Eliza Fraser facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eliza Anne Fraser
|
|
|---|---|
Sketch of Eliza Fraser
|
|
| Born |
Eliza Anne Slack
c. 1798 Wirksworth, Derbyshire, Great Britain
|
| Died | 1858 (age about 60) |
| Spouse(s) | Captain James Fraser (c. 1821- c. 1836) Captain Alexander Greene (1837 -?) |
| Children | 3 |
Eliza Anne Fraser (born around 1798 – died 1858) was an English woman. She became famous for being shipwrecked on K'gari island in Australia. This happened on May 22, 1836.
Eliza claimed that the Badtjala (Butchella) people took her in. She later wrote about her experiences. She said she was captured by Aboriginal people. The island was then named "Fraser Island" after her. In June 2023, it was renamed to its original name, K’gari.
Eliza Fraser's Story
Eliza was married to Captain James Fraser. He was the captain of a ship called the Stirling Castle. There were 18 people on board. The ship was carrying a lot of goods.
The Shipwreck
The ship hit a reef far north of K'gari Island. This caused a big accident. The crew launched two smaller boats. One of these boats landed on the north side of Waddy Point on K'gari Island.
There were 11 survivors from the shipwreck. They split into two groups. Eliza and her husband were in the second group. They tried to walk south. They ate pandanus fruit and berries to survive. They eventually reached Hook Point.
Life on the Island
Eliza later said that the Badtjala people captured her. Her husband, Captain Fraser, sadly died. He either died from hunger or from his injuries.
However, many other survivors from the same ship disagreed with Eliza's story. They said her claims of being captured and treated badly were not true. Other white people had lived with the Badtjala before. They had been treated well. The Badtjala people have their own stories. Their oral history says Eliza was seen as a "mad woman." They believed she was mentally unwell. Eliza Fraser's story later led to unfair treatment for the island's tribe.
Her Rescue
Eliza was found by a man named John Graham. He was an escaped Irish convict. John had lived with the native people of Wide Bay for six years. He had learned their language well.
It is not fully clear if John Graham rescued Eliza by himself. For many years, people thought another convict, David Bracewell, was the rescuer. Later stories even added a fictional part. They said Bracewell led Eliza to Brisbane. There, she supposedly threatened to betray him.
However, official records show that John Graham walked with her. They walked from Fig Tree Point. This was a special meeting place near Lake Cootharaba. They went to the ocean beach near present-day Teewah. There, they met Lieutenant Otter and his group. Eliza was then taken by boat to a settlement at Moreton Bay.
After the Rescue
Eliza later married another sea captain. His name was Captain Alexander Greene. They got married in Sydney. They both sailed back to England on his ship.
She later faced some controversy in London. She asked for money to help her three children. She said she was left with no money after her first husband died. However, she did not mention her new marriage to Captain Greene. She also did not mention the money she had already received in Sydney. Exciting stories about her experience were published in London.
See also
- White woman of Gippsland
- William Buckley (convict)
