McLeod Family. McLeod Family. McLeod Family. McLeod Family. McLeod Family. McLeod Family. McLeod Family.
George McLeod Snr., alias James Wilson, of St. George’s Road Glasgow, stood trial along with John Carroll, a native of Newcastle, at Glasgow High Court on 28th Dec 1854 for the crime of theft. Both men were accused of stealing a purse and money from a Catherine Murdoch, in or around Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow. It appears that this was not a first offence for either man, and McLeod and Carroll were found guilty by the jury and sentenced to transportation to Western Australia for fifteen years and four years penal servitude respectively. It is believed he was born in Paisley, Scotland around 1834.
On the 7th of September 1856, he arrived at Fremantle on board the ‘Runnymede’. In 1863, convict George McLeod (1836-1917) married Irish-born Annie Foley (1843-1914) in Perth. George and Annie and had seven children: George (born in 1865), Alice (1871), James (1873), David (1879), Janet (1881), Marrian (1882), Christina (1884) and Isabella Agnes McLeod (1887).
The family moved to Katanning in the early 1880s. George died there in 1917 and Annie in 1914. Her death notice, published in Perth’s Western Mail, read: ‘Mrs George McLeod, Snr, who came to Katanning with her husband and family 23 years ago, passed away on Friday Night, in her 74th year, leaving a husband, four daughters, and three sons.
Annie McLeod around 1910
with her granddaughter Mabel Toms
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George McLeod Jnr.
and the KATANNING HOTEL
The original single-storey wood and iron Katanning Hotel was erected Frederick and Charles Piesse in 1889 and, on Saturday, 23rd January, 1897, the building was razed by fire and was soon destroyed. The hotel was rebuilt on its present site in 1898 as a two-storey brick building by Mr George McLeod Jnr. who purchased the goodwill and freehold”. [GSH, 1/10/65. p.8].
George McLeod Jnr. (JP) was a respected local businessman in Katanning with his main interest being as the owner of the Katanning Hotel. He was also a member of the Roads Board Committee for 21 years, of which period he was chairman for ten years. He was also on the Hospital Committee and was a political candidate for the Nationalist Party in 1914.
The rebuilt Katanning Hotel with George McLeod Jnr leaning against the post.
He married Hester Elizabeth Cornwall in 1900 and McLeod built his residence in 1912, the design being that of well-known architect M Cavanagh of Perth, who also designed other buildings in Katanning for McLeod. The contractor for the residence was L F Kleeman. The McLeod’s lived in this house until the mid-1930s, after which time it was converted into a block of three apartments. In 1978 Geoffrey Ogden, the local pharmacist, purchased the property and restored it to almost the original condition.
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OBITUARY
Great Southern Herald
30 March 1929
Death of Mr. Geo. McLeod.
NOTABLE CAREER ENDED.
The death occurred with tragic suddenness at St. John of God’s Hospital. Subiaco, on Wednesday morning of Mr. George McLeod, Chairman of the Katanning Road Board and one who has been active in associated with the town almost since its inception.
Mr. McLeod went to Perth last week to witness the international cricket match, and on Friday was stricken with a heart attack. He was taken to the St. John of God’s Hospital, his wife and daughter hastening to his bedside, to find that he appeared to be making satisfactory progress. On Wednesday morning, a further heart attack occurred, from which he failed to rally.
Born at York (W.A.), Mr. McLeod was educated in his native town, and at a very early age left school to engage with his father in the sandalwood industry in the Williams district. For several years he continued to follow this and kindred pursuits, and in 1892 found his way to the eastern goldfields, where for seven years he was employed in the business of a carrier and contractor between Northam and Coolgardie, at a later date extending his operations to Kalgoorlie and Boulder.
Selling out in 1898, Mr. McLeod came to Katanning, and purchased the goodwill and freehold of the Katanning Hotel, at that period the only house of its kind in the town. For twelve years he personally conducted the management, and in 1911, in order to free himself to attend to other interests, let the business on a lease. In more recent years he purchased the property “Capemont,” a farm within five miles of the town, of which he made a hobby and finally turned over to the management of his son William.
In 1908 he was elected a member of the Katanning Road Board, and for many years occupied the position of chairman, for the latter portion of his life devoting practically the whole of his time to local government and various town matters.
Amongst other activities, he was a member of the Hospital Committee, vice-president of the Agricultural Society, and prominently connected with the Australian Natives’ Association. He identified himself closely with matters of sport and occupied the position of president for two years of the local racing club, and a similar position for many years on the Katanning District Cricket Association. Although he owned real estate in various parts of the district, his interests were centred in Katanning, and ultimately most of his capital was distributed amongst various business concerns in this town. Including the Katanning Stock and Trading Company, Lyric Enterprise Pictures, and the “Advocate” Printing Works.
