McClymonts in the Services

Photos:

1. Archibald( Eleventh born) in uniform- wounded at Villers Bretonneux.

2. Murray ( son of Archibald) killed in an air-training crash at Wagga.

3. Alexander Norman and Cecil heading off to enlist.

4. Norman( Fourteenth born) in uniform.

McClymonts in the Services. (Information taken from the Aust War Memorial and related sites.)

Boer War

Three McClymonts enlisted for the Boer War – one, a John Joseph from Victoria, also enlisted for WW1 and was killed in France. From the family tree;

George McTaggart McClymont – No.260 Served with the NSW Imperial Bushmen, becoming a Corporal 24.3.1901, and mentioned in despatches 9.7.1901.

World War 1

Over twenty McClymonts enlisted, 6 of these from the family tree and these consisted of 2 x 3 brothers.

Three sons of Alexander and Isabella:

Archibald McClymont – No 2359 Pte with the 36^th Btn. He enlisted 30.5.1916 (was married that year also), embarked 17.10.1916 at Sydney, served in France, was wounded, and returned to Australia 15.9.1918.

Norman Clarence McClymont – No 3159 Pte with the 54^th Btn. Enlisted 7.9.1916, embarked 11.11.1916, served in France, and returned to Australia 12.6.1919.

Robert McClymont – No N86965 enlisted in Sydney, 12.3.1918.

Three sons of Thomas Neil and Cis:

Cecil James McClymont –No 266 Pte/Sgt with the 12^th Light Horse, enlisted 27.1.1915 and embarked 13.6.1915. He saw active service in Gallipoli and Egypt, and returned to Australia 12.11.1917.

Alexander Thomas McClymont – No 1564 also Pte. in 12^th Light Horse. Enlisted 1.8.1915, and embarked 23.10.1915. Alexander was killed in action in the famous Light Horse charge on Beersheba 31.10.1917, at age 23, and is buried in the Beersheba War Cemetery.

Norman Strang McClymont – No 3189 again Pte. of the 12^th Light Horse. He enlisted 13.2.1917 (was just 20 years old, also married that year) and embarked 10.5.1917 for Egypt. He returned to Australia on 4.3.1919.

World War 2

About sixty McClymonts enlisted for WW2, from Qld, NSW, Vic, Tas and WA, and also from overseas. Nine of these are of our family tree, from 4 families, the first 3 being brothers, the next 2 brother and sister, the next 3 were also of one family (of Norman Strang, who saw active service in WW1) and the last was the son of Arch who also saw active service in WW1.

Robert Ian McClymont – No 23713 RAAF Sgt. Ian enlisted 31.10.1940 and was discharged 3.11.1945.

Archibald James McClymont – No Q214917, Army Pte, enlisted 4.7.1942, discharged 21.10.1945.

Alexander Cunningham McClymont – No QX29710 Army Lt, enlisted 5.2.1942, discharged 11.10.1945.

James McCredie McClymont – No Q214834 Army Pte, enlisted 6.6.1942, discharged 21.10.1945.

Jessie Isabella McClymont – No NX141727 Army Lt, enlisted 20.12.1942 and discharged 5.8.1946.

Neil Vallack McClymont – No 6932 RAAF Sgt and Leading Aircraftman, enlisted 15.1.1940. Neil, “Gidgie”, saw active service in Egypt and France. He was discharged 2.10.1945.

David Mackinnon McClymont – No 405491 RAAF Flight Lt/Flying Officer. He enlisted 31.3.1941, saw active service in New Guinea, and was discharged 17.4.1945.

Dorothy Joan McClymont – No QFX64068 Army Lt, enlisted 13.6.1945 and serving in New Guinea, Joan was discharged 10.4.1947.

Archibald Murray McClymont – N0 414066 RAAF Leading Aircraftman. Murray enlisted 20.7.1941, and was the fatal victim of an accident at Flying Training School on 7.4.1942, not long before his 22^nd birthday. He is buried at Inverell.

Also members of the family tree and serving in WW2, are some with another surname. Apologies for ones that have been overlooked, families please let us know of any people and/or details that should be added to this list:

John Tyrrell KELMAN – No Q30764 Army Lt, enlisted 22.10.1941 and discharged 17.12.1943.

