Telford Family of Ellinbank
Captain Donald McArthur 1777 - 1825
The gravestone of Elizabeth McArthur in the "Old Pioneers" section of Fawkner Memorial Park in Melbourne, has the following inscription:
Sacred to the memory of
ELIZABETH McARTHUR
widow of the late CAPTN. DONALD McARTHUR
2nd Royal Veteran Battalion
died 12th June 1840, aged 63 years
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The marriage notices of each of the McArthur daughters acknowledge their father as Captain Donald McArthur of the 2nd Royal Veteran Battalion - this despite his last posting being to the 1st Royal Veteran Battalion.
To be appointed as an officer of a Royal Veterans battalion a soldier was required to be:
" Meritorious Soldiers,who,from Wounds,Age or Infirmity, are become unequal to the more active Duties of the Line"
Thus being an officer in the 2nd Royal Veterans was a recognition in itself of prior meritorious service. But it may be that his time in the 2nd RVB had particular significance.
There is a sword currently held in the archives of the ANZ bank at Mount Waverley ( Melbourne) which is described as the "St Helena Sword"; the records attached to the sword claim that it was in Capt. McArthur's possession during his time as an officer of the guard on St Helena while Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled between 1815 and 1821.
It undoubtedly belonged to Capt. Donald McArthur as an infantry officer and was a treasured possession of his son David Charteris McArthur who brought it to Australia and reportedly had it on display at his residence at Heidelberg.
While serving as a Captain in the 11th Regiment of Foot from March 1811 to May 1820, Donald saw action against Napoleon's army, in particular at the Battle of Salamanca in Spain. However the 11th are not recorded as being posted to St Helena during that period. For the latter part of his time with the 11th he was on Half-Pay i.e. not actively employed ( because of the end to hostilities between Britain and France) - we have no information as to what he was doing during this period of inaction but there is no corroborating evidence that he was on St Helena.
The pictures here show Capt. Donald McArthur's sword now in the ANZ bank archive in Melbourne. The sword is made of engraved steel and would appear to be in good and usable condition; the scabbard is of brass and somewhat battered.
Pictures here show the city of Salamanca in Spain as it is today - Plaza Mayor and the Roman Bridge - both were there long before the battle of Salamanca in 1812, and the hills around Salamanca.
As an outcome of the French Revolution the monarchy was overthrown, the French Republic proclaimed on 21stSeptember 1792 and King Louis XVI executed on 21 January 1793. This led to conflict with the neighbouring states of Austria , Italian States, Prussia, Russia, Great Britain, Spain, Portugal and the Dutch Republic who formed various coalitions to oppose France over the period 1792 to 1802. These were known as the French Revolutionary Wars. In March 1802 the Treaty of Amiens was signed and resulted in a temporary peace between France and Britain until May 1803 when hostilities resumed, then known as the Napoleonic Wars, until the Battle of Waterloo in June 1815. Particularly during the period 1803 until 1805 Britain feared an invasion by Napoleon from across the Channel and the whole country was on a war footing with thousands of extra men recruited to form a volunteer army. This immediate threat was overcome by the destruction of much of the French (and Spanish) fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar on 21st October 1805.
Between 1805 and 1815 British forces were engaged in resisting the Napoleonic forces who were intent on consolidating France's hold on the Iberian Peninsular - Spain and Portugal, and after 18.. Napoleon's push northwards until his final defeat at the Battle of Waterloo ( Belgium) in June 1815. It was after this that Napoleon was exiled to St Helena in the mid-Atlantic, referred to in relation to the sword above.
During this period Britain had a number of overseas colonies which needed to be defended against foreign powers or internal uprisings, including West Indies, Gibraltar, Cape of Good Hope ( South Africa), Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Ireland officially became part of the United Kingdom of Britain and Ireland on 1st January 1801 but was a source of ongoing unrest.
There was therefore much opportunity for Donald to be engaged in active military operations.
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From 1795 until about 1803 he was a lieutenant in the 63rd ( West Suffolk) regiment.
Between 1796 and 1802 the 63rd was deployed in the following places:
(ref: www.themanchester.org/forum )
West Indies (Port Royal, St Lucia and St Vincent) - 1796
Honduras, West Indies- August 1798
Helder, Holland – 27 August 1799
Juyp, Holland – 11 September 1799
Schagen-Burg, Holland – 19 September 1799
Egmont-op-Zee, Holland – 2 October 1799
Alkmaar, Holland – 6 October 1799
Coast of France – 25 June 1800
Ferrol, Spain – 27 August 1800
Gibraltar – November 1801,
Malta – 1802
For his role at Egmont-op-Zee Donald received a special commendation. It is also presumably where he received a bayonet wound in the thigh referred to later by son David's letter to the Colonial Secretary.
