Cochrane Smith, Fanny (1834-1905)

Also known as
Smith, Fanny Cochrane (1834-1905)
Field of activity
Aboriginal Linguist and Aboriginal community worker; Indigenous culture informant; Indigenous leader
NLA Persistent Identifier
http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-756098

Biographies

SMITH, FANNY COCHRANE (1834-1905), Tasmanian Aboriginal, was born in early December 1834 at the Wybalenna Aboriginal establishment, Flinders Island, Tasmania, daughter of Tanganuturra (Sarah), father unknown.

View the full record at Australian Dictionary of Biography Online

Fanny Cochrane Smith was born in 1834 at Wybalenna settlement on Flinders Island in Bass Strait. From the age of seven she spent her childhood in European homes and institutions, mostly in the household of Robert Clark, catechist at Flinders Island, in conditions of neglect and brutality. When Wybalenna people were moved to Oyster Cove she went into service in Hobart, but returned to Oyster Cove the same year. On her marriage in 1854 to William Smith, sawyer and ex-convict, she received an annuity of £24. In 1857 they moved to Nicholls Rivulet and took up a land grant, and the first of their 11 children was born the following year. They supported the family by growing produce and splitting shingles. After Truganini died, she claimed herself to be ‘the last Tasmanian’. Her annuity was raised to £50, and she was granted 120 ha of land. She became a Methodist and an active fundraiser, donating land for a church. Cochrane Smith was proud of her Aboriginal identity, and of her knowledge of food gathering and bush medicine. She became famous for her wax cylinder recordings of Aboriginal songs, now housed in the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery.

View the full record at Australian Women's Register

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Resources for Fanny Cochrane Smith

Selected resources (4)

Australian Dictionary of Biography Online

Australian Women's Register

  1. Smith, Fanny Cochrane (1834-1915)Australian Dictionary of Biography Online : Smith, Fanny Cochrane (1834-1915)
    Clark, J.
    [2006]
    Published: Australian National University
    Series: http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A110661b.htm
  2. The Encyclopaedia of Aboriginal Australia : Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, society and culture
    Horton, David
    [1994]
    Published: Aboriginal Studies Press for AIATSIS
  3. 200 Australian Women: A Redress Anthology
    Radi, Heather
    [1988]
    Published: Women's Redress Press

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  1. Smith family history
    Created by perplexed, 2 items.

    Patrick Smith Ireland, Carrier at Cessncok in the 1870s, also lived in Wollombi, married Mary Smith daughter of John and Mary Smith who arrived on the George Fife in 1840.

  2. SMITH - Mary Ann SMITH death under chloroform - Magisterial Inquiry at Riverstone 1 January 1904
    Created by mccallumalison8, 2 items.

    seeking identity of married woman Mary Ann SMITH who died of cardiac failure under chloroform during operation.

  3. Ronald Smith
    Created by mrsstarkers, 1 item.

    smith family tree

  1. Cochrane Smith, Fanny (1834-1905)
    ... SMITH, FANNY COCHRANE (1834-1905), Tasmanian Aboriginal, was born in early ...
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    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 0.797)

  1. Website: 200 Australian Women
    www.200australianwomen.com
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    • Fanny Cochrane Smith - 5/11/2007
    • ... [Fanny Cochrane Smith]Fanny Cochrane Smith 1834 - 1905 Tasmanian Aborigine Henrietta Fanny Cochrane Smith...
    View 6 matching archived pages
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.113)

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  2. Website: Australian Women's Archives Project
    www.womenaustralia.info
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  3. Website: Putting skirts on the sacred benches : women candidates for the New South Wales Parliament
    www.womenaustralia.info
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  1. Passing The Torch: Commemorating the Songs of Fanny Cochrane Smith
    Jacques, Judy
    Popular Music: Commemoration, Commodification and Communication: Proceedings of the 2004 IASPM Australia New Zealand Conference, Held in Conjunction with the Symposium of the International Musicological Society
    [ Article : 2004 ]
    View online (access conditions)
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.532)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.532)

