ONE MORE STORY OF FAMILY DEVOTION.

GORDON MILLS with Jean McClymont, baby Ian and Arch at Manuka.

This relation was the only child of the sixth Manuka McClymont Flora. She married Fred Mills.

"Gordon was in the RAAF and I believe was helped by Uncle Jim was to establish himself on a cattle property near Roma ( it may have been 'Rosella' where Ian had been) He lived there for many years with a married couple as station hand and had a house keeper.

Once a week he would drive to Roma and have a session at the RSL. One evening, there was a bad accident and I don't recall what his injuries were except that his head was in a bad way. The rest of his life was spent in hospital in Toowoomba.

Jessie McClymont used to drive up from Brisbane once a month for years, to check on his welfare. She deserved to be his sole heir, but the Public Prosecutor distributed his estate ( eventually, no will) to the many first cousins. Either 16 or 18 of us received $25000 a piece. Or was it Pounds? I forget!" As written by Aunt Judith.

We do hope you are enjoying the various family stories that we are now recording as part of our heritage.

A pominent educator whose name I can't recall, once said

"THE BEST THINGS YOU CAN GIVE YOUR CHILDREN ARE ROOTS AND WINGS."

These stories are all part of our roots!

THE ADVANTAGES OF THIS BLOGSPOT!

WHY HAVE WE BEEN USING THIS BLOGSPOT?

*It is one way of updating you with all that is happening in the lead up to the reunion!

*You can add any information you know about what is written here.

*It is an ongoing record that anyone who has knowledge of this spot can add to in the comment box at the bottom of the blog.

*At any stage anyone can print off all that is recorded here to keep for their family's records.

*Should anyone be searching the net for information about this family when they google the name our site is there for them to see the records.

*We are hoping to enter a connected website you can also access that will have the family updated tree. This can also be down loaded and printed off.

We are aware that some people are not 'into' computors.

Please help those family members by printing off the blogs and giving them out so that everyone is up to date with what is happening. It has already 'jogged a few peoples memories about past happenings.

THIS WILL BE MOST IMPORTANT IN THE MONTH LEADING UP TO THE WEEKEND AS THERE WILL BE INFORMATION WE NEED TO PASS ON YOU. These will include the cost of the day and directions - plus what you can bring along.

Don't forget you can email Lesley and I on the gmail address that is mentioned in earlier blogs.

MANUKA MEMORIES.

The family and horses in front of the Manuka homestead.

When Aunt Judith Treweeke, (nee McClymont and formerly Banks) who is Robert's only daughter, was shown this picture she said

"I remember my Dad(Bert) saying they 'selected' a farm area away from the station water, and put down a well for the house and perhaps the stock too. It must have been 1870 or 1860 I think.

Dad's father (Alexander) was known as a 'gentleman farmer' and liked to read all night, it was said. Seem to think this trait was certainly passed down!

I remember visiting Manuka when Uncle Jim lived there with Aunt Isa and Agnes and there were two huge almond trees in the garden. Cam McClymont and I spent hours cracking nuts between two half bricks."

The picture in the top left hand corner has come to us entitled "Under the Almond Tree" I think we can see the swing too!

Judith is coming to the reunion with all three of her sons Cam, Rod and Duncan Banks and has been a wealth family knowledge for Lesley and I to call on for this special event.

Robyn Litchfield ( Daughter of Norman, the fourteenth born) told me yesterday that when one a member of the family last visited the house it was not in use and was derelict.

The old Manuka wind up gramaphone will be here for you to look at when you come to the reunion.

WAY WAY BACK IN SCOTLAND.

It is important to acknowledge Jessie McClymont, (deceased) the daughter of Alexander( the ninth born) who recorded a lot of the information that has been relied upon for these blogs. She was an army nursing sister who did not marry.

Aunt Jessie hand wrote the family tree of the Manuka family and now we need to up date that with information from you all at the reunion.

She documented the names of the other siblings of our Manuka forefather - Alexander Cummingham McClymont.

Alexander's parents were Thomas McClymont and Anne Cunningham who were married in 3 November 1834 at Rerrick Scotland. The children were born in this order-

James was born 3 November 1835 at Kirkcudbrightshire Buittle parish.

Alexander Cunningham Born 9 July 1838 at Buittle. Lived in NZ from 22years old Died 27-11-1900.

Thomas born 24-1-1843. Died aged 3 2-2-1846 aged 3.

Agnes Jane born 9-6-1846 at Buittle. died 21-12-1921 Edinbuurgh.

George McTaggart born 1848 at Bruttle .Died aged 27 11-3-1876 in London.

The burning question is "Which brother was it that travelled to New Zealand and Australia with Alexander?"

