OCCUPATION: Agricultural labourer (on arrival in Sydney in 1856), Groom (at time of his marriage in 1874), Butcher (when daughter Ruth Martha was born in 1881), Gardener (when son James Joseph was born in 1895), General Farmer (when son James Joseph enrolled at school in 1901), Gardener (shown on Death Certificate in 1909)

CHILDREN:-

The NSW Emigration Shipping Records held on reels 2138 and 2473 at the Queensland State Library show that Henry Dunn aged 15 years left Plymouth on 7 September 1856, on the ship "Kate", arriving at Sydney on 23 December 1856. The shipping records indicated that he was not a "member of a family". The shipping records show him to be the son of William and Jane Dunn of Chittlehampton, Devon. The records state that he was an agricultural labourer from Chittlehampton, Devon and Church of England by religion. They also indicate that he could both read and write, that he was of good health and had no complaints about his treatment on the voyage. Also on the "Kate" were agricultural labourer Joseph Dunn, aged 26, and his wife Mary A. Dunn, aged 27, both from Filleigh, Devon. Filleigh is approximately 2.5 miles north east of Chittlehampton. The records show that Joseph was the son of William and Jane Dunn of Chittlehampton and Mary A. was the daughter of Joseph and Mary A. ?? of ??, Devon. Both Joseph and Mary A. were shown as being Church of England and they could both read and write. Both Joseph and Mary A. were of good health and had no complaints regarding their treatment on the voyage. The records state that both Joseph and Mary A. had no relations already in the Colony. Joseph of course would have been Henry Dunn's elder brother. All three that travelled on the "Kate" were one pound assisted passengers.

Henry was married 100 years to the day before his great great grandson Simon James Dunn was born. Henry's eldest daughter was also married on the same date i.e. the 24 October. Witnesses at Henry's marriage were William Watson and Annie Josephine Cripps. The ceremony was performed by C. Murlay. Both Henry and Louisa were living at Gracemere just prior to their marriage. Henry was 8 years older than his wife.

Henry had a man's ring made for himself from gold he found at Gracemere. The ring had a zirconium precious stone set in it. Henry also found the zirconium stone at Gracemere. This ring was handed down to his son James Joseph who passed it onto his son James Thomas Dunn. The ring was reset to a woman's ring and was in the possession of James Thomas Dunn's wife Marcella Dunn in 1990.

Henry and Louisa worked for the Archer family at Gracemere for many years. They eventually left and lived near Maudsley's Bridge at Scrubby Creek. Henry Dunn was listed in the Queensland Post Office Directory as a Gardener from Gracemere for the editions between 1889 and 1910/11. Henry suffered a paralytic stroke and was confined to six painful years in bed before he died aged 67 years old at Gracemere Road near Maudsley's Bridge, Gracemere. His Death Certificate shows that he died from multiple neuritis, dysentery, and exhaustion. He was buried beside three of his children (Albert Henry, Jane Ruth, and Ethel Emma) on 14 Jan 1909 in the Archer brothers private cemetery at Gracemere. There is no headstone on the grave but it is surrounded by a cast iron fence. Gladys Clarke has a photograph of the burial site. Minister G. Herbert Rogers, of the Church of England, officiated at the burial. Witnesses at the burial were W. Tregea and S. Nankivell. His Death Certificate states that he lived in NSW for two years and in Qld. for fifty years.

Terry Stratford showed me a Queensland Brand's Directory book dated 1894 which must have originally belonged to Henry Dunn, as it had his name on the front cover in large writing. This book contained the following information about cattle brands:-

It is not possible to show the correct representation of the Brand shapes with the standard character set, so it is necessary to describe some of the differences as follows:-

Note 1 - the number 2 has a short vertical line at top right hand corner.

Note 2 - the letter N has a short horizontal line at top left hand corner and the letter U is closed at the top with a horizontal line.

Terry Stratford also showed me a small exercise book that originally belonged to May Barnes, and was then handed down to her son Cedric Barnes. It contained a number of loose pages referring to sale of property and cattle presumably owned by Henry Dunn. It also contained some recipes including the recipe for the Kime's Christmas Cake.

Henry's wife Louisa was buried beside him almost 13 years after Henry's death. Henry's last Will and Testament was made on 15 August 1904. The Will left everything to his wife Louisa and appointed her sole Executrix. Witnesses on the Will were Frank Kime, labourer of Gracemere and Frederick Henry Thorsen, woodcutter of Gracemere. A copy of the will can be obtained from the Qld. State Archives on Microfilm No. Z297.

The original Archer Brothers Homestead was still in existence in 1988 and still in the Archer family. Jim Archer is now living in the original homestead and Cedrick Archer and his wife are living in another house on the property.

Henry was a member of the Gracemere State School Committee along with Robert Stubbs Archer in 1886. Rita Challinor (nee Dunn) told me that she remembers that her father told her that Henry Dunn came to Gracemere with the Archer brothers. The first of the Archers (Charles, William, and Colin) arrived at Gracemere to settle on 10 August 1855. Henry Dunn would not have arrived in Queensland until 1858 or 1859 (lived 2 years in NSW according to Death Certificate). However this may not be the case as Queensland used to be called New South Wales. 1858 was the year of the Canoona gold rush near Rockhampton. Approximately 15,000 people landed on the banks of the Fitzroy River during this gold rush which turned out to be a fizzer. Many of the gold seekers stayed in Rockhampton or found work on nearby stations. Perhaps this may be how Henry came to the area and ended up working for the Archers. Henry's elder brother, Joseph, and his wife Mary Ann, were living at Coonambula near Eidsvold in 1859 at the time of their daughter Martha's birth. Coonambula is one of 2 runs taken up by David and Thomas Archer in May 1848.

DEATH NOTICE (The Capricornian, 23 January 1909)
DUNN - on the 13 January, 1909 at Scrubby Creek, Gracemere, Henry Dunn, after a long and painful illness, in his sixty-seventh year. Deeply regretted.

OBITUARY (The Capricornian, 23 January 1909)
GRACEMERE - Another old identity of Gracemere passed away on Wednesday evening in the person of Mr. Harry Dunn. His illness was of a lingering nature. He had been confined to his bed for 6 years. He was buried on Thursday in the Gracemere Private Cemetery.

Click here for Dunn Baptisms in Swimbridge and Chittlehampton 

If you have any connection with or any information on Dunns from Devon please send me an E-Mail at the address below.

Photo:- Maureen Carlyle

Grave Stone placed on the grave of Henry Joseph Dunn and Louisa Dunn
(nee Walder) and three of their children Albert Henry Dunn, Jane Ruth Dunn and
Ethel Emma Dunn in 2003. The grave is still surrounded by a cast iron fence.

Maureen Carlyle went to Gracemere Homestead in 2003 and was given a great tour around by Cedric Archer. Cedric told Maureen that they lived in a small house under a tree at Archers when they were first married, then they moved to Scrubby Creek. Judith Roger was told by Mr Archer that the house the Dunns lived in first, after they were married, was under a tree, which is opposite the Cemetery, where they are buried. There is no evidence left of the house but the tree is still there.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Maureen Carlyle from Mackay and Judith Roger for their assistance with this web page.

Can anyone help me with more information?

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This page last updated 21 February 2020