Guide to the Papers of the McCracken Family (as filmed by the AJCP), 1841-1936

Summary

Collection number:

M1976

Creator:

McCracken Family

Extent:

12 items

Language:

English

Preferred citation:

Acknowledgement of use of this material should refer to the location of the original material and to the Australian Joint Copying Project.

Items from this collection should include references to the location of the original material and to the AJCP nla.obj number, which serves as the online identifier for the digital copy.

Example: M Series: Journal of Capt. James Cook, 18 February 1770, British Library Add. MS 27885 (AJCP ref: http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1234)

Availability:

Available

Access conditions:

Available for reference.

Background

Content Summary:

Letters and journals of Alexander McCracken and letters of his wife Jane McCracken. They describe their voyage to Australia on the William Hyde; Adelaide and the Adelaide Hills; establishment of a dairy in Melbourne; economic conditions; news from goldfields; Scottish emigrants; social events and family news.

Biographical / Historical:

Robert McCracken (1815-1885) and Peter McCracken (1818-1892) were the sons of Robert McCracken, a farmer of Ardwell, near Girvan, Ayrshire. They emigrated to Melbourne in 1841. In 1851, with James Robertson, they established the brewing firm of McCracken and Robertson in Melbourne. Robertson retired in 1861 and the firm of R. McCracken and Co. became extremely successful, producing a distinctive light beer, using the latest technology and controlling a large share of the market by the tied house system. After Robert McCracken's death, the firm was controlled by his sons, eventually becoming part of Carlton and United Breweries.

Alexander McCracken, a brother of Robert and Peter McCracken, married his cousin Jane McCracken of Auchencrosh, near Ballantrae, on 4 January 1849. They immediately left Scotland and emigrated to to Australia. They established a dairy in Melbourne, which was unsuccessful, and then set up a wheat farm not far from Melbourne. The farm prospered but Jane McCracken suffered ill-health and after several years they returned with their children to Scotland, where Alexander took the tenancies of farms near Whithorn, Wigtownshire.

Related

Existence and Location of Copies:

The original AJCP microfilm of the records filmed from this collection is available at the National Library of Australia [https://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn765740] as well as other institutions holding AJCP microfilm.

Existence and Location of Originals:

The private residence of Dr John McCracken. Perthshire, Scotland.

Conditions Governing Access:

Available for Access.

Conditions Governing Use:

Many of the records digitised as part of the AJCP are still in copyright. Readers wishing to publish or reproduce documents should seek permission, in the first instance, from the owner of the original material.

Preferred citation:

Acknowledgement of use of this material should refer to the location of the original material and to the Australian Joint Copying Project.

Items from this collection should include references to the location of the original material and to the AJCP nla.obj number, which serves as the online identifier for the digital copy.

Example: M Series: Journal of Capt. James Cook, 18 February 1770, British Library Add. MS 27885 (AJCP ref: http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1234)

Location of this collection:

National Library of Australia

Parkes Place

Canberra ACT 2600, Australia

Contact:

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