Obituaries Australia

In the death of William Delaforce, which occurred near Blackmans Point on Thursday week, there passed away one of the oldest identities of the Hastings river. "Bill", as he was more familiarly known to the residents of this district, was born at Shoreditch, near London, in the year 1817, and came to this colony about the year 1834. After beating about in different parts of the colony for a few years, he came to Port Macquarie, and worked at different places in and around the district. At this time the convict system, which was carried on at Port Macquarie in the early days was at its height,and if any man could tell interesting and thrilling incidents connected with the early history of the place, that man was Bill Delaforce. After working for a number of years for different residents in the town, he became the possessor of some land, and getting married, he settled down as a farmer on Little Rawdon Island. For several years from this time he grew produce of various kinds, bringing it to Port Macquarie periodically for disposal, until of recent years he became too feeble to carry on this pursuit. Bill Delaforce was a straightforward, hard working, and honest man, and one whom, if he could not do his fellow man a good turn, he would not do him a bad one. He brought up a large and respectable family, most of whom are settled on this and the adjoining rivers, and they have our sympathy in their sad bereavement.