HISTORY OF GFE'S INVOLVEMENT IN FAMILY HISTORY

HISTORY OF GFE’s involvement in Family History-Through his MAW, Eliza Ellis ms Forrest 

NB-According to GFE’s Mum [MAW], who got GFE interested in Family History, Mainly because, GFE, had no real idea of any of his fore-bearers. It struck GFE, that if his two girls wanted to know of their background, in Scotland as well as Australia, then GFE needed to bone up on the family. Not only did GFE not know much about his side of the family [the Ellis/Forrest’s, et al,], he knew even less of his wife. Eleanor Polland’s side of Polland/Cameron/Craig/et al ‘clan’

However, fortunately, GFE’s Maw, Eliza Ellis ms Forrest, had migrated to us in Sydney, after GFE’s dad, George Reid Ellis, died.

Maw, on our regular talks, would tell me of all of the family history, which, if you look back on history, it was mainly ‘oral’, not written. Only the rich could afford ‘writers’ to cement, ‘their claims to heritage’.

At the same time, or thereabouts, GFE was made aware that a cousin, whom he had never met. Mary Johnstone [her maiden name, married to an ‘Englishman, John [Surname. -forgotten] banker-all of this needs checked out!]

NB –The following is a transcript of May’s information

*Info From May [christened Mary] Johnstone, of Melbourne[Born in Scotland, Saltcoats?]. See the following transcript of Her letter of 7/3/1989

-  My mother [Mary Reid Johnstone ms Ellis] left an engagement ring to Alison [May's Daughter] in an envelope. On the envelope was written - 'Beloved Alison this really belongs to your mother in a sense. She is Mary, my father was so pleased we called her after her Gran he gave her a pram. My mother was called after her grand-mother Mary Reid the owner of this ring, love Gran.”       that my Grandmothers antecedents were unknown.       I also had a vague memory which may not even be correct of visiting Torphichen and visiting an old woman in a free standing cottage with an overgrown garden.' I obviously did not listen properly because until I found that ring in my mothers few possessions I had the view, that it was just hearsay

NOTE from GFE-

It is assumed that my Great Grannie Mary Reid, was illegitimate, given the birth information of that time.

So presumably when she married her name would not remain Reid. Also I have a dim memory of MAW telling me my Gt Grandmother’s, mothers name was Mary Scotland and there was a belief in my mind that Grandpa had rescued my Grandmother from an orphanage

[According to the local information, she was in Torphichen ‘District’orphanage]. [gfe]

Hence GFE’s interest in family history, was gaining information, he never ever dreamed how important it was. Important enough for the rich and the gentry to have all of their family history delineated as a means of proving their lineage in property settlements and other such legal needs.

Now, GFE, thinks that if it’s good enough for the landed gentry to have family history recognised as a means of proving ownership, then it was guid enough for the ‘peasant class’, to have the same!!

But most of all, the fun was in the chase of lineage, just simply for the sake of knowledge. And, what’s more researching a history of life of the family.

22^nd January 2019

G. F. Ellis

NOTES-Dad died in 21 Jan 1971.

Eleanor and I and the wains, Lisa Maree and Dianne Lynne Ellis lived in Sydney, at 21? Queen St, Beaconsfield when Dad died.  We never knew of Dad’s death, except for a fortuitous stroke of luck.

Because of the UK Postal strike, Maw was able to give a written message to Jean? McFarlane, who was a daughter of Mr. Duncan and Mrs Jean McFarlane of 23 Gateside Avenue [and in the British Army, at that time in Germany] She was home on leave. And, because there was no postal strike in Germany, when she returned, Jean was able to send Maw’s letter informing us of my dad’s death.

Eleanor and I went down to Beaconsfield Post Office, trying to get a message back to Maw to say that we got her letter via Jean. But to no avail. we could not send letters to Britain

I was very distraught and was crying my eyes out.

But, ‘Out of BAD comes GOOD’, as someone stated.

Eventually the postal strike finished and my memory of Phoning Maw, to the next door neighbours of Maw’s in Gateside Avenue, was of Maw EMPHATICALLY saying yes, when Eleanor, asked Maw, if she would like to migrate to Sydney, under the Whitlam, ‘Family Reunion Plan’.

Eleanor and I can still remember the VERY EMPHATIC ‘YES’, THAT CAME DOWN THAT PHONE LINE.

And that’s why; I think that Maw lived such a long life. Because, Dad’s death released Maw from her hard life.

Not that Maw complained, as she was a very compliant sole, in the scheme of things. She just kept on keeping on, under very trying circumstances.

Our girls got a ‘hielan grannie’, as Darby Munro, my erstwhile great Cessnock tech teacher mate, would oft state.