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Mini Biographies of Scots and Scots Descendants (Mc)
Hector MacAulay


Hector MacAulay from Stornoway arrived with his uncle a ships captain in the 1860s.  Hector jumped ship in Adelaide, South Australia, his uncle tried to find him but could not and sailed away, leaving Hector behind.  Hector emerged, married Annie Jerkins in 1863 and wrote home that he had married an Australian. His family believed he had married an aboriginal and he was told that he had been disinherited.

Hector changed his surname (probably from MacAulay to McAulay) to spite the family, but named his home in Adelaide Stornoway after the home in the Isle of Lewis.

When Hectors grandchildren were little some men from Scotland, one of them a lawyer, came to visit the family in either NSW or Adelaide, they are a bit vague on it.  Hector did not discuss with his family what the men wanted and told them to go away, which they did.

It turned out, later on, the family learnt that they had come to Hector to tell him to return to Scotland and inherit what was his. The family was supposedly involved with mines and shipping but whatever he was supposed to inherit was never discussed.

Hector's son, set out to go to Scotland and find out about the 'inheritance' but got as far as South Africa where he became very ill and either died, or returned to Australia then died. The family have never confirmed anything. 

Hector and his wife Annie were publicans in Adelaide and most of their children became publicans too.  Hector must have had access to some money to have bought into a hotel soon after his marriage, although Annie's connections were publicans too and may have been able to assist a little bit.

this is all I know and have pieced it together from information given to me by Hectors granddaughter and I would love to know if it has any bearing in reality. 

Hector named his children Angus, Alexander, Colin, Isabella, Hector and Babington was a common middle name.  I think he was possibly a descendant of Aulay MacAulay - his father was supposedly Angus McAuley on the marriage record but this is the only time I have seen the surname spelt with an e.

having read your website through I can see where there may have been some very interesting personal connections that linked my family's story to the MacAulay family outside Australia and this makes me smile yet again. 

The man in England who was a great speaker on anti-slavery in the House of Commons was Richard Godson, QC and MP for Westminster. 

He was also given the responsiblity of selling the ex-slavery hulks - they became hulks transporting convicts to Australia.

Richard Godson was involved in the conspiracy to obtain millions of pounds and property belonging to Annie Jerkins McAulay's Grandfather, John Courtoy in London 1825 ish and Godson probably would have come across Zachary MacAulay the lawyer. 

 
History never ceases to amaze me.
All the best,  Judy

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