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Third born child & second daughter Martha McLachan was born
on the 30th August 1854 at "Sorn Bank", Bathurst NSW, when her father had
settled into his workaday life as a farmer on that property. Martha was
the second daughter & third child of Daniel McLachlan & Jane McPherson
from Scotland. Martha was named in honour of her paternal grandmother, as
Martha Livingston was her father's mother's name. The maternal grandmother
had gained that name from her father's mother & so on. The new arrival in
the family, Martha McLachlan, was baptized in the old St Stephen's
Presbyterian Church in Bathurst in February,1855, by the Reverend
Laughton.
Martha McLachlan Buckley 55 years & husband
1910
Little Martha McLachlan soon joined her "big" sister,
Jane, in "apprenticeship" to their mother, Jane McPherson, as she kept
house & cared for the ever-increasing family. By the time the next baby,
Elizabeth arrived, Martha would have been able to do some of the simpler
tasks for her mother with regard to the tending of the new baby.
Martha Mclachlan Buckley graves
Schooling was very important in the household as well. The
father, Daniel, engaged tutors to attend to specialised parts of the
children's education. Daniel & his wife were already meeting the
elementary needs of the children's basic academic learning. As the younger
siblings were born, Jane had special charge of the sixth child, Barbara,
who was an invalid. When John Angus & Agnes arrived, Martha took care of
them.
Eldest son of Martha McLachlan Buckley - John
Angus mature years
Then the sad day came when at twilight on the12th September
1871, the beloved mother, Jane McPherson McLachlan was found drowned in
the inn's well. Martha was one of the daughters who went looking for the
mother when she was late from her evening stroll. This event was upsetting
to all. Martha McLachlan seems to have taken young John Angus McLachlan &
gone to live in Bathurst with friends. She might even have done some sort
of work such as ...governessing.
grandson of Martha McLachlan Buckley - Jack
with wife Doris - Lowes Mount nr Oberon NSW - abt 1934
On the 6th January 1875, Martha McLachlan was a witness of
the marriage ceremony of her eldest sister, Jane McLachlan to Andrew
McDonald. At this time, the father, Daniel McLachlan, was preparing to
travel to the location of Yullundry-Cumnock to set up a new homestead &
household which he was to call "Avondale".
During the next few years, while Martha McLachlan & John
Angus McLachlan were in Bathurst, Martha McLachlan met Edmund Buckley, a
brickmaker. The young couple was married on the 1st day of February 1877,
in the home of George & Elizabeth Bolton.
grandsons of Martha McLachlan Buckley - Ronald
& Milton sons of Maude
Although not married in a church building, they were
married in a ceremony according to the Wesleyan (Methodist) form of
religion. In the following year, Martha & Edmund welcomed their
first-born child, a son, who was named John Angus Buckley.
Some time after the birth of John Angus Buckley, the little
family that included John Angus McLachlan, set off to join Daniel
McLachlan on the property of "Avondale". In the year, 1879, the second
son, Edmund Albert Buckley, was born & his birth was registered at Molong,
near "Avondale". Sadly he died very soon after birth. The couple were to
welcome the third son into their family in 1881, also registered at
Molong. This baby boy was named Arthur James Buckley. This baby boy was
fine & healthy & grew to live a long & robust life.
Kanbara 1952 - Lowes Mt
With the death of Martha's father, on the 1st February
1882, Martha & Edmund Buckley & their two healthy sons left "Avondale".
They went to the silver mines at Sunny Corner, where two more children
were born. They were registered at East Macquarie. Once again, one, the
daughter. died & the other, the son lived. The first of these two was a
little girl, who was named Barbara. The next was the a fourth (third
surviving) son & he was called Josiah/"Josh" (after Martha's mother's
maternal grandfather, Josiah/Joseph, ... known as ... "Josh"
...Wagstaff).
Lowes Mt orchard
When the estate of Daniel McLachlan, the father, was
administered, Martha & Edmund used some of this to purchase forty acres at
Lowes Mount, Tarana, near Oberon. The family settled there, at a place
that they called "Kanbara" that means "cascading or flowing waters".
There, Martha & Edmund decided to grow fruit & vegetables.
This project began round about the year, 1886, & so was commenced "the
nucleus of what was to become a world-recognized horticultural effort,
particularly in orchard & vegetable growing". The couple's eldest son,
John Angus McLachlan, was to lead the way during the 1920s for even
greater success with the "Kanbara" horticultural enterprise.
