Biography

James Mollison (1873-1874)

James was born on 14th October 1873 in Arbroath Scotland where his parents Agnes Lisk and George Mollison were also born and where both families had lived for generations.

In December 1873, two months after his birth Agnes and George married in the home of Agnes’s parents Mary Meffan Lisk and John Lisk (it seems that Agnes gave a false date to make it appear that James was born after the marriage, sadly she would not have dreamed that her “secret” would have been uncovered almost 150 years later), and within a few months the family of three had embarked on their journey to N.Z. For what reasons they ventured so far we will never know. However the ship “Cartsburn”, under Captain Young sailed from Glasgow on 8th April 1874 and arrived in Canterbury on 14th July 1874.

On 23rd September 1874, two months after arriving in Dunedin and having survived the ordeal of the long voyage, little James died of unknown causes and was laid to rest in the Northern Cemetery, Dunedin (Block 65 Plot 0045, Burial Reg No 74383). It would seem that his young parents did not have the finances to give him a proper burial, nor provide a headstone for him, so until now the names of his parents were unknown.

George Mollison was a master shoemaker (as was the Mollison tradition in Arbroath) and he and his family settled for a time in Dunedin. George Petrie Mollison Jnr was born followed by Andrew Lisk Mollison. The family set sail once again, this time bound for Victoria Australia (once again for reasons unknown), and it was there that the family settled permanently and thrived. John was born, followed by Mary their first daughter, then Mathilda and Herbert.

The family business specialised in the making of orthopaedic boots and their descendants are many. A number of children in the family through the generations have been named James, but until recently the birth and death of baby James was unknown to everyone.

Rest in Peace Baby James, your family are many and we will remember you.

Inserted by the descendants of Andrew Lisk Mollison and Florence (Osborne) Mollison – Victoria Australia.