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The following letter in the possession of Bev Burgess refers to the action at Kickdown, Egmont-op-Zee:
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Letter from Major General Lt.Col.Brereton to Lieut.Donald MacArthur 1807:
63rd Regiment, 8 years in the West Indies, Holland and Gibraltar.
‘ Your attack on the batteries at Kickdown, near Egmont in Holland, in 1799 with the detachment of the 63rd Regiment under your command, you acquitted yourself so completely that you got the Public thanks of the General Officer Commanding the Brigade and which attack had the admiration of all who beheld it, I can safely attest that during the long period I had the pleasure of your acquaintance, your conduct in every instance known to me was truly honourable as an officer and Gentleman and as such has merited the entire approbation and esteem of all your brother officers. I think this letter will be satisfactory and should it render you any assistance in attaining you that promotion which you so justly merit, it will afford great pleasure to Dear Sir ..... Your faithful ( original to War Office)
Robert Brereton’
Career Summary
The appointments and promotions of army officers during this period were generally published in the London Gazette ( now digitised and available online) and there were several publications each year of the Army List of currently serving officers listed by regiment. From these sources the following data has been collated.
1795 joined Argyllshire Fencible Infantry as Lieutenant
1795 transferred to 63rd regiment of Foot as Ensign
1797 promoted to Lieutenant in the 63rd regiment
1799 action at Egmont-op-Zee, Holland
1802 in Army list as Lieutenant , 63rd ( West Suffolk) regiment of Foot
1802 (November) transfer to 42nd regiment (Black Watch) on half-pay
1805, April - gazetted as "Gent, to be adjutant with rank of Brevet Captain" in the Royal St Andrews Volunteers
1805, August - receives certificate of recognition by St Andrews citizens
1806 married in August in Edinburgh ( banns read in St Andrews) – occupation stated as Adjutant to the District of Marlborough, Wiltshire
1806 (August) transferred from half-pay with 42nd to Lieutenant with the 38th (South Staffordshire) regiment.
1807 Patrick born and baptised August at St James, Westminster, Middlesex
1808 David born Sept. at Gloucester
1810 Donald born April at Gloucester
1811 March London Gazette notice "Lieutenant Donald McArthur from the 13th Foot ( Somerset), to be Captain of a company" - in the 11th ( North Devonshire) regiment of foot .
1812 Army List confirms Captain in the 11th since March 1811, Elizabeth born November at Brixham, Devon
1813 Hugh born August at Ashford–by-Barnstaple, Devon
1816 Agnes born March at Ashford-by-Barnstaple, Devon ( birth record shows father Donald, 11th regiment)
1818 Isabella born at Barnstaple, Devon
1818 December and 1819 July Army list - on Half Pay from 11th Foot.
1820 (May) 2nd Royal Veteran Battalion.
1820 Margaret born at Duncannon, Ireland
1821, December - transferred from Captain in 2nd Royal Veterans to Captain in 1st Royal Vets.
1824, May, London Gazette records " 1st Royal Veterans; Capt. ....... vice Donald McArthur who returns to his former situation on the retired list."
1824, June - received certificate from Royal Orange Lodge at Galway, Ireland
1825 October, died at Gilmore Place, Edinburgh, buried St Cuthberts
It can be seen that Donald moved around Scotland, England and Ireland, much of the time with his wife Elizabeth and family. It appears that for a period of about 8 years from 1811 to 1818 the family were living in Devonshire in southern England.
At the same time Elizabeth McArthur's ( nee Wemyss) sister Robina Skenes (Wemyss) was married to Hugh Gallie, a quartermaster with the 18th Regiment of Foot and based at Ottery St Mary, Devon at the time of their marriage in 1811 and at which Donald McArthur was a witness; later Robina moved to the nearby port city of Plymouth.
The Gallies had 3 children while living in Devon - David in 1811 / 12, Elizabeth in 1813 , and Anna Marie in 1818.
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At the 1841 census Robina was still living in England with the eldest daughter, Elizabeth, in Clarence Place, Stonehouse, Plymouth while David and Anna Marie had already voyaged to Australia to join their cousins ( the McArthurs) in Melbourne, Anna Marie on the Coramandel arriving October 1838. Robina joined her children in Australia before the end of1841- leaving Hugh Gallie to live out his life in England.
