Media: BOOK - paperback 44 pages
Author: K. Borrow
Year: 1991
Other: photos, notes
Publisher: The Pioneers Association of South Australia

New condition 

N0. 113 in the The Pioneers Association of South Australia bookets series

From the opening page

The late Mr. George Cummins Morphett, of Cummins, Morphettville, South Australia, a grandson of Sir John Morphett, and one of the founders of the Pioneers’ Association of South Australia, remembered his illustrious ancestor. The latter in his seventies was an upright figure, mounted on his chestnut cob, riding at Glenelg. When he gave up riding, he was in the habit of taking morning walks on the brick terrace of his house, Cummins. Many years later, on 16th August, 1986, members of the Association gathered at the house, to commemorate the granting of the Royal Assent to the Foundation Act, 1834, which established the British Province of South Australia. Until Cummins came into the possession of the South Australian Government, it had been occupied continuously by the Morphett family from its erection.

The late Mr. Sidney Morphett Ralph (b. 1899), a great-grandson of Sir John Morphett, wrote:

“My earliest recollection of Cummins is of my greatgrandmother1 sitting in her chair on the south side of the spacious drawing-room, at a Christmas party, and presenting each of her numerous great-grand children with a threepenny piece. I remember receiving another threepenny bit, but it was probably not at Christmas time, as great-grannie died when I was of a very tender age. Cummins has always been a focal point for the descendants of Sir John and Lady Morphett, successive occupants being, as you might say, heads of the family. Near the centre of the drawing-room there was a fine woolsack type of cushioned seat, on which we used to enjoy romping.
After the death of Lady Morphett, her son, Uncle Jack, and Aunt Mary Morphett, lived at Cummins, and my brother and I often visited them, walking the two miles from our house at Glenelg. Things interesting in those days were the fine stables, where we played in the hay and chaff, the piggery, and two ponds, where we fished on occasion, without much success. 1 remember when a lawn tennis court was prepared on the south side of the house, but as it ran east and west, it was never used, and another lawn had to be put down, on the west side, running north-south. My father used to play there on week-ends. I always admired a fine avenue of pine trees growing along the banks of the River Sturt. It was a shame to see them all gradually die when the river was converted into a cemented drain, and their water supply no longer

Contents

I. Anne Gliddon’s Family Record.
II. Portraits by Anne Gliddon.
III. Lithographs (South Australian) by Anne Gliddon.
IV. Bibliography.
V. Tape-recordings as to the Morphetts, Gliddons, and E.G. Wakefield.
VI. Secondary Town Association.
VII. Clara Joanna Gliddon’s letter.
VIII. Notes.