L 1
Dear Trevor
I saw your letter in the Examiner newspaper on Tuesday 12th January concerning Scottish research.
Having been researching my family history for several years,I have come accross a few ancestors who were Scottish and would love to be able to connect with distant relatives concerning these families.
I will start with my own family;
Alexander Clark born 1809 Paisley,Scotland to Alexander Clark and his wife Elizabeth Robertson.
Alexander came out to Tasmania as a settler and set up a business as an undertaker in Hobart.I have been able to find that he had a sister Ann.
Margaret Spiers was a convict who was born in Edinburgh in about 1816.There have been different spellings of this name,sometimes Spears or Speirs.She also came out to Hobart where she died young.
My husband Phillip's family;
James Gibson was a convict who came to Launceston.He was born c1825 to Robert Gibson and his wife Janet Dickson at Musselburgh.Robert was a carpenter and had a hotel there.Janet's father was Robert Dickson who came from Leith.James had siblings found,Robert,George,Charles,Arthur and John.
James married Mary Nisbet who was also a convict.She was born c1829 in Edinburgh to John Nesbet,sometimes spelt Nisbett.She had brothers Robert and George.
I like the idea you have on collating the Scottish families together.
Letter kindly submitted by;Judy Gibson of Lauceston,Tasmania
L 2
Dear Mr Smurthwaite
Ref;your letter to Northern Times Jan 8th 2010
I am researching the origins of the village of Embo where I live and hope to publish my findings eventually.
What started off as a family tree developed into a village tree and now a more general history.In order to go further back in time I am now searching the National Archives.
As well as looking into the Historical aspects,I am also recording,as the information becomes available,the locations of the Embo diaspora.Emigration from Embo does not play a role until the turn of the 20th century.
If you do come accross others who have their origins in Embo I would be delighted to hear from you.I know of various people who went to Australia but I dont have contact information for them.The Embo village surnames are McKay,Ross,Grant,Cumming,Fraser and Sutherland.
Letter kindly submitted by;Catriona Grigg of Embo,Scotland
L 3 January,2010
Dear Trevor
My mother May Taylor born 25th November 1902 at Cannongate,Abbeyhill,Edinburgh died 1989 Coffs Harbour NSW.My grandmother Jillian Robb born 30th January 1862 District of St.Giles,Lochrin,Edinburgh.Jillian Robb married Edward Taylor in Scotland.May Taylor married John Blakey in Sydney NSW,I grew up at Orchard Hills near Penrith NSW.
Letter kindly submitted by;Patricia Armstrong (nee Blakey) of Coffs Harbour NSW
L 4 January 8th,2010
Dear Trevor
I read with interest your letter in this week's Standard newspaper
I am a descendant of Angus McKay of Sutherland.Son of Angus and Christian/Christy McKay.Angus was born 23/2/1828 as far as we know in Farr-Sutherland-Scotland.Angus seniors immigration records show that he left Scotland on 21st October 1838 arrived in Sydney on the ship "James Moran" on 11th Feb 1839 aged 40 Trade Joiner.
I have further information in a book if you wish to see it.
Through fate,I am related to Angus on both my maternal Grandparents sides of the family.
As a point of interest Angus senior was in the battle of Waterloo,he and his brothers were in the 78th Regiment.
Letter kindly submitted by;Sandra Lee of Blackett NSW
L 5 January 15th,2010
Dear Trevor
I'm responding to your letter that appeared in the Stonnington Leader,my local weekly here in South Yarra,Melbourne.
My late father,Alexander Meffan Gourlay came to Australia as a young single man in 1922 from Dundee and met and married my English born mother here.I have traced my Gourlay name back to my 7th great grandfather,John Gourlay born c1655 at Ceres,Fife.
I believe we go back to a Norman,Ingleramas de Gourlay who was granted land at Ceres by William the Lion c1170 for services rendered.At this time I have been unable to join the dots between Ingleramas and John.My Gourlay's were Fife people until my great grandfather David Ferguson Gourlay crossed the water into Angus in the 1860's.
My paternal grandmother was Margaret Meffan.All of her ancestors which I have going back to the 18th Century,were Angus folk.
The names that come up as my direct Scottish ancestors apart from Gourlay and Meffan are as follows;
Urquhart,Dewar,Henderson,Black,Husband,Steven,Higs,Meiklejohn,Bisset,Rae,Patterson,Carstairs,Hay,Henderson,
Ramsay,Forbes,Cameron,Petrie,Wishart,McIntosh,Sand(s),Thomson,Laurence,Fleeming,Robertson,Millar,Sinclair,Smith,Crighton and Graham.
Letter kindly submitted by;John Gourlay of South Yarra,Melbourne
L 6 February 8th,2010
Dear Trevor
I'm writing just to touch base about my family.My grandmother's maiden name was Ferguson and she has spoken briefly about her Scottish great/grand in-laws.We are descendants of the Yorta Yorta and Wiradjuri people and my Nan is an elder of the Dharuk area (Mt Druit-Sydney).But as you can see we also have a Welsh heritage (Matthews) that I know very little about.I already know the basic roots of the Ferguson (King Fergus 1st) from the Highlands.I am just as proud as my celtic heritage as I am of my Koori heritage.I guess I'm just writing to let you know that there is a huge population of Koori Fergusons in NSW and to also thankyou for the site.It would be incredibly interesting if you could pull up the stats about how many "marriages" there were between Scots and Aboriginals (at one point,any marriage or relationship between blacks and whites was not recognised by the Church or the Law).i believe our 2 peoples have a shared history of fighting against English tyranny,especially in Australia and it would be amazing if it could be included in the History section.It wasn't all negative between black and white,numerous "settlers",actually left the colonial regime to live with our people,but we seldom hear of them.We share an ingrained love of our "home" or "country" (as we say) and the "longing" that poets tend to refer to is something we identify with very strongly and you will hear of our people "going home" quite a lot.Anyway,sorry to ramble so,thanks again for the site and I look forward (very much) to visiting it regularly.
Letter kindly submitted by;Pauline Matthews of Cambelltown,NSW
L 7 January 3rd,2010
Hi Trevor
I was very interested to read your article in the Coffs Harbour "Abvocate".
My great grandfather,Reverand John McKenzie was born in Aberdeen and attended Glasgow Uni and ordained a minister of the Free Kirk of Scotland.There is an early connection with Parkhead Free Kirk where he married Mary.
They came to Mt.Morgan Parish in 1888 when my grandfather John Neilson was 3.Moved to Bundaberg parish and stayed there for over 25 years.I only know this because the parishoners gave them a magnificent silver tea service for their 25th wedding anniversary and then 100 gold sovereigns (loaned from a bank) for their 50th anniversary.
I have lots of information from later generations but nothing earlier.I do understand John's relatives moved to Canada but his sister Jane Searle lived on the Firth of Forth.
Letter kindly submitted by;Mary Pollack (nee Clark) daughter of Alison,only daughter of John Neilson McKenzie
L 8 January 7th,2010
Dear Trevor
I recieved a copy of your letter to the Shetland News,re Scottish emigrants to Australia,via the Shetland Family Historical Society.You may be interested to know that a very active Scottish suffragist,Helen Moyes nee Fraser,emigrated to Australia in 1938.She is my first cousin twice removed,who I have recently been researching,amongst many others in Frasers and kin.
