Blacktown Native Institution Site facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blacktown Native Institution Site |
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Remains of a former structure, south-east corner of the site
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| Location | Richmond Road, Oakhurst, City of Blacktown, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1822– |
| Owner | Blacktown City Council; Department of Planning and Infrastructure; Landcom |
| Official name: Blacktown Native Institution; Parramatta Native Institute; Black Town Institute; The Blacktown Site; Lloydhurst; BNI; Epping Estate; Epping Forest Estate; Native Institution Centre | |
| Type | state heritage (archaeological-terrestrial) |
| Designated | 18 November 2011 |
| Reference no. | 1866 |
| Type | Historic site |
| Category | Aboriginal |
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The Blacktown Native Institution Site is a very important historical place in Oakhurst, New South Wales, Australia. It was once a special school for Aboriginal and Māori children. The school started being built in 1822. This site is significant because it helps us understand the early days of British settlement in Australia. It also shows how Aboriginal children were treated during that time. The site has also been known by other names like Parramatta Native Institute and Black Town Institute. Today, the Blacktown City Council and the New South Wales government own and protect this property. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register in 2011.
Contents
A Look Back at the Blacktown Native Institution
The story of the Blacktown Native Institution is linked to the early days of British colonisation in New South Wales. After the British arrived in 1788, there were many challenges between the original Aboriginal people and the new settlers. The way people thought about Aboriginal people and the government's rules at the time shaped how the institution was set up.
Early Ideas for Aboriginal Education
When Governor Macquarie arrived in 1809, he was told to "make friends with the Aborigines". He was also told to make sure British settlers lived peacefully with them. Samuel Marsden, a church leader, was also advised to help Aboriginal people adopt European ways. He was meant to teach them about Christianity.
The idea for a school for Aboriginal children came about during a time of conflict. Farmers were taking over Aboriginal lands near the Hawkesbury River. This led to fighting. The conflict lessened after the death of Koori leader Pemulwuy in 1802. A drought in 1814 made things worse. In 1816, Governor Macquarie even sent soldiers into Aboriginal lands.
The First Native Institution at Parramatta
In April 1814, William Shelley suggested to Governor Macquarie that Aboriginal people should be educated. Shelley believed they should learn useful skills as a group. He also thought they should marry and have constant religious guidance. Governor Macquarie liked this idea. He started the "Black Native Institution of NSW" in Parramatta.
In December 1814, Macquarie held a meeting with local Aboriginal people. He told them about the school. The first Aboriginal children were then placed in the school's care. Parents were told they could not take their children out. However, they could visit them once a year on December 28. At this meeting, Macquarie also said he would give land to Aboriginal farmers.
The Parramatta Institution opened on January 18, 1815, with four students. More children joined later, some even captured during military actions. By September 1816, there were 13 children. Some children also ran away.
Over the next few years, more children came to the Parramatta Institution. Sometimes, there were more than 20 students. The school continued its yearly public meeting where Aboriginal families could reunite with their children. During this time, Macquarie also gave the first land grants to Aboriginal people. Colebee and Nurragingy received 30 acres on Richmond Road in 1816. The area around this land grant grew. By the 1820s, it was known as the "Black Town".
Moving to Blacktown
In 1823, the institution moved to land next to the new "Black Town" settlement. This move was made by Governor Brisbane, who took over from Macquarie. The Parramatta school was seen as a success by settlers. This was because students learned European skills. However, the Blacktown school was seen as a failure by Europeans.
The Blacktown Native Institution operated from 1823 to 1829. It was run by the Church Mission Society (CMS). Governor Brisbane made Samuel Marsden the chairman of the school committee. George and Martha Clarke managed the school daily. They were missionaries who had planned to go to New Zealand. The Clarkes started their work at the Blacktown Native Institution on New Year's Day 1823. This is when the children moved from the Parramatta Institution.
At first, the Blacktown Institution had up to 14 students. There were only a few sheds and a small timber hut for the Clarkes. A bigger building was built six months later. The students worked in gardens. On Sundays, Mr. Clarke led church services for the settlement.
Between 1821 and 1823, the government spent more money on the institution. This covered building work and buying more land. In 1823, an assistant teacher, John Harper, was hired. The new institution house was two stories tall. It had four bedrooms upstairs and six rooms downstairs. There was also a separate kitchen, stable, and coach house. The Clarkes left in February 1824, leaving the children with John Harper.
