Margaret Maloney is still on my mind.

From William O’Neil’s report after Margaret’s death we know she lived on Back Row East. In trying to find where that was, my research lead me to Governor Lachlan Macquarie.

Governor Macquarie served as Governor of New South Wales from 1810 until 1821 and one of the first things he did when he arrived was name (re-name) the streets. The new street names were published in the Sydney Gazette on 6 October 1810. This is where we find that Back Row East was henceforth to be known as Phillip Street. This is exciting because Phillip Street still exists, it’s right there below Macquarie Street!

The very same Macquarie Street my younger self would frequently make a beeline down to Mitchell Library (NSW State Library), always making time to stop and rub the nose of the boar.

I can’t wait to walk along Phillip Street again (and Macquarie Street) with the new found knowledge that my ancestors lived and walked there.

I’ve also been thinking about Margaret’s resting place.

In my search for her I have discovered that Sydney Town Hall was built on the grounds that were once the colony’s burial ground, the Old Sydney Burial Ground. It stretched from George Street, to Kent Street, down to Bathurst Street and up to Druitt Street (to the entrance of the Queen Victoria Building)!

Yes they moved the bodies but because in early Sydney there wasn’t anyone officially assigned to keep a register of burials, they could never have been sure that they had moved all the bodies. And indeed in the years to come, in that city block and surrounds, with further building, excavations and pipe work, some grisly encounters were had; skulls, bones and graves.

I mean some valuable archeological finds!

Many times I’ve used the underground train station at Town Hall, thinking about it I do remember it being a bit spooky down there!

The Old Sydney Burial Ground was used from 1792 and closed in 1820.

Our Margaret Maloney, living just streets away on Back Row East, died in 1804, was she buried there in the Old Sydney Burial Ground? Sadly no records exist to confirm or deny, but I feel certain of it.

In 1869, to build the Town Hall, they exhumed what remains they found and moved them to the new Necropolis (‘city of the dead’) at Haslem’s Creek, this cemetery, now known has Rookwood Necropolis is the oldest and largest still operating cemetery from the Victorian era stretching across 286 acres.

I do wonder where Margaret is now? Is she still resting somewhere in the heart of Sydney? Or was she moved to the new resting place? Personally I hope she was moved to the peaceful surrounds of Rookwood.

When the Old Sydney Burial Ground was full and closed in 1820, they opened another burial ground just down the road (today the platforms of Central Station sit on top of where people’s loved ones were once interred). It was known as the Devonshire Street Cemetery. Full in 1867, it was closed and the bodies were exhumed and the majority moved to Bunnerong Cemetery which is now known as Botany Cemetery.

Central Railway Station, opened in 1906, is an above ground station, so not half as spooky as Town Hall Station.

However, there is a 300 metre underground walkway (tiled from floor to ceiling), the Devonshire Street Tunnel, that cuts through the old burial ground. I used it frequently to get to University. It was fine to walk during busy times, surrounded by people. But quiet times? Not such fun! I remember instincts speeding my footsteps and sometimes hearing sounds behind me, glancing back to find no-one there, at the time it was a relief to discover the tunnel stretching empty behind me…but that was before I knew!!

Happy Halloween 🎃