Helen made a very significant contribution to the emancipation of women,and was the Scottish Organiser for the WSPU (suffragettes)until they turned militant in 1908,when she joined the NUWSS (suffragists).She was one of the first two women to stand for parliament (Govan,Glasgow) in Scotland in 1922.In the First World War she was invited,by the government,to lecture in the USA about women's war work.She made a significant contribution to public service when she arrived in Australia,and married another emigrant Scot,Jim? Moyes.She wrote her autobiography, "A Woman in a Man's World",published by Alpha Books in Australia in 1975,and gave an interview to a journalist,of which you can find an actual audio record on the Australian Government website.I recently obtained a copy of her book from an Australian second hand book dealer,to further my research.
Best of Luck with your research.
Letter kindly submitted by;Ian (James Fraser)Munro of Southam,Warwickshire,United Kingdom
L 9 January 3rd,2010
Dear Trevor
Following a news item in our local newspaper,
The Advocate,re-Scottish ancestry.I write concerning my grandfather,Ronald Alexander Vine was born 12-1-1863 at
Polworth,Berwickshire,Scotland.He was an Architect and was associated with the Sydney Architectural practice known as Spain and Cosh for 40 years,so I assume he came to Australia in the early 1890's.He married Ethel Maud Dick (born 2-9-1871) on the 28-4-1899 in Ashfield,NSW.They had 5 children,one died when a baby,the remainder died from 1962 onwards.
Alex died on 20-5-1934 and Maud died on 8-2-1962.
Letter kindly submitted by; Bruce Vickery of Urunga NSW
L 10 January 29th,2010
Dear Trevor
I am contacting you in responce to your letter in the Armidale Express on 4th January this year.I am of Scottish descent and in 1988 our family had a reunion in Armidale for which I compiled a family tree.My maiden name was Finlayson and of course we are part of the Farquarson Clan.My great grandparents,Donald and Margaret Finlayson,came from Scotland in the 1850's and selected land in an area north east of Armidale which became known as Scot's Corner.Their
first baby was born at sea during the voyage out and they named their property "Forglen".They had 10 children,so the family tree contained almost 500 direct descendants at the time I gathered the information-there are many more since then.There have been several books written about the early settlers in this area which contain much information about the Scottish families.If you are interested,I can provide you with the names of these books and a copy of the family tree which I placed on a large sheet of cardboard to display at the reunion.I also have the original Scottish Bible brought out by my great grandmother,which contains beautiful etchings and a list of her children and their birth dates.Her maiden name was Smith and she came from Banff,whilst my great grandfather came from the Inverness/Rosshire area in Scotland.You may also be aware that,at Glen Innes,north of Armidale,the community has erected standing stones in memory of their Scottish ancestors.They have built a memorial wall and each year they gather a stone from the area in Scotland from which the family originated and these stones are placed in the wall.The Farquarson stone was added during the annual Glen Innes Celtic Festival in May 2005.
Letter kindly submitted by; Ruth Mullen of Armidale NSW
L 11 January 22nd,2010
Dear Trevor
Local media outlets are certainly a good way to get a message into the public arena,of course I refer to your letter published in the TWT this week re Scottish ancestry.
Reasearch in Scotland was done by my second cousin into the Scottish roots of his mothers (my great aunt) family.The family name was Littlejohn.James Littlejohn (b1817),a stone mason married Mary Hall (b1817) in 1838 registered in Bothwell in Blantyre Parish.They had 5 children.Their third child and second son,John (b1844),a builder married Margaret Hall (b1850),a dressmaker,in 1870.
John and Margaret with 4 children (the youngest was my grandmother)were assisted immigrants (Assaye 1883).They had another 3 children in Sydney.My great aunt was the last born(1890).The Littlejohn family lived in Balmain and John I am told,built the stone wall boundary of Gladstone Park.The third child,Alexander (born in Scotland),established (I was told) a thriving sheep industry in South africa,but have nothing documented to confirm that,though have every reason to take it has fact.I have a photo of him taken in Pietermaritzburg.
I have no idea of a clan connection of the Littlejohn's.
An historical article in the NRMA edition of the Open Road of November/December 1994,page 77,recalls the loss of Charles Ulm and his crew in the Stella Australis in 1934,on the flight from California to New Zealand and Australia.The purpose of the flight was to investigate the potential of establishing a regular airmail and passenger service between North America and Australasia.Ulm's co-pilot was George Littlejohn and Leon Skilling was navigator and wireless operator.No trace was ever found of the aircraft.I have not got George on my family info,but he was the son of George Stanley Littlejohn (b London 1862) and his wife Mary (b Glasgow 1870).George jnr was born (very likely) in Sydney in 1904,he had (at least) 2 sisters born in Sydney in 1896 and 1902.This information has been gleaned from the gravestone in South Head Cemetery.I have done no investigation into this family,but I guess there is no relationship to my line of Littlejohn's.The Biographical Index of South Australia 1836-1885,lists a James Littlejohn bc 1840 in Cornwall,arriving in the Lincoln in 1865,and the Bi-centennial Index of Western Australians pre 1829-1888 lists a Peter Littlejohn, a sea captain,who went down with his ship "Pet" after colliding with a whale in 1882.The crew was saved.
Letter kindly submitted by; Margaret Spinks of Gladesville NSW
L 12 January,2010
Dear Trevor
My name is Wendy Green,my clan is Dunbar
Joseph Dunbar born 1800,Lochlee,Fofar,Angus Arbkie Inverkeillor
married 2nd Dec 1832
Elizabeth Anderson born 1803 Birse Aberdeen
Children;
William 1840 Inverkeillor
Alex 1844 Lunav
Betsy 1846 Locklee
Isabella 1850 Lunav
It is 6 generations till you come to me.I have also found some older info and another branch of my tree in Australia that I found last year.
I saw your add in the local paper.I would like to hear more about the clan gathering.I am always looking for other Dunbar's.
Letter kindly submitted by; Wendy Green of Kings Langley NSW
L 13 January 2nd,2010
Press article Coffs Coast Advocate 2/1/10 Scottish Clans Research
Dear Trevor
My grandfather,Gordon Hunter Christie came from Banff.My mother was Agnes Shearer Munroe Christie.Grandfather married in WA to an English nurse early last century.Mother was born in WA but emigrated to Scotland.The family returned to Australia due to the depression and settled in Sydney.My mother's brother was born in Scotland,Anthony Sylvester Christie.
I would like to know more about this part of my heritage,despite my English surname.
Letter kindly submitted by; John Gordon Tuck of Coffs Harbour NSW
L 14 January 13th,2010
Dear Trevor
I am interested in researching the Hunter side of my family tree.
My name is Jennifer Part and my fathers name was Frank Hunter Part.His mother was Margaret Jane Dolphin who died in Adelaide,South Australia in 1938 she was born in Woodside,South Australia and her mothers name was Elizabeth Hunter.I recently moved from Brisbane to live in Armidale NSW and have yet to sort out boxes which have been put to one side(family tree details included in them)apoligies for not including more details.
I have been told we are also related to the McNabs and McCords,the McNabs lived in Northern ireland apparently.
The Part side of my family has been well researched so I am interested to know more about the lineage of my paternal grandmother who died before I was born.
Hoping this is of some interest to you and thast you may be able to shed some light on the South Australian Hunters.
Letter kindly submitted by; Jennifer Part of Armidale NSW
L 15 January 14th,2010
Dear Trevor
I got your email address from the Scotland to Australia message board,where you left a message regarding anyone from Scotland going to Australia.
