Robert Telford Davidson & Margaret Thompson McIntosh ...
Robert Telford Davidson was the forefather of our Davidson family in Australia, arriving as a widower with a two-year-old son, Thomas, in June 1854 after tragically losing his first wife, Isabella Hardin, and their newly born infant son, John, on the voyage to their new home. The kindness offered to the grieving Robert by the McIntosh family was to be the beginning of a friendship and family bond that was to last a lifetime.
This page and its links will focus on my direct line, Robert’s second marriage to Margaret Thompson McIntosh, the eldest daughter of Robert and Grace McIntosh.
Robert Telford Davidson
Margaret Thompson McIntosh
with her son,
Joseph Henry Davidson c1868
The Beginnings
The Beginnings
Robert Telford Davidson was born on 19 July 1829, in the parish of Bewcastle, Cumberland, the fourth of the seven children of Thomas Davidson and Margaret Telford. Robert learned his trade as a carpenter in England, and by the time he made the journey to Australia in 1854 he was a qualified Master Builder.
Baptism record of Robert Telford Davidson
Baptism record of Robert Telford Davidson
In 1851, Robert married Isabella Hardin at Gretna Green in Dumfries, Scotland. They had two sons, Thomas Hardin Davidson born at Newcastle-on-Tyne in 1852, and the second, John, born during the voyage to Australia in 1854. Further information on Robert's first marriage to Isabella and their descendants can be found here.
In the early 1850’s, the family heard of the gold rush that was occurring in Australia and decided to try their luck in the new country. Whether this decision was motivated in some way by the heinous murder of Robert’s father Thomas in 1849, and the subsequent death of his mother Margaret in 1852 is not known, but it is not unreasonable to believe these events may have had something to do with his decision.
Voyage to Australia
Voyage to Australia
Early in 1854, Robert, a pregnant Isabella, and their young son Thomas, packed up their belongings and bid farewell to their families before heading to Liverpool where they were to commence their fateful voyage, departing aboard the Lord Stanley on 1 March 1854.
The Lord Stanley was a barque (small vessel, three masted with fore and middle mast square to ship, back mast fore and aft sail) displacing 769 tons. This was the Lord Stanley’s second voyage, and her Master was William Thomas. They sailed across the Atlantic Ocean towards Argentina, stopping off at some islands along the way. They then re-crossed the Atlantic to the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa for fresh fruit, water, mail and supplies, before sailing with the Roaring 40’s to Fremantle in Western Australia, and then on to Geelong, Victoria. The journey took four months, arriving in Geelong late June, 1854.
Victoria, Australia, Assisted and Unassisted Passenger Lists, 1839-1923 - Lord Stanley, June 1854
The Geelong Advertiser shipping intelligence reported the Lord Stanley dropping anchor off Port Phillip Heads on Tuesday, 8 June 1854, with Government assisted immigrants aboard totalling 287, along with a few paying passengers. Four deaths were recorded during the voyage, two from typhus. Sadly, of those four deaths, two of them were Robert’s wife Isabella who had contracted typhus, and their baby son John, who died two weeks after his mother from diarrhea and dehydration on 24 June, just six days short of their destination. Both Isabella and John were buried at sea. Dr J.T.S. Jolly, the surgeon-superintendent wrote: “In consequence of the last case of fever, which terminated finally, this ship has been placed in quarantine, though the rest of the passengers are healthy and the ship clear”.
On what was most likely a bitterly cold and bleak winter’s day, the Lord Stanley finally dropped anchor at Geelong on 30 June 1854. The passengers were offloaded near Point Henry, where tent barracks had been set up for the immigrants’ first day before setting out for the goldfields. Together with the McIntosh family, Robert Davidson and his young son Thomas set off for the goldfields at Steiglitz, north of Geelong, determined to make a new start despite the tragic loss of Isabella and baby John.
A new start
The two families trekked along the dray tracks, carrying their belongings, with Robert Davidson deciding to continue to Ballarat in search of work, leaving young Thomas in the care of the McIntosh family until he was settled. Their eldest daughter, Margaret, took on the task of caring for Thomas between her lessons. Robert Davidson, a Master Builder, moved about the countryside plying his trade, returning every few months to visit his son.
