Christine McFadyen

   Cause of her death was Unknown.

  General Notes:

Taken from the Journal of Veronica E Sitton

Christina McFadyen, was the wife of Donald McPhail, who was so tragically drowned at sea on his outward trip to Australia, on board the "Minerva", as is to be seen from the journal of Veronica Sitton, quoted in the notes on the life of Donald McPhail. She was the daughter of Archibald McFadyen and Mary Cameron of the Island of Murray.

Jean Brown of Glasgow certified that Christy McPhail lived with her for 9 months and during that time she behaved herself soberly and honestly, is acquainted with housework in most of its varieties and is a very good plain cook.

Note that Jean Brown does not say that Christina worked for her. They may have been related. Whether Christina was in Glasgow before or after marriage is not known, but she and Donald both appear to have lived in Glasgow before migrating.

At the time of embarkation on the "Minerva" with her husband Donald, she was 24 years of age and the ship departed Greenock Scotland on 13 September 1837 for its ill fated voyage to Port Jackson NSW where it arrived on 23 January 1838.

When her husband was drowned at sea, he had all their money and valuables in a belt around his waist and of course, all these were lost along with him, this of course meant that she arrived in Port Jackson virtually penniless and she was then quarantined at the Station at North Head, where her daughter Mary was born.

It is not known by this writer how she earned her living in Sydney, but she appears to have been a great survivor and also a woman of much strength of character. The next record of her is when she marries James Bishop, at Bathurst on 6 April 1840. After the tragic death of her daughter Mary Munro in 1872 she was left to bring up the eight children of Mary's marriage to Hugh Munro who himself had passed away from a stroke in 1870. She then lived a long and eventful life surviving her second husband by many years, dying eventually at Collie on 19 March 1901, and her remains are interred at Dreal Cemetary.

James Bishop...second husband of Christina McFadyen was born in England in 1808. His parents were George Bishop & Mary Springay who lived in London. James was apparently a bit of a naughty boy as he was charged with the offence of highway robbery, although if one reads between the lines it does not seem as if he was of the swashbuckling "Dick Turpin" type. More like a village "mugger" who hid behind a bush in the local area and did a bit of bag snatching. His trial took place in London on 16 November, 1825. He was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment, his trade at that time was given as "litter pounder" and his native place, Sussex. He was transported to Botany Bay on the "Prince Regent" and arrived in Sydney in 1827. He worked as a Government servant and Hut-Keeper, became a Ticket of Leave Man and was granted a Conditional Pardon No. 3/31, dated 13 October 1842. he married Christina McFadyen (widow of Donald McPhail) at Bathurst on 6 April 1840. At the time he was employed as a stockman. After the marriage, the Bishops moved to "Dreel" Station. In 1862 James Bishop acquired a property at Collie for £2,000. He died on 29 July 1863 and was buried at Dreel Cemetery, Collie NSW. Even in the manner of his death he seems to have shown that penchant for the baser forms of living, as his death certificate says he died of apolexy brought on by intemperance. In everyday words he "drank himself to death".

  Noted events in her life were:

• Arrived, 23 Jan 1838, Assisted Migrant On The "Minerva".

Christine married Donald McPhail, son of Neil McPhail and Jean Arnet, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Donald McPhail was born in Aug 1815 in Lanark, Lanarkshire, Scotland,¹⁴⁰ died on 27 Oct 1837 at Sea. ¹⁴⁰ and was buried on 27 Oct 1837 at Sea. ¹⁴⁰.) The cause of his death was Drowned at Sea.

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• Marriage Fact, 27 Oct 1837, At Sea.

  Marriage Notes:

Reference Number:1584

Christine next married James Bishop, son of George Bishop and Mary Springay, on 6 Apr 1840 in Bathurst, NSW.² (James Bishop was born in 1808 in London, England ³ and died on 30 Jul 1863 in Collie NSW ⁴.) The cause of his death was Apolexy Brought on by Intemperance.

  Marriage Notes:

Reference Number:1608