There is a book in the Australia library called "Crumbs" by Ken Orams,which is about Greorge Orams and Jessie Johnson and their descendants.
Jessie Johnson is the daughter of James Johnson and Ursula bruce from the Island of Unst in the Shetland Islands.She went to England,where she met George Orams.They had four children in England.George was a purser on a ship that travelled between England,Australia and New Zealand.
George and Jessie and their four children originally went to Australia and then to New Zealand they had eight more children.
Their fourth child,George Frederick Orams,went back to Australia where he met Elizabeth Angst,and they were married.Their oldest daughter,May Orams,met and married Arthur Cull.Their oldest daughter,Adeline Cull,is my mother.She was born in New South Wales.
Adeline met and married Frank Fleischmann,an American soldier,stationed in Queensland,where Adeline was working.They married and I was born in Australia.After the war we came to Tacoma,Washington,where the family still is.
Mom and Dad have passed away and I am now doing the family history.
Although Ursula Bruce,my 3rd great grandmother,is a Bruce,I have not traced her further back.
There are more descendants in Australia from Jannett(Jessie) Johnson's brothers.I am in contact with one.
Letter kindly submitted by; Peggy Fleischmann of Tacoma,Washington,USA
L 16 January 15th,2010
Hello Trevor
My name is Nerrida I read your article in the Port Macquarie news and you wouldnt believe I have just read my family history on my mothers side when I found your article.My ancestors in Scotland are McPhail and Fletcher records show McPhail is a sept of the Clans Cameron Mackintosh Macay.To cut to the point Paul Mcphail married Martha Bruce on the 14th June 1775 at Dumfries,Scotland.On the Fletcher side James married Martha Bruce McPhail in 1886 in Sydney.
Martha Bruce Fletcher nee McPhail told her children one of which is my grandmother Gladys Mary Allen Daniel that her mother Martha Bruce was a direct descendant of Robert the Bruce (1274-1329) who overthrew the English army at the battle of Bannockburn and reigned for 22 years as King Robert1 of Scotland.
Letter kindly submitted by; Nerrida Bowden of Port Macquarie
L 17 January 28th,2010
Dear Trevor
My great-great grandparents came from Scotland-details below.I believe they were from the Clan McLean.
Alexander Thorburn born 1824 Ayrshire,Scotland,Isle of Muck
died 27-02-1902 buried Tucke Tuckie
married 17-11-1852 at Tobermory,Isle of Mull,Argyll,Scotland to Isabella McKinnon.They came to Australia on the
"Mangerton" sailed from Liverpool on 26th January 1852 arrived Port Henry (Geelong) 5th June 1852.
Letter kindly submitted by; Helen Rann,Australia
L 18 January 25th,2010
Dear Mr Smurthwaite
My grandmother,Margaret McIntyre McGregor was one of 13 children born to John McGregor,born 5/3/1825 at Dunstaffnage Castle,Argylshire (died 6/3/1915 in Inverell).His wife was Eglantine Jane Upton Balfour McDougal McIntyre,born 1845 in Edinburgh,married 4/3/1882 at Blairmore,Aberdeen,NSW,died 19/7/1920.
A very large family tree which appears to have been printed on a computer,shows 9 generations going back to Colin Campbell,Laird of Glenlyon,wife sister of Duncan Dhu Churruich(no first name noted)(no date noted).
My grandfather was Walter Sydney Duncan,second son of a high-ranking officer in the British/Indian army.I have no further details of his background.
Letter kindly submitted by; Margaret Chaldecott,Australia
L 19 January 22nd,2010
Dear Trevor
In response to your letter to the Herald concerning Scottish-Australian heritage.I thought you may be interested in the following information as my mother was Scottish.
Georgina Forbes Massie was born in Dyce,Aberdeenshire 24th April 1918.Daughter of James Hitchcock Massie and
Georgina Forbes Wood.James was born in Glasgow but worked with the GNSR in Aberdeen.They emigrated to Australia c1926 with their 3 daughters,my mother being the youngest and lived near Wollongong.My mother,Georgina,was a dental nurse and married my father,Kenneth Duncan Crawford,in Feb 1942.She died in 1955,and her parents died within the following few years.My DOB 2/6/42 and my 2 brothers,Ian Duncan 8/2/45 and Graeme Vaughan 11/2/49.
Both of my mother's sisters,Helen and Anne are deceased.
Letter kindly submitted by; Judith Crawford,Australia
L 20 January,2010
Dear Mr Smurthwaite
My great grandmother was Janette Riddell,born 18th Sept 1799,registered at East Kilbride Co of Lanark.
She was sent as a convict to NSW on the "Mary Ann" in 1839 for trespassing.
She married William McGibbin 9th Dec 1821 they had children,whom they couldn't get permission to come here,when they grew up and married it was said their mother was deceased,she didn't die until 1876.Im not sure if she belonged to a Clan.
Letter kindly submitted by; Dorothy Bird of Rooty Hill,NSW
L 21 January 28th,2010
Dear Trevor
I read your letter published in our local weekly newspaper,Sunshine Valley News on the sunshine coast in Queensland.
I was particularly interested at the mention of the name Bruce as that is also my late father's grandmothers maiden name.
My late uncle had done some research on the family history but came to a "dead" end as he was told a lot of information was only kept in churches and a lot was lost over the years.I realise there has been a great many improvements in the ancestry research over the years,but I have not bothered to pursue it myself-in other words I have not caught the bug.
I am sending you what I have-hope you can understand it-maybe we are related.
My father's name was Bruce Norman McKean,born in Caboolture,Queensland in November 1910.
His father was David McKean,born at West End,Queensland
He married Mary Elizabeth Bruce on 22nd December 1893
Mary Elizabeth died on 3rd June 1925.She was born in Swinehead,Lincolnshire
Her parents were William Bruce and Rachel Sanderson.Rachel died in June 1884 aged 31.I have an a4 size plaque showing this which I assume relates to her.
David McKean's father was Alexander McKean,born in Glasgow,Scotland and he married Elizabeth Gageby or Gagely(2 different spellings on certificates)born in Mames Parish Scotland on 3rd Sept 1844 in Glasgow.
These are the only certificates I have in my possession.
I do not have any information on our family as our father's parents died when he was quite young and he lived with an older sister and he never spoke about his family at all.We lived in the ear of children should be seen and not heard,so no one really knows anything and all of my father's brthers and sisters are deceased.
Letter kindly submitted by Jean Hennessey/McKean
L 22 January 10th,2010
Trevor
With regard to your article in the "Gympie Times"-re researching Scottish roots-my great grandparents came from Scotland-see below.
William Milligan Mackie was born 20 September 1850 in Kilconguhar,Fifeshire,Scotland.He married Mary ann Christie in 1871.She was born 10 June 1849 in Fordoun,Kilcardine,Scotland.
William Milligan Mackie together with his wife and family -5daughters and one son ,migrated to Australia from Scotland in 1882 on board the ship "Scotland".They docked in Brisbane on the 18 December 1882.
Sir Thomas Mcllwraith had introduced a scheme to obtain agricultural labourers from the "old country" to farm the new lands of Queensland and the Mackie family were among those chosen.
Six families were to go to Tojimbour Station on the Darling Downs under the Mcllwraith plan.They were to remain there for 4 years and be paid 5 schillings a week plus rations.There were also about 20-30 other families living and working there.They lived in huts with no wooden floors and water was carried from a nearby creek.Jimbour those days covered an area of 35 square miles and had about 180,000 sheep.
