Obituary

MRS. SARAH ANN MURRAY.

There passed away on Friday at Neutral Bay a former resident of the district in Mrs. Sarah Ann Murray, relict of the late Andrew Murray, a former owner of Hillside and Bannockburn. Mrs. Murray would have been 93 years of age had she survived until next month. Her maiden name was Pitkin, being an aunt of Mr. Thomas Pitkin, of Inverell. Before marriage she lived with her parents at Moredun, and on her marriage to Mr. Murray the couple went to Queensland, pioneering, residing for some years near Mackay. In 1869 they returned to the Inverell district, and Mr. Murray selected a property which he named “Hillside,” being situated on the river opposite Arrawatta. After residing there for a number of years, Mr. Murray bought Bannockburn from Mr. G. A. Cruickshank, which was then a property of some 24,000 acres. After residence there for 18 years, the property was sold to Richmond and Scott, in 1901, and was shortly afterwards sold in sub-division by a company which had acquired it. On selling Bannockburn, in 1901, Mr. and Mrs. Murray went to live at Manly.

The late Mrs. Murray was one of the great band of pioneering women who stuck to their menfolk right through, enduring all hardships consistent with early settlement, and suffering many difficulties arising from the absence of the amenities of civilisation.

The surviving members of her family are: Robert Murray (Wallangra), Mrs. A. J. Selke and Mrs. Billington (Sydney), Miss Nita Murray, W. G. Murray (Oakwood), Walter (Queensland), Ernest (Sydney), and C. L. Murray (Sydney).