Extracted from The Tea Tree Gullyian Vol.5 No 6 –See credits at the end of this article
William Ramsay was born on the 23rd of February 1836 in Kirriemuir, Forfarshire , Scotland .
After he had applied for assisted passage to come to South Australia he sailed from Liverpool ( Birkenhead ) on November 22nd 1862 on the Morning Star. The Captain was a Mr. Matthews. The surgeon was a Mr. J. C. Sanger, and there were 452 people on board including 83 children.
During the voyage there were 26 deaths on board. A note from the S.A. Register, 17 February 1863 stated – ‘There is a good reason for believing that many of those deaths are attributable to a neglect, at the place of embarkation, of one or more of the regulations, which are in force’.
When William Ramsay arrived in South Australia on the 14th February 1863 he was a single man and approaching his 27th birthday.
Williams first job in South Australia was working for a Mr. Fleetwood, for three months at Surveyors Point, Golden Grove.
Then while working for Robert Milne, William Ramsay married Eliza Troup. They were married at Drumminor House on the 9-1-1867. District of Adelaide.
William and Eliza began farming but lost their entire crop from red rust. They were able to save four bullocks, which William then used to cart wood to Adelaide . Luck was against him again for his employers became insolvent and he received no money. While living at Golden Grove two of William and Eliza’s children, John and William were born. Sadly William aged 8 months died at Houghton on 6-1-1870 of Hydrocephalus.
Determined to make a new start William and Eliza travelled to the west coast to Port Lincoln. Here William found work on Dr.Brown’s station (Talia) near Venus Bay . While living on Talia station three more of their children, Margaret, James and Jessie were born. After a three-year stay, in which time they managed to save some money, they came back to Adelaide and proceeded to Hope Valley . Here they bought 6 acres of land in section 822, along Barracks Road .
While living at Hope Valley , William worked his land; he was a clever ploughman and was soon regarded as a champion. During this time the rest of the Ramsay children, William, Rosanna, Alexander, Emma, Albert Edward and Alfred were born. William then took a job working for Douglas A. Tolley, where he worked at the winery for the next 27 years. While working at the winery he rented a house that belonged to Douglas Tolley on Tolley road.
William and Eliza Ramsay had 11 children – 7 boys and 4 girls.
John -married Anna Johanna Helena Loechel and had 11 children and also worked at Tolley’s wine cellars.
William – died in 1870 aged 8 months (Hydrocephalus)
Margaret – married Thomas Burke
James – went to New Zealand
Jessie – married John Josling
William – died in 1883 aged 7 years (Typhoid Fever)
Rosanna – married Richard Reeves
Alexander – married Bessie Smee
Emma–
Albert Edward – died in 1887 aged 2 years (Diarrhoea)
Alfred – married Marie Ann Simpson
Although life was not easy for William and Eliza they were hard workers, raised their children and made a valuable contribution to the Hope Valley area. William was a councillor for the district of Highercombe from 1904-1915. He was also a member of the United Order of Odd Fellows. The U.O.O.F. originally lent him the money to buy his land. Many others families in the area also borrowed money to buy their properties from the U.O.O.F.
William Ramsay died on 28th August 1922 aged 86 years and is buried at the Hope Valley Cemetery .
Eliza Ramsay died on 14th December 1928 aged 84 years and is also buried at Hope Valley .
Footnote:
Eliza Ramsay nee Troup daughter of George was born in Deeside, Scotland in 1844 and came to South Australia in 1866 on the ship ‘Atalanta’ that was commanded by Captain Ballingall. The voyage took 81 days and had 394 government immigrants.
The house that William Ramsay and family rented was later the home of Nancy Cato (the writer) and her husband when she lived at Hope Valley.
William Ramsay
William and Eliza Ramsey
Information supplied by
Cheryl Nieuwenhoven (great, great granddaughter) family history.
Cemetery records T.T. Gully Library.
Hope Valley Cemetery Inscriptions T.T.Gully Library.
Highercombe Deaths T.T.Gully Library.
South Australian Shipping – Passengers 1863-1888. CD T.T.Gully Library.