Roy Bradshaw BANKS – No 404530 RAAF briefly, later No Q19366 Army Lt, enlisted 19.9.1941, discharged 31.1.1942. Kelly BANKS – No NX78946 Army Sgt, enlisted 16.12.1941, discharged 1.4.1946.

Oscar Edward WALKER – N0 NX30697 Army Sgt, enlisted 6 .6.1940, discharged 6.11.1943.

Samuel Gordon MILLS – No 424931 RAAF Leading Aircraftman, enlisted 9.10.1942 and discharged 21.3.1946.

Donald Frederick ILLING – No QX27928 Army, enlisted 20.2.1942, discharged 16.5.1946.

Suzanne Frances SHAW – No NF453027 Army Cpl, enlisted 8.3.1943, discharged 23.12.1946.

Three McClymonts were enlisted for the Korean War and seven for Vietnam. One McClymont member of this family tree served in Vietnam:

James Robert McClymont - No 1736477 Army Pte/Lance Cpl with 4^th Battalion.

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For a blog in relation to the members of the family who fought at Beersheeba look at the blog on 28 April 2010.

AN ACCOUNT OF THOMAS NEILL McCLYMONT'S LIFE 1866 - 1932

Thomas with his three sons Cecily, Norman and Alexander.Above is his daughter Florence.

Lachlan McClymont, his grandson, kindly provided this account of the first born Manuka McClymont

"Here are a few facts and figures as I remember them.

My grandfather Thomas Neill was know by the family as “Pardy”, he was the first born of Alexander and Isabella in 1866.

Tom lived at a property named “Wandilla” outside Warialda in Northern New South Wales. He married Emily Strang “Cis”.

They had three sons and a daughter, - Cecil, Alex, Norman and Florence.

I think he acquired “Wandilla” in a land ballot about 1892 - a resumption of “Yaleroi” Station. It was improved Brigalow and Belah block until he netted it and got rid of the rabbits.

Tom was known as a successful breeder of horses – both saddle and harness supplying and selling many around the district, his breed was T C ( TC double dot over the letters.)

My father Norman's ( Tom's 3^rd son) first job when he returned from war service in 1919 was to take the 'Wandilla” horses to adjistment on the coast near Casino as 1919 was a drought year.

As “Wandilla was improved, sheep, cattle and horses were successfully run and then he started farming. As a child I remember going to watch the harvesting. Grandfather and my father cut the crop with scythes and a boy stacking it in “stookes”

The next thing I remember was a bullock team coming from “Wandilla” to my father's property “Mirurin” near Yetman in Northern N.S.W. To cart logs to the local sawmill and doing some tank sinking for my father.

I believe this was his brother George's bullock team, which he had left at “Wandilla” and was worked by Paddy and Denny Murphy -two Irishmen who spoilt us kids. Later the bullocks were sold and the wagon left at “Wandilla”. Paddy and Denny retired to Boggabilla. I have the old bullock bell from the team. Two of the bullocks were named “Scarlet”- a long horned red (a lead bullock) and “Butler” a yellow and white 'poler'. The two bullocks kept the pace level.

Pardy was a very strong man,Warialda Show a sideshow man was offering money to anyone who could carry two bags of corn (192lbs a bag) a certain distance. Pardy did this course with a bag on each arm and one on his shoulders – a terrific feat!

I remember the day Pardy died, we received a phone call and my father rode to Wandilla. Pardy had been pressing wool in the woolshed when he had a heart attack."

Thank you Lachlan for writing this important record of your branch of this man with 127 decendants!

Joan Illing, Lachlan's sister also has many stories of affection for Pardy as she remembered him in her childhood. He was lots of fun as a grandparent. She told both Lesley and I many memories by telephone as she was unable to join us for the reunion but was very helpful with oral history. I sent her copies of the blogs and she read them all with real interest.

"Wandilla" homestead is picture here.

A LIFE HISTORY OF A " GENTLEMAN FARMER"

This history of Alexander Cunningham McClymont was compiled by Lesley Cowper in the months since the reunion, as she gathered more information from members of the family. The photo of very early " Manuka" has only recently come to light and it is interesting to see that "the gentleman farmer" had a lot of work to do at that time to create "Manuka" and its garden as we have seen it in many of the subsequent family photos.