In 1857, Robert joined the McIntosh family in Eganstown, where they had recently relocated to. Soon after, Robert married Margaret, Robert and Grace McIntosh’s eldest daughter, on 25 January 1858 in the McIntosh family tent. Although both members of the Presbyterian Church, they were married according to the rites of the Church of England by John Cheyne. Ministers were thinly spread over the colony and it was likely that there was not a Presbyterian minister in the area at the time. It is also evident that Margaret was pregnant at the time of their marriage, as their first child, Edward, was born a couple of months after their wedding.
The newly-weds stayed in Eganstown, with young Thomas living with them and attending the first school there, built in 1862. Robert purchased a block of land in the main street of the emerging town, almost opposite Robert McIntosh’s block.
Undated map of Wombat Parish, showing land purchases of R. McIntosh and R. Davidson in Eganstown
An 1866 directory lists Robert’s occupation as ‘Carpenter’. He had brought his tools of trade and carpentry manual with him from England and continued to work on buildings in the rapidly growing towns in the Daylesford area and surrounding districts, as well as occasionally trying his hand at mining.
Over the years, Robert and Margaret went on to have 9 children of their own - Edward Quick, Robert McIntosh, William Telford, Joseph Henry, Grace Margaret, Goodsir Millar, George James, Duncan David, and Susan Harriet.
Further information on Thomas and Margaret's children can be found by accessing the links on the left.
The move to Mt Egerton
In 1868, Robert had occasion to visit the small town of Mt Egerton, about 30 kilometres east of Ballarat. He obviously took a liking to the area as soon after he decided to purchase land just west of the township, on the road to Buninyong. In August 1869 he applied for the four blocks on the side of the mountain in the Parish of Bungal, and eventually, after all the mining requirements were satisfied, he was granted the freehold. The family moved from Eganstown and settled in Mt Egerton, with Margaret’s parents joining them around the same time and Grannie McIntosh helping with the children in Robert and Margaret's ever-growing family.
Sketch map showing Robert Davidson’s four blocks of land in Mt Egerton
The Deoch and Doris Hotel
Once settled, Robert set up a blacksmith’s shop and commenced building a hotel on his father-in-law's land, which he called the Deoch and Doris. Deoch and Doris literally translates as “drink of the door” and is a Scots term for the practice of providing one last drink for guestst before they would leave for the long journey home. At that time, the road was one of the main routes to Ballarat, and Cobb & Co. would stop at the hotel for refreshment for their passengers and water for the horses.
There were two buildings on the block, the Deoch and Doris hotel and the McIntosh home. The Deoch and Doris hotel also had three out-buildings – a stable, dairy and toilet. The bar was off to the side and there was a cellar under the front bedroom. There were two cypress pine trees next to the building, and in 1995 they still marked the site.
Although not a heavy drinker, Robert smoked and both he and Margaret smoked clay pipes. When a visitor would come to the door at night keeping Robert occupied, Margaret, in true Scottish fashion would smoke her husband’s pipe and leave hers, to save on tobacco. The children once asked her if she smoked, to which she replied “No”. They then went on to ask her why, if she did not smoke, she had smoke coming out of her pocket!
In December 1871, Robert applied to the Gordon Shire Petty Sessions for a renewal of his licence to operate the Deoch and Doris. On that occasion, Charles Shute, Henry Costin and Archibald Fiskin, visiting magistrates, granted his renewal. Robert was required to apply for a renewal on a regular basis and did so in 1873, 1876, and 1878. In 1877, he is also listed as applying for a temporary licence to run a booth at the Lal Lal Racecourse meeting to be held on the 1st and 2nd of May that year.
In December 1878, the Ballarat Star reported an unusual disturbance near the hotel:
At the latter end of last week our little township was in a state of commotion and excitement. People were seen running from all quarters in the direction of Davidson's Deoch and Doris hotel. Some among the number of a nervous tone of disposition were led to believe that probably Kelly and his mates were in quest of plunder and intended visiting our banks during the absence of Mr Gibson, the energetic and trustworthy guardian of the peace, who is away on special duty. On making enquiries concerning this unusual stir, I learnt that a kangaroo had taken it into his head to visit probably the haunts of his forefathers. On the denizen of the forest reaching the foot of the old mount, an Ancient Briton was the first to welcome the intruder, in the Cymric language, which seemed to inspire him with courage or rather add fresh vigour to his muscular frame, for he rushed past a sturdy Hibernian, whose terrific shouts frightened the quadruped to such an extent that, with one bound, he cleared a tall fence, landing himself in a Chinaman's garden, exerting the ire of the Mongolian, who in return for his intrusion dealt him two or three blows with his long handled piece of husbandry. The animal finding it rather warm quarters, jumped out of the garden into a quantity of mud, and one of the bystanders then captured the unusual visitor.
