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(The PURPOSE of this wiki is to compile/share information for those who wish to research more about Maitland and Molly Morgan, and/or visit where Ms Morgan lived and died or is buried .. presumably at Greta)......
This wiki to share information about Molly Morgan was started in 2003 and for more information write to PO Box 264 Summer, Hill, NSW 2135 or email [email protected].
On a trip to Maitland in 2003 the Information Centre was asked where Molly Morgan was buried. Nobody there knew however one of the references below states that she bestowed her name upon a range hills at Rothbury among which she lies buried. The Molly Morgan Range and Mount Molly Morgan are between Greta and Rothbury, closer to Greta than to Rothbury. This is south of Greta, near a site where in WWII many more immigrants flowed into Australia (the Greta migrants camp). A winery near Lovedale in the Rothbury hills has honoured her by taking her name (Molly Morgan Vineyard) and has a motel in East Maitland (Molly Morgan Motor Inn). The latter also incorporates an "Angel Inn" restaurant, named after the first inn Molly Morgan owned at West Maitland.
EARLY MAITLAND NOTES, 100 YEARS AGO published 26th January, 1918
Just 100 years ago, in 1818, the site of the present town of West Maitland was virgin land. In a brochure of the fifties reference is made to a "winding track leading through Wallis Plains to the settlements further up the river that were settled shortly after Governor Macquarie's visit to the Hunter in 1813." As a matter of fact, there were no settlements further up the river until the twenties.
In 1820 John Howe and his party from Windsor overlanded to the Hunter, and discovered the fertile country about Singleton. Between 1812 and 1818 authority was given to officials at Newcastle to farm land at the junction of the creek and the river, and several small farms were actually being worked in 1815, among the owners of the farms being John Tucker, Government Storekeeper at Newcastle. In 1818 John Eckford, William O'Donnell and John Smith took up land in the locality which was then known as "The Camp". Captain John Wallis, Commandant at Newcastle, in that year gave authority for well conducted convicts to go on the land and cultivate it for their own benefit, and several of these men, despite the stigma of conviction, proved worthy pioneers. It was in consequence of this decision of the commandant that "The Camp" became known as "Wallis Plains". Convict gangs were brought from Newcastle for clearing work, and the stories of the brutal treatment meted out to these unfortunate wretches at the hands of their taskmasters are a reflection upon humanity. The lash reigned supreme at Wallis Plains. Crime was rampant. There was no tender spot in the granite hearts of the martinets in power in those days. Men and women who had been transported for political offences and for offences that would, at the present day, be met by light fines, were regarded as less than human by their human masters. Commissioner J.T. Biggs, who conducted a Royal Commission in 1820, denounced the brutal treatment of the convicts remarking "I have never visited settlement or seen arbitrary power carried to such an extent".
Referring to the matter over 50 years later, in 1873, he wrote: "Although upwards of 50 years have elapsed since, there is not effaced from my memory the impression then made. It seemed very un English". Again he writes: "The settlers at the 'Plains" are, with the exception of the storekeeper, surgeon, pilot's son, and the military, all prisoners under long sentences to Coal River (Hunter River)."
In 1819 Molly Morgan arrived on the scene, and built a hut nearly opposite the site of the present West Maitland Town Hall, on the boundary of the Royal Hotel and Congregational Church properties.
The hut was in existence when the late Mr. Fred Crewe arrived in Maitland, Molly was a wonderful old character, but her story has already been told. William O'Donnell built a slab cottage near the junction of the river with the creek, nearly opposite Abbott-street. That cottage was in existence up to a few years ago, and the iron bark slabs were quite sound. There was another slab hut on the slope at the rear of the site of the Angel Inn. These were the only habitations on Wallis Plains in 1820, at least on the west side of the creek, now known as West Maitland. The lagoon area extended from the Fishery Creek Swamp into to what is now known as Frog Hollow, from which a small watercourse entered the river near the site of the present Courthouse. A plan of the Lower Hunter, drawn in 1801, shows the lagoon close to the river. Other watercourses draining the lagoon into the river were in existence in 1820 - from St. Andrew-street, across High-street, and near the Imperial Hotel lane, Stilby's Lane; from Catherine-street through Dimmock's and round the rear of St. John's Cathedral; and through land, between Smith and Ward streets, at the old wooden embankment.
