Emma Timbery

Emma Timbery (c. 1842 - 26 November 1916) was a Mulgoa Aboriginal Australian shellworker and matriarch. She was also known as the "Queen of the Illawarra", "Queen of La Perouse" or "Granny Timbery." Her shellwork became part of a family tradition that continues to the present day. Timbery was also a Christian convert and active in the Christian Endeavor Society in La Perouse. Timbery also acted as a cultural informant about her language, Dharawal.

Emma Timbery in 1895.

Biography

Timbery was born on the Georges River^[1] at Liverpool, New South Wales.^[2] She spoke Dharawal and was originally known by her stepfather's last name, Lond or Lownds.^[3] At the age of ten, she was taken to live with Mr. and Mrs. Edward Hill in Surry Hills, New South Wales.^[1] There, she began attending Sunday School regularly.^[1] She married George Timbery, an Aboriginal fisherman, in 1864 in Botany Bay.^[3] She and George had 11 children together.^[4] The couple had moved to La Perouse by 1882 where Timbery was able to make extra money creating shell baskets.^[3] Timbery's shellwork was displayed on a regular basis and sold annually in Sydney at the Royal Easter Show.^[3] Timbery's work is part of the "early phase" of La Perouse shellwork.^[5] In 1910, her shellwork was displayed in London.^[6]

Timbery was revered in the community, known as "Queen of La Perouse" or "Granny Timbery."^[1][5] Timbery was also a skilled fisher,^[1] and on at least two occasions, in 1876^[7] and in the early 1900s,^[1] a boat was provided for the community to enable them to catch their own fish.^[1] The boat provided in 1876 was named the "Queen Emma", in honour of Timbery.^[7]

Timbery was also an informant on her own culture, working with the anthropologist R.H. Mathews, who was studying the Dharawal language and culture.^[5] Maria Nugent writes that Timbery's "information has been essential for the preservation and revival of the Dharawal language."^[5] Timbery, who had become a Christian convert in the early 1890s, was also involved with Christian missionaries at the La Perouse Aboriginal settlement and also with the Christian Endeavor Society.^[4][8] Timbery was elected as vice president of the Christian Endeavor Society branch in La Perouse.^[9] Timbery was close to missionary, Retta Dixon and the two women worked together.^[4] It was believed by the community that Queen Victoria had left lands to Timbery, but the paperwork had been destroyed in a fire.^[8]

Timbery died in La Perouse on 26 November 1916^[1] and was buried in Botany Cemetery.^[8] She left behind a long family legacy of arts with her grandson, Joseph Timbery, noted as a boomerang maker and women in her family continuing to do shellwork.^[8] Her great-granddaughter, Esme Russell, won awards for her shellwork.^[5]