Mid North Coast Pioneers - Newcastle to Lismore and beyond

An email has been received from a G Taylor on 15 May 2010 as follows:

Dear Mr Gregory,

One of my computer searches picked up (...) recently.

I would like to pass on some corrections. These errors have unfortunately been repeated across several genealogy websites, resulting from some sloppy work by a non-Bignall a few years ago.

James Bignall (sometimes Bignell, but never Bignold) was not born at Alverstoke. That particular Bignell never left the UK and is buried in Hampshire.

James' children were:

Phyllis b 1833 Middlehope (Paterson) d 1908 bur Campbell's Hill James b 1834 Middlehope (Paterson d 1917 bur Upper Coomera, Qld Richard b 1836 d 1905 bur Sutherland Henry b 1837 Allyn River d 1919 bur Manilla Samuel Stanley b 1838 d 1898 bur Upper Coomera, Qld Edward Thomas b 1840 Allyn River d 1901 bur Dungog William b 1842 Allyn River d 1921 bur Dawson River George Septimus b 1843 d 1899 bur Taree Estate Emily Victoria b 1846 Allyn River d 1908 bur East Maitland Joseph (I) b 1846 Bandon Grove d 1847 bur Bandon Grove Robert b 1848 Bandon Grove d 1925 bur Dawson River Isabella Jane b 1852 Bandon Grove d 1926 bur Coopernook Ellen b 1852 Bandon Grove d 1942 bur N Subs, North Ryde Joseph (II) b 1853 Bandon Grove d 1911 bur Lochinvar Alfred Stanley b 1855 Bandon Grove d 1944 bur Sandgate

Some children spelled their name Bignall, others Bignell, and a couple wavered between the two spellings. Bignall is believed to be the original spelling. Bignold has never been used.

There are some deliberately obscure features of James' life, but is probable that he was the ex-convict freed at Paterson in 1824, recorded in the handwritten Newcastle lists as James Bagnall. He was said to have been born in Oxfordshire.

His wife Amelia Kingston was not from Bandon. She came from Rosscarbery on the coast in County Cork. Her father had previously been convicted of forging some commercial paper and was transported. He acquired the Bandon Grove estate on the Williams River, which passed to his descendents.

Regards, G Taylor.