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William McDonald, 1876
Photo - State Archives
NSW
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1.1.1.
William Hubert Augustus Donald McDonald,[4,6,7,149] (s/o William Hubert McDonald Jr, s/o William
Hubert
McDonald Sr) born
10/6/1852,[7,14,17,18,25,34,38,77,82] Thornhill House, 33 Thornhill
Square,[25,34,38,77] Middle Islington, London, Co Middlesex,
England.[14,17,18,25] Informant was his father, William Hubert
McDonald.[38] {Name
given as William Herbert McDonald on birth certificate} Died
after 1906.[12] Was last seen by his family in 1906, after which family
tradition holds that he returned to the UK.[1] Family
stories suggests that William had a wife in Scotland and he returned
there when he received word of her death,[1] however upon his second
marriage, he gave his status as widower.[6] William was rather
elusive about his background with the family of his second wife,
telling a number of colourful and almost certainly fictious stories to
his family.[1] One story held that he was a graduate of the Edinburgh
University Medical School & practised as a Harley Street
(London)
specialist, but was driven to the drink because he could not
amputate.[1] Attempts to verify this have all proven fruitless.
Another story William told his
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Rosannah McDonald
(Brown)
(full size version with daughter
Margaret Rose)
Photo - David Powell
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family was that he
was the black sheep of
a very large family and left Glasgow to come to Australia, that his
parents lived in a castle just out of Glasgow and William had an uncle
who was Sir Henry Reid McDonald.[10] Glasgow did have several castles
in the 1800s, however at the time they were all in ruins, however the
homes of many 19th century rich merchants were called 'castles' because
of the pretentiousness of their owners, so this may merely mean that
William's parents were wealthy.[29] In contrast to coming from a large
family, William had two siblings, was born in London & his
father
operated a small private school. Attempts to identify Sir Henry Reid
McDonald have been unsuccessful,[11] however note William had a brother
by that name who was, at one time, a Gentleman's butler.[23] Yet
another story he told his children, this one to explain his
disappearance, was that he had to return to Scotland to accept a title,
but that his wife, Rosanna, would not accompany him.[1] Whilst
not all of these stories can be true, there does appear to be some
truth to them. It is interesting to note
that William left his family in Australia in 1893, less than two years
after the death of his parents. By that time his brother was probably
dead and no trace of his sister has been found after her marriage in
1878, leaving William the sole surviving child. While his father was
not titled, his parents were wealthy & it is
reasonable to assume that William stood to inherit something (often the
eldest son inherited the entire estate). His younger brother appears to
have inherited little - in 1901 his widow was a housekeeper servant and
his son (William's nephew) worked in a factory. It is quite feasible
that, upon hearing of his parents deaths William returned to England
c.1893, returning to Australia briefly in 1906 in an attempt to entice
his wife to return to England with him. A William McDonald, born 1851,
Islington, London, was living in the Fulham district, Co Middlesex, in
1911.[35] (Note that William's nephew, William Alexander, resided in
the
same district in 1901) If William was in Fulham, England in 1911, many
questions remain - did he return to England in the 1890s, returning to
Australia briefly in 1906, or did he stay in Australia and only return
to England after 1906? If he did return to England, was he the William
McDonald, who died December quarter, 1913, Fulham district, 60yo?[14] With
parents, 1861 (No.33 Thornhill
Square, Islington, London, Co Middlesex, England.[17]), 1871 (No.17
Somerset Terrace, St Mary Stoke Newington, London, Co Middlesex,
England.[18]). Warehouseman, 1871.[18] Clerk, 1876, 1878.[6,127]
Gardener, 1887.[7] Labourer, 1910.[3] Emigrated to Sydney, NSW,
Australia, arriving 15/2/1876, on the "Ann Duthie".[127,128] William,
then 25yo, arrived as the third steward on the Ann Duthie, giving his
place of birth as 'Grennock', Scotland.[128] The Ann Duthie, of 994
tons, departed London under Master John McKay.[128] Was convicted,
13/5/1876,
Sydney Central Criminal Court, of forgery & sentenced to two
years
imprisionment in Darlinghurst Gaol, with hard labour.[81,82,127]
"Central
Criminal Court. Saturday. Before Mr. Justice Hargrave.Mr. G.
C. Davis prosecuting for the Crown. Sentences: William Hubert
Macdonald, found guilty of forgery, was sentenced to two years, with
hard labour, in Darlinghurst gaol.(Sydney
Morning Herald 15/5/1876)"[81]
At the time of his conviction his description was given as
Presbyterian, literate, brown hair, blue eyes, height 5' 6.25", weight
121 pounds, and no distinguishing marks or features.[127] His prision
record gives the date of his conviction as 8/5/1876.[127] Sentence was
remitted 7/1/1878.[127] Married Roseannah Brown,[3,7]
24/12/1878, Orange, NSW, Australia.[5,6,8,149] According to the rites of
the
Baptist Church by Rev. John Thomas Lyttle.[6] Witnesses were Alex
McIntyre and Susan Johnson.[6] William was a widower {however no evidence of a
previous marriage either in Australia or England},
Roseannah previously
unmarried.[6] Both resided Orange, NSW, at the time of the marriage.[6]
Rosannah, d/o William & Margaret, was born 16/12/1855,
Narellan,
NSW, Australia,[4,7,8,149] died 29/7/1929, Roslyn Private Hospital, Enfield
Street, Marrickville, Sydney, NSW, Australia (73yo),[5,8,30,149] &
buried Old Church of England, Section T, Row 32, plot 9820, Rookwood
Cemetery, Sydney, NSW, Australia.[30] "McDonald - The Relatives and
Friends of Rosanna McDonald are kindly
invited to attend her Funeral, to leave her daughters residence, Mrs
T. Carlin, Thelmaville, Old Kent road, Punchbowl, this (Tuesday)
afternoon at 1.30 for Church of England Cemetery, Rookwood, Section T,
per motor service. William Metcalfe and Co, Parramatta.(Sydney Morning Herald 30/7/1929)"[40]
In
June 1893 Rosannah took out a protection order against William.[12]
William had no further contact with the family apart from a brief
meeting between Rosannah and William in 1906.[12] Subsequent to their
separation, their second son provided for the financial needs of the
family.[12] According to family stories, William returned to Scotland
in the 1920's,[1] however lacking any evidence of contact between
William and his wife and children after 1906,[12] this story remains
unverified.
"Old Kent Road,
Punchbowl, May 8th, 1920
Dear Major,
Your
letter to hand today asking wither any nearer relation. I may state I
am his mother. I had to obtain a Protection from his father on June 27
years ago and the said Mr W. H. R. McDonald helped me to support his
brothers and sisters (he left his will in my possession). I have not
seen or heard of his father since October 1906 14 years ago and then
only just for a minute. I asked him if he was sorry for what he had
done he answered no so I told him it was no use come to me and I have
never heard anything of him since.
I remain yours sincerely, R. McDonald."[12]
William resided 1874, Tottenham, Edmonton district, London, Co
Middlesex, England.[14,19]
Resided
1878, 1879, Molong (near Orange), NSW, Australia.[1,4,5,6,8,22] Resided
1880, 1882, Dubbo, NSW, Australia.[4,5,8,12,13] Resided 1885, Brighton,
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.[4,9] Resided 1887 Adelong (near Tumut),
NSW, Australia.[2,3,4,5,7,8] Resided 1889, 1891, 1893, Ashfield,
Sydney, NSW, Australia.[1,4,5,8,13] Rosanna resided 1907, Arthur
Street, Ashfield,
Sydney, NSW, Australia.[44] Roseanna resided c.1913, with
daughter, Margaret Powell nee McDonald, Francis Road, Enmore, Sydney,
NSW, Australia.[12] Roseanna resided 1914-1916, 'Corinella', Forbes,
NSW, Australia.[12] Roseanna resided 1916, with daughter Rosie Carlin,
No.13 Farr Street, Rockdale, Sydney, NSW, Australia.[12] Roseanna
resided 1920, Old Kent Road, Punchbowl, Sydney, NSW, Australia.[12]
Roseanna resided 1922, 1923, 'Burnham', Lone Pine Parade, Matraville,
Sydney, NSW, Australia.[12] Roseanna resided 1929, Thelmaville, Old
Kent Road, Punchbowl, Sydney, NSW, Australia.[5]
Children of William
McDonald and Roseannah Brown:
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