Christina Ross 1853 to 1893

Christina Ross was born 16 August 1853 in Cromarty

While she was still little she moved with her family to Rumsdale where her grandparents lived and worked. Her father Donald had work as a shepherd at Rumsdale.

In the 1861 census 7 year old Christina was living with her grandparents and going to school from Rumsdale. Her parents had moved to Orkney (see previous blog).

In 1863 Rumsdale was sold and John & Christina McLeod moved the Rangag. It is likely that Christina stayed for a while at Rangag with her grandparents.

In the 1871 census Christina aged18 was a servant for her grandmother’s sister Esther Gunn (nee Sutherland) and her husband James, at Latheron, Caithness.  

When her parents and siblings emigrated to New Zealand in 1873 Christina stayed in Scotland. She was probably already friendly with Angus Sutherland. Angus, born in Latheron in 1855, was shown in the 1861 census living at home with his parents and siblings at Dunbrae, Latheron.

A photograph of an Angus Sutherland from Dunbrae is shown on the Johnston Collection, http://www.johnstoncollection.net Reference number JN17164P136 It may be this Angus Sutherland. 

Christina and Angus were married in Newington, Edinburgh City, Midlothian on 26^th December 1874 and moved to Liverpool where their 9 children were born.

• Christina Catherine
  Birth 1877 • Liverpool, Lancashire, England.  Baptism 8 Apr 1877 • Toxteth, St James, Lancashire, England.  The family were living at 30 Fletcher St, Toxteth Park at time of her baptism at St James, Toxteth Park, Liverpool
• Mary Elizabeth Birth 1878 • Liverpool.  Baptism 15 Dec 1878 • Toxteth, St James, Lancashire, England.  The family were living at 30 Fletcher St, Toxteth Park at time of her baptism at St James, Toxteth Park
• Angus Donald Birth 1880 • Liverpool Baptism 23 Jun 1880 • Toxteth, St James, Lancashire, England. The family were living at 30 Fletcher St, Toxteth Park at time of his baptism at St James, Toxteth Park
• Jessie  Birth 1882 • Liverpool
  Baptism14 May 1882 • Toxteth, Lancashire, England.  The family were living at 52 Marybone at time of her baptism at St James, Toxteth Park
• Ellen Birth 03 Dec 1883 • Liverpool.  Baptism 28 Dec 1883 • Liverpool, Lancashire, England. The family were living at Marybone at time of her baptism at St Peters, Liverpool
• William  Birth 23 March1886 • England.  Baptism 9 Apr 1886 • St Peters, Liverpool. This William seems to have died young.
• Georgina Birth 24 Oct 1887 • Liverpool, Lancashire.  Baptism 13 Nov 1887, Liverpool, Lancashire, England.  The family were living at Marybone at time of her baptism at St Peters, Liverpool
• Alexander Birth 20 Jul 1889 • Liverpool.  Baptism 4 Aug 1889 • Liverpool, Lancashire, England.  The family were living at Marybone at time of his baptism at St Peters, Liverpool
• William John Birth16 Apr 1891 • Liverpool, Lancashire, England
  Baptism 3 May 1891 • St. Peter's, Liverpool, Lancashire, England
  The family were living at Marybone at time of his baptism at St Peters, Liverpool

• Note: Some records show a daughter named Nellie Miller Sutherland who was born in the June Quarter of 1888 in Prestwich, Liverpool. I have come to the conclusion that this Nellie Miller does not belong in this family. She is not named in the family census records nor in the shipping records. But a daughter named Nellie was said to be in New Zealand. It seems to fit the story that the daughter named Ellen was also known as Nellie.

At the 1881 census Christina & Angus were living at 29 Fletcher St,Toxteth Park, Lancashire with their children, Christina, Mary and son Angus. Angus was a Barman - Inn Servant.  Brother John Sutherland, 29 years, Police Constable, lived with the family. 

At the 1891 census the family were living at 2 Milton Street, Liverpool. Angus was recorded as a Public House Manager.  The children at home were Christina, Mary, Angus, Jessie, Ellen, Georgina and Alexander. They had a domestic servant called Matilda

Sometime after the 1891 census the family moved to 52 Marybone St, Islington, Liverpool, and Angus was now Managing a Licensed Victualler’s Establishment.