Alexander Cunningham McClymont

Born at Castle Douglas, Buittle Parish Kirkudbrightshire, south-west Scotland, and baptised 9.7.1838 at Cuil farm, the second son of Thomas McClymont b 8.2.1807 Ayr, Straiton d. 26.11.1852 and Ann Cunningham b Wigton, Glenluce 1.2.1810 d. 10.10.1887 He had an older brother James b 3.11.1834, and younger siblings, Thomas b 24.1.1843 d 2.2.1846 aged 3, and Agnes Jane b 9.6.1846 d.21.12.1921 in Edinburgh, and George McTaggart McClymont b 16.8.1848 d 11.3.1876 aged 27 in London. His father was a farmer of 330 acres employing 9 labourers at Cuil farm, Buittle Parish, Kirkudbrightshire.

In the 1851 census of Scotland, Alexander, known as Sandy, was staying in the house of his uncle George and aunt Eliza McTaggart, sister of his mother. George was a farmer of 500 acres at Overlaw farm, Rerrick Parish, Kirkudbrightshire.

Counting back, Alexander, aged 18, and his older brother James, aged 22, arrived in Victoria, Australia about 1856. His death certificate says that he lived in Victoria for 5 years. The story that we grew up with was that the two brothers went to the goldfields in Victoria where they had a horse that pulled up the earth from the mine, and on a whistle from one of the brothers it would step smartly sideways and empty the load in the appropriate place. Years later the brothers saw this old horse again, pulling a baker’s cart, laden with bread. To make sure it was the same horse, they gave a whistle and the old horse stepped smartly sideways, unloading the bread in the street!

About 1861 Alexander, and presumably his brother James, went to Port Chalmers, New Zealand as goldminers, and were at Tuapeka goldfields near Lawrence. Alexander lived in NZ for 14 years and farmed near Invercargill right at the south of the South Island.

6.9.1865 Alexander married Isabella McKinnon in the house of her mother Flora nee Cameron in the Waimatuku district, NZ. Isabella’s father, Neil McKinnon had died in 1860 shortly after settling there on the farm. Alexander was aged 27 and had been living at Riverton in NZ for 5 years. Isabella was aged 18 and had been living at Riverton for 5 years also.

The 1869-70 Electoral Roll for Riverton shows:

McCLYMONT, Alexander Cunningham/Riverton/freehold/(1) Section 18, block 6 Riverton (2) 360 acres upper Ford, Jacob’s River Hundred (3) 200 acres block 4, Jacob’s River Hundred.

1870-71 same, 72-73 same minus “Section 18, block 6”

1875-76 no trace

Two other McClymonts owning land in the vicinity were

Gilbert/Invercargill/Mataura Hundred

James/Heddon Bush/Homestead on Run No 135, Oreti District.

In “Records of Early Riverton and District” “Fairview” was originally a large and rich farm of mixed terrace and river flat, first owned by a man named McClymont who went to Australia.

Alexander and Isabella’s children were born:

1866 Thomas Neill in Riverton NZ b. 16.6.1866 d. 3.6.1932 bd Warialda

1868 Samuel Cameron, Riverton NZ b. 24.2.1868 d. 15.11.1924 Qld Reg

1869 James, Riverton NZ b.16.8.1869 d.20.4.1949 bd Inverell

1870 George McTaggart, Riverton NZ b.29.11.1870 d.10.9.1945 bd Inverell

1872 Ann Cunningham, The Mains NZ b.4.6.1872 d.28.3.1951 Bondi

1874 Flora, Riverton NZ b.22.9.1874 d 17.6.1958 Qld Reg

15 Feb 1875 Mr A and Mrs McClymont and 6 children were passengers (cabin) on the Macedon from Port of Melbourne to Sydney. As his brother James was married in Kirkudbright 9 March 1875 it is presumed they left NZ about the same time.

1876 Isabella b Warialda d 14.5.1959 Chatswood bd Inverell

1878 Mary Jane d.2.5.1938 Inverell

1880 Alexander b.20.4.1880 d.11.11.1949 bd Longreach

1882 Robert b.5.3.1882 d.25.11.1956 Coolangatta

1884 Hugh b.10.1.1884 Inverell d 3.2.1947 Qld Reg

1885 Agnes b 13.10.1885 d.2.7.1940 Qld Reg bd Inverell

1887 Archibald b.27.8.1887 d. 29.8.1953 Qld Reg bd Inverell

1893 Norman Clarence b.19.10.1893 Inverell d. 4.7.1970 Inverell

Alexander grew the first wheat in the Inverell district. “In 1896 the largest crop grower in the Inverell district was AC McClymont of Manuka, Little Plain, with 215 hectares. Forty hectares were usually regarded as all that one man and team could cultivate, so larger areas could be worked only by using several teams of horses.” Later Norman was the horsetailer feeding 110 horses.

