Ann Bridger

Ann Bridger arrived in Australia on the Brig Thalia in 1825. She brought with her three children - Henry (aged 19), Eliza (18) and Ann (15) and some money to start a new life in Van Diemen's Land. The story of how she became Tasmania's first female entrepreneur can be read at http://bushinnhotel.50megs.com

I am quite pleased with myself because I have finally managed to trace Ann Bridger back to England! I already knew Ann's children's names, so I looked for these 3 siblings with the mother's name Ann. I found Eliza Bridger (16 September 1807), Ann Bridger (1 June 1810) and Henry Bridger (born 5 April 1806 christened 28 June 1812) - all at Saint Thomas, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. Their father was John Bridger.

So next I looked for possible marriages of John and Ann and found 2 maybes - Ann Bennett (married 3 January 1793 Binstead Near Alton, Hampshire, England) and Ann Baker (23 June 1805 Saint Mary Le Strand, Westminster, London). I tend to favour Ann Baker because the date seems right and Ann had a nephew named Charles Baker.

From Bastian v. Bridger, Supreme Court of VDL, Pedder C.J., 16 March 1831

"Mr. Charles Baker. - I am a witness for the defendant; I am her nephew. I am also her managing agent; I managed the ferry when it was first established. I recollect having had repeated conversations with Abraham Hands about the slip of land in question. I applied to Mr. Hansen about it, and he informed me he had let it to Bastian, but it was not the spot where the ferry is; it was Hansen’s own land. Mrs. Bridger’s ferry is half a mile from Bastian’s; the ferry is let for Ł60 per annum. Mrs Bridger finds the punt and keeps it in repair."

I have yet to find any record of a John Bridger's death between 1810 and 1825 in England. So here is my next avenue of research....

In 1931 Ann purchased part of Thomas Guy's land grant for the sum of for 90 pounds 10 shillings, and began building the house which we now know as Atherfield. That the house was an inn previously known as Fairfield House is apparently based on this newspaper advertisment in the Hobart Town Courier dated September 18th, 1835.

Since this ad is for a "house to let" and no mention is made of it being an inn, it does nothing to substantiate this story. At first I was not even convinced it was the same house, as 10 rooms one mile from New Norfolk is hardly a specific enough description, especially when Atherfield has 15 rooms and is situated 2 miles from New Norfolk!!! But the fact that the house was situated at the Falls and that the Bush Hotel was the contact tended to support that this could be the right house. Then I was lucky enough to obtain a copy of Ann Bridger's last Will and Testament where Fairfield House is listed as being part of the original land grant to Thomas Guy of 32 acres. That seems fairly conclusive evidence to me..... mystery solved!

The copy I have of Ann's Will is very difficult to read but it appears to contain a wealth of useful information. I will see if I can obtain a better copy from the original at the Land Titles Office.

I often get asked why is it called "The Falls" since there is no waterfall nearby. I wondered too until one day I was sitting on our front porch and I could distinctly hear the sound of rushing water. That's when I realised that at low tide (the Derwent is tidal at this point), there are rapids in the river, which certainly sound like a waterfall even if the don't appear as impressive as Russell Falls! ...another mystery solved!