From Cellardyke to Australian Gold Diggings

[hdw]

I don't know anything about Alexander's subsequent career in Australia, but I can tell you that his youngest brother James Melville, born 1832 in Cellardyke, became master of the China tea-clipper "Min" when his fellow-Dyker John Smith was moved from the "Min" to the "Lahloo".

Harry

[hdw]

Further to what I said above, James Melville's full name was James Watson Melville, and he was in command of the Min in 1868. James, Alexander and their siblings would have been 2nd cousins of my great-grandmother Margaret Watson, née Watson.

Harry

[AFB]

jlmc - regarding your initial question as to what happend to the men who came to Australia - here are acouple of clues taken from the Geelong Advertiser card index and the Geelong Cemetery Trust indexes (this was a few years back so they might even be on-line now)
1876 death of Jessie Barclay nee Stewart - wife of Leslie Barclay, buried plot 844 Geelong Western cemetery
Leslie Barclay died aged 81, 19 June 1908, buried next to his wife in plot 844.
Thomas Birrell, not one of the original migration group, born Cellardyke is buried in row 31.
Also Sophia Birrell nee Barclay wife of David Birrell dieded in 1875 and is in plot 844.
David Birrell lived until 1911 and is also buried in this cemetery but I do not have the plot number.
all plot numbers are in the Presbyterian section.

Angela

[Chiad Fhear]

John Smith was the son of Thomas Smith and Euphemia Boyter. Thomas Smith lived to be the oldest man in Cellardyke and is the only fisherman mentioned in Matthew Conolly's "Biographical Dictionary of the Eminent Men of Fife".

Hi Harry

I've got the on-line version of the book on-screen at the moment, but can't find a reference to Thomas in it.  Any clues?

Chiad Fhear

[hdw]

It so happens that I have a photocopy of the offending article and have just dug it out and scanned it for you. However, it's over two pages and it's too many Kb to send as attachments here, so I'll need a note of your email address so I can send it to you.

Harry

[ASS]

My great, great grandfather Leslie Barclay was one of the young men who came to the Victorian Goldfields from Cellardyke. From what I have learnt they came as a group under the name 'The Joint Stock Company". They must have made some money on the goldfields because they came to Geelong and purchased a Lighter (as there was no pier capable of handling large sailing ships, goods had to be carried from the ships in the bay to the shore by a smaller boat called a Lighter). Leslie Barclay later gave his occupation as Fisherman but he certainly owned his own boat. Many of the original group settled in Geelong and my father knew the descendants of some of them.   

[AFB]

ASS,
My paternal grandmother was very briefly married to David Hutchison Barclay(1890 -1946), the son of Stephen Barclay and Catherine Gellatly.  It is a bit of a story!  I knew that some of these Barclays went to Geelong. I did some telephone cold-calling but with no luck. I would really love to know that these my imputed grandfather looked like - I don't suppose you have any old photos?
I am in Melbourne.
Regards, AFB