THE village of Bridgerule has had a second visitor from Australia wishing to see the village where the famous Elizabeth Veale Macarthur was born and educated.

Elizabeth Macarthur, née Veale, set sail for Australia and later established sheep farming in New South Wales with her husband.

Three years ago Michelle Scott Tucker, author of ‘Elizabeth Macarthur — A Life on the Edge of the World’, came to see Lodgeworthy Farm where Elizabeth was born in August 1766 and she went on to visit St Bridget’s Church where Elizabeth’s relatives are buried, Tackbere where Elizabeth stayed for a while when her father died and The Glebe where she enjoyed the company of the Kingdon family.

Here she was possibly educated by the Rev Kingdon along with his daughter Bridget Kingdon a long-time friend who kept in touch by letter.

Many in Bridgerule have now bought the book and are enthralled by the life of Elizabeth who at the age of 24, married to John Macarthur (soldier), with a child of 18 months old and pregnant again, set sail for Australia in the Second Fleet not knowing what she had in store for her and her family — even if they would arrive safely.

The ship also carried many convicts on the deck below them and because of awful conditions many of these convicts died on route.

Elizabeth and John Macarthur had a turbulent but very interesting life ending up being the biggest land-owners in New South Wales at the time and famous for their special Merino sheep especially the wool which they exported.

The couple became so famous they were on bank notes and coins and had park land and colleges named after them. 

Recently the village had a further visit, this time from Jackie and husband Mark who live in Sydney. Jackie was a guide at the Elizabeth Farm in Parramatta and was eager to see where Elizabeth originated from and felt certain that others will follow from Australia as this book has become enormously popular — ‘flying off the shelves’ as she said.

Elizabeth had eight children who survived into adulthood. Her baby girl died on board ship on the voyage over and another child, James, died very young.

Because of Mr Macarthur’s temperament and his various arguments with the various governors in New South Wales he spent many years back in England attending court cases leaving Elizabeth with many children, three farms, thousands of sheep and an equal number of acres to look after, plus convict workers to supervise. She had a very hard life.

Bridgerule hopes to welcome further visitors from the other side of the world, who are eager to learn about the origins of Elizabeth.