1776-1780: William Buckley born Cheshire England.
Occupation: bricklayer. Soldier. Height 6ft 6inches.
1802: Convicted of theft. Transported to Port Phillip Bay.
1803: Escaped the penal settlement. Lived with the local indigenous aboriginies. He as adopted by a tribe who believed him to be the spirit of a deceased tribal chief. He learnt their language, customs, bush skills. He had a wife and a daughter. He was respected and treated with great affection. He avoided British who settled in the area.
1803: He was taken to Port Phillip in April 1803 in the Calcutta with a party under Lieutenant-Governor Collins and there he and two companions absconded from the camp. Fearful, weary and hungry, they sent signals of distress to the Calcutta from the other side of Port Phillip Bay but these were not noticed. Buckley's friends turned back and were not heard of again. He fed on shellfish and berries, and was befriended by Aboriginals of the Watourong tribe, who believed the big white stranger to be a reincarnation of their dead tribal chief. He learnt their language and their customs, and was given a wife, by whom, he had a daughter.
1835: Buckley heard that some aboriginies intended to rob a British ship. Buckley convinced the aborigines not to attack the British. Buckley approached the British campsite. At first he had forgotten his own language, but he was identified by the tattoo mark on his arm, and the initials 'W.B.' The British give Buckley a pardon.
Buckley worked for John Batman as an interpreter and helped build Melbourne. Buckley was confused and felt that neither the Aboriginals nor the whites trusted him entirely.
1837: Unhappy and disillusioned, he left for Hobart. Worked as assistant store-keeper at the Immigrants' Home.
1840: Married: Julia Higgins St. John's Church, New Town
1841-1850: Gate-keeper at the Female Factory. He retired on a pension of £12 to which the Victorian government added £40 a year.
1856: William Buckley died.
Occupation: bricklayer. Soldier. Height 6ft 6inches.
1802: Convicted of theft. Transported to Port Phillip Bay.
1803: Escaped the penal settlement. Lived with the local indigenous aboriginies. He as adopted by a tribe who believed him to be the spirit of a deceased tribal chief. He learnt their language, customs, bush skills. He had a wife and a daughter. He was respected and treated with great affection. He avoided British who settled in the area.
1803: He was taken to Port Phillip in April 1803 in the Calcutta with a party under Lieutenant-Governor Collins and there he and two companions absconded from the camp. Fearful, weary and hungry, they sent signals of distress to the Calcutta from the other side of Port Phillip Bay but these were not noticed. Buckley's friends turned back and were not heard of again. He fed on shellfish and berries, and was befriended by Aboriginals of the Watourong tribe, who believed the big white stranger to be a reincarnation of their dead tribal chief. He learnt their language and their customs, and was given a wife, by whom, he had a daughter.
1835: Buckley heard that some aboriginies intended to rob a British ship. Buckley convinced the aborigines not to attack the British. Buckley approached the British campsite. At first he had forgotten his own language, but he was identified by the tattoo mark on his arm, and the initials 'W.B.' The British give Buckley a pardon.
Buckley worked for John Batman as an interpreter and helped build Melbourne. Buckley was confused and felt that neither the Aboriginals nor the whites trusted him entirely.
1837: Unhappy and disillusioned, he left for Hobart. Worked as assistant store-keeper at the Immigrants' Home.
1840: Married: Julia Higgins St. John's Church, New Town
1841-1850: Gate-keeper at the Female Factory. He retired on a pension of £12 to which the Victorian government added £40 a year.
1856: William Buckley died.