Letters to the Editor Page 7
Any information that comes in regarding any of the Letters to the Editor will be passed on to
the article submitter.
L 72 January 21st,2010
Dear Trevor
Thanks for your prompt response to my email.I'm writing to explain a few things about what I'm enclosing,also I've wondered if you've had contact with the Lower Burdekin District (Ayr and Home Hill)
in north Queensland as its full of Scottish descendants.We spent 28 years there until we retired,the people endearing themselves to us.It was Laura Scott from Home Hill who started me on family research when we visited Scotland 20 years ago.Since then we've had a few more visits there when family have been discovered.
My husband's father was from Scotland (Wigtown in Galloway) and our son has married a Scottish lass,Margaret Innes,for family immigrating to Millowone in the early 80's.We found most of my father in laws WW1 history,but the brother who supposedly came with him before WW1 has been a mystery,which has kept me researching.A few months ago we accessed his death certificate and our own daughter who is a trained librarian pursued things,so now we have contact with the Cooktown Historical Society as Norman MacGregor Todd retired there in the early 1960's,dying there in 1980,aged 90.He had spent the years from early 1920's till retirement walking up and down Cape York Penninsula digging for gold.He was known in Cooktown as Scotty MacGregor and his shovel,pick and hoe were never far from his hands.
So you see the living connections to Scotland are very real,and I have'nt mentioned my husband's cousin Nessie Allan of Annan who owns McCormack's Country Knitwear there,have meant we have an intense interest in our Scottish ancestry and fuelled when our librarian daughter first visited in mid 80's.I could go on but we'll leave it at that for now.You will see that Hugh Todd was born 1798,lines of descendants are separate to our family's,however,since leaving Ayr and having found David's ancestors go back to William Todd born 1780 to 1814.I have wondered if the 2 mentioned were brothers."Dundonald" is both in Ireland (just east of Belfast) and Scotland(west of Kilmarnock) so the ancestors histories and themselves to a bit of scratching.Re the McKee's,its been handed down that they fled to North Ireland when the Catholic's wouldn't sell coal to the Protestants.Reading "My Heart's in the Lowlands",the author mentions McKee's being firmly established in Dumfriesshire.Were not sure that Janet Roy (but if so,there will be connections to Rob Roy MacGregor) was Alexander's first wife but if so,we have very distant in law connections to the Laura Scott mentioned earlier.
In our wonderings we've met people who've done lots of research from the graveyards could put us in touch or should I say,put us on the right track to graves.
Many thanks for your labours to bring this altogether,I will let a few other people know who may not have been in touch.With many thanks and looking forward to some interesting history.
Letter kindly submitted by; Lorraine Todd of Sandgate,Queensland
L 73 February 1st,2010
Hello Trevor
I found your article re Scots in the Bayside and Northern Star whilst at my inlaws at Sandgate on Brisbane North.I have been researching my mothers family ,Sibbald.Her grandfather,James,came to Sydney from Fife,Scotland in 1854 as an 18 year old.Do you happen to know any Sibbald researchers either in Australia or Scotland? I know that the Sibbald name goes back a long way.Is there any connection with any clan and do you know if they have their own tartan? A Sibbald cousin is putting a book together regarding our Sibbald family.
Have you ever visited the Wellington Caves in NSW? My great grandfather James Sibbald was the first caretaker at the caves,and remained so for 30 years.I have some cousins living in the Penrith area.I lived at Bexley till 1955,when we moved to Redcliffe.
Letter kindly submitted by; Frank Hunt of Redcliff,Queensland
L 74 February 23rd,2010
Dear Trevor
I have just read your letter in the March,2010 issue of The Scots Magazine.It may be of interest to you that my father's brother,David Gourlay,emigrated about 1910 from Cupar in Fife to Australia.The two brothers never met again apart from one occasion in the trenches of Flanders during WW1.I think special arrangements must have been made for this.
