Lillias (Russell) Thompson (1843 - 1916)

Born 23 Mar 1843 in Stonehouse Lanarkshire Scotland

Ancestors

Wife of Andrew Thompson — married 1 Jun 1860 in Stonehouse, Lanarkshire, Scotland

Descendants

Died 31 Jan 1916 at age 72 in Woodlands,Merah North New South Wales ,Australia

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Lillias (Russell) Thompson migrated from Scotland to Australia.

Lillas Russell was born 23 March 1842 in ^[1].Stonehouse, she ^[2] Married Andrew Thompson on the 1 June 1860 they were married by Rev H.A Paterson at the Presbyterian Church at Stonehouse Lanarkshire .Andrew was 22 and Lillias was 17 ,both Andrew and Lillas gave their occupation as Hand- Loom Weavers ,Andrew mixed fabrics and Lillias was a pin-winder (1861 census)

Regarding the spelling of Thompson on the birth and Marriage certificates for Andrew and his parents the surname is Thomson ,Andrew changed the spelling once he arrived in Australia,all the births of Andrew and Lillias Children after 1864 are listed as Thompson.

The first of Lillias's family to emigrate to Australia, was her eldest sister Janet , who at 19 years old ,accompanied her half brother, David Shearer and family . They reached Sydney on the vessel "Fortune" , arriving 1853.

It was mainly their glowing reports , of the country and the opportunities available, that encouraged the rest of the families to follow. There could be a number of other reasons Andrew and Lillias immigrated to Australia!. The end of the old cottage industry, because of the industrial Revolution , the decline of the English Wool industry and there was also land available under the Robertson free selection act 1861, The Russell's, and Thompsons also had family in Australia.

Other family members that immigrated to Australia at the same time , were her parents, Gavin and Janet Russell , sister's Mary Hamilton and family, Robina Andrews and family , also James Gilmour, a half brother and his wife and daughters. James was the son of Janet Russell by a former partner. (After arrival James changed his Surname ,to that of his Half-Brother David Shearer).

The family left Plymouth on the 5 November 1863 on the "Sirocco" ,they arrived Sydney on the 28 January 1864 . The voyage took 84 days , Andrew and Lillas's daughter Janet , was born on the voyage as were Charles Hamilton ,and Lewis Andrews. Some of the families lived in Maitland New South Wales for a while , with other members moving to the Singleton Area , to join Lillas sister Janet Richards and the Shearer family , both these family now owned large parcels of land in the Hunter Valley New South Wales.

Andrew and Lillias moved to Wee Waa New South Wales, as did Andrew and Mary Hamilton . Andrew and Lillias bought a property called Woodlands ,Lillas's husband Andrew died in 1889 she was 46 years old . Lillas is mentioned as being one of the people responsible for providing the finace for the new Presbyterian Church in Wee Waa .

In the Thompson Family tree book written by Helen Hayes it states !

That Lillas was very fugal she wore a old set of Jockey's colours so that they wouldn't be thrown away

David her son was riding home and fell off his horse he tore a hole in his overcoat ,Lillias made him go and find the piece so she could patch the hole

one of Lillias relations who had drawn a selection near Narrabri New South Wales went to see her at Woodlands ,to ask for advice or maybe a loan Lillias replyed I'll give you some advice you have come to Australia to make a new start Don't buy hay in drought buy a knife and hang the skins on the fence thats how I make Woodlands work.

Lillias^[3]died in 1916 at Woodlands when she died all of her children had their own land , there is nothing left of Andrew Thompson's head stone it was vandialised years ago but Lillias has a very elaborate^[4]headstone that reads

In Loving Memory of our dear Mother Lillias Thompson

born Stonehouse Scotland March 1842

Who depatred this life at Woodlands 31 January 1916

Sources

1. ↑ Family Search - Citing this Record"Scotland Census, 1851," index, FamilySearch , Lillias Russell, Middle Ward, Lanarkshire, Scotland; citing "1851 England, Scotland & Wales census," index and images; PRO HO 107, p. 3, New Register House, Edinburgh; FHL microfilm 1042472
2. ↑ Scotland, Marriages, 1561-1910 - FamilySearch index, Andrew Thomson and Lillias Russell, 01 Jun 1860; citing Stonehouse,Lanark,Scotland, reference ; FHL microfilm 6035516.
3. ↑ nsw.gov.au - N.S.W Registry of Birth,Death and Marriages - Death Lillias Thompson Registration Number 4412
4. ↑ Australia Cemetery Index - Wee Waa Cemetery

Stonehouse Heritage-Paterson Church Births and Baptisms. !BIRTH: 23/03/1843 LILLIAS,RUSSELL O.P.R. Page 79. Born to Gavin Russell a weaver in Stonehouse and his spouse Janet Hamilton a daughter LILLIAS.

Lillias and her 4 sisters were born under their fathers surname RUSSEL, but in the 1841 census of Scotland, the family was entered with the surname RUSSELL.(perhaps a mistake by collector) Since then the Russell name has been used, including the 2 boys births (1844 & 1848)

Government Records Office of Scotland http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk !BIRTH:23/03/1843 RUSSEL, LILLIAS [O.P.R. Births 656/00 0020 0163 STONEHOUSE] Text: Gavin Russel weaver in Stonehouse and Janet Hamilton his spouse had a daughter born on the 23rd.March 1843, named LILLIAS

Government Records Office of Scotland http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk !MARRIAGE:1860 THOMSON, ANDREW-RUSSELL, LILLIAS [Statutory Marriages 656/00 0009. Text:On the first day of June 1860 ,at Stonehouse, Lanarkshire ,Scotland. Marriage,( after Banns) was solemnized between us according to the forms of the Church of Scotland Andrew Thomson age 22, Handloom Weaver, son to John Thomson weaver and Mary Summers. Lillias Russell age 17, Handloom weaver, daughter to Gavin Russell and Janet Hamilton.

Footnotes

The traditional Scottish naming of a child after a death of one , is to name the next child born of the same sex , as that of the lost one. In this case a Lillias 1 was born:28/05/1835, and died about 1839, and then Lillias 2 , born 23/03/1843

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Terry Wright for starting this profile.