Robert Henry Monteith Galloway (1831 - 1920)

Born 6 Aug 1831 in Hoy, Orkney Islands, Scotland

Ancestors

Husband of Susan (Russell) Galloway — married 26 Nov 1855 in Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia

Descendants

Died 2 Apr 1920 at age 88 in Footscray, Victoria, Australia

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Biography

Robert was born in 1831, the son of Robert Galloway and Jane Campbell (Geddes)^[1]

He was christened on January 15, 1832, in Canisbay, Caithness, Scotland

He was a seaman. He arrived in Victoria around 1848 and decided to jump ship. His ship was anchored a long way from shore and the crew were watched, but several decided to brave the sharks and swim for shore. They landed safely, without their boots.

In 1855 he married Susan Russell in Victoria, Australia^[2]

Golden Jubilee notice: Morwell and Yinnar Gazette (Vic. : 1914 - 1916) Wed 1 Dec 1915 - Pioneers Celebrate Wedding Jubilee - It is not given to many of the sons and daughters of mortal man to live to celebrate the diamond jubilee of their wedding, but this has been the good fortune of Mr and Mrs Robert Galloway, of Clunes, the parents of Mr John Galloway, of Morwell. Friday last was the sixtieth anniversary of their marriage, and in order to mark so notable an event there, was a great gathering of the clan under the old rooftree. The fiery cross had been sent out, and no fewer than 65 of the family responded to it; in fact, all save those who, divided by the breadth of the continent, could not readily make the trip from west to east. Age has dealt kindly with the old couple, winter has snowed their heads but spring is in their hearts; none were more jolly at the festivities than they, and certainly none look at the future with calmer or more untroubled eye. Together they present a fine picture, and give to the present generation some idea of what the old-time Britishers were like - for both hail from over the line. Born 86 years ago in the island of Hoy, one of the storm-beaten Orkney group off the northern coast of Scotland, Mr Robert Galloway landed in Geelong as far back as 1848— the year in which all Europe was ablaze with revolutionary fires, and crowns and coronets were tumbling in all directions. He was then a sailor, and after looking at the new land did not like the idea of returning to the cold, bleak north. With some of his mates, he decided to stay; but that was not easy, the crew were watched, and the ship was anchored some distance out in the bay. Finally it was resolved to brave the sharks and swim for it. Success attended the efforts of the party, and they landed, but without their boots and with very little else. Mr Galloway recalls that the second man he met was the gentlemanly and cultured Captain Moonlight, who in after years took to the bush with a gang, and who on being summoned to surrender replied, "Surrender be damned! Come and fight." The police accepted the challenge, and he and some of his gang were duly hanged in Sydney. Mr Galloway led the adventurous life of the early pioneers, following tho various gold rushes, some times with luck and sometimes with none. He was at Ballarat during the stormy period that led to the proclamation of the Victorian Republic, and to the fatal fight at Bakery Hill, where the blue flag with the Southern Cross on its folds fell before the conquering Union Jack. Tough-fibered heroes these, one and all, to whose generous efforts we are indebted for what measure of self-government we now have. Their lives, their fiery speeches and unselfish devotion to liberty will someday be reverently dealt with by our historians, and the homage of a great nation will be paid to their memories. But the time is not yet. Mr Galloway and his worthy help-mate (only one year younger than himself) are still with us, hale and hearty and, like great eucalypts in a forest of saplings, they probably look down with doubtful headshakings at the puny present, involuntarily contrasting it with the great past in which they played their part. ^[3]

He passed away in 1920^[4]

Funeral notice: The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954) Mon 5 Apr 1920 - GALLOWAY.— The friends of the late Mr ROBERT GALLOWAY, (late of Clunes) are respectfully invited to follow his remains to the place of internment the Footscray Cemetery. The Funeral is appointed to move from the residence of his son-in-law Mr. E.Williams, 26 Tennyson Street, Seddon THIS (Monday) MORNING, 5th April at 9.30 o'clock a.m.^[5]

Sources

1. ↑ Scotland, Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950 - Scotland-ODM, C11035-6, 990520
2. ↑ Marriage Index (Victoria Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages : accessed 28 Aug 2023). Index entry for GALLOWAY, Robert and RUSSELL, Susan; Year: 1855, Reg. number: 3253/1855
3. ↑ https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/154276012
4. ↑ Death Index (Victoria Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages : accessed 28 Aug 2023). Index entry for Robert GALLOWAY, Year: 1920; Parents: GALLOWAY Robert and Jane GEDDES; Spouse: -; Death Place: FOOTSCRAY; Birth Place: ; Age: 88; Reg. Number: 5838/1920
5. ↑ https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/203705197