Maitland has always had its floods. In March, 1799, boatmen returning from Coal River to Sydney, reported having seen great masses of flood debris floating in the harbour. There are authentic records of Hunter floods in November, 1805; March, 1806; August, 1809; May and June, 1816; February and March, 1819; and in 1820 Mr. John Eckford, the pioneer already mentioned, discussing floods in 1857 referred to the great flood of 1820. He said there were only three houses in Wallis Plains at the time, the place being then a "densely wooded brush" - O'Donnell's hut nearly opposite the Waterloo Hotel near the site of Dickson and Co's store (Royal Hotel) and a hut on the slope at the rear of the Angel Inn site. The flood water was up to Molly Morgan's window sill, and was in the other hut.
Molly Morgan (1762-1835) City Founder
The version of the Molly Morgan most found on brochures around Maitland stems from an article of the title "Molly Morgan, an Amazon pioneer" published on 17 August, 1929 in the Maitland Centenary.
One of the outstanding personalities of the earliest days of the Maitland district was a woman who had been a convict, but arrived in the district with a ticket of leave.
She was Molly Morgan, but known in her land grant as Mary Hunt. She was a woman of dominant influence so great that for a time the present site of Maitland was known as "Molly Morgan's" Plains.
Her grant had the river for its northern boundary, from Bulwer street to Hunter street. On its west side were Bulwer, West and Elgin streets; on the south side, Park street; from the end of Elgin street, along the back of Maitland Park, to the Louth Park road; and its east side was Hunter street, with a line extending from that street, meeting Devonshire street a very acute angle, thence along the western side of a very small grant to the present Melbourne street gate of Maitland Park and along Melbourne street to Louth Park road.
The streets which fell within the the original grant to Molly Morgan are High street, from Bulwear, to Hunter street: Bulwer, Bourke, Charles, Lee, Victoria, Free Church, Nicholson, Railway, Bent, De Courey, Gipps, Catherine, Michael, Elgin, Hunter, West, Park and Parallel Streets, and parts of Olive, Albert, and Melbourne streets.
At her advent the locality was well timbered, cedar trees being much in evidence. The ground along the bank of the Hunter River was covered with scrub and through this the teamsters cut a winding track, which eventually became the main street of the town, High Street.
Molly Morgan was a most remarkable character, and considerable interest was manifested in her by Governors Macquarie and Brisbane, whose attention was directed to her by her outstanding efforts to develop her property.
She cleared much of her land at Maitland, near the river, and in that work had the assistance of convicts, in whom she was very considerate. In that respect she was more humane than others, some of whom were too much accustomed to have the lash flourishing on the backs of the unfortunates who were assigned to them. She was evidently a keen, self-willed, and resourceful woman. She is credited by the old hands with having gone to Sydney on one occasion to intercede with the Governor for some runaway convicts, who were in danger of being severely dealt with by the local authorities, and she was successful.
She could ride, shoot, and do any manual labour, including fencing. Many stories have been handed down regarding her alleged wild drinking bouts, but they are unsupported, in view of the work she carried out. There are also stories of her sales of land for rum, which was medium of exchange with many in those days, but there is not evidence of that.
It is, however, quite true that some of her land was "jumped", but not during her lifetime.
Very little was known formerly of her early history, beyond the fact that she had been transported for some minor offence, that she found favour with the authorities, that she received several grants of land, and that she played some part in the early Maitland days.
Some years ago documents which were before the courts in connection with a claim made by her son, in England, in her estate have been made available, and from these her story is gleaned.
She was born in or near Diddlebury, Shropshire, England, in 1762, and was a daughter of David Jones, a rat catcher and general labourer.
In 1785 she was married to William Morgan, a wheelwright and carpenter, of Hopesay, in her native county, and had two boy children .
In 1788 some hempen yarn, was stolen from a bleaching ground at Corfton Back, where she lived, and, as it was traced to her home, she and her husband were arrested. Her husband was rescued by some soldier friends, and escaped, but Molly was tried and convicted at Shrewsbury, and sentenced to transportation to New South Wales.
She arrived at Sydney on June 18, 1790, in the ship Neptune, the captain of which was a cruel despot. No less than 164 of the unfortunate convicts, most of whom had been sent out for offences as trivial as her's, died on the voyage of neglect and lack of food while others were so weak and emaciated that they died as they were being rowed ashore in the boats. Records of the period show that the convicts concealed from the ship's officers the deaths of the other convicts, so that they could share the rations of the dead.
