Clan Donald Australia 

 Calling all members of Clan Macdonald Yarraville

Clan Reunion 15th November 2008, Clare Street Guide Hall.  More details contact Jan Macdonald, 0438 584 930 / email secretary.yarraville@clandonaldaustralia.com

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Norman Hume MacDonald,

Baptised 25 December 1830 Isle of Scalpay Inverness-shire Scotland,

Died 6 May 1902 Yarraville Victoria Australia.

Married 28 January 1852 Edinburgh Midlothian Scotland

Johan McKenzie Munro

Born 15 September 1833 Kylestrome Sutherland-shire Scotland

Died 11 July 1883 Yarraville Victoria Australia

Scotland

The conventional way to start the history of Norman Hume McDonald would be to give his birth date, but that has not been ascertained exactly, but was probably the last quarter of 1827. We do know he was baptised on the 25 December 1830. He was the son of Godfrey McDonald a farmer and Elizabeth Montgomery who lived on the Isle of Scalpay, a little island off the Isle of Skye The 1851 Census of Scotland shows that Norman was living with his mother and two siblings, his brother James a shoemaker aged 22 and a sister Christina, a wireworker, aged 18 at 10 Gibbs Entry Edinburgh.

Those are the bare bones of Norman’s beginning and for the Patriarch of the McDonalds of Yarraville a poor and pitiful description. Perhaps the landscape would compensate for the lack of information about Norman’s family and be found suitable for his ultimate position. The Isle of Skye sets just the scene.

Skye is best described by a contemporary description written by the Rev. John MacKinnon for the Church of Scotland’s Statistical Account of Scotland of 1842 on the Parish of Strath of which he was minister, of which part Scalpay is part. After describing where the parish was situated he then proceeds to extol the scenery, “To the admirer of nature, this parish presents objects of no ordinary interest. On its western boundaries is situated a landscape of unparallel grandeur. No place, perhaps, affords more picturesque subjects for the painter than parts of this parish. In it he meets with such

prodigality of natural wonders, that he must feel as bewildered, and at a loss to make a choice. The scenery shifts at every step, and each successive view seems to excel the rest. The cloudcapped Cuillin raises its inaccessible pinnacles beyond the other mountains, and is visible in almost every part of the island. Next in order Marsco, Blath-Bheinn and Beilig shoot themselves forth in every variety of fantastic figure and appearance, each struggling for supremacy with its neighbour, and each possessing every imaginable characteristic of native rudeness and splendour.”

Skye from Scalpay

While the landscape is breathtaking, Skye does have its drawbacks –

“The climate is cold, damp, and changeable; and the complaints over which it may be

said to exercise any influence, are, as may be supposed, acute rheumatism, pleuritic affections,

consumption, and other pulmonary ailments. The only land-owners in the parish are Lord

Macdonald and Mr. Macalister of Strathaird.”vii Gaelic is the language of the country and that for

the most part preached; but of late, in consequence of the constant intercourse held by the

natives with the low country. It is very much corrupted with a mixture of English words and

phrases.”

The good Reverend MacKinnon goes into some detail about the condition of his parishioners.

“It is to be regretted that the people have not more regard to cleanliness. The cattle and

poultry are generally to be found under the same roof with the rational inmates, separated only

by a tallan or partition, for the most part made of stone or wattle-work, a few feet in height. They

wear home-made woollen clothes, and are very expert at dyeing almost all colours. Their diet

chiefly consists of potatoes and herrings, occasionally varied with meal and milk.”

“As their possessions are too limited, to afford employment for all who are located on

them, almost all the young men leave the country annually, and resort to the south, in vast

numbers, in quest of any employment which may procure. In the same manner, many of the

young women go to the Lothians in harvest to procure employment in reapingviii They are

generally most mindful and attentive in sending a part of their earnings home to their parents, to

pay the rents, as well as for other useful purposes.”

