AUSSIE-SCOTS NEWS

NEWSLETTER , NO 137 March-April 2016

A publication of the AUSTRALIAN SCOTTISH COMMUNITY (Qld) Inc.

PO Box 3188 SOUTH BRISBANE QUEENSLAND 4101

Ph 07 3359 8195 Email editor@aussie-scots.org.au ABN 27 277 574 370

WEB SITE: www.aussie-scots.org.au

OUR AIM: “To collaborate with other Scottish and Celtic Groups to maintain,

promote and advance the Scots culture and Heritage in Australia.

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Scots who made a difference

Andrew Petrie 1798– 1872 was born in Fife, Scotland. He trained as a

builder in Edinburgh. He married Mary Cuthbertson in 1821 . John Dun-

more Lang brought him, his wife and four sons to Sydney in 1831 with

other Scottish mechanics to form the nucleus of a force of free workers.

In 1837 there was an urgent appeal from the Moreton Bay Settlement of

New South Wales for a competent builder to repair crumbling struc-

tures, Petrie was sent there as Superintendent of Works.

Andrew Petrie and his family, the first free-settlers to move to the area,

travelled to Dunwich aboard the James Watt and where then trans-

ferred in a pilot boat, manned by convicts that landed at King's Jetty, the

only landing place that then existed, now known as North Quay. A year

after arriving in the colony Petrie and his family moved into a stone

house he built at what is now known as Petrie Bight. In the following

year Petrie first discovered coal at Redbank. In 1839 he discovered the

Bunya pine at the Blackall Range and unfortunately bought the first plants to

Brisbane. The pines have a much shorter life span out of their natural envi-

ronment and are now causing major damage in an historic cemetery. Petrie's

first work at Moreton bay was the repair of the treadmill at Wickham Terrace.

He was buried in the Presbyterian cemetery in the Milton Cemeteries com-

plex (Paddington) and transferred with his headstone 22-6-1895 to Toowong

Cemetery. Explorer, builder and architect,

2

Alexander Raff was born in Forres, Elginshire, Scotland in July 1820, as the third son of James and Margaret Raff. Alexander arrived in New South Wales in 1845, following his eldest brother, George Raff who had arrived in 1841. After first settling in Victoria pursuing pastoral interests, Alexander arrived in Brisbane, aboard the Souvenir schooner on April 9, 1851 Alexander purchased two blocks of land on what was to become Gregory Terrace in Spring Hill on May 14, 1860 for £312.4.3. A third adjacent block was subsequently bought by Raff in 1864 from the original 1860 purchaser, John Frederick McDougall. In January 1861, Alexander Raff was seriously injured when he was thrown from his horse.

Raff married Elizabeth Millar Patterson, the eldest daughter of a prominent Scottish medical family, in Sydney on June 5, 1862. The newly weds arrived in Bris-bane aboard the Balclutha on June 13, 1862. Alexander and Elizabeth Raff had sev-en children, six of whom survived to adulthood. At some point prior to the birth of his first child, Jessie Watson, on the 18th of April, 1863, the now heritage-listed house Grangehill was built on the Gregory Terrace site and occupied by Alexander Raff's family. In 1865 Alexander was appointed to the position of Official Assignee of Insolvent Estates and in 1868 he was promoted to the position of Curator of Intestate Estates. The Official Assignee was responsible for collecting the assets of an insolvent debtor and distributing them among the creditors; the Curator of Intes-tate Estates administered the estate of deceased persons, thought to have died intestate. Alexander continued his pastoral interests in Queensland, on his property, Logie Plains on the Darling Downs. For many years from the 1880s, Alexander Raff was a partner of Smellie and Co, looking after the financial interests of the company. In August 1884 Alexander Raff was ap-pointed to the Queensland Legislative Council.

Alexander Raff was an active member of various organisations and societies, including the Brisbane School of Arts, where he was elected Treasurer in January 1854; the Pilot's Board; the Queensland Horticultural and Agricultural Society and the Queensland Philosophical Society, in both of which he acted as Treasurer during the 1860s. Raff was the first president of the Young Men's Christian Association in Queensland. Other organisations of which he was a member include the Queensland Steam Navigation Company; the Board of National Education pending the passing of the Education Act in 1860; and, later, the men's steering committee for the Brisbane Children's Hospital established in 1878. Alexander was a director of the Scottish Mutual Land and Mortgage Company; the Agricultural Company; the Brisbane Gas Company and National Mutual Life Association. Raff was an elder in the Presbyterian Church.

