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I am a novice of the
internet. Genealogy became an interest when I found my Irish ancestors on
Genforum.com. A Cousin whom I did not know was studying my fathers family
side. Insight got me checking into my mothers ancestors. On the net, I
discovered that other New Zealand 'cousins' were looking into the same
name.
After making contact I
found that my mothers family had emigrated to Dunedin, New Zealand from
Scotland. During the 1850's. Wow I thought. I had relatives who had been a
part of the settlement of Dunedin. The new Edinburgh of New Zealand.
But alas Mr. Thomas
Robertson, is a hard fellow to find especially when alot of Scots renamed
their children after Grandfather & Grandmother, Mother & Father.
It is interesting that my
McBeath, and Robertson families stayed close together within the community
of Dunedin. There is even a Printing Firm Robertson&McBeath in Dunedin,
New Zealand situated on Vogel Street.
'Old families' really
looked after one another. The recent generations have dispersed about New
Zealand & other countries now.
Mrs.McBeath, nee McLeod
lived just down the road from her daughter Mrs. Robertson during the early
1900's. Mrs. McBeath married Hector, from Sutherlandshire and they had
eleven children. Mary & Thomas Robertson had nine children. Unfortunately
Thomas Robertson passed away in 1910, while working for the New Zealand
railway's in the small community of Nelson. In this close-nit family he is
the only original Dunedin settler who hasn't been interred within
Dunedin's cemetery. Thomas & Mary Robertson, had a young son Alexander who
went to fight in the First world war. Thomas had passed away before the
war started and Alexander's mother Mary Robertson (nee,McBeath) had to
sign a form permitting her son to join the expeitionary forces. Alex came
back to New Zealand safe but injured by mustard gas after having fought on
the front lines in France. He stayed with his mother in Helena Street for
a short time.
So I can safely say that I
have an ancestral connection with Scotland and it's cities of Aberdeen and
Perth.
Ms. Sarah Abercrombie-Mills |