For this reason, it is not surprising we find

Norman finding employment in Edinburgh as a Police Officer. The Edinburgh Police Register shows a Norman McDonald joining the force on 29 March 1849, Age 25 years;xi Height 5ft 8½ inches; Face oval; Eyes grey, Hair brown, Complexion fresh; Trade labourer; Country Scotland; Married and the following

in the remarks column Dismd 27/5/1854xii. Warrant no. 1118

One of the main criteria for selection into the Edinburgh Police, even in 1849, would have been character. Once again turning to the Rev MacKinnon’s essay we find the following comments of the character of the people of his parish

“Character – They are, with few exceptions, or sober and correct habits, - charitable to

their less fortunate neighbours, - hospitable and attentive to strangers, - and obedient and

respectful to their superiors. Flagrant breaches of the peace are almost unknown, there being

but two instances on record of criminal prosecutions against natives.”

It must be assumed that the Police in Edinburgh could read and write, so how well was Norman

educated. The Revd MacKinnon’s report on his parish for the Church of Scotland’s Statistical Accounts contains a description of what was being taught and the level of interest in Education on Skye.

“Education.- There are five schools in the parish, - one parochial, two unendowed, and

supported by the parents of the children, and two on the establishment of the

Gaelic School

Society. The parochial school is in the possession of an efficient teacher, and is well attended,

particularly during the winter. The branches usually taught are, English reading, writing, and

arithmetic. Very few now prosecute the study of Latin and Greek, although the teacher is well

qualified to give instruction in these branches.”

Norman next appears in the official records, on his marriage to Johan McKenzie Munro on 25 January 1852. The entry in St Cuthbert’s Edinburgh parish records their marriage as follows Norman McDonald Police Officer Residing at 63 Buccleuch Street, and Johan Munro residing at No. 154 Causewayside both in this Parish, Second Daughter of Donald Munro, Night Watchman at Edinburgh Prisons, have been three several times duly and regularly proclaimed in the Parish Church of Saint Cuthbert’s in order to marriage and no objections offered.  Married at Edinburgh on the 28th January 1852 by the Revd. Mr. Wm Tasker, Minister of Dr. Chalmers Free Territorial Church, West Port. The next major event in the historical records is the birth of Norman and Johan’s first child, a daughter, Elizabeth Montgomery McDonald. The announcement of her arrival was recorded in the St Cuthbert’s Parish registry thus:- Norman McDonald, Police Officer at 60 Buccleuch Street and Joan Munro his Spouse had a Daughter at Armadale in the Parish of Farr, Sutherlandshire, on the 2nd day of February last Named Elizabeth.

Baptised on Sabbath 1st May thereafter by the Revd. Thomas McLauchlane, Minister of the Free

Gaelic Congregation, Edinburgh.

Up to now Norman’s life had been conventional with some points of interest, like being a member of one of the oldest Police Forces, at least in the modern sense, in the world, but nothing outstanding, 1854 however, was to bring major, radical changes in Norman, Johan and Elizabeth’s lives. They were off to Australia.

Johan McKenzie Munro

Searching for Johan Munro’s family is a little easier thanks too her brother James. The framework of births and Marriage comes from Burkes Colonial Gentryxvi, while the details come from another published source.

Johan was baptised in the village of Kylestrome in the Parish of Edderachillis, Sutherlandshire but she appears to have been born at Glen Dhu, in 1833.xixThe daughter of Donald Munro and Georgina Ann Scobie MacKay. The family’s main area of operations was centred on Armadale in the Parish of Farr. To give how far Donald Munro and his family travelled in Sutherland it is best to examine a modern map of the area. Donald appears to have been born in Armadale while Georgina was born in Tongue, the hometown of the Scobie's and the MacKay’s. He was a tenant farmer in Glen Dubh, Parish of Eddrachillis and it is at Kylestrome that Johan and he brother James were baptised. The family returned to Armadale in 1835 and stayed there until Donald took up the position of Night Watchman at Edinburgh Gaol some time before 1851

As with Norman McDonald we turn to the Statistical Accounts of Scotland of 1842 to discover what it was like in Johan’s world when she was a little girl. Since most of her childhood was in Armadale, we will have as our guide, the Rev. David Mackenzie, Minister in the Parish of Farr, Presbytery of Tongue, Synod of Sutherland and Caithness.

