Murphy, Andrew (1850 - 1930)

Gwen Dundon, of Gosford wrote:

"I have just searched the Probate Packet at State Records, Kingswood NSW, for the late Andrew Murphy of Brisbane Water, NSW, in connection with local history research.

The form of affidavit lodged with the application for admin. of the estate of Andrew Murphy, manufacturer of Woy Woy (actually Koolewong today), states that he died on the 27th of September, 1930 aged 79 years.

Murphy was buried in the Church of England section of what is now Bradys Gully Park (not many stones remain, and these were re-erected when the neglected old cemetery was created a park some years ago at North Gosford, NSW).

Andrew Murphy was the creator and seller of "Murphy's Pile Pills" which I understand, from a descendant, included among its ingredients an extract from a native tree. They were sold for several decades at least, and advertised in the now-defunct newspaper The Gosford Times.

He employed local people to collect seeds which were bagged up for consignment.

One of his two administrators was his son Percy Murphy who is described on a document in the Probate Packet as being of Woy Woy (today's Koolewong) ...."botanical seed collector", so he evidently was following in his father's footsteps.

I know that Murphy was in contact with the botanist J.H. Maiden. One of Murphy's catalogues is in the State Library of NSW I understand."

Source: pers. com. Gwen Dundon, Gosford, email 26 Sept 2005

Collecting localities for 'Murphy, A.' from AVH (2021)

Data from 402 specimens