William and Mary Ann had a further 3 daughters and one son after they came to Australia.Mary ann was also a midwife and helped deliver a number of babies whilst living on the Darling Downs.
At the end of his term at Jimbour,William took up a selection of 160 acres near Dalby.A selector had to pay 2/6 an acre and had to remain 5 years.Later the family moved to Bowenville to a larger selection of 300 acres.William claimed he was one of the first settlers to plant and grow wheat in this area.
William and Mary retired to Toowoomba in 1926.
William aged 90,died on the 9th September 1941 in Toowoomba and Mary Ann,aged 92,died 25th January 1942.They are both buried in the Drayton Church in Toowoomba.
Letter kindly submitted by; Claire Shellbach of Murrumba Downs,Queensland
L 23 January 12th,2010
Re-Scottish Family History-Clans
Dear Mr Smurthwaite
My great grandfather John Cruickshank came 1846 and his brother Alexander Cruickshank came 1841.They both took up land in the Western Districts,some of them held jointly.The family oral history is that they came without capital.
They came from "Comisty" ,Forgue near Huntly out of Aberdeen.
Their mother was Christian Alexander.
Her people were also on the land close by to "Comisty".Their father's name was George Cruikshank.
I recorded a short biography in ABGR published for the bi-centinary in 1988.
Alexander bought "Byron" Inverell and John "Glenningral" Bombala in the Munroe South Tablelands.
Letter kindly submitted by; Jane Ireland nee Cruickshank
L 24 January 3rd,2010
Dear Trevor
Re Scottish Roots letter Gympie Times Dec2009.Im sending you a short extract of my Scottish side of the family.I was Ellen McCallum before marriage.
My grandparents came out on the "Broomielaw".They were sponsored by William Gunn of the timber family.
Their daughter Ellen was my dads mother,father not known but he had 2 step father's Samuel Holloway Walker and Samuel Crawfor,both of Scottish origion.
Neil and Margaret were farmers of the piece of land and it is still with some members of the family.
Mary was 9 months old when they came out to Tasmania.
We have a detailed history of all but a couple of the family.No record of Marys marriage or death.She married a Mr cooke and we have a photo of 1 son,maybe she went home to Scotland.
In 1983 my late husband Les went to tasmania and found an elderly relative and I was lucky enough to bring home some photos.Neil and Margaret,Ellen,Mary and son and others not named.
Letter kindly submitted by; Ellen Wedlock nee McCallum of Gympie,Queensland
L 25 January 25th,2010
Hello Trevor
My name is Sandra Lambros and your item in a local paper here in Adelaide has been brought to my attention.
My mother was a Scot,born in Edinburgh 01/03/1925 died Adelaide 01/11/1984.Her name was Betty Palmer(mother) Catherine Palmer and (father) James Martin Palmer.(I do not know Catherine's maiden name).She lived on Princes Street Edinburgh until she met and married 20/10/1945 Ronald Edward Clive Thompson(RAN)(01/03/1926-24/08/2008) and came to Australia as a war bride.
Issue;
Martha Bruce Thompson (16/07/1947)
Sandra Lorraine Thompson (03/05/1949)
Dorothy Joan Thompson (02/09/1950)
Catherine Betty Thompson (09/03/1952-18/07/1997)
Michelle Jeanette Thompson (/08/1966)
Our mother had always told us we were descendants of Robert the Bruce and we belonged to the Bruce Clan.I have a photograph of both James and Catherine but no knowledge of DOB or DOD.
Letter kindly submitted by; Sandy Lambros of Adelaide
L 26 January 13th,2010
Dear Trevor
Your letter to the "Progress Leader" sparked my interest!
My mother,now deceased ,told me that one of our grandmothers was a "Bruce".My mother,Phyllis Madelaine Marie-Saint-Yves de la lane,was born in Calcutta,of a French ex-pat family of engineers who supervised the building of the railways throughout India for the British.They were part of the British Raj there,together with my father,John Herbert Douglas Winter,who was an officer in the Indian Army-the Baluchis.Both my parents and their subsequent family of four children,lived in Coltham Road,Kew and they are buried in Kew cemetary- where I will doubtless join them soon as I am 81 years old.To get to the point of the letter -my mother told me of her Bruce connection and also,that her family engineers trained on the Clyde in the UK.Possibly,this is where one married a Bruce-so,we could be distantly related? We now have relatives of both sides of our family in South Africa and Australia,in my generation and younger.We were very lonely growing up in Australia without any relatives,but since the advent of plane travel have caught up with many! My father,born in London,is one of eight sons (no girls)
born into an Army family,each son born in a different part of the British Empire-beat that!
Letter kindly submitted by; Gloria Madeline Flynn nee Winter of Kew,Victoria
L 27 January,2010
Dear Trevor
I saw your letter to the Gympie Times and decided to write to tell you my husbands Grandfather Peter Hutchinson Blyth and his wife Annie Bain Blyth came to Australia from Scotland from Denholm Scotland on 11-05-1883 on ship "Maulsden".
Landed at Maryborough,Queensland,Their children were Nellie,Dinah b1879,Isabella b1881,William b1872,James b1885,Hellen b1878,Jennie b1886,Norman b1891 (husbands father),Elwyn b1896.
Their names are in the Gympie Pioneer Register pre 1900.
Peter Hutchinson Blyth settled on a farm at "Bunya Creek" now known as "Kandangal.In times of drought he worked building roads and bridges or culverts.
My husband's father Norman Blyth born 8 Dec1891 at Bunya Creek near Gympie.Norman Blyth then bought a farm at Blunder Road,Glastonbury via Gympie.His family were Archibald,William,Noel,Frederick (my husband) Allan and one daughter Heather Isobel.
Letter kindly submitted by; Lyn Blyth of Gympie,Queensland
L 28 January 17th,2010
Hi Trevor
My interest in all things Scottish is due to my Craft as a Town Crier being the only Town Crier in Australia that wears the kilt as part of one of the Crier's Uniform and my wife Shirley's family history.
I have been officially appointed as Town Crier in 3 places and as I am retired I currently hold the appointment as the Toowoomba Regional Town Crier.
My first appointment was as the Official Town Crier for Glen Innes.I was heavily involved as a commitee person and sponsor for the founding of a very successful Australian Celtic Festival and still return as a Guest commentator in May of each year.
My wife is of Morrison descent and we visited her forebears in Scotland in 2001,also we researched the History of the Ruthen family that our main street in Toowoomba is named after.
Toowoomba is stepped in Scottish History,due to our early underground Coal Mines being worked by boatloads of Scots being experianced in that vocation.
The Surveyors who had worked with Colonal light who surveyed Adelaide came here and named our streets after famous Scottish people/events etc.
We have family in Coffs (hence the paper cutting re your plea)the late Town Crier of Coffs was John Charles Kerr who loved his Scottish family history,but wore the traditional working Town criers uniform.
We both enjoy very much our mutual interest in all things Scottish.
Letter and the photos below kindly submitted by; Ralph and Shirley Cockle of Toowoomba,Queensland
Ralph James Cockle-Rotary Paul Harris Fellow
Toowoomba Regional Crier
Official Honorary Ambassador of Toowomba
Laird of Kincavel
Membership/Publicity Officer
Ancient and Honourable Guild of Australian Town Crier's
Dear Trevor
I saw your letter in the Examiner newspaper on Tuesday 12th January concerning Scottish research.