Unlike his colleague the Rev John MacKinnon on Skye, Mackenzie is quite matter of fact about the landscape.

“There are about thirteen miles of sea coast, from Nevar bay in the west to Baligil Burn

in the east. With the exception of Kirtomy and Armidale, and a few more creeks where boats

can land in moderate weather , the coast is either bold and dangerous to mariners, being

composed of perpendicular or projecting rocks, from 20 to 200 feet high, against which the

waves of the Northern Ocean break with awful fury; or there are shallow sands, on which heacy

surges are almost invariably rolling. Climate – Considering the latitude of this parish, which is 58° 30’ north, the temperature is on the whole mild; and there are no diseases prevalent that can be ascribed to any peculiarity of the climate.”

It is a point of interest that the Duke of Sutherland in 1840 owned all the land, and more, that is shown in figure 2.

Prior to 1829, the land was owned by Lord Reay, Chief of the MacKay’s. From the hints given in Burke’s Colonial Gentry both Donald Munro and Georgina MacKay were in some way related to both the Duke of Sutherland and the Chief of the

MacKay’s and could expect some form of direct patronage from them. The main industry for the whole of Sutherland at this time was sheep farming. In the case of Farr, Rev Mackenzie reports:-

“Except about 600 acres on the sea coast, which are kept in cultivation by the lotters the whole of the land of this parish, formerly in tillage, is, with the adjacent mountains, hills, and glens, laid out in extensive sheep walks. The sheep farms are in the possession of gentlemen, who are sufficiently attentive to every kind of improvement of which pastoral districts are susceptible, - by draining, embanking,and burning heath. The leases of the sheep farmers are given for nineteen years: but the lotters on the coast are tenants at will. Which is evidently a bar to the improvement of their lots.”

The Rev. George Tulloch in his report for Edderachillis describes the sheep found in his parish.

“The breed of sheep on the large farms is pure Cheviot, to which great attention is paid.

The sheep in the hands of small tenants is a cross between the native breed of small blackfaced

sheep and the Cheviot, and of latter years has been much improved.”

Donald Munro was, more likely as not, a sheep farmer for the Duke of Sutherland.

As with the Parish of Strath, David Mackenzie gives a description of the character of the people of his Parish.

Language, Character, &c. of the People – The Gaelic language is spoken in common

conversation, and it is in that language that the people receive religious instruction with most

advantage Their language has been rather improved of late by means of Gaelic schools. The

English, however, is gaining ground considerably, especially among the younger part of the

population. The people are more cleanly in their habits than they were forty years ago. They

dress neatly on public occasions, and in the cloths and cottons of south country manufacture,

make a more showy appearance than their ancestors in the more homely but more substantial

garbs wrought at home. Their ordinary food consists of the produce of their lots, viz, oat and

barley meal, milk, potatoes, and cabbage, - with fish, especially herring. Very little butcher meat

is used by the natives; but a considerable quantity off tea and sugar is consumed in the parish.

The people are social among themselves; kind and hospitable to strangers, according

to their circumstances; acute and intelligent, according to their advantage; moral in their general

habits; regular in attending on religious ordinances; and many among decidedly pious.

Smuggling is entirely abandoned by them, and poaching is almost unknown.”

Unlike her sisters Johan could read and write. Her signature on George Alexander and Andrew Jack’s birth registration is well formed and written by some one taught carefully to write clearly.

It is interesting to note that Johan changed the spelling of her name. We know her as Johan but she obviously happy to record it as Johana or Johanna and I wonder how she pronounced her name.

What type of education available in Armadale in the 1840s can be found can be found by referring to the Statistical Accounts for the Parish of Farr. To what level Johan advanced to in her education can not be ascertained as there appears to be no student records surving from that period.

