Lucy Willeri, c.1858-1928

Early Life

Lucy Willeri was an Indigenous woman, born in North Queensland. The date of her birth is not certain. However, she was likely born between 1845 and 1855. As the daughter of “a Queensland King” she was said to be the “Queen of the Alligator River Tribe” or Roper River clan.

Working as a Domestic Servant

1925 interview revealed that “she was taken from the North of Queensland to Brisbane [by the white settlers] when quite a child and trained to do housework”. She was then moved to Hunters Hill where she worked as a domestic servant for several well-known families for a period of 50 years.

Lucy was one of many Indigenous people who were forcibly sent to work as a result of a national government policy which aimed to assimilate Aboriginal people into mainstream society. Boys were trained for work on pastoral properties and girls were trained as domestic servants under so-called apprenticeship schemes enforced by the Aborigines Protection Boards. According to Colonial Secretary JH Cann, it was “not a question of stealing the children, but saving them…the young people will merge into the present civilisation and become worthy citizens”. This led to women, such as Lucy, never marrying as they were “too young when taken” from their clans. In later years women were encouraged to marry white men so that their descendants would be “lighter until they were completely white”. This horrific practice continued until 1981.

Community Support and a New Home

After her dismissal from working as a domestic servant, Lucy lived in Gladesville with her “cats, dogs, goats and fowls” in a dilapidated humpy made of scrap iron, wood and bags. This humpy was situated on the bank of Tarban Creek and was overgrown with lantana. On 16 February 1925 the NSW Board for the Protection of Aborigines notified Hunters Hill Council of her living conditions and according to a 1925 Sydney Mail article “attempted to move her elsewhere”. The Board had the power to move Aboriginal people out of towns under the 1909 Aborigines Protection Act. However, a movement was started by local residents allowing Lucy to remain in the area. Lucy had expressed that she wanted “to stay there to the end”.

As Lucy was “a well-known and popular figure in Ryde, Gladesville and Hunters Hill”, H. Engrich of the Weekly Times formed a fundraising committee to finance the construction of a new home for her. An entertainment benefit at the Gladesville Theatre endeavoured to raise £100 to put towards this cause. The sociable Lucy was seen attending the event with her pet dogs.

The furnished two-roomed weatherboard cottage on the Fitzpatrick estate in Gladesville was officially handed over to her by the Mayor of Hunters Hill, Alderman Unwin, on 1 August 1925 at 3.30pm. It was a public event open to “anyone who should wish to attend”. Two thousand people showed their support by attending the ceremony and bestowing upon her gifts including “a black kewpie, bunches of flowers, sweets, gloves, cooking pans and groceries”. Lucy allegedly said, “It’s lubly, gentlemen”, when she was asked about her new home.

A Sad Loss

The much-loved “Black Lucy” died on 9 September 1928 in a nursing home in Newington after the Mayor of Hunters Hill determined she needed more care. Her funeral took place at the Field of Mars Cemetery in East Ryde. Her home was sold on 12 September 1928 and proceeds were given to the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children.

Lucy’s life story gives us an important opportunity to reflect on the fate of Aboriginal Australians and their turbulent history. It illuminates the paternalistic attitude towards them during this time period.

Source

https://huntershillmuseum.org.au/indigenous-connections-past-and-present-hunters-hill/