Having been researching my family history for several years,I have come accross a few ancestors who were Scottish and would love to be able to connect with distant relatives concerning these families.
I will start with my own family;
Alexander Clark born 1809 Paisley,Scotland to Alexander Clark and his wife Elizabeth Robertson.
Alexander came out to Tasmania as a settler and set up a business as an undertaker in Hobart.I have been able to find that he had a sister Ann.
Margaret Spiers was a convict who was born in Edinburgh in about 1816.There have been different spellings of this name,sometimes Spears or Speirs.She also came out to Hobart where she died young.
My husband Phillip's family;
James Gibson was a convict who came to Launceston.He was born c1825 to Robert Gibson and his wife Janet Dickson at Musselburgh.Robert was a carpenter and had a hotel there.Janet's father was Robert Dickson who came from Leith.James had siblings found,Robert,George,Charles,Arthur and John.
James married Mary Nisbet who was also a convict.She was born c1829 in Edinburgh to John Nesbet,sometimes spelt Nisbett.She had brothers Robert and George.
I like the idea you have on collating the Scottish families together.
Letter kindly submitted by;Judy Gibson of Lauceston,Tasmania
L 2
Dear Mr Smurthwaite
Ref;your letter to Northern Times Jan 8th 2010
I am researching the origins of the village of Embo where I live and hope to publish my findings eventually.
What started off as a family tree developed into a village tree and now a more general history.In order to go further back in time I am now searching the National Archives.
As well as looking into the Historical aspects,I am also recording,as the information becomes available,the locations of the Embo diaspora.Emigration from Embo does not play a role until the turn of the 20th century.
If you do come accross others who have their origins in Embo I would be delighted to hear from you.I know of various people who went to Australia but I dont have contact information for them.The Embo village surnames are McKay,Ross,Grant,Cumming,Fraser and Sutherland.
Letter kindly submitted by;Catriona Grigg of Embo,Scotland
L 3 January,2010
Dear Trevor
My mother May Taylor born 25th November 1902 at Cannongate,Abbeyhill,Edinburgh died 1989 Coffs Harbour NSW.My grandmother Jillian Robb born 30th January 1862 District of St.Giles,Lochrin,Edinburgh.Jillian Robb married Edward Taylor in Scotland.May Taylor married John Blakey in Sydney NSW,I grew up at Orchard Hills near Penrith NSW.
Letter kindly submitted by;Patricia Armstrong (nee Blakey) of Coffs Harbour NSW
L 4 January 8th,2010
Dear Trevor
I read with interest your letter in this week's Standard newspaper
I am a descendant of Angus McKay of Sutherland.Son of Angus and Christian/Christy McKay.Angus was born 23/2/1828 as far as we know in Farr-Sutherland-Scotland.Angus seniors immigration records show that he left Scotland on 21st October 1838 arrived in Sydney on the ship "James Moran" on 11th Feb 1839 aged 40 Trade Joiner.
I have further information in a book if you wish to see it.
Through fate,I am related to Angus on both my maternal Grandparents sides of the family.
As a point of interest Angus senior was in the battle of Waterloo,he and his brothers were in the 78th Regiment.
Letter kindly submitted by;Sandra Lee of Blackett NSW
L 5 January 15th,2010
Dear Trevor
I'm responding to your letter that appeared in the Stonnington Leader,my local weekly here in South Yarra,Melbourne.
My late father,Alexander Meffan Gourlay came to Australia as a young single man in 1922 from Dundee and met and married my English born mother here.I have traced my Gourlay name back to my 7th great grandfather,John Gourlay born c1655 at Ceres,Fife.
I believe we go back to a Norman,Ingleramas de Gourlay who was granted land at Ceres by William the Lion c1170 for services rendered.At this time I have been unable to join the dots between Ingleramas and John.My Gourlay's were Fife people until my great grandfather David Ferguson Gourlay crossed the water into Angus in the 1860's.
My paternal grandmother was Margaret Meffan.All of her ancestors which I have going back to the 18th Century,were Angus folk.
The names that come up as my direct Scottish ancestors apart from Gourlay and Meffan are as follows;
Urquhart,Dewar,Henderson,Black,Husband,Steven,Higs,Meiklejohn,Bisset,Rae,Patterson,Carstairs,Hay,Henderson,
Ramsay,Forbes,Cameron,Petrie,Wishart,McIntosh,Sand(s),Thomson,Laurence,Fleeming,Robertson,Millar,Sinclair,Smith,Crighton and Graham.
Letter kindly submitted by;John Gourlay of South Yarra,Melbourne
L 6 February 8th,2010
Dear Trevor
I'm writing just to touch base about my family.My grandmother's maiden name was Ferguson and she has spoken briefly about her Scottish great/grand in-laws.We are descendants of the Yorta Yorta and Wiradjuri people and my Nan is an elder of the Dharuk area (Mt Druit-Sydney).But as you can see we also have a Welsh heritage (Matthews) that I know very little about.I already know the basic roots of the Ferguson (King Fergus 1st) from the Highlands.I am just as proud as my celtic heritage as I am of my Koori heritage.I guess I'm just writing to let you know that there is a huge population of Koori Fergusons in NSW and to also thankyou for the site.It would be incredibly interesting if you could pull up the stats about how many "marriages" there were between Scots and Aboriginals (at one point,any marriage or relationship between blacks and whites was not recognised by the Church or the Law).i believe our 2 peoples have a shared history of fighting against English tyranny,especially in Australia and it would be amazing if it could be included in the History section.It wasn't all negative between black and white,numerous "settlers",actually left the colonial regime to live with our people,but we seldom hear of them.We share an ingrained love of our "home" or "country" (as we say) and the "longing" that poets tend to refer to is something we identify with very strongly and you will hear of our people "going home" quite a lot.Anyway,sorry to ramble so,thanks again for the site and I look forward (very much) to visiting it regularly.
Letter kindly submitted by;Pauline Matthews of Cambelltown,NSW
L 7 January 3rd,2010
Hi Trevor
I was very interested to read your article in the Coffs Harbour "Abvocate".
My great grandfather,Reverand John McKenzie was born in Aberdeen and attended Glasgow Uni and ordained a minister of the Free Kirk of Scotland.There is an early connection with Parkhead Free Kirk where he married Mary.
They came to Mt.Morgan Parish in 1888 when my grandfather John Neilson was 3.Moved to Bundaberg parish and stayed there for over 25 years.I only know this because the parishoners gave them a magnificent silver tea service for their 25th wedding anniversary and then 100 gold sovereigns (loaned from a bank) for their 50th anniversary.
I have lots of information from later generations but nothing earlier.I do understand John's relatives moved to Canada but his sister Jane Searle lived on the Firth of Forth.
Letter kindly submitted by;Mary Pollack (nee Clark) daughter of Alison,only daughter of John Neilson McKenzie
L 8 January 7th,2010
Dear Trevor
I recieved a copy of your letter to the Shetland News,re Scottish emigrants to Australia,via the Shetland Family Historical Society.You may be interested to know that a very active Scottish suffragist,Helen Moyes nee Fraser,emigrated to Australia in 1938.She is my first cousin twice removed,who I have recently been researching,amongst many others in Frasers and kin.