Education – There are at present four schools in the parish, viz. the parochial school; one supported by the Committee of the General Assembly; one by the Glasgow Auxiliary

School Society; and one on the Second Patent of the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge in the

Highlands and islands of Scotland. The parochial schoolmaster is qualified to teach Latin, Greek, mathematics, and the ordinary branches of English literature; and the teacher of the General Assembly Committee is required to teach Latin, mathematics, English and Gaelic. The branches generally taught, are English reading and grammar, writing and arithmetic and gaelic reading.  But owing to the general poverty of the parishioners, and to the circumstances, that they are under the necessity of having their children, when they arrive at the age of ten or twelve years, employed especially in the summer and harvest months, either in working about their own dwellings, or earning something for their support, in the service of others, - education is very imperfectly acquired by a majority of the young. Of those, however, from ten to thirty years of age, the greater number do read either English or Gaelic; many read both, and a considerable number write, and can keep accounts.”

There are a few blank spots left in this part of Johan’s life. The two main blanks are - What was her father Donald doing in Armadale for a living to support the education of his children?

The June 6 1841 Census carried out in the Parish of Farr shows the family living in Armadale where the family was recorded as being Donald Munro 35 Fisherman, Georgina Munro 35, John Munro 13, Babyjean Munro 11, James Munro 9, Johan Munro 7,Lexy Munro 4, Ketty Munro 2 Jessy Gordon 5 m ND Ketty Mackenzie 70

I assume Ketty McKenzie is  Georgina's Mum. Jessie Gordon is Janet (Jessie) Gordon MacKay Munro, and

Babyjean Munroxxviii is Jane Scobie Munro. The second blank is the reason why the family move to

Edinburgh. However from the records kept by the Factor for the Duke of Sutherland Donald’s Lot

at Armadale could not have supported a large family. In the record of the Tenantry compiled in December 1851, which has: -

NLS Dep.313/1085 Donald Munro 15s rent 4½ [acres] [of which] in cultivation 1 [acre];

State of  House: C house [not new house on plan of 1831 but not traditional tenant house]; no

plough 1 harrow no cart; keeps 1 horse, 1 cattle, 2 cows 4 sheep, 1 dog, Gaoler in Edinburghxxix

Therefore, sometime between 1841 and 1851, Donald went to Edinburgh and gained employment at the

Edinburgh Gaol. From the records, it would seem that he not only worked at the Gaol and was domiciled in Edinburgh, but he also kept up the tenancy of his lot at Armadale. Considering that he had only 4½ acres, with only 1 acre under cultivation, the margin for survival during a bad season was, I would surmise, is slim. On that basis alone, it is not surprising that Donald travelled south for employment. What is unusual is the horse, as they are animals that require a fair amount of care to keep them healthy. I wonder if Donald rented the horse out as a means of increasing his cash

income.

Johan’s stay in Edinburgh is well documented as we find her in the 1851 census. A search of the 1851 Census shows that the youngest girls were living at House 39 Armadale Alexandrina Munro Dau un 14 Scholar Sutherland Farr Ketty Munro Dau un 12 Scholar Sutherland Farr Jesay Munro Dau un 10 Scholar Sutherland Farr Hugh McKenzie Visitor widower 50 Servt Sutherland Tongue.  It seems strange that the girls are apparently living on their own. But who is Hugh McKenzie?

Georgina's mother is Catherine (Ketty) McKenzie so it is probable that Hugh is a relative. That only leaves John still to be found, and where is Jane, was she in service somewhere, she would have been old enough being 22 in 1851. A further search of the 1851 Census show two possible candidates for John and Jane of the right estimated age and being born in the parish of Tongue.. In Jane’s case it is the fact that in the 1841 Census she is called Babyjean which gives a clue for working out which Jane Munro, born in Tongue about 1829, as there are two Jane Munros’ in the census from Tongue. The prime candidate is a Jane B Munro and considering her brother James’ future status as being a leader of the Abstinence movement in Victoria a bit of a surprise. Granton Hotel Parish of Cramond Edinburgh

Jane B Munro Servant un 22 Bar Maid Sutherland Tongue

That leaves Johan big brother John. As with Jane, there are two likely candidates, but in John’s case, it is the year of his birth that selects which John is probably the correct one. John Munro Visitor un 24 Mail Driver Sutherland Tongue On the night of the 30 March 1851, he was staying at the Inn in Aultnaharrow or Altnaharra a hamlet in Farr parish on the road from Bonar Bridge to Tongue.

