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Ferdinand Meurant (1765 - 1844)
Ferdinand Meurant was born in Frontignac France in 1765. He escaped the French Revolution by fleeing to Ireland. He lived in Dublin and married Sophie and had at least one child, Edward, who was later apprenticed to a saddler.
Ferdinand was an engraver by trade, but when he used his skills to forge banknotes, he was tried and sentenced to transportation to Australia. He arrived on the Minerva in 1800. He is mentioned in the 1801 list of Persons off Stores as a watchmaker and then, on the list of those convicts who had received Conditional emancipations of 1801, as a goldsmith.
After gaining favour with Governor King, Meurant was granted a full pardon in 1803, as well as a land grant at the Hawkesbury and valuable leasehold behind Government House in Sydney. In 1807 he, with several others, was required to give up this leasehold, since the land formed part of the domain of the Governor's residence.
Meurant's wife, Sophie, was still in Ireland, despite having applied to accompany her husband to Australia. It is believed Meurant formed a relationship with Mary Pritchard and there are two children baptised with Mary Pritchard as the mother. Their names were William Edward and Elvira. Mary Pritchard is listed in the 1805-06 muster as having a ticket of leave and residing with, or employed by, Ferdinand Meurant. In 1810, Elvira died at the age of 6 after being burned in a fire. The news report of the time names her as "the daughter of Mr Ferdinand Meurant". She is buried on Meurant's property at Hawkesbury.
Reputed to be one of the first two working jewellers in Australia, Ferdinand Meurant offered goods for sale at his residences in Castlereagh Street during 1811. At some stage he had premises in Bent Street in Sydney, where today there is a commemorative plaque, unveiled by the French Ambassador in 2000.
According to a newspaper report in 1938, Ferdinand Meurant's land grant included the site of Old Government House, Parramatta. Governor Macquarie allowed Meurant to select another location for his grant. He chose 50 acres in Seven Hills (now Parklea) and named it Frontignac, after his birthplace. The house is believed to have been pulled down in the early 1880s.
In 1811, Meurant married Rose (also known as Rosetta) Martin, in St John's Church, Parramatta. According to NSW Birth indexes, four children were baptised: Ferdinand Napoleon (1811); Albert (1815); Augustus (1826) and Amelia (1836).
Meurant had a liquor licence in 1816 and his inn (The Rose in June) was for sale in 1817. He may have returned to his property in Seven Hills after this time, where in 1823 a fire destroyed his crops and barn.
Meurant's death is not officially registered but it has been reported that he died on November 4 1844, aged 79 years, and is buried on the family property at Parklea.
Ferdinand and Rosetta's son, Ferdinand Napoleon, continued to live on Frontignac until his death in 1884. Ferdinand Napoleon Meurant and his wife Sarah had eleven children, many of whom stayed in the area.
Sources and further information
Blacktown City Libraries, Max Webber Library - Local History Section - Vertical File: Biography - Meurant
Blacktown Historical Society's Website:
http://roots-boots.net/history/blacktown/meurants_cottage.html
Coffey, Petra (email correspondence) November 2007
Heritage Office Website
http://www.heritage.nsw.gov.au/07_subnav_01_2.cfm?itemid=5045181
Magann, H. (1997). They left their mark. Blacktown, NSW
Powerhouse Museum Website
http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/database/?irn=79059
NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages website
http://www.bdm.nsw.gov.au/
Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser, various dates.
Sydney Morning Herald, various dates.
