In the year 1849 Robert Campbell Rae married Jane Cummings in the town of Ayr, Scotland.  The couple was blessed with a large family of nine boys and one girl.  The boys were:  Robert, John Alexander, Daniel, Hugh, William, Thomas, David and Archibald;  Their only sister was named Mary.

Work became scarce in Scotland and to some of these strapping young men America beckoned with the promise of employment and opportunity.  Daniel, who was born in 1875,and Hugh, who was born in 1880, were the first of the family to go to the new world.  Leaving Scotland in 1898.   Both of these brotherswere so long in America that they became naturalised and American citizens.  William followed his brothers to America and remained there.   Today we have relations in the USA who are descendants of William and his wife.  The brothers, Daniel and Hugh, decided to emigrate to emigrate to Australia in 1914.  These brothers were bachelors and, as was the case in those days, followed the mining industry to where more money was to be made.  They worked in coal-mines around Newcastle, mainly at Rhonda and Minmi.  When a new mine opened in the Cessnock area Daniel and Hugh took  positions in this new colliery called Bellbird Colliery.

On September 1, 1923 the brothers has been on dayshift at the Bellbird Colliery.  At 2pm on that Saturday afternoon an explosion occurred which resulted in the loss of twenty-three lives.  As was the miners’ custom, Daniel and Hugh had stopped at the Bellbird Hotel on their way home.  involved in involved in the rescue opertion.  Both returned to the colliery and were involved in the rescue operation.

As both Daniel and Hugh played an important part in the eventual immigration of David Rae and his family to Australia some insight into their background is needed.

In 1904 another brother, David, had decided to join his brothers in America.  He stayed there for about three years working in the coal-mines and living in the town of Clinton, Ohio.  However, David was in love with the girl who lived next door to his parents in New Cumnock and returned to Scotland.  David Brown Rae married Jeanie Martin Stewart in New Cumnock in 1910.

The marriage of David and Jeanie resulted in the births of five girls and two boys:  Elizabeth, Jean, Davina, Christina, Mary, Robert Campbell and James Stewart.  All the girls and Robert were born in Scotland.  James was born in Cessnock, Australia.  Christina.  Elizabeth and Jean were born in New Cumnock.  Davina, Christina, Mary and Robert were born in Cowdenbeath, Fifeshire.

David Rae worked as a colliery fireman(deputy) in the Donnybristle and Aitken mines and the Baroney.  Jeanie stayed home looking after the five girls who were born within eight years.

In Cowdenbeath the family first lived in the bottom half of a two storey houseand here Davina was born.  They were known as “the wee Rae’s up the stair” when living on the top floor of a two syorey house in the Perth Road.  Robert was born in 1924 when the family were living in Church Street.

Poor weather frequently confined the children to the house but in fine weather they played in the nearby fields.  Sliding on the mill pond was a favourite winter past-time.  The girls attended school in Cowdenbeath.  Elizabeth and Jean, being the eldest, were also responsible for certai household chores.  Elizabeth had to wash the windows, polish the silver and clean the shoes – a difficult task in winter.  Jean had to wash the dishes every evening after their supper of poridge had to be eaten.  On Sunday the family went to the morning and evening meetings at the Gospel Hall.

David and Jeanie decided to emigrate to Australia, a land of opportunity, for the betterment of their family.  The girls were thrilled by the prospect of the voyage and living in a new country and excitedly shared the news with their school friends while their parents made preparations for their departure.

On Friday March 27th, 1925 at 4.30pm the family left Cowdenbeath and went to New Cumnock to farewell their grandparents and other relatives.  On April 1 they left New Cumnock and travelled by train to Glasgow and an overnight train journey took them from there to London.  They were met in London at St Pancras Station by Jeanie’s sister Margaret(Peggy) McNaught and her family.  From there they took the boat train to Tilbury Dock.  The family was carried by tender to the 11,000 tonne, Twin Screw Steamer Banalla which was to take them to Australia.

The T.S.S. Banalla set sail at 1.45pm on April 2nd, 1925.  The voyage to Australia took seven weeks and four days and David commented in his diary that it was “a wearisome journey”.  The girls played all day as there was no school onboard the ship.  The members of the family, except Mary, became sick as the ship ran into stormy weather in the Bay of Biscay.  However, as the weather improved the family recovered and enjoyed several days “amongst the sunshine”.  During the voyage the family attended Divine Service on Sundays and a special children’s tea party and fancy dress parade.  There was also a burial service at sea when one of the crew died.