Lowes Mt school
At "Kanbara", through the busy, strenuous years, 1886 to
1899, seven more children were born, They were ... Agnes Maude (known
as "Maude") in 1886, Albert Daniel (known as "Bert") born 1888, Andrew
Gordon (known as "Gordon") born in 1890, Elizabeth Jean (known as
"Lizzie" for her childhood & youth, & as "Jean" when she was an adult;
Edmund Harold (known as "Ted") born 1895, William ("Bill"), & finally
Alice May born in 1899.
When the religion called the Seventh Day Adventist came
into the Oberon area, Martha nee McLachlanBuckley was very glad to welcome
them. She had been concerned about the welfare of her children's souls.
Several members of the family with Martha, the mother, forged strong links
with the religion. (In 2003, McLachlan-Buckley descendants are still
active in this religion.)
Lowes M
On 14 August in the year, 1910, Martha's good & loyal
husband, Edmund Buckley, died at "Kanbara". He was buried in the Sydmouth
Valley cemetery. Earlier that year, on the twenty fourth day of January
1910, the eldest daughter, Agnes Maude (known as "Maude") had married
James (known as "Jim") Pidgeon, in Bathurst NSW. On that occasion the
only known or at least still existing image of the couple, Martha
McLachlan & Edmund Buckley, was captured for posterity.
Maude's first child, a son, Milton James Pidgeon, was born
on the thirteenth day of November in the same year . Thus Edmund Buckley,
senior, was to see his second grandchild & grandson, before he died.
Maude & Jim Pidgeon welcomed two more sons into their
family. There was Ronald Edward Buckley born in 1912; but sadly he died
on the third day of September 1914. On twenty fourth day of April 1917,
the next child, another son, Melvyn, was born.
With the birth of Melvyn Pidgeon, Martha nee McLachlan
Buckley had become the grandmother of six surviving grandsons while she
herself had borne seven surviving sons. What a tremendous contrast to the
male child - starved household of Daniel McLachlan & Jane McPherson.
Shortly after the demise of Edmund Buckley, his eldest
son, John Angus Buckley, his wife Maria (known as "Min") nee Bartlett,
& their two sons, Raymond Nathaniel (known as Ray) & Jack Edmund, arrived
to take up residence at "Kanbara". John Angus was to continue his parents
efforts in the fruit & vegetable growing venture, developing this to
"greater heights".
Sydmouth cemetery
Prior to this John Angus Buckley, a carpenter of high
repute, had been working at several renowned building projects in the
area, such as - the Caves House at Jenolan Caves near Oberon NSW. John
Angus Buckley had married "Min" Bartlett at the Roman Catholic Cathedral
of Saints Michael & John at Bathurst NSW, on the thirtieth day of
December, 1908.
Their two sons, Raymond Nathaniel & Jack Edmund, had been
born on the tenth day of April 1910 & the twenty sixth day of April
1912, respectively. Ray Buckley was the first grandchild of Martha
McLachlan & Edmund Buckley. Fortunately for Edmund Buckley senior, Ray
was born in time for his grandfather to cast proud eyes upon him.
With the arrival of John Angus Buckley, his wife & sons,
at "Kanbara", Martha nee McLachlan Buckley, & her last child, Alice
May, also Martha's first granddaughter, Reta/Rita Buckley, born in 1913
@ Lowes Mount, Oberon NSW, (the daughter of Lizzie Buckley), left the
property. The little group took up residence in a place called "Rotten
Row" right in Oberon itself. Martha McLachlan's grandsons, Ray & Jack,
were to lodge there at times to facilitate their opportunity for
schooling.
Arthur James Buckley, the second surviving son of Martha
McLachlan & Edmund Buckley, married Lilian Sarah Pidgeon, the sister of
Maude's husband, Jim Pidgeon, in 1911, in Bathurst NSW. They had three
children, two sons & one daughter. The sons were Mervyn, born twenty
eighth October 1912 & Ivan, born twenty first April 1914. Their daughter,
Lurleen Sarah, was born on the twenty first July 1917.
Lurleen was a very special little baby as she was a baby
girl. In the McLachlan-Buckley extended family there was a definite
shortage of baby girls just as there had been in Martha's own family.
Little girls were very important to the mother in those bygone days. Their
hard-working efforts & these from a very young age, lessened the mother's
tremendous work load with regard to the mother of the household.
