Mc Farlane and Troy

 Notes of the MacFarlane and Troy Families, Submitted by Ian and Rodney McFarlane

  (Ian and Rod are descended from William Troy and Annie Moore)

McFarlanes of the Upper Hunter Valley

My Paternal Grandfather, Robert McFarlane, was the Railway Station Master at Cessnock over a very long period, retiring in the late 40's early 50's. My Father, James Keith McFarlane and his elder brother Robert Cuthbert (Packy, later Black Mac) McFarlane, were both born in Cessnock in 1908 and 1905 respectively. Their Mother Lucinda (Lucy) nee Burgess, would have taken time off from her long term appointment as District Midwife at Cessnock and Maitland. She died in 1943 and is buried (Pres. or Anglican?) in the Cessnock Cemetery. They lived in various Railway properties, ie.(near Crossing Gates?) and the boys were brought up on Goats milk, which they probably obtained from an adjacent farm owned by Uncle Len Burgess and Wife. This couple may have functioned as Auxillary parents, since both parents held Goverment appointments.?

After Primary School , both boys Trained it to Maitland Intermediate Boys High. Packy then went further to Newcastle Boys High, in order to matriculate and pass on to Sydney University on a Teachers Scholarship. Dad (James) joined the Union Bank as a Junior Teller, most likely in Maitland, since he had further associations with the Maitland Athletics Club and the Hunter River Lancers (CMF) at Maitland. Packy was a Lieutenant in the Sydney University Regiment and Dad rose to C.S.M in the Lancers. Dad new nothing of his future wife Thelma O.A Troy,(daughter of Willam Troy) then living at Muswellbrook then Ravensworth. After service in various NSW schools, Packy returned to Newcastle BHS, as a Teacher of French and English. He married Dorothy (Dot) Ramsay and eventually rose to Language Master (Sports and Cadet Master?) at Newcastle Boys High School. They subsequently inherited a Burgess/Ramsay property on the Shores of Lake MacQuarrie in Toronto, and having no children due to Dots Thyroid condition, shared the property with Matron Florence Ramsay of the Toronto (?) Hospital. They used to sail on the Lake, but in later years, joined the Toronto Bowling Club, where Packy's liking for Whiskey turned to Alcholism. He was transferred to a new High School at (Booragul) in Newcastle, but was eventually committed.

Troys in the Hunter District

When George Troy sold his Cootamundra Property , he was/chose to be?, unable to place the last two boys William and Ronald Leonard (Len) on local properties. Instead he gave a mutual stake and sent off to the Hunter River, where other Troy's (related and otherwise) had established. I dont know how long it took for their partnership to deteriorate, but they eventually parted company, both with inadequate stakes?

Mum and Dulcie (Scrivener) shared a bedroom in the Ploughmans Creek property near Muswellbrook and there was surface coal which Bill dug for the Kithchen Fire. This Area would now belong to the ECNSW's Liddell Mine Site. The house was reasonably close to the main highway and Ploughmans Creek, on recent observations crosses the highway on 2/3 occassions? They eventually sold out of Cattle raising, as there were no boys to make drover and Bill built a new store in Central Ravensworth ( with which he obtained a local Postal Licence?) Mum and Dulcie would double-bank to Ravensworth where the hereditary teacher and students were a family of Masons.

Neither Mum nor Dulcie , (nor Doris?) attended High School and Bill eventually sold out and moved to Sydney where other children received a better education ie Monica?, Cedric and Joyce Fay did some schooling in Cootamundra when the family returned there (broke) in the early 30's.? They first lived in Temora Street and bought at 29 Thompson, as things improved.

Ian and Rod McFarlane 11/06 

(NB Georges illegitimate son Roy, lived  at Cessnock, after having married local Olivia Wills. Did George send William and Ronald to be near him? Paul Troy)