Alexander Raff retired from the Legislative Council on 10 June 1910 and died on 26 January 1914. He was buried in the Too-wong Cemetery on 27 January 1914 in Portion 13-79-1

Scots who made a difference

3

Scots who made a difference George Edmondstone (1809–1883) was politician in Queensland, Australia. He was a Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly and an alderman and mayor in the Brisbane Municipal Council.

George Edmondstone was born on 4 May 1809 in Edinburgh, Scotland, the son of Wil-liam Edmondstone, a naval commissary, and Alexandrina (Alixa) Farquharson daughter of a watchmaker. George's father died when he was 12 and he migrated to New South Wales in 1832. Later he went to Hobart Town and after some hard times began busi-ness in Sydney. He then moved to Maitland and about 1840 he took up Normanby Plains Station (near Warrill View on the Cunningham Highway). He sold out early in 1842 and set up as a butcher in Brisbane, hoping to profit from trade with the newly settled Darling Downs. He had married Alexis Telleray in 1837 in New South Wales. George was in the first group of free settlers to arrive in Brisbane in 1840. He built a house called "Pahroombin" and the family lived there til his death 1883.In his later years, George was described by his peers as a genial, amiable, old gentleman. He died in Brisbane on Friday 23 Feb 1883.

George was a founding alderman (1859–1866) of the Brisbane Municipal Council and its mayor in 1863. He served on a number of committees including: Legislative Com-mittee 1859 - 1865, Lighting Committee 1862. Incorporation Committee 1862, 1864 ,Bridge Committee 1862 - 1864, 1866, Water Committee 1864, Finance Committee 1866, Brisbane Board of Water-works 1874 - 1883. George was a Member of the Legislative Assembly (lower house) of Queensland representing the elec-torate of East Moreton from 7 May 1860 to 1 July 1867. He also represented the electorate of Town of Brisbane from 10 Feb 1869 to 14 Nov 1873 and then the electorate of Wickham from 18 Nov 1873 to 28 April 1877. On 12 May 1877, George was made a life Member of the Legislative Council of Queensland until his death on 23 Feb 1883.

He made a substantial contribution to the early development of Brisbane. Amongst the initiatives that he championed were: Breakfast Creek Bridge, Brisbane General Cemetery Trust, now known as the Toowong Cemetery (where he is buried near the front gates), A primary school in Spring Hill (today the Brisbane Central State School),, Ann Street Presbyterian Church. As mayor in 1863-64 he had much to do with the planning of the first Brisbane bridge, the town hall and Brisbane Waterworks.

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5

Wee Hughie gave up being an atheist as soon as he discovered there were no holidays.

Jimmy has had a stereo system in his motor car for years - his wifie in the front and her mammy in the back.

James took his collie to a flea circus and the clever dog stole the show....

Rab was so lazy he had his window box concreted over.

Sandy was only five feet tall. He reckoned it was due to his diet as a child - condensed milk and shortbread..

Notice seen in a field in the north of Scotland: The farmer allows walkers to cross the field for free, but the bull charges.

Jock showed he was planning for the future yesterday. He bought two cases of beer instead of one.

There are probably better cures for a head cold than a hot toddy of whisky - but who cares?

An angler's wife asked her husband for some money and he gave her two fifties, two twenties, three tenners and a fiver. She threw the small one back

Malky wasn't just work shy, he was housework-challenged as well. But he was going out later in the day to meet his pals at a bar to watch a football match on the large screen TV and wanted to have his sports shirt washed. Jessie, who was busy hoovering and dusting suggested politely but firmly he should put it in the washing machine himself. Reluctantly, he did so - and then shouted to his wife, "What setting do I use on the washing machine?" "It depends," Jessie replied. "What does it say on your shirt?" Malky yelled back, "Partick Thistle Football Club..."

Visiting the Gallery of Modern Art in Glasgow, a lady from Kelvinside turned to an attendant standing nearby. "This," she said disapprovingly, "I suppose, is one of those hideous representations you call modern art?" "No, Madam," replied the attendant. "That one's called a mirror."

Callum loved living in the Isle of Bute, but he wasn't crazy about the ferry. Miss a ferry late at night, and you have to spend the next hour or so wandering the deserted streets of Greenock. So when he spotted a ferry no more than ten feet from the dock, he decided he wouldn't subject himself to an hour's wait. He made a running leap and landed on his hands and knees, a little bruised maybe, but safe on deck. He got up, brushed himself off, and announced proudly to a bystander, "Well, I made that one, didn't I?" The bystander replied: "Aye, but you should have waited a minute or two. The ferry is just about to dock."