Australia

In 1854 one of the talking points in Edinburgh would have been the Gold discoveries in Victoria and must be seriously considered as one of the motivating factors for Norman and Johan to go with Johan’s parents and her other siblings on the “Hornet” to Victoria. What ever the reason Norman resigned his commission as a Police Officer on 27thMay 1854 and by 29 July 1854 they were boarding the “Hornet” at Liverpool . The “Hornet” arrived at Geelong on 23rd October 1854.

The commitment to immigrate must have been overwhelming as Johan was pregnant with Donald, her first son, who was born one month later after arriving at Geelong on the 20th November 1854 and registered at Maryborough. This implies that Johan was about 5 months pregnant when she left  Liverpool and with a 12 month baby survived the rigours of a voyage to Australia, and on arriving at Geelong , set out on the journey to Maryborough, now about 8 months pregnant, a distance of some 160Kms by road, to have her son in an unknown country. It is not known who accompanied Norman and Johan on their trek. Probably Johan’s brother John, at least, as he became a miner at Welshman’s Reef.

The arrival of the “Hornet” in October 1854 meant that our intrepid immigrants also landed in the biggest crisis the colony had ever faced. This was the revolt of the miners in Ballarat against the arbitrary nature in which their licence to mine was enforced and the corruption of the local officials, which culminated in the Eureka Stockade rebellion, which was crushed on the morning of December 3rd 1854 at Ballarat. As this mythic event in Australia’s history does not directly affect Norman and Johan, except perhaps in their choice of going to the diggings around Maldon and Maryborough instead of Ballarat, the details do not have to be recorded. What will be used is the material used in various web publications created to celebrate the 150 anniversary of Eureka to help us understand what it was like for Norman and Johan I wonder what Norman and Johan thought as they made their way from Geelong to Maryborough as to what type of country they had entered. The contrast with what they knew in Scotland and the Australian bush must have been like being on another planet. The heat for a start must have been like walking through a furnace, the dangers of sunstroke and sun burn and sheer exhaustion must have been a constant companion. Even if they managed a lift with one of the bullock drays operating between Geelong and the goldfields the journey would not have been an easy one for Johan.

i Mac, Mc and M’ are interchangeable. Norman finally settled on McDonald at some stage in Australia

ii Scalpay (Scalpay, Skye), Sgalpaigh. "Ship island", from the Norse. Scalpay near Harris is also Sgalpaigh Na

Hearadh and Scalpay near Skye is Sgalpaigh an t-Sratha, Scalpay of Strath". Also known as Scalpa and is record

as such in John Thompson’s Atlas of Scotland 1832

iii Johan has been spelt a number of ways depending on how the clerk heard Johan’s name. In her son’s, George Alexander, birth registration it is spelt a number of ways

On the registration it has been spelt Johanna and then corrected by crossing out one “n” and then spelt as Johana.

In the parish records of St Cuthbert’s Edinburgh, on the baptism of their eldest daughter Elizabeth her name is recorded as Joan. On Johan’s death registration her name is spelt correctly. Even the doyen of aristocratic genealogy, Sir Bernard Burke CB LLD Ulster King of Arms gives a different rendition of Johan’s name, in his case he has recorded her name as Joanna

iv Little is known about Godfrey and Elizabeth. Research carried out by Gordan Cameron, in 1998, of the Clan Donald Centre, Armadale Skye, brought the following out

“In the course of researching some other projects we have come across three interesting entries in the Old Parish Records for the Parish of Strath, of which the Island of Scalpay was a part, and these are for three children of Godfrey MacDonald and his wife Elizabeth, or Betsy, Montgomery. The dates were:

