James Waddell came from County Monaghan in Ireland

He had worked on the estate of the Jackson family. He arrived in New South Wales in 1842 on the "Agnes , which was an immigrant ship. Re brought with him his wife, formerly Nancy Curley and their family, Mary, William, Ann, Robert, Jane and James. They went shingle cutting in the area near Cobah Bay, on Berowra Creek, but seized the opportunity of a more settled existence when they purchased the land at Galston. Some of the Waddell's were already adults when the family arrived. William took up land of his own, Ann and Mary married other local pioneers and two of the children, Robert and Jane, died at Galston and are buried in the Cemetery of the Wesleyan Chapel in New Line Road.

The youngest son, James Junior, was born in 1838 and grew up largely in New South Wales. By the time he was ready to marry, his father had established an orchard on the old Bryan property. The young James Waddell took over the orchard and built, during the 186Os, a cottage fashioned from sandstone obtained on the property. It was to this house that he brought his bride in 1867. The house still stands, owned now by the Education Department and known as "Waddell Cottage .
The younger James Waddell had married Ann Maria Woodbury,. Their first child was James Jackson Waddell, who was born in 1867 and died in 1868. Another daughter, Ann Maria, died of typhoid at the age of ten in 1884, but the rest of the children grew to adulthood. John Jackson was born in 1869 and lived until 1911,wheri he died as the result of injuries received when he fell from his pushbike on the way home from work. Zillah Jane was born in 1871, married William Newland and lived until 1954. William Thomas, born in 1877, lived until 1969. James David, who remained single throughout his life, was born in 1879 and died in 1969. The youngest child was Mary Eliza, who was born in 1881 and died in 1969 also.
The first owner of the cottage, James Waddell Junior, raised his family there and established an orchard in the period when the local district grew to be the leading fruit-producing area in the nation. When he died in 1911, parts of the holding had already been allocated to some of his children. His youngest son, James David, took over the Cottage and lived there with his Mother. She eventually died in 1935 and he became sole owner. As he grew older, the orchard declined and the house and gardens fell into disrepair. He was reluctant to change any feature of the Cottage, refused to have the water connected and didn't worry about adding electricity when it came to the district. When the old man died, his old orchard property was considered by local identities to be an ideal site for a high school and steps were taken to have the Department of Education resume the land.

Descendants of James Waddell      

Photos of the Waddell Cottage