Esplin family history correction

Dear Tertia and other staff at The Grazier Office.

You may recall my visit in May last year and telling you that my grandfather was Donald Thomas Esplin, the second son of George Thomas Esplin.

You gave me a copy of The Grazier published Wednesday April 19, 2023 and on the second page was the article “Esplin descendants gather as tribute to one of Hay’s earliest sons”.

Second paragraph “George along with his partner Jane (MOWAT) immigrated from Scotland as a couple in their early 20s in 1859. They married in Hay in 1869 and that year bought the Bush Inn”.

George Thomas Esplin was travelling with his older sister Jane Esplin and their cousin John Vipond.

George was born near Edinburgh Scotland on 25th March 1838 and his sister Jean (who called herself Jane) on 1st June 1836.

Their father Thomas died of ‘water on chest’ and two years later their mother Janet died from a stomach complaint.

They are buried in the graveyard of Arbroath Abbey. So George Thomas was orphaned at age ten and his sister Jean at twelve.

They went to live with their maternal grandmother Jane Vipond in Edinburgh.

The 1851 Census records (reveals) Jane Vipond, 63, a widow and tavern keeper in Leith, living with her were three of her grandchildren Jane Esplin 14 a scholar, George 13, a brass founder apprentice, and John Vipond 6, scholar.

John’s mother had died and his father and second wife Ann and their two children had in 1855 immigrated to Australia and were living in Bendigo.

Grandma Vipond died on 7th September 1858 and the following year Jane and George Esplin and John Vipond left Scotland for Australia.

They departed from Liverpool on 23rd August 1859 as three of 193 steerage passengers on board the “Greyhound” described as a splendid White Star Line clipper ship of 1411 tons.

After a voyage of 86 days the ship arrived in Hobson’s Bay Melbourne and they headed straight for John’s father in Bendigo.

He was a coach builder.

Now JANE MOWAT - my great-grandmother.

Jane was born 13 August 1839 in a crofting cottage at Schoolery Caithness, inland from Wick. Jane was the fourth child and eldest daughter of Donald Mowat who was born in 1808 and his wife Isabell (Bell).

Bell died before Jane was ten and Donald married Janet Swanson in 1850, fathered four more children and died in 1858.

So both of Jane’s natural parents had died when she decided to emigrate.

At this time the Government was encouraging single young women to emigrate to Australia where there was a shortage of females. Jane left for Australia as one of 436 government immigrants, 305 of them being single.

They sailed in the “Accrington” described as a fine new iron ship of 1,962 tons which left Southhampton on 5th June 1862 and after a voyage of 79 days arrived in Hobson’s Bay on 23rd August 1862.

The shipping document described Jane as a housemaid, Presbyterian who could read and write, aged 22 and contracted to work for three years for Mr James Hooper of Campbell St Castlemaine.

Her wages were to be 25 pounds per year and she was to live in the cellar (it did have a small window.)

Jane’s movements after her indenture ended in September 1865 are not known but by 1868 she, like George Thomas Esplin and the Rev Samuel Hamilton were in Hay.

It was this minister who officiated at George and Jane's wedding in 1868.

Jane went on to become a wonderful asset to Hay and in recognition of this the Stained-Glass window was installed in the Hay Presbyterian Church.

My grandfather Donald Thomas Esplin was 15 when renowned Sydney Architect John Sulman (later Sir John) came to Hay to design Bishop’s Lodge.

He interested Donald to become an architect, taught him and indentured him for the three-year apprenticeship.

In Hay in 1909 my grandfather designed the Pine St Presbyterian Manse and his most famous building in Sydney is the heritage listed Astor Flats in Macquarie Street which has just celebrated 100 years.

Enough from me now, but I have spent years of work on family trees and wanted to correct the mis-information about George Thomas Esplin and Jane Mowat.

With congratulations Tertia on your great work and long association with The Grazier and kind regards to you all.

Margaret Middleton (Esplin).