Surname: JOHNSTON
Given Name(s): Walter

Occupation(s): Baker

Birth Details
Birth Town: Corstorphine
Birth County,Region, Province: Midlothian
Birth Country: Scotland, UK
Birth Date: 1813

Death Details
Death Town: Adelaide
Death State/Territory: South Australia
Death Country: Australia
Death Date: 1861

Immigration Details
Air/Port Landed: Port Adelaide
Ship/Plane: Fairfield
Year Arrived: 1839

Surname: FRUISH
Given Name(s): Catherine

Birth Details
Birth County, Region, Province: Midlothian
Birth Country: Scotland, UK

Immigration Details
Air/Port Landed: Port Adelaide
Ship/Plane: Fairfield
Year Arrived: 1839

Family Stories

Life in Australia:

The family emigrated from Liverpool on 9th November, 1838 on the "Fairfield" and arrived at Port Adelaide, South Australia on 4th May, 1839. By 1840 Walter is listed in various South Australian Almanacs as a baker at Hindley Street in Adelaide, where he appears to have remained until the early 1850's. Thereafter he appears listed at both Gouger and Field Streets, Adelaide. It is likely that Gouger Street was his business premises and Field Street his residence. By 1853 Walter lived at Field Street as the Abbott Index shows a death notice in "The S.A. Register" of Mary Tennant Johnston, eldest daughter of Walter, at his residence, aged 15 years, on Tuesday, 9th August, 1853. She is buried at West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide. On 14th August, 1855 Walter applied for admission to the Destitute Asylum; strangely it states he had been only 4 months in the colony. SA Destitute Asylum - 14 Aug 1855 - Johnston Walter - Age: 40 yrs - Rel: Pres. - Last Overseas Address: Scotland - How Long in Colony: 4 months - Occ: Baker. Now Living: Field St - Circumstances: Recommended by Rev M Mercer as a deserving object of charity. Source of Data: GRG 28/4 (85).Walter died in 1861 and "The Observer" of Thursday, 10th August had this obituary: "Johnston - On 3rd August, at his residence, Field Street, Mr Walter Johnston, aged 49 years". He is also buried at West Terrace Cemetery. Catherine died 1875 - 1905. Her daughter, Mary Tennant Johnston married Rev Hugh Gilmore in 1874 at Catherine's house at Caroline, in the district of Grey, South Australia, right down near the Victorian border. Another daughter, Elizabeth married Francis Smith and lived to Dimboola. There is no record of Catherine Johnston in Dimboola. The Registers of death in the State of South Australia have been checked from 1878 to 1905, without result.

Life Before Australia:

Walter was the son of Andrew Johnston and Isobel Kid. He was listed as a baker of Merrilees Close, 3A Yardsheads Leith at his marriage to Catherine in 1836. A newspaper clipping notes his birthplace as Corstorphine, a village and a parish of North West Edinburghshire. The village stands at the South-Western base of Corstorphine Hill, on the Glasgow road, 3 miles West by South of Edinburgh. The Parish records for St Cuthberts, Edinburgh state: "...Catharine Fruish also residing in same place, both in this parish, daughter of the late John Fruish, sawyer in the Brickwork Close, Kirkgate Leith have been three times proclaimed in order for marriage in the Parish Church of St Cuthberts and no objections have been offered. Married on the 22nd day of April current by the Reverend John Paul, one of the ministers of this Parish." On 27th October 1838, an application was lodged for Walter and his family to emigrate to the new colony of South Australia, under the scheme which gave free passage to emigrant labourers. "Suitable emigrants" were thought to be young men and women (under 30 years of age) who were healthy and of good character. They had to promise to work for wages until they had saved enough to buy land and employ others. This would take three to four years. Walter's application states he was 24 years of age, a baker, whose address was London, England. He had a wife aged 21 years and an eight month old daughter.

Descendants

Children
JOHNSTON, Mary Tennant 1 JOHNSTON, Elizabeth 2 JOHNSTON, Isabella Kid 3
JOHNSTON, Andrew 4 JOHNSTON, William Walter 5 JOHNSTON, John 6
JOHNSTON, Harriet Jane 7 JOHNSTON, Mary Tennant 8

Grandchildren
JOHNSTON, Andrew Wilson 6 JOHNSTON, Florence Wilson 6 JOHNSTON, Forest Wilson 6
JOHNSTON, Frederick Wilson 6 JOHNSTON, James Wilson 6 JOHNSTON, Katie Wilson 6
JOHNSTON, Mabel Wilson 6 JOHNSTON, Norman Wilson 6 JOHNSTON, Walter Wilson 6

Great Grandchildren
DODD, Edward Gilmore (Hughie) 6 DODD, Foster Lindsay Gilmore (Mac) 6 DODD, Jabe Gilmore 6
DODD, Leslie Hugh 6 DODD, Norman Walter Gilmore 6

Great Great Grandchildren
DODD, Alan Jabe Bona 6 DODD, Joyce Bona 6

Great Great Great Grandchildren
DODD, David Gilmore 6 DODD, Diane Elizabeth 6 DODD, Keith Hugh 6

Great Great Great Great Grandchildren
DODD, Hayley Sharon 6 DODD, Kane Michael 6

NB: Superscript behind each descendant name represents the lineage number of that descendant.
This family information was last updated by GAIL DODD on the 24 January, 1999.