Hungerford & Associated Families Society - Australia

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Hungerford & Associated Families Society - Australia

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HAFS commenced as an unincorporated association in 1990 with a committee of 7 members.

The Hungerford & Associated Families Society Inc (HAFS) is a not-for-profit organisation researching the history of the Hungerford family in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. Established in 1990 by a group of family history buffs, who wished to explore the family trees of all Australian and New Zealand Hungerford's and the families that married Hungerford's. In the 30 years since our first Committee Meeting, HAFS has built a database of family members and published many Journals, Newsletters and books about the Hungerford's in Australia, and the world. HAFS has a significant volume of printed resources available for members’ use and research, housed at Tyrrell’s Vineyard, Pokolbin, thanks to the Tyrrell Family’s generosity. Apart from Birth, Death and Marriage records, books and other written and visual materials, there is also a collection of Hungerford memorabilia which has been donated by various families over the years. If you have materials that would be of interest to other members and you want them to go to a “safe place”, these can be donated to HAFS for future generations. The first Committee consisted of Angela Lind, Ewart Hungerford, Ken Hill, Ron Prentice, Peter Sherlock, Canon Mel Newth, John de Boos, Judith Fitz-Henry, with Tom Hungerford as Patron. Over the years many family members have served on our Committee, and others have been assisting behind the scene. Later, it was decided to register as an incorporated association (28 December 2001).

04/09/2026

Pansy crossing the Richmond Bridge over Hawkesbury River at North Richmond
📷 Hawkesbury Library Service

04/09/2026

Here's our very first...
🌹 Plant of the Month! 🏵️

Every month our wonderful gardener volunteers will be bringing us a fascinating insight into the myriad uses of plants from medieval castle gardens.

Here's our first plant: a beautiful red rose with the common name 'Uncle Walter'.

This a 3 minute read but well worth the time, thank you to our garden volunteers 😊

Hybrid Tea Rose “Uncle Walter”

The rose was common in heraldry and during the Medieval period, became a potent political symbol. Most notably representing the opposing sides in the Plantagenet War of the Roses (1455-1487) when the white rose represented the House of York and the red, the House of Lancaster.

The two houses were united through Henry VII, who became the first Tudor monarch (reigned 1485-1509), with the two roses amalgamating to form the Tudor Rose, now widely recognised as the emblem of England.

Sir Thomas Hungerford (born before 1328) and his son Walter First Lord Hungerford (1378-1449) were the builders of Farleigh Hungerford Castle. Both held high political and personal offices in the services of the Crown – the Lancastrian monarchy.

The fortunes of the family were impacted dramatically by the War of the Roses resulting in the confiscation of the castle by the Yorkist Edward IV (reigned 1461-83). Eventually ownership was returned to the family by Henry Tudor when he became Henry VII.

In 2026 four roses were planted in the chapel garden. One of these is a hybrid tea rose “Uncle Walter” in tribute to Walter First Lord Hungerford. It is bright red befitting the loyalty of Walter Hungerford and his father to the Lancastrian monarchs.

Most Medieval roses flowered only once in the summer, so would be planted with other plants to create a longer display. They usually had a beautiful scent, but a limited colour range of creamy white to dark pink. The vibrant colours of today’s roses were introduced after 1800.

Roses were used as ornamentals as well as for medicinal, culinary and household purposes.

10/06/2024

News from the Hungerford &Associated Families website -

TV presenter Melissa Doyle [E.2.4a.9b.1c.3d.1e] is featured on the Australian Who Do You Think You Are? on 11 June 2024 at 7:30pm on SBS, or watch it afterwards on SBS On Demand.