embroiderer, was the widow of Sir James M.R. Bunbury, Baronet of Castle Hill, Augher, County Tyrone, Ireland. She arrived in Western Australia on 20 June 1855 aboard the Avalanche , sixteen days before her fiftieth birthday. Her eldest son, John, who had inherited Castle Hill, remained in Ireland. Accompanying her were three daughters—Diana, Mary and Emily—a son (Alfred), a prefabricated house, a butler, a housekeeper, silver and other easily portable accoutrements required for gracious living. She had come out to join her son William (who had arrived in 1842), attracted to this colony for gentlemen where formality and class conventions were rigidly upheld. She purchased Charterhouse at Picton, Archdeacon Wollaston’s former property, and lovely gardens and orchards were planted. Marianne North described the gardens on a visit after Lady Richardson-Bunbury’s death.
The pastimes of the family, typical of those of the leisured classes, included embroidery, sketching, specimen collecting and visiting. Diana and reputedly her mother collected and pressed seaweeds for Professor Harvey, the noted botanist of Trinity College, Dublin ( see Theresa Snell Walker). Diana, daughter-in-law Amelia (née Molloy, a daughter of the noted collector Georgiana Molloy) whom William had married in 1857, and grand-daughter-in-law Amelia (née Pries) all collected wildflower specimens for Baron Ferdinand von Mueller, Government Botanist of Victoria.
The Richardson-Bunburys were very hospitable and entertained any passing gentry. They were very friendly with the family of Marshall Waller Clifton, director of the WA Land Company at nearby Australind. One of the pleasures they enjoyed together was to meet, speak and read French and sing French songs. A description of tea at Lady Richardson-Bunbury’s home gives an indication of the ceremony of their circle:
The tea was poured with great ceremony. Coming from Ireland where the climate was colder, tea had to be poured very hot. There was a silver hot water kettle, a silver tea pot, sugar basin, cream jug, milk jug and a tea caddy from which only the mistress was allowed to serve the spoonfuls of tea for the pot. All this was placed on a silver tray and carried in by James [Cahil, the butler and gardener]. Maria [the housekeeper] placed the teacups and plates and provided the bread and butter and cakes. The tea pot was heated; so were the cups; the water was poured off into a basin, and then Lady Richardson poured the tea. The older ladies wore lace caps, with ringlets and very feminine dresses.
A devout Anglican, Lady Richardson-Bunbury attended the Picton Church built by Archdeacon Wollaston and his sons. She formed the first WA branch of the British and Foreign Bible Society and helped with other church activities. When she died, on 13 March 1873, she was buried with all honours accorded to her rank and her coffin was set at a right angle to the other graves (reputedly an ancient Irish custom denoting rank).
