The following information was provided by Australian
McCaskie descendants, who, like me, are very proud of their hard-working ancestors and
their success in life.
Jack Brown's mother, Magdalena Gunther Brown who died 1984, aged 84 and her
sister Daisy Gunther Beattie who died October 2000 aged 99 had provided a great fund of
data on the Sydney McCaskies. They were grandchildren of John and Catherine
Monica Schladetsch's great great grandparents were John and Catherine. Her entry
into my Guestbook on 16th January 2002 explains how proud we all are of our ancestors.
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Catherine was
born on 30 Apr 1828 in Cupar, County Fife, Scotland. Her father is unknown and her
mother's name was Catherine Haliburton. She was raised by Thomas Nealings and his wife
Elizabeth Johnstone. Catherine died on 14 Feb 1911 at her home in Crescent St., Balmain.
Catherine arrived on the "Canton" 12/6/1848,
from Scotland.
The ship sailed from Cork. |
Links
to Australian Founding Fathers |
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Catherine Haliburton-Nealings story is a bit involved but very interesting. There were two
Catherine Haliburtons involved - Catherine Haliburton the mother whom I will call No. 1
and her daughter Catherine Haliburton who marries John McCaskie, I will call No. 2.
Catherine No 1 was born 24/7/1800 Newburgh, Fife, Scotland. Her parents were David
Haliburton and Janet Laurence and they married 29/9/1794.
Catherine No.1 (unmarried) had a daughter on 30/4/1828 in Cupar, Fife, Scotland and she
named her Catherine Haliburton (No 2). On 3/11/1828 Catherine No. 1 married Thomas
Nealings and Catherine No 2 becomes known as Catherine Haliburton Nealings.
No trace of Catherine No. 1 exists after that so I can only assume that she died, because
Thomas Nealings married Elizabeth Johnston on 18/5/1832. The fact that Catherine No 2 was
brought up by Thomas Nealings and Elizabeth Johnstone is aided by the fact that Catherine
No 2 named her first daughter, Elizabeth Johnstone McCaskie after her step mother.
She also named one of her sons William Nealings McCaskie after her stepfather.
Although neither Thomas nor Elizabeth were Catherine's natural parents, they must have had
a close bonding because they and their three boys followed Catherine out to Australia in
about 1849/50. They lived at 26 Crescent St, Balmain, and one son William died there in
1907. John McCaskie lived in the same street. Thomas Nealings died at 865 George Street,
South Sydney on 28 July 1883 and John McCaskie owned a fruit and vegetable shop at the
same address. This suggests that there were strong on-going connections between the two
families. There is also another connection - in 1873 John McCaskie owned a dairy at 84
Market St Sydney, and in 1878 Elizabeth Nealings died at Market St).
Catherine's life continues to be interesting. She came to Australia with other Scottish
emigrants under the immigration scheme promoted by Reverend Dunmore Lang. She was engaged
by Mrs. Lowe, to be a personal maid and taken out to Bronte "far in the
bush." Read "The Greatest Story Never Told" written by her
Granddaughter Elizabeth Beattie which includes extracts of Catherine's reminiscences.
Her immigration shipping record shows that she could read and write, was Presbyterian,
aged 20 years. Her occupation was a nursemaid, Her native place was Edinburgh, Scotland.
Catherine met John whilst they were both working for the Lowes at Bronte House. John was
the Head Groomsman there.
Catherine married John McCaskie on 24/9/1850 (York St Chapel, Sydney) and they went to the
Californian gold rush in about 1851. Their first child, Elizabeth was born on board the
vessel "John Calvin" as it was entering San Francisco Harbour, in May 1851. They
returned to Sydney in 1857 and lived in Balmain for the rest of their lives.
Catherine was a Milliner and ran a business called The Fancy Bazaar from 837 George St.,
Sydney. Catherine and John McCaskie owned several other businesses and properties, see
notes on John McCaskie.When Catherine died aged 83 in 1911 and a widow, she left a
considerable estate.
THE GREATEST STORY NEVER TOLD
Extracts of her reminiscences in an early edition of the Sydney Morning Herald
I was engaged on the emigrant ship by Mrs. Lowe, & taken out to Bronte far in the
bush.
One day after I had been six months as personal maid, Mrs. Lowe said they were going to
fine the Master for feeding his servants badly - I was to give witness to the contrary.
I went to the court in the Barouche, and was proud to sit next to Mrs. Lowe in her
beautiful silk dress and elegant cloak.
My mistress was well known to all the gentleman of the court, and when we walked in
everyone was very polite to her, but when she bade me step forward and said
"this is proof of how I feed my people" and my cheeks got red with shyness to be
looked at by so many gentlemen, there was a cheer in the court and Mrs. Lowe was
congratulated upon the care she took of her domestics
She bought me a new bonnet as a reward for behaving as she wished. But if I was well
fed as a free servant there were many who had no sugar, fresh meat, milk or fresh
vegetables.
My heart aches now, even as an old woman, to think what privations those poor assigned
servants had to undergo also their wives and families in those "Bad" old days,
that seems now so long ago.
A dinner party at Bronte was a great event, though no ladies were present, partly because
it was difficult to access and the gentlemen attending rode their own horses. Dinner
was at five o'clock and many of the guests left before darkness set in.
The topic of the day was "Responsible Government", Mrs. Lowe who was the only
lady present, expressed her opinion in a way that few woman were able to at that time.
It was the time that everything was served at the table, Mr. Lowe would carve the home
grown saddle of mutton, while his wife carved a fine turkey also grown on the estate.
My mistress looked quite regal in a trained velvet gown of deep sea green or black. I wore
lilac and white and hovered around to see that everything came in properly, being called
only by my surname as if I were the housekeeper
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