Referring to the treatment meted out to the convicts in the ships of the Second Fleet, of which the Neptune was a part, Dr. Lang, in his well-known work "An Historical and Statistical Account of New South Wales, &c" writes as follows - In the end of June 1799, three transports arrived in Port Jackson, containing part of the stores which had been saved from the Guardian and in the course of the following year the ship Gorgon, which had been converted for the time being into a shoreship, together with 10 transports containing convicts, and constituting what was long afterwards known as the Second Fleet, also arrived. The mortality among the convicts who had been embarked in these vessels was absolutely frightful; in the Surprise there had been 42 deaths during the passage out; in the Scarborough 68, and in the Neptune 164. On board the 10 transports that formed the Second Fleet there had been embarked in England 1695 male, and 68 female convicts, of whom no fewer than 194 males and four females died on the passage out: and such was the state of debility in which the survivors landed in the colony that 114 males and two females died in the Colonial Hospital before the 5th of December, 1791. Of the 132 male convicts, also, who arrived per the transport Queen from Ireland in the year 1791, there were only 50 alive in the month of May 1792.
In a footnote, Dr. Land adds the following - "On an investigation which was instituted in the colony at the suggestion of Captain Parker, of H.M.S. Gorgon, it is shown that some of the captains of transports had very much abridged the convict's allowance, stipulated by Government for their subsistence; this inhuman practice having been carried to such an extent, in some ships that many of the convicts had literally been starved to death. The shipowner received £17.7.6 for each convict embarked at this period; and the more that died on the passage out, he had the greater profit on the voyage."
Molly was sent to Parramatta, and remained there for about five years, during which she met her husband, and was allowed to live with him towards the end of that term. She won the sympathy of the captain of the ship Resolution, and in 1796 escaped with him from Sydney to England.
On her arrival back in England she made her way back to her old home and regained possession of her two sons.
Taking her two children, went to live at St. George's Terrace, working to keep them.
Towards the end of 1797, she moved to Plymouth, where she met and married Thomas Mares, a brass founder and bell hanger, with whom she lived happily for a while, but some trouble arose, and she was accused of having set fire to her husband's house. In later years she denied having been implicated in the crime. She escaped to London but was eventually arrested, convicted, and again sentenced to transportation.
She arrived on the convict ship 'Experiment', at Sydney, in or about the year 1809 ,,,,
[Other accounts seen in Maitland say this ship arrived in 1804 ....]
She was again sent to Parramatta, where she soon won the good opinion of the authorities and she was allowed to have a place of her own and to keep stock. Molly acquired a bad habit of that and other periods and took the risk of putting her own brand on some Government stock for which she was sent to the convict settlement at Newcastle. As far as can be gleaned that would be about six or seven years, very little can be traced of her life beyond the fact that once more her wonderful personality stood to her so well that she was allowed her freedom and married a yeoman, Thomas Hunt, and that she was given the much talked of grant at Wallis Plains, now Maitland.
She confided the story of her early troubles, and, her two previous marriages to Hunt, who, however was not her equal in intelligence. They got on well and Molly went to live at Wallis Plains (Maitland) in 1819, but there were earlier settlers named, Eckford, O'Donnell and Smith, who had been there over a year. According to the old Maitland pioneer, John Eckford, who was an official at one time, Molly lived in a hut on a spot nearly on the site of the present Royal Hotel, opposite the Town Hall in 1820. It is interesting to have the authority of so reliable a witness as John Eckford to show that at the time of the great flood of 1821, there were only three houses on the site of West Maitland, Molly Morgan's opposite the present Town Hall site, William O'Donnell's nearly opposite the old Waterloo Inn, near Abbott street and another, the name of whose occupier is unknown, at the rear of the site of the Angel Inn. The flood was up to O'Donnell's wall plate, touching the shingles; up to Molly Morgan's window sill; and flowing in the hut at the Angel Inn site. Mr. Eckford was living at East Maitland. Except for a few small clearings, the whole locality was forest land.
Old Maitlanders remember a slab cottage at the rear of Paskin's Arcade, in which Molly Morgan lived. It remained intact for many years, and part of it was used as a kitchen to the residence of the late Mr. Norrie, father of Mr. C.E. Norrie, the well known Maitland solicitor. Molly had a farm at Anvil Creek, on the old line of road, adjoining the property of Captain Smith and Mark Turner. It comprised 203 acres and was sold in ten farms, of from 9 to 23 acres in July of 1854. She lived at the farm for some time before her death, which occurred on June 26, 1835.
