Alexander McLennan (1868 - 1945)

Born 28 Apr 1868 in Brander St, Lossiemouth ,Scotland

Ancestors

Husband of Catherine (Sloan) McLennan — married 11 Apr 1898 in Sydney NSW

Descendants

Died 5 Nov 1945 at age 77 in No 1 Bourke St, Blaxland, New South Wales, Australia

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Biography

Research Notes

Source: “The Donaldson Family in Australia” ISBN 1 86252 991 4 Published in Oct 1987.

Alexander McLennan 28.4.1868 – 5.11.1945 A Short History, by Jessie McLennan his daughter. Alexander McLennan was born in the Parish of Drainie County of Elgin in a section of Lossiemouth called Branderburgh which is part of Lossiemouth, Scotland in 1868. His father was Alexander McLennan and his mother was Joan Hannah Finlayson. His father was born in Balmacara and his mother was born in Lochalsh near Plockton. They were married in Lochalish , a small town below Plockton in a church which is now at 2 Church Rd Lochalish . Their first born child Mary, died as an infant, however they had other children . Alex (jnr) had two brothers John and Donald and two older sisters Mary-Ann and Bella and one younger sister Kate. When times were bad at Balmacarra and Plockton his father who was a sailor and merchant seaman who owned his own ship, took it around the top of Scotland to Lossiemouth. Grandmother walked across Scotland with four young children from Plockton to Lossiemouth where they settled and lived. Alexander McLennan (senior), used to sail between Lossiemouth and Hull and on one trip his ship was wrecked at Yarrmouth and he was drowned. This happened when Alexander McLennan (jnr.) was about 6 years old. A minister found Alexander McLennan (snr.) on the beach and he was alive. He could have saved him had he known about resuscitation. The minister wrote to his wife telling her about her husband and sent her a Golden Sovereign every year until she died. Grandma used to knit him socks and send them to him. Alex's mother Joan Hannah Mclennan worked at the harbour, fish cleaning, to help keep her family of six children. People used to say of her that she was the only married woman in Lossiemouth because she went there as a married woman and was always called Mrs. McLennan. All Lossiemouth girls kept their own name when they got married, (i.e. Joanne Smith wife of Willie McKenzie). Dad went to school at Lossiemouth until he was 13 years old and was then apprenticed to James Peterkins sailmaker. It was very hard work and he was a hard boss, but a good tradesman and taught Dad well. At the age of 20 he had finished his time and asked the Boss for a man’s wages. He would not give him a raise so Dad left. He had to leave home and go to Glasgow to look for a job. His Mother went too. He got a job on the LOCH VANNACHAR in 1889. He loved the ship on sight and went to sea. He came around the Cape of Good Hope to Melbourne and home via Cape Horn. He stayed on the LOCH VANNACHAR for 3 voyages and then changed to the LOCH TAY in 1894 and made 3 voyages to Melbourne and sometimes to Adelaide. He was also on the Loch Ryan for 2½ years and was paid off in Melbourne in 1897. He had been 8½ times around the world by age 29. On one of these trips he met his future wife, Catherine Sloan. He and she were in a train in Melbourne and she got her dress caught in the door and was trying to get it out. Dad was watching her from the next compartment and he jumped over the seat and abused her for trying to get the door open as he thought she was going to jump out. When she explained he said she would have to wait until the train stopped again to get the dress out. When she got off the train he followed her and made a date for the following day and so the romance began that lasted for 4 years until such a time as his Mother had died (he used to support her) and he was able to get married on the 11th April 1898. After they were married they lived in Surry Hills and had a baby boy named John Alexander who only lived for 3 weeks. As work was scarce in Sydney, Dad went to Townsville. Mum followed him later and while there Isabel was born on 21.7.1900. Work became available in Sydney and Dad came back. When Mum was coming back she had Isabel up on the deck and it was very windy and Isabel was crying. A woman said to Mum she must have the “Wind” so Mum took her to the cabin. She didn’t understand that “Wind” was more or less indigestion. On the 22nd June, 1902 Jessie Ann Finlayson McLennan was born at Prospect St., Surry Hills. When I was about 2 years old we moved to Brunker Rd., Randwick to the wooden house as we called it later. Brunker Rd. was later changed to Darley Rd. Dad used to like to take us down to the Quay to look at the ships that were in the harbour. He once took us onto the Lorton. The skipper was Captain Henry. While Dad and he