McLeods of Rumsdale: Alexander McLeod 1872

Church

The families of Alexander and Jessie were devout Presbyterians. Both the McLeod and Ross families had supported the 1843 ‘Disruption’ over the issue of the Church of Scotland’s relationship with the state, and the formation of the more evangelical Free Church of Scotland. Their immediate families and wider circles of family members were faithful church goers all their lives.

George Muller

In 1871 in Thurso, Alexander read reports in the newspaper about the work and Christian teachings of George Muller in Bristol. Alexander was intrigued.

It was a time of intense industrialisation in England. People flocked to cities for work often in appalling conditions. Many died leaving thousands of orphaned children living either in the dreaded work houses or on the streets. In Bristol George Muller built five large orphan houses and cared for 10,024 orphans in his lifetime. He never asked anyone directly for money but prayed in the money to feed and educate the orphans in his care.

As my mother Joy McLeod explained: “Grandad corresponded with George Muller and went to see for himself. He went by carriage from the North of Scotland to the South of England. He was told you could talk to God without going through the Minister and could live by faith”.

George Muller

A well- known story related by Alexander told of the orphanage children having no breakfast. The children sat up at the table and gave thanks to God. They heard the sound of the baker's cart and horses. Bread arrived that had been burnt so not fit for selling but it provided breakfast for the children. This was followed by milk from a cart that had broken down outside the orphanage and needed mending, with the milk being given to the children.

Bristol

In 1872, after the death of his mother Christina, Alexander and Jessie left their home in Swanson Street,Thurso and moved to Bristol.

The last coach leaving Thurso in 1873.
This is likely the same coach the McLeod family had travelled in the previous year.

Bristol was an industrial city and taking his shoe making tools with him Alexander was easily able to not only get work but to prosper financially. He was an inventive man and developed an improvement to the automatic feed for the sewing machines used in the trade which he patented and later sold well.

On the family records Alexander’s occupation was usually put as ‘clicker’ or ‘boot clicker’. A Clicker was a worker who cut the leather out to the correct shape using metal patterns. The click of the knife against the edge of the pattern gave rise to the name. This was a skilled job as clickers not only had to get as many uppers out of a skin as possible, for economic reasons, but also to place them in the best position to correspond the strongest parts of the skin with the section that would get the most wear.

Bristol buildings in 1873

Alexander was manager of several business in Bristol, England, his experience being gained principally in wholesale houses.

POW's Boot and Shoe Factory, Bristol

Alexander and Janet McLeod became committed members of the Bristol Brethren church and followers of George Muller and his theology. A key feature of this theology was the belief in the ‘priesthood of all believers’ and rejection of the concept of clergy. Alexander later took these beliefs to Martinborough, New Zealand.

Bethesda used by Muller and his followers for their gatherings

The years in Bristol were not easy for the McLeod family. Bristol was a very large crowded industrial city with tough working conditions, poor sanitation facilities and diseases widespread. The family moved house quite often. And the family grew. Jessie gave birth to six more babies in Bristol. See below for their names and dates of birth.

Whooping Cough

In 1877 disaster struck. In the space of less than three months daughters Mary, Johan and Christina all died of whooping cough. They were at home with their mother Jessie who was, no doubt desperately caring for her little ones. That baby Margaret survived is surprising. Eldest daughter Janet also survived.

For many previous decades, and still in 1877, whooping cough was the most fatal of all children’s diseases. In Bristol, as elsewhere, little had been done to grapple seriously with the disease. There was no hospital for whooping cough and no powers for the isolation of sick children.

In 1877, in Bristol, 49.1% of the total mortality of that year was of children under the age of five with the chief causes of death being whooping cough, measles and diarrhoea.

Source: The Municipal Government of Bristol, 1851-1901 By David Large

Immunization was of course a long way into the future.

Measles

Eight years later their youngest son Frederick died of measles.

I have not been able to locate the Bristol burial records or cemetery for these children.

Census 1881

The 1881 census shows the McLeod family living at 4 Pear Tree Terrace off North Street. Besides Alexander and Jessie, the family now has the eldest and youngest daughters, Janet and Margaret, and sons John and Matthew.

Census Bristol 1881

North St, Bedminster, near Pear Tree Terrace

The family next moved to Greville Sreet where baby Frederick was born and died.

To Melbourne

In 1886, after 14 years in Bristol, and at least seven different houses, the births of 6 more children and the deaths of 4 of them, the McLeod family left Bristol, travelled to London and boarded the sailing ship Melbourne whose destination was Melbourne, Australia.