Friday's Family Recipe and Sharing Memories - Homemade Tomato Sauce

May 9, 2013, 4:16 am

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Summer time brings back memories of Mum and Dad’s vegie garden and the glut of ripe juicy tomatoes.  Dad would check the vines morning and night to pick the tomatoes before the pesky birds and insects attacked them.  Our kitchen would have huge bowls of  ripe tomatoes, that we would eat like apples, juice and tomato seeds dribbling down our chins.  The tomatoes that were just ripening would all be sitting along the kitchen window, and my mother would rotate them so that they ripened evenly.

My mother was very resourceful and would use the overabundance of tomatoes to stock up on homemade relish and tomato sauce.  All family members would be called to the kitchen, including my Dad, and we would chop up tomatoes and onions for relish and sauce.  There was always a bit of a battle as to who would be landed with cutting up the onions.

Mum would stock up on vinegar and other condiments, and pull out her large pots.  All the bottles and jars that she had saved through the winter months would be pulled out, rewashed and dried, and lined up ready for the bottling.  Soon the wonderful aromas of garlic, spices and tomatoes would be wafting out of the kitchen, as Mum stirred the tomatoey mixture that bubbled gently in large pots on her stove.  She would careful test small amounts of the sauce in a spoon at different intervals to check how it was setting, and if it need to be cooked a little longer. 

As soon as the sauce reached the required thickness, it was taken off the stove and it was time to bottle the mixture into the shiny clean bottles (of all different sizes and shapes) that were lined up on the kitchen skink. When the sauce had cooled in the bottles, Mum would seal, label and date them ready for the pantry cupboard and gifts to family and friends.  Even after we were married, my husband expected to be given a bottle of Mum's tomato or plum (that is another recipe) when ever we visited.  Here is Mum's recipe if you feel like trying it for yourself.!!

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Wordless Wednesday - Barry Shepherd 1952-1953

May 14, 2013, 5:18 am

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This is one of those very special family photos, battered and very much loved.  It is a picture of my Grandfather Roy Herbert with my older brother Barry.  Barry was born on the 10 November 1952, in Broken Hill, NSW and passed away suddenly when he was only six months old in May 1953.

Funeral Card Friday - Marion Miller Taylor (nee McNair) 15 September 1952

June 7, 2013, 12:56 pm

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Funeral card for Marion Miller Taylor

Marion Miller Taylor (nee McNair)

Marion Miller Taylor, (nee McNair) was born in Torphichen, West Lothian Scotland on the 10th August, 1864, and came to Australia in the late 1880s.  She married Richard Taylor on the  1st August 1891, at St Peter's Church, Cook River Rd, Marrickville, Sydney, NSW Australia. She passed away 15 September 1952, 17 years after her husband Richard Taylor, who passed away on the 22st October 1935 (as noted in pencil note on her memorial card).

Time Out - Family Tree Burnout

November 7, 2013, 8:11 pm

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It is November!!
Five months since I last posted a blog!!  I am not sure where the time has gone, but today I received a gentle shove that has given me the motivation to get back to writing about my family history.

I wonder if other bloggers have experienced the need for a little time out, whether it is due to life commitments or just the need to sit back and reflect a little. 

In May I headed off to England to explore some of our family tree roots in Lancashire, Cambridge and Northumberland.   After linking up with fellow researchers I  spend a month visiting old family haunts, graveyards, churches, libraries, farmhouses and pubs.  We wandered through narrow cobbled streets with old census records, tramped through fields with turn-of-the century maps, ate  picnic lunches while sitting amongst family gravestones, had tea and cake with long lost cousins and sipped on a pint or two in an old family pub.

I gathered and collected hundreds of pictures on my camera and Ipad, bought numerous books on local history and was such a frequent visitor to the Colne Library, that the locals were asking me how to use the computers and if I had a key to the toilet. 

Following my month of research, I headed off to visit family and friends in Europe with my husband and all my research was packed into two large postage boxes and set off by Surface Mail, back to Australia.  On my return home I eagerly awaited the arrival of my “Boxes”.  They finally arrived about 4 weeks ago.   However, the motivation to get back into family research mode didn't arrive with it. I think I was suffering a little from research/travel burn out.

I would be interested to hear from other family historians/bloggers if they have had the same experience and how they motivated themselves to get back into it.

That off my chest, lets get back to writing.

Sentimental Sunday - William John Herbert - Uncle Bob

November 10, 2013, 2:49 am

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William John (Bob) Herbert

William John Herbert (1985-1972), or Uncle Bob as I knew him was my grandfather (Roy Clarence Herbert)'s half brother.  He and his wife Florence (nee Beaumont) were my mother's favorite Aunt and Uncle.  They lived in 97 Wolfram Street, Broken Hill. I remember as small child visiting Uncle Bob and Auntie Florry every time our family traveled into town (Broken Hill) from Nuntherungie, the station  where we lived.

Uncle Bob was born in the mining town of Burra, South Australia.  His parents were John Herbert and Louisa Seaforth. John was only seven years old when his mother Louisa died from Cholera. His father, was left with four young children remarried Caroline Hornhardt.  William, along with his siblings attended the Burra State School. He worked in the mines in Burra and then when the first World War broke out he enlisted in the Army. (Service Number - 3703).

At the end of the War he moved to Broken Hill, met Florence Beaumont, married and settled into their modest home.  Uncle Bob was an avid collector of stamps, spending his spare money on first day covers and newly released stamps. It was his enthusiams for stamp collecting that sparked my childhood interest in stamp collecting, and whenever we received a letter or card from Auntie Florry, there would always be a couple of older stamps from his collection on the envelope, especially for me.

Wedding Wednesday - Jessie Taylor and Alfred Smith

November 13, 2013, 4:22 am

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Jessie Taylor and Alfred Smith - 8 January 1921

My husband's grandparents, Jessie Taylor and Alfred Smith were married at the Presbterian Church, Marrickville, NSW, on the 18 January 1921. Alfred was a World War I veteran, who had experienced the ANZAC landing first hand. At the time of their wedding his occupation is described as a printer.  Jessie was employed as a clerk and prior to their marriage she lived with her family at Dolls Point, Sydney.

Jessie and Alfred spent their entire married life living in Tempe, NSW and raising their two sons and two daughters.

Sunday's Obituary - William Taylor 1833-1928

November 16, 2013, 10:30 pm

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Colne Times 3 June 1928

General  regret will be express  in Colne at the death of Mr William Taylor of 62 Alkincoats Road, and formerly of Duke Street, which occurred on Wednesday morning.  Mr Taylor would have been 95 years of age if he had lived until Sunday.  So far as we have been able to ascertain he was the oldest inhabitant of the town. For some time he had resided with his son-in-law and daughter, Mr and Mrs Joseph Hartley, at the above address.  He was predeceased by his wife, who passed away in January of last year at the age of 86.