My uncle was in the building trade and lived in our near Sydney.He would of been born around 1885 and I believe that he lived to be about 90.He never married and consequently this information may be of small use to you.
Letter knidly submitted by; Douglas Gourlay,Scotland
L 75 February 25th,2010
Dear Sir
I noted with interest your letter in the March 2010 edition of "Scots Magazine" that you were wanting details of Scots/Australian links.
I don't know if our family link is too tenuous to be of use to you,but I will briefly outline it here and you can let me know if you want further details.
My paternal great grandfather,born in Paisley,was the younger brother of Thomas whose grandson was the Thomas Tait who designed the pylons of Sydney Harbour Bridge.
My paternal grandmother's brother,John,went to England and his second daughter,Janet,emigrated to Australia and had three children-two of them are still alive- and her descendants still are in Australia.
I am in correspondance with the two children of Janet and will let them know of this letter so that they may wish to be in contact with you.I met the third child-a boy-when he was over in Scotland overseeing ship's engines being built on the Clyde.
Letter kindly submitted by; Elizabeth m.Dickson,Dundee,Scotland
L 76 February 24th,2010
Dear Trevor
My great-great granduncle was called James Brown.He was born into a farming family in Carnbee,Fife in 1817.He emigrated to Adelaide in 1839.He travelled on the "Fairfield" arriving in Port Adelaide on 30th April 1839.In 1848 he established Avenue Range Station.He was 1 of the pastoral pioneers of South Australia.In 1848 he was accused of shooting Aborigines who attacked his livestock,but I believe the case was not proceeded with due to lack of verifiable evidence.There is an article about him in Australian Historical Studies(1998) vol29 p210-229 by R.Foster entitled "The Legend of James Brown".Mirani litster did a project on him ;"The history of James Brown (accused murderer and SA Pioneer)".He married Jessie Craigie nee Waddell in 1857.They had no children.Under the terms of a Trust Fund,his estate funded the establishment of Estcourt House and Kalyra Sanatorium.He died 7th Feb 1890 at Glen Osmond,Adelaide,and is buried in West Terrace Cemetery,Adelaide.
Letter kindly submitted by;Sheila Culross
L 77 February 23rd,2010
Hi Trevor
I have just seen your open letter to TheScots Magazine published in the March edition.
I am a member of the Clan Davidson Association in the UK www.clandavidson.org.uk and the Clan Davidson Association in Australia www.clandavidson.org.au
Check out our seperate websites if you have a minute.
We can probably contribute data for you as we hold a range of Scottish/Australian family history and behind the scenes we are actively researching many links.
Letter kindly submitted by; Nick Hide,Clan Davidson Association,London UK
L 78 February 3rd,2010
Hello Trevor
I understand you are seeking people with Scottish roots.
I can trace my ancestry through my mother's side to the Stewarts of Inchgarth,Fortinghall
James Stewart and his wife Anne MacDonald arrived in Sydney Jan 25th 1840 on board the "George Fyffe".
James Stewart born Sep 8th 1808 at the farm called Inchgarth close to Garth Castle at Fortinghall,Perthshire;died July 27th 1884 at Tinonee,NSW.His wife Anne MacDonald born Oct 8th 1818 at limerick,Ireland.Her father,Hector MacDonald was a Sergeant in the British Army stationed there.Anne died Sept 16th 1894 at Glen Stewart,Homebush Road,Strathfield,NSW.
James father was Alexander Stewart,a Tackman at Inchgarth.He was born about 1778 at Fortinghall.He married Janet Stewart who lived on a near-by-farm called Upper(or Over) Blarish.She was born 1785.I believe Alexander and Janet were somehow related because a lot of intermarriages were taking place to keep properties in the name of Stewart.
Janet's father was William Stewart born about 1737 in the same area.William died 14th Aug 1815 and is buried in Luskintyre,Harris.Three of his sons,Donald,Alexander and Archibald managed the Park Sheep farm on Lewis.And there is some controversy here!
