Jane Borthwick (1823-1895) (Granddaughter of John BORTHWICK & Elizabeth DINWOODIE of Scotland)

With thanks to Bill Fletcher, 2001
Click on this image for a larger version.

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Early Life in Scotland

11th December 1823
Borthwick. William Murray Borthwick Printer Browns Street and Helen Patterson (sic) his spouse had a Daughter born 15th November last named Jane

Jane was the second last child of William Murray Borthwick and Helen Paterson. In 1822 Helen Paterson and the older children were apparently living in Hamilton, Lanarkshire but by the time of Jane's birth they had moved to Edinburgh.

Jane was nine years old when the family arrived in Sydney, Australia on the "Lady East" in November 1833.

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Childhood and Teenage Years in Australia

Like her younger brother, William Murray Borthwick II, Jane must have been with their parents when WMB I worked for William Cox of Hobartville and then Colonel Dumeresq. She would have been about 15 years old when the family moved to Inverell in the late 1830s. Her education is unknown although she could read and write, and in 1868 she kept a diary of a trip to Scotland which is still in existence. It is said within the family that WMB I educated many of his own children. Jane could also do needlework, as evidenced by a family sampler.

It is believed that around 1840, when she would have been 17 years old, Jane Borthwick sewed a sampler, setting out her parents' marriage details & dates of the births & deaths of their children. This, now frayed & faded, is still treasured by her descendants. In 1984 this sampler was carefully copied by Sue Bull, a descendant of Jane Borthwick & Angus Fletcher. It provides the only evidence we have about some of these events in the Borthwick family.

With thanks to Sue Bull, 2001

For a larger image of this sampler click on the picture above.
It is a large file and may take some time to download.
It is worth the wait (I think)!

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Marriage to Angus Fletcher

Jane Borthwick, spinster of Auburn Vale, was married by licence to Angus Fletcher, bachelor of "Byron", in the usual place of worship at Auburn Vale on 8th March 1850 by Henry Tingecombe. Witnesses were J P Borthwick of Auburn Vale and Elizabeth Daisy of Auburn Vale. Angus was 36 years old and Jane was 29.

Where the "usual place of worship" was in 1850 I don't yet know. Elizabeth Wiedemann records that even by early 1859 the newly surveyed town of Inverell had only a few bark huts. The first church, a small Presbyterian church, was erected in that year. So where did people usually worship at Auburn Vale, which was then still a squatter's run?

There was no J P Borthwick in the family so it is likely that the witnesses were Jane's brother, T P Borthwick (Thomas Paterson) and her sister Elizabeth Daisey.

Angus FLETCHER had been baptised at Glenorchy and Inishail, Argyllshire, Scotland, on 14 May 1814, son of Donald Fletcher (1809-1873) & Janet McNaughton (1811-1855. I understand that Donald and Janet were married in Scotland circa 1790 and that Donald is buried in Dalmeny Churchyard, Argyllshire. They had a large family, beginning with Mary Fletcher, born 1791 and ending with Miles Fletcher born 1819. A number of their sons came to Australia including, Angus who arrived in Australia just a year or two after the Borthwicks had taken up the "Auburn Vale" run near Inverell. Angus and his bother Colin both arrived on 28 February 1839, on the ship "Heber". Angus was described as a shepherd aged 25 years, son of Donald, Farmer. Colin was 22 years old.

Angus was for 30 years manager of "Byron Station", also known as "Byron Plains Station", near Inverell. I will add some more about his family and life in the near future. Among other things he was an early grower of wheat and realised that the district had agricultural potential. (Wiedemann, p 54.)

Fletcher's Seat, near Inverell, was apparently named after Angus Fletcher.

Presumably Jane and Angus lived at "Byron Station" for the first 10-15 years of their marriage, although their son Donald was born at "Auburn Vale" six years later. Did Jane go home to her mother for the birth of the child? Helen Paterson Borthwick would have been 73 years old at this time, and Jane would have been 30 years old.

Donald Fletcher was the only child of Angus and Jane. Born 27 August 1853 at "Auburn Vale", Inverell, NSW, Australia. His birth was announced in the Maitland Mercury of 19 January, 1853:

Fletcher. Mrs Angus. Birth of son at Byron Plains on 3 January 1853

The portrait below, which is on glass, is a priceless image of a reluctant subject dressed up in his Scottish best.

With thanks to Ian Garling, 2001

Where did young Donald go to school? Who were his friends and neighbours? In her diary Jane Borthwick refers to dear friends Mr & Mrs P, and to a Mr Hinchcliff. Were they perhaps friends from near Byron Station, or from later years at Coonamble?

Amongst family records are two diaries written by Jane Borthwick and her son, Donald, when they travelled with Angus Fletcher to Scotland for Donald's further education at Frazer Sanchie House, Morrison Academy, Perthshire and at St Andrew's University, Aberdeen. They sailed from Sydney to England on 6 June 1868 on the "John Lawrence", a ship built in Aberdeed. Both of Jane's parents had died just a few years earlier (in 1865 and 1866) Donald was just 15 years old and was the only passenger who had not crossed the Equator before.

