Alley Family Graves facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Alley Family Graves |
|
|---|---|
Alley Family Graves, 1997
|
|
| Location | Gillies Highway, Gordonvale, Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1870s - 1890s (late 19th century) |
| Built | 1887 - 1977 |
| Official name: Alley Family Graves | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 23 August 1999 |
| Reference no. | 601141 |
| Significant period | 1887,1889,1929,1930, 1943, 1977 (historical, fabric) 1887- (social) |
| Significant components | headstone, burial/grave, plaque, grave surrounds/railings |
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
The Alley Family Graves is a special historical site in Gordonvale, Queensland, Australia. It's where members of the Alley family, who were important early settlers in the area, are buried. The graves are located along the Gillies Highway and are surrounded by sugarcane fields.
This site includes the graves of William Saunders Alley and his wife Mary, George Gorham Alley and his wife Mary Ellen, and Sarah Blackwell. There are also memorial plaques for other family members. The graves were built between 1887 and 1977. This place was added to the Queensland Heritage Register in 1999 because of its historical importance.
Contents
The Alley Family: Early Settlers
The Alley family were among the first European settlers in the Mulgrave River area. They played a big part in developing the region, which is now near Gordonvale.
William Saunders Alley and Mary Alley
William Saunders Alley was born in London, England. He started working at sea when he was young and traveled a lot. In 1855, he arrived in Australia. He married Mary Banks in Brisbane, who was also a passenger on his ship. They had three children: Sarah, Mary, and George Gorham.
William owned hotels and river boats in Brisbane. Around 1877, he moved north, eventually settling near Cairns. He worked in trading and timber-getting. In 1878, William and his family were the first to bring a bullock team to the Mulgrave River area. This journey was very difficult, taking almost three weeks to clear a path through swamps and thick bush.
In 1879, William claimed the first piece of land on the Mulgrave River, which was about 640 acres. He named his property Riverstone. The Alley Family Graves are located on this original land.
William first focused on dairy farming and timber. In 1880, he built the Riverstone Hotel. This hotel became a popular stopping place for travelers and a social hub for the community. It was known for its beautiful gardens and fresh dairy products. William also helped build the first bridge and road in the area. He was a member of the Cairns Divisional Board and a Justice of the Peace, showing his commitment to the community.
Mary Alley passed away in 1887 at age 50. William Saunders Alley died two years later in 1889, aged 57. He was buried next to his wife in the garden he loved.
Sarah Blackwell and Richard Blackwell
Sarah Alley, William and Mary's daughter, married Richard Blackwell. Richard was originally from Cornwall, England, and had traveled the world looking for gold. In 1877, Richard, Sarah, and Sarah's younger brother George Gorham traveled a long way from the Mount Perry goldfields to Brisbane. They then sailed to Cooktown and explored other goldfields before joining William Alley in Smithfield.
Sarah Blackwell was known as the first woman to ride down the steep Kuranda Range. Richard worked with William and George in timber-getting. They all joined William on his pioneering journey to the Mulgrave River in 1878.
In 1879, Richard Blackwell also claimed land in the Mulgrave area, near where Gordonvale is today. He later gave some of his land to help build the Mulgrave Mill. This mill was very important for the sugar cane industry in the region. Richard was one of the first directors of the Mulgrave Mill. He passed away in 1920 and is buried in Waverley Cemetery in Sydney.
Sarah Blackwell died in 1929 at age 71 and is buried at Riverstone. Willie, an adopted infant son of Richard and Sarah, is also buried there.
George Gorham Alley and Mary Ellen Alley
George Gorham Alley, William and Mary's son, was only 15 or 16 when he joined his sister Sarah and brother-in-law Richard on their overland journey to Brisbane in 1877. He then traveled with them to the goldfields before joining his father William in Smithfield.
George worked in timber-getting with his father and Richard. After his father's death in 1889, George helped run the Riverstone Hotel with Sarah and Richard. He later became a cane farmer and also served as a director of the Mulgrave Mill. George died at Riverstone in 1930, aged 67.
George's wife, Mary Ellen Healy, arrived in Cairns in 1876 with her parents, James and Bridget Healy. Her father, James Healy, was one of the first police constables in Cairns. Mary Ellen died in 1943 at Gordonvale, aged 69.
What the Graves Look Like
The Alley Family Graves site has three headstones and three plaques. They are all set on a concrete platform. Four palm trees stand around the platform, making the site easy to spot from the Gillies Highway. Sugarcane fields surround the other three sides.
The headstones and the platform are mostly made of concrete. Each headstone remembers different family members. For example, one headstone remembers Mary Ellen Alley. Another remembers Sarah Blackwell and George Gorham Alley. The tallest headstone has a metal plaque for Mary Alley, Willie, and William Saunders Alley.
There are also three separate plaques. One is for Richard Blackwell, who is buried in Sydney. The other two remember James Healy and Bridget Hill (Mary Ellen's parents), and a younger William Saunders Alley (born 1887, died 1977). A small metal plate shows the name "Melrose and Fenwick Ltd," who might have built the headstones.
Why This Place is Important
The Alley Family Graves were listed on the Queensland Heritage Register in 1999 for several reasons:
- Showing Queensland's History: William Saunders Alley and his family were the first to bring a bullock team to the Mulgrave River in 1878. They also claimed the first land there in 1879. Soon after, Richard Blackwell also claimed land nearby. This shows how the Mulgrave area was first settled.
- Beautiful and Recognizable: The site is visually appealing and easy to see from the highway. The four mature palm trees make it a local landmark.
- Connecting to Important People: The graves are strongly connected to the Alley and Blackwell families. These families were early settlers, timber-getters, and hotel owners. They were very important in starting and developing the Mulgrave area in the late 1800s and early 1900s. They also helped establish the Mulgrave Mill and were well-known in their community.