In Liverpool pubs proliferated. Some districts, including Marybone, had a pub on just about every corner. Angus Sutherland worked for some years at a pub called the Mountain Dew. According to Roydhouse, Angus Sutherland relinquished his licence of the Highland Dew on 28.6.1894 (but that may have been a formality as Angus was dead by then).

While we know little of the social history of this family, Liverpool was well known for its poorly built crowded housing, narrow streets and insanitary courts.

A narrow court of the 1930's, as pictured, was typical of working class housing in the Scotland Road area in the early 1900's. Such a court would usually contain six houses with a frontage of only ten feet. In such cramped accommodation there were frequently as many as sixty people in a single court all using the one tap. In an effort to make the dark miserable courts brighter the residents 'whitewashed' the walls. Yet despite having to tolerate such poor living conditions there was a tremendous community spirit among the neighbours, who had a genuine compassion for each other and were always willing to share what little they had. Source: http://www.scottiepress.org

In less than 20 years Christina had given birth to 9 children, by which time her health was not good.

On 15 September 1893, Christina died from Chronic Nephritis, Apoplexy and Paralysis.  The youngest child William John was only two years old.

Obituary: 

At the Mountain Dew, 52 Marybone, Liverpool, on September 15^th1893 Christina Sutherland aged 40 years, dearly beloved wife of Angus Sutherland, licensed victualler. 

Source: Alan Roydhouse - no reference

 

Angus got seriously sick with Cirrhosis of the liver (which can be caused by long term consumption of alcohol) and would have had a miserable last few months. Angus died at home on the 21^st April 1894 just 7 months after Christina.

Two brothers of Angus, were living in Liverpool, John (the policeman who was living with the family in 1881) and Donald Sutherland. One of them was present when Christina and Angus each died. Donald and John both lived at 82 Northumberland Terrace, Everton. It’s likely they must have taken some responsibility for the orphaned children. All the Ross aunts, uncles and cousins were in New Zealand.

In early April 1895 we find seven of the Sutherland children listed as passengers on the ship Rimutaka leaving from London for Wellington.  

What  a challenging trip it must have been for the orphaned Sutherland children. 

Evening Post 21 May 1895

Christina Catherine, the 17 year old eldest daughter, stayed in Liverpool. She married Robert Macormick McKenzie in October 1908 in West Derby, Lancashire.  He died on 25 August 1929 in Birkenhead, Merseyside, England

In two letters to Ivan McLeod  Alan Roydhouse comments:

My guess is that the Ross family, then all in NZ with the exception of the deceased, financed the children of the above to NZ and there took them in to their various homes. I have a photograph of some of them. One was with Mary Ross (nee McLeod) in Martinborough. He gained notoriety by staying behind in church (in Martinborough) following the Sunday Service and robbed the “offerings" plate. His sister Nellie was at Ngaipu and turned on some rare turns there. They were full of many rather nasty tricks no doubt picked up in Liverpool. This Nellie had a photograph of “that’s my Daddie’s pub in Liverpool.” I think she became a Mrs Peterson late of Waihakeke (no family). Another became a Madam Carle (well that’s the name she went by), had a hat shop in Masterton. One of the boys was down Terawhiti, another (I think) was about Battersea area..a drover I think.. he had his father’s name, Angus. Don’t know what became of the father.  4 March 1982

Letter to Ivan McLeod 

I have a photograph of some of the family of the “Mountain Dew” (52 Marybone Liverpool) Angus was, I think, with Mary McLeod at the time he swooped on the First Church offerings !  2 July 1982

• Mary Elizabeth married Peter McDonald in Martinborough in 1904. Peter was a taxidermist. They had three daughters. 
• Angus Donald married Isabella Rose Clayton in 1909 in Martinborough. Angus died in 1952 at 72 years old.
• Jessie married Frederic Willoughby in 1910.  They lived at Woodville where Frederic was a draper. 
• Ellen Sutherland (probably aka Nellie) married John Peter Petersen in 1908. She died 24 July 1962 in Carterton, New Zealand. Burial Clareville, Carterton District, Wellington, New Zealand
• Georgina was unmarried. There is a burial record for her at Masterton, Archer Street, Q E Park. She died in 18.11.1957 aged 70 and was buried on 11.11.1957
• Alexander lived at Hastings and Wairoa, where he was a Rabbiter.  His marital status is also unknown.
• William John married Agnes Cordelia (Dolly) Riddiford in 1922. 