The late Mr Taylor was born at Burnley, and was a son of the late Mr Richard Taylor, of Lower Hood Hollow, Burnley.  Mr Taylor was formerly in the employ of Colne Corporation, and prior to the incorporation of the borough, of the old Local Board, as Building and Streets Inspector. He held that position for a period of about 20 years, retiring 20 years ago.

Diamond Wedding Ten Years Ago

It is almost impossible to write of Mr Taylor without making reference to his wife.  It will be remembered that Mr and Mrs Taylor celebrated their diamond wedding in July 1918.  They were married at Gill Church, Barnoldswick on July 15th 1858, the ceremony being performed by Rev. J.C. Miller.  They had 16 children, of whom only four are living - two sons and two daughters, one son being in Australia.  They had also had nine or ten grandchildren and some great-grandchildren in Australia.

For many years Mr. and Mrs Taylor were the oldest married couple present at the annual old folk's tea given by the Mayor and Mayoress of the town, but Mrs Taylor was unable to go in 1927, and she died soon afterwards.

It will be remembered that Mrs Taylor was one of the lady veterans of Colne Ambulance Association, and held the position of Lady Superintendent of the Nursing Division for 28 years.  For her ambulance work in the town she was elected an honorary serving sister of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem in England.  Both Mr and Mrs Taylor had been connected with the Church Colne Parish Church, and the  mission Churches - St James and St George's, Alkincoats.  It is interesting link with the past to recall that Mrs Taylor's parents were married in the Colne Parish Church 110 years ago.

 

Lunch Time Discoveries in the Rocks - McGregor Family Bible

November 19, 2013, 2:37 am

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McGregor and Kinnear Family Bibles

As mentioned in my recent blog, Matrilineal Monday - The Ladies of the McGregor Family
I recently received a copy of a family photo of James and Margaret McGregor with a large group of their children, their  partners and grandchildren.  Even more exciting,  each member of the family was identified by name. 

For the last two weeks I have been digging out all my notes, old letters, pouring over old maps, researching in TROVE and other on-line sources, so that I can put together the stories of James and Margaret McGregor’s daughters (who are all depicted in this photo) as my next project on “The other half of my family tree - stories of my female ancestors”.  This has taken me longer than I thought, as I have been discovering new leads and  getting side tracked on interesting family stories.

Over the weekend, I experienced one of those family tree serendipitous moments. A message popped up on my ancestry site, “Are you a direct relative of James McGregor and Margaret McPherson?  If so can you please contact me”.  Puzzled, I sent back a quick response advising that they were my great great grandparents.

Imagine my surprise, when she advised me that she was a volunteer for the Society of Australian Genealogists (SAG) and that she had been trying to find someone connected with James and Margaret as  the Society had a their family bible and wanted to pass it on to a direct descendant.  I was a little gobsmacked!!  Especially by the timing, and the relatedness's to my recent research into the McGregor Family. 

It was with great excitement I ventured out in my lunch hour today, down to the headquarters of the SAG, which is situated in the beautiful historical area of “The Rocks”, near the Sydney Observatory.  I was greeted at the door by one of the volunteers, (who I think was just as excited as I was, at having found a family for the Bible).

We went into what must have been a very ostentatious lounge/parlour room of the beautifulRichmond Villa which had huge bay windows that looked out over Sydney Harbour.  When I inquired as to who the house belonged to I was advised that it had been a private home of architect Mortimer Lewis and the SAG was lucky enough to be given the use of the premises by the State Heritage Council.

We sat down at a small table and the bible was pulled out, very  old, with a brown paper wrapper as its

binding was long gone. This small ragged bible must have so many stories to tell!! Inside the bible there is a page that lists family births, deaths and marriages, all written in different handwriting depicting the different ownership of the book as it was handed down through the family.

 Then!! when I looked through the pages, tucked in between the pages amongst some small dried pressed flowers was a small letter, written by James McGregor, to his daughter Jessie Kinnear (nee McGregor).  He had written this note to her when he passed the Bible on to her for safe keeping. 

However, the discoveries were not over.  The kindly SAG volunteer said, "after looking this I think we may have some other documents that are linked to this Bible".  So we headed downstairs to the storage area.  On the shelves were stacks of family bibles, of all different sizes and in all different states of repair.  Amongst these Bibles we found the two bibles that the SAG volunteer was referring to and yes!! they were also connected to the McGregor family, in particular to James and Margaret McGregor's youngest daughter Jessie Kinnear.

These wonderful discoveries prompted me to join the SAG, as it seems there are some more files, letters etc related to the McGregor Family in their library.  About an hour after my arrival, I struggled out with three family bibles that are at least 170 years old. As I hailed a taxi to help me get back to work, I pondered, what stories will these books reveal!.  

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Those Places Thursday – Araluen 1859 – Home of the McGregor and McPherson Families

November 28, 2013, 3:49 am

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In piecing together the story of the McGregor Sisters, I have spent quite a few fascinating hours

Sydney Morning Herald 29 June 1859

scanning newspaper articles in TROVE, reading about life on the gold fields in the Braidwood and Araluen district during the mid-1800’s.  It is easy to be side tracked as you flick from one article to another.  There are vivid descriptions of floods, snow falls, harsh conditions, lucky finds, accidents, bushrangers and of course the inevitable reports on the amounts of gold found in the previous week.  I was thrilled to find that one of these multi themed reports actually mentioned the McGregor and McPherson families, and thus giving me a clue as to how the McGregor Sisters parents James McGregor and Margaret McPherson met.  They were married in the Presbyterian Church at the nearby settlement of Jinglemoney, on the 23 June 1859, just a few days before this article was published.

It seems from the articlethat the McGregors and McPhersons were making a good living from the gold fields. It was fascinating to see part of the article report on recent snow falls.  I wonder if James and Margaret had snow on the day of their wedding?  

I hope you enjoy the sections of the article that I have included below, and I am sure you will agree these articles from the past bring to life the conditions that these pioneering families lived and thrived in.

