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DAGIER: see TUCKIARDALY, HARRIETT, nee DOUGLAS (1854–?), author and journalist, was born in 1854, probably in England.
She was the eldest daughter of Ellen and William Bloomfield Douglas. Her mother had been the daughter of a
yeoman, while her father’s family boasted connections that included James Brooke, first Rajah of Sarawak, and
Baron Bloomfield. Harriet was probably named for the Baron’s wife, Harriet Douglas. These connections appear
to have given Douglas some advantages throughout his long and somewhat erratic career as a naval officer and
public servant.
After a period that saw service in the East in the navy and under Sir James Brooke, Harriet’s father returned to
England to serve in the coast guard, marrying Ellen in 1848. He then returned to sea as a merchant marine officer
and in 1854, as master of Bosphorous, Bloomfield Douglas first visited South Australia, where he decided to stay
and settle his family. He subsequently held a series of senior administrative posts in the colony, which led the
family to move in high government circles. Harriet speaks of having travelled widely with her family throughout
the state during this time.
When in 1870 Bloomfield Douglas was appointed first Government Resident of the Northern Territory, there
were seven children in the family, five daughters and two sons. By this time Harriet and her sister Nellie had been
mixing in society and Harriet admitted to some regrets at leaving their friends to live in the isolated tropical outpost
of Palmerston, only recently surveyed by Goyder and his team.
The record of her family’s experiences in the Northern Territory (at Palmerston) comprises more than half of
her book Digging, Squatting and Pioneering Life in the Northern Territory of South Australia. The latter part of
her story deals with the history and progress of the settlement until the time of publication in 1887. Having left
the Territory in 1873, Harriet researched this period using newspaper articles and official reports. The Adelaide
Observer gave a favourable review of Harriet’s book noting its ‘considerable humour’ and ‘pleasant style’. While
providing an interesting social perspective on their life, the book is disappointingly thin on facts or comments
that would provide a valuable insight into prominent characters and events of this early part of Territory history.
However, her writing betrays a lively intelligence and more than adequate education.
The family left South Australia in April of 1870 on board a former slaver Gulnare. They eventually arrived in
Port Darwin in June after a journey that was not without its hazards. Their arrival occurred on the same day as that
of Bengal, which carried not only the family’s furniture but also the man who would become Harriet’s husband,
Dominick Daniel Daly.
Dan Daly, nephew of the former governor of South Australia, Sir Dominick Daly, had been a member of
Goyder’s surveying team. His return to Palmerston was as a land selector for southern purchasers. He was very
taken by Harriet and Nellie, telling his sister in a letter that they were ‘very pretty and accomplished’ and he was
‘in a fair way to marrying the one if not the other’.
The hardships which life in such a remote and rough settlement certainly entailed Harriet recorded with
tolerance and some humour. She and her sister spent somewhat monotonous days on long walks, riding daily with
their father and performing household chores. Like all well-bred young ladies of her time Harriet played the piano
and indeed the family had brought one to Darwin. When the weather played havoc with the instrument Harriet
turned piano tuner, doing a creditable job of restoring pitch and tone.
Social life in the settlement revolved around the Douglas home where the piano was put to good use for musical
evenings, to which every eligible resident was invited. Harriet appears prominent in their organisation, scouting for
talent among the locals to provide variety in their concerts.
Soon after arriving in Darwin, Harriet played a prominent part in the ceremony that commenced the building
of the Overland Telegraph Line, planting its first pole on 5 September 1870. The completion of the Government
Residence in 1871 was a cause for great family rejoicing. Harriet derived particular pleasure from the new privacy,
a laundry and the extra rooms provided for entertaining. The local tribe of Aborigines also captured her interest
and she befriended several, even attending a corroboree, which she accurately describes as a ‘species of dramatic
presentation’.
In September 1871 Harriet returned to Adelaide to wed Dan Daly. The wedding took place soon after their
arrival on 23 October 1871. She and her new husband then lived in Naracoorte, where their interest in horses was
maintained and a hectic social life enjoyed. Her strong interest in the Territory was continued through letters sent
by Nellie, now married to John Squiers. It was probably the discovery of gold in the Northern Territory which
lured the couple back to Palmerston, Dan returning as a member of the Engineer-in-Chief’s Department. Their first
child, a daughter, was born within a short time of their return in 1873.
Dan’s stay was short lived and he soon returned to Adelaide on ship the Springbok to buy badly needed mining
equipment. Harriet’s fortitude was exemplified at this time, when the ship went missing for several months with no
news of survivors. On its reappearance the perils endured by all on board were recorded in the Adelaide Advertiser
of 14 June 1873. Daly featured prominently in the rescue and the article gave a stirring account of his bravery and
initiative.
Bloomfield Douglas’s administration of the settlement had been marred by incompetence. There is no doubt
that, with Daly, he speculated in and encouraged the gold rush and probably delayed the introduction of the 1872
mining regulations in order to protect his own investment. This did not prevent both his and Daly’s financial