Note: much of this information has been provided to me and all needs verifying independantly.

Madame Carle

Roydhouse notes one of the Sutherland daughters was a milliner who went by the name of Madam Carle. The Rimutaka shipping list shows Mary Sutherland as a milliner. Papers Past has many advertisements from Madame Carle milliner. There is also an article written by Gareth Winter in the Wairarapa Times-Age On Jun 10, 2014 that mentions Henry Carle son of milliner Madame Carle. I have no more information about Madame Carle to confirm her name. 

Wairarapa Daily Times 16 Sep 1908

Mary McLeod 1828 – 1906 Part D New Zealand

Donald Ross and Mary McLeod

Donald Ross died in Wellington on 17 February 1874 and was buried the next day in the Bolton Street Cemetery.

Ross grave at original site

After Donald’s death Mary went to stay with her brother James McLeod at Pahaua before moving to Weld Street, Martinborough.

Mary's house in Weld Street, Martinborough

There were a lot of McLeod and Sutherland family in the Martinborough area and Mary had good family support for her widowed years. The Presbyterian church was close enough for Mary to have regular contact with many friends and family there.  

Mary died on 18 December 1906 of Rheumatic Fever and heart failure and was buried in the Stanley Street section of the Bolton Street Cemetery.

The grave of Mary, Donald and daughter Elizabeth was moved when a motorway was put through the cemetery. They are now buried in a common Settler’s Grave at Bolton Street Cemetery Wellington. The plinth is still visible. 

What of the family?

Helen Ross (aka Ellen) married her second cousin David Sutherland (the youngest member of the family of Alexander and Elizabeth Sutherland). They lived for a while at Lyall’s Bay with Grandfather Sutherland. They moved to Pahaua in 1879. They had seven children.The story of their life is told in Sutherlands of Ngaipu.

Helen Ross and David Sutherland

Christina Ross stayed in UK.

Jessie Ross married William Boyd a well known Martinborough builder. They had nine children.

Jessie Ross and William Boyd and family

Alex Ross, on arrival in New Zealand went to Pahaua where he worked as a shepherd.

William Ross, Alexander Ross and Helen Sutherland

John McLeod Ross married Elizabeth Harris. John was an expert deer stalker, hunting guide and taxidermist. They had four children.

Elizabeth Ross died tragically on 12 Dec 1874. When she was filling a lamp her clothes caught  fire, burning her fatally. She was 16 years old. Elizabeth was buried in the Bolton Street Settlers Cemetery.

Elizabeth Ross

Esther Ross married John McLeay

Donald Ross married Alice Hall. He became a blacksmith first and then went farming. They had nine children.

William Ross married Alice Letitia Munn. William was a farmer/drover. They had eight children.

 

William Ross & Alice Letitia Munn

Mary McLeod 1828 – 1906 Part C

Mary and Donald Ross. 

The Ship Douglas

In 1873 Mary and Donald with eight of their family emigrated to New Zealand on the sailing ship ‘Douglas’. The Ross family was ‘Colonial Nominated Immigrants’ meaning they were nominated by someone already living in New Zealand.  This was probably Mary’s uncle Alexander Sutherland as Donald worked for him at his Lyall Bay farm for a short while after arrival.

Daughter Christina Ross stayed behind – I will blog her story later. 

The family paid 20 pounds for the voyage, with the Government paying 106 pounds. The ship ‘Douglas’ left London 14 June 1873 and arrived in Wellington on 26 September 1873.

There were 314 government immigrants on board.

The Douglas was originally a screw steamer,

 afterwards converted into a ship

Donald had tuberculosis before leaving Shetland. It was said he was only allowed to travel because his eldest daughter was a nurse. Helen is on the passenger list as a nurse. Donald’s age on the shipping list was given as 48 years - likely to comply with an age restriction for nomination as he was really 52.  Donald died of Phthisis on 17 Feb 1874 about four months after arrival.