Manuka was part of the holding of Myall Creek. Alexander had been offered a block of 10,000 acres but he felt he could only handle 5,000 acres. The property was called Manuka after the dense scrub (tea-tree) they knew from Invercargill. Manuka had an extensive garden and a gardener from amongst the Morrow men who looked after Manuka during the war years for Agnes and Isa.

It seems Alexander was of short and stocky stature and sandy complexion. He was a champion weightlifter in NZ. He built the hall at Mt Russell for the recreation of his employees. He had wanted to be a doctor but lack of education prevented that so he was a great reader. He liked to read half the night and would spend the night on the old couch that was on the verandah at Manuka.

29 November 1900 Alexander passed away at Manuka aged 62 years. Apparently he went down to the farm to watch stooks of hay being loaded onto a wagon. He picked up a fork and threw a few up himself, had a heart attack and died there and then. His youngest child was 7 years old and the eldest 34. Cause of death was given as ‘dilatation of the heart and aorta with fatty depositions on the heart’. He is buried in the Presbyterian section of the Inverell Cemetery.

DESCENDANTS OF ROBERT (BERT) McCLYMONT. THE 10th Manuka sibling.

The last family group photo is of Robert McClymont's descendants who numbered over forty on the day and, as you can see, took a little time to get organized for the picture!

The total number of Bert's descendants is 107. (The only sibling with more is the first born Thomas who has 121 by our calculations.) Again what a family!

Judith Treweeke, sporting the Lamont tartan across her shoulder, is the soul survivor of Robert's children and the only daughter. She gave a speech that reflected on growing up in that branch of the family:

"You may have read the blogs about Alexander Cunningham and his brother coming to Australia to the goldmines in Victoria, and presently moving to New Zealand, where he married Isabella McKinnon, and of their moving to Inverell in the 1870s. There, they took up Manuka, raising 14 children – of his being the first to grow wheat in that district.

I remember Dad taking Cam and me to visit Manuka; Jim, Isa and Agnes lived there. I recall seeing the table grand piano there, I’d never seen such, then, or since. I believe each son was given ₤100 at 21, to go out on his own. In Robert’s case, his Mother asked him to stay on at Manuka for a further ₤100, which he did, and was not free to enlist in the army until 1917. Other sons and nephews served in the Boer War and in WWI as others may well relate.

In the garden at Manuka I remember two big almond trees, with a netting hammock strung between them, and an old brick edging nearby, so of course my brother Cam and I used half-bricks to crack almond shells.

I remember Dad telling of lots of fruit trees in the Manuka orchard, and a story of taking an unliked visitor there one evening to eat as many peaches as he wished. No one else ate from this tree because the fruit was full of grubs.

There is a photo of Jean, my Mother, sitting among the flowers on the fallen bough of an apple tree – this photo was in Dad’s wallet his whole life.

I recall being told Grandfather McClymont died as he tossed a stook of hay onto a haystack: heart attack. Grandmother McClymont continued at Manuka to the end of her life, and her daughters Isa and Agnes, after her. My brother Ian then purchased Manuka and sold it in 1959, just over one hundred years since Grandfather McClymont had first come to Australia.

Robert (Bert) bought country at Cunnamulla, “Woodstock”, and presently “Murra Downs”. In the early 1930’s he balloted for and won country above Longreach, “Carinya”, and we all moved to live at Longreach for schooling. Dad was a very capable man, a hard worker, non-smoker, drank rum or scotch at night – never ate a meal without saying grace, either aloud or to himself. A Presbyterian, he used to do his office work meticulously at night. He walked quickly, with a kind of spring in his step, loved to play gentle practical jokes on us children. Bert and Jean were both tall, dark haired, with fair skin – a handsome couple, good people.

They had four sons, one daughter; Archie, Ian, Alexander, Cam and Judith. All were assisted to buy land, in turn, and most of them have been able to do the same for their sons

Archie and Claire had four sons, one daughter.

Ian and Nola, three sons, one daughter

Sana and Ruth, three sons, one daughter

Cam and Shirley, two sons, one daughter

Judith and Kelly, three sons.

I believe I can safely say we are all thankful for our Manuka heritage, and to be Australians; the next generation, I don’t think I have enough fingers or toes to count them.

Many in this branch of the family are innovators, inventors, and creative. I wonder do other branches share this gene?

The McClymont motto is I’m told, and I leave it to you to interpret “Spare not, nor dispose”.

(Note: Ian and Judith said that the amount that Alexander provided to give his sons a start in life was ₤100, Arch said ₤380, and Sana said ₤500 because a block of land (presumably in that area) was 200 acres. Mac McClymont said that he had never heard of it, and that he had never heard Jean, Jessie or his father, Jim, speak of it.

The internet says that prior to 1910, Australia was using the British currency. ₤100 GBP in 1890 had the purchasing power of about $13,050 AUD today.)

The following is an extract from a history book written by Robyn Crossle called " TURNBULL, Lives and letters" which covers the family history of three families. One was the Rathies and Robert married into that family.

"The third Rathie daughter Jean, trained as a nurse in Sydney where, in the later years of the war she met her future husband, Robert(Bert) McClymont. Bert enlisted for service in the army soon afterwards and somewhere in the Indian Ocean en route to France when the armistice was signed.

He and Jean were married on his return to Sydney, with Jean's best friend *Trix Hopkins - the Hopkins were old family friends - as her bridesmaid. Jean and Bert went to live at "Woodstock", a sheep property fifty miles east of Cunnamulla in Queesnland, where their three children - Archibald James, Robert Ian and Alexander Cunningham spent their early days.

By 1929, "Woodstock" was sold and the family moved to Longreach, to "Carinya" and "Kensington", properties still owned by the McClymonts.

Two more children, Judith Carol and Allan Cameron (Cam) were born at the family's seaside cottage at Coolangatta, and where their mother, Jean McClymont was to die in 1956 when she was only sixty-three. Today the McClymont descendants are widely scattered throughout Queensland."

Bert was to die within six months of her departure.

*Trix Hopkins was actually a cousin of the bride Jean.

,

DESCENDANTS OF SAMUEL McCLYMONT

SPEECH DELIVERED BY JUDY NISBET, DAUGHTER OF BESSIE. (ONE OF SAMUEL'S CHILDREN)

My mother was Isabel Elizabeth (Betty) McClymont born May 1915 in Sydney. Following the death of both her parents Samuel and Elizabeth Mary (nee Goddard) in 1923, my mother and her two sisters -Flora Camerom (borm February 26th 1917) and Heather (March 19th 1920) were brought up in Sydney by their widowed aunt Annie (nee McClymont, eldest girl of the 14). She was also raising her own three children Flora, Tom and Jessie.

After gaining her leaving certificate in 1934 at Methodist Ladies College MLC Sydney, my mother completed her nursing certificate at the War Memorial Hospital in Sydney.

She then married William (Bill) Herman Bull on June 15th, 1940.

They moved into a new home on "Oakville" in the south-west Riverina, north of Deniliquin. It was a tough wartime start and they travelled 7 kms to Bill's parents home "Waringah" for a bath and had to cart all other household water by horsedrawn Furphy water cart.

Following the disappointment of a still born baby, and the death of my sister Sandra Ella at three days of age in 1943, I was born in Sydney. Eighteen months later Colin William was born in Deniliquin on July 19th, 1948.

Our father Bill Bull served on the Conargo Shire council for 33 years and Mum was a great support both to him and her children. She really felt the isolation and visited her sister Flora in Sydney. She suffer a long battle with two bouts of cancer and died on 16th September 1980. I also went to MLC after doing lessons by correspondence and spent weekend visits with my aunt Flora. I trained as a Mothercraft nurse in Melbourne and later qualified as an enroled nurse in Deniliquin. Private nursing took me to north Queensland and various parts of NSW and Victoria.

On December1, 1972 I marriedStuart Cameron Nisbet, a local Deniliquin farmer. we have four children, Annabelle Elizabeth ( April 3, 1974) Shannon Maree ( Deember 30, 1977) Andrew William Cameron ( March 16 ,1981) and Erin Judith (January 16, 1983).

The girls are all ver keen horsewomen, with both Annabelle and Erin representing Australia in tent pegging in South Africa. All the girls are regular polocrosse players, and Erin has been a member of both Victoria and New South Wales state teams state teams at national championships, and toured New Zealand.

