Mary Gilbert

Mary Gilbert was the first European woman to live in the Port Phillip settlement of Melbourne, Australia. She was the daughter of one John Duff, and was married to James Gilbert, blacksmith. The Gilberts were pioneer settlers who disembarked on the banks of the Yarra River and set up camp on 30 August 1835. The schooner Enterprize, owned by John Pascoe Fawkner, had brought them and other settlers from Launceston, Tasmania, where she had married James at the age of eighteen.

The initial landing party included Captain John Lancey, master mariner, the landing party's leader and Fawkner's representative; George Evans, builder; carpenters William Jackson and Robert Hay Marr; ploughman Charles Wise; blacksmith James Gilbert and his pregnant wife, Mary; and Evan Evans, George Evans' servant.

On 29 December 1835 Mary gave birth to her son, James Melbourne Gilbert, the first European child born in the new district. She was given 500 acres (2 km²) of land and a town allotment. A life-sized bust of Mary Gilbert can be found at the Conservatory, in the Fitzroy Gardens.

On 30 April 1837, Mary gave birth to a second son, Charles Phillip Gilbert, also fathered by her husband, James. According to the Transcription of her death, two other sons were John and William.

Although James (possibly later known as John) Melbourne Gilbert was not known to have any offspring, his younger brother Charles was known to have fathered at least eight children to his wife Amelia in both Victoria and New South Wales.^{[citation needed]}

She was accidentally burnt to death in a bush fire at South Talbingo, Tumut River, NSW, on the 20th of February 1878, and buried on the Cumberland Range on the 24th of February that year.

See also

• History of Melbourne
• Fitzroy Gardens - Statue of Mary Gilbert

Persondata
Name	Gilbert, Mary
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth
Place of birth	Scotland
Date of death	20 February 1878
Place of death	South Talbingo, Tumut River, New South Wales, Australia