Notes: title from album page, identified as the grave of Eliza Rodd.
Glenroy was a significant government station in the two decades after 1816. Nothing remains above ground of the government site and this grave is unusual testimony to the soldiers stationed there. It is also the earliest dated grave marker west of the Blue Mountains.
As soon as William Cox and his convicts built a road over the Blue Mountains and across the western plains in 1813-14, Governor Macquarie moved government stock over the mountains first to Hartley in 1815 then to Glenroy in 1816. The Glenroy settlement consisted of stockyards, pens, slab huts for stockmen and soldiers' accommodation near Cox's crossing of Cox's River: it retained importance until the early 1830s.
In 1831 the 39th regiment of foot was stationed at Glenroy: on 12 January the wife of the colour sergeant, James Rodd, bore a daughter. She was christened Eliza but died on 14 September 1831 and was buried some 300 metres from the barracks. The property has been pastoral since the military withdrew soon after Eliza's burial.
Inscription
"SACRED To The MEMORY
of
ELIZA RODD
who departed this life September 14the 1831
Aged 8 months and 2 days daughter of
J Rodd colour sergant in his
MAGESTY 39th Regt foot
How can a tender Mothers care
cease to love the child she bers
how can my frends discontented be
since my Savour has taken me"
Preceding civil registration, this stone is the only evidence of Eliza Rodd's existence. Its vernacular spelling and touching text are valuable evidence for social life in the area in the 1830s and of high significance at so early a date. (Heritage listing)
Format: b&w photo 9.5 cm x 6.5 cm
Date Range: c.1910. Frank Walker was photographing around Lithgow in May 1910.
Location: Glenroy, Hartley
Licensing: Attribution, share alike, creative commons.
Repository: Blue Mountains City Library -
library.bmcc.nsw.gov.au/
Part of: Local Studies Collection SHS 185
Provenance: donation, from an album - ‘Western District Relics Illustrated’ by Frank Walker (1861-1948) FRAHS, 1914.
Links:
www.environment.nsw.gov.au/heritageapp/ViewHeritageItemDe...
www.lithgow-nsw.com/GlenroyH7.html
www.gg.gov.au/program/eliza-rodd-governor-macquarie-manly... 