At the Napier Commission it became apparent that we were related to General Garth's family,who are descended from the Ancient Stewarts of Garth,who themselves trace back to James the son of Alexander Stewart,the Duke of Buchan(The Wolf).
Letter kindly submitted by; Les Lambert,Australia
L 79 January 15th,2010
Dear Mr Smurthwaite
I compiled this book "McMurtrie History" over 30 years ago.You are welcome to it and I hope it is of some use to you.I made a few mistakes because I did not know all of the people personally.
My sons are still on the property.I now run vineyards at McLaurin Vale.Good luck with your research.
Letter kindly submitted by; Audrey McMurtrie of McLaurin Vale,South Australia
L 80 February 10th,2010
Dear Trevor
I am glad to hear that you will find the book useful.you are welcome to use it in any way you like.
I think I forgot to tell you that my husbands grandparents were both McMurtries but I couldn't find out the exact relationship.One elderly relative said her parents were not first or second cousins but they were definately related.All the best with your research.
Letter kindly submitted by; Audrey McMurtrie of McLaurin Vale,South Australia
L 81 February 25th,2010
Hi Trevor
Re your letter in the Scots magazine wanting to know about Scottish heritage,I will give you my story.
My brother and his wife and family left Ullapool in the 1960's and settled in Engerdene he had a job with other Ullapool people at the DeHaveland factory in Sydney,he had 5 children,one died in Ullapool as a baby,and the other son was killed in a road accident near Mackay,Queensland.
My brother and his wife are buried near to Mackay,but his daughter has two girls and one boy who now live in Mackay.He has a son in Bathurst near Sydneywho had 5 children,and a daughter who lives at Chermside,in Brisbane.My brother was Ian lorimer,and his wife was Nan Mackenzie,from Blousery near to Ullapool,his younger daughter has a book on the life of the family.
Letter kindly submitted by; J.K.Stevenson,Scotand
Any information that comes in regarding any of the Letters to the Editor will be passed on to
the article submitter.
L 72 January 21st,2010
Dear Trevor
Thanks for your prompt response to my email.I'm writing to explain a few things about what I'm enclosing,also I've wondered if you've had contact with the Lower Burdekin District (Ayr and Home Hill)
in north Queensland as its full of Scottish descendants.We spent 28 years there until we retired,the people endearing themselves to us.It was Laura Scott from Home Hill who started me on family research when we visited Scotland 20 years ago.Since then we've had a few more visits there when family have been discovered.
My husband's father was from Scotland (Wigtown in Galloway) and our son has married a Scottish lass,Margaret Innes,for family immigrating to Millowone in the early 80's.We found most of my father in laws WW1 history,but the brother who supposedly came with him before WW1 has been a mystery,which has kept me researching.A few months ago we accessed his death certificate and our own daughter who is a trained librarian pursued things,so now we have contact with the Cooktown Historical Society as Norman MacGregor Todd retired there in the early 1960's,dying there in 1980,aged 90.He had spent the years from early 1920's till retirement walking up and down Cape York Penninsula digging for gold.He was known in Cooktown as Scotty MacGregor and his shovel,pick and hoe were never far from his hands.
So you see the living connections to Scotland are very real,and I have'nt mentioned my husband's cousin Nessie Allan of Annan who owns McCormack's Country Knitwear there,have meant we have an intense interest in our Scottish ancestry and fuelled when our librarian daughter first visited in mid 80's.I could go on but we'll leave it at that for now.You will see that Hugh Todd was born 1798,lines of descendants are separate to our family's,however,since leaving Ayr and having found David's ancestors go back to William Todd born 1780 to 1814.I have wondered if the 2 mentioned were brothers."Dundonald" is both in Ireland (just east of Belfast) and Scotland(west of Kilmarnock) so the ancestors histories and themselves to a bit of scratching.Re the McKee's,its been handed down that they fled to North Ireland when the Catholic's wouldn't sell coal to the Protestants.Reading "My Heart's in the Lowlands",the author mentions McKee's being firmly established in Dumfriesshire.Were not sure that Janet Roy (but if so,there will be connections to Rob Roy MacGregor) was Alexander's first wife but if so,we have very distant in law connections to the Laura Scott mentioned earlier.
In our wonderings we've met people who've done lots of research from the graveyards could put us in touch or should I say,put us on the right track to graves.
Many thanks for your labours to bring this altogether,I will let a few other people know who may not have been in touch.With many thanks and looking forward to some interesting history.
Letter kindly submitted by; Lorraine Todd of Sandgate,Queensland
L 73 February 1st,2010
Hello Trevor
I found your article re Scots in the Bayside and Northern Star whilst at my inlaws at Sandgate on Brisbane North.I have been researching my mothers family ,Sibbald.Her grandfather,James,came to Sydney from Fife,Scotland in 1854 as an 18 year old.Do you happen to know any Sibbald researchers either in Australia or Scotland? I know that the Sibbald name goes back a long way.Is there any connection with any clan and do you know if they have their own tartan? A Sibbald cousin is putting a book together regarding our Sibbald family.
Have you ever visited the Wellington Caves in NSW? My great grandfather James Sibbald was the first caretaker at the caves,and remained so for 30 years.I have some cousins living in the Penrith area.I lived at Bexley till 1955,when we moved to Redcliffe.
Letter kindly submitted by; Frank Hunt of Redcliff,Queensland
L 74 February 23rd,2010
Dear Trevor
I have just read your letter in the March,2010 issue of The Scots Magazine.It may be of interest to you that my father's brother,David Gourlay,emigrated about 1910 from Cupar in Fife to Australia.The two brothers never met again apart from one occasion in the trenches of Flanders during WW1.I think special arrangements must have been made for this.
My uncle was in the building trade and lived in our near Sydney.He would of been born around 1885 and I believe that he lived to be about 90.He never married and consequently this information may be of small use to you.
Letter knidly submitted by; Douglas Gourlay,Scotland
L 75 February 25th,2010
Dear Sir
I noted with interest your letter in the March 2010 edition of "Scots Magazine" that you were wanting details of Scots/Australian links.
I don't know if our family link is too tenuous to be of use to you,but I will briefly outline it here and you can let me know if you want further details.
My paternal great grandfather,born in Paisley,was the younger brother of Thomas whose grandson was the Thomas Tait who designed the pylons of Sydney Harbour Bridge.
My paternal grandmother's brother,John,went to England and his second daughter,Janet,emigrated to Australia and had three children-two of them are still alive- and her descendants still are in Australia.
I am in correspondance with the two children of Janet and will let them know of this letter so that they may wish to be in contact with you.I met the third child-a boy-when he was over in Scotland overseeing ship's engines being built on the Clyde.
Letter kindly submitted by; Elizabeth m.Dickson,Dundee,Scotland
L 76 February 24th,2010
Dear Trevor
My great-great granduncle was called James Brown.He was born into a farming family in Carnbee,Fife in 1817.He emigrated to Adelaide in 1839.He travelled on the "Fairfield" arriving in Port Adelaide on 30th April 1839.In 1848 he established Avenue Range Station.He was 1 of the pastoral pioneers of South Australia.In 1848 he was accused of shooting Aborigines who attacked his livestock,but I believe the case was not proceeded with due to lack of verifiable evidence.There is an article about him in Australian Historical Studies(1998) vol29 p210-229 by R.Foster entitled "The Legend of James Brown".Mirani litster did a project on him ;"The history of James Brown (accused murderer and SA Pioneer)".He married Jessie Craigie nee Waddell in 1857.They had no children.Under the terms of a Trust Fund,his estate funded the establishment of Estcourt House and Kalyra Sanatorium.He died 7th Feb 1890 at Glen Osmond,Adelaide,and is buried in West Terrace Cemetery,Adelaide.