Sydney Morning Herald Thursday 30 June 1859 page 5

BRAIDWOOD

(from our correspondent)

“After a storm comes a calm” This proverb is at present being fully verified.  The excitement caused by the elections is now over, the most pleasing reminiscences of the late contest being the contributions made to the different charities of the town by our newly elected member.  But the political excitement of the people has subsided, and a different one is rising in its stead by the unexpected advance in the price of all sorts of supplies.  From 4d. beef has gone up to 6d: from 18s. flour rose to 28s.; from 4s. potatoes rose to 7s.; and everything has taken, this last fortnight, a similar advance.  Heads of large families look, in many instances, dejected, and speak of a rise for their labour.  The rise at Sydney on groceries has been responded to here.  The weather is very dry; the diggers and farmers generally, complain of drought, and many storekeepers are becoming reluctant of furnishing supplies on credit.  A copious fall of rain, without flood, would overcome the unpleasantness that has taken possession of the minds of the community.

Where sufficient water is obtainable on the diggings the results are most satisfactory.  Last week a part of ten, on the Lower Araluen, obtained 96 ounces of gold, and a small company adjoining it, procured above 60 ounces.  On these diggings those who have their work opened and a good stream of water are doing well; indeed, it is rare to hear complaints from people who possess the first-named advantages.  A rush has lately taken place at Mericumbene and on the Moruya river.  Where, a few months ago, the wild beasts of the forest were the sole inhabitants of these regions, now tents, huts and comfortable homes are to be seen, inhabited by healthy and industrious people.  Stores, bakers and butchers’ shops, and public-houses are providing the necessaries of life to hundreds, from Braidwood to nearly Kiora, a distance of above forty miles. The last escort that left town took 2335 ounces of the precious metal.  The greatest part of that amount was procured at the Araluen diggings.  Considering the trouble and expense of getting supplies down there, things are cheaper at Araluen than at Braidwood.

During the last two months McPhersons’s and McGregor’s parties have realised an average of 40 ounces per week; the party is composed of four partners and a few hired men.   Like the auctioneers, we may well say, speaking of the lucky arties, the list of names is too numerous to mention.  At the Little River, and the neighbourhood diggings, the miners are doing pretty well – there, none but persevering people can expect to do well; the chances are very uncertain, but when you do hit upon the lead, it well deserves the title of “luck”……..

Mr Surveyor Ardill and his staff are now engaged to find the boundary line of Messrs Roberts’ property at Araluen, with the Government land.  Latterly there has been so much law work on this question, that the diggers have resolved to have it settled’; they therefore joined together to defray a surveyor’s expenses, and very soon a great annoyance will be stopped.  The same gentleman has also instructions from the Government to survey and mark out a grant from the Crown to the Catholic community of these diggings for the erection of a church, a schoolroom and a reserve for a burial ground. …..

The snow storm that passed over our district on nomination day has left behind traces of its presence.  Numerous trees have been thrown down; branches had to give under the weight of the snow, and many horses shied at the novel sight – thus causing not a few accidents.*

_______________________

*Citation: BRAIDWOOD. (1859, June 30). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 5. Retrieved November 25, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13027028

Wordless Wednesday - with a question?

December 4, 2013, 1:31 am

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Letter from James McGregor to his daughter Jessie Kinnear

In my recent blog Lunch Time Discoveries in the Rocks- McGregor Family Bible  I describe my good fortune after being contacted by the Society of Australian Genealogists (SAG). They were able to pass on to me three diaries connected with the McGregor Family.  In one of the bibles, there was a letter (see above) written by James McGregor to his daughter Jessie when he and his wife Margaret, passed the family bible on to Jessie for safe keeping.

The picture of the letter and its thoughtful and caring blessings fits well with today's theme of Wordless Wednesday.  No description or explanation needed.

However!! I do have a question, that I hope one of my readers can answer.  At the bottom of the letter there is a small white bow, a little faded and worn now, and beside it James as written "My Badge".  I would love to know the significance of this, and would greatly appreciate it if someone could enlighten me. 

Sentimental Sunday - Christmas Greetings from the Past

December 8, 2013, 3:19 am

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Christmas is almost upon us, and it is time to sit and take the time to send out our Christmas cards and family letter. A tradition that is slowly dying out and  being replaced by emailed and facebook Seasons Greetings messages. However, I wonder, do this e-greetings replace the thrill of the arrival of our Christmas mail, with the bundle of cards from distant relatives, friends that you haven't heard from since the last mailing of Christmas greetings and family and friends from over the seas?

I still get a buzz when cards arrive in the mail with little notes of greeting and best wishes, accompanied by snippets of my friend's year just passed.  The tradition of sending cards started in the United Kingdom in 1843 by Sir Henry Cole. The practice of sending cards increased through the 1870 and 1880's and by the turn of the century the sending of Christmas cards became very popular all over the world. 

Among the collection of lovely old postcards and photos that were passed on to my by husbands Great Aunty Tilly are some beautiful family Christmas cards. I am not sure how old these cards are, and would be interested if any readers can provide any information on dating Christmas cards.  

This lovely card was sent to Aunty Tilly probably in the early 1920's, the inside of the card is just as pretty as the front.

The next two cards were sent to Aunty Tilly's family, date unknown.

It is interesting to note the name of the printer is on the inside of the second of these two cards, C.W. Faulkner and Co, London. After a little digging I found out that C.W. Faulkner and Co began in London in 1897 and closed in 1956.  They were very famous for their beautiful postcards and Christmas cards.  They also made board games.

The last card from the collection is quite unusual!

Follow Friday - Recipes from the Past - A Christmas Sweet - 1911

December 12, 2013, 2:47 am

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When scanning through old papers on Trove and British News Papers on line I often come across interesting old recipes from past eras. Why not share some of these?  Maybe others would like to do the same?

In keeping with the festive season I have selected a Christmas dessert that was posted in the Tamworth Daily Observer just before Christmas in 1911. It sounds simple and delicious. 

A Christmas Dessert

Six large oranges

Half a pound of loaf sugar

A quarter of a pint of water

Half a pint of cream with sugar to taste

Put the sugar and water in a saucepan, boil until the sugar is brittle, peel the oranges, remove as much of the pith as possible and divide into slices without breaking the skin that surrounds the juicy part.  

Dip each slice into the hot sugar and arrange in layers around a plain mould, which should be oiled with pure salad oil.  The centre is left open for the cream.  Let the sugar become firm by cooling.  Turn the oranges out on a dish and fill the centre with whipped cream.*

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* 1911 'FLIRTING.', The Tamworth Daily Observer (NSW : 1911 - 1916), 16 December, p. 6, viewed 12 December, 2013, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article109562655

Those Places Thursday - Sharing Memories - Childhood Christmas in the Outback of NSW

December 17, 2013, 3:41 am

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Our Aussie Christmas Tree

Recently I received an email from a friend in England in which she commented. "I  guess you are going to have one of those funny Australian Christmases”.  This made me smile, as Australians love to celebrate Christmas.  It is one of the most important family events of the year and our traditions are a carry-over from our ancestry.  

