231 years after the 11 ships of the First Fleet sailed into Port Jackson under the commanded of Captain Arthur Phillip, some of the descendents of those onboard are preparing to write a new chapter in the story.
The Fellowship of First Fleeters, which was formed for the descendents of the 750 convicts, guards and naval officers on the fleet, is starting up a Botany Bay chapter.
The new chapter will be open anyone who claims a family link back to the First Fleeters of 1788 or anyone with a keen interest in Australian history.
It will be the third chapter of the Fellowship to be established in the Sydney metropolitan area and will cover the area from the Cooks River down to Engadine and out to Bankstown and Liverpool.
Carol Macklin of Woronora became involved in the Botany Bay chapter’s interim committee after solving a family mystery.
“My maiden name was Farley and we always told were descended from a Farley on the First Fleet but we thought it was just a family legend,” she said.
“I grew up in Monterey and when they unveiled the First Fleet monument up at Brighton I checked and saw the surname Farley was listed there.
“But my mother’s cousin revealed that my family was actually descended from an Andrew Fishburn, a marine carpenter who was on the First Fleet ship the Alexander.
“At the Fellowship’s AGM held at Gymea Tradies last October they asked if anyone would be interest in forming a Botany Bay chapter.
“So a few of us got together led by the chapter interim president Kevin Snowball.”
Mr Snowball said that with Botany Bay chapter there will be 18 chapters of the Fellowship of First Fleeters across Australia.
“There’s about 8,000 members of the Fellowship but there are definitely a lot more descendents out there,” Mr Snowball said.
“There’s a lot of young people who know they are First Fleet descendents but aren’t interested in doing their research yet, but they will be one day.”
Mr Snowball’s wife, Elaine who is a descendent of three First Fleeters, added that there are still a lot of people who don’t know they are descendents.
Carol Macklin said the Fellowship is a way of commemorating and maintaining the heritage of the First Fleet.
“It’s quite wonderful when we get together. Everyone loves talking about their ancestors. There is a sense of belonging. You immediately bond,” she said.
“Some of the people have been involved in the Fellowship for decades.
“But the Fellowship has only captured a relatively small number of First Fleet descendents.
“My daughter, Jennifer recently started researching her husband’s family tree and found out a year ago that he was also descended from a First Fleeter, Samuel Picket which means that my two grandchildren are descend from the First Fleet from both sides.
“There’s a lot of people who know they are descended from the First Fleet but they haven’t put in their research. That is why the Fellowship members are there. We can help people do their family history research.
“It really does become an obsession when you get involved.”
The Botany Bay chapter of the Fellowship of First Fleeters will hold their inaugural meeting on Tuesday, February 19 at Gardens on Forest, 764 Forest Road, Peakhurst.
Details: contact Carol Macklin on 0415 376 434, or Kevin Snowball on 0418 287 779.
