The Cameron Connection

Alexander J Cameron, born 1855 at Millers Forest NSW, was the first-born of the Presbyterian family of engine-driver DONALD CAMERON and his wife CATHERINE MARTIN, who had married at Millers Forest c1855. Donald, of Little Denison Street, Carrington NSW, died September 1888; Catherine died August 1904. Born March 1829 at Aharacle, Argyllshire SCT, Donald was the eldest of ten children of CATHERINE MacPHERSON and ALEXANDER CAMERON (son of DONALD CAMERON and his first wife ANN MacPHERSON, who had emigrated with their family aboard the Brilliant in 1837, sailing from Tober Moray on the Isle of Mull [perhaps as part of the “clearing” of the crofters of Mull for the sheep of the English landlords in the 1820s-30s).

Alexander’s eleven siblings were Elizabeth Cameron (born 1857, Raymond Terrace NSW, died June 1953 (married Frederick John Clements, December 1879, at Bullock Island NSW), Catherine Cameron (born 1860, Newcastle NSW, died June 1938, Marrickville NSW; married William Downie, November 1878, Newcastle), Margaret Jane Cameron (born 1862, Newcastle, died March 1915, Petersham NSW; married William George Mitchell, May 1887, Carrington), Mary Ann Cameron (born 1864, Newcastle, died October 1930, Newtown NSW; married John Thomas Dark, June 1885, Onebygamba, Newcastle), William Archibald Cameron (born 1866, Newcastle, died March 1913, Newcastle; married Caroline Fenner Spray, 1904, Wickham NSW), Peter Cameron (born 1868, Newcastle, died November 1878, Bullock Island, Carrington), Donald Cameron (born 1870, Newcastle, died January 1900, Newcastle), ?twins Louisa Cameron and Rebecca Cameron (born and died 1872, Newcastle), Ella Constance Cameron (born 1874, Patricks Plains NSW, buried June 1957, Sandgate NSW; married William James Pearcy, September 1902, Carrington) and Hugh John Cameron (born 1875, Newcastle, died November 1930, Sandgate; married Cordelia J Francis, 1900, Newcastle).

Alexander married Annie Davis in October 1877 in Sydney. Annie had been born February 1860 in Sydney. Alexander and Annie had perhaps four known children:

• ELLA CONSTANCE CAMERON (born 1878 , near Newcastle; married Ernest Redhead in 1914),
• FLORENCE MURIEL CAMERON (born February 1881, Newcastle NSW , died February 1957; married Alfred John Smith, Katoomba NSW, May 1915),
• PERCY ALEXANDER CAMERON (born c1883 , near Newcastle, died December 1957, Fairlight NSW; married Olive Norman Crockford in June 1919, Hunters Hill NSW, no issue),
• IVY REBECCA CAMERON (born February 1886, Newcastle NSW , died 1924, North Sydney) and possibly
• ?EDWARD CAMERON.

Alexander, of Waverton, died in December 1935 at his daughter’s house at Manly; Annie died in July 1949.

Aldred John Smith (born 1883, Pennant Hills NSW) and Florence Muriel Cameron (born February 1881, Newcastle NSW) were married in May 1915 at Katoomba NSW, assuming a joined surname; they had two children:

• ALDRED CAMERON-SMITH ("Jack") (born July 1917, St Leonards NSW; married Jean Mary Elizabeth (Betty) Halliday in 1947 at the Killara Congregational Church; Jean had been born June 1917?; six children; a prisoner-of-war during World War II, first in Singapore and then in a Japanese labour gang in Japan, he died in November 1992, aged 75, at Concord NSW) and
• MURIELLE "Meg" CAMERON-SMITH ("Meg") (born April 1919; married Eric ?Roland Atkinson in1941; two children).
  

Aldred John Cameron-Smith (nee Smith) died December 1938; Florence Muriel Cameron-Smith (nee Cameron) died February 1957.

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Ernest (?Ted) Redhead, a noted handyman, married Ella C Cameron, a sister of Percy Cameron, in Sydney during 1914 . Their children were:

• WALLACE A REDHEAD ("Wallis")(born 1914, St Leonards NSW; married Jean; two sons (one drowned aged 15 years)) and
• NANCYE V REDHEAD (born 1917, St Leonards NSW; married Reginald O'Kell, a New Zealander; no children; Reg O'Kell died c1990/1).

Anything to add?
If you have any queries about this family, or information to add, please eMail
Ross Beattie ( rossbtgenealogy@gmail.com)
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