Quite often  families embrace the customs of their grandparents with the traditional meal of roast meats, baked vegetables, gravy and of course the Christmas pudding with steaming hot custard. We do however give the meal an Australian flavour by including lots of seafood, salads, tropical fruits such as mangoes, lychee's and of course a bowl of cherries.  Christmas is the traditional start to our cherry season and is often equated as the “Christmas fruit”.  There is nothing better than  seeing the littlies  with big red stains around their mouths from munching on the cherries in the Christmas fruit bowl!

 

However, mainly as a result of our climate,  an Australian Christmas is quite different to that experienced by my friend in England, so I thought I would share as part of my Sharing Memories Postsa couple of Christmas stories from my childhood.

As mentioned in previous blogs, my early childhood was spent in the far west of New South Wales, where we lived on the sheep station, Nuntherungie. As with most families, Christmas meant time spend sharing food, drink and adventures with our extended family. This time with family often meant a lot of travel, as my father’s family lived on the South Coast of New South Wales, over 800 miles (about 1,200  kms) away. My mother’s family were much closer, only 120 miles (190 kms) away in Broken Hill.

When I was quite young my father’s family, decided they would make the venture from the seaside village of Milton on the South Coast of NSW to Nuntherungie to celebrate Christmas in our home.  Unfortunately, the hot weather came early that year, with temperatures reaching the high 30’s.  Quite a shock to all the family members who were used to living in the lush coastal region, close to the beach!

House and  with Sleep- out (RH corner)

Our home had glass louvered windows all the way around to allow as much breeze through the house as possible and  away from the main house was a” sleep out” which my parents would sleep in in the summer months.  This was a separate room built away from the house with windows all the way around to help keep the room cooler in the summer.  However, not everyone could fit into the sleep-out, so all and sundry elected to sleep outdoors under the stars, in the hope of catching the smallest of breeze.  The large square of buffalo grass, that made up our “lawn” was covered in a conglomeration of pillows, mattresses, and sheets and sleeping bodies. 

On one corner of the lawn was our version of a Christmas tree.  There are no neat symmetrical pine trees to be found in the outback, so our Christmas tree consisted of a branch of a dead gum tree, sawn off and painted with silver paint and then decorated with home-made streamers and balloons.  Yes, a different Christmas tree!! However, Santa always managed to find our tree, and leave a collection of large lumpy parcels wrapped in bright Christmas paper.

Christmas Day soon arrived, and the sleepy visitors stirred, cups of sweet black tea were passed around as everyone stretched and yawned, finding a spot on the grass amongst the scattered bed clothing from the previous night.  The children, pushing for a spot closest to the tree, waiting for my Dad, as elected Santa’s helper, to pick up each parcel from under out tree, read the tag and passed on to the excited recipients.

Ohhs! And Aah!s came from all corners of the grass, as everyone opened their parcels, squeals of delight from the children at new toys, and sweets, and the tangled mess of bedding was now joined by discarded Christmas paper and ribbon.  What a Christmas morning, and I love the slides that my father took of this day, about fifty five years ago.

The mess cleaned up, the children acquainted themselves with their new toys, while the adults moved into the kitchen to being the preparation for the big family Christmas meal.

Follow Friday - Recipes from the Past - Christmas Recipes

December 20, 2013, 2:06 am

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This week I searched TROVE for a tasty christmas recipe from the past to post for this weeks recipe from the past and found two that I couldn't go past.  These two recipes provide the ingredients for a wonderful christmas I am sure you will agree. Merry Christmas to you all, and I hope you are able to share some of this Christmas Pudding with friends and family.

Sunday Mail (Brisbane) 16 December 1928

Recipe for Christmas Pudding*

Three parts of fun

To four parts of nonsense

Stir them well together:

spice them next with jolly jokes

Take every bit of crossness out,

And every unkind thought:

Bake it in the oven of love

And it shall lack for naught. 

Narromine and Trangie Advocate - 19 December 1930

Recipe for Christmas Pudding**


Take some human nature - as you find it,
The commonest variety will do -
Put a little graciousness behind it,
Add a lump of charity - or two.


Squeeze in just a drop of moderation,
Half as much frugality - or less,
Add some very fine consideration;
Strain off all poverty's distress.


Pour some milk of human kindness in it;
Put in all the happiness you can.
Stir it up with laughter every minute,
season with good-will to every man.


Set it on a fire of heart's affections,
Leave it till the jolly bubbles rise;
Sprinkle it with kisses - for confection,
Sweetenwith a look from loving eyes.


Flavour it with children's merry chatter,
Frost it with the snow of wintry doll's;
Place it on a holly-garnished platter,
Serve it with the song of christmas bells.




_________________
* 1928 'A CHRISTMAS RECIPE.', Sunday Mail (Brisbane) (Qld. : 1926 - 1954), 16 December, p. 16 Supplement: The Sunday Mail Christmas Number, viewed 20 December, 2013, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article128503641 

** 1930 'Recipe for Christmas Pudding.', Narromine News and Trangie Advocate (NSW : 1898 - 1956), 19 December, p. 1, viewed 20 December, 2013, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article99233872

Wisdom Wednesday - 2013 Accentuate The Positive Geneameme

December 31, 2013, 3:39 am

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We are approching the countdown to 2014, and it is time for a little reflection on the passed year.  I must thank Jill Ball, from Geniaus for her wisdom in posing a challenge to all genealogy bloggers that encourages us to look back on our achievements of the last 12 months  with  the 2013 Accentuate the Positive Geneameme.  For me 2013 has been a year of many discoveries as well as sometime out in the second part of the year when work and family commitments left little time for research or blogging.  I was feeling a little slack, however, when I reflect, there have been quite a few high moments in my research and blogging. Here goes with my 2013 Accentuate the Positive Geneameme.

1. An elusive ancestor I found was Donald McDonald, my great great grandfather.  While troving on TROVE on Boxing Day, for articles on gold mining in Araluen and Braidwood districts, by pure accident, I came across the obituary for Donald, which confirmed the stories that my father had related to me many years ago.  The family story was that Donald McDonald was from Canada and came to Australia in the time of the gold rush.  However, I had not been able to find any record to confirm him immigrating to Australia from Canada.  The detailed obituary clarifies this story by advising that Donald first went to the gold fields in California and then traveled with a group of American friends to the gold fields in Australia. This group was known as the Yankees and they established quite a reputation in the area of Bells Creek, Araluen. More stories on this to follow in 2014! 