His loss will come as a blow to the Road Board and the town in general, in addition to the sporting and public bodies in which, he was interested and supported liberally.
A widow, two sons, William and Ernest, and five daughters, Hester, Mollie, Marlon, Norma, and Jean, are left to mourn their loss, in addition to Sarah and Maud, children of the first marriage. His eldest son, Albert, was killed during the war. Two brothers, Jim and Dave, and three sisters, Mrs. Toms, Mrs. Budd and Mrs. Rogers, survive him.
The funeral took place on Thursday afternoon, the cortege leaving his late residence, in Blantyre Street, at 3.30 p.m., proceeding to the Presbyterian Church, where the Rev. J. R. Thrum conducted the funeral service, thence moving to the Presbyterian portion of the Katanning General Cemetery for the burial.
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ALBERT McLEOD
Submitted by Stephen Bowes, Katanning, from
Corsock United Free Church
Parton, Scotland
At the outbreak of World War One in 1914, Albert McLeod was working in Broome, lured by the lustrous gem of the sea. He quickly abandoned his work as a pearler, to enlist at Blackboy Hill before Captain F. B. Carter (KIA at Gallipoli). Appointed Private 366 in the 16th Battalion he completed his training at Broadmeadows Camp in Victoria.
George McLeod and his wife Sarah Louise (nee Fleay) were well known in Katanning in the decades which marked the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century.
Their son Albert was born in Katanning in 1891 and was educated at Katanning State School and Christian Brothers College, Perth where he was known as ‘Algy’. He showed talent in football and cricket, and served in the school cadet unit attaining the rank of sergeant.
The photo shows Albert McLeod’s machine gun crew at Broadmeadows, Pte McLeod on the right.
From The Old Sixteenth by Captain C Longmore
The Battalion sailed from Melbourne on HMAT Ceramic on December 22, 1914. Albert McLeod was with the 16th Battalion during the landing at ANZAC on April 25, 1915.
On May 2 he suffered a gunshot wound to the wrist during fighting at Pope’s Hill. For this action Private McLeod and was Mentioned in Dispatches and eleven days later promoted to Corporal. Captain Everett spoke of Albert McLeod at the Million Club in December, 1915: “A machine gunner named McLeod was another splendid Australian; he remained at his gun after seventeen men had been shot off it, and then, badly wounded, got a volunteer to help him, and kept the gun going until it was disabled by a bullet through the water jacket. McLeod was then told to go to have his wounds dressed, but instead of doing so, got a rifle, and sneaked into the firing trench…The lad referred to is Albert McLeod, son of our Road Board chairman“. On July 19, following the death of Lt C H Geddes, Albert McLeod was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant.
Following the evacuation of the Gallipoli Peninsula, he married his sweetheart, Florence Beatrice Cook on March 6, 1916 at the Garrison Chapel, Abassia, Cairo. The new Mrs McLeod was the daughter of Mr and Mrs J C Cook (late of Katanning) and was serving as a nurse with the 1st Australian General Hospital in Egypt.
Albert was promoted to the rank of Captain on March 12, 1916. After moving to the Western Front, the 16th Battalion took part in the Battles of Pozieres and Mouquet Farm, where Albert McLeod was wounded for a second time, a gunshot wound to the right elbow which broke his arm. He was evacuated to the 4th London General Hospital and then to Kings College Hospital Camberwell [2]. He was marked for return to Australia, having lost much of the strength in his right arm and the use of two fingers.
Troops embarking at Port Melbourne on A40 HMAT Ceramic.
The wharf is crowded with soldiers.
The following extract is from the Great Southern Herald
(source: Cathy Sedgwick 2019):
MONTHLY MEETING
The December meeting of Katanning Road Board was held last Saturday afternoon with the following attendance of members:- Messrs Geo. McLeod (chairman), B. G. Green, R. Warren, T. Garstone. A. Thomson, W. Forbes, T. Antonia and the secretary (L. W. Hewson).
Minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed.
During the correspondence stage of the business, Mr Geo. McLeod received a cablegram confirming the sad intelligence that his son, Captain Albert McLeod had been accidentally killed whilst with a shooting party in Scotland. Overcome by the news Mr McLeod left the meeting, and, after a short delay, Mr Garstone was appointed to the chair for the remainder of the meeting.
General
Mr Thomson moved that a letter of sympathy be sent to Mr and Mrs McLeod, seconded by Mr Warren and carried.
Great Southern Herald,
20 December, 1916
Family Notices:
At Charles Street, Northam, Western Australia, a son, Frederick Albert McLeod was born on the 28th of December, 1916 to to the late Captain Albert McLeod and Mrs Florence Beatrice McLeod.
Captain Albert McLeod
Inset: Florence & Frederick Albert.
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