The following details were provided by Peter Longhurst son of Martin Longhurst: Were it not for the reputed unbending attitude of Moruya district register W. Stewart Caswell subsequent attempts to alter John Lonkhurst's name would most likely have succeeded. The social imperative to obscure the convict beginnings of many of our early settlers has been felt strongly and continually until the past two decades. The public recordings of the events of John Lonkhurst's life after 1862 illustrates this well The marriage of John Longhurst and Mary Ann Green is not recorded in the Moruya Register but in in the Catholic Church's records as being between: John Morrison, widower, born County Down, aged 38 and Mary Ann Green, born New Zealand, aged 22. It is the consistant linking of Mary Ann Green, her age and birthplace, to John-Longhurst-Morrison-Longhurst in Catholic church and government records which belies the false trail laid down. Paraddoxically it is likely that she was the instigator of the subterfuge as she was a converted catholic, remembered geing strict as that faith acquired can produce. Her husband received adult baptism on 6th July 1869 under the name 'John Morrison also known as John Longhurst'. their abode at this time is recorded as Widget Farm, Bodalla. Mary Ann's parents as stated at that time, at her marriage and at her death in 1924 were William and Mary Green. This couple settled at Akaroa near Christchurch in 1839 just in advance of the French attempt to establish a colony there. Mary Ann's brother Peter was the first European born in the Canterbury district of the South Island. After the drowing of her mother at Akaroa Mary Ann was looked after by the French Catholic mission there. Of the eight children of Mary Ann Green and John of the variable surname the birth of two only can be found in records. But the entries relating to these two events provide further evidence of the cover-up. The second daughter is recorded as born at Bergalia on 14th April 1871 in both church and government registers but her father's surname is John Morrison in the former and John Lonkhurst in the latter. Her mother is the same Mary Ann Green in both entries. The fourth son James is recorded as born on 25th October 1873 at Batemans Bay in both church and government registers. This time the father is John Lonkhurst aged 55 born England as entered by Moruya government register Caswell. Jame's mother remains Mary Ann Green, born New Zealand, in both entries. Accuracy it seems was less a virtue than respectability in not having a convict past, notwithstanding Registar Caswell's apparent instance in referring to John's original surname throughout in his register at Moruya Court house. John Longhurst's age was given as 50 years in 1871 and 55 years in 1873. Enlish records have him born in 1816 just as the nation was settling down after seeing Napolean off to St St.Helena. He died at Pambula in 1887 and was recorded on that occasion as John Longhurst by the Eden registry, his widow remained Mary Ann Green born New Zealand. Despite his several name changes the cause of death is not gives as schizophenia! Their daughters Mary, Margaret, Ellen and Catherine married south cosat men and their descendants are now scattered between Moruuya and Eden and beyond. The first son William died as an infant but Martin, John and James also married and lived their lives on the south coast notably around Pamula, probably unaware of their fathers theft of three pounds eleven shillings and a frock back in 1838. Which brings us back again to the side of the law. John Lonkhurst erstwhile neighbour John McAlister was drowned while on Police duty in the Araluen valley floods on 17th November 1863. He and his wife Margaret bore children Donald, Jessie, Unity, Eleanor, John, Lachlan, Hugh, Mary Jane, Frederick and Stewart plus one deceased. The progeny of this large issue have spread further and wider throughout Australia. Peter Longhurst. |