2. A precious family photo I found was a photo of James and Margaret McGregor, with all their family. What a find! or should I say gift! I was visiting my Aunt in November and we were discussing family tree research over a cup of tea, when she gave me a copy of a photocopy of the picture of James, Margaret and all their family.  The bonus was that each person in the photo was named. This photo was the kick in the "butt" that motivated me to get back into my blogging after a 5 month break.  That following week I started my blogging series on the McGregor Sisters.  Thank you Aunty Inara!

3. The Ancestral graves that I found which meant the most to me in 2013 were those of the Nesbitt Family in Alnwick, Northumberland.  Back in the 1890's, pre-internet, it was difficult to find information on family links in England, so I wrote to the post-offices of the towns that I knew our ancestors came from in the hope they would be able to put me in contact with people in the area with the same surname. One of these letters struck gold.  A worker at the post office at Alnwick, gave my letter to his father, who was a member of St Michael's Church parish in Alnwick.  He wrote a couple of lovely letters to me, these letters included photos of family graves, and post cards of Alnwick.  This year I traveled to the United Kingdom to do some family research and visited Alnwick.  It was so exciting to wander around the cobbled stone streets where my ancestors lived, but the most amazing part of this visit was to rediscover these family graves and take my own photos almost 30 years later.

4. A Genesurprise I received was about two weeks after my Aunt gave me the picture of the McGregor family (see above). I received a message on my Ancestry site, asking if I was related to James and Margaret McGregor? It seemed that the stars were aligned for my McGregor Research.  To cut a long story short a volunteer from the Society of Australian Genealogists (SAG) contacted me, advising that they had James and Margaret's bible and if I liked I could have it! I visited the SAG, and to my delight came away with three family bibles.  See my post: Lunch time discoveries in the Rocks. The bonus of this visit was that I finally joined the SAG and I hope to become more involved with them in 2014.

Alexander McDonald's grave

5. My 2013 blot post that I was particularly proud of was about my great-great uncle Alexander Joseph McDonald. This poignant blog was part of the 2013 Trans Tasmanian ANZAC Dayblog challenge and tells the sad story of Alexander McDonald's landing at Anzac Cove on the 25 April 1915.  By the way, Alexander was the son of Donald McDonald mentioned above in my first point in this blog on my most elusive ancestor discovery for this year.

6. My 2013 blog posts that have received the largest number of hits and comments has been the series that I started on "Sharing Memories". I have really enjoyed putting these personal memories, some with old pictures taken my father to paper.  Hopefully I will be inspired to post more of these memories in 2014.

7. A new piece of software I mastered wasEvernote.  A couple of years ago I wrote a blog on my resolve to start using Evernote.  This year I made a concerted effort to use my Evernote account.  I have found it invaluable in collecting, and sorting notes, web pages, photos, documents, passwords, scanned documents etc.  I don't know about you but I love every now and then to just randomly search the Internet for bits and pieces relating to my family history, i.e. articles on towns they lived in, maps, occupations, social conditions, events that happened in their lives etc.  I collect and tag these links, saving them in the appropriate family tree file for later reference.

8. The social Media tool I enjoyed using this year! I start a Facebook page for Family Stories, Photographs and Memories.  This has allowed me to link with other genealogy sites on Facebook and has been very rewarding.

9. A journal/magazine article I had published? None.  However, this would be a challenge I would like to tackle in 2014 if the opportunity arises.

10. A Genealogy Book that taught me something? My recent focus on researching the McGregor family has made me realise that my knowledge of Scottish Ancestry is very limited.  Two books that I found most useful were: Scottish Family History on the Web, by Stuart A. Raymond, and Scottish Genealogy, by Bruce Durie.

11. A great library that I visited in 2013 was the Colne Library, Lancashire. As I mentioned earlier I went to the UK in the middle of this year with the specific aim of researching the descendants of William Taylor and Elizabeth Rushworth. I spent a month in the small village of Foulridge on the outskirts of Colne, Lancashire, and passed many hours in the local Colne Library. The staff were so helpful, assisting me with all my questions, and showed genuine interest in my research. This included pulling out from their storeroom a forgotten box of pictures from the local Ambulance Station that was given to the library when the station closed.  In this box we found an amazing collection of photos highlighting events and important personalities from the Ambulance Station's history.  Included among these were a number of pictures of Elizabeth Taylor (nee Rushworth).

12.  A history book I enjoyed, was A Lancashire Past: A family love story, by J.W. Foulds. This was a delightful story of life in Lancashire in the early 1900's, and provided a great background and some understanding of life in Colne, Lancashire.

13. It was so exciting to finally meet  and reconnect with fellow researchers of the Taylor/Rushworth family tree. I has been writing and sharing information with this researchers for around three years.  It was so much fun to actually embark on family tree research together, as we visited the old family haunts, homes and churches in Lancashire.

14. The geneadventure I enjoyed was of course, my trip to the United Kingdom. I visited the districts of Arnold, Cambridgeshire; Alnwick, Northumberland; Arnold, Nottingham and of course Colne, Lancashire, all towns linked with branches of my and my husbands family tree. I visited so many churches, pubs, farmhouses, library's and museums, met long lost cousins and discovered photos and family graves and records.  It is my plan to sort and write about these discoveries in the new year.

15. Finally, another positive I would like to share. I consider myself a person who dabbles in blogging and writing history, though if I had more time I would like to take my blogging more seriously.  So when I received an email from the Australian National Library that both my blogs, Family Stories: Photographs and Memories, and The Other Half of My Family Tree - stories of my female ancestors, were to be archived in the Pandora Project, I was quite surprised! and a little chuffed. It certainly puts a little more pressure to write articles of substance!

Well that is all for 2013.  I wish you all the best for the New Year and Happy Blogging for 2014.

_________

Resources:
1. 1913 'OBITUARY.', Windsor and Richmond Gazette (NSW : 1888 - 1954), 12 April, p. 12, viewed 31 December, 2013, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article85849934
2. http://womenfrommyfamilytree.blogspot.com.au/
3. Society of Australian Genealogists, http://www.sag.org.au/ 
4. http://familystoriesphotographsandmemories.blogspot.com.au/
5. Colne Library, http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/libraries/librarydetails/libsearch1.asp?name=Colne

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Amanuensis Monday - The Tantulean Tragedy - Murder Theory

January 12, 2014, 11:02 pm

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I have mentioned in previous blogs the value of researching your family tree links in TROVE. However, when I first started searching for links to my family history, online research wasn't even thought of.  I paid regular visits to local genealogical and history societies, museums and libraries in the search for stories related to my ancestry.  It was in the early 1980's that I visited the museum in the small village of Braidwood. The Braidwood Museum is home to the local historical society, and at that time had a collection of newspapers dating back to the gold mining era. Pen and paper in hand I spend the day, carefully reading and searching for stories related to my family history.  One of the exciting discoveries I found was a story related to my great grand father's (Lynn Shepherd) brother Ralph Shepherd (1876-1933). Here is the article as I transcribed it about 28 years ago.

