I am looking for information on my Great Uncle John Calder who emigrated to Australia in 1928. He was born in Elgin Morayshire Scotland in 1900. I know he died in Kulin in 1970. As far as I know he never married but may have had a son called John Calder Mathieson - don't know any details.

My late grandmothers address book also names Bartlett (North Perth) & Evans (Kulin) and as I know she wrote regularly to family members I wonder if there could be a connection especially as the Box number for Calder and Evans at Kulin are the same.

I would appreciate any help available to further my research.

Eileen

Eileen,do you have a first name for the Evans member as I have Evans from W.A. as well
Nola

Dear Nola

Sorry, all I have in the address book is Mrs W. Evans and the Box number 6 at Kulin 6365 W. Australia. I'm not even sure what years the address would have applied to but it must have been between 1928 and 1970. I realised it was a long shot posting the message but I have been helped in the past via the message boards.

Best Wishes
Eileen

I am doing research on The Great War and I know that your uncle had three brothers, Alexander, James Robert and Patrick that all died in that conflict. If you want any further information on them I will be happy to supply it. I can only assume their loss may have had an influence on John's decision to leave Scotland.

All the best

John Ross

Although I have some information about my great uncles I would be delighted to know more about the three brothers especially any military information. I know Patrick and Alex were in the Seaforth Highlanders and James came over with the Expeditionary Force from Canada.

Best wishes
Eileen

Hi Eileen

I can tell you about the Evans in Kulin - that Henry Robert EVANS married Elsie NELSON in 1923. Their children were Alma, Charles (Charlie), Henry (Harry) and Arthur. Ther address was Box 37, Kulin. Hope that rings some bells!

Hy snr died in 1957.

Hi Eileen,

Have you searched for him in the W.A Post Office Directory?
http://www.slwa.wa.gov.au/find/guides/wa_history/post_office...

or the W.A Reverse Marriage Lookup site
http://www.wamarriage.info/

Hi Eileen

Patrick and Alex were both employed by The Great North of Scotland Railway and are commemorated on that Company's War Memorial at Aberdeen Railway station. I will be at this site on 11th to lay a wreath for all the employees of the GNSR.

All three brothers also appear on the New Elgin and Ashgrove Memorial in Elgin.

Military details of the brothers appear below and I was in France a few weeks go and visited Alexander’s grave at Roclincourt. Photographs of Alex and Patrick’s headstones are on CWGC site. The information that follows comes from The Scots at War Trust site.

• Calder, James Robert. b. 1877. Private. No. 424641. 78th Bn, Canadian Infantry (Manitoba Regiment). Scottish. Died of wounds received in Belgium during WWI on 1st November 1917, age 33, and is commemorated at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium. Husband of Florence Helen Calder of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (added 13/09/01)

• Calder, Alexander. b. 1895. Private. No. 266465. 6th Bn, Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, the Duke of Albany's). Scottish. Born in Elgin, Morayshire, Scotland. Enlisted at Ripon, Yorkshire, England. He was killed in action on Monday 9th April 1917 and is buried at Highland Cemetery, Roclincourt, Pas de Calais, France. (added 06/09/01)

• Calder, Patrick. b. 1898. Corporal. No. S/18794. 2nd Bn, Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, the Duke of Albany's). Scottish. Born in Elgin, Morayshire, Scotland. Enlisted at Aberdeen. He was killed in action on Thursday 8th August 1918, aged 20 years and is buried at Pont-du-Hem Military Cemetery, La Gorgue, Nord, France. (added 06/09/01)

They were all sons of George and Margaret Calder, 1 Ashgrove, Elgin, Moray, Scotland.

All the best

John Ross

Thank you so much for the information John. I see the Aberdeen memorial most days on my way to work and think of the three bothers every Remembrance day. One can't imagine how my great grandparents coped with the loss of three sons within such a short time. My grandmother always spoke fondly of her brothers and having always been interested in this period of history as well as family history I am lucky enough to have inherited their medals which I treasure.
The information on The Scot's at War site was updated by me several years ago although I doubt whether the enlistment at Ripon is accurate as to the best of my knowledge Alex and Patrick worked in Elgin until enlistment.
I am familiar wih the CWGC site but haven't been able to find the grave photos so far. I have visited the Elgin War Memorials where they are commemorated both in New Elgin and the one in front of St Giles in the middle of Elgin and hope to visit their graves one day.

Best wishes
Eileen

Information from "The Soldiers That Died in The Great War" CD gives Patrick Calder's place of enlistment as Elgin 17th March 1917. Prior to this he was working as a clerk for the GNSR at Elgin and employed in the Department of Superintendent of the Line.

Alexander Calder was employed by the same Department as his brother, but at the time of his enlistment he was employed as an assistant signalman in Aberdeen. He enlisted in the Seaforths at Elgin on the 8th of November 1915 (spookily 96 years ago today).

I have photographs of his grave that I took on my last visit 22nd of October, but I am unable to attach them to this reply.

James Robert I have only just discovered and if I find any further information on him I will pass it on.

I wrote a booklet on the Aberdeen War Memorial to coincide with its return to the Aberdeen station site and that is where my interest in the Calder family came from and I am now doing a follow up with a view to publish in the GNSRA Review and possibly the WFA magazine and Northern Scot in 2012. If you have any photographs of the brothers I would be interested in seeing them.

All the best

John Ross