Within Saint Saviour's old cemetery, behind the Goulburn jail, there are the graves of many interesting people who played a part in the history of this area, as well as internationally.
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One of the earliest graves, in the old section towards the river, is the vault grave of Francis Nicholas Rossi and his son Alexander. And there is a surprising link between Rossi and Napoleon Bonaparte.
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Francis Rossi and the famous Napoleon Bonaparte shared many things: Rossi was raised in Corsica, in the city of Ajaccio, where Napoleon Bonaparte was also raised. Both men were a few years apart in age, and were related. As well, Napoleon's Bonaparte's father was notary (solicitor) to the Rossi family in Corsica.
Rossi enlisted in the British Army in Corsica in 1795 and served during the Napoleonic Wars in Gibraltar, Holland and Ceylon (Sri Lanka). He spent 13 years as a senior member of the British administration of Mauritius, after this former French colony was taken over by the British.
He was then appointed Superintendent of Police in NSW in 1824, later moving to his property, Rossiville, near Goulburn, in 1834 where he continued to serve the community as a magistrate and JP, until his death in 1851.
Rossi was a member of a selected group of professional military men who rose to positions of authority in the new world order that emerged after the end of the Peninsular War (fought on the Iberian Peninsula) and the Napoleonic Wars in 1815.
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The Friends of the Cemetery have been researching Francis Rossi's family to determine if there are any descendants as they would like to contact them about placing a plaque on the vault. Rossi had two sons, Francis Robert Louis and Alexander Phillip and although both married, neither had children. Perhaps there was a daughter, born to Rossi about 1795, and who came to Australia, married and had a number of children.
Anyone who has had a connection with Rossiville on Goulburn's outskirts, may also wish to contribute to the cost of a plaque.
- Dr Christine Wright has a PhD in History from the Australian National University, Canberra.
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