Helen made a very significant contribution to the emancipation of women,and was the Scottish Organiser for the WSPU (suffragettes)until they turned militant in 1908,when she joined the NUWSS (suffragists).She was one of the first two women to stand for parliament (Govan,Glasgow) in Scotland in 1922.In the First World War she was invited,by the government,to lecture in the USA about women's war work.She made a significant contribution to public service when she arrived in Australia,and married another emigrant Scot,Jim? Moyes.She wrote her autobiography, "A Woman in a Man's World",published by Alpha Books in Australia in 1975,and gave an interview to a journalist,of which you can find an actual audio record on the Australian Government website.I recently obtained a copy of her book from an Australian second hand book dealer,to further my research.
Best of Luck with your research.
Letter kindly submitted by;Ian (James Fraser)Munro of Southam,Warwickshire,United Kingdom
L 9 January 3rd,2010
Dear Trevor
Following a news item in our local newspaper,
The Advocate,re-Scottish ancestry.I write concerning my grandfather,Ronald Alexander Vine was born 12-1-1863 at
Polworth,Berwickshire,Scotland.He was an Architect and was associated with the Sydney Architectural practice known as Spain and Cosh for 40 years,so I assume he came to Australia in the early 1890's.He married Ethel Maud Dick (born 2-9-1871) on the 28-4-1899 in Ashfield,NSW.They had 5 children,one died when a baby,the remainder died from 1962 onwards.
Alex died on 20-5-1934 and Maud died on 8-2-1962.
Letter kindly submitted by; Bruce Vickery of Urunga NSW
L 10 January 29th,2010
Dear Trevor
I am contacting you in responce to your letter in the Armidale Express on 4th January this year.I am of Scottish descent and in 1988 our family had a reunion in Armidale for which I compiled a family tree.My maiden name was Finlayson and of course we are part of the Farquarson Clan.My great grandparents,Donald and Margaret Finlayson,came from Scotland in the 1850's and selected land in an area north east of Armidale which became known as Scot's Corner.Their
first baby was born at sea during the voyage out and they named their property "Forglen".They had 10 children,so the family tree contained almost 500 direct descendants at the time I gathered the information-there are many more since then.There have been several books written about the early settlers in this area which contain much information about the Scottish families.If you are interested,I can provide you with the names of these books and a copy of the family tree which I placed on a large sheet of cardboard to display at the reunion.I also have the original Scottish Bible brought out by my great grandmother,which contains beautiful etchings and a list of her children and their birth dates.Her maiden name was Smith and she came from Banff,whilst my great grandfather came from the Inverness/Rosshire area in Scotland.You may also be aware that,at Glen Innes,north of Armidale,the community has erected standing stones in memory of their Scottish ancestors.They have built a memorial wall and each year they gather a stone from the area in Scotland from which the family originated and these stones are placed in the wall.The Farquarson stone was added during the annual Glen Innes Celtic Festival in May 2005.
Letter kindly submitted by; Ruth Mullen of Armidale NSW
L 11 January 22nd,2010
Dear Trevor
Local media outlets are certainly a good way to get a message into the public arena,of course I refer to your letter published in the TWT this week re Scottish ancestry.
Reasearch in Scotland was done by my second cousin into the Scottish roots of his mothers (my great aunt) family.The family name was Littlejohn.James Littlejohn (b1817),a stone mason married Mary Hall (b1817) in 1838 registered in Bothwell in Blantyre Parish.They had 5 children.Their third child and second son,John (b1844),a builder married Margaret Hall (b1850),a dressmaker,in 1870.
John and Margaret with 4 children (the youngest was my grandmother)were assisted immigrants (Assaye 1883).They had another 3 children in Sydney.My great aunt was the last born(1890).The Littlejohn family lived in Balmain and John I am told,built the stone wall boundary of Gladstone Park.The third child,Alexander (born in Scotland),established (I was told) a thriving sheep industry in South africa,but have nothing documented to confirm that,though have every reason to take it has fact.I have a photo of him taken in Pietermaritzburg.
I have no idea of a clan connection of the Littlejohn's.
An historical article in the NRMA edition of the Open Road of November/December 1994,page 77,recalls the loss of Charles Ulm and his crew in the Stella Australis in 1934,on the flight from California to New Zealand and Australia.The purpose of the flight was to investigate the potential of establishing a regular airmail and passenger service between North America and Australasia.Ulm's co-pilot was George Littlejohn and Leon Skilling was navigator and wireless operator.No trace was ever found of the aircraft.I have not got George on my family info,but he was the son of George Stanley Littlejohn (b London 1862) and his wife Mary (b Glasgow 1870).George jnr was born (very likely) in Sydney in 1904,he had (at least) 2 sisters born in Sydney in 1896 and 1902.This information has been gleaned from the gravestone in South Head Cemetery.I have done no investigation into this family,but I guess there is no relationship to my line of Littlejohn's.The Biographical Index of South Australia 1836-1885,lists a James Littlejohn bc 1840 in Cornwall,arriving in the Lincoln in 1865,and the Bi-centennial Index of Western Australians pre 1829-1888 lists a Peter Littlejohn, a sea captain,who went down with his ship "Pet" after colliding with a whale in 1882.The crew was saved.
Letter kindly submitted by; Margaret Spinks of Gladesville NSW
L 12 January,2010
Dear Trevor
My name is Wendy Green,my clan is Dunbar
Joseph Dunbar born 1800,Lochlee,Fofar,Angus Arbkie Inverkeillor
married 2nd Dec 1832
Elizabeth Anderson born 1803 Birse Aberdeen
Children;
William 1840 Inverkeillor
Alex 1844 Lunav
Betsy 1846 Locklee
Isabella 1850 Lunav
It is 6 generations till you come to me.I have also found some older info and another branch of my tree in Australia that I found last year.
I saw your add in the local paper.I would like to hear more about the clan gathering.I am always looking for other Dunbar's.
Letter kindly submitted by; Wendy Green of Kings Langley NSW
L 13 January 2nd,2010
Press article Coffs Coast Advocate 2/1/10 Scottish Clans Research
Dear Trevor
My grandfather,Gordon Hunter Christie came from Banff.My mother was Agnes Shearer Munroe Christie.Grandfather married in WA to an English nurse early last century.Mother was born in WA but emigrated to Scotland.The family returned to Australia due to the depression and settled in Sydney.My mother's brother was born in Scotland,Anthony Sylvester Christie.
I would like to know more about this part of my heritage,despite my English surname.
Letter kindly submitted by; John Gordon Tuck of Coffs Harbour NSW
L 14 January 13th,2010
Dear Trevor
I am interested in researching the Hunter side of my family tree.
My name is Jennifer Part and my fathers name was Frank Hunter Part.His mother was Margaret Jane Dolphin who died in Adelaide,South Australia in 1938 she was born in Woodside,South Australia and her mothers name was Elizabeth Hunter.I recently moved from Brisbane to live in Armidale NSW and have yet to sort out boxes which have been put to one side(family tree details included in them)apoligies for not including more details.
I have been told we are also related to the McNabs and McCords,the McNabs lived in Northern ireland apparently.
The Part side of my family has been well researched so I am interested to know more about the lineage of my paternal grandmother who died before I was born.
Hoping this is of some interest to you and thast you may be able to shed some light on the South Australian Hunters.
Letter kindly submitted by; Jennifer Part of Armidale NSW
L 15 January 14th,2010
Dear Trevor
I got your email address from the Scotland to Australia message board,where you left a message regarding anyone from Scotland going to Australia.
