Rookwood Cemetery Discoveries

Last Friday was Australia Day and we are a nation of immigrants, (with the exception of First Nations people the custodians of the island), in a country we call "home". Many immigrants have progressed from rags to riches and there are many to choose from.  Today's blog relates to a man who came to this country and attempted to assimilate and smooth over many of the troubles with his heritage and living in Australia at the time. MEI QUONG TART Mei or Quong as he was widely known was born in in a village of the Guangdong province of China in 1850. At the age of 9 he was sent to Australia to accompany his uncle who was bringing a team of Chinese workers to work in the goldfields in the area of Braidwood and Araluen NSW. In Braidwood he lived with Thomas Forsyth, a Scot, who ran a store at Bell's Creek. Later he was taken in by the wealthy family of Robert Simpson and his wife, Alice, nee Want, who were charmed by the lad's Scottish accent!  Under their tutelage he le...

Today's blog is about the other Government Architect who calls Rookwood "home". If you are in the Sydney CBD you wander past buildings he has designed or added to frequently This man is soon to have his name shining deservedly once more. GEORGE McRAE George was born in Edinburgh in September 1857 the eldest child of  Duncan, a joiner journeyman and his wife Mary. (For clarification a joiner journeyman is a fully qualified worker who had completed an apprenticeship but worked on a daily rate for another person as opposed to a "master" who employed others).  McRae attended George Watson's College, one where children from less advantaged backgrounds could receive quality education. Once he graduated he joined George Beattie and Sons, Architects, Edinburgh where he learnt on the job about the finer aspects of building design. George McRae cicca. 1890 - courtesy of Wikipedia George arrived in Sydney in 1884, (with his parents and siblings), as a highly skilled ma...