were established on the Mulgoa property "Winbourne" that was owned by George Cox, the son of William Cox. Winbourne is where my German ancestors were - surnames Steiner and Rheinhardt. Typically (after 1837, under the Bounty system of assisted migration) I think the German vinedressers arrived under five-year contracts. I think the majority were Catholics but I don't know for sure. The Macarthurs apparently let them attend Catholic services but they had to go to the government or Anglican service first ... as least I think I read that somewhere. By way of anecdotes (not German), Henry Parkes worked on one of the Nepean Vineyards too. And one of the domestics at Winbourne gave birth to a Louisa who was the mother of Henry Lawson. Parkes, on of the subsequently most famous ever to come to the banks of the Nepean didn't like his first impressions there. He arrived in Sydney with this wife in 1839 and recorded what it was like to labour in a vineyard there (when he worked at Regentville vineyard). They lived in a hut where "the morning sunshine, the noontide shower, and the white moonlight of midnight gushed in on us alike." He wrote to his sister back in England "The slavemasters of New South Wales require their servants to work for them from sunrise to sunset ...". In 1860s disastrous flooding and consequential rust outbreaks along the Nepean ruined many a small tennant type farmer there .. and it seems many left and went west, or to the Hunter, or to the Riverina after that. I'd read somewhere that the peak period of leaving Germany was in the 1850s, and that between 1851-1860 more than a million people left Germany, this being the peak decade of exodus (maybe in: McClelland, James, 1982. A history of Germany and guide to tracing immigrants who came to Australia from Germany). How does that tally with "2 million left", could that also be talking about the 1850s? At that time I think many German immigrants also went to Grafton area. Regards, John (Sydney) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ At 12:24 PM 3/21/2007 +1100, you wrote: >It appears to be generally not well known that there was a major recruitment >program to bring German people to the Hunter Valley. >>From memory (I'm not on the right computer), there were representations to >the governor to allow this, as it was not permitted beforehand (this was >an English penal colony). They pleaded that a wine industry could be established >but they needed experienced vineyard workers. The French were not in the >"good books" at the time and there had been a major famine etc in Germany >(2 million left in a decade or so mostly to America). German workers, mainly >vinedressors, were brought over literally by the shipload, after successful >recruiting in the Rhine Valley. >Interestingly the Germans integrated with the English here in the Hunter >Valley (they were Catholic so intermarried without problems) as opposed to >South Australia (they were mostly Lutheran there). We, therfore do not have >German towns and settlements such as Handorf. >John Goswell >>This one is for Anne re German immigration. >> >>There is a good book called 'Greetings from the Land where Milk and Honey >> >>Flows: The German Immigration to NSW 1838-1858' edited by Patricia Cloos >>and Jurgen Tampke published in 1993. It used to be available at the NSW State >>Library Shop. >> >>It discusses how they were 'enticed' into coming to Australia; a number >of >> >>letters and diary entries written by the immigrants (3 letters from >>passengers who travelled on the 'Parland'); and the ships and passenger > >>lists during those years. >> >> > >

Now that John has made mention of the following.......... >>In 1812 "The Vineyard" was aquired by Hannibal Hawkins Macarthur; and in 1817 John, William and James Macarthur returned from Europe with a range of vine cuttings to propagate at Camden Park.<< My husband's convict James WILLIAMS (arr Marquis of Wellington 27 Jan 1815 after being held on the hulk 'Laurel' on Langston Harbour since 1 Jun 1814) was assigned as a servant to Hannibal Macarthur on his arrival. James married 21 Mar 1818 Parramatta to Catharine HANCY/Hancey b c1795 London, the dau of Free Settlers William HANCY and wife Sarah MCDONALD (Minorca 14 Dec 1801) who were granted land at Castle/Baulkham Hills off Showground Rd. >From the Colonial Secretary's correspondence, James was sent to Newcastle on the Lady Nelson in 1819 after his marriage, 1821 he was assigned to Macguire's Gang, 1822 his Petition for a ToL, was re-assigned, his conduct was in question and he was working as a Baker. Still in 1822 he had been re-assigned to McGuire's Gang in Sydney and the Rev. G A Middleton requested he be given a pass with his family to Newcastle. 1823 James had his Passport issued and on the 1828 Census James was in the employ of G A Middleton at 'Glenrose' Patricks Plain. James and Catharine had 15 children .............. James Phillip 1817 mar Ann KELLY 1842 East Maitland John 1819 d 1819 Parramatta George Frederick 1821 mar Margaret QUIN 1842 Maitland Thomas 1824 d 1824 Parramatta Eliza Catharine 1825 mar John COLLINS 1849 Maitland Julia Ann 1825 mar John HAGEN 1848 Hinton (2) James NEAL Louisa Margaret 1827 mar John Hill GARVEN 1846 (John's 2nd mar) Charles William 1829 mar Margaret WRIGHT 1852 Ipswich Sarah Sophie 1831 mar William HARDY (Storekeeper) 1849 Maitland Frances Charlotte 1832 mar Thomas SMITH 1855 Maitland (Thomas was of French descent) *Matilda Lucinda 1834 mar Charles KERR 1857 East Maitland Adelaide Susannah 1836 d 1837 Maitland Adelaide Georgina 1838 mar Alfred Charles WEISS 1861 East Maitland Lucy Melvina 1841 d 1842 Maitland In James early years at Maitland he became a Miller purchasing a Mill at West Maitland, the family home was in Williams St, East Maitland where he died in 1850 and Sarah in 1879. Although the HANCY family were perceived to be of the RC faith, James and Catharine's family were christened and married into the C of E, Presbyterian and Wesleyan churches. I have been contacted by many descendants of this family on most lines. In the meantime I spend time researching the lineage of Matilda Lucinda and Charles KERR from Scotland (but where in Scotland??) who mar into the MEYER family of the Kingdom of Hannover (arr Free Settlers on Wilhelmsburg to Hobart Town 1855), my own family lines from Scotland, Sussex, London and Westminster (I am a first generation Australian). I could write on the German settlements, it would take too long, most were of the Lutheran or Catholic faith, if there weren't Lutheran churches where they were living I have found most became involved with the C of E. >From memory Jocelyn from Sydney was collecting information on the vinters, vinedressers etc who arr on the Parland and worked in the lower Hunter area, a check of the list archives going back probably 4 +yrs would find such information. The rest of my time is taken up on a golf committee, restoring and playing with heritage 'putt-putt' boats (have to keep the other half on the right side), the occasional Friday volunteer at Speers Point Library Information Services and President of Lake Macquarie Family History Group Inc. Web site at www.lmfhg.org.au Sorry, I don't have any spare time to sit on the fence, only sleep on it! Regards Jenny M