The late Mr. Joseph Clift, of Lochinvar, remembered having been with his father on a trip up country, along the road past Molly's farm, and seeing his father conversing with the old pioneer. Molly's husband is best remembered by the "old hands" of Maitland as "Joe the Marine", or as "Joe Morgan", though his real name was Hunt.
There are stories of Molly's cravings for drink of her sales of land for gallons of rum, of her wild reckless life, and so on, but there is nothing to support them.
Molly Morgan was transported to Australia (1790) for stealing hemp from a linen factory. Joined by her husband, Molly opened a shop in Parramatta (suburb of Sydney). She then escaped from Australia, without her husband, in the ship the "Resolution" and returned to England. In England she bigamously contracted a second marriage, but was then accused by this second husband of burning down their house. Molly was charged and transported again to Australia (1804).
Back in Australia, Molly acquired another husband (her third) and together they bought some land. However, Molly was caught branding government cattle as her own and she was sent to Newcastle Penal Colony. For her good behaviour, Molly was sent with a party settlers to the Maitland area (1819) and was given some land for settlemnt. Here Molly opened a wine shanty which became quite popular due to it being on the route to the north of Australia.
Aged 61yo, Molly acquired a fourth hsuband - and one that was much younger then herself. Her snaty became the Angel Inn, which prospered as more lands were granted to her. Molly's business expanded and her Inn marked the beginnings of the City of Maitland. After her own creature comforts were dealt with, Molly helped those less fortunate, dealt out summary justice and medicine to the sick, and donated freely to set up church and schools.
Molly Morgan (nee Mary Hunt) was born in Shropshire, England, in 1762. She was obviously born under a wayward star. A very wayward star. Pieced together two centuries later, her story is the stuff of melodramatic pulp fiction.
Convicted by the Shropshire assizes of stealing a length of rope, Molly found herself transported to the New South Wales penal colony. Arriving on the Second Fleet at Sydney Cove, she was despatched to serve her time at Parramatta where she speedily found herself a series of ‘protectors’. She eventually decided that this was no life for girl, escaped, and made her way back to England by means undisclosed (probably just as well).
Arrested yet again for petty theft and subsequently identified as an escaped convict, Molly was fortunate to avoid summary hanging. Extended some leniency she was instead sentenced to be re-transported to Australia and this time found herself seconded to the new satellite penal camps at Maitland in the Hunter Valley. Molly was on her way.
Now a model prisoner (she had plenty of experience), she was soon on warm and affectionate terms with her overseers from amongst whom she finally selected yet another ‘protector’. With his endorsement she negotiated her ticket of leave (parole) and gained a 150 acre Crown Land grant. This asset she rapidly parlayed into a chain of taverns along the river ports and bullock tracks of the Valley and in 1829 - by now in her sixties - acquired the Angel Inn at West Maitland.
True to form, she remained in more or less constant trouble with the authorities - mostly for failing to bear in mind that the supply of liquor to convicts was illegal. As a dual graduate of the penal colony, Molly always remembered how tough things were on the underside.
Towards the end of her life, Molly did achieve a degree of respectability but never quite came to terms with the ways and manners of the landholding gentry. Nevertheless, she was to bestow her name on the plains around Maitland and, after her death, upon the range hills at Rothbury among which she lies buried.
Her memory is also celebrated by the Molly Morgan Vineyard in the Rothbury hills above Lovedale.
Molly was born near Diddlebury, south Shropshire. Diddlebury is located 11 km (6 miles) due north of Ludlow in a wide valley known as Corvedale. It's name is of Saxon origin denoting the burg (or settlment) of Duddela (a personal name). It is a rather scattered village, it recent years there has been a fair amount of new building.
The Sun Inn is situated near Diddlebury in the beautiful Corvedale between the picturesque town of Ludlow and equally historic towns of Bridgenorth and Much Wenlock. On january 31 ,1762 ,in the cottage behind the pub, Margaret, wife of David Jones a helper at The Sun, gave birth to a baby girl and named her Mary, later to be known by the more familiar Molly.
She attended the local school at Diddlebury, about a mile from the pub and learned needlework.
On june 25 1785, having two years earlier had a bastard son by another man, married William Morgan, a wheelright of hopesay.
The following year they had a son and moved from Corfton to Cold Weston.
Meanwhile back in Corfton, John Maesbury, landlord of the Sun, laid out some hemping yarn for bleaching, it disappeared.
