Charles Reynolds, {Australian Immigrant}

GEDCOM Note

Charles Reynolds was born 1810 at New Haven Connecticut USA.
Charles was a African American, we do not know when Charles arrived in Australia but his Uncle was supposively John Randall (also a African American) from the 1ST Fleet who also came from New Haven Connecticut USA. (Sources needed)

Charles married Bridget Ingoldsby/Englishbee Jan 1 1843 at St Patrick's Catholic Church, Parramatta. On Marriage certificate Reynolds was spelt Rendall, both came from Kissing Point, Bridget’s surname was Englishbee.
Minister was Nicholas Joseph CO. Witnesses were John Sawr (Schwartz) & Mary Ann Rourke. Bride & Groom signed with their mark.

Charles & Bridget had 7 children-
Bridget was born at Kissing Point Sydney,
Lucinda was born River Flats Lane Cove
Elizabeth was born Field of Mars Common, Lane Cove
Anne Jane was born River Flats Lane Cove
Charles was born Field of Mars Common, Lane Cove
Thomas was born St. Leonards, NSW
Mary was born River Flats, Lane Cove

Charles died 23 May 1885 aged 76yrs at Rankin Street, Bathurst, NSW. & is buried Church Of England, Bathurst, NSW. Charles grave number- 6290.
Charles was in the 1814 Muster.
Living Hill End near Mudgee about 1868.
Living at Green Valley Tambaroora near Bathurst NSW when Bridget dies of Phthisis 1873
Common
In 1804 Governor King set aside a large section of the undeveloped part of the district as a common that could be used by the people for grazing their cattle and timber getting. The common covered 2523 hectares and extended from the present Boronia Park to West Pennant Hills, out to Eastwood, and bordered by the Lane Cove River. In 1874 the common was resumed and became crown land. In the same year the Field of Mars Reserve was set aside for public recreation by the newly formed Ryde Municipal Council.
Grenville’s 1872 Post Office directory-REYNOLDS C woodman Lane Cove River Lane Cove
In old Sydney area there was a place known as the “Field of Mars Common” (about 5000 acres) was home to a whole lot of fringe dwellers in the early to mid 1800’s.
Large numbers of Aborigines lived there.
Also living there was a family with African American ancestry named Reynolds. There were a lot more Afro-Americans & Afro- Indians around then.
Sydney was a great port for ”southern fishery”, the whaling & sealing trade.

Charles was described on the reference table on a map of the Field of Mars common. Apparently he was living along the mud river flats on the upper reaches of Lane Cove River. Living nearby was Mary Martin described as the widow daughter of “Black Randall (John Randall.
1847-Charles Reynolds an African American with children was squatting downstream from the present Fuller’s Bridge near River Avenue.
It is also significant that Charles’s offspring dispersed to the same places as John Randall’s descendants. E.g. Sofala & the Clarence River.
At the height of it’s golden days in the 1870’s, Charles & Bridget moved to Tambaroora (3km west of Hill End it had a population of thousands of gold miners & their families. Bridget died at Green Valley in 1873 & is buried at Tambaroora cemetery.