James William b 3 June 1827 chr 12 Nov 1827 in Scalpay John b 1 Jan. 1830 chr 23 Nov. 1830 in Scalpay

Chisty b 1 Nov. 1832 chr 12 Dec. 1832 in Scalpay  Armed with this information, I carried out another search of the 1841 Census for Strath and came across the following entry in Scalpay Name Age Occupation/Position Where Born Elizabeth Macdonald 40 P.P* Born in Inverness-shire

Murdoch Macdonald 15 Ditto

John Macdonald 10 Ditto

Janet Macdonald 5 Ditto

In this situation, Elizabeth, a widow with three children, would have no other source of income Therefore she would have been classed as a parish pauper.

I then tried again for the 1851 on Scalpay but could not find any match. One possible name that came up was in Portree parish, where a 50 year old Elizabeth Macdonald, a widow, was visiting one Angus Nicolson and family in the township of Balmeanach. It is impossible to tell at this time if this is the same person.:

v How small the population of Scalpay was is revealed from an earlier letter from Gordon Cameron to Glenda James nee MacDonald.

“….In Scalpay itself, there were three MacDonald families in 1841 but no MacDonalds at all

in 1861. By 1891 Scalpay’s population was 49, with 1 MacDonald family.”

vii This would make Godfrey at least a “crofter” which is a smallholding or a stretch of land ranging in size from 1 acre to 50 acres or upwards as a tenant from the local land-owner. He also could have been a “tacksman.” Clan Chiefs with sizeable estates often gave “tacks” of land to a relative or a friend and these tacksmen in turn would sublet the land to the local people, while they farmed the best and most fertile areas themselves (from a Short History of Crofting in Skye by Jonathan MacDonald, curator, Skye Museum of Island Life 1998)

viii Midlothian for example is the area around Edinburgh.

A romanticized version of how Norman came to Edinburgh can be found in ‘Burn to Billabong: MacDonald Clanfolk in Australia 1788-1988’. Published by Portofino Design Pty Ltd. Article written by Andrew McDonald.

“Godfrey McDonald, my great-great-grandfather, was born in 1798 on the island of

Scalpay; (off the Isle of Skye) he was a descendent of Sir Alexander McDonald of Sleat.

He married an Elizabeth Montgomery in 1804 and they had a family, all of whom were lost

at sea with the exception of one son, Norman Hume McDonald. After the tragic

bereavement of her husband and sons, my great-great-grandmother took her only

surviving son to Edinburgh, away from the influence of the sea. As she seems to have been

a woman of influence, she arranged for Norman to be established with the Garrison at

Edinburgh Castle.”

x Edinburgh Police Register by Peter Ruthvan-Murray, State Library of Victoria 941.34 ED4R Genealogy

xi Why the discrepancy in Norman’s age. Closer investigation of the register shows that there is a dagger symbol against his age, and the Introduction states that this indicates a policeman who had joined before July 1853, and that the age given is their age in 1853, and NOT when they joined. So he was 25 in 1853, so was born about 1828. There is also the problem of his age on his death registration of 73 years, which will give his birth date as pre May 1829. Why was he baptized nearly eighteen months after his birth? This can be explained by returning to the Statistical Accounts of Scotland and the Rev. MacKinnon who wrote the following on the Ecclesiastical State of the parish.

” The church is situated in the burying-ground of Kilchrist, and might accommodate about

200 sitters. It is now in a very ruinous condition, so much so, indeed, that for nearly two

years back there has been no preaching in it. In the district of Strathaird..... and the

incumbent’s father when he preached there, officiated in the recess or cavity of a rock,

for a period of fifty-two years. Public worship is generally well attended; but, owing to the

extent of the parish, the ruinous state of the church, and the remote distance from it at

which the great majority of the people reside, their attendance is much influenced by the

state of the weather.”

