William Bligh Turnbull (1809-1892)

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William Bligh Turnbull was named after Governor William Bligh of 'The Bounty' fame, who had supported William's father John and other Hawkesbury farmers during his governership in regard to the New South Wales Rum Corps monopoly on trade in the colony. Known as 'Whistling Bligh' his group of friends were known as the Currency Lads, that is, born in the colony as opposed to the Sterling Lads born in England. There seems to be some rivalries and a cricket team, the currency lads, is recorded. William farmed the upper Colo River until 1868 when he was given a grant of 200 acres on Doyle's Creek in the Hunter Valley he sold the grant for 20 pounds eventually settling at Euroka in 1868 on the McLeah River. An odd marriage notice for William and Elizabeth Wilson appears in the Ebenezer marriage register in 1839 however it appears this marriage never took place. William left the Euroka property to his sons, William John and George Davis an annuity to his daughter, Martha Ann and the residue of his estate to his remaining four sons and two daughters. William died after receiving injuries from a fall from a cart after the horse bolted at Commandant Hill.