  2. Fanny Cochrane Smith, 1831-1905
    Veale, Veda
    Women to Remember
    [ Article : 1981 ]
    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.243)

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  3. The legacy of Fanny Cochrane Smith
    ATSIC News
    [ Article : 2004 ]
    View online
    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.209)

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  4. Oyster Cove 1988. -Aboriginal history associated with Oyster Cove (Tas)-
    Pybus, Cassandra
    Meanjin (Melbourne)
    [ Article : 1988 ]
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.041)

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  1. Cylinder recordings of Fanny Cochrane Smith
    [ Unpublished : 2007 ]
    At AIATSIS Library
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.33)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.33)

  2. Mortensen, A. Russell
    A. Russell Mortensen
    [ Unpublished : 1830 ]
    View online (access conditions)
    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.004)

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  3. A synopsis of data on Tasmanian Aboriginal people (to December 1972)
    Mollison, Bruce Charles
    [ Unpublished : 1973 ]
    At AIATSIS Library
    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.001)

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  1. On being Aboriginal
    Felton, Heather
    [ Book : 1984 ]
    At 14 libraries
    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.645)

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  2. Aborigines
    Calder, James Erskine, 1808-1882
    [ Book : 1831-1908 ]
    At State Lib Tas (CKN)
    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.519)

    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.519)

  3. Songs of the Tasmanian aborigines as recorded by Mrs. Fanny Cochrane Smith / by Murray J. Longman
    Longman, Murray J
    [ Book : 1960 ]
    At 2 libraries
    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.514)

    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.514)

  4. Notes on the last living Aboriginal of Tasmania / by James Barnard
    Barnard, James
    [ Book : 1889 ]
    At State Library of VIC
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.32)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.32)

  1. Song for Fanny
    [ Video : 1995 ]
    At 6 libraries
    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.514)

    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.514)

  2. AFC Microdocs
    Australian Film Commission
    [ Video : 1994-1997 ]
    At 5 libraries
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    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.201)

  3. Community of thieves / Cassandra Pybus
    Pybus, Cassandra
    [ Book, Audio book : 1991-1997 ]
    At 88 libraries
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  4. Sounds of Australia : the national registry of recorded sound / National Film & Sound Archive
    National Film and Sound Archive (Australia)
    [ Sound : 2008 ]
    At 6 libraries
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  1. Children Of Fanny Cochrane Smith
    The Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954) Monday 28 March 1949 p 9 Article
    ... Children Of Fanny Cochrane Smith Two sons and one daughter of the late Fanny Cochrane Smith, who ... great-great-grandchildren of Mrs. Smith still living in the dis- trict. Mrs. M. V. Hawkins, of Battery Pt., said yesterday she went with Fanny Cochrane Smith to Govern- ment House while Mrs Smith sang her songs ... 95 words
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.654)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.654)

  2. DAUGHTER OF FANNY COCHRANE-SMITH
    The Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954) Thursday 24 March 1949 p 6 Article
    ... DAUGHTER OF FANNY COCHRANE-SMITH MRS. MARY MILLER, of Nicholls Rivulet, Cygnet, who will be 90 years of age on October 19, is a daughter of the late Fanny Cochrane-Smith. She retains tains all her ... weather is suitable," said Mrs. Dillon. Mrs. R. Baldwin, of Huonville, knew Fanny Cochrane-Smith ... 255 words
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.652)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.652)

  3. The Last of the Tasm[?]n Aboriginals.
    The Maitland Mercury & Hunter River General Advertiser (NSW : 1843 - 1893) Saturday 23 September 1882 Supplement: Second sheet to Maitland Mercury p 2 Article
    ... the aboriginal race is Mrs. Fanny Smith, or Fanny Cochrane, as she is usually called. Fanny was born ... Cochrane, after her own maiden name. This is how the name of Fanny Cochrane origin- ated. In the year ... father. In. 1853 Fanny became acquainted with William Smith, and they were married by the Rev. Mr. ... 289 words
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