Obituary for Hughes, Matthew (1770–1845)
At his late residence, Richmond, on Thursday, the 25th instant, Mr. Matthew Hughes, aged 75 years, after a short but severe illness of six days, borne with Christian fortitude. Mr. H. was one of the first appointed to train and educate the minds of the youth of this rising colony and continued to perform the honourable and responsible duties of parochial schoolmaster for upwards of 45 years, with zeal, unwearied diligence, and ability, rarely to be met with. Mr Hughes has left a large family, and an extensive circle of friends and neighbours to lament his death,—but with a well-grounded hope that their temporal loss is his eternal gain.
[1]Windsor and Richmond Gazette (NSW : 1888 - 1961) Fri 12 Feb 1915 Page 7 Early Days of Windsor
It would be interesting to know more of the early teachers, but all we can trace is the appointment of Matthew Hughes who arrived 'in the Britannia,' and taught first at Kissing Point, near Sydney (1800 to 1810) then in Windsor from 1810-13. Two interesting letters from Matthew Hughes appear in the Historical Records, vol. 7, pages 277, .281. He had a large family, the eldest daughter being Susanah, born before the year 1818. Some of the younger members of the family are still living in the district, at an advanced age. Matthew Hughes was transferred to the Richmond school in 1813, where he remained till 1833. He died on December 25th 1845.
His grave is at Saint Peter's Anglican Cemetery [2]
Note
Note: REFERENCE_NUMBER: 2+
Came to Australia on the "Britannia", which sailed from Cork, Ireland on 10 December 1796 and arrived in the colony 27 May 1797.
Note: Mary SMALL and Matthew Hughes were married in a civil ceremony by James MILEHAM on 6 Oct 1808.
From Judy Bellamy:
"I have a copy of the marriage certificate which shows their wedding date was 17th October 1808 at St John's Parramatta. It is a historical record so it is not a copy of the original but a typed copy of the details. I bought it from NSW Births Deaths and Marriages on 14th September 2008. The reference is 859 Vol 3A."
It seems there were two marriages both at St John's Parramatta. The second date was 12.3.1810.
During a period when there were was no ordained ministers available marriages, baptisms and burials were carried out by a public servant. When the Rev. Fulton returned he wrote cancelled across the register and two years later Mary and Matthew had their second wedding ceremony at the same church.
Bobbie Hardy (1985). Early Hawkesbury settlers. Kenthurst Kangaroo Press. p. 148-149
Browning, Yvonne & Williams, Anne & Pittard, Clarence (1990).St. Peters Richmond: the early people and burials 1791-1855. Y. Browning, Mullion Creek, N.S.W. p.317-387
Nichols, Michelle & Legge, Laurel (1994). The Hawkesbury pioneer register. Hawkesbury Family History Group, Windsor, N.S.W. p. 100
Smee, C. J. & Provis, J. Selkirk. The 1788-1820 Associations' pioneer register. Volume 1.
Hall, Barbara (2004). Of infamous character: the convicts of the Boddingtons, Ireland to Botany Bay, 1793. Coogee, N.S.W., B. Hall. p. 106-107
Hall, Barbara (2006). Death or liberty: the convicts of the Britannia: Ireland to Botany Bay 1797. Coogee, N.S.W., Barbara Hall.p. 101-105.
The Smalls in Australia 1788-1988 publication
Note Mathew sometimes spelt with 2 't's as in his signature.
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DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with Mathew by comparing test results with other carriers of his Y-chromosome or his mother's mitochondrial DNA.
However, there are no known yDNA or mtDNA test-takers in his direct paternal or maternal line.
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