Saturday 14 March 2015

Family History - the McLeans

We've had a family history search come our way lately - actually several - but this one came with photos.

The person is looking for information to do with the McLean family who originally came from the Isle of Mull, Scotland.

Parents were Charles and Christina McLean. They had about 9 children, three of whom came to NZ about 1911 (or before). The sons who came were Donald (1884-1966), Callum Campbell (1885-1918), and Donald Archibald (1889-1977).

Ada & Donald McLean c 1918
Donald, the elder with no middle name, enlisted for WWI from Otautau in early 1915. While overseas, he married Ada Norton in England in 1918. They had a son, Donald William Charles (1919-1986) who was brought up in Otautau. Donald had a brief business as a bootmaker in Otautau - his father, Charles, was a shoemaker back in Salen, Scotland. The son, Donald William Charles, ended up in the electrical trade in Riverton. He married Violet Hanifin.

We're looking for any information on Ada McLean nee Norton. She is buried in the Riverton Cemetery as is Callum Campbell, Donald's brother. Is she from a family in NZ or did she come from England?

She died in 1922, aged 30, but we wonder if she had any other children before then.

We're also looking for the identities of the people in the following photos.

Ada and son but who are the others?
In this photo, the woman reclining is Ada McLean and probably her son, Donald William Charles. We'd like to know who the girls and woman kneeling at the back are. Nieces? Cousins? Is this Ada's mother?

Then there are these two women whose names were written on the backs of the photos but with no surname. They look like sisters and probably dated more recently than the rest of the photos. Do you know them or their connection with the McLeans?
Martha 
Winnie






Ada & Donald McLean
The last photo is Ada & Donald again as a young couple. After Ada passed away, Donald remarried in 1930 to Georgina Rose Tweedie (1900-1990). We are looking for any information on her and whether they had any children. Donald is buried in the Wairio Cemetery. Georgina was cremated and buried in Green Park Cemetery in Dunedin.

If you can help in any way, please contact us via email. Thanks!

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