A photograph of Bob Gray and family at the time of his son Robert GRAY's wedding shows that the extended family were of Aboriginal descent, whom my grandmother's line experienced the negativity from society at the time.
NSW ER 1903 ROBERTSON, polling at Wellington
All with surname GRAY
Frances, of Hospital, nurse
George Henry, of Percy St, tailor
John, of Nanima, Crescent Street, plasterer
Sara of Simpson street, domestic duties
NSW ER 1903 CANOBOLAS polling at Obley
All with surname GRAY
Eliza, of Obley, domestic duties
Emma, of Obley, domestic duties
Daniel, of Glenloch, Obley, labourer
Robert, senior, of Glenoch, Obley, farmer
Robert, of Glenloch, labourer
(Peak Hill and Molong were in the Canobolas electorate, but in 1903 none listed with surname GRAY at either polling place. )
(178 people were enrolled to vote at Obley, which included Yeoval, Obley Vale, Derowie Creek, Washpen, Greenbah, Goodrich, Wandoo Wandong, Chapman’s Flat, Wambangalang, Dilladerry, Jernie, Emmagool, Killaloolah, The Meadows, Yoorooga, Timbil and other nearby addresses).
It was not compulsory to enrol to vote in NSW until the mid 1920s. To be eligible to vote in 1903 you needed to be aged 21 years and over, and reside in the electorate, and be a British Subject. The 1903 elections were in December, and this was the first election that females were eligible to vote. Any person born in NSW was automatically a British Subject, without regard to their parents places of birth. May I please note that Aborigines were of course eligible to enrol to vote in 1903. For example, the Wellington roll includes persons whose address is recorded as Aborigines’ camp.
(Edit to add these two AEC links)
Australian Electoral Commission "Indigenous Australians and the Vote"
http://www.aec.gov.au/indigenous/indigenous-vote.htmhttp://www.aec.gov.au/Education/files/history_indigenous_vote.pdf There have been a number of threads at RChat that may be of interest, including these:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=342595.msg3834460#msg3834460http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=446687.0 http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=524347.msg5178422#msg5178422 The NSW State Records has published a Guide online regarding their Archives relating to Aboriginal People.
http://www.records.nsw.gov.au/state-archives/guides-and-finding-aids/archives-relating-to-aboriginal-people/state-archives-relating-to-aboriginal-people Back in the convict era, a chap named William SINFIELD was transported to NSW on the Minerva in 1821. In 1828 he was in an Iron Gang, working on the Bathurst Road, in the Bathurst district. In 1843 his Ticket of Leave was issued in the Wellington District. Do you have any connection for your Jane Graham SINFIELD and this chap?
Cheers, JM (Edit to add the AEC link)