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Elizabeth Underwood (Harris, Lang) (1794 31 August 1858) in
Elizabeth Underwood (Harris, Lang) (1794 31 August 1858) in Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island (, ; Norfuk: ''Norf'k Ailen'') is an external territory of Australia located in the Pacific Ocean between New Zealand and New Caledonia, directly east of Australia's Evans Head and about from Lord Howe Island. Together with ...
, New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
, Australia, was a pioneering Australian land owner who founded the village (now a suburb) of Ashfield, New South Wales
Ashfield is a suburb in the Inner West of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Ashfield is about 8 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district.
Ashfield's population is highly multicultural. Its urban density is ...
.
She was the daughter of John Harris, an English-born ex-convict who had been sentenced to death for stealing eight silver spoons but was ultimately transported to Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
on the First Fleet
The First Fleet was a fleet of 11 ships that brought the first European and African settlers to Australia. It was made up of two Royal Navy vessels, three store ships and six convict transports. On 13 May 1787 the fleet under the command ...
. Her mother's identity isn't known for sure but she was probably also a convict. One biographer speculates her name was Mary Green and Elizabeth was actually born Elizabeth Green on 24 December. Neither parent played a significant part in her upbringing. Her father set sail for England in 1801 and left Elizabeth and her sister Hannah in the care of James Larra, a prominent Sydney merchant and ex-convict, and his wife Susannah. Elizabeth was later described as the niece of Larra and it may be that her mother was sister to either Larra or his wife.
In 1812, she married wealthy Scottish merchant Walter Lang and they had two sons before Walter died in 1816. The second son John George Lang was the first published novelist
A novelist is an author or writer of novels, though often novelists also write in other genres of both fiction and non-fiction. Some novelists are professional novelists, thus make a living writing novels and other fiction, while others aspire to ...
born in Australia. In 1819, she married Joseph Underwood, a merchant and sealer whose wife had died the year before leaving him with a number of children to look after. Joseph and Elizabeth had a further six children of their own so it was fortunate that, just before his marriage to Elizabeth, he had bought a large house and property, Ashfield Park, from fellow merchant Robert Campbell.
After Joseph's death in 1833, the family began to encounter financial difficulties and considered subdividing their large estate. Cannily, Elizabeth advertised the sale as the formation of the village of Ashfield and paid for the construction of the Anglican Church herself. Many streets in northern Ashfield bear the names of her children including Frederick, Elizabeth, Charlotte, Julia and Joseph. Prior to the subdivision, the area was commonly known as Underwood's Bush and Underwood's Creek (later Iron Cove Creek and now a stormwater drain) was a popular picnic spot along Parramatta Road
Parramatta Road is the major historical east-west artery of metropolitan Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, connecting the Sydney CBD with Parramatta. It is the easternmost part of the Great Western Highway. Since the 1990s its role has been a ...
. Elizabeth died in 1858 and was buried by the rector Thomas Wilkinson in the graveyard of the church she built, St John's.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Underwood, Elizabeth 1858 deaths People from New South Wales 1790s births 19th-century Australian people