Andrew, a highly qualified welder, has travelled extensively with his work, including extended periods of work in the Kimberly mining areas and Darwin. He has recently settled in Holbrook with partner, Anna Marsden, and infant son, Justin William ( 20 February 2010).

Stuart and I have recently retired from full time farming and now live on a small acreage near Deniliquin.

My brother Colin went to Albury Grammar School and enjoyed the agricultural industry, especially Merino sheep. He lives on his first purchased property "Boelgi"Deniliquin, manages the family property- "Oakville" and has recently purchased the original Bull family place "Waringah".

Colin married Margaret Morrow in 1973 and have three children Sarah, Elizabeth, and Lachlan. Elizabeth has three children Isobel,Molly and Samuel with her husband Peter Mecham.

OUR TWO TRUSTY PHOTOGRAPHERS.

Lots of family members took photos and shared them with us. However, we did ask Sue Rutherford ( granddaughter of Alexander), above, and Butter McClymont (married to Alan of "Kensington " Longreach) below in red, to make a record of the day. They both have great reputations as good photgraphers and have certainly strutted their stuff on this occassion!

Many thanks to Sue and Butter from all the Clan members for this outstanding record of the reunion. It is their photos which form the basis of these blogs and many will be added to the disk of the slide show that is being completed soon.

REUNION PHOTOGRAPHS GALORE!

Andrew Palmer and Andrew Cowper begin the assault on the hams! They were affectionately known as "The Andrews Brothers" as they quietly worked so hard to keep the wheels rolling all day. Many thanks boys! Elizabeth McClymont- Mortensen is in the background here.
Bruce McClymont and cousin Rod Banks ponder at the pie van.
Cam Banks and Andrew Palmer have a private little joke!
Murray Todd and Pete McClymont in contemplation mode.
Hamish, Nicholas, Malcolm and Scott McClymont listening to the speeches.

Yet more photos of the reunion.

Great picture of Sue McClymont.
Side on are Graham and John McClymont with Warick Mortensen holding his little daughter Isabelle.
Liz and Bettina McClymont assessing the situation!
Alister Palmer, his sister Amanda Goodwin with her son Lamont Alister (Monty) and Alister McClymont.
Malcolm McClymont's partner Alex Anning and with their baby Madison McClymont.

DESCENDANTS OF SAMUEL McCLYMONT

The Walker Clan who joined us all the way from Sydney. It was wonderful to meet you all!

KEN WALKER'S SPEECH DETAILING HIS MOTHER FLORA'S LIFE.

Flora was the second daughter born to Samuel McClymont and Elizabeth ( Bessie) Mary Goddard, at Newtown, Sydney. (a home birth). They returned to the family home, a sheep station 'Maxwelton' at Moree. Flora's elder sister was Elizabeth (Betty) and the younger sister was Heather.

Flora's mother Bessie passed away in January 1922 due to breast cancer, one month before Flora's 6^th birthday. She was in her late 30's. Unfortunately, Samuel McClymont died the next year in November 1923 due to stomach cancer.

Flora and her two sisters went to live with their Aunt Annie Ensor in Bondi, Sydney. Annie was Sam's widowed sister who had three children of her own, Flora, Jessie and Tom.

Flora attended Bondi public school until she was thirteen, then went to MLC Burwood where she boarded for five years. At 19 she graduated and entered Sydney Teachers College to train for two years to be a primary school teacher.

Her first posting in 1938 at age 21 was to Kinchela school. It was here that she met the Headmaster's son Ocar Edward Walker. After a two year courtship they married at Bondi in 1940 while Oscar was on leave from the Army.

Flora was then posted to Minto and Wollongong schools and resigned in 1943 pregnant with their first son Kenneth Clyde, born 11.07.44. Ronald Cameron was born on 25.03.47, Ian Osborne on 11.04.1949 and Elizabeth Jeanette (Jenny) 21.01.56.

In 1945, Flora ans Oscar moved from their flat in Five Dock, Sydney to their home in Pennant Hills where the family resided till1997. Flora never returned to teaching and instead she was a stay at home mum, baking delicious biscuits, making lemon cheese, knitting gorgeous jumpers, helping various charities and creating a warm family environment.

Flora was widowed on26.06.94.

She moved to serviced apartment, then with deteriorating health to nursing care. She suffered from Osteoporosis and dementia.

She had 11 grandchildren and now (20100) 6 great grandchildren.

Yet more family at the Reunion.

The Walker Family ( descendants of Samuel McClymont ) at one table.
Robyn and Ross Litchfield and family together with Duncan Banks and Jan McClymont behind in the green coat.
Mac McClymont and his wife Biddy with his sister Cathy Wooderson.
Kathryn Rutherford with Nola McClymont.
Angus and Malcolm McClymont.

More Family at the Reunion

Brothers Hugh and Tim McClymont with cousin Ben McClymont in the middle.
Jule McClymont talking to Claire Walker.
Bettina McClymont with Alice and Ben Murray.
Judy Rankin, Julie Nash, Jenny Wood, Carol McClymont with Nola McClymont.
Susan McClymont, Katherine McClymont,Rosemary Philp, Ben, Ann McClymont.

ALL THOSE VERY OLD MANUKA FAMILY PICTURES.

Many of the family photos that were used for this blog, and on the slide show at the reunion originated in this large and rather heavy leather bound, gold embossed Manuka photo album that Ian McClymont passed on to his family. We have even been able to identify some of the unnamed ones as well! This board displayed at the reunion had the parents and all fourteen of the descendants in order of their birth. What a family indeed!

FOOTNOTE. We are still adding some of the newer acquired images plus pictures of us all at the gathering , to the slide show. When it is ready we will get it to those people who requested a copy. The family tree will also be added. If you did not indicate that you wanted copies when you were at the reunion, please send us an email soon.

THE MANUKA FAMILY PIANO AND A.C. McCLYMONT'S POUCH

It is important to acknowledge all the assistance we have had from family members in collecting information about our family history to place on the blog. This then gives you the opportunity to down load it as part of your family history record which you can then pass on to your descendants!

Sue Rutherford took many photographs for us of all the relics that were here on the day. The pouch is one of those brought for us to see by Tom McClymont.

At the reunion there was lots of talk about a very unusually shaped old piano that was in the Manuka home. Judith Treweeke says she remembers it well.

Robyn Litchfield told us that it is held in her family. When I asked her if could we have a photo, she kindly sent this fantastic picture.

She wrote " My father drew it out of a hat. He said his parents bought it in Canada - second hand. It would be 170 years old." Her father was Norman (14th born at Manuka)

So.. who were the musical ones in that family of fourteen? Did Isabella play?

McClymont family members on the reunion day.

Alan McClymont in a quiet reflective moment ( the photo was not taken by Butter!)
Bruce McClymont, David Wood, Richard McClymont and Jenny Wood in deep discussion.
Norman Philp, Robyn Litchfield, Lesley Cowper, Ken Walker, Judy Nisbet, Jenny Robards, Philip Robards and Ron Walker identifying the old photos which Murray McClymont bought to the reunion.
Bruce McClymont, David Wood, Rob McClymont and Duncan Banks chewing the fat.
Chris Curran, Catherine McClymont,Graham McClymont, John McClymont, Murray McClymont and Peter McClymont. Notice any McClymont likeness in this lot?
Matt McClymont, Rex Mc Clymont, Hamish McClymont, Skye McLean, Scott McClymont, Alister Palmer and Margot Palmer and in front Michaela McClymont and Alicia McClymont and Monty Goodwin.

A WONDERFUL FAMILY STORY

There is a story worth recording that relates to this very old gold watch. Jenny Robards of Sydney, and a third generation descendant of Samuel McClymont (no2 of the 14 Manuka siblings) was proudly wearing it at the reunion. She said she was given it by her mother( Flora Walker, nee McClymont) before she died and always thought that it had belonged to her grandfather. However, after seeing the pictures of Alexander Cunningham McClymont's watch and seal on the blog, she attended an antique fair in Sydney at Easter time and got a jeweler to take a closer look at the inscription. It is actually A.C. M. That is not her grandfather Samuel but her GREAT grand father the one and only Alexander! She is understandably very proud to own it!In the above picture Jenny is in the front wearing the black dress with the cream blouse. Many family got a close look at the watch on the day.

** Please refer to and earlier blog that traces the story of Samuel's family in which the three little girls lost both parents when they were very young. This was only one of a few interesting outcomes connected with us all gathering together.