Leslie Family papers

Letters written by William Leslie senior to: his sons Patrick, Walter, and George; also by Jane Leslie (nee Davidson) to her daughter Kate in Drumossie, Scotland.

Biographical notes

William Leslie (1770-1857), 8th Laird of Folla and 9th Laird of Warthill, financed much of his son's enterprises in Australia while remaining in Scotland.

[Items OM71-43/1 - OM71-43/1-5]

Letters written by William Leslie junior to: his uncle, Walter Stevenson Davidson (1875-1869), associate Lancelot Dent and his aunt Mrs Innes.

Biographical notes

William Leslie (1814-1880), was a partner in the house of Dent and Company, in China but retired from his position on his accession to the estate of Warthill. He married Matilda Rose Robinson (1826-1917), they had 6 children: William Douglas Leslie, Jane Emma Matilda Leslie, Florence Matilda Leslie, Catherine Evelyn Leslie, Caroline Leslie and Mary Rose Leslie

[Items OM71-43/6 - OM71-43/1-8]

Letters written by Patrick Leslie to: his father William senior, mother Jane, sister Mary Anne, uncle Walter Stevenson Davidson, and brother-in-law Patrick Davidson.

Biographical notes

Patrick Leslie (1815-1881) emigrated to Australia aboard the aboard the convict transport 'Emma Eugenia' in 1835 and he managed a property 'Collaroi' in the Cassilis district of NSW for his uncle Walter Stevenson Davidson. Patrick, with his brothers Walter and George established Canning Downs in 1840, alongside Goomburra Station, a property held by their friend Ernest Dalrymple.

Patrick married Kate (Catherine, Kiti McArthur) in 1840, they had two sons, William Norman Leslie (1841-1876) and George A Leslie who died in infancy in 1845. Patrick Leslie established Newstead House in Brisbane which he later sold to his brother-in-law John Clements Wickham. Patrick later took his family to England and then on to New Zealand, purchasing property in Waikato; he later retired to Milson's Point, Sydney, where he died on 12 August 1881.

[Items OM71-43/9 - OM71-43/1-121]

Letters written by Walter Leslie to: his parents William and Jane Leslie, sister Mary Anne & her husband Patrick Davidson, brothers Thomas & William Leslie, and W.D. Bernard.

Biographical notes

Walter Stevenson Davidson Leslie (1818-1891) migrated to Australia in 1838 with his brother George and managed the property of Canning Downs in partnership with his brothers George and Patrick. He left Queensland in 1846 and returned to Scotland.

[Items OM71-43/123 - OM71-43/162a]

Letters written by George Leslie to: his parents William and Jane Leslie, brother Thomas, sister Mary Anne and her husband Patrick Davidson, brother William, C. Lamond, G. Walmer, and the Colonial Secretary, NSW.

Biographical notes

George Farquhar Leslie (1829-1860) migrated to Australia in 1838 with his brother Walter and at first managed the flocks on Phillip Parker King's property at Dunheved; he then brought them up to his brother Patricks run at Canning Downs. George Leslie married Emmeline McArthur in 1847. From 1851 to 1855 George Leslie was a Member of the NSW Legislative Council for the Pastoral Districts of Clarence and Darling Downs, and in 1854 he was a member of a commission for the colony's participation in the Paris Exhibition of 1855. He retired from the Legislative Council in February 1855 and returned to England.

[Items OM71-43/163 - OM71-43/273]

Letters written by Thomas Leslie to his sister Mary Anne Davidson (nee Leslie).

Biographical notes

Thomas Coats Leslie (1826-1862) married Henrietta Marion Elphinstone in 1857, he died in Aberdeenshire, Scotland aged 35.

[Items OM71-43/274 - OM71-43/275]

Letters written by Katherine Rolleston (nee Leslie) to her sister Mary Anne Davidson.

Biographical notes

Katherine Leslie (1822-1906) married Christopher Rolleston in 1854 at Aberdeenshire, Scotland. They came to Australia that same year and he became the private secretary to the governor-general, Sir William Denison. In 1855 he was appointed registrar-general and in 1864 auditor-general. From 1860, together with Louis Hope and Alfred Denison, he acquired extensive runs in the Leichhardt district of Queensland centred upon his head station, Springsure, near the present town of Rolleston.

[Items OM71-43/276 - OM71-43/277]

Letters written by Hannibal Hawkins MacArthur to William Leslie senior, from his property 'The Vineyard', Parramatta, NSW.

Biographical notes

Hannibal Hawkins MacArthur (1788-1861) was born in London, the son of James and nephew to John MacArthur. Formerly a large property owner, he lost control of much of his estates during the depression of the 1840s. In 1852 he retired to Ipswich where he was appointed Police Magistrate. After the death of his wife [Anna] Maria he sought leave to stay at Goomburra Station, his son-in-law Patrick Leslie's property. He returned to England in 1853 and died at Norwood in 1861. Hannibal and Maria had 11 children, six daughters and five sons.

[Items OM71-43/278 - OM71-43/284]

Letters written by [Anna] Maria MacArthur (nee King) to William and Jane Leslie from her home 'The Vineyard', Parramatta, NSW

Biographical notes

Anna Maria MacArthur (1793-1852) was born on Norfolk Island, the eldest daughter of Governor Philip Gidley King and Anna Josepha Coombe. She married Hannibal Hawkins MacArthur in 1812 and the couple settled at 'The Vineyard, Parramatta,' which became one of the leading estates of the colony. After the financial collapse of her husband in the late 1840s, the couple moved to Ipswich, where Anna died in 1852.

