David Boon

Story

David Boon was born at The Mill, Crease Drove, Ramsay, Huntingdonshire on 1st January, 1836. He was one of 7 children born to David and Lucy Boon (nee Woolley). In the 1841 census his father’s occupation was noted as an agricultural labourer. The 1857 census showed the family still living at the same address with the exception of one daughter, Lucy. His reason for leaving England is not known, but the discovery of gold in Australia in 1851 could have set the seed for a better life, as it did with many English people. The Ship’s log mentions David could neither read nor write. At the age of 21 as an assisted migrant, David arrived in Sydney aboard the John Bunyan on 27th October 1857. One month earlier, David’s wife-to-be, Mary Anne Gutteridge, arrived 23rd September aboard the Admiral Lyons with her mother, Francis Plummer (nee Woolley) and stepfather Levi Plummer who were also from Huntingdonshire. Perhaps work took David and Mary Anne to Camden, where they met and married on 9th April 1860. On the marriage certificate it is noted that Mary Anne’s usual residence was “the homestead Gledeswood”, which is a tourist attraction today. Mary Anne was probably a maid at Gledeswood and David an agricultural employee on the property. Between 1861 and 1871, 5 children were born at Gledeswood, David William (1861) Lucy (1862) Arthur (1866) Frances (1868) and Eliza May (1871). The family then moved to the Weetangerra district, now a suburb of Canberra, where another 5 children were born, Ada, Ernest,Clement, Frederick and Walter. In the book “The story of the Methodist Church” by Evan Cameron, it is noted that the first services held at Weetangerra were held in “a shepherd’s hut” whilst a church was being erected from slab pieces of wood from the surrounding area. However, upon the arrival of David Boon and his family, this hut was needed as a residence for them. Upon completion of the church, David became the superintendent and Sunday School teacher. As made known by Fred Boon, one of David’s sons, at one time they lived at Charnwood as his father had a contract with Mr. Campbell, a wealthy landowner, to eradicate prickly pear from the land, but his greatest effort was in growing wheat which was acknowledged as being the finest in the district. However, after 3 years of floods which ruined their crops, David moved the family to Sydney in search of a livelihood. He opened a fruit and vegetable shop on Liverpool Road, Ashfield. Bad health made them leave the shop and move to a weatherboard house in Norton Street, Ashfield, where Mary Anne died on 10th August, 1906 due to a dilated heart and chronic asthma and David on 30th November, 1912. They are both buried at Rookwood Cemetery. On 7th October, 1961, a family reunion of over 100 Boon descendants was held at Windsor Avenue, Croydon Park, at one of David’s grand-daughter’s home.

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