Susannah Morgan
Contents
Background
Susannah Morgan, born around 1826, was one of the first women on the Ballarat Diggings. She arrived in Victoria in 1853 and soon after travelled to Ballarat. Her husband, Matthew Morgan was a tentmaker in Main Road, Ballarat East.
Goldfields Involvement, 1854
It was rumoured that two female flag makers, Mrs Morgan and Mrs Oliver made the Eureka Flag. Susannah Morgan would have had the opportunity, experience and premises to undertake such a venture. Oliver and Morgan reported that they made a flag to order around the time of Eureka but they thought the flag they made bore the Lone Star of Texas in the middle. They were not sure whether it bore the Stars and Stripes in one corner. Both testified that the flag in the Art Gallery was not the one that they made. Withers wrote that "All they seem to know is that they made a flag to somebody's order in the usual way of their business at that time." [1]
Post 1854 Experiences
Morgan and Oliver are both listed in the 1855 Ballarat Street Directory.
Matthew and Susannah Morgan later lived near Lake Wendouree. Susannah died on 26 June 1905 aged 79 years and was buried in the same grave as Matthew who died on 17 January 1903 aged 82 years.
Newsworthy
- ... the Art Gallery flag to Mrs Morgan and Mrs Oliver, still of this city, who made a flag ostensibly for the insurgents, but they both say the King flag is not the one they made. The flag they made was made to order, and they say it bore in the centre “The Lone Star of Texas,” and they think, but are not sure, “The Stars and Stripes” in one corner. I mention this because it had been largely rumored here that the diggers’ flag was made by those ladies. But all they seem to know is that they made a flag to somebody’s order in the usual way of their business at that time. ... [2]
See also
Further Reading
Corfield, J.,Wickham, D., & Gervasoni, C. The Eureka Encyclopaedia, Ballarat Heritage Services, 2004.
References
External links