[Items OM71-43/286 - OM71-43/296]

Letters written by Charles McArthur to William and Jane Leslie.

Biographical notes

Charles McArthur (1820-1871) was born at his father's Hannibal McArthur's property, 'The Vineyard', Parramatta. He married Agnes Martha Baldock (1821–1849) in March 1847. In August 1848 they had a daughter Lina Margaret who died just a few months later in January 1849. Agnes McArthur died that same year in March and was buried with her daughter in St John's Cemetery Parramatta. Charles remarried in 1854, to Mary Jane Synnot, widow of the late Captain Synnot, of Launceston where he worked as agent for the Liverpool and London Insurance Company.

[Items OM71-43/298 - OM71-43/300]

Letters written by John McArthur to: Thomas Leslie; letters written by Elizabeth McArthur to Mary Anne Davidson (nee Leslie); and her parents William and Jane Leslie.

Biographical notes

John Alexander McArthur (1827–1904) son of Hannibal and Maria Macarthur of Parramatta, married Clara Pollard and after her death, Mary Goodrich.

Elizabeth McArthur (1815-1899) daughter of Hannibal and Maria McArthur, married Philip Gidley King, son of Philip Parker King.

[Items OM71-43/301 - OM71-43/317]

Letters written by Annie [Anna] McArthur (later Annie Wickham) to Mary Ann Leslie, William and Jane Leslie.

Biographical notes

Anna McArthur (1816-1852) married Commander J.C. Wickham, Police Magistrate, Moreton Bay in 1842. They had three children: Charles Brenton, Ellen Susan and Alfred William Wickham. John Wickham purchased the grand homestead, Newstead House, with views of the Brisbane River, from Anna's brother-in-law, Patrick Leslie. Anna was an artist and sketcher of landscapes and architecture; she died at Sydney, aged 35 years.

[Items OM71-43/320 - OM71-43/336]

Letters written by Katherine (Catherine) McArthur (later Catherine Leslie) to: William & Jane Leslie, Mary Anne Davidson, William Leslie Jnr, Mrs Innes and sister-in-law Kate Leslie.

Biographical notes

Katherine McArthur (1818-1894) daughter of Hannibal and Maria McArthur married Patrick Leslie in September 1840. They had two sons, William Norman Leslie (1841-1876) and George A Leslie who died in infancy in 1845.

[Items OM71-43/337 - OM71-43/397]

Letters written by Mary King McArthur (later Mary Gordon) to: William and Jane Leslie, Mary Anne Davidson, and Thomas Leslie.

Biographical notes

Mary 'Mollie' King McArthur (1822-1898) was the fourth daughter of Hannibal and Maria McArthur. She become engaged to Hugh Gordon in November 1838 when Mary was 16 and Hugh was 22; they married in 1841. Mary and Hugh had seven children: Hannibal, William, James, Herbert, Emiline, Lambert and Katharine.
Hugh Gordon's family were friends and neighbours of the Leslies in Scotland and was encouraged to emmigrate to Australia in 1836. In 1841 Hugh purchased 'Redesdale' near Braidwood and renamed it Manar after his childhood home in Scotland. Hugh was an accomplished artist, and produced a number of pencil drawings, several done on his voyage to the East Indies. After his death Maray re-married in 1864 ,to the man who had been the children's tutor, Francis Wilson.

[Items OM71-43/398 - OM71-43/413]

Letters written by Emmeline McArthur (later Emmeline Leslie) to: Jane and William Leslie, Kate Leslie and Mary Anne Davidson between 1847 and 1853.

Biographical notes

Emmeline Maria McArthur (1828-1911) daughter of Hannibal and Maria McArthur spent her childhood at the family home, The Vineyard, on the Parramatta River, NSW. She married George Farquhar Leslie in 1847. After his death she married Vigant de Falbe, a commander in the Royal Danish Navy, with whom she had two sons.

Emmeline was known as colonial painter who documented her life in pictures, although no traces remain. She also wrote recollections of her childhood at The Vineyard, and of their life on Canning Downs, which was published by Jane De Falbe titled "My dear Miss Macarthur: The recollections of Emmeline Maria Macarthur".

[Items OM71-43/414 - OM71-43/433]

Letter written by Emma Jane McArthur to Jane Leslie.

Biographical notes

Emma Jane McArthur (1832-1866) daughter of Hannibal and Maria McArthur was born at the family estate 'The Vineyard' at Parramatta, NSW. She married Francis Robert Chester Master in 1852, age 19 years.

[Item OM71-43/434]

Collection of miscellanous correspondence written by: Walter Stevenson Davidson, Gilbert Davidson, James McArthur, Jane McArthur, Hugh Gordon, Ernest Elphinstone Dalrymple, Alexander Forbes, William Leslie, James Dent and others.

[Items OM71-43/435 - OM71-43/499]

Typed copies, as well as photocopies of correspondence - the originals are not held at State Library of Queensland.

They include:

• Letters concerning the passage of Charles McArthur, Mrs Philip King and others from England to Australia, 1826-1827
• Letters from Patrick and Walter Leslie to their father William, 1840, 1850, 1853
• Mary Anne Davidson to George and Walter Leslie, 1840 & 1841, 1843
• Kate and George Leslie to their brother Thomas, 1940
• Ernesest Elphinstone Dalrymple to Jane Leslie, 1840
• Elizabeth McArthur to Kate and Jane Leslie, 1841
• John McArthur to William Leslie snr, 1841
• W. Fanning to Walter Leslie, 1847
• Patrick Leslie to T. McEvoy, 1859