The Locals 4 - The Henry Fulton and The Ropes

At Site 4 in the Old Anglican Cemetery can be found the graves of some of the early pioneers of the district. People such as the Fields, the Hadleys and Harris families are amongst the headstones.
Most of the burials here were conducted by the Reverend Henry Fulton (1761-1840).

Fulton was implicated in the Irish Rebellion of 1798 and transported for life to NSW, along with some of the rebellion leaders. He was guarded by Lieutenant William Cox, who would later become a friend and build the first road over the Blue Mountains, as well as many prominent buildings around the Hawkesbury.

From 1800 he performed services as chaplain and was put on a salad, and later pardoned. He was a friend of Governor Bligh and was at Government House when the "Rum Rebellion" took place. He later was called to England to give evidence on Bligh's behalf against Major Johnston and the "Rum Corps".

As the district chaplain he performed the first burial of Mary-Ann Smith in 1814 and later started a school "The Castlereagh Academy" here - the first secondary school in Australia. He was also on the Board of the Native Institute at Parramatta and headed St Stephen's Church in Penrith.

http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/fulton-henry-2074

Fulton and McHenry memorial

The family vault contains Henry, his wife Ann, son-in-law, John McHenry and two of his sons. The local Henry Fulton Public School honours his place in our history.

First Fleeters - Anthony and Elizabeth Rope were great survivors. They escaped hanging, survived times in English prisons; the hazardous voyage to Australia and the first years of the colony when food was scarce. They struggled to get by, but eventually gained land and supported  their expanding family, while living to an old age. Ropes Creek and the new suburb of Ropes Crossing are named after them.

http://www.ropepulley.org/index_files/Convicts.htm

The Ropes Graves