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Andrew ALLAN was the eldest son of Richard ALLAN
and Elizabeth DARLING.
Andrew was a Manager of Stock & Crop from
1828-1830 (tenant position was the standard on most
Scottish farms),on two farms being "Aberchalder",
and later on "Culachy", not far from Fort Augustus.
Accounts by Andrew's employers show him to be a
valuable and learned manager, in all aspects of
farming.
He returned from the Highlands and spent four
years (1830-1834) as shepherd at Bangholm,
Queensferry (Western Edinburgh). He was married in
1832 at St.Cuthberts, Edinburgh to Catherine
DRUMMOND, the daughter of Thomas DRUMMOND a weaver
from Comrie, Fifeshire. Their first child,
Richard, was born in Edinburgh on ?, 1833.
In 1834 the family moved back to the Inverness
District where Andrew worked - according to letters
to him - In
1835
as an Overseer at "Aberchalder" near Fort Augustus;
From late
1836
to mid
1838
(at least) as a shepherd at Aberchalder. In 1841
(census) his occupation was Agricultural Labourer.
Why he went down the career
ladder is a mystery to us!!
He also had a connection with a distillery in
Bunoich, Fort Augustus, but a copy of a term of
agreement shows no date or depth of involvement.
Andrew brought up a family of five, all being of
high moral and spiritual character.
In 1846 the family moved to Inverlair farm,
about 15km from Fort William. He was manager
earning #25 per year, and shepherds earning #14.
The name "Inverlair" was to be the name given to
the farm of Andrew's grandson that would be settled
in the 1880's far away in Gippsland, Victoria,
Australia.The two eldest sons left home for
Australia in 1851 and 1854, and after deliberating
from early 1852, the rest of the family emigrated
to Australia in 1860 on the Lord Raglan.
This deliberation back and forth was the result
of discouragement by Andrew's employer who gave
negative views on Australia in order to keep Andrew
and his good management within Inverlair
farm,Scotland.They joined the two sons on property
in Scrub HIll, Victoria, and remained there the
rest of their lives.Andrew's son James was an
asthmatic invalid all his life, slept in a chair
most of the time, but eventually outlived all his
siblings,dying in 1925 aged 85.The eldest daughter
Isabella married Thomas McCall a shepherd from
"Inverlair" in Scotland, having one son John
McCall.
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