Some mystery surrounds the discovery in Scotland of a brass gorget, or military neckpiece, once owned by the aboriginal King of the Tabralgar.
The gorget, a kidney-shaped chest piece similar to those once worn by 18th century British Army officers, is about 7 inches long and 4 inches wide, pierced at each end so that it could be worn with a chain, military fashion.
It is inscribed:
TONY
Chief of the Merotherie,
A Tribute of Respect from Mr Wm Bowman.
Engraved at the left and right hand side of the inscription respectively are the Kangaroo and Emu rampant, a similarity in reverse to the commonwealth Coat of Arms.
The gorget came into the possession of the Rev. Dr. Cumming Thom, President of the N.S.W. Council of Churches, and former principal of St. Andrew's Presbyterian College, who is on the deputation of the World Council of Churches.
The gorget was found in an antique shop window in Aberdeen, Scotland, and was presented to Dr. Cumming Thom when he was overseas in 1948, with a request that he take it back to Australia, where it properly belonged.
When he was preaching in Sydney Dr. Cumming Thom used the relic to illustrate examples of promoting good relations between black and white.
Later he came into contact with Mr. R. Stuart Bowman, of Crail, Redbournberry, and discovered that the gorget was one given by Mr. R. Stuart Bowman's great-great uncle. Mr. William Bowman. William Bowman was the youngest son of John Bowman. Esq., of Archerfield, Richmond. He was a J.P. and M.P.
William Bowman was born December 11, 1799, and died exactly 75 years later on December 11, 1874. He selected the Merotherie property, on the Tabralgar River, at Coolah, about 1830, when the Tabralgar aboriginal tribe lived in the district.
'Tony," who was King of the Tabralgar tribe at that time was employed by William Bowman as a tracker for locating lost and stolen cattle.
When William Bowman died he left the property at Meretherie to his nephew James Bowman, who passed it on to his son, the late Mr. Ronald Bowman.
On Wednesday this week, the Rev. Dr Cumming Thom visited Singleton to lecture at a film exhibition at the High School. Yesterday morning he seized the opportunity to meet Mr. R. S. Bowman when the discovery was discussed and plans suggested for the relic's future.
It has yet to be decided whether the Gorget will go to the Mitchell Library, the Pioneer's, or to the Canberra Museum.
Mr. R. Stuart Bowman met and discussed the find with Dr. Cumming Thom at the Presbyterian Manse William Street, yesterday morning. Dr. and Mrs. Cumming Thom were the house guests of the Rev. and Mrs. William Mullan.
Discovery of the Gorget and its unique inscription has recalled an interesting piece of historical data. To celebrate Nelson's victory at the Battle of Trafalgar, 1805, William Bowman's mother. Mrs. John Bowman, made a flag out of her wedding dress, which was flown over the Archerfield property.
This flag, which is now in the Mitchell Library, is generally recognised to have been the origin of the present Commonwealth Coat of Arms, Mrs. John Bowman's flag flown at Archerfield, bore the Kangaroo and Emu rampant at each side of a shield, under which was embroidered Nelson's unforgettable signal, "England expects that every man this day will do his duty."
In the Commonwealth insignia the Emu is on the dexter and the Kangaroo on the sinister side of the quarterings. On Mrs. Bowman's flag the Kangaroo and the Emu are on opposite sides.
It is not known how the Gorget managed to find its way to Scotland, but its return to Australia and its future resting place must play an inevitable part in the pioneer history of the Commonwealth.
1952 - King Tony as Tracker at Merotherie
When the Rev. Dr. Cumming Thom, President of the N.S.W. Council of Churches and former Principal of St. Andrew's Presbyterian College, was home in Scotland four years ago, he was presented with the brass symbol of Kingship, once worn by King Tony of Talbragar, Chief of the Merotherie tribe, bearing an in scription indicating that it was a tribute from William Bowman.
Recently Dr. Cumming Thom met Mr. R. Stuart Bowman of Crail, Redbournberry, on the Upper Hunter, and discovered that the relic had been given to Tony by his great-great-uncle, William, youngest son of John Bowman, M.L.A. of "Archerfield" Richmond, Hawkesbury River.
William Bowman, who died in 1874, aged 75 years, selected "Merotherie," and employed King Tony as a tracker for locating lost and stolen stock.
It is interesting to recall that when news of Nelson's victory at Trafalgar reached Australia, William Bowman's mother made a flag out of her wedding gown and flew it over the "Archerfield" homestead. That flag, now in the Mitchell Library, is said to have been the origin of the present Commonwealth Coat of Arms. It bore the Emu and Kangaroo.
Bowman gorget
Source: Gulgong Pioneers Museum
Source: Gulgong Pioneers Museum
