GOVERNMENT HOUSE WINDSOR

These are two of the buildings near the Terrace Motel in Windsor. OLD GOVERNMENT HOUSE is long gone but we are coming across images and newspaper reports about it.

EXTRACT FROM PHIL READY’S ‘READY OR NOT’.

JOHANNAH READY 1765-183?

” The ARCHDUKE CHARLES , a one class two decked vessel of five hundred and twenty five tons burthen was built in Newcastle England in 1809.  With J.P.  JEFFRIES as master and JOHN PAWSON as surgeon the ship sailed from Cork, Ireland on Friday 15th May 1812 with 147 male and 54 female convicts for the Penal Colony of NSW. Travelling via Rio de Janeiro she arrived at Sydney two hundred and seven days later on 16th February 1813. ( The Convict Ships by Charles Bateson)

Among the prisoners was 47 years old Johannah Ready sentenced by the court during 1811 in County Tipperary, Ireland to fourteen years transportation to the Colony.

On disembarking at Sydney Cove, Johannah was taken to the women’s barracks and then allocated to work at Government House Windsor. This necessitated a journey that was long and dangerous at that time for there were many thieves and bushrangers about so the party travelled with an armed guard. Johannah is listed in the Windsor Ration Book as receiving rations during 1813 and 1815 ( loc A 803 pp 59,90,122 ML) and during this time became Housekeeper at Government House.

Records show that she received payments for this position during 1814 and 1815 from the Police Fund. (Wentworth Papers loc. D1 M4 pp 121 137 ML)  Her salary was published in the following editions of the SYDNEY GAZETTE.

5 AUGUST 1815 12 MONTHS WINDSOR 20 pds

11 MAY 1816 6  MONTHS PARRAMATTA 10 pds

8 FEB 1817 12 MONTHS WINDSOR 20 pds

As housekeeper at Government House Johannah would have come in contact with some of the most influential people in the Colony including the Rev Samuel Marsden and William Cox , Magistrate.

Johannah’s son John Ready, arrived as a prisoner aboard the convict ship THE THREE BEES in June of 1814 and by the end of the year had become overseer of the Government Dairy at Windsor.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article15863030 TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD. The Sydney Morning Herald… Tuesday 7 October 1919, TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD. | Sir, – I note that. in your to-day’s issue you have an interesting article on some of the historic churches In New South Wales. You also make reference to the old Government House at Windsor, still standing. I have a photo, of this old building, and when I was in Windsor a year or two ago I was surprised to see that this historic building was then being used partly as a stable and partly as a laundry. We are inclined to decry conservatism as not worthy of this comparatively young country, but I think and believe that many will agree with me that a little conservatism in this particular case would be a good thing. The building, together with the land it occupies, could probably be bought for a nominal figure, and at a very slight expense could be secured against further decay, and kept as a relic of the early days of this State (or colony as it then was) I am, etc, HISTORICUS. Newcastle, Oct. 3.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18981643 DOCUMENT REFERRED TO. 1820. The Maitland Mercury… Saturday 22 March 1890,

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article15427482 A BOOK FOR ARCHITECTS. The Sydney Morning Herald… Saturday 14 June 1913, Mr. Baker says that In the old Government House at Windsor, which was built about 1796, the floors, skirtings, doors, windows, and oven weatherboards,which were made of rod cedar, are all in good preservation to-day.

FROM NATIONAL LIBRARY AUSTRALIA. nla.pic-an2384440 Cazneaux, Harold, 1878-1953. Second Government House … [picture] [191-?] 1 photograph ; 17.1 x 25.2 cm.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article15989304 The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842-1954), Tuesday 14 February 1922, page 11

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16787808 HISTORIC WINDSOR. SMUGGLERS’ CAVE AND OLD HOUSES. The Sydney Morning Herald… Monday 22 June 1931 At the courthouse-the oldest building of Its kind in the Commonwealth-the party was shown the fine painting of Governor Macquarie, the funds to pay for which were subscribed by the residents of the town.In the building are some quaint old leather covered chairs which were originally in old Government House at Windsor.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16932778 "BACK TO WINDSOR" WEEK. WINDSOR, Wednesday. The Sydney Morning Herald… Thursday 24 November 1932

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17311820 OLD SYDNEY. Combined Etching Exhibition The Sydney Morning Herald… Tuesday 8 December 1936,