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Dr. James Murdoch M.D.
of
Craigow 1785-1848
Early Pioneer of Medicine in
Van Diemens Land
5.
"In memory of Mary Murdoch the
beloved wife of William Bethune of Craigow who died 29th January 1870
aged 51 years and of William Bethune of Craigow, who died 25th November
1886 aged 73 years, also of their son James M Bethune who died 23rd
March 1890 aged 50 years. The time is short therefore be ye also ready
Cor. 7.29. Matthew 24.44. "
The following was reported in the Hobart
Town Gazette on Saturday, 2nd March, 1822:
"Yesterday morning arrived from
England via the Cape of Good Hope the ship CASTLE FORBES, Captain
Ord, with merchandise and passengers; namely - Alexander Paterson
Esq. and Lady, Mr. and Mrs. C.R. Nairne, Mr. C.R. Nairne Jun.,
Captain Wood, Mr. Robert Dixon, Miles Patterson Esq., Lady and three
Misses Patterson, Masters John, Robert and Frederick Patterson, Mr.
and Mrs. A Reid and family, Mr. and Mrs. Ballantyne and family, Mr.
and Mrs. Robertson, Dr Murdoch and family, Mr. Stephenson, Mr.
Field, Mr. Russel, Mr. Forbes, Mr. Alston, Mr. Scott, Mr. Thompson,
Mr. Hodgson, Mr. and Mrs. Sockett, and Master William Evans (from
the Cape), son of G. W. Evans Esq. Deputy Surveyor General at this
settlement; together with 33 steerage passengers, being 76 in all.
The CASTLE FORBES has had a tedious passage, having been six months
from England"
The departure of CASTLE FORBES from Leith
with passengers was apparently not advertised, or recorded in any of the
Edinburgh newspapers, but it is believed to have departed on 27th
August, 1821.
As James' and Grace's third son, Robert
Bruce Murdoch was born in April 1822, Grace was pregnant during the
voyage.
The following is an extract from the
Reminiscences of Mrs Williams (Jane Reid) written in 1840, one of the
passengers on the voyage. Then a mere child coming to Van Diemen's Land
with her parents:
"Six months! six long months
passed away before we came in sight of Van Diemen's Land... the time
onboard was chiefly occupied by the gentlemen in reading works on
agriculture, drawing plans of mansions (never destined to appear in
any other form) and talking over the readiest and shortest mode of
making their fortunes. Eager and anxious were the glances which were
directed towards our future home when the joyful cry of land ahead
was heard after our... rough weather from the Cape.
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