On April 8th the ship stopped briefly at Las Palmas and on April 24th the family spent the day in Capetown.  Until they reached Capetown David was in a separate cabin to Jeanie and the children.   He noted in his diary on April 26th that he was “very thankful” to rejoin his family and shift with them to another cabin under the cookhouse.  After leaving South Africa the baby Robert was unwell and the weather turned cold.

Finally The T.S.S. Banalla reached Australia.  On May 16th the family enjoyed a day out in Adelaide where the ship had entered port the previous day.  On May 17th David recorded that the family had a “lovely day at the seashore” despite the “boy being ill through the night”.  The boat sailed from Adelaide on May 19th and arrived in Melbourne on May 23rd and arrived in Sydney on May 25th where the family was met by David’s brothers Daniel and Hugh.

At Central Railway the children were treated to fruit salad and icecream by their uncles however the girls were too excited to eat the food which they had not seen before.  The family travelled by train to Maitland where they changed trains to continue on to Cessnock.  Everyone piled into a single taxi for the drive from Cessnock to Bellbird where the family was to make their home in Kendall Street.

After settlling his wife and children David began work two days later at Bellbird pit.  Daniel and Hugh had jobs there and were regarded as the best miners in Bellbird.  David worked until he retired in 1945 aged sixty.

From the time of their arrival the family attended Cessnock Gospel Hall travelling from Ballbird by horse and sulky when it could be borrowed by John.  Jack, Jean, Davina, Christina and Mary attended school in Bellbird while Elizabeth learnt dressmaking.  Later, after the family moved to Cessnock she started tailoring.  The family lived in Bellbird for sixteen months before moving to Gallacher Street, Cessnock.   David and Jeanie rented several houses in Cessnock.  James was born “girnin” or “greetin” that is he cried constantly and continued to do so for at least three months as his older sister vividly recalls.The girls and the two boys visited their uncles Daniel and Hugh at Bellbird every Saturday.  Hugh was responsible for James first haircut which resulted in the loss of his curls and a sunburnt scalp!  The family next lived in Mayfield Street and then in Mayfield Street and then in Northcott Street. 

As time passed David and Jeanie’s five daughters left home to marry and establish homes and families of their own.   Elizabeth married Richard Stauffer and Jean married Hugh Linton in a double wedding ceremony in 1935 while the family lived in High Street.  David and Jeanie then moved to Aberdare Road.  While living in Alfred Street Mary married William Clarke in 1942 and Robert joined the army on June 11th 1942.

Finally in 1943 David and Jeanie bought a house in Desmond Street.  Their daughter, Christine who had married James Rankin in Sydney in 1940 and her family lived next door.   Divina married Norman Lawler in 1946.  James left Desmond Street in 1944 to go to Glenn Innes to work with the Department of Agriculture, eventually returning to work at Maitland withHunter Valley County Council. 

Robert returned from the army in 1947 after serving withe occupation forces in Japan.  He married Helen Norden in 1953.  James married Heather Avard in 1956.  Davina returned to live with her parents in 1958 after her husbands death.

I September 1960 David and Jeanie celebrated their Golden Wedding anniversary with many family members and friends.  David and Jeanie were loving parents and grandparents and there was always a warm welcome for their children and grandchildren at Desmond Street.

David and Jeanie lived simple uncomplicated lives strengthened by their deep faith in God.  Jeanie was a peace loving woman with a gentle happy disposition.  She was helpful, hospitable and had a thankful heart.  David as a young man had a spirit of adventure and had shown vision and courage in deciding to move with his family from Scotland to Australia.  He was reliable and always ready to give assistance to others.  David lived for his family.  He told his children “do well for yourselves and you do well for me”.

Jeanie died quietly in her sleep on june 13th 1966 aged seventy-eight years.  David died three years later aged eighty-three years.  Three of their daughters Jean(1973), Christina(1978), and Davina(1986),  have also passed into the Lord’s presence.

David and Jeanie’s has become widespread as the years have passed and the numbers have grown.  Today some members of the family live as far away as Zimbabwee and South Africa.  Older family members have returned to Scotland to visit and keep in touch with relatives there.

On Saturday, May 26th 1989, about sixty of David and Jeanie’s descendants gathered at Shortland Gospel Hall to recal the past, renew family ties and to reflect on the wisdom of David and Jeanie’s decision to emigrate to Australia which time has proven was indeed for the benefit of their children and their families.

Robyn Goldfinch(neeRae),

May 1989