Changes and Challenges
In early 1824, Governor Brisbane changed how the Native Institution was run. He put the school under the control of William Walker. Walker kept all the girl students. The boys were sent to Robert Cartwright in Liverpool. The number of people at the settlement grew after Walker arrived. But the settlement seemed unstable. This might have been because Aboriginal people and convicts lived nearby. By the end of 1824, Brisbane closed the institution. The remaining girls moved with Walker to the Female Orphan School.
The institution was empty during 1825. In May 1825, Archdeacon Thomas Hobbes Scott announced the Blacktown school would reopen. He suggested repairing the schoolhouse. In the meantime, Frederick Wilkinson managed a private boarding house for European children there. These repairs happened in 1826. In January 1827, Wilkinson and his family moved back to Parramatta.
Governor Darling wanted advice from Archdeacon Scott about converting Aboriginal people to Christianity. Blacktown was chosen because it was far away from other settlements. CMS missionary Hall and his wife were asked to reopen the school. Aboriginal children from orphanages were brought there. Maori children from Marsden's Parramatta school also came. Hall was told to teach the children basic education and religion. Boys learned carpentry, and girls learned sewing and spinning.
By late 1827, the school had 17 Aboriginal and five Maori students. This was much less than the building's capacity of 60 students. Records show it was hard to keep students at the school. Children often ran away or were taken by their parents. The children also resisted the strict rules of their teachers. The cost of running the institution also increased. Because of these problems, it was suggested in 1829 that the school close. The children were moved to Cartwright in Liverpool. Hall then bought Cartwright's land at Black Town. He built a cottage there and ran a small boarding school. In 1831, Hall reported that the Native Institution building was falling apart.
After the Institution Closed
In 1832, Governor Bourke asked for a report on the institution's land and buildings. In 1833, the site was surveyed. The sketch showed the house, kitchens, stable, gardens, and creek. The Native Institution Reserve was then put up for sale. William Bell bought it and renamed it "Epping" or "Epping Forest". Bell died in 1843. His daughter Maria inherited the property and died in 1876.
Sydney Burdekin bought the property in 1877. He named it "Lloydhurst". Burdekin was an important person in colonial society. He held many parties at the house. He added a ballroom to the original building. After Burdekin died in 1899, his family sold the property. It was later subdivided into small farm blocks. The Wardrop family bought it in 1920. The old schoolhouse was destroyed by fire in 1924.
A new house was built over the ruins of the old schoolhouse. The property was used as a dairy farm until 1985. The new house was then torn down. The land was bought for housing development. While nearby areas have many houses, this original site has mostly remained empty.
The Blacktown Native Institution site is a rare place linked to early missionary work in the 1800s. The first such site was in Parramatta. The Blacktown site was the second. Other missions followed at Lake Macquarie and Wellington Valley.
What the Site Looks Like Today
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Today, the Blacktown Native Institution site is mostly an empty piece of land. It is surrounded by houses and main roads. The land is mostly clear. Bells Creek runs through the northern part of the site, but it has been changed and put into pipes. You can still see some remains of the main Native Institution building on the surface. There are not many original plants left, except for some garden remains around the old house site.
Condition of the Site
As of 2005, experts believe different parts of the Blacktown Native Institution site have different chances of holding archaeological finds. The area where the schoolhouse and other buildings stood likely has many important archaeological remains. The old creek line has been disturbed, but it might still have some archaeological potential. Other parts of the site could contain old workings, garden remains, or rubbish dumps.
An old Aboriginal campsite was found near Bells Creek in 1981. This fits with records that say adult Aboriginal people lived near the school. However, a more recent survey could not find this campsite again.
The Blacktown Native Institution site has been changed a lot over time. But it still has the potential to contain historical objects and layers from the institution's past.
Changes Over Time
The Blacktown Native Institution has been disturbed many times throughout its history. It was used as a working farm in the 1800s and 1900s. In 1924, the old institution house burned down. A new farmhouse was built in its place, which was then torn down in 1985. The site was further disturbed after 1985. This included clearing plants, piping the creek, and building a sewer and a drain. These changes have affected the site's physical condition. However, it still has archaeological potential. Its location and the visible remains also help keep its historical importance.