"Josh" Buckley & his brother, Arthur, seemed to have been
very close friends as well as brothers. In their youth, they had several
jobs where they worked together, such as in the building of the Caves
House @ the Jenolan Caves near Oberon NSW. Later "Josh" demonstrated his
expertise in gardening. All his life, "Josh" relished a love for gold
mining; & was frequently out in the hills seeking his fortune in gold.
In 1916, Martha's second daughter, Elizabeth Jean Buckley,
known in her young years as -"Lizzie", married Robert Clifford Richard
Thew at Bathurst NSW. He had a nickname that was used regularly during
that era. Although he was of Anglo Saxon heritage, he was called
"Nigger".
"Nigger" Thew went to fight in World War One as an
Australian Lighthorseman. He returned safely in 1919. During his lifetime
he was recognized as a very gifted musician. "Lizzie", who became known
as "Jean" in her adult & mature years, was very appreciative of all
musical talent & especially that of her husband.
Sydmouth valley
"Lizzie" or Jean never returned to her own family. Rather
she blended with her Thew kith & kin in-laws. "Nigger" & Jean Thew
adopted a daughter from babyhood, who was given the name of "Fay".
In 1916, Martha's tenth child & seventh (sixth surviving)
son, Ted Buckley, joined the Australian Imperial Force, for World War One,
as no. 2133. Still in existence are a few postcards from overseas
including several from Scotland. One of those from Scotland tells of
Loudoun in Ayrshire SCT.
Although Ted Buckley realised that his mother's people had
come from Scotland, possibly he was unaware that his maternal
grandparents, Daniel McLachlan & Jane McPherson, had been married in the
Loudoun Kirk on twenty seventh August in the year 1849; & that Jane
McPherson had been "publicly baptized" there in 1827. He probably did not
know that "Hareshaw Hill" in the Parish of Avondale, was near by & that
his close "McLachlan" kith & kin still farmed on that property during the
years of World War One. It was Angus McLachlan who was the farmer there
at that time. This Angus McLachlan's father had been Alexander
McLachlan.
Ted Buckley & congrat letter WW1 hero - son of
Martha McLachlan Buckley
Alexander, the brother of Daniel McLachlan, Ted Buckley's
maternal grandfather, had been born at "Hareshaw Hill" in 1831. He had
married Barbara McPherson, a cousin of Jane nee McPherson McLachlan, hence
the use of the name "Angus". (The first name of "Angus" denotes the
McPherson ancestry predominantly.) Alexander McLachlan, born 1831, had
died in 1909, & his youngest son, Angus McLachlan, subsequently had taken
over the responsibility of the "Hareshaw Hill" farm in the "Parish of
Avondale".
Ted Buckley was distinguished for his bravery in France, &
was awarded the Military Medal. The citation covering the award of the
Military Medal to Lance Corporal Edmund Harold Buckley is recorded as
follows:
"On 5th June, 1918, at Morlancourt near Albert when the
enemy raided us,
a party of about 40 Germans succeeded in one place in getting in our
trench.
This N.C.O. (non-commissioned officer) was the leading man in a small
party
which counter attacked down the trench. He inflicted heavy casualties &
put
a M.G. (machine gun) out of action by skilful bombing & captured a
prisoner
& a M.G.."
Ted's mother, Martha, however, was not to see either this
beloved son or the medal, as she was not alive on his return to Australia,
in 1919.
Martha nee McLachlan Buckley died just weeks before her son
arrived from overseas. Her death occurred on the first day of June 1919
at "Rotten Row", in the village of Oberon (as it then was).
Weding Maude & Jim - Martha McLachlan Buckley
dau Maude
The cause of Martha's death was registered as
"Gastritis". Martha had been suffering from this for at least four days.
She was last seen by the medical attendant, Ernest E. Griffiths, on the
first day of June, 1919. Martha's eldest son, John Angus Buckley, of
Lowes Mount near Oberon NSW, certified her death. The witness to his
signature was Evelyn Doust.
Martha nee McLachlan Buckley was buried in the Sydmouth
Valley cemetery at Tarana near Oberon NSW, beside her husband, Edmund
Buckley, on the third day of June 1919. The witnesses to her burial were
noted as - W. W. Lemon & R.W. Webb. The Reverend W.B. Roden was the
officiating minister, who conducted the funeral service according to the
rites & forms of the Methodist religion. |