I will include more about their journey and Donald's education in Scotland, at a later date.

The family returned to Australia in 1871.

Despite having lived for 30-40 years in the Inverell district, following their two-year trip to Scotland the Fletchers must have decided to settle further afield. Donald Fletcher's own words paint a picture of the beginning of this adventure.

"In the spring of 1871, I, with a man to assist me, left Auburn Vale, a station close to Inverell, - of course on horseback - and driving 8 or 9 loose horses, my destination was Coonamble. Where Coonamble was I had only a hazy idea, but knew it was somewhere in the West. Until I reached Baradine, I could not find anyone who knew exactly where Coonamble was. However, in September 1791, I reached Coonamble just as shearing was being finished.
(Reminiscences, an article written by Donald Fletcher and included in the history of Coonamble, Back to Coonamble.)

And another extract puts the adventure into context:

Coonamble was first settled in the 1840s after settlers came from the Mudgee District, looking for water and grazing land for sheep and cattle. James Walker is said to have been the first to settle in the district, having taken up the run known as Canammble or Koonamble. Water was plentiful, coming from the Castlereagh River and the many creeks in that area. Though today, unless there is frequent rain, due to the shifting sands this river is mostly dry, as are the creeks. In the late 1850s land for the town was set aside on both sides of the Castlereagh River, taking its name from Walker's run, to cater to the needs of the settlers in the district.
(Trickles from the Castlereagh, Coonamble Genealogy Group, 1985, Volume 1, P.5.)

The history of "Balagula" is yet to be researched. It is said that Angus Fletcher purchased it in 1871 but it is not yet known exactly when the family lived there. Angus's will, made on 27 July 1865, describes him as "Angus Fletcher of Auburn Vale" but a codicil, made on 2 April 1872 begins "I, Angus Fletcher, now of Balagula in the Colony of New South Wales formerly of Auburn Vale in the said Colony ...".

The lease of "Balagula" was in 1875 transfered to Jane Fletcher, then the widow of Angus Fletcher. At that time it was 16,000 acres. (Government Gazette, 1876). The home became a centre for the Borthwick family over the next 30 years or so as a number of Donald Fletcher's cousins were married there.

When Jane Fletcher died in January 1895 there were 7,557 sheep on "Balagula". In 1902 the property was transferred from the Estate of Jane Fletcher to her son, Donald. It remained in the Fletcher family until 1910, then passed through a number of owners until, in 1971 it was puchased by Brian Fagan who held "Brenda", the greater portion of the old "Balagula" run. Interestingly, Brian's sister Honora, known as Nora, had married, in 1943, John Cameron Borthwick, a great-great granson of William Murray Borthwick and Helen Paterson.

On 13 October 1880 when he was 27 years old, Donald Fletcher married Ellen FLEMING at "Linwood Cottage", Newcastle, NSW. Ellen, aged 23, was the daughter of Peter Oliver Fleming and Mary Cameron. (Once again the linkages between early families becomes apparent, as Mary was an aunt of Anne Cameron who had married Jane Fletcher's younger brother William Murray Borthwick.)

The Marriage Notice was in the Newcastle Morning Herald of 23 October, 1880:

Donald Fletcher of Balagula Station Coonamble. Marriage Ellen Fleming youngest daughter of P Fleming Linwood, Newcastle at Linwood on 13th October 1880. By Reverend T A Gordon assisted by Reverend J Coutts. Only son of A Fletcher.

"Linwood Cottage"
With thanks to Winifred Macfarlane

Donald and Ellen lived at Balagula until about 1904/1910 (to be clarified). He was involved with the first Jockey Club at Coonamble and in the P & A Association. After leaving Coonamble he went into a stock & station agency business in Tamworth, with his cousin Alexander Johnston, trading as Fletcher & Johnston. Donald died in 1931 and Ellen in 1936. A lengthy appreciation printed in Coonamble after Donald's death includes some personal notes:

Personally Donald Fletcher was a slim, wiry, active man, never at rest, a good raconteur, a great friend, and generally a most lovable man. He was seconded in his activities by an equally able and lovable wife. ... When Donald Fletcher left Coonamble he was given a remarkable "send off" and a handsome gift. He carried with him the good wishes of every man and woman in the district for he was a man that had no enemies.

Donald & Ellen's children were:

Jean Borthwick Fletcher. Born 8 September 1881 in Coonamble, NSW. She married Thomas Dun Bertram (Dr), son of Peter Bertram & Mary Dun, on 5 March 1902 in "Melrose", Coonamble.

Angus Linwood Fletcher. Born 10 October 883 at Newcastle, NSW. He married Ella Emily Dowe, daughter of George Loder Dowe & Emily Baldwin, 11 February in Millwindi Church of England, Manilla, NSW.

