Hi guys,
Starting tiny here....
Paperspast has the story of Rev William McRae drowning at Wooloomooloo Bay, printed in the Auckland Star, 25 May 1897 on page 5. The news report states that McRae had a daughter who was resident in NZ, and that he was unattached at the date of death.
William McRae's last posting had been to Gunnedah, NSW as the Presbytarian minister.
The Sydney Morning Herald on 24 April 1897 noted on page 7 that McRae (spelt McCrae) was recovering from a severe accident, that the Australian Town and Country Journal on 24 April 1897, page 8 notes to have been him falling from his horse from Boggabri to Goolhi which probably gave him a concussion or a brain injury which may have contributed to his eventual death a month later.
The Bay of Plenty Times ran an obituary on the Rev on 19 May 1897 on page 2 where they stated that he had come from Scotland to NZ and became a minister in 1872, preached at Waipu for many years, then went back to the Western Highlands in Scotland for some years. The Rev came back to Waipu in 1895(ish) and then about six months before his death had been in New South Wales. The report also states that he had been married to Miss Finlayson, his daughter was living in Waipu and his sister was living in New Plymouth.
The vague details concerning dates are as noted in the newspaper report. The Auckland Star ran the same report on 14 May 1897 on page 3 but also noted that the Rev was a widower at the time of his death.
NZ BDM has no birth record of Rose, nor does the NSW BDM registry.
The obituaries seem to indicate that William would not have been in Australia long enough to have married or had kids. William had been offered a posting in Tasmania but had turned it down. It is quite possible that there may be information missing from his obituary timeline.
The Daily Southern Cross reported on 10 June 1876, page 3 that the Rev was going to Australia for 'a season' for health reasons. The Rev first his resignation from Waipu from March 1879 owing to the fact that his salary was not paid for the time he was in Australia, and that he was going to Otago. However he wrote a letter to the editor of the New Zealand Herald, published on 8 February 1879, page 6 that he was wrong to accept the Otago posting as the Auckland Presbytary had not accepted his resignation. The situation was a bit messy overall but permission was granted for him to withdraw his resignation. The Rev tendered his resignation again in June 1883.
The Auckland Star, 8 November 1884, page 5 noted that the Rev had been called to labour at Northcote and that he had recently returned from Australia. Auckland passenger lists finds him returning to Auckland on the Tarawera on the 27 August 1884 but he is alone! The New Zealand Herald on13 October 1884, page 3 noted that the Rev was only visiting but does not note from where!
The Auckland Star, 5 June 1886, page 1 noted the Rev had been called to the New Plymouth presbytary.
The Auckland Star, 4 December 1895, page 4 noted that Waipu had agreed an arrangement for the Rev to come back to work there.
Sorry it's a bit disjointed. There is one window of opportunity for the truth of Rose Theresa's birth and that's between the Rev's resignation in 1883 and him returning in 1884. I still can't find an NSW birth using any variation of McRae, Macrae, McCrae, etc. It may be that her birth was not registered or some other reason. Was she illegitimate maybe and later recognised by her father?
Will keep poking around.
Cheers
Bunny