There is a book in the Australia library called "Crumbs" by Ken Orams,which is about Greorge Orams and Jessie Johnson and their descendants.
Jessie Johnson is the daughter of James Johnson and Ursula bruce from the Island of Unst in the Shetland Islands.She went to England,where she met George Orams.They had four children in England.George was a purser on a ship that travelled between England,Australia and New Zealand.
George and Jessie and their four children originally went to Australia and then to New Zealand they had eight more children.
Their fourth child,George Frederick Orams,went back to Australia where he met Elizabeth Angst,and they were married.Their oldest daughter,May Orams,met and married Arthur Cull.Their oldest daughter,Adeline Cull,is my mother.She was born in New South Wales.
Adeline met and married Frank Fleischmann,an American soldier,stationed in Queensland,where Adeline was working.They married and I was born in Australia.After the war we came to Tacoma,Washington,where the family still is.
Mom and Dad have passed away and I am now doing the family history.
Although Ursula Bruce,my 3rd great grandmother,is a Bruce,I have not traced her further back.
There are more descendants in Australia from Jannett(Jessie) Johnson's brothers.I am in contact with one.
Letter kindly submitted by; Peggy Fleischmann of Tacoma,Washington,USA
L 16 January 15th,2010
Hello Trevor
My name is Nerrida I read your article in the Port Macquarie news and you wouldnt believe I have just read my family history on my mothers side when I found your article.My ancestors in Scotland are McPhail and Fletcher records show McPhail is a sept of the Clans Cameron Mackintosh Macay.To cut to the point Paul Mcphail married Martha Bruce on the 14th June 1775 at Dumfries,Scotland.On the Fletcher side James married Martha Bruce McPhail in 1886 in Sydney.
Martha Bruce Fletcher nee McPhail told her children one of which is my grandmother Gladys Mary Allen Daniel that her mother Martha Bruce was a direct descendant of Robert the Bruce (1274-1329) who overthrew the English army at the battle of Bannockburn and reigned for 22 years as King Robert1 of Scotland.
Letter kindly submitted by; Nerrida Bowden of Port Macquarie
L 17 January 28th,2010
Dear Trevor
My great-great grandparents came from Scotland-details below.I believe they were from the Clan McLean.
Alexander Thorburn born 1824 Ayrshire,Scotland,Isle of Muck
died 27-02-1902 buried Tucke Tuckie
married 17-11-1852 at Tobermory,Isle of Mull,Argyll,Scotland to Isabella McKinnon.They came to Australia on the
"Mangerton" sailed from Liverpool on 26th January 1852 arrived Port Henry (Geelong) 5th June 1852.
Letter kindly submitted by; Helen Rann,Australia
L 18 January 25th,2010
Dear Mr Smurthwaite
My grandmother,Margaret McIntyre McGregor was one of 13 children born to John McGregor,born 5/3/1825 at Dunstaffnage Castle,Argylshire (died 6/3/1915 in Inverell).His wife was Eglantine Jane Upton Balfour McDougal McIntyre,born 1845 in Edinburgh,married 4/3/1882 at Blairmore,Aberdeen,NSW,died 19/7/1920.
A very large family tree which appears to have been printed on a computer,shows 9 generations going back to Colin Campbell,Laird of Glenlyon,wife sister of Duncan Dhu Churruich(no first name noted)(no date noted).
My grandfather was Walter Sydney Duncan,second son of a high-ranking officer in the British/Indian army.I have no further details of his background.
Letter kindly submitted by; Margaret Chaldecott,Australia
L 19 January 22nd,2010
Dear Trevor
In response to your letter to the Herald concerning Scottish-Australian heritage.I thought you may be interested in the following information as my mother was Scottish.
Georgina Forbes Massie was born in Dyce,Aberdeenshire 24th April 1918.Daughter of James Hitchcock Massie and
Georgina Forbes Wood.James was born in Glasgow but worked with the GNSR in Aberdeen.They emigrated to Australia c1926 with their 3 daughters,my mother being the youngest and lived near Wollongong.My mother,Georgina,was a dental nurse and married my father,Kenneth Duncan Crawford,in Feb 1942.She died in 1955,and her parents died within the following few years.My DOB 2/6/42 and my 2 brothers,Ian Duncan 8/2/45 and Graeme Vaughan 11/2/49.
Both of my mother's sisters,Helen and Anne are deceased.
Letter kindly submitted by; Judith Crawford,Australia
L 20 January,2010
Dear Mr Smurthwaite
My great grandmother was Janette Riddell,born 18th Sept 1799,registered at East Kilbride Co of Lanark.
She was sent as a convict to NSW on the "Mary Ann" in 1839 for trespassing.
She married William McGibbin 9th Dec 1821 they had children,whom they couldn't get permission to come here,when they grew up and married it was said their mother was deceased,she didn't die until 1876.Im not sure if she belonged to a Clan.
Letter kindly submitted by; Dorothy Bird of Rooty Hill,NSW
L 21 January 28th,2010
Dear Trevor
I read your letter published in our local weekly newspaper,Sunshine Valley News on the sunshine coast in Queensland.
I was particularly interested at the mention of the name Bruce as that is also my late father's grandmothers maiden name.
My late uncle had done some research on the family history but came to a "dead" end as he was told a lot of information was only kept in churches and a lot was lost over the years.I realise there has been a great many improvements in the ancestry research over the years,but I have not bothered to pursue it myself-in other words I have not caught the bug.
I am sending you what I have-hope you can understand it-maybe we are related.
My father's name was Bruce Norman McKean,born in Caboolture,Queensland in November 1910.
His father was David McKean,born at West End,Queensland
He married Mary Elizabeth Bruce on 22nd December 1893
Mary Elizabeth died on 3rd June 1925.She was born in Swinehead,Lincolnshire
Her parents were William Bruce and Rachel Sanderson.Rachel died in June 1884 aged 31.I have an a4 size plaque showing this which I assume relates to her.
David McKean's father was Alexander McKean,born in Glasgow,Scotland and he married Elizabeth Gageby or Gagely(2 different spellings on certificates)born in Mames Parish Scotland on 3rd Sept 1844 in Glasgow.
These are the only certificates I have in my possession.
I do not have any information on our family as our father's parents died when he was quite young and he lived with an older sister and he never spoke about his family at all.We lived in the ear of children should be seen and not heard,so no one really knows anything and all of my father's brthers and sisters are deceased.
Letter kindly submitted by Jean Hennessey/McKean
L 22 January 10th,2010
Trevor
With regard to your article in the "Gympie Times"-re researching Scottish roots-my great grandparents came from Scotland-see below.
William Milligan Mackie was born 20 September 1850 in Kilconguhar,Fifeshire,Scotland.He married Mary ann Christie in 1871.She was born 10 June 1849 in Fordoun,Kilcardine,Scotland.
William Milligan Mackie together with his wife and family -5daughters and one son ,migrated to Australia from Scotland in 1882 on board the ship "Scotland".They docked in Brisbane on the 18 December 1882.
Sir Thomas Mcllwraith had introduced a scheme to obtain agricultural labourers from the "old country" to farm the new lands of Queensland and the Mackie family were among those chosen.
Six families were to go to Tojimbour Station on the Darling Downs under the Mcllwraith plan.They were to remain there for 4 years and be paid 5 schillings a week plus rations.There were also about 20-30 other families living and working there.They lived in huts with no wooden floors and water was carried from a nearby creek.Jimbour those days covered an area of 35 square miles and had about 180,000 sheep.