The former Deoch and Doris Hotel, taken in 1994
Robert Telford Davidson only lasted a few more years, dying at the relatively young age of 51 on 2 August 1880. Some believed he died from overindulgence in the wares of his hotel, but he is known to have suffered from heart disease for some time prior to his death. The cause of death listed on his death certificate is ‘Aneurysm of the arch of the aorta and exhaustion’.
DEATH NOTICE
DAVIDSON. In the midst of his family, on the 2nd day of August, at his residence, the Deoch and Dorius Hotel, Egerton, Robert Telford Davidson, of Bew Castle Cumberland, after seven months illness; aged fifty-one years. Deeply regretted. The Ballarat Courier
FUNERAL NOTICE
THE Friends the late Mr Robert Telford Davidson are respectfully invited to follow his remains from his late residence, the Deoch and Dorius Hotel, Egerton, at Three p.m. on Wednesday, 4th August, to the place of interment in the Egerton Cemetery. The Ballarat Courier
Margaret Thompson Davidson nee McIntosh continued to run the hotel for the next twelve years, whilst caring for her younger children with help from her older children and her parents. Both Wise’s Post Office Directory of 1884-5 and 1888-9 list her as ‘publican and owner’ of the Deoch and Doris, but by the time the 1912 Victorian Electoral Roll was compiled, she is listed as 'farmer, Egerton ‘.
In 1892, she had retired to the adjoining 20 acres of land that had been transferred to her by her step-son Thomas Hardin Davidson on 9 June 1886. She lived in the small house with outbuildings on the block until her death on 27 January 1917, at the age of 73.
Robert and Margaret Davidson are buried in the main family plot at Mt Egerton Cemetery, alongside their two spinster daughters, Grace and Susan, and Margaret’s parents, Robert and Grace McIntosh. It is obvious the family remained close over the years as Mt Egerton Cemetery is also the final resting place of eight of their nine children and their spouses, some of whom were not actually living in Mt Egerton at the time of their deaths.
Grave of Robert and Margaret Davidson - Mt Egerton Cemetery
Robert and Margaret’s legacy
The union of Robert and Margaret produced nine children – seven sons and two daughters. All their sons married, and between them presented Robert and Margaret with 39 grandchildren. Their two daughters did not marry.
As well as the children of Robert and Margaret, Robert’s son from his first marriage with Isabella, Thomas Hardin Davidson, also married and had nine children, producing another 48 grandchildren, making an amazing total of 87 grandchildren!
To say that Robert and Margaret were the beginning of what was to become a dynasty of Davidson’s in Australia is quite the understatement. At the time of the launch of The Egertonian in 1995, we had documented around 800 known descendants. Given that there were a couple of lines that we did not have much contact with, and the fact that 30 years have passed since the publication of the book, it is likely that number is now well in excess of 1,000.
On Sunday, 8 October 1995, and as part of the official weekend launch of The Egertonian, a plaque was unveiled on the main grave at Mt Egerton Cemetery to commemorate 140 years of our Davidson and McIntosh heritage in Australia.
The final line on that plaque is a Gaelic phrase, ‘Flùr dè an achadh’. The English translation of this phrase is, quite aptly, ‘Flowers of the Field’'.
Plaque laid at Mt Egerton Cemetery the weekend of the launch of
The Egertonian, Kith and Kin of our Clan Davidson
Plaque reads:
This plaque was unveiled on
October 8th, 1995
and commemorates the
140 years heritage bequeathed to us
by our English and Scottish
ancestors.
"Flùr dè an achadh"
Sources:
The Egertonian: Kith and Kin of our Clan Davidson – written by Gail Chambers and Lydia Davidson 1995 (edited by Gail Erwood 2021)
1880 'Family Notices', The Ballarat Courier (Vic. : 1869 - 1883; 1914 - 1918), 3 August, p.2., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article250052175
1880 'Family Notices', The Ballarat Courier (Vic. : 1869 - 1883; 1914 - 1918), 4 August, p.3., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article250052224
1880 'EGERTON.', The Ballarat Star (Vic. : 1865 - 1924), 31 December, p.2., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article200653541