A SHORT HISTORY LESSON!

Information from the Clans of Scotland says that the Lamont family first appeared in the Cowall region of Argyll in the early thirteenth century.

A lord of Cowall called Ladman or Lauman, is regarded as the founder of the clan.

A John Lamont of Inveryne, owner of Toward Castle was knighted in 1539.

The McClymonts were also recorded as farmers in Ayrshire in 1613

There is extensive information about the family name history . In short Lamont means "law man,that is one who laid down the law or lawyer."

MOTTO: Ne parcas, nec spernas. Translates to"Neither spare nor despise."

Much could also be said about the repeated clashes of the Lamont Clan with their formidable and much more powerful neighbours, Clan Campbell.

Needless to say they did also intermarry.

LET US REMEMBER THOSE WITHOUT DESCENDANTS!

A number of old photos have surfaced from an album that Ian got from Manuka when he sold it three years after his father Robert died. We will place some in future blogs for you to see. Isn't this a wonderful picture of James? He was the third born and mostly know in the family as 'Uncle Jim". He never married but had a reputation for being very generous to his nieces and nephews, helping several financially.

IN RESPONSE TO THIS. We have had an email from mac McClymont at Longreach to report on his father Jim. (Son of Alexander the 9th born)

"I know that uncle Jim left my dad (also Jim!) some mney in his will. dad had always wanted to fly but could never justify the expense however he used Uncle Jim's legacy to learn to fly and then bought a plane . I still have that plane, its nearly 50 years old and still in good order." He also has an old round cedar table that came from Manuka. He mentioned that there was in existence a grand piano - shaped either square or round?! Its whereabouts are unknown.

******Can anyone recall being told stories about Jim, George, Isabella or Agnes who did not marry? Mary Jane also had no decendents. Lesley remembers being told one yarn about George who kept pigs and liked to name them after his sisters-in-law! Some were not impressed so the story went! True /false?!

STOP PRESS!

We have already had confirmation that some of Samuel's (second in the family) daughter Flora Walker's sons and daughter Jenny are planning to come.

Also some decandents of the first born Thomas are hoping to join us. He had a daughter Florence who married John Kelman and their two daughters Flora and Margy have said they coming.

The youngest son Norman has a daughter Robyn Litchfield who has indicated she will be present.

Mac, Sue and Roslyn who are grandchildren of the ninth born - Alexander- have indicated that they will be joining us in Rockhampton.

Are you coming?

Don't forget to let us know by email or letter by 14th May.

Can you contribute to the information we are amassing if you can't actually get here on that weekend? Just pop it in a 'comment' on these blogs for us all to share!

BUILDING A PICTORIAL HISTORY OF THE 14 SIBLINGS

Wouldn't it be great to collect a photograph of each of the original fourteen siblings? Even better, lets have a picture of the whole family of each who married. Here is one of Robert McClymont and his family when they were young and again at son Ian's wedding. Do you recognize any of these people?

Come on and get into that cupboard with all the old photos and copy one off and send it by email or post to Bowen street!

We can then use it here if you consent to that or just keep it with all the extra information that is accumulating. When this is all over we need to think about where we can archive it all. Anyone got any suggestions? We hear the Mitchell Library in Sydney has archives to store family trees.

Our McClymont Matriach.

Here is a picture of the amazing ancestor Isabella McKinnon (1847 - 1929)

She was born on the Isle of Mulle. Later her family moved to live near Oban on a property named Rathoy, Morven in Argyllshire. Her father was a builder of bridges and there were NINE daughters and one son in the family. Many moons later, when her Australian born daughter Aunt Flora went to visit the old home she found that it had its own a private chapel.

Isabella migrated to New Zealand with her family when she was twelve years old.

She susequently married Alexander Cunningham McClymont when she was 18 years of age and he 27.

The marriage was 'solomnized' at Riverton NZ on August 31st 1865 where they lived for five years.

Then the family began! In 1866 Thomas Neil was born followed by Samuel Cameron in 1868 and then James in 1869. There is some thought that George was also born here in 1870. Some time around 1873 they all moved to Australia. Then Annie and Flora were born but we have no birth dates stated for them. The next child Isabella is thought to have arrived in 1876. Many more followed - the list is in the first blog. The last child, Norman, was born in 1893.

It is believed that Isabella McClymont actually had 15 children and the second last to be born died early.

***IF YOU ARE READING THESE BLOGS FOR THE FIRST TIME BE SURE TO SCROLL RIGHT TO THE BOTTOM TO START LOOKING AT THEM FROM THE BEGINNING! THIS IS THE FIFTH ONE (Others are listed to your right on this page.)

WATCH THIS SPACE! MANY MORE TO COME BEFORE WE MEET!