Marion’s Story
Marion McEwin nee Woodburn (1819-1908) c1870, courtesy of Catherine Harris
How had it come to this? Marion stared around the single room where she and 6 of her children were now living, head in her hands. Her eldest, Mary, was 22 now and married the previous year, and her help with the young ones was sorely missed. Thomas tried so hard to be the man of the house now that Andrew was in prison, but he was only 16. And how much could a boy of 16 do?
What had happened to those dreams, that feeling that anything was possible, as she and her husband and daughter had boarded the vessel that would carry them to a new life on the other side of the world? How had it come to this?
Marion Woodburn was born on 3rd October 1819 in West Kilbride, Ayrshire, Scotland to John Woodburn and Mary Brown, and baptised in the parish church the following day[1]. Like many young women of her day, she found work as a servant, and by 1841 she was living in nearby Kilmarnock in the household of Jessie Woodburn and Willie Woodburn. Both Jessie and Willie were single women of independent means, and it is possible that Marion was related to them in some way[2].
Around this time she met a young man who worked at the local mill at Morton Hall in Kilmarnock. She and Thomas McCulloch were married in Kilmarnock on 16th December 1845[3], and soon after daughter Mary was born. Then, when Marion was pregnant with their second child, she and Thomas decided to emigrate to Australia, and on 29th March 1848 they set sail from Plymouth aboard the Mohamed Shah[4].
Marion’s daughter was born 5 weeks in to the journey on 2nd May, and lived only a short 6 weeks. The following 3 months must have seemed interminable, but eventually the Mohamed Shah arrived in Port Phillip on 5th July.
Thomas quickly found employment working on the construction of the Prince’s Bridge that was being built over the Yarra River at Swanston Street in Melbourne. Marion was delighted to find she was pregnant, and life was beginning to look hopeful when tragedy struck again.
The 23rd August 1848 began like any other Wednesday – Thomas heading off to work, Marion busying herself with domestic duties. Marion began to worry when Thomas did not return home that evening, and a knock at the door confirmed her fears – Thomas had fallen from the bridge, and despite the frantic efforts of his fellow workmen he sunk almost instantaneously. It was assumed he had knocked his head against the woodwork on the bridge when he fell and was therefore unable to swim to safety. His body was found the following morning, and at the inquest held that day at the Queens’ Arms Hotel before the coroner W.B. Wilmot Esq., M.D., the jury found that death was due to accidental drowning[5],[6].
In 5 short months, Marion’s world had been turned upside down. She was living in a foreign country, her daughter and husband were both dead, she had a 5 year old daughter to care for, and she was pregnant. And alone.
Marion moved to Geelong, where her son was born. She named him Thomas after his father.
It wasn’t long before she met Andrew McEwin – a fine looking young man who had arrived in Melbourne with his family about 10 years previously[7]. Like her he was Scottish, his family hailing from Kirkcudbrightshire – not far from her own Ayrshire. Andrew’s father John was a well respected gardener, and had started one of the first nurseries in the new colony by the banks of the Yarra River in Heidelberg. It was a profession that ran in the family – Andrew’s brother Joseph was an orchardist, and brother George was making a name for himself in South Australia where he had established Glen Ewin – an orchard and jam making enterprise. The McEwin family were becoming rather prosperous.
Marion and Andrew were married on 25th June 1850 in the Presbyterian Church in Geelong[8]. They moved back to Melbourne to set up house in Heidelberg to be near Andrew’s parents, and the following February son James was born. A second son, Andrew, was born in May 1853, but fate had more trials in store for Marion and she suffered the loss of a second child. Young Andrew died on 26th January 1854 of dysentery. He was barely 8 months old[9].
The following year brought more sadness to the family, with Andrew’s parents both passing away. John McEwin died on the 2nd June 1855 after a long and painful illness[10], and later that year on 8th November of the same year, Margaret Hester McEwin died[11].
Eager to start new life, Marion, Andrew and the 3 children left Australia for New Zealand, travelling aboard the barque “Gazelle”[12]. The family settled in Matakana near Auckland, where 4 children were born[13] – John Woodburn (1858), Margaret Hester (1859), George Irving (1861) and Martha (1863). Andrew quickly established himself as a nurseryman of some repute, and published a small gardening guide – “The Best Method of Saving Seeds”.
But once again, Marion’s hope for a happy future were dashed. In July 1865, Andrew was declared insolvent. His debts were £235 13s. 7d., and although he claimed to have assets of £240 at the time the debt was incurred, he was unable to pay the debt was subsequently sent to prison for 3 months. Marion and the children were destitute[14],[15].
It had been a challenging 20 years, but as with all good stories, there was a happy ending. In November the Supreme Court discharged Andrew’s insolvency and he was released from prison, and life settled in to a rhythm. Marion’s children all married, had families of their own, and did very well for themselves.
Andrew died in 1889 at the age of 63[16], and Marion then lived with her son Thomas, a hotelkeeper. She died on 25th November 1908 in Helensville aged 89[17], surrounded by family.
It had been a tough life, but one worth living.
References
1. “Marion Woodburn birth record, West Kilbride Old Parochial Register,” 3 October 1819, West Kilbride, Ayrshire, Scotland.
2. “Kilmarnock 1841 Census,” Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland, 6 June 1841.
3. “Marion Woodburn & Thomas McCulloch marriage record, Kilmarnock Old Parochial Register,” 16 December 1845, Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland.
4. “"Mohamed Shah" passenger list,” Dep: 29 March 1848; Arr: 5 July 1848, Plymouth, England to Port Phillip, Victoria, Australia, Series: VPRS 14; Series Title: Register of Assisted Immigrants from the United Kingdom.
5. Report of the death of Thomas McCulloch, The Argus, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Friday, 25 August 1848.
6. Report of the inquest into the death of Thomas McCulloch, The Argus, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Friday, 25 August 1848.
7. “"David Clark" passenger list,” Dep: 15 June 1839; Arr: 27 October 1839, Greenock, Scotland to Port Phillip, Victoria, Australia, PRO Victoria, Assisted Immigrants from U.K. 1839-1871.
8. “Andrew McEwin & Marion McCulloch (nee Woodburn) marriage record,” 25 June 1850, Geelong, Victoria, Australia, Register of Presbyterian Marriages in Victoria.
9. “Andrew McEwin death certificate,” 26 January 1854, 525, Victorian Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages.
10. Report of death of John McEwin, The Melbourne Morning Herald, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Tuesday, 5 June 1855.
11. “Margaret McEwin (nee Daniel) death certificate,” 8 November 1855, 64, Victorian Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages.
12. Obituary - Thomas McEwin, Kaipara & Waitemata Echo, Helensville, New Zealand; 7 August 1912; page 2, https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/KWE19120807.2.11.
13. “Mahurangi Presbyterian parish register ,” Mahurangi, New Zealand.
14. Sittings of Insolvency in the Supreme Court - Andrew McEwin, The New Zealand Herald, Auckland, New Zealand; 18 November 1865; page 6.
15. Sittings of Insolvency in the Supreme Court - Andrew McEwin, The Daily Southern Cross, Auckland, New Zealand; 18 November 1865; page 5.
16. “Andrew McEwin death certificate,” 19 January 1889, 55, Victorian Registry of Births, Death & Marriages.
17. “Marion McEwin death certificate,” 25 November 1908, New Zealand Registrar General’s Office.