ROLL CALL OF THE "MANUKA" FOURTEEN - Portraits are in the order of their birth

Thomas and Samuel

James (Jim) , George and Annie ( m. Ensor)

Flora (m. Mills), Isabella ( Isa) and Mary Jane ( Ginny) (m. McKenzie)



Alexander (Mac), Robert ( Bert) and Hugh


Agnes , Achibald and Norman.

CAN ANYONE 'SHED LIGHT' ON THESE PLEASE?

UNSOLVED MYSTERY.

Judith has asked that we try to shed some light on something she wants to know. Her father Robert ( the 10th born Manuka child) recieved some money from family in Scotland and with it bought the home 'Avalon' on top of Point Danger, Coolangatta. Does anyone remember who was the generous person in the family? She also wishes to hear if anyone else got the gift.

We are endeavouring to have a slide show of photographs we have amased for you to veiw at the reunion. However there are some wonderful ones with NO NAMES! We will put a few here for you to ask older family members to help us with identification.

These first two came from the Kensington McClymont family and have "Tom?" on the back - any ideas as they don't really resemble the other pictures of Thomas that we have.

YOUR CLAN HERITAGE

"Among the clans of the Western Highlands which appear to be able to claim actual descent from early celtic stock, Clan Lamont may be considered one of the most assured. There is some reason to believe that the Lamont Chiefs were originally a branch of the great house of O'Neil, kings of Ulster in early times. The hand sumounting the old Lamont ulster crest is pointed to as being undoubtedly the "Red hand of Ulster", and the Lamont motto "Nec parcas nec spernas," is also pointed to as indicating the close relationship, while the documents of early times which refer to the Chief as "The Great Lamont of Cowal".

The name Lamont appears to date from the middle of the thirteenth century. In a very early time the Lamonts appear to have possessed the greater part of Cowal, and the ruins of reveral of their strong holds still remain to attest their greatness."

The Lamonts established their chief seats at castles of Toward and Ascog, which they held till thier destruction by the Campbells in the 17th century.

The chiefs eventually took up residence at Ard Lamont, where the last chief to live in Cowal was born in 1845. in 1893, the last of the clan lands were sold and the chiefs later emigrated to Australia.

Include here are images of the Cowal Castle, the Clan Crest and a map of the region on the west coast of Scotland where they settled.

EXTRACT FROM "YOUR CLAN HERITAGE - CLAN LAMONT."

GRANDCHILDREN WITH ISABELLA AND ALEXANDER

This group of the McClymont family of Manuka is very special because it is one of only two that has surfaced of grandchildren with Alexander and Isabella.

Many thanks to Graham McClymont Son of Cam ( Son of Bert 10th born of the 14).The two little boys sitting are Cecil and Norman who were sons of Thomas - the first born of their brood.

In the back row are Archie and Agnes who are behind Isa Isabella, Alexander and Hugh.

Flora and Ginny are sitting at the front. It just gives some idea of the age span of the children when we see six of the original fourteen together. Remember Isabella bore fifteen children in 27 years. How good it would be to talk to her about her life as a mother in those times!

GEORGE THE BULLOCKY

Very little has been recalled of George ( the 4th born of the fourteen) but it is believed that he probably never had a home but travelled far a field with his bullock teams. We do however, have two photographs that have survived.

Early Portraits

Mac McClymont from "Dalkeith" Longreach who is a grandson of Alexander ( Mac) the ninth born child has just sent us these copies of portraits of our amazing ancestors. He is bringing the original photo to the reunion for us to take copies. Don't Isabella and Alexander look young in these beautiful portraits?

HAVE YOU GOT ANYTHING FOR 'SHOW AND TELL' AT THE REUNION??

MORE FAMILY DEVOTION

Bessie McClymont, Sam and their girls

SAMUEL'S FAMILY STORY.
There are a number of the descendants of Samuel McClymont (who was the second born of the original Manuka family) who are coming to the reunion from NSW.

They have provided some wonderful photographs.

We are told that Samuel married Elizabeth Godard known as Bessie. They had three daughters Elizabeth(called Betty), Flora and Heather. "When the girls were7,5 and 3 they were brought to live with their widowed aunt Annie Ensor(nee McClymont) who already had three children. Their mother had died and their father died shortly afterwards. They grew up at Bondi and shared the house with their older cousins Flora,Tom and Jessie."

Here is a picture of Annie Ensor with her three children Flora, Jessie and Tom standing behind her. Beside her are three orphaned nieces, Betty, Flora and Heather who she raised. Judy Nesbit daughter of Betty is joining us. Also coming are two sons and a daughter of Flora McClymont who married Oscar Walker.