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When the McArthur family left Britain for Australia in 1835 ( Capt Donald having died in Edinburgh in 1825) their last port of call was Plymouth which was the departure point for thousands of emigrants as well as many other signifiant historical events including the Mayflower carrying the Pilgrim Fathers to Virginia in 1620 and in 1815 after Napoleon Bonaparte's defeat at Waterloo he was held on the Bellerophon in Plymouth Harbour before being taken to be imprisoned on St Helena Island in the southern Atlantic.
IRELAND - Duncannan and Galway
Margaret Campbell McArthur was born in March 1821 at Duncannan, County Wexford, Ireland to Captain Donald McArthur of the 2nd Royal Veterans Battalion and Elizabeth nee Wemyss. This information is recorded on Margaret's death certificate when she died as a widow in March 1876 at St Kilda, Victoria ( married name Ballow).
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Birth records can be found on line for all except Margaret. Her place of birth was ascertained from her death certificate thanks to the comprehensive information that is/was demanded by the records office of Victoria, Australia - see below.
It can be seen that she was born at Duncannon, Wexford, Ireland in approximately 1821 - the date of March 10 given above is from family records but the place of birth was unclear in the document in Bev Burgess’s possession.
Duncannon is the site of a substantial military fort - pictured below.
Donald finished his active service in 1824 at Galway, Ireland with the 1st Royal Veteran Battalion, so Elizabeth and children may have spent as much as 4 years in Ireland with him. There has however been a suggestion that the boys ( Patrick, David and Donald in particular) were educated in Edinburgh , but from what age is unknown.
Donald retired with his family to Edinburgh in late 1824.
The army record shows his return to the retired list from 1st Royal veterans from May 1824. However he stayed in Galway long enough to be presented with a certificate from the local Loyal Orange Association in June 1824.
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This certificate from the Loyal Orange Association, Galway No. 1711 is dated 10th June 1824 and must represent Donald's last posting as Captain in the 1st Royal Veterans Battalion, in Galway, Ireland.
It reads;
"The Glorious and Immortal memory 1690" within a ring featuring a horse and rider and surrounded by a floral wreath.
District of 1st R,V,Bn. Loyal Orange Association No. 1711
‘We, the Master and Deputy Master and Secretary of the Loyal Orange Association No 1711 held at Galway in 1st, R,V,B in the Kingdom of Ireland do hereby certify that Brother Donald McArthur has regularly received the Degree of true Orange Man and Purple Man in this, our Association and that he has conducted himself during his stay amongst us to the entire Satisfaction of all our Brethren. We therefore request that all the regular Associations of the Universe do recognise him as such.
Given under our Hands and to the Seal of the Society this 10th day of June 1824.’
signed: David Dowdall, Master; Daniel O'Neill, Deputy Master; Henry Scourfield, Secretary; Henry Benton, District Master, Co. Galway; Jas. Mortimer, Deputy District Master, Co. Galway.
Ribbon and red seal. Stamp 1690.
The date 1690 refers to the year of the famous 12th July Battle of the Boyne where the the protestant King William III ( William of Orange) personally led his troops in the final defeat of the catholic Jacobite King James II. William had jointly with his wife Mary taken over the British throne in 1689. This continues to be celebrated each July 12 by members of the Orange Order particularly in Northern Ireland.
During the early years of the Protestant Ascendancy following the Battle of the Boyne, the majority catholic population of Ireland were largely dispossessed of land ownership and barred from public office, practising law, bearing arms or sitting in parliament. Some of these restrictions were eased in the latter half of the 18th century but much agrarian unrest was building. In 1791 the Society of United irishmen was formed with the aim of achieving a Republic of Ireland, independent of Britain. This erupted in armed rebellion in 1798 - this was swiftly put down by British troops but the government in London continued to be wary of potential trouble in Ireland. In 1823 Daniel O'Connell came to prominence when he founded the Catholic Association - his aim was to achieve a Republic by legislative means and he was subsequently elected in 1828.
So in 1823 when Donald was posted to Galway with the 1st Royal Veterans Battalion it was for the purpose of supporting the protestant domination of Ireland and keeping the peace in case of any outbreaks of violence from the Irish republican sympathisers. By joining the Loyal Orange Association he reinforced his allegiance to this cause. There were British troops stationed in some 24 locations around Ireland at the time.
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For more on Donald and the McArthur family: