Goulburn's three historic cemeteries house the remains of people who migrated to Australia in the early days of settlement and subsequently came to live in the district.
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Many of these people were leaders and businessmen in Goulburn, others were farmers and settled in the surrounding area. One family who came as farmers and settled in the area is the McCallums.
The McCallum family were originally from the Isle of Mull, Scotland.
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The first McCallums to arrive in Australia were Duncan McCallum, his wife Catherine Ferguson and nine of their 13 children (plus four in-laws). They emigrated as free settlers - government assisted, aboard the British King. Departing from Tobermorie on October 28,1838, they arrived four months later on February 28, 1839.
Elder daughters Isabella and Ann arrived two years later on board the Sir John Falstaff, while an older married daughter remained in Scotland.
Duncan and Catherine were fortunate in their choice of ship. Captain William Paton ran a tidy ship and a school was established on board and "35 scholars attended regularly - all of whom made great progress."
It was noted that "whenever weather permitted they were made to appear on deck" and "the greatest attention was paid to cleanliness." The ship's surgeon was happy to report that "all immigrants have arrived in the colony in a healthy state." Six births took place and seven deaths were recorded during the voyage, one of these was a baby boy born to Mrs Donald McCallum who died on December 3, 1838 aged 19 days.
On arrival in Sydney Duncan and family went to work for Hannibal McArthur (a nephew of John McArthur) on his property at Parramatta; he was paid 20 pounds per annum plus rations. Son John (aged 20) worked in the house of the first Anglican Bishop of Australia, The Reverend William Broughton in Sydney from March 2, 1839; he was paid 30 pounds per annum with rations. It is said within the family that John was a good coachman with four in hand.
After about a year Duncan and family moved to Arthursleigh near Marulan, another property owned by Hannibal McArthur. John remained in Sydney for several more years.
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In the early 1840s the McCallums settled at Cotta Walla near Crookwell. Catherine passed away in 1851 and Duncan in 1854, while living at Cotta Walla. Other family members settled in the Tarlo area. John built a large house about 1881 called The Poplars and later named Tarlo House. In 1885 he acquired Forest Lodge Rhyanna. John McCallum was a particularly successful wool grower. Neil McCallum settled at Greenwich Park. A portion of his land was resumed to build the Greenwich Park School.
The two daughters, Isabella and Ann, both married and settled up on the Manning River. Ann and her three young daughters joined the rest of the family at Goulburn in about 1855 after her husband died in an accident felling timber. Two of her daughters married two Rogers brothers, well known merchants around early Goulburn.
Another daughter from the emigrant family married Samuel Eirth, a colourful publican in the town, while a granddaughter married Harry Cotterell, Goulburn's town clerk around the turn of the 20th century.
The McCallum family sent at least five men away to the First World War.
Descendants of Duncan and Catherine McCallum still live in the Goulburn and Marulan districts.
Nineteen members of the McCallum family are buried in the Mortis St Cemetery. The graves are in a poor state, however they are being repaired in 2022 with the assistance of a $3,000 grant from Goulburn Mulwaree Council.
This is a very brief history of the McCallum family. Readers who wish to know more or who may be interested in donating towards the cost of the restorations can contact goulburn.historic.cemeteries@gmail.com
- Linda Cooper is a local historian and a Friends of Goulburn Historic Cemeteries member.
- A cemetery open day will be held at Saint Saviour's Old Cemetery at the end of Cemetery Street from 10am to 2pm on Saturday, March 19 and at the Mortis Street cemetery from 10am to 2pm on Sunday, March 20. Booklets on both cemeteries will be available for $10 each. Flat footwear is advised.
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