John Wright (shipbuilder-sawmiller)

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John Wright
John Wright Shipbuilder.jpg
John Wright at Tuncurry
Born(1835-05-21)21 May 1835
Nether Dallachy, Banff, Parish of Bellie, Scotland, United Kingdom[1]
Died28 May 1910(1910-05-28) (aged 75)
Tuncurry, New South Wales
NationalityScottish/Australian
OccupationBusinessman
Known forShipbuider & sawmiller
Spouse(s)
Catherine Gill
​
​
(m. 1864; died 1910)​
Children11

John Wright was a 19th-century Australian shipbuilder, sawmiller and businessman.[2]

Biography[]

In 1875, John Wright was the first white settler in Tuncurry, Australia. Born in Scotland, he arrived in Australia on Lord Worsley in May 1860. John Wright and Son Shipyards was a successful business until 1958.[2][3]

Wright adopted the local Worimi Aboriginal place name "Tuncurry" for the area north of Forster, which is said to mean "plenty fish".[4] The Worimi people called John Wright "big boss" and "first fella". Before settling in Tuncurry, Wright sold his share of a sawmilling and shipwright business with Alexander Croll at Bungwahl on the Myall Lakes.

Wright's son Ernest was the first white child born in Tuncurry. Ernest successfully continued the shipbuilding business after John's death. Another son, Sidney Garden Wright managed a large sawmill known as Avalon Mill near Krambach. Sidney married a granddaughter of Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism.[5] They had ten children in the Mid North Coast area near Tuncurry.[6]

The water front land where the mill and shipyard stood at Tuncurry was gazetted as an area for public recreation and in 1962 was renamed John Wright Park.[7]

References[]

  1. ^ "Wright heritage" addendum : John & Catherine / compiled by Maurine Wright & Ryan Dudley. Bib ID 6612410
  2. ^ a b Great Lakes Historical and Maritime Museum. "TUNCURRY'S WORKING WATERFRONT – Wright's mill and shipyard". Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  3. ^ North Coast Run: Men and Ships of the New South Wales North Coast M. Richards P94 - 95 ISBN 978-0908031108
  4. ^ "Forster-Tuncurry, NSW". Aussie Towns. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  5. ^ Black Diamond Images. "Circa 1920 - 30's Tuncurry Working Waterfront Mosaic at the Entrance to John Wright Park, Tuncurry, NSW". Flickr. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  6. ^ Malcolm Brown. "Mormon founding father unites scions across the oceans". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  7. ^ Mid Coast Council. "John Wright Park". Retrieved 15 March 2018.
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