Braidwood Review, 14 February 1933

The Tantulean Tragedy.

Murder Theory.

Since the finding of the charred remains of the old man Ralph Shepherd, in the smoldering ruins of his homestead at Tantulean on Thursday morning, the district has been agog with excitement.  The scene of the tragedy was first investigated by Sergeant Germer of Braidwood.  Then Detective Sergeant Keogh, who was recently engaged on the evaluation of the park murders, was sent up to investigate.  A reporter came along for a Sydney daily, and spent some days in the vicinity.

The fact that the old man was known to have had a sum of money in his possession, estimated at something like 100 pounds or more and also that he had cased a 10 shilling note the previous day, the change of which could not be found, gave rise everywhere to the theory that ha had been murdered. However, we understand that the change from the 10 shilling note had been found.

In the meantime Detective Sergeant Keogh assisted by Constable Bodel of Goulburn is still pursuing his investigation.  The funeral of the deceased was to have been held on Friday, but acting on instructions from the police this was postponed until yesterday afternoon.

Though some of the silver coins belonging to the man have been found, the common idea locally is that, Shepherd was found done to death in his lonely hut, and that the murderer then set fire to the house to cover up his callous crime.  This theory is advanced on account of the fact that when found the charred body was lying in a normal position, partly on one side, on the remains of a mattress on an iron single bedstead.  The contention is that even had the old man accidentally set fire to his house while fast asleep he must certainly have been awakened when the flames began to seer and scorch his body.

Naturally, he would leave his bed and make an effort to get outside.  Even assuming he was partly smothered before he was properly awake he must surely have at least rolled from his bed to the floor in his dying struggles.  But he did not move, he was lying in the middle of his bed.  Particular significance is attached to this theory.  Then again, the finding of the coins would not signify very much.  The murderer would hardly bother about a few paltry coins when the big roll of 100 pounds was safely in his possession.

Rumour has it that parts of the metal of the old mans braces were found lying near his remains, indicating that he was clothed when the fire began to consume him. It is also rumoured that no sign of any metal such as would have come from the remains of his purse were located near him.  These reports further confirm the belief that Shepherd was murdered.

The theory that the old man accidentally knocked his lamp over in his sleep and thus set his house ablaze would not appear to hold much water.  Shepherd did not use kerosene, preferring to keep the old fashioned candle.  There was no kerosene in the house  Neither did the old man smoke.  Over twelve months ago when the price of tobacco rose, he gave up smoking and has not smoked since.

Each week when he secured his groceries he always purchased 3d or 6d worth of lollies.  These made up for the loss of his tobacco.

People who should know are very definite that Shepherd must have had well over 100 pounds in his possession when death overtook him. He was receiving a pension that was more than sufficient to keep him, and in addition he had a small paddock leased for some years for which he had been receiving 15 pounds per year rent and latterly 10 pounds per year.

Though the report has gone out that the cause of the fire and of the death of Shepherd was accidental, that fact that Detective Sergeant Keog is still investigating and it would not create surprise if in the course of the next few days some startling and sensational developments took place.

Thriller Thursday - The Mystery Surrounding the Death of Ralph Shepherd

January 16, 2014, 2:23 am

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In my last post "Amanuensis Monday - The Tantulean Tragedy - Murder Theory", I shared an article that I transcribed in the early 1980’s about the Mystery surrounding the murder of my great grand uncle Ralph Shepherd.  I came across this article by accident when researching the family tree in the Braidwood Museum and Historical Society. 

Was he murdered?  What was his story?  Why was he living alone?  Time to do some digging, and thanks to TROVE, I found numerous references to Ralph’s murder.  It seems that his death was reported widely in the newspapers of that time.  I found references to the his death in papers from, Goulburn,  Adelaide, Sydney, Broken Hill,Cairns, Lismore and Braidwood.

So what was Ralph Shepherd’s story?  He was born in 1876, the youngest son of Lynn Shepherd II and Harriet Webb, a pioneering couple who had lived in the area since their marriage at Araluen in 1855. His father, Lynn, was a farmer and carrier, and the family had lived on a number of properties in the region. Their final years were at  Tantulean about a mile and a half from Mongarlowe in the Braidwood district. After the death of his parents, Ralph inherited the family homestead and 90 acres of land that went with it.  “Old Ralph” was an invalid pensioner and had lived on his own since his mother passed away in 1917.  It was reported that he was a bit of a loner and eccentric in his ways He was well known in the district  and without any known enemies. Though living alone, he still visited family members, including frequent visits  (a six mile walk) to his sister Sophia Higgs for dinner on Sundays. 

Suspicions were aroused when he was found after fire had destroyed the old family homestead.  His body was discovered the next day, headless and with the limbs extensively burnt.  Dr Harris the Braidwood medical practitioner who examined the body, describes the damage caused by the intensity of the fire, “I saw the remains of a body which had been destroyed by fire.  The arms and legs were quite burnt, nothing remaining but bone dust and ends of bones. The skull was disconnected from the body and consisted of four pieces, which I examined for signs of injury, of which there were none. The body consisted of a charred mass.”  

The police had been informed that Ralph was in possession of a considerable sum of money in notes, as well as a purse with change from purchases he had made in town on the day of his death.  The fact that this money hadn’t been found meant the case was looked on as being one of murder and robbery. Rumours were flying thick and fast,“parts of the old man’s braces were found lying near his remains, indicating that he was clothed when the fire began to consume him.  It was also rumoured that no sign of any metal such as would come from the remains of his purse were located near him.  These reports further confirm the belief that Shepherd was murdered.".

Even though the local constabulary had reported that the fire that had caused Shepherds death was an accident, caused by a candle being knocked down and igniting the papers and books near his bed, the locals were not convinced.  “Though the report has one out that the cause of the fire and of the death of Shepherd was accidental death, the fact remains that Detective Sergeant Keogh is still investigating, and it would not create surprise if in the course of the next few days some startling and sensational developments took place.”