The home of William and Molly Morgan was searched and the yarn found !
Both were arrested but William managed to escape, Molly was locked up for the night at the sun, where she had to be sewn up by a surgeon after trying to kill her self by slitting her throat.
She was eventually given the severe sentence of transportation for 14 years.
In a complicated series of events, she escaped and returned to England before ending up back in Australia where she flourished as a farmer and gained an even more colourful reputation for her drinking and sexual exploits.
She had been known as the queen of Hunter Vally and now her colourful life has been marked with a wine named after her that is grown in Hunter Vally.
The above information is a summary of the book "molly morgan, convict - queen" by the late Frank Mitchell, a headmaster of Diddlebury C of E school.
Married (1): 25 Jun 1785, Diddlebury, Shropshire, Eng
Died: 27 Oct 1828, Liverpool, Nsw, Aus
Buried: Oct 1828, St Lukes, Liverpool, Sydney, Nsw, Aus
Marriage Information:
William married Molly / Mary JONES, daughter of David JONES and Margaret POWELL, on 25 Jun 1785 in Diddlebury, Shropshire, Eng. (Molly / Mary JONES was born on 31 Jan 1762 in Corfton, Shropshire, Eng and was christened on 31 Jan 1762 in Diddlebury, Eng.)
Marriage Information:
William also married Ellen / Eleanor REDCHESTER. (Ellen / Eleanor REDCHESTER was born about 1764 in Manchester, Eng, died on 18 Nov 1840 in Concord, Sydney, Nsw, Aus and was buried on 20 Nov 1840 in St Lukes, Liverpool, Sydney, Nsw, Aus.)
Molly / Mary JONES
Born: 31 Jan 1762, Corfton, Shropshire, Eng
Christened: 31 Jan 1762, Diddlebury, Eng
Married (2): 25 Jun 1785, Diddlebury, Shropshire, Eng
Marriage Information:
Molly married William GOUGH.
Marriage Information:
Molly also married William MORGAN on 25 Jun 1785 in Diddlebury, Shropshire, Eng. (William MORGAN was born about 1764 in Warwickshire, Eng, christened on 29 Nov 1761 in Stokesay, Eng, died on 27 Oct 1828 in Liverpool, Nsw, Aus and was buried in Oct 1828 in St Lukes, Liverpool, Sydney, Nsw, Aus.)
From: "Clare Stapleton Concord" <[email protected]> Subject: [HV] Molly Morgan Date: Wed, 18 Dec 2002 22:10:08 -0600 References: <<[email protected]>>
I will be finanlizing a book on Molly Morgan in 2003. Molly was my
4-g -grandfather's wife. I am trying to pin down the exact location of her
land at Greta. I have one parcel but there was more land she owned. Any
insights would be welcomed.
By the way we hope to publish the book on the Web so it will be available
for free!
Hello Clare,
Have you included the Angel Inn, at Maitland which was owned by Molly
Morgan. My gg grandmothers 2nd husband's grandfather took the licence from her - he
was William Bowen. I would love to have a copy of your book.
Best wishes
ANNE
From: "John Goswell" <[email protected]> Subject: [HV] Molly Morgan Date: Sat, 21 Dec 2002 23:54:31 +1100
Dear Clare,
I suspected that her properties would have been near Mt Molly
Morgan and Molly Morgan Ridge, just south of Greta and west of Camp
Rd. My search through the early Parish Maps has not found her name,
however.
