When I wrote a note to Arthur McArthur, I never thought I would get a reply. But, very recently, I did get a reply .... from the other side.
Yes, I know, it's a bit unreal. I had the opportunity to see a clairvoyant recently and out of the blue, Arthur barged his way into my session indicating that I was looking at the family tree. At first I was confused about an Arthur because I personally have no Arthur's in my family but then I realised that it could only be Arthur McArthur.
So, with great hesitation, I asked him some questions (through the clairvoyant of course) and here are his answers and my thoughts:
DP: What happened to you?
AM: Ship Madagascar although this was said as a sort of word game and the letters could be jumbled. There was also Madeline.
I have since found that the Madagascar ship did sail from London to Melbourne in mid 1853 but Arthur would only have been 13 years of age. There were plenty of 'children' on board ships in those days so it is not unrealistic to think that Arthur could have been on this ship. There is also the conundrum that his parents cannot be found in the 1851 England Census - there was a cholera outbreak in London in 1849 when some 14,000 Londoners were killed and there were mass burials. His parents could have died then which would have made him an orphan. However, there is a family story that Arthur walked the halls of Guys Hospital in London - his father was a tailor and Arthur may have done this as a very young boy, delivering clothing to the hospital. It is certainly possible. It is also possible that he may have been on that ship. More work is needed.
AM: Arthur then indicated a date circa 1898.
Well, it was around 1900 that I have 'lost' Arthur which was around the time of the death of his father-in-law who's Will stated categorically that Arthur was not to receive anything from his Estate.
DP: Why did you leave?
AM: To escape the tyranny of injustice. He also said he feels remorse about leaving.
As mentioned earlier, the injustice could have been with regard to the Will.
DP: Can you give me some names? (I thought here that he would say Esther, his wife)
AM: Adelaide. Josephine Montgomery. Bethany, Ann, Joseph. He also said "Unrequited love".
I can understand the Adelaide reference as this comes out also in his son, George's life. George enlisted in Adelaide and we don't know why. Perhaps he was with his father in Adelaide? Certainly there are McArthur's in Adelaide but we haven't established a link or found anything else here.
With regard to the names, they are names I have never heard before and I will do more research to see if I can find anything. But...
It's still a mystery to be solved - I hope.
Saturday 24 February 2018
ON THIS DAY (27 Jan) in 1833, John Pendergast passed away
ON
THIS DAY in 1833, John Pendergast passed away in Windsor and was buried
in the Windsor Catholic Cemetery which is a large family vault (see
photo in comments). He was the 3xgreat maternal grandfather of Lachlan
Brown.
Our first convict! Also known as Prendergast and Pender.
Born on 7 June 1769 in the Coombe area of Dublin which was known as the weavers’ district. John Prendergast was tried, along with others, on 24 April 1798 with felony of receiving stolen goods from Alderman Lyndon. He was found guilty and sentenced to transport beyond the seas for 7 years – he was 30 years of age. It is unclear whether this was the same person who had previously been arrested in Kildare for Irish rebel offences.
The Minerva left Cork on 24 August 1799 bound for the new colony of NSW. John Pendergast was on board, listed as a weaver. The Minerva was the first transport to arrive in Sydney with United Irishmen on board, transported for their role in the 1998 rebellion. This is the reason there are thoughts that the Pender arrested for rebel offences, may just be the same Pendergast on board the Minerva. The Rebels were transported with a note to say that they were not ever to go back to Ireland but there is evidence that some did indeed go back to their homeland. The Minerva arrived at Sydney Cove on 11 January 1800, the journey having taken 139 days, and all prisoners were then sent to Parramatta and Town Gabby for distribution. (see extracts and notes from John Washington Price, surgeon on the Minerva.)
Although John was still technically a prisoner, by the 1801 Muster he was working land in what was then known as Mulgrave Place or the Windsor district as we now know it. He had also had a child named John with his partner Catherine – there is no record of either a marriage, the birth of John, or of the death of Catherine so we presume Catherine’s death was soon after the birth of their son.
John travelled to Parramatta to have a housekeeper assigned to him to help with the child and presumably to feed him as he was tending his lands and crops. Whether by coincidence or by planning, the transport Nile had arrived at Sydney Cove by the end of December 1801 and had sent her convict women to Parramatta to be indented as domestic servants which was a common occurrence in that early time of the colony as the settlers and released convicts were able to have newly landed convicts assigned to them if they agreed to house and feed them, thus releasing the colony from having to house and feed the new arrivals ‘on stores’ or from the stock brought into the colony from each transport. Jane Williams was a convict from the Nile and she was indented to John as his housekeeper - more about her mid year.
John and Jane were never legally married although they certainly lived as husband and wife and had 7 children. They lived on land John procured or purchased in Cornwallis which is across the river from Windsor on very flat land which was, and still is, prone to flooding. It would have been a very basic, crude way of life for Jane who came from the bustling city of Bristol in the UK. What a culture shock it must have been! In March 1805 John was “free by servitude”. He also had land at Upper Half Moon Bay where there was an orchard – the orchard still stands on that land to this day. He was known to transport his produce (wheat, grain, hogs, goats, corn etc) to Sydney town by barge on the Hawkesbury River so he would have been away from home for many many days at a stretch. John had also acquired land with both Grants and by purchase at Kurrajong, Windsor and Wollombi.
Shortly before his death, John transferred several properties to his sons John, James and William and to Thomas’ son John (Thomas had already established himself and had substantial property of his own in the Monaro district). John died intestate and just four days after his death, his son William called on his mother and John Pendergast’s next of kin to show cause why the remaining estate should not be handed over to him, William. Letters of administration granted by the NSW Supreme Court for the estate suggest that the arrangement was amicable.
It was a tough life in the far reaches of the Hawkesbury but John Pendergast prospered through hard work and possibly good luck as nothing in those early days of the Colony was certain.
From
the Journal of John Washington Price, Surgeon, on the "Minerva" which
left Cork on 24 August 1799 and arrived at Sydney Cove on 11 January
1800.
Our first convict! Also known as Prendergast and Pender.
Born on 7 June 1769 in the Coombe area of Dublin which was known as the weavers’ district. John Prendergast was tried, along with others, on 24 April 1798 with felony of receiving stolen goods from Alderman Lyndon. He was found guilty and sentenced to transport beyond the seas for 7 years – he was 30 years of age. It is unclear whether this was the same person who had previously been arrested in Kildare for Irish rebel offences.
The Minerva left Cork on 24 August 1799 bound for the new colony of NSW. John Pendergast was on board, listed as a weaver. The Minerva was the first transport to arrive in Sydney with United Irishmen on board, transported for their role in the 1998 rebellion. This is the reason there are thoughts that the Pender arrested for rebel offences, may just be the same Pendergast on board the Minerva. The Rebels were transported with a note to say that they were not ever to go back to Ireland but there is evidence that some did indeed go back to their homeland. The Minerva arrived at Sydney Cove on 11 January 1800, the journey having taken 139 days, and all prisoners were then sent to Parramatta and Town Gabby for distribution. (see extracts and notes from John Washington Price, surgeon on the Minerva.)
Although John was still technically a prisoner, by the 1801 Muster he was working land in what was then known as Mulgrave Place or the Windsor district as we now know it. He had also had a child named John with his partner Catherine – there is no record of either a marriage, the birth of John, or of the death of Catherine so we presume Catherine’s death was soon after the birth of their son.
John travelled to Parramatta to have a housekeeper assigned to him to help with the child and presumably to feed him as he was tending his lands and crops. Whether by coincidence or by planning, the transport Nile had arrived at Sydney Cove by the end of December 1801 and had sent her convict women to Parramatta to be indented as domestic servants which was a common occurrence in that early time of the colony as the settlers and released convicts were able to have newly landed convicts assigned to them if they agreed to house and feed them, thus releasing the colony from having to house and feed the new arrivals ‘on stores’ or from the stock brought into the colony from each transport. Jane Williams was a convict from the Nile and she was indented to John as his housekeeper - more about her mid year.
John and Jane were never legally married although they certainly lived as husband and wife and had 7 children. They lived on land John procured or purchased in Cornwallis which is across the river from Windsor on very flat land which was, and still is, prone to flooding. It would have been a very basic, crude way of life for Jane who came from the bustling city of Bristol in the UK. What a culture shock it must have been! In March 1805 John was “free by servitude”. He also had land at Upper Half Moon Bay where there was an orchard – the orchard still stands on that land to this day. He was known to transport his produce (wheat, grain, hogs, goats, corn etc) to Sydney town by barge on the Hawkesbury River so he would have been away from home for many many days at a stretch. John had also acquired land with both Grants and by purchase at Kurrajong, Windsor and Wollombi.
Shortly before his death, John transferred several properties to his sons John, James and William and to Thomas’ son John (Thomas had already established himself and had substantial property of his own in the Monaro district). John died intestate and just four days after his death, his son William called on his mother and John Pendergast’s next of kin to show cause why the remaining estate should not be handed over to him, William. Letters of administration granted by the NSW Supreme Court for the estate suggest that the arrangement was amicable.
It was a tough life in the far reaches of the Hawkesbury but John Pendergast prospered through hard work and possibly good luck as nothing in those early days of the Colony was certain.
ON THIS DAY (26 Jan) in 1965, Lachlan Hugh Brown passed away
ON THIS DAY (26 Jan) in 1965, Lachlan Hugh Brown (Grandpa) passed away, aged
67.
He suffered a heart attack as a consequence of suffering from emphysema for the previous 10 years. He was a heavy smoker. He was born on 23rd May 1898 in Condoblin to Henry James and Annie (nee Lynch). His birth certificate named him as Hugh Lachlan although his Will and his Death Certificate, all state he was Lachlan Hugh and he signed his name Lachlan. You can’t rely on even original sources to get it right!
He suffered a heart attack as a consequence of suffering from emphysema for the previous 10 years. He was a heavy smoker. He was born on 23rd May 1898 in Condoblin to Henry James and Annie (nee Lynch). His birth certificate named him as Hugh Lachlan although his Will and his Death Certificate, all state he was Lachlan Hugh and he signed his name Lachlan. You can’t rely on even original sources to get it right!
He played a good game of tennis in his youth and was once doubles
champion at Manly Tennis Club. He loved going to the movies on a
Saturday, usually by himself, and spent a deal of time reading critiques
of every movie, keeping a note of everything in his little black book.
He enjoyed going to the rugby union at North Sydney Oval, sometimes
taking his daughter Janet along but she spent the time on the swings in
the park next door.
At the age of 31, Lachlan married Ida Florence Homan on 19th June 1929 at St James Church in Sydney. They had two daughters, Pamela Maud and Janet Isabel and the family lived in various homes in Mosman until the start of WWII when they had to sell their own home and move to 1 Silex Road to look after Ida’s grandmother, Jane Wilson Chapman (nee Sanderson) who was known as Nanny. During the War, German nationals were interned as they were classed as enemy aliens and as Nanny’s German maid was one of those interned, Lachlan and Ida had to look after Nanny who was around 95 years of age at that time.
Lachlan joined the Voluntarily Enlisted Army during WWII on 27th March 1942 at the age of 43 years 10 months and was discharged on 14th May 1944 as “unable to attend parades”. That was possibly after one route march he went on which started at Spit Junction and finished at the Blinking Light intersection – now known as Wakehurst Parkway/Warringah Road intersection. He was totally wrecked after that march which is not surprising as that’s some distance.
After Nanny passed away, Lachlan and Ida purchased 64 Muston Street, Mosman, where grandchildren can still remember visiting and staying overnight in large old fashioned bedrooms which had big beds and dark drapes at the windows. They can also remember their Grandpa as a small “slim” man, he was only 5’ 6”, who sat on the steps of the room at the back of the house, rolling his own cigarettes, watching his grandchildren playing.
He was a quiet man and never spoke about his family, or anything really. He was only 66 years old when he passed away.
At the age of 31, Lachlan married Ida Florence Homan on 19th June 1929 at St James Church in Sydney. They had two daughters, Pamela Maud and Janet Isabel and the family lived in various homes in Mosman until the start of WWII when they had to sell their own home and move to 1 Silex Road to look after Ida’s grandmother, Jane Wilson Chapman (nee Sanderson) who was known as Nanny. During the War, German nationals were interned as they were classed as enemy aliens and as Nanny’s German maid was one of those interned, Lachlan and Ida had to look after Nanny who was around 95 years of age at that time.
Lachlan joined the Voluntarily Enlisted Army during WWII on 27th March 1942 at the age of 43 years 10 months and was discharged on 14th May 1944 as “unable to attend parades”. That was possibly after one route march he went on which started at Spit Junction and finished at the Blinking Light intersection – now known as Wakehurst Parkway/Warringah Road intersection. He was totally wrecked after that march which is not surprising as that’s some distance.
After Nanny passed away, Lachlan and Ida purchased 64 Muston Street, Mosman, where grandchildren can still remember visiting and staying overnight in large old fashioned bedrooms which had big beds and dark drapes at the windows. They can also remember their Grandpa as a small “slim” man, he was only 5’ 6”, who sat on the steps of the room at the back of the house, rolling his own cigarettes, watching his grandchildren playing.
