Photo of Arthur Mayfield Merrington and sons James, Ernest & Bill at 'Red Hands Rock' c1922
James Mayfield Merrington arrived in Sydney, as a 'fresh-faced young Englishman', in 1845. Perhaps he was adventurous or out to make his mark, but he travelled half way round the world by the time he was 18 years of age. He married his partner's daughter, Elizabeth Waltham Rush on the 11 Oct 1850. In April, 1865 they were sailing to Nelson, New Zealand on the ship, MARY. They were off to the gold-mining boom town to make their fortune at J. M. Merrington & co. Bridge Street, Nelson. During that time, after the terrible Maungatapu murders, James Mayfield Merrington helped to organise a search party and capture four bushrangers. Elizabeth's ill health may have hastened their return to Sydney by June, 1868. There were no children by that marriage.
In 1874, James Mayfield married Frances Maria Jenkins and moved to Newcastle, NSW. They had sons: Alfred James, Ernest Northcroft, and Arthur Mayfield. Arthur was born five months after his father's death on 17th of February, 1878. Frances opened a large boarding house in Lawrenny Terrace. She also gathered pupils for general elementary French, history, English and music lessons. All we know of James Mayfield Merrington's family in England was that his father was John Merrington.
Alfred James became a missionary in China for the Plymouth Brethren. He married Miss Florence Salkeld. He died at Pa Kou, Jehol Territory in 5th April, 1909.
Ernest Northcroft also became a minister and was at Gallipoli after studying at Edinburgh and gaining a PhD at Harvard in Cambridge, Massachusetts. We have a detailed autobiography of Ernest's life (1876 - 1953) and it is fascinating reading.
Arthur Mayfield lived in Sydney, at Huntley's Point. His store A.M. Merrington & Sons - optician and jeweller- was opened on Broadway across from Sydney University in 1899. His work with Glebe Rowing Club, Sydney Amateurs Sailing and the Drummoyne Model Boat Club taking much of his energy and time, photos of him including one or more of his five sons and his wife are abundant. He was very involved in the Presbyterian Church. The eldest son James died at age 27 of TB, and the youngest son David died at age 8 of pneumonia. The remaing three sons, Ernest, Bill and John all excelled in their fields of interest, Ernest and Bill being Commodores of the Sydney Amateur Sailing Club and John becoming Mayor of Hunters Hill. All 3 brothers raced yachts for many years, mainly in the same division at the Sydney Amateur Sailing Club, with Bill & John still continuing to race there into their 80's.
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