Letter kindly submitted by;Sheila Culross
L 77 February 23rd,2010
Hi Trevor
I have just seen your open letter to TheScots Magazine published in the March edition.
I am a member of the Clan Davidson Association in the UK www.clandavidson.org.uk and the Clan Davidson Association in Australia www.clandavidson.org.au
Check out our seperate websites if you have a minute.
We can probably contribute data for you as we hold a range of Scottish/Australian family history and behind the scenes we are actively researching many links.
Letter kindly submitted by; Nick Hide,Clan Davidson Association,London UK
L 78 February 3rd,2010
Hello Trevor
I understand you are seeking people with Scottish roots.
I can trace my ancestry through my mother's side to the Stewarts of Inchgarth,Fortinghall
James Stewart and his wife Anne MacDonald arrived in Sydney Jan 25th 1840 on board the "George Fyffe".
James Stewart born Sep 8th 1808 at the farm called Inchgarth close to Garth Castle at Fortinghall,Perthshire;died July 27th 1884 at Tinonee,NSW.His wife Anne MacDonald born Oct 8th 1818 at limerick,Ireland.Her father,Hector MacDonald was a Sergeant in the British Army stationed there.Anne died Sept 16th 1894 at Glen Stewart,Homebush Road,Strathfield,NSW.
James father was Alexander Stewart,a Tackman at Inchgarth.He was born about 1778 at Fortinghall.He married Janet Stewart who lived on a near-by-farm called Upper(or Over) Blarish.She was born 1785.I believe Alexander and Janet were somehow related because a lot of intermarriages were taking place to keep properties in the name of Stewart.
Janet's father was William Stewart born about 1737 in the same area.William died 14th Aug 1815 and is buried in Luskintyre,Harris.Three of his sons,Donald,Alexander and Archibald managed the Park Sheep farm on Lewis.And there is some controversy here!
At the Napier Commission it became apparent that we were related to General Garth's family,who are descended from the Ancient Stewarts of Garth,who themselves trace back to James the son of Alexander Stewart,the Duke of Buchan(The Wolf).
Letter kindly submitted by; Les Lambert,Australia
L 79 January 15th,2010
Dear Mr Smurthwaite
I compiled this book "McMurtrie History" over 30 years ago.You are welcome to it and I hope it is of some use to you.I made a few mistakes because I did not know all of the people personally.
My sons are still on the property.I now run vineyards at McLaurin Vale.Good luck with your research.
Letter kindly submitted by; Audrey McMurtrie of McLaurin Vale,South Australia
L 80 February 10th,2010
Dear Trevor
I am glad to hear that you will find the book useful.you are welcome to use it in any way you like.
I think I forgot to tell you that my husbands grandparents were both McMurtries but I couldn't find out the exact relationship.One elderly relative said her parents were not first or second cousins but they were definately related.All the best with your research.
Letter kindly submitted by; Audrey McMurtrie of McLaurin Vale,South Australia
L 81 February 25th,2010
Hi Trevor
Re your letter in the Scots magazine wanting to know about Scottish heritage,I will give you my story.
My brother and his wife and family left Ullapool in the 1960's and settled in Engerdene he had a job with other Ullapool people at the DeHaveland factory in Sydney,he had 5 children,one died in Ullapool as a baby,and the other son was killed in a road accident near Mackay,Queensland.
My brother and his wife are buried near to Mackay,but his daughter has two girls and one boy who now live in Mackay.He has a son in Bathurst near Sydneywho had 5 children,and a daughter who lives at Chermside,in Brisbane.My brother was Ian lorimer,and his wife was Nan Mackenzie,from Blousery near to Ullapool,his younger daughter has a book on the life of the family.
Letter kindly submitted by; J.K.Stevenson,Scotand