William and Mary Ann had a further 3 daughters and one son after they came to Australia.Mary ann was also a midwife and helped deliver a number of babies whilst living on the Darling Downs.
At the end of his term at Jimbour,William took up a selection of 160 acres near Dalby.A selector had to pay 2/6 an acre and had to remain 5 years.Later the family moved to Bowenville to a larger selection of 300 acres.William claimed he was one of the first settlers to plant and grow wheat in this area.
William and Mary retired to Toowoomba in 1926.
William aged 90,died on the 9th September 1941 in Toowoomba and Mary Ann,aged 92,died 25th January 1942.They are both buried in the Drayton Church in Toowoomba.
Letter kindly submitted by; Claire Shellbach of Murrumba Downs,Queensland
L 23 January 12th,2010
Re-Scottish Family History-Clans
Dear Mr Smurthwaite
My great grandfather John Cruickshank came 1846 and his brother Alexander Cruickshank came 1841.They both took up land in the Western Districts,some of them held jointly.The family oral history is that they came without capital.
They came from "Comisty" ,Forgue near Huntly out of Aberdeen.
Their mother was Christian Alexander.
Her people were also on the land close by to "Comisty".Their father's name was George Cruikshank.
I recorded a short biography in ABGR published for the bi-centinary in 1988.
Alexander bought "Byron" Inverell and John "Glenningral" Bombala in the Munroe South Tablelands.
Letter kindly submitted by; Jane Ireland nee Cruickshank
L 24 January 3rd,2010
Dear Trevor
Re Scottish Roots letter Gympie Times Dec2009.Im sending you a short extract of my Scottish side of the family.I was Ellen McCallum before marriage.
My grandparents came out on the "Broomielaw".They were sponsored by William Gunn of the timber family.
Their daughter Ellen was my dads mother,father not known but he had 2 step father's Samuel Holloway Walker and Samuel Crawfor,both of Scottish origion.
Neil and Margaret were farmers of the piece of land and it is still with some members of the family.
Mary was 9 months old when they came out to Tasmania.
We have a detailed history of all but a couple of the family.No record of Marys marriage or death.She married a Mr cooke and we have a photo of 1 son,maybe she went home to Scotland.
In 1983 my late husband Les went to tasmania and found an elderly relative and I was lucky enough to bring home some photos.Neil and Margaret,Ellen,Mary and son and others not named.
Letter kindly submitted by; Ellen Wedlock nee McCallum of Gympie,Queensland
L 25 January 25th,2010
Hello Trevor
My name is Sandra Lambros and your item in a local paper here in Adelaide has been brought to my attention.
My mother was a Scot,born in Edinburgh 01/03/1925 died Adelaide 01/11/1984.Her name was Betty Palmer(mother) Catherine Palmer and (father) James Martin Palmer.(I do not know Catherine's maiden name).She lived on Princes Street Edinburgh until she met and married 20/10/1945 Ronald Edward Clive Thompson(RAN)(01/03/1926-24/08/2008) and came to Australia as a war bride.
Issue;
Martha Bruce Thompson (16/07/1947)
Sandra Lorraine Thompson (03/05/1949)
Dorothy Joan Thompson (02/09/1950)
Catherine Betty Thompson (09/03/1952-18/07/1997)
Michelle Jeanette Thompson (/08/1966)
Our mother had always told us we were descendants of Robert the Bruce and we belonged to the Bruce Clan.I have a photograph of both James and Catherine but no knowledge of DOB or DOD.
Letter kindly submitted by; Sandy Lambros of Adelaide
L 26 January 13th,2010
Dear Trevor
Your letter to the "Progress Leader" sparked my interest!
My mother,now deceased ,told me that one of our grandmothers was a "Bruce".My mother,Phyllis Madelaine Marie-Saint-Yves de la lane,was born in Calcutta,of a French ex-pat family of engineers who supervised the building of the railways throughout India for the British.They were part of the British Raj there,together with my father,John Herbert Douglas Winter,who was an officer in the Indian Army-the Baluchis.Both my parents and their subsequent family of four children,lived in Coltham Road,Kew and they are buried in Kew cemetary- where I will doubtless join them soon as I am 81 years old.To get to the point of the letter -my mother told me of her Bruce connection and also,that her family engineers trained on the Clyde in the UK.Possibly,this is where one married a Bruce-so,we could be distantly related? We now have relatives of both sides of our family in South Africa and Australia,in my generation and younger.We were very lonely growing up in Australia without any relatives,but since the advent of plane travel have caught up with many! My father,born in London,is one of eight sons (no girls)
born into an Army family,each son born in a different part of the British Empire-beat that!
Letter kindly submitted by; Gloria Madeline Flynn nee Winter of Kew,Victoria
L 27 January,2010
Dear Trevor
I saw your letter to the Gympie Times and decided to write to tell you my husbands Grandfather Peter Hutchinson Blyth and his wife Annie Bain Blyth came to Australia from Scotland from Denholm Scotland on 11-05-1883 on ship "Maulsden".
Landed at Maryborough,Queensland,Their children were Nellie,Dinah b1879,Isabella b1881,William b1872,James b1885,Hellen b1878,Jennie b1886,Norman b1891 (husbands father),Elwyn b1896.
Their names are in the Gympie Pioneer Register pre 1900.
Peter Hutchinson Blyth settled on a farm at "Bunya Creek" now known as "Kandangal.In times of drought he worked building roads and bridges or culverts.
My husband's father Norman Blyth born 8 Dec1891 at Bunya Creek near Gympie.Norman Blyth then bought a farm at Blunder Road,Glastonbury via Gympie.His family were Archibald,William,Noel,Frederick (my husband) Allan and one daughter Heather Isobel.
Letter kindly submitted by; Lyn Blyth of Gympie,Queensland
L 28 January 17th,2010
Hi Trevor
My interest in all things Scottish is due to my Craft as a Town Crier being the only Town Crier in Australia that wears the kilt as part of one of the Crier's Uniform and my wife Shirley's family history.
I have been officially appointed as Town Crier in 3 places and as I am retired I currently hold the appointment as the Toowoomba Regional Town Crier.
My first appointment was as the Official Town Crier for Glen Innes.I was heavily involved as a commitee person and sponsor for the founding of a very successful Australian Celtic Festival and still return as a Guest commentator in May of each year.
My wife is of Morrison descent and we visited her forebears in Scotland in 2001,also we researched the History of the Ruthen family that our main street in Toowoomba is named after.
Toowoomba is stepped in Scottish History,due to our early underground Coal Mines being worked by boatloads of Scots being experianced in that vocation.
The Surveyors who had worked with Colonal light who surveyed Adelaide came here and named our streets after famous Scottish people/events etc.
We have family in Coffs (hence the paper cutting re your plea)the late Town Crier of Coffs was John Charles Kerr who loved his Scottish family history,but wore the traditional working Town criers uniform.
We both enjoy very much our mutual interest in all things Scottish.
Letter and the photos below kindly submitted by; Ralph and Shirley Cockle of Toowoomba,Queensland
Ralph James Cockle-Rotary Paul Harris Fellow
Toowoomba Regional Crier
Official Honorary Ambassador of Toowomba
Laird of Kincavel
Membership/Publicity Officer
Ancient and Honourable Guild of Australian Town Crier's
Letters to the Editor Page 1
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