He was a quiet man and never spoke about his family, or anything really. He was only 66 years old when he passed away.
The Silly Grasshopper poem
The Silly Grasshopper
This is a poem which was recently recited at Bon McArthur's funeral by his granddaughter, Sarah.
This was a poem taught to the three McArthur children Monica, Joan and Bon by their mother, Beatrice (Birdie) and it has been passed down through the generations.
This is a poem which was recently recited at Bon McArthur's funeral by his granddaughter, Sarah.
This was a poem taught to the three McArthur children Monica, Joan and Bon by their mother, Beatrice (Birdie) and it has been passed down through the generations.
The poem
is actually known as The Conceited Grasshopper and it has been found in
newspapers in Australia, NZ and America from early 1881.
We presume that Birdie was taught the poem by her parents as a child back home in Somerset but we can't be certain.
We presume that Birdie was taught the poem by her parents as a child back home in Somerset but we can't be certain.
ON THIS DAY (3rd Jan) in 1935 Grace McLean passed away.
ON THIS DAY in 1935 Grace McLean passed away in Sydney, aged 59 - 3rd January.
The Colony of Fiji became a British colony in 1874 after many years of unrest amongst the Fijian Chiefs, the Tongan Chiefs who had claimed much of what we now know as Fiji, and the British Parliament, the Colony of Fiji was formed in 1874. Then, in 1875, Fiji suffered a catastrophic measles epidemic with about a third of the population succumbing to the disease.
This was the Fiji that Grace was born into in 1875 to William and Isabella Graburn (nee McInnes). Grace’s siblings were: Mary Isabella, Ossella, Nelson and Arthur and Agnes.
The Colony of Fiji became a British colony in 1874 after many years of unrest amongst the Fijian Chiefs, the Tongan Chiefs who had claimed much of what we now know as Fiji, and the British Parliament, the Colony of Fiji was formed in 1874. Then, in 1875, Fiji suffered a catastrophic measles epidemic with about a third of the population succumbing to the disease.
This was the Fiji that Grace was born into in 1875 to William and Isabella Graburn (nee McInnes). Grace’s siblings were: Mary Isabella, Ossella, Nelson and Arthur and Agnes.
Grace married Farquhar Frederick McLean in 1900. They had three
children: Marjorie Graburn (born 6/6/1903 who married Roy Stanley
Fenton); Malcolm Graburn (born 1905 who married Kathleen Quayle); and
Ian (born 1906 who married Lillian Louis).
During this time, Farquhar was working at Morris Hedstroms in Suva and during the depression he started his own business selling fabric. A fire in Suva in 1923 engulfed the entire street including 8 tailors, 18 refreshment rooms (grog shopos) and many other retailers. Farquhar rebuilt the drapery business but then a hurricane hit Suva and destroyed all the new stock.
At the beginning of 1935 Grace and Farquhar moved to Sydney to live with Marjorie and Roy Fenton. However, Grace was suffering from hydatids from eating rabbits in Fiji. She went straight into hospital for an operation but suffered surgical shock (low blood pressure) and died a few hours later. It was 3rd January 1935.
DEATH NOTICE in Sydney Morning Herald:
McLEAN – January 3, 1935. Grace (nee Graburn), dearly beloved wife of F.F. McLean and loving mother of Marjorie (Mrs R.S. Fenton), Malcolm and Ian, late of Suva, Fiji, aged 62 years.
During this time, Farquhar was working at Morris Hedstroms in Suva and during the depression he started his own business selling fabric. A fire in Suva in 1923 engulfed the entire street including 8 tailors, 18 refreshment rooms (grog shopos) and many other retailers. Farquhar rebuilt the drapery business but then a hurricane hit Suva and destroyed all the new stock.
At the beginning of 1935 Grace and Farquhar moved to Sydney to live with Marjorie and Roy Fenton. However, Grace was suffering from hydatids from eating rabbits in Fiji. She went straight into hospital for an operation but suffered surgical shock (low blood pressure) and died a few hours later. It was 3rd January 1935.
DEATH NOTICE in Sydney Morning Herald:
McLEAN – January 3, 1935. Grace (nee Graburn), dearly beloved wife of F.F. McLean and loving mother of Marjorie (Mrs R.S. Fenton), Malcolm and Ian, late of Suva, Fiji, aged 62 years.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)