Mary Ann Black
Encyclopedia
Mary Ann de Mestre née Black (1801–1861) was the wife of Prosper de Mestre
(1789–1844) a prominent Sydney
businessman in the early 19th century; and the mother of Etienne Livingstone de Mestre
(1832–1916) the trainer of the racehorse Archer
who won the first and second Melbourne Cup
s in 1861 and 1862, and the foremost Australia
n horse trainer of his era. It was on her 1300 acres (5.3 km²) property of "Terara" on the Shoalhaven River
near Nowra
on the South Coast of New South Wales
that Etienne established a horse stud
, stable
and racecourse
.
Mary Ann’s other descendants include: Sarah Melanie de Mestre (1877–1961) who distinguished herself as a nurse in France
and Flanders
in World War I
, and whose decorations included the Royal Red Cross
which was presented to her at Buckingham Palace
by King George V
on 3 June 1918 (the King's birthday); Roy de Maistre
(1894–1968), a successful Australia
n artist; Guboo Ted Thomas
(1909–2002) a prominent Aboriginal leader, and the last initiated tribal elder on the South Coast of New South Wales; Margaret Augusta de Mestre (1915–1942), a nurse who was killed in action on a hospital ship on 26 February 1942 in the bombing of Darwin
during World War II
; Neville de Mestre (c.1938- ), an eminent Australian mathematician
and author, Emeritus
Professor
of Maths at Bond University
, and who has held the titles of World Iron Man champion in the 60-64 age group, and Australian and World Masters surfing champion in the over-65 group for body surfing; and Lloyd Nolan Hornsby (1947- ), a prominent Aboriginal artist.
(1779–1864) who in 1855 took the Commissioners of City of Sydney to the House of Lords
and won. Her father was Captain John Black (1788–1802), a ship's officer and a privateer
(state-sanctioned pirate). Mary Ann was their second child, and only daughter. Her father died in 1802 when his ship the Fly was lost at sea with all hands. After this Mary Ann's mother moved in with (and later married) a business associate of Mary Ann's late father Simeon Lord
(1771–1840) a pioneer merchant and a magistrate
in Australia, who became Mary Ann's stepfather.
Mary Ann received her education in England. In 1807 six year old Mary Ann was taken to England by Simeon Lord's adopted daughter Joanna and her husband Francis Williams, to be placed into the care of her grandfather Reverend John Black. She first left on board her stepfather's ship the Commerce in February 1807 as a 5 year old, but the ship returned to Sydney in April 1807 after picking up shipwrecked men, and sustaining damage in a storm. In July 1807 Mary Ann was baptised at St Philip's Church
in Sydney. Then in November 1807 she again began the voyage for England aboard her stepfather's ship the Sydney Cove. She was not returned to Australia until 1814 after her grandfather's death.
Her stepfather Simeon Lord held land in trust for Mary Ann and her brother, land that backed onto the Tank Stream
and had originally been leased by their late father Captain John Black, where Mary Ann and her brother had been born, and where her mother had been living prior to her relationship with Simeon Lord. On her marriage Mary Ann receiving her portion of the land in George St., Sydney as a dower.
Mary Ann married at the age of 19 on 1 March 1821 at St Philip's Church in Sydney to Prosper de Mestre
who was 12 years her senior, and a business associate of her stepfather Simeon Lord. Prosper, a merchant like her stepfather, was a good catch, and the large family was well and luxuriously provided for, becoming an important part of the fabric of Sydney in the 1820s to the 1840s. Her husband eventually owned properties in Sydney, and elsewhere in New South Wales, including at Shoalhaven on the South Coast. Mary Ann was also a good catch for de Mestre, with her stepfather Simeon Lord
's connections being invaluable to de Mestre's business dealings.
When her husband Prosper de Mestre became insolvent
in 1844, and most of his land and property needed to be auctioned to pay his debts, Mary Ann moved to prevent the Shoalhaven properties being sold. As the George St. property had been her dower, she questioned whether it should be included in the sale. Her solution was that the more valuable George St. property could be included in the sale, if the Shoalhaven properties were not. In exchange she also asked for "the whole of the plate, horses etc., etc., on the establishment in Liverpool Street, the six cows, horse and cart at Helsarmel", and to be "permitted to occupy the thirty-two acres at Petersham until the house at Shoal Haven can be rendered fit for the residence of my family." The family house in Liverpool St, and its "elegant Household Furniture", was sold by auction on 16 May 1844, and the family was moved to briefly to Petersham and then onto Terara, which Mary Ann’s husband Prosper had initially developed as a hobby farm.
Over a period of twenty years Mary Ann gave birth to 10 children, in the day when home births were the norm. When her husband Prosper de Mestre died in 1844 she was left with a large family to raise that included adult children and teenagers, but also included young children, with four children under the age of 10, and her youngest child being was less than 3 years old.
To raise her family Mary Ann continued to work the Shoalhaven property of Terara with the aid of her three sons. Mary Ann, together with her three sons, Prosper John (1821–1863), Andre (1823–1917) and Etienne (1832–1916) de Mestre, was also instrumental in furthering the development of the village of Terara near her "Terara" property after her husband's death in 1844. They added three wharves in 1854, in 1856 a Church of England on land she donated and with capital she largely provided, and established a steam-driven flour mill in 1856. The steam flourmill was managed by the eldest son, Prosper John de Mestre who lived at Millbank. Andre and Etienne de Mestre lived at Terara House. By 1866 the village of Terara was a bigger and more important centre than Nowra. When the Shoalhaven River flooded in 1870 settlement began to shift from Terara to the Nowra site 3 km west.
Mary Ann Black was a widow for 16 years before her death on 11 July 1861. She left a will that divided her property amongst her children. Millbank was left to Prosper John de Mestre, along with the steam mill and premises which he was occupying at the time. The Terara House and property was left to Andre and Etienne de Mestre, and the 7 girls each received a portion of land. Mary Ann was buried on the Terara property next to her husband Prosper de Mestre on land that she had donated to the church. Against her stated wishes, the land has been sold by the church, and the exact location of the graves is now lost.
Prosper de Mestre
Prosper de Mestre was a prominent businessman in Sydney from 1818 until near his death in 1844. He was French born, but also a "citizen of the world", who played an important role in the development of commerce and banking in the English Colony of New South Wales. He became a successful merchant...
(1789–1844) a prominent Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
businessman in the early 19th century; and the mother of Etienne Livingstone de Mestre
Etienne L. de Mestre
Etienne de Mestre , a 19th century trainer of Thoroughbred racehorses, was Australia's first outstanding racehorse trainer. In his 30 year career he experienced all the highs and the lows of the turf in a career which ended with him dependent on donations from racing friends.With the five wins de...
(1832–1916) the trainer of the racehorse Archer
Archer (horse)
Archer was an Australian Thoroughbred racehorse who won the first and the second Melbourne Cups in 1861 and 1862. He won both Cups easily, and is one of only five horses to win the Melbourne Cup twice or more; he is one of only four horses to win two successive Cups.-Breeding:Archer was sired by...
who won the first and second Melbourne Cup
Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup is Australia's major Thoroughbred horse race. Marketed as "the race that stops a nation", it is a 3,200 metre race for three-year-olds and over. It is the richest "two-mile" handicap in the world, and one of the richest turf races...
s in 1861 and 1862, and the foremost Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n horse trainer of his era. It was on her 1300 acres (5.3 km²) property of "Terara" on the Shoalhaven River
Shoalhaven River
The Shoalhaven River is a river rising from the Southern Tablelands and flowing into the ocean near Nowra on the South Coast of New South Wales, Australia.- History :...
near Nowra
Nowra, New South Wales
Nowra is a city in the South Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. Located SSW and approximately by road south of the state capital of Sydney, it has an estimated population together with its twin-town of Bomaderry of 34,479. It is also the seat and commercial centre of the City of Shoalhaven...
on the South Coast of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
that Etienne established a horse stud
Stud farm
A stud farm or stud in animal husbandry, is an establishment for selective breeding of livestock. The word "stud" comes from the Old English stod meaning "herd of horses, place where horses are kept for breeding" Historically, documentation of the breedings that occur on a stud farm leads to the...
, stable
Stable
A stable is a building in which livestock, especially horses, are kept. It most commonly means a building that is divided into separate stalls for individual animals...
and racecourse
Race track
A race track is a purpose-built facility for racing of animals , automobiles, motorcycles or athletes. A race track may also feature grandstands or concourses. Some motorsport tracks are called speedways.A racetrack is a permanent facility or building...
.
Mary Ann’s other descendants include: Sarah Melanie de Mestre (1877–1961) who distinguished herself as a nurse in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and whose decorations included the Royal Red Cross
Royal Red Cross
The Royal Red Cross is a military decoration awarded in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth for exceptional services in military nursing.The award was established on 27 April 1883 by Queen Victoria, with a single class of Member...
which was presented to her at Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
by King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
on 3 June 1918 (the King's birthday); Roy de Maistre
Roy De Maistre
Roy de Maistre CBE was an Australian artist of international fame. He is famous in Australian art for his early experimentation in "colour-music", and is recognised as the first Australian artist to use pure abstractionism. His later works were painted in a figurative style generally influenced by...
(1894–1968), a successful Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n artist; Guboo Ted Thomas
Guboo Ted Thomas
Guboo Ted Thomas of the Yuin people was a prominent Aboriginal elder , He lived a full life including touring Australia with a gumleaf orchestra during the Great Depression of the 1930s, playing rugby league and getting banned for fighting a referee, yet growing to become an Elder campaigning...
(1909–2002) a prominent Aboriginal leader, and the last initiated tribal elder on the South Coast of New South Wales; Margaret Augusta de Mestre (1915–1942), a nurse who was killed in action on a hospital ship on 26 February 1942 in the bombing of Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
; Neville de Mestre (c.1938- ), an eminent Australian mathematician
Mathematician
A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
and author, Emeritus
Emeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of Maths at Bond University
Bond University
Bond University is a private university located in Robina, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. It is also the first private university established in Australia...
, and who has held the titles of World Iron Man champion in the 60-64 age group, and Australian and World Masters surfing champion in the over-65 group for body surfing; and Lloyd Nolan Hornsby (1947- ), a prominent Aboriginal artist.
Background
Mary Ann was born in Sydney on 1 October 1801. Her mother was the former convict Mary HydeMary Hyde
Mary Lord nee Hyde in the period 1855 to 1859 sued the Commissioners of the City of Sydney and won compensation for the sum of over £15,600 for the inundation of her property at Botany.Hyde is noted for her pertinacity...
(1779–1864) who in 1855 took the Commissioners of City of Sydney to the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
and won. Her father was Captain John Black (1788–1802), a ship's officer and a privateer
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
(state-sanctioned pirate). Mary Ann was their second child, and only daughter. Her father died in 1802 when his ship the Fly was lost at sea with all hands. After this Mary Ann's mother moved in with (and later married) a business associate of Mary Ann's late father Simeon Lord
Simeon Lord
Simeon Lord was a pioneer merchant and a magistrate in Australia. He became a prominent trader in Sydney, buying and selling ship cargoes. Despite being an emancipist Lord was made a magistrate by Governor Lachlan Macquarie, and he became a frequent guest at government house. His business...
(1771–1840) a pioneer merchant and a magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
in Australia, who became Mary Ann's stepfather.
Mary Ann received her education in England. In 1807 six year old Mary Ann was taken to England by Simeon Lord's adopted daughter Joanna and her husband Francis Williams, to be placed into the care of her grandfather Reverend John Black. She first left on board her stepfather's ship the Commerce in February 1807 as a 5 year old, but the ship returned to Sydney in April 1807 after picking up shipwrecked men, and sustaining damage in a storm. In July 1807 Mary Ann was baptised at St Philip's Church
St Philip's Church, Sydney
St Philip's Church, Sydney is the oldest Anglican church parish in Australia. The church is located in the Sydney CBD, between York Street, Clarence and Jamison Streets on a location known as Church Hill. St Philip's is part of the Diocese of Sydney, Australia...
in Sydney. Then in November 1807 she again began the voyage for England aboard her stepfather's ship the Sydney Cove. She was not returned to Australia until 1814 after her grandfather's death.
