Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.


Messages - Madeline Campbell

Pages: [1]
1
Hi Christina,
You are not alone in being unable to find any official record of Archibald's death. All we have is the inscription on the family tombstone which as you know, says "ARCHIBALD CAMPBELL – Second Son of Donald and Mary, born UIG, Isle of Skye, died on board Midlothian on her passage from Isle of Skye to Sydney, 1937, age 7 years." A couple of years ago I corresponded with Dr James Donaldson the author of that wonderful history "Farewell to the Heather". He went through his not inconsiderable collection of materials and told me "I have no record of Archibald dying at sea. Indeed the records are more confusing and contradictory. For example Reel 4/4821 lists only five children who had died on the voyage. The SMH OF THE 18TH OF December 1837 lists 24 deaths including 18 very young and delicate children .Reel 1287 lists the names of the families who lost a child on the voyage. It includes McLeod ( two children) Mark ( One Child) McNaughton ( Two children) but NO Campbell children)  This would agree with the five children on Reel 4/4821. Some children died early after their arrival in Sydney as the 6 month old child of  Findlay Nicholson did  on 20th December 1837. I have no record of the Campbell losing a child. It is not recorded on their arrival details as is for example the record of the child of the Mark family dying or the two children of the McNaughtons. (Reel 1287) I do not know of any Surgeon Superintendent records for the Midlothian ship. I didn’t find one like I did for the William Nichol ."
Sorry I can't help further on this Christina but if I come across anything, I will let you know.
Regards

Madeline

2
Hi Christina,
It was good to read your post. I think we have reached an impasse on finding the family back in Skye / Scotland. I am sending Bruce Smith a reply I received recently from Skye-Kin Research. I don't have your email address but I am sure Bruce will send it on to you.
Looking forward to meeting you at last on 19 May. I have heard lots about you - all good.
Regards
Your cousin

Madeline (John Campbell descendant)

3
Sadly there are no names of the parents on their respective death certificates. I wonder whether we can presume Donald's father's name was Robert as this was the name of Donald and Mary's eldest son. Also that Mary Bethune's mother was called Mary as Donald and Mary's only daughter was Mary.  Assuming of course, that they followed the Scottish naming conventions.
Donald's sister Ann who aged 13 years emigrated with Donald and Mary and their children, may provide the key but we have not been able to find any record of her post arrival in New South Wales. We do not know where she was born on Skye.
All information and suggestions welcomed.

Madeline

4
Hi again,
My understanding is that Donald and Mary were married in Uig where Donald was the innkeeper of the Uig Tavern. No record of the marriage appears to exist. Also that Robert and Archibald (who died en-route to Australia), were twins. I wonder if Donald's parents were John Campbell and Mary Munro who lived in Sleat which was Donald's birthplace. The dates seem to fit.

5
Thank you for the information about where I might search although it is more in the nature of background information. Still hoping that someone out there might have information about Donald and Mary's respective families in Skye. None of their children returned to Skye.

6
I am a fellow seeker of this information being a great grandchild of Donald and Mary's son John. I was not aware Donald had a brother John who stayed in Scotland. I would love to find out more if you have anything. I'm travelling to Skye later in the year and need clues on where to search for information. Would you be agreeable to email contact?

Pages: [1]