Pilcher’s Paddock

Pilcher’s Paddock is mentioned in the article Some Sydney Hungerford Houses. There is an interesting connection between the original owner, Charles Pilcher QC and the Hungerford family.

Charles was the youngest son of Henry Incledon Pilcher and his wife Eliza Bradley. Henry was born 17 February 1799 in Barnstable, Devon, England. His father was Edward Paul Pilcher (Army Captain of the 32^nd Regiment of Foot) and his mother Sophia Elizabeth de Vial. Henry Incledon Pilcher, his wife Eliza and 3 year old daughter, Eliza Sophia, arrived in Port Jackson on the 220 Ton brig Elizabeth on 16 April 1830 from Plymouth. The 202 day voyage was marred by the death of their baby son Edward, aged five and a half months. “near five degrees of the line”Also on this voyage were Henry Dangar, who was returning to Australia, and Gilbert Cory.

The family stayed at the Cummings Hotel in Sydney while Henry set about the business of applying for a Land Grant. Before coming to Australia, he had travelled to France to study “the cultivation of the vine and the making of the tonic”, so intended settling in the Hunter Valley for this purpose. He immediately rented Vineyard Cottage Farm near Paterson from Edward Gostwyck Cory (brother to Gilbert) where there was already a small plantation of vines. By 25 June 1830 he had planted about 25 acres of wheat and was intending to sow as much again, as well as preparing more land for vine growing. He built a home in Maitland named Telarah There is now a suburb of Maitland by the same name. Sadly Henry died 12 June 1845 at Black Creek, near Maitland. Henry was a Solicitor of the High Court of Chancery, Attorney of the Law Courts of Westminster, Attorney, Solicitor & Proctor of the Supreme Court of NSW.

Henry and Eliza had 11 children (two of whom died in infancy), so Eliza was left with nine children to bring up, the youngest only 14 months old. Eliza died 18 May 1894, Hawthorne, Angel Road, Burwood, NSW, aged 91.

Their children are as follows:

• Eliza Sophia b 21 Jan 1827 d 13 Dec 1909
• Edward b 24/6/1829 d 2/11/1829
• Jemima b 6 Mar 1831 d 14 Sep 1913
• Henry Incledon b21 Jan 1833 d Sep 1873
• Sophia Elizabeth b 19 Oct 1834 d 7 Aug 1868
• George De Vial b 6 May 1836 d 22 Jul 1915
• Emily Telarah b 26 May 1838 d 15 Dec 1838
• Maria Telarah b 26 May 1838 d 7 Jan 1927
• Francis b 4 Sep 1840 d Feb 1913
• Emily Torriano b 22 Apr 1842 d 1922
• Charles Edward b 20 Apr 1844 d 22 Dec 1916