In 1907 "Menedebri", which had been owned by William Murray Borthwick II until he died in 1890, was sub-divided and part of it was purchased by Angus Linwood Fletcher, who was (of course) WMB II's great-nephew. Angus Linwood Fletcher received financial assistance from the Borthwicks for the purchase and named his holding "Bandiloo". He lived there for 60 years.

"Bandiloo", Manilla
(There is no large pic of this one, sorry)

Mary Cameron Fletcher. Born 22 February 1884 in Coonamble and she later married Gerald Garling, son of Clarence William Henry Garling & Mary Catherine Gardiner, on 5 July 1911 in Tamworth, NSW. [See below for a link to Ian Garling's site on the Garling Family in Australia.]

Peter Fleming Fletcher. Son of Donald Fletcher & Ellen Fleming. Born 15 December 1885 in Coonamble. He married Isabel McLachlan, daughter of Duncan McLachlan & Annie Draper, 13 May 1916 in Maclean, NSW.

It is understood that Donald and Ellen also had unnamed twins, born on 21 October 1887/1889 in Coonamble, who died as infants.

Surnames of the next generations of this branch of the family include: ADAMS, ANDREWS, BAINES, BERTRAM, BULL, FRITH, GARLING, GRIMSHAW, HAYES, HYDE, LAMPH, LUCOCK, MAILER, McGRATH, O'CARROLL, POWELL, RELYEA, ROBERTS, SMITH and TAPSCOTT.

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Death of Angus Fletcher

Angus Fletcher died in 1874 at Stonehenge, NSW but the death was registered at Wellingrove. His obituary was published in the Town and Country Journal of 27 February 1874.

Angus Fletcher. This gentleman arrived in the colony, when quite a boy, on 31st August 1839, in company with his brother, Mr Colin Fletcher, of Stonehenge, near Glen Innes. Having come out under the patronage of Mr Peter McIntyre, the young men, in October following, were brought up to New England, and Mr Angus Fletcher went to Byron Station, near Inverell, which he managed for the McIntyre family for upwards of 20 years. He then became partner of Auburn Vale Station with John Borthwick, whose sister he married. After carrying on the station profitably for many years he left and returned to Scotland. He was absent for about three years and on his return in 1871, he purchased a station on the Castlereagh called Balagala (sic) which he held at the time of his death. His youngest brother, Miles Fetcher, whom he had not seen for 35 years; in fact since he left him quite a boy in Scotland: - induced Angus to visit Stonehenge last week, but through floods he was delayed so long coming up, that his brother Miles went to Sydney on his way to Melbourne on urgent business. Miles fully expected to meet his brother in Sydney, but he had started before and the brothers unknowingly passed each other in the up and down coaches at Bendemeer. The circumstance seemed to prey on the elder brother's spirits. He died at Stonehenge that night and Dr Segal, who was summoned, got there too late. Another brother, Archibald, died under similar circumstances at Glen Innes many years ago and at exactly the same age 58."

These dates don't quite fit with Angus being on "Byron Station" for 30 years but suggest that he was there until around the mid-1860s when he and Jane and young Donald must have moved to "Auburn Vale". (In his will , made in May 1865, WMB I refers to Angus Fletcher as being of "Auburn Vale".) In 1866 when William Murray Borthwick died Angus and Jane as well as Jane's sister-in-law Anne Clift (then widowed) must have all continued on living and working at "Auburn Vale". In 1868 Angus, Jane and young Donald set sail for Scotland.

I do not yet know where Angus Fletcher is buried.

With thanks to Bill Fletcher, 2001
Click on this image for a larger version.

On 21 January 1895, more than twenty years after her husband's death, Jane Borthwick died at Balagula Station, Coonamble, aged 71 yrs. She was buried in Coonamble Cemetery but her headstone is now in the Pioneer Memorial Wall at Coonamble. As mentioned above, in 1902 "Balagula" was transferred from the Estate of Jane Fletcher to her son, Donald.

There will be more:

This is a very brief outline of the Fletcher branch of the Borthwick family and, as with other pages on this site, I will continue to add information whenever I have an opportunity. Thanks are due to many descendants in this branch of the family - Mary-Jean, Sue, Bill, Ian to name just a few - and especially also to Win McF, a Fleming/Cameron researcher of much knowledge! My family tree for the Fletchers had just three people on it to begin with but now we think that we have located nearly all of the descendants of Jane Borthwick & Angus Fletcher, all 92 of them. There is still much to be done to document those descendants and record their family histories but the beginnings of a Fletcher story are emerging.

**** Links ****

Ian Garling has a great site for the Garling Family in Australia, including Mary Cameron Fletcher and her descendants.

...to Borthwick Front Page

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Copyright: Ann Carson 2001
All rights reserved.
Created: 6 August 2001
Updated: