G Scotland

The Scottish generation, the founders of the McLean name and a once proud, prosperous and successful people, hit a huge rut in the late 1800's. Industries which used to be big money were drying up such as kelp and other trades from France. Failed crops, the resulting famine, and also a movement from the Scottish Government to disband Clans, and take over highland land for sheep farming, led significant numbers of Scots to emigrate to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, etc. There was a Bounty Immigration scheme in place around the 1830-40s where citizens could earn full or partial sponsorship for themselves and family based to emigrate to Australia based on age, skills and labour. More info on that here.

Please note the sources for the following information are mostly from this website and from Alec McLean, a distant relative living in NZ:

http://jamesobrien.id.au/genealogy/allan-mclean-and-janet-mcfarlane/

Our Ancestors Allan and Janet McLean left Scotland on Sept 27th 1837 from Tobermory on the 'Brilliant' with their children. The Journey took 4 months and there are multiple articles¹ on the journey itself arriving in Sydney on January 20th 1838 with records showing that although the father, Allan, spoke some English, they all spoke mostly Scottish Gaelic. A promising compliment about the McLean family is that “the people to be conveyed by this vessel are decidedly the most valuable that have ever left the shores of Great Britain; they are all of excellent moral character, and from their knowledge of agriculture, and management of sheep and cattle, must prove a most valuable acquisition to a colony like New South Wales.”

The McLean Family, Allan and Janet and their children settled initially in Broulee near Moruya, NSW. Donald, Alexander, Hector, John and Archibald moved to the Shoalhaven in 1853 to build ships and farm. Allan Died in 1858 in Moruya. Janet moved in with her sons in Shoalhaven and when she died there were a few articles in the paper about her death on the farm.

This page is to document all information found about the Generations before those who moved to Australia.