Bernard Fox (1832 - 1909)

Born 24 Jun 1832 in Clontyclay near Clonmore, County Armagh, Ireland

Husband of Eliza (Kearney) Fox — married 17 May 1858 in St Marys Cathedral, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Descendants

Died 3 Oct 1909 at age 77 in Swan St, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia

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Biography

Bernard was born in 1832. He passed away in 1909.

Bernard's father, Patrick Fox, a bricklayer, died in 1839. After the murder of his widowed mother, Fanny, in 1840, Bernard 8 and his two siblings, Catherine 10 and John 7, entered the Armagh Union Workhouse on 17 February 1842. They were orphans and came from Killyman Parish and were in a healthy condition on their arrival. Bernard left the workhouse after six years on 21 July 1848.

In 1854 his sister, Catherine GRAHAM, who had sailed to New South Wales under the Earl Grey Scheme, deposited 5 pounds to sponsor him to the colony. He arrived in Sydney on 1 May 1856 per the COMMODORE PERRY.

Bernard lived with his sister, Catherine, and brother in law, Archibald GRAHAM, and their large family in Dapto. On 11 May 1858 Bernard purchased 60 acres at Goondarin Creek.

The following week, on 17 May 1858, Bernard married Eliza KEARNEY at St Mary's Old Cathedral in Sydney. Their eldest son, John, was born in Sydney, before they relocated to the Illawarra.

The FOX family lived at Goondarin Creek, Mount Keira where their children Daniel (1861) and Patrick (1863) were born. Sadly, Daniel, aged eight months, died there in 1862.

In March 1865 the 60 acre farm at Goondarin Creek (known as Grahams) was offered for sale. The advertisement states- " about 30 acres have had timber fallen, and 14 acres are cleared and fenced in 4 paddocks. There is a new slabbed house of two rooms, stockyard etc. The paddocks have been laid down with clover and grass".

The FOX family moved to a stone cottage "The Lodge" which was originally the gatehouse for Kembla Grange. Their children Archibald (1865), Thomas (1867), Catherine (1869), Eliza Jane (1871) and William (1874) were born there. Their eldest son, John, died in 1869 from a house fire that started while Bernard and Eliza were out milking cows.

On 26 April 1876 Bernard purchased a large block of land in Swan Street, Coniston, opposite Wollongong Cemetery, but it was over ten years before they moved there. They lived from 1877 until 1886 in Church Street Wollongong, before their house in Swan Street was finally completed. Bernard’s sister, Catherine Graham, had also moved into the township, her husband, Archibald, owning the flour mill and bakery in Crown St.

After their move to Swan Street, Bernard's cows frequently grazed on the cemetery land across the road and the cemetery became known as "Barney's Field".

After the death of his son, Patrick in 1901, his daughter Catherine in 1902 and his wife Eliza in 1903, Bernard Fox’s property in Swan Street was subdivided into three blocks of land and sold on the 4th May 1904 for a nominal amount to his three surviving sons Thomas, Archibald and William .

Bernard died in his house in Swan Street and it was fitting he was buried across the road in Barney's Field. The location of his grave is not recorded and has no headstone, but it is believed to be in the first row facing Kenny Street.

Bernard FOX has been commemorated on the Welcome Wall at Darling Harbour in Sydney.

Sources

• Baptism NLI- Microfilm 05580 / 05 | Page 61 Dungannon; Counties of Tyrone, Armagh; Archdiocese of Armagh. Baptisms, June 1831 to July 1831
• Armagh Workhouse Record LDS Film No 259154; Indoor Relief Register, BG WR 1-2, 1842-1848
• New South Wales, Australia, Immigration Deposit Journals, 1853-1900 deposit by Catherine GRAHAM (Bernard's sister)
• New South Wales, Australia, Assisted Immigrant Passenger Lists, 1828-1896 COMMODORE PERRY 1856 (State Records NSW; Reels 2138 and 2473) http://indexes.records.nsw.gov.au/ebook/list.aspx?Page=NRS5316/4_4793/Commodore%20Perry_1%20May%201856/4_479300089.jpg&No=11
• Marriage BDM NSW 355/ 1858 Sydney Bernard's Parents- Patrick FOX/ Fanny McLINDON; Eliza's parents-Daniel KEARNEY/ Sarah CAMPBELL
• Land Titles Office Sydney; Purchasers Books Index (Blue Green Books) D E F 1902-1905; William John Fox- Book 757 Number 947; Archibald Francis Fox- Book 757 Number 948
• Death BDM NSW 015746/ 1909 Wollongong ( Bernard's parents are incorrectly recorded as John William FOX and Nancy McLINDON)
• Burial https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/145068360