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