MURDOCK and ELLEN McRAE

On 19th September, 1876, Murdoch McRae married Ellen Lewin (aged 28) at “Bowood” at Inverell.  The couple were married by Reverend Archibald Cameron with their marriage certificate witnessed by Ellen’s brother, Franck Charles Lewin and one of Murdoch’s brothers, Farquhar McRae.

Murdoch was born on 25th November, 1840, at Kintail in Scotland, the ninth child of Christopher and Flora McRae who were farmers. In all there were ten children in Murdoch’s family.  Murdoch descended from a family who left Scotland with the Frasers and the McKenzies and settled in Northern Ireland. They subsequently returned to Scotland and settled on Loch Duich, County of Kintail on the west coast. The McRaes and McKenzies were related and Murdoch’s parents were sixth generation cousins and their daughter Jamesina married Duncan McRae, making the seventh generation of cousin marriages.

At the age of 12 Murdoch sailed to Australia with his parents and their seven other children, arriving in Sydney in 1852, though the passenger list has them listed as McRath. After buying some supplies they boarded a vessel and sailed to Grafton from where they journeyed on to “Scots Corner” at Glen Innes. On arrival they found that many of their countrymen had gone before them. Christopher selected a property near the township, naming it “Highfield.”  The family quickly set about building their first home, albeit bark and bush poles whilst they got the property productive as quickly as possible.

Murdoch and Ellen had an ‘average’ number of children for the time - the first, and my grandfather, was Francis Lewis Duncan McRae, born 1st July, 1877, at Inverell.  Later more children were born, all at various properties at Inverell:- Charles Arthur – 11th January, 1879, Walter Christopher – 11th August, 1880, Norman Alexander – 10th August, 1882, Donald Richard Cruttwell – 28th March, 1884, Harold Murdoch – 12th September, 1885, Sidney – 14th August, 1887, Helena Lewin – 16th April, 1889 and Ernest Guy – 10th April, 1891.

Murdoch grew up with a background of open space and the land which he understood and appreciated. He soon became an overseer, working on various properties around Inverell and Delungra, one property at the latter was “Pearsby Hall”.  At times he and Ellen lived in Inverell and as the larger properties were slowing sold off in sections and reduced in size Murdoch found difficult to get suitable work. He also found that life on the land was dependant on the weather with its floods and drought. 

He was, however a true Scot, treasured the traditions and loved his porridge.  He was also fit and a walker and thought nothing of it to walk from Inverell to “Clinton” or “Bowood” to work. He also was a great gardener, growing some impressive vegetables.      

.With the difficulty in obtaining agricultural work and the associated problems Ellen obviously steered her growing family away from this rural occupation towards other business opportunities. She also believed in a good education and reading and helped all her family in reading and writing.  Frank, after leaving school went to work for McLean and Davis and later with A.M. Cansdell and Company. Several of Frank’s brothers also worked for Inverell businesses however when Frank was nineteen be travelled from Inverell to Armidale to join Richardsons who were ironmongers.  He attained at some time the manager’s position of their Hardware Department and stayed some fourteen years, leaving Richardsons in 1910. 

Whilst in Armidale Frank met and married Alice McBean, a daughter of Mr. G.G. McBean, a local dentist.  Frank and Alice had five children:- Alexander Francis Crutwell b. 1907, Jean Alison b. 1909, Ellen Crutwell b. 1913, Kenneth Donald b. 1915 and Gordon Russell b. 1920.

The photo shows from left to right: Ellen (Nell), Jean, Alexander (Alec), Gordon, Alice Frank and Kenneth (Ken).