However the rumours were laid to rest following the Coroner’s Inquest and although the police could not determine the exact circumstances surrounding his demise. After examination of the scene of the fire, and the discovery of the missing change, they discarded the original belief that he had been murdered.  Instead they believed his death was the result of an accident, possibly he had been reading with a candle beside the bed and gone to sleep.  The candle flames had come into contact with paper on the wall or rending material and setting the house on fire. This conclusion is supported by the fact that the homestead was old and in a bad state of repair. One newspaper article reports “ The paper was cracked between the slabs on the wall and the paper was torn, The ceiling was lined with hessian and covered with paper.  The building was one of the old type- heavily-slabbed walls and sawn timber for flooring.”

At the inquest family members confirmed that Ralph had the habit of reading at night by candlelight and had a small table near the bed covered in books and papers.  His brother Frederick Shepherd recalled a similar incident when his Ralph had visited him 10 years previously when a dressing table was set alight by the lamp he had left on in the night.  Some members of the family reported that Ralph was sometimes childish in his manner and had spent some time as an inmate of Kenmore Mental Hospital as a patient. I was able to find a reference that Ralph was committed to Kenmore in 1908. However, I do not know the reason or how long he spent there.

One has to agree this is such a sad story.  A simple man, who had most probably been cared and looked after by his mother until her death.  He was then left to live and cope on his own.  Though he seemed to have an established routine within his community, with visits to the local stores and weekend visits and dinner at his sister’s house, it was a very solitary existence. Certainly, his death was a tragedy in a time where there was little support for those living on their own. 

  ______________________

Resources: 

1. 1933 'ACCIDENTAL DEATH.', Goulburn Evening Penny Post (NSW : 1881 - 1940), 17 February, p. 3 Edition: DAILY and EVENING, viewed 16 January, 2014, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article102868399

2. 1933 'MAN BURNT IN FIERCE FIRE.', News (Adelaide, SA : 1923 - 1954), 11 February, p. 1, viewed 16 January, 2014, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article133063123

3. 1933 'CHARRED REMAINS.', The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), 13 February, p. 9, viewed 16 January, 2014, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16952465

4. 1933 'FOUL PLAY NOT SUSPECTED.', Northern Star (Lismore, NSW : 1876 - 1954), 13 February, p. 4, viewed 16 January, 2014, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article94205661

5. 1933 'INCINERATED.', Cairns Post (Qld. : 1909 - 1954), 13 February, p. 7, viewed 16 January, 2014, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article41174876

6. 1933 'The Tantulean Tragedy.', The Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal (NSW : 1888 - 1954), 17 February, p. 3, viewed 16 January, 2014, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article119356497

7. 1933 'TRAGIC BURNING FATALITY.', The Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal (NSW : 1888 - 1954), 10 February, p. 2, viewed 16 January, 2014, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article119358448

Australia Day Challenge 2014: C’mon Aussie

January 22, 2014, 3:39 am

≫ Next: Thankful Thursday - More Discoveries at the SAG

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It is hard to resist an Australia geneameme.  Thanks Pauline from "Family History Across the Seas" for opening up this challenge. I think you would have to agree that over the last 25 years there has been a wonderful resurgence in the celebration of Australia Day. Present day celebrations is a time for all Australians no matter their background to celebrate their life in Australia.  A time to celebrate our diversity, internationalism and of course our idiosyncrasies. Here is my contribution.

CLIMBING YOUR FAMILY’S GUM TREE

My first ancestor to arrive in Australia was:Elizabeth (nee Mariner) and Lynn David Shepherd . They

Charles Webb and his wife Mary Ann Wood

arrived with their family in 1827 on the "Norfolk".  Lynn was a soldier in the Royal Veterans Corps.

I have Australian Royalty (tell us who, how many and which Fleet they arrived with): Only one convict that I know of, Charles Webb, he was sent to Australia in 1827 for pig stealing. 

I’m an Aussie mongrel, my ancestors came to Oz from:Scotland, UK  Germany, Canada and Ireland.

Did any of your ancestors arrive under their own financial steam? Yes

How many ancestors came as singles?  There are three who came out on their own.

How many came as couples? Most came out in family groups, however two sisters Emma Jane and Mary Ann Weston came out together in 1856.

How many came as family groups?  Six families came out in groups, the largest being the Golding family.  Three generations of the Golding family came from Oakington, Cambridge on the "Epamidonas" to South Australia in 1852.

Did one person lead the way and others follow?Yes in the case of Emma Jane and Mary Ann Weston, their Uncle Alfred Weston arrived a couple of years before them.

What’s the longest journey they took to get here? I can't be sure of this.

Did anyone make a two-step emigration via another place?Yes, my ggg grandfather Donald McDonald was from Williamstown, Ontario, Canada.  At a young age he went to seek his fortune on the gold fields of California, then he immigrated to Australia with some friends to work in the gold mines in the Braidwood/Araluen district of New South Wales.

Which state(s)/colony did your ancestors arrive? South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia.

Did they settle and remain in one state/colony? Yes, some from South Australia to New South Wales and Western Australia.

Did they stay in one town or move around? A number of the families moved from town to town following the gold discoveries, then when the gold ran out, they went into farming and small businesses such as carriers and shopkeepers.

Do you have any First Australians in your tree? No.

Were any self-employed?Yes, farmers, miners, carriers, shop keepers.

What occupations or industries did your earliest ancestors work in?Soldier, farming and mining.

Does anyone in the family still follow that occupation? No.

Did any of your ancestors leave Australia and go “home”? No.

NOW IT'S ALL ABOUT YOU

What’s your State of Origin? New South Wales.

Do you still live there?  Yes.

Where was your favourite Aussie holiday place as a child?   My Nanna’s place at Milton, close to the beach at Mollymook and Ulludalla on the South Coast of NSW.

Any special place you like to holiday now?There are so many areas of Australia that I would like to visit, one that is high on my list is Western Australia. It would be great to have some time to drive up its coastline!

Share your favourite spot in Oz.There are lots of lovely places in Australia but I do have a soft spot for the Blue Mountains, Katoomba and the village of Leura.

Any great Aussie adventure you’ve had?

I think my childhood was a bit of an Aussie Adventure, I spent the first 10 years of my life on a sheep station in outback New South Wales near the Opal mining town of White Cliffs, where I did School of the Air and Correspondence School.  We then moved to another property near the town of Quambone, for a year.  Here my sisters and I had our first experience of real school, in a small two classroom school (one for infants and the other for primary students).  From here we moved to Gulargambone (you have to love the names) where I completed primary school, before being sent to Dubbo High, (boarding at a girls hostel) for my first year of High School.  Then, my father took up a position on a property in the Riverina District, and I completed most of my high Schooling at Griffith High School, which at that time had 1600 children attending.  A big change from my primary school years!