Maggie was taking her first golf lesson from the club professional at the Auchterlonie Golf Club. Anxious to understand the finer points of the game she asked "Is the word spelled 'p-u-t' or 'p-u-t-t'?" Her instructor, with many years of experience to draw on, gave her a complete answer. "'P-u-t-t' is correct," he replied. "'Put' means to place a thing where you want it. 'Putt' on the other hand means a vain attempt to do the same thing."

Josie was buying a "take-away" deep fried pizza from the local pizza parlour in Camlachie. When it was ready, the assis-tant asked if he wanted it cut into four or six pieces. Josie considered the options for a moment and then said brightly: "Just cut it into four - I don't think I'm hungry enough to manage six pieces...."

When MacCandoo bought a dead sheep from a neighbouring farmer, he was asked what he was going to do with it. "I'm hard up, so I'm going to raffle it," said MacCandoo "You can't raffle off a dead sheep!" "Aye I can. I just won't tell anybody it's dead..." A month later the two met up and the farmer who sold the animal asked, "Whatever happened with that dead sheep?" MacCandoo smugly reported: "I raffled him off just like I said I would. I sold 500 tickets at £2 a piece and made a net profit of £998." "Didn't anyone complain?" "Just the guy who won. So I gave him his two pounds back..."

The Caledonian MacNobrain ferry was going past a small island in the far west and the passengers could see a thin bearded man on the beach, shouting and waving. One of the passengers asked the captain who he was. The captain shrugged and replied: "I have no idea. But every time we pass by he goes crazy for some reason...."

6

A young manager in the Environment and Rural Affairs Department of the Scottish Executive in Edinburgh arrived at Rory's farm in Wester Ross and loftily announced that he had come to inspect the buildings and fields to make sure that Rory's claims for European Union subsidies were justified. "That's fine," said Rory, "But dinna go into that field over there." The manager sniffed and replied "I am authorised to go anywhere on your land. Look, here is my card giving me authority to do so." Rory shrugged and watched as the young official headed for the field. A few minutes later, there were loud cries for help and Rory looked into the field to see a bull charging after the official - and gaining. "Help - what should I do?" cried the man as he ran as fast as he could in his city shoes across the muddy field - with the bull gaining on him. Rory shoved his hands in his pockets and shouted back "Show him your card."

Elspeth was boasting to her best friend about her radio controlled garage door opener. "You just press a button and the gar-age doors open without having to leave the car," she gushed. "It's wonderful when it's raining." Her friend nodded in agree-ment and replied "Yes, I've had one of those for years. As soon as I arrive in my driveway, I just sound the horn and my hus-band comes out and opens the garage doors..."

The Clachnacudden Parish monthly newsletter, describing a concert in the church hall, reported that "Miss Moira McLuckie sang "I will not pass this way again," which gave obvious pleasure to the congregation..."

The minister in the village of Auchterlonie told his congregation one Sunday that the subject of his sermon in a week's time would be on the sin of lying. To help them understand the theme, he suggested that the congregation should read Mark 17. The following Sunday, he asked how many had read Mark 17. Every hand went up. The minister raised his eyes to heaven and announced, "Mark only has 16 chapters. I will now proceed with my sermon on the sin of lying."

Morag told her boy friend "When we get married, I want to share all your worries, troubles, and lighten your burden." Donald, smiled and said: "It's very kind of you, dear, but I don't have any worries or troubles." Morag also smiled - the knowing smile of a woman wise in the ways of the world and responded: "Well that's because we aren't married yet."

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8

SOME IDIOCY FROM ANCIENT SCOTLAND

Between the 10th and the 16th centuries all the accusations made of cannibalism and blood-practices against pagans (mostly propaganda) were progressively made against witches in Europe. Supposedly, both men and women were to gather at "sabats" or meetings in secret places were they feasted with demons on the bodies of humans and in the privacy of their own homes were supposed to manufacture potent mixtures from parts of the human body. The records tell of a case of Jubertus (1437) who was supposed to have mur-dered children and made them into a powder. From the powder imitation children were made for demons to inhabit. So far as the Christian Church was concerned, this was heresy -- and the punishment for heresy was burning.

The practice of burning witches was never really adopted in England although direct dissenters with the es-tablished religion were treated as heretics and then burned (not much better). Witches were burned in Scot-land and, again unlike England, torture was used to gain confessions of guilt from them.

At the same time the Scottish Reformation was taking place. The Protestant John Knox lived to see the Catho-lic Queen Mary lose her power -- she flew to England, Elizabeth I and her death -- but the punishment of witches remained the same under the reformed church and the persecution of witches was carried out with more thoroughness than ever before. Although witch-hunting in Scotland continued sporadically between about 1500 and 1700, there were three main peak-periods of activity, 1590-97, 1640-44 and 1660-63.