It seems strange that such a sick man could be accepted as an immigrant and I note that the following year the surgeon from the Douglas' 1874 voyage sent a report to the government condemning the insufficient care taken in the selection of persons suitable for emigration also complaining about the number of sick, old and defective people allowed to emigrate. In the case of the Rosses the rest of the family were all clearly suitable immigrants.

The following is an extract from Sutherlands of Ngaipu pgs 67-68:

The Ross family arrived in New Zealand early in 1873. They consisted of Mr & Mrs Donald Ross and a family of eight, four girls and four boys – Jessie, Elizabeth, Esther and Ellen [Helen], Alex, Donald, John & William. One daughter remained in Scotland (Christina).

Sometime in 1871 or early in 1872 Donald Ross with his wife and some of the sons and daughters went to a position in the Shetland Islands. His health which was never of the best, did not improve there. The climate was bleak with many fogs, and after remaining there for twelve months Mr and Mrs Ross decided to come out to New Zealand. Preparations were made and the family was taken from the Shetlands by an Aberdeen boat, which also called at Kirkwall in the Orkneys, where the remaining members of the family were taken on board. From Aberdeen another boat brought them to London. Mrs Ross already had three brothers and one sister in New Zealand. They were William, James, Farquhar and Esther McLeod.

From London this family of ten sailed with three hundred passengers on the ship Douglas. On the whole voyage out to New Zealand, which took four months, they were never in sight of land. When rounding the Cape of Good Hope the ship sailed many miles further south. Most of the sailing boats did this so as to catch a favourable current and wind which helped considerably. The same occurred when passing Tasmania. The boat passed some sixty miles off land further south.

The Douglas arrived in Wellington early in 1873 and on arrival there all passengers were put in quarantine on Somes Island, where they remained for eleven days. From there the passengers were landed at Queen’s Wharf which, I understand, was then about the front entrance of the present General Post office.

Somes Island 1903

Because of the quarantine of the Douglas’ passengers on Somes Island there were reports in the newspapers of the day. The public at large were keen to protect themselves against such diseases as smallpox, scarlet fever and typhoid and wanted to know what was going on with the Douglas' crew and passengers. 

The newspaper reports tell of fumigation of passengers which apparently involved sitting in a smoke house, in chlorine, potassium nitrate and sulphur fumes for 10 minutes. Gear and belongings were also fumigated. I won’t post all the reports as they are available in Papers Past. Please refer to the sources below to read the articles.

The Somes Island lighthouse in 1886. The Lighthouse was erected in 1865 along with a six room lighthouse keeper’s house. It burnt rapeseed oil and shone a white light down the centre of the channel and a red or green light at either side.

There are also on-line the reports of the Immigration Commissioners re the Douglas 1873 voyage to the Government. A couple of items of interest mention:

• The outbreaks of small-pox and scarletina and the control of those.

• The ship was not ready when the passengers embarked, the fittings not being completed, dead lights and ventilators not provided, until we reached Gravesend … likely to promote dissatisfaction amongst emigrants at the commencement of their voyage.

Some recommendations in the AJHR report which give clues about the voyage were:

• The emigrant’s luggage should be carefully searched on embarking. Many had spirits with them and most of the single men revolvers.

• In the married quarters there should be .. a head constable to keep order.. suppress swearing, quarrelling and card playing after a reasonable time.

• Emigrants, before embarking, should be examined to see if they are clean. Several came on board in a dirty condition, and it makes it most uncomfortable for other emigrants.

• Prizes should be offered to those who keep their bunks in the neatest and cleanest manner during the voyage out..posting in a conspicuous place the names of those...in best order and those in the greatest disorder.

So after finally disembarking the Ross family went to Lyall Bay in Wellington to Mary’s Uncle Alexander (Sandy) Sutherland. Sandy Sutherland’s first wife Elizabeth had died and his second wife had probably left for Australia. Alex Ross, one of the Ross sons went straight to work at his uncle's Pahaua property.

I will blog the story of the Ross family in New Zealand next blog. 

Sources: 

 AJHR reports on Douglas

http://atojs.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/atojs?a=d&d=AJHR1874-I.2.1.5.3

Patricia and Donald Ross Archives

The photos at the top of Mary and Donald are in the album of Mary Doyle, Martinborough 

so I presume they were taken after the Ross family arrived in New Zealand in 1873.

Sutherland, Alex, Sutherlands of Ngaipu. AH & AW Reed, Wellington, 1947, Pgs 67 & 68

1886 Lighthouse on Somes Island, Wellington. Williams, Edgar Richard, 1891-1983 Ref: 1/1-025715. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. http://natlib.govt.nz/records/23194862

1903 Somes Island. Ross, Malcolm 1862-1930 : Ref: 1/2-004049-G. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. http://natlib.govt.nz/records/22333502

A selection of newspaper articles from Papers Past: 

Untitled

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3911, 26 September 1873, Page 2

THE DOUGLAS.

Evening Post, Volume IX, Issue 193, 27 September 1873, Page 2

Untitled

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3912, 27 September 1873, Page 2

THE SHIP DOUGLAS.

Press, Volume XXI, Issue 2545, 1 October 1873, Page 2

SHIP DOUGLAS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3917, 3 October 1873, Page 2

THE SHIP DOUGLAS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3922, 9 October 1873, Page 2

THE SHIP DOUGLAS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3912, 27 September 1873, Page 2

Mary McLeod 1828 – 1906 Part B

Mary McLeod and Donald Ross moved to live and work on the Cromarty Mains farm.

Sources: Google Earth,
Field edge, Cromarty Mains Farm for Geograph NH8066 Alpin Stewart

At Mains Farm crossroads for Geograph  NH7966 Nick R

On 10 March 1852 daughter Helen was born at Cromarty Mains

On 16 August 1853 daughter Christina was born at Cromarty Mains

On 19 November 1854 daughter Jessie Bell was born at Cromarty Mains

Family  information says twin daughters were born at this time. The name given for the other daughter was Leslie Bell Ross. No records have been located for Leslie.

On 18 March 1856 Alexander Ross was born at Rumsdale. Donald Ross had got a job as a shepherd at Rumsdale with his father-in-law John McLeod

On 27 April 1857 John McLeod Ross was born at Braehour an old settlement near Westerdale in the Halkirk Parish

On 28 October 1858 Elizabeth Ross was born at Dounry in the Thurso Parish

Source: Google Earth

Upper Dounreay Standing Stone for Geograph ND0066 Ewen Rennie

On 14 May 1860 Esther Ross was born at Dounry in the Thurso Parish

On 7 July 1862 Donald Ross was born at Melsetter Farm, Walls Parish, Orkney

On 24 March 1864 William Ross was born at Melsetter farm, Walls Parish, Orkney

Between 1852 and 1864 Mary gave birth to ten children. She moved from Mains, Cromarty to Rumsdale, to Brahour to Dounry, to Melsetter, to Rosemire, to Shetland and then to New Zealand. 

I am not sure how the family travelled. There were coaches but they were very expensive. The Ross family may have owned a horse and cart but if they were able to carry some possessions and some of the family had to walk they would have only gone about ten miles a day. From Cromarty Mains to Rumsdale would have been about 80 miles. What on earth did Mary feed the children while travelling? There were lots of inns on the way but they were not family friendly and were really drinking holes.

According to the birth records there were two more shifts before going to Melsetter. The trip across from Thurso (Scrabster) to Orkney by boat would have been easier in some ways but with six young children it would have had its stresses. Daughter Christina stayed behind with her McLeod grandparents at Rumsdale.

Top photo courtesy of Patricia Ross. Below photo is the
Melsetter farmhouse following extensive renovations
that were made to the Melsetter buildings 
Source: www.orkneycommunities.co.uk/imagelibrary/picture/number16844.asp

The 1871 census shows the Ross family moving to Rossmyre in the Firth Parish near Kirkwall. The trip involved about 30 miles of travelling and a ferry crossing. Six of the children were still at home. Helen and Jessie had left home.

Source: Google Earth

Farm road, Rossmyre for Geograph HY3811 Richard Webb

The trip from Kirkwall to the Shetlands was about 150 miles by boat. Long enough for the children to be cold and miserable. 

Sheep at Shetland Island

Things were not looking good for the Ross family at this time as Donald had Tuberculosis. The move to the cold and misty Shetlands did nothing to improve his health and this Scottish family made plans to emigrate to New Zealand.