Thomas, Nicholas and John Jeremiah Bellamy, were all residents of Beecroft, great-grandsons of early convict farmers of West Pennant Hills, William and Anne Bellamy.[1]
Thomas Bellamy (1869 – 1947) and his wife Effie, née Gallard (1871 – 1949) lived in a weatherboard cottage on a large orchard property next to the Martins on the south side of Murray Farm Road. They had seven children, born between 1893 and 1915. Their orchard grew many varieties of fruit, but they specialised in apples, very large and of good quality. The property ran down to the creek which crosses Midson Road and their blackberries grew in abundance for the local children to pick. Thomas became prosperous from his orchard and from his dealings as a fruit agent in the city markets from 1897, using his wealth to buy property in Cheltenham, Eastwood and Murwillumbah. He ran a dairy on land he owned in Carlingford.
Nicholas Bellamy (1886 – 1962) was stepbrother to Thomas, both being sons of James Bellamy Jr. James Bellamy Jr of Pennant Hills fathered ten children by his first wife and eleven by his second.[2] Nicholas married Clara Lutherborough (born in 1885) and they lived at the end of Copeland Road East with their three children. After Clara’s death Nicholas married Mavis Brown, who bore him one son.
Nicholas Bellamy was a labourer, one of the Pennant Hills men who moved to Beecroft in the early years of intensive house building.
John Jeremiah Bellamy (1863 – 1947) and his wife Elizabeth 1867 – 1952) lived with their nine children in Copeland Road on the site of the present Bowling Club. John Jeremiah was a brick carter and worked in Beecroft from the 1890s until about 1910, his trade being much in demand in these years. He moved to Thornleigh near the brickworks and continued his work as a brick contractor whilst his wife ran a boarding house for single men employed at the brickworks. John Jeremiah was remembered by his family for his colourful language which was generally not appreciated by the Beecroft residents to whom he delivered bricks.[3]
[1] Pioneers of Hornsby Shire, pp 89-95.[2] Cumberland Argus, 16 October 1897.[3] Information from Mrs Nora Roberts of Eastwood, 1989.