What’s on your Australian holiday bucket list? The wineries in WA, Ayres Rock, Broome are among the many.

How do you celebrate Australia Day? We usually have a barbeque with family and friends at the beach or in someone’s back yard.

HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY

Thankful Thursday - More Discoveries at the SAG

January 29, 2014, 1:15 pm

≫ Next: Sunday's Obituary - James McGregor (1833-1917)

≪ Previous: Australia Day Challenge 2014: C’mon Aussie

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Lunch Time Discoveries in the Rocks – McGregor Family Bible continued

In mid-November, I wrote about my first visit to the Society of Australian Genealogists (SAG) and my fortunate acquiring of James and Margaret McGregor’s family Bibles.  At the time of that visit one of the staff at SAG advised me that the Bible was part of an estate and along with the bible were a number of files, letters and photos relating to the McGregor, Kinnear and McPherson Families that I should check out.

Finally, last weekend, I was able to allocate some time to venture intoRichmond Villa again.  Earlier in the week I made arrangements with the SAG Archives to have the files pulled out and ready for me on Saturday morning.  Tingling with anticipation, armed with my camera, Ipad, pencils and paper, it was time to catch the train and head into the city.  I wondered, what new clues would I unearth today?

Upon arrival, I was greeted in reception area with my new SAG membership card, two envelopes of photos and four files of documents and advised that I had the place to myself for the morning.  Settling at one of the tables next to one of the Bay Windows in the lovely parlour area that looks out over the “Rocks” and Sydney Harbour I started to work my way through and amazing collection of research that was started by one of my distant cousins, Gordon, in the late 1960’s.  The collection held numerous hand written letters to historical societies andlocal identities from areas where the McGregor’s and lived and other relatives.

There were two exchanges of letters that stood out, one with the owner of the property Gingamona (near Braidwood).  The McGregor family had owned and lived on a small plot of land that is now part of this property.  Mr Hill was excited to share his knowledge of the property, and the link with the McGregors.  The other exchange of numerous letters was between Gordon and my father’s sister, Aunty Nancy. These were very special, because Aunty Nancy was the person who encouraged me the most when I first started researching the family tree, and we worked and shared information on our family history for many years.  It was delightful to read the letters which spanned over 20 years comparing and sharing notes and new discoveries, putting together pieces of the family tree puzzle together.   

Soldier from the 42 Regiment of Foot

In our world of the Internet, and online documents, and quest for instant information we tend to forget what it was like to research for family information pre Internet. Each folder held, carbon copies of letters that had been painstakingly sent to numerous people such as local churches, diocese, and Registry Offices in Australia and Scotland, each giving family details and seeking more information on where they came from, other relatives, and their military service.  Wow!  It was a lot to take in.  He had actually been successful in obtaining the military record for Margaret McGregor (McPherson)’s Grandfather Captain Donald McPherson, and there was a copy in the file!! He served in the 42 Higland Regiment of Footfrom 25 June 1811-31 March 1831.  (Ah, another story to write!)

Over the past couple of months, as background to my blogs on the McGregor sisters,I have been reading and researching as much as I can about the McGregor/McPherson family. As  I made my way through the letters, photos and newspaper cuttings quite a few things clicked into place, answered some questions and posed even more.

Bushrangers - Clarke Brothers

One thing that did intrigue me was that in a couple of letters it was mentioned that his grandmother, Jessie McGregor, remembered being held up by bushrangers when she was a child living in the Braidwood Araluen district. However, they were allowed to move on, no one hurt or anything stolen.  What? I thought, I am sure I read somewhere recently in trove a similar story.  Will have to go back and check this!!   

Goodness,  two hours had passed before I knew it! It was time to start making some copies for later research!  After a quick call to my husband to let him home I wasn’t going to be home for that late lunch, I carefully made my way through each file, taking photos and making copies of documents of interest. 

Finally, at around 3.30 pm, with tired eyes but a happy mind, I bid farewell to the SAG staff member, handed her back the files and made my way home with bag full of photocopied letters and documents, to be perused and pondered over in my quest to unlock the stories related to the McGregor and McPherson families.

Sunday's Obituary - James McGregor (1833-1917)

February 2, 2014, 3:01 am

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Among the files that I looked at last weekend at the Society of Australia Genealogists (SAG) was the hand written obituary for James McGregor (my great great Grandfather). A photo of James, his wife Margaret and their children and grand-children, can be found on my blog, The Other Half of my Family - stories of my female ancestors,  where I have started to write the stories his daughters. 

Obituary of James McGregor

Published by local Balmain/Rozelle Newspaper Copied by Miss Hind (Rita)   2^nd Cousin of G.A. Kinnear of Willyama Avenue Fairlight, who has Original.

"The death occurred on Tuesday 19^th June 1917, at 7 Booth St. Balmain of Mr James McGregor, a resident of Balmain for 29 years, as the result of an accident which took place 5 weeks previously.

Mr McGregor was born in Glasgow in 1833 and came out to Australia in 1849, where he settled in the Braidwood district, on a sheep Station. He married Miss Margaret McPherson at Braidwood on 213 June 1859.  After spending 3 years on the Station, he followed mining pursuits in Braidwood, Shoalhaven River and New Zealand until 1878, when he came to settle in Balmain with his wife and family.

While in Balmain he was employed at Vickery’s Tannery, Callan Park Asylum Buildings and was later employed by the Balmain Council in charge of Gladstone Park. He retired in 1907 and it was one of the pleasures of his remaining to spend some of his time in the park and view the growth of the trees which he had so carefully nurtured in their young days.

Mr McGregor was a thorough Christian in word and deed, being a member of St Paul’s Rozelle and for the past 18 years of Campbell Street Presbyterian Church.  For many years with his family, he took an active part in Good Templary as a member of “We Hope to Prosper” and “Haste to the Rescue” Lodges, and remained a consistent total abstainer to his death.  He was also a member of the Grand United Order of Oddfellows which he joined 53 years ago.

He leaves a widow, who is in her 77^th year, seven daughters, two sons, 28 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

The Rev. Geo. Cranston of Campbell St Presbyterian Church conducted the service at the house, and also at the Grave, Field of Mars, where his body was laid to rest in the presence of a large number of relatives and friends."

Gladstone Park, Balmain, Just across the road from James McGregor's home in Booth Street, possibly where James sat in his last days, enjoying the pleasures of the park that he had cared for while working for the Balmain Council