From this one can conclude that December 1830 was the earliest date Rev. MacKinnon, father or son, could get to Scalpay or Godfrey and Elizabeth could get to the mainland to have Norman Baptised.

xii It should be noted that the remark that Norman was dismissed from the Police Force and not resigned was due to the fact that he was immigrating to Australia and was therefore unable to give his months notice and so forfeited all pay due to him. Norman and his family left Liverpool on the “Hornet” on 01 August 1854.

xiii Can be spelt Buccleuch or Buccleugh

Beccleuch Street 1900 Between 1850 and 1900 the street changed little

The McKenzie in Johan’s name comes from her maternal grandmother, Catherine Mackenzie. The convention

for the naming of children was as follows: -

First son named after father's father

Second son named after mother's father

First daughter named after mother's mother

Second daughter named after father's mother

Third son named after father

Third daughter named after mother

Thereafter they normally used the names of close family members, siblings first.

The above is traditional and the Scots, especially the Highlander, tend to have upheld tradition no matter where in the world their children were born.  Of course there is always the one who did not conform. Also in more than a few instances they would sometimes turn it round - name the first son for the mother's father etc. Which what Donald and Georgina have done in naming their children. Generally though you will seldom see a 'strange' name in the families at that time. If there was it was normally after a landowner, minister etc.

xv James Munro Premier of Victoria November November 1890-1893

xvi Burkes Colonial Gentry by Sir Bernard Burke CB LLD Ulster King of Arms

xvii As yet unidentified but is a photocopy from the collection of Glenda James

Alexander Munro of the family of Foulis, Ross-shire Married Barbara McKay a relative of the chief of the McKay’s (Lord Reay). Alexander was a cadet of the family of Foulis, and “removed from his native country, on receiving an appointment from the Earl of Caithness, about the year 1784. He settled in Armadale, in Lord Reay’s country, where he brought up seven sons and a daughter

Issue

i. James

ii. Gabriel

iii. Donald b 1802

He was formerly a tenant of the Duke of Sutherland in Glen Dubh Parish of Eddrachillis, removed his family to Armadale in 1835, and had them educated there and immigrated to Melbourne, Victoria in 1854, with all his family except James.

Donald Munro married his cousin in 1826 Georgina Scobie MacKay (who died in 1890, and was related on her mother’s side, to the Scabies’ of Keoldale) and d. in 1869 having two sons and five daughters, viz.,

i. John m 1875 his cousin Anne Morrison

ii. James b. 1832

i. Barbara Jane Scobie m 1850 Andrew Jach of Granton W. Edinburgh

ii. Johanna m 1852 Norman MacDonald

iii. Catherine m 1864 James Baike

iv. Janet MacKay Gordon m 1870 William Symons Bryant

v. Alexandrina m 1868 Colin MacLae

iv. George

v. Honeyman

vi. John

vii. MacKay

i. Christina

Some notes on Alexander’s children’s names:

MacKay Munro’s full name is MacKay John Scobie Munro and he was a Sawyer who didn’t marry until 1856. On various official documents he called himself John Munro, so he could well be the John staying with Donald in the 1851 Census.

xviii I believe I have identified the probable location of Johan and her elder brother James actual place of birth. In the unsourced photocopy from Glenda James collection, it is noted that James Munro was born on a farm rented by Donald Munro from the Duke of Sutherland in the Parish of Edderachillis. Johan was born the next year and she is recorded to have been born at Kylestrome, also in Edderachillis. There is a Gleann Dubh (which means black glen, the English have corrupted it to Glen Dubh) about 6 to 8 Kilometres to the East of Kylestrome at the head of Loch Glendhu. The entire area was part of the estate of the Duke of Sutherland who bought it from Lord Reay in 1829 and the headquarters of the estate was at Kylestrome. A map published in 1855, but based on a survey done in the 1830s, show a house called Glendhu near Gleann Dubh. The house was still there in 1930 when the 2nd Edition of the Ordinance Survey of the area was published.

