Elizabeth Macarthur - Life in New South Wales

Life in New South Wales

Elizabeth was the first soldier's wife to arrive in New South Wales. Being educated, articulate and well read, her letters provide an important record of the infant convict town of Sydney and colonial life. She enjoyed a privileged position in society and "held court amongst officers of the New South Wales Corps, naval officers and members of the colonial administration". John was made Commandant at Parramatta and received land grants near there, at Rosehill, naming his property Elizabeth Farm after his wife. John became paymaster to the New South Wales Corps and director of public works. Elizabeth's respectability and charm was in contrast to her husbands disputatious nature and meant that she and her children retained a good social standing despite John's many controversial actions in the following years. However, Governor Phillip was the only governor she associated with, as her husband's business activities and actions later were "too controversial for any governor to seek the company of the Macarthur family". Elizabeth's work centred on her family, the education of her children and the management of a modest household. From nine pregnancies, seven children survived childhood. Her sons, Edward, John, James and William, made worthy contributions to colonial governance, agriculture, politics and trade. Her eldest daughter Elizabeth remained unmarried, despite at least two 'offers' declined by her parents. Her younger daughters Mary and Emmeline married into colonial families. Elizabeth died in 1850, having first been estranged from her husband as his melancholia and paranoia deepened, and then surviving him by fifteen years. She was an Anglican.