This is the grave of Lucy Ann Beare at the Reeves Point cemetery: -
The grave of Lucy Ann Beare at the Reeves Point cemetery
(Photo taken by Philip Hall)
These details come from my article titled “Kingscote’s Beare Point Jetties” which was published in the Marine Life Society of South Australia Newsletter for September 2006 (No. 336)
“Beare Point is named after Thomas Hudson Beare who arrived (on Kangaroo Island) at nearby Reeves Point on the Duke of York on 27th July 1836. The Duke of York was a 190-ton barque under the command of Captain RC Morgan. She had been converted to a barque in England in 1834. Her length was greater than 81 feet and she was over 23 feet wide. There is a model of her inside the Kingscote library in Dauncey Street.
….. Thomas Beare was the Deputy Manager of the South Australian Company. He came to South Australia from Hampshire, England with his wife Lucy Ann Beare and their family.
His wife Lucy died during childbirth the following year on 3rd September 1837. She was just 34 years old, having been born in 1803. She was the mother of five children, all of whom were under eleven years of age. Her daughter Elizabeth would have been only about three years old at the time. Lucy was buried in the cemetery at Reeves Point.
She was the first settler to be buried there. The cemetery is SA’s oldest and employees of the South Australian Company and their descendants are buried there. It is sometimes referred to as the “Pioneers’ Cemetery”.
The grave has been preserved with the headstone now laid on top of a concrete block. There is a plaque on the side of the concrete block.
Thomas Beare himself is buried in St Jude's Cemetery at Brighton, SA: -
There is a memorial to the first settlers from the Duke of York between the old site of Reeves Point and the new site at Kingscote. It was unveiled in 1936 for the centenary of the arrival of the first settlers. It is located overlooking Nepean Bay on the highest cliff above Reeves Point. Whilst the Duke of York was returning to England she was wrecked off of New South Wales on 14th August 1837.
The memorial to the first settlers from the Duke of York
(Photo taken by Philip Hall)
Samuel Stephens was the General Manager of the South Australian Company when the settlers landed at Reeves Point in 1836. He was later killed in a horse riding accident and was then replaced as General Manager by Thomas Beare. In 1838 Beare bought the area now known as the Adelaide suburb of Netley. Beare had named the area after the ruins of Netley Abbey in his native county of Hampshire in England. His daughter Elizabeth was tragically burnt to death in 1842 when she was only about eight years old.
There are three jetties at (or near) Beare Point (also referred to as ‘Bear Point’, ‘Beare’s Point’ and ‘Beares’ Point’) at Kingscote.
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