Further research has found a photograph, taken c1933, of Glendhu House. It would be interesting if the house is the same that Johan was born at.

xix For a long time I was under the impression that the Munro’s came from the village of Armadale Isle of Skye but in fact they came from what is now known as Sutherland in the far north of Scotland.

xx The reason for Donald and family move to Armadale is given in the photocopy from Glenda James as being the need for the children’s education. It is not surprising that he did make the move to Armadale. In 1840 the Rev. George Tulloch the Church of Scotland Minister for the Parish of Edderachillis, writing for the Statistical Account of Scotland in 1840, notes that until 1829 there were no roads in the parish and even in 1840 there were only 32 miles of roads. Sutherland in his program of improvements was not only building the roads but was improving the amenities of the area and had built three inns built at his expense. The nearest parochial school was at Scourie 10kms to the north of Kylestrome Another school was at Ashare run by the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge. In 1840 there were only two Churches, one at Keanlochbervie (Now called Kinlochbervie, about a further 15Kms further north from Scourie) and at Badcall (10Kms to the north of Kylestrome). In any case there was no Sabbath school available at the time, so even a basic grounding in the Bible was not available.

xxi In 1851 the census returns show that Donald was a Nightwatchman and on Norman and Johan’s marriage record at St Cuthbert’s in January 1852 he is specifically a Night watchman at Edinburgh Prison

xxii David Mackenzie’s account was written in August 1834

xxiii A Lotter was a person who made up odd lots of wool and batched them for sale

xxiv This is what Donald was probably doing at Glen Dhu, Kylestrome Estate in the Parish of Eddrachillis between 1830 and 1835. He was probably actively sheep farming as a tenant. At the moment this is speculation on my part.

xxv The ability to read and write was one of the statistics collected by the Victorian Colonial Secretary’s Office when assisted immigrants arrived in the colony. In the case of the “Hornet” passengers the passenger list can be found at the Victoria Public Records Office.

Series VPRS 7310 Register of Assisted Immigrants from U.K. (Microfiche copy of VPRS 14) Book 10 page 370 Johan’s parents Donald and Georgina, and her sister Jessie and elder brother John are recorded as being able to read and write. Her sisters Lexy and Catherine can read only, while her married sister Jane is recorded as being unable to read or write.

xxvi The fees for the both the parochial school and the school run by the Committee of the general Assembly in

1834 was, for beginners 6s. per annum; for reading and writing, 8s; for arithmetic, 12s and for higher branches, 20s per annum. It is possible to educate ones children on the wages available at the time – The allowance to day labourers is from 1s. 6d. to 1s. 9d. per day of ten hours; to masons 15s; to carpenters from 9s to 12s per week but this assuming that there is all year round work available. In David Mackenzie’s final observations on the conditions

in his parish he notes –

“It is much regretted that the inhabitants have not more permanent employment during

the winter and spring months; for by the want of such employment, a great portion of their time

is wasted in idleness and dissipation; whereas they would most willing avail themselves of any

additional opportunities of labour.”

xxvii Georgina’s parents are John MacKay and Catherine (Ketty) McKenzie – Victorian Federation Index

xxviii BabyJean is another variation on Barbara

xxix Sutherland Papers NLS Dep.313/1085 List of tenants, their farms and livestock, of quarters and lodgers, and

occupations in Reay, Farr, and Tongue, 1851 Supplied by Malcolm Bangor-Jones e-mail 9th April 2006

xxx The passenger list and other details are recorded in my essay on Donald Munro and Georgina MacKay

xxxi It is very unlikely that they used the regular coach available between Geelong and Ballarat. In 1856 it was £5 one way.    Author William Bell - historian

historian1@clandonaldaustralia.com

To the younger members on the tree, I recommend you speak to your parents. grandparents, and even your great grandparents, if they are still alive.   They have a wealth of knowledge of your history.   They may even help you locate relatives I have not recorded yet..   To the parents, and elders, I ask for your assistance in locating the remainder of the family, that we may be united again.    

Norman Macdonald High Commissioner Clan Donald Australia