Her stepfather Simeon Lord held land in trust for Mary Ann and her brother, land that backed onto the Tank Stream
Tank Stream
The Tank Stream is a fresh water course which empties into Sydney Cove in New South Wales, Australia. Today it is little more than a storm water drain, but originally it was the fresh water supply for the fledgling colony of New South Wales in the late 18th century...
and had originally been leased by their late father Captain John Black, where Mary Ann and her brother had been born, and where her mother had been living prior to her relationship with Simeon Lord. On her marriage Mary Ann receiving her portion of the land in George St., Sydney as a dower.
Mary Ann married at the age of 19 on 1 March 1821 at St Philip's Church in Sydney to Prosper de Mestre
Prosper de Mestre
Prosper de Mestre was a prominent businessman in Sydney from 1818 until near his death in 1844. He was French born, but also a "citizen of the world", who played an important role in the development of commerce and banking in the English Colony of New South Wales. He became a successful merchant...
who was 12 years her senior, and a business associate of her stepfather Simeon Lord. Prosper, a merchant like her stepfather, was a good catch, and the large family was well and luxuriously provided for, becoming an important part of the fabric of Sydney in the 1820s to the 1840s. Her husband eventually owned properties in Sydney, and elsewhere in New South Wales, including at Shoalhaven on the South Coast. Mary Ann was also a good catch for de Mestre, with her stepfather Simeon Lord
Simeon Lord
Simeon Lord was a pioneer merchant and a magistrate in Australia. He became a prominent trader in Sydney, buying and selling ship cargoes. Despite being an emancipist Lord was made a magistrate by Governor Lachlan Macquarie, and he became a frequent guest at government house. His business...
's connections being invaluable to de Mestre's business dealings.
When her husband Prosper de Mestre became insolvent
Insolvency
Insolvency means the inability to pay one's debts as they fall due. Usually used to refer to a business, insolvency refers to the inability of a company to pay off its debts.Business insolvency is defined in two different ways:...
in 1844, and most of his land and property needed to be auctioned to pay his debts, Mary Ann moved to prevent the Shoalhaven properties being sold. As the George St. property had been her dower, she questioned whether it should be included in the sale. Her solution was that the more valuable George St. property could be included in the sale, if the Shoalhaven properties were not. In exchange she also asked for "the whole of the plate, horses etc., etc., on the establishment in Liverpool Street, the six cows, horse and cart at Helsarmel", and to be "permitted to occupy the thirty-two acres at Petersham until the house at Shoal Haven can be rendered fit for the residence of my family." The family house in Liverpool St, and its "elegant Household Furniture", was sold by auction on 16 May 1844, and the family was moved to briefly to Petersham and then onto Terara, which Mary Ann’s husband Prosper had initially developed as a hobby farm.
Over a period of twenty years Mary Ann gave birth to 10 children, in the day when home births were the norm. When her husband Prosper de Mestre died in 1844 she was left with a large family to raise that included adult children and teenagers, but also included young children, with four children under the age of 10, and her youngest child being was less than 3 years old.
To raise her family Mary Ann continued to work the Shoalhaven property of Terara with the aid of her three sons. Mary Ann, together with her three sons, Prosper John (1821–1863), Andre (1823–1917) and Etienne (1832–1916) de Mestre, was also instrumental in furthering the development of the village of Terara near her "Terara" property after her husband's death in 1844. They added three wharves in 1854, in 1856 a Church of England on land she donated and with capital she largely provided, and established a steam-driven flour mill in 1856. The steam flourmill was managed by the eldest son, Prosper John de Mestre who lived at Millbank. Andre and Etienne de Mestre lived at Terara House. By 1866 the village of Terara was a bigger and more important centre than Nowra. When the Shoalhaven River flooded in 1870 settlement began to shift from Terara to the Nowra site 3 km west.
Mary Ann Black was a widow for 16 years before her death on 11 July 1861. She left a will that divided her property amongst her children. Millbank was left to Prosper John de Mestre, along with the steam mill and premises which he was occupying at the time. The Terara House and property was left to Andre and Etienne de Mestre, and the 7 girls each received a portion of land. Mary Ann was buried on the Terara property next to her husband Prosper de Mestre on land that she had donated to the church. Against her stated wishes, the land has been sold by the church, and the exact location of the graves is now lost.