talked in the cabin we stayed up on the top deck and played. At lunch time he gave us thick soda biscuits and tea in thick china cups. We had another such day when Captain Henry was skipper of the Kilmallie. This was about 1911. Another time Dad took us on a Chinese Passenger Steam Ship. I remember that everything was scrupulously clean, and so were the crew, all of whom had long pig-tails hanging down their backs. John McKenzie a cousin of Dads had gone to sea as a boy and was so long away that his Mother and Father thought he must be dead. When they had another Son they called him John. Years later John McKenzie the Captain came home. He met some children and asked them where the McKenzies lived and John the boy said he was John McKenzie and he would take him home so they found out they had 2 John McKenzies in the family. He came to Sydney a couple of times and Dad went down to see him. We used to go to Centennial Park for picnics and Dad would read all day and we children would play and climb trees and when lunch time came we would go home and cut sandwiches and make a billy of tea and take it down to the park.The Progress Association would have a picnic and cricket day in Queens Park. A big marquee would be put up and the woman’s committee would get the lunch of sandwiches, cakes and no doubt jelly and custard and raspberry syrup for the children and tea for the adults. All the young men played cricket and all the children would play games. A good time was had by all and money was collected for the project on hand. In 1909 Grandfather Sloan (John Hannibal Sloan) 1841 - 1919 built the brick semies and we lived there until 1939 when we left and came to Blaxland. At one time Isabel was helping Grandfather Sloan paint the front fence and some boys were passing on their way to school and Isabel said “Painting all day boys”. For years afterwards whenever they went past they would say “Painting all day boys” so they must have been very taken with her. They were the McEnroe boys. Dad was a very civic minded person. He called a meeting at Power’s empty shop and helped form a branch of the Australian Labor Party. Later on he called a meeting and so started the North Randwick progress Association. Dad became the Hon. Sec. Being Secretary and with the aid of the member David Storey and the aid of the A.L.P. they worked to get the Little Coogee tram. I can remember him writing out a stencil and printing notices for the meetings. Then he would hand deliver them, and later on post them when more money got into the coffers. The first part of the tram line was opened as far as the Randwick Convent in 1912 and later on right down to the bay, “Little Coogee”. Before the tram was a reality we used to walk both ways on Sunday mornings with Dad and Mr. Vassarotti and other families to Little Coogee where we all learned to swim. Little Coogee was later, called Clovelly. Later there was a fight to get a Literary Institute in North Randwick. The committee used to hold euchre parties and dances to raise money. In 1913 a bazaar was held in the Randwick Town Hall for two days and they made a good deal of money but everything was shelved when the Great War started in 1914. The N.R.P.A. then became the Randwick Literary Institute. The foundation stone was laid in 1913 but it was 1925 before the Institute was built. It was built on the corner of Market St. and St. Marks Rd, Randwick. Later on another storey was added as a residence for the shop. The big hall was never built because trends changed, but the Library and Billiard room became very popular and were well used. Dad remained Sec. until 1938. At the end of 1939 we moved to Blaxland. Dad missed the Institute and all his friends, but Mum wanted to live in Blaxland, in the bush, because Isabel and family were there. A street not far from the Institute was named after Dad (McLennan Ave). He was a J.P. and became an Alderman in the Randwick Council from 1916 to 1922. He was strictly honest and a total abstainer. He had a life long friend in Maurice O’Connor who with Uncle John (Jack) Sloan, Mum’s brother, used to come every Sunday morning and talk and argue with one another to their hearts content. He was a wonderful husband and father and died on the 5th November, 1945 less than 5 weeks after his wife Catherine Sloan who died 3rd October, 1945. He was much loved by his wife, his family of eight children, Isabel, Jessie, Sandy, Sheila, Donald, Jean, Norman, Maisie and all his friends. At his funeral service the Minister said “I did not know Mr McLennan but judging by the congregation here I would say he was a Man’s Man”. By Jessie McLennan, 1981. He died at Blaxland, N S W on 5th November 1945 . He is burried next to his wife Catherine ( Sloan ) McLennan at randwick Cemetery Sec G plot 5 Presbyterian Sec .

Sources