Rene Davidson Collection

Rene Davidson’s 1988 book, a compliation of photographs titled Whalemen of Twofold Bay contains a section on Aboriginal whalers and includes the photograph above titled ‘The Royal Family” King Adgery and family taken ca. 1890 (as per AIATSIS records). as well as images of Yuin Aboriginal people of the area drawn by Oswald Brierly and Owen Stanley in the 1840s, some photos of whaling crews taken by C.E. Wellings and a photo of a breastplate worn by Jamie Inlay described as ‘King of the tribe and Admiral of the Fleet of Twofold Bay”.

The book also contains an extract from “Returns of blankets issued to Aborigines, Twofold Day District” by George Imlay July 18th 1841. This includes a list of “Aboriginal natives belonging to this district” and contains a list of 34 men with the English names and “Native” names, their age, number of wives and children and “Designation of Tribe” (Weecon from Twofold Bay). The original list (the full list is not printed in the book) goes on to name Wiricanoe Tribe from Cape Howe, Panbula Tribe from Twofold Bay and Bega Tribe from Bega & Waregubera, and finishes with Benbuka, Maringlo, Tantawangla, Candelo, Wolumla & Brogo. (to numbers 115).

The book is available in local libraries and to purchase at Eden Killer Whale Museum.