Why This Site is Important
The Blacktown Native Institution site is very important to New South Wales. It has historical, social, and archaeological value. The institution played a key role in early colonial policies about Aboriginal people and how different groups got along. The site is also linked to important colonial figures like Governor Macquarie, Governor Brisbane, Samuel Marsden, William Walker, and Sydney Burdekin.
The Blacktown Native Institution site is valued by both the Aboriginal community and the wider Australian community. It is a landmark in the history of how different cultures met in Australia. For Aboriginal people, it is a key historical site. It reminds them of land being taken and children being removed from their families. The site is also important to the Sydney Maori community. It is an early link to the history of Maori children taken by missionaries.
This site is rare because it shows early missionary work from the 1800s. It could reveal information not found elsewhere. This includes details about the lives of the children who lived there. It could also show how the earliest Aboriginal school in the colony was managed. The site might also contain archaeological evidence from later times, like when Sydney Burdekin owned it. Plus, it might have evidence of Aboriginal camps. This could tell us how Aboriginal people reacted to the changes brought by colonisation.
The Blacktown Native Institution was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register in 2011 because it met several important criteria.
Showing History's Path
For both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people, the Blacktown Native Institution is a key landmark in Australia's history of black and white relations. The institution operated from 1823 to 1829. It shows the start of a historical process where Aboriginal children were taken from their families. It also shows the government's early attempts to educate Aboriginal children and make them part of European society. This policy believed that Aboriginal children could be "civilised" by being separated from their own culture. It also aimed to keep Aboriginal people in settlements far from European society.
For today's Aboriginal community, the site connects them to an early Aboriginal settlement. This area was known as the "Black Town" in the 1820s. This is where the first land grants were given to Aboriginal people (Colebee and Nurragingy). It also shows the earliest efforts of Aboriginal people to work with European society and gain their own independence.
The Native Institution also shows the goals and experiences of Indigenous people between 1823 and 1829. This includes parents refusing to accept separation from their children. It also shows the children's unwillingness to follow European rules. They resisted staying in the institution. It also tells us about their daily life inside the school.
Connections to Important People
The Blacktown Native Institution is notable for its links to important colonial figures. It is strongly connected to Governor Lachlan Macquarie. Even though the Blacktown institution came after Macquarie's first one in Parramatta, it shows the results of his policies towards Indigenous people. The site is also linked to Governor Brisbane's efforts to create policies for Indigenous people.
The site is connected to Rev Samuel Marsden and missionary William Walker. Marsden was an important person in the early colony. Governor Brisbane made him chairman of the Native Institution Committee in 1821. Marsden also had connections with New Zealand. He was responsible for bringing Maori children to the school. William Walker was a protégé of Governor Brisbane. He was the first missionary specifically told to work with Indigenous people in New South Wales. He was appointed manager of the institute in 1824.
The site is also linked to Sydney Burdekin. He was an important and powerful figure in the late 1800s. He bought the property in 1877 to use as his country home. Burdekin was a pastoralist (someone who owns land for grazing animals) and a politician. He served in the Legislative Assembly (a part of the government) for many years. He was also an alderman (a local council member) for the Sydney Municipal Council and was even Mayor of Sydney from 1890 to 1891.
Importance to Communities
The Blacktown Native Institution is a key site for the Aboriginal community. It symbolises land being taken, children being removed, and the lasting connection to the land. For some Aboriginal people, it is a landmark in Aboriginal-European relations. It shows the ongoing need for understanding between different groups.
The site is also important to the Sydney Maori community. It is an early, real link to the colonial history of relations between Australia and New Zealand. It also connects to the history of children taken by missionaries. The non-Aboriginal community in Blacktown values the site. This is because of its link to important historical events, processes, and people. It is also seen as the historical heart of Blacktown.
Potential for New Discoveries
The Blacktown Native Institution site has a high chance of revealing new information. This information might not be found anywhere else. It could tell us about the lives of the children who lived at the school. It could also show the customs and management of the earliest Aboriginal school in the colony. The site also has the potential to contain archaeological evidence from later periods. This includes the time when Sydney Burdekin owned the property. In addition, the site might have evidence of Aboriginal camps. This could provide information about how Aboriginal people, used to a traditional way of life, responded to the changes brought by colonisation.
A Rare Historical Site
The Blacktown Native Institution is a rare site that shows early 19th-century missionary activity. The site may contain the earliest evidence of the colonial government's attempts to Christianise and Europeanise Aboriginal children.