John Goswell
The Drs Reference? Site - 'Helping Doctors Help Patients' http://www.drsref.com.au
Greetings List Readers From: MITCHELL, F - "Molly Morgan: Convict to Queen: A Shropshire Girl" (1980, no publication details), p.16, under the heading "Greta": "Towards the end of her life she is reported to have sold off or mortgaged her holdings at Wallis Plains [ie Maitland] and eventually she moved to a farm of 203 acres she had bought at Anvil Creek (Greta) where on 26 June 1835 she died aged 73." The inside back cover lists some sources for Australian research on Molly, located at Mitchell Library, Sydney:* various manuscripts No 150 * various manuscripts re J E Manning 5-177B.* "The Australian" 14 Feb 1827. * Government Gazette 1832.* Account English Colony in NSW 1798-1802 Q 911. * Letter Judge Supreme Court 1843, 1231. * Newcastle & District Hist Scty Vol II 1948. It might be possible to identify a small number of 203 acre blocks at Anvil Creek from early parish maps. The next logical step would then be to visit the Land Titles Office in Sydney to obtain the details of all dealings on those blocks. Alternatively, just ignore the evidence in Mitchell's book (as this is a secondary source) and go straight to the Land Titles Office (the primarysource). From: CANNON, Geoff - "The First Title Holders of Land in the Counties of Cumberland & Northumberland" (ISBN 0646339044):A search for HUNT shows: Hunt, Mary, 27 May 1834, Pt.159ac, Portion 153, Parish of Maitland This could be a good starting place for searches in the Land Titles Office. Cheers Peter? J Williams Grad? Dip Local & Applied History Research Agent, Local Historian, Genealogist Largs? NSW Australia http://www.ozemail.com.au/~peterpjw
Decisions of the Superior Courts of New South Wales, 1788-1899
R. v. Beard and Richardson
Supreme Court of New South Wales
Dowling J., 1 August 1833
Source: Sydney Gazette, 3 August 1833[1]
This case has snippet references to where Molly Morgan lived:
"Molly Morgan's is about eleven miles from Maitland; I know a place called the "Black Fiddlers;" it is a place where drays stop sometimes; it is four miles from Molly Morgan's; Hunt's and Molly Morgan's are the same; M'Mullin's house is a quarter of a mile from Molly Morgan's".
On the 31st January 1762, in the cottage behind the Corfton Craven Arms Shropshire, Margaret, wife of David Jones a helper at The Sun, gave birth to a baby girl and named her Mary, later to be known by the more familiar Molly. She attended the local school at Diddlebury, about a mile from the pub and learned needlework. On 25th June 1785, having two years earlier had a bastard son by another man, she married William Morgan, a Wheelright of Hopesay. The following year they had a son and moved from Corfton to Cold Weston. Meanwhile back in Corfton, John Maesbury, landlord of the Sun, laid out some Hemping yarn for bleaching, it disappeared. The home of William and Molly Morgan was searched and the yarn found ! Both were arrested but William managed to escape, Molly was locked up for the night at the sun, where she had to be sewn up by a surgeon after trying to kill herself by slitting her throat. Molly was eventually given the severe sentence of transportation for 14 years. And was transported to Australia in 1790 for stealing hemp from a linen factory. Joined by her husband in Australia, Molly opened a shop in Parramatta. She then escaped from Australia, without her husband, in the ship the "Resolution" and returned to England. In England she bigamously contracted a second marriage, but was then accused by her new husband of burning down their house. Molly was convicted and transported back to Australia in 1804.
In Australia, Molly acquired a third husband and together they bought some land. However, In 1814 Molly was caught branding government cattle as her own and subsequently she was sentenced to a further seven years and sent to the harsh penal settlement for re-offenders at Newcastle Penal Colony. For her good behaviour, Molly was sent with a party settlers to the Maitland area (1819), She was soon on warm and affectionate terms with her overseers from amongst whom she finally selected a ‘protector’. With his endorsement she negotiated her ticket of leave (parole) and gained a 150acre Crown Land grant at Wallis Plains, that land constituting (what is now the business district of Maitland). She opened Wallis Plains' first licensed establishment (a grog shanty) and extended her holdings. This asset she rapidly evolved into chain of taverns along the river ports and bullock tracks of the Hunter Valley. True to form, she remained in more or less constant trouble with the authorities - mostly for failing to bear in mind that the supply of liquor to Convicts was illegal, however as the mistress of a local official, she was able to continue her operations relatively unfetted. Aged 61, Molly acquired a fourth husband - and one that was much younger then herself. She renamed one of her shanties to the Angel Inn, which proved to be extremely popular and so marked the beginnings of the city of Maitland. Whereas many wealthy individuals have shown a tendency to be captivated by own their prestige, Molly was different. After her own creature comforts were dealt with, Molly helped those less fortunate, donated freely to set up schools and turned her own home into a hospital for the sick. When she heard of any wrong doing, she organised summary justice. and donated freely to set up church and schools The locals of the settlement of Wallis Plains also called it (Molly Morgan Plains or Morgan's Plains) after one of the earliest and best known of the convict settlers - Molly Morgan. Today, Molly's memory has been immortalised by a winery and a motor inn that both bear her name She had been known as the queen of Hunter Valley and now her colourful life has been marked with a wine named after her that is grown in Hunter Valley. From the book "Molly Morgan, Convict - Queen" by the late Frank Mitchell, a headmaster of Diddlebury C of E school.