The commissioners appointed to try witches, eagerly siezed upon the report of James VI's bride having been driven back to Norway by the influence of witchcraft. A few unfortunate beings tried for that crime, which common sense might have taught them it was impossible for any human being to commit.

It was proved against John Cunningham, that the devil appeared to him in white raiment, and promised that, if he would become his servant, he would never want, and should be revenged of all of his enemies. It was further proved, that he (the prisoner) "...raised the wind on the king's passage to Denmark: that he met with Satan on the king's return from Denmark, and Satan promised to raise a mist, by which his majes-ty should be thrown up on the coast of England; and thereupon threw something, like a football into the sea, which raised a vapour." He was condemned and burned.

Agnes Sampson, in Keith, a grave matron-like woman, of a rank and comprehension above the vulgar, was accused of having renounced her baptism, and of having "...received the devil's mark, and raising storms to prevent the Queen's coming from Denmark..." , and also, of being at "the famous" meeting at North Ber-wick, where six men and ninety women, witches, were present, dancing to one of their number, who played to them on a Jew's harp. It was charged in the indictment, that the devil was present at this meeting, and started up in the pulpit, which was hung round with black candles: that he called them all by their names, and asked them if they had kept their promises, and been good servants, and what they had done since the last meeting: that they opened up three graves, and cut off the joints from the dead bodies fingers; "...and that the prisoner got for her share, two joints, and a winding sheet to make powder of, to do mischief" : that the devil was dressed in a black gown and hat, and that he ordered them to keep his commandments, which were to do all the ill they could. She was condemned and burned.

Euphan M'Calzeane, daughter of Lord Cliftonhall, one of the senators of the college of justice (his death, in 1581, spared him from the disgrace and misery of seeing his daughter fall by the hands of the executioner), who was married to a gentleman, by whom she had three children, was accused of treasonably conspiring the king's death by enchantments; particularly by framing a waxen picture of the king (king James VI); "... of raising storms to hinder his return from Denmark" ; and of various other articles of witchcraft. She pos-sessed a considerable estate in her own right; was heard by counsel in her defence; was found guilty by the jury, which consisted of landed gentlemen of note; and was "burnt alive", and her estate confiscated. Her children, however, after being thus barbarously robbed of their mother, were restored by the act of parliament, against the forfeiture. The act does not say the sentence was unjust, but the king was " touched in honour and conscience" to restore the children. But, to move his majesty's conscience, the chil-dren had to pay five thousand merks to the donator of escheat, and relinquish the estate of Cliftonhall, which the king gave to Sir James Sandilands of Slamanno.

9

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DIARY DATES 2015

Sunday 20th March 2016 Australian Scottish Community

(Qld) Inc. Toowong Community Meeting Rooms, Josling St,

Toowong. Benson Rd end of Perrin Park, 12 mid-day BYO

lunch. Meeting starts 1 pm. Finishing time must be 3.00 pm.

Apologies to the Secretary 33598195

Sunday 17th April 2016 Australian Scottish Community (Qld)

Inc. Toowong Community Meeting Rooms, Josling St, Too-

wong. Benson Rd end of Perrin Park, 12 mid-day BYO lunch.

Meeting starts 1 pm. Finishing time must be 3.00 pm. Apolo-

gies to the Secretary 33598195

Sunday 15th May 2016 Australian Scottish Community (Qld)

Inc. Toowong Community Meeting Rooms, Josling St, Too-

wong. Benson Rd end of Perrin Park, 12 mid-day BYO lunch.

Meeting starts 1 pm. Finishing time must be 3.00 pm. Apolo-

gies to the Secretary 33598195

Sunday 19th June 2016 Australian Scottish Community (Qld)

Inc. Toowong Community Meeting Rooms, Josling St, Too-

wong. Benson Rd end of Perrin Park, 12 mid-day BYO lunch.

Meeting starts 1 pm. Finishing time must be 3.00 pm. Apolo-

gies to the Secretary 33598195

Our grateful thanks for the support of the

Brisbane City Council who have made

available King George Square for the

biggest free Scottish event in Australia

Disclaimer The Australian Scottish Community (Qld) Inc Newsletter is

produced for the information of the members of the association and

kindred Scottish organisations. It has been compiled with due care

and in good faith from sources that are not necessarily the views of

the executive and/or members of the Australian Scottish Community

(Qld) Inc, and no responsibility attaches to the association.

Photocopying provided by the office of Norm Wyndham-

Councillor, McDowall Ward

Phone: 3403 7690 Fax: 3403 7693

Email: mcdowall.ward@ecn.net.au

10

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