I'm trying to find any information about my great-great-grandfather William McElwee who immigrated to Tasmania from Scotland.
Here is the information I have, mostly gleaned from newspaper articles on his retirement and death:
Born in Glasgow in March, 1837, the late Mr. McElwee received a sound education in his native city, and served his time to the plumbing trade.
Recruited in Glasgow Oct 1857 by Mr Fleming on behalf of Mr Falconer (Falconer arrived in Tas in 1857 for Hobart City Council via Melb on Red Jacket, his staff and equipment straight to Tas on John Bell, Fleming was then recruited by Launceston City Council)
William McElwee sailed from Liverpool to Melbourne on Shooting Star arriving Feb 1858 (aged 31). Sailed from Melb to Launceston on Black Swan (Captain Wood)
Started working in Feb 1858
Retired and sailed to England on 20 April 1907 returning in Nov 1907 (to Melb) with his son Allan Penman on Ortona.
The only other clues I have as to his background are from the names of his two youngest sons who were twins. One was named Allen Penman McElwee, Penman being the mother's maiden name and Allen being the maternal grandmother's maiden name. The other was named Roger Ayton Lorimer McElwee. I can't help but think that if one twin son was named after his mother's side of the family then possibly the other was named after the father's side of the family. Also Lorimer was the middle name of one of the other sons, so I think it must be significant in some way.
Thank you for any help or advice you can give me.
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He is NOT these William McElwees:
In the 1841 census there is a William McElwee and a William McIlwee of about the right age. One is a son of Cormick (b. Ireland) and Ann McElwee but Cormick is a shoemaker, and William becomes one too and is on the censuses upto and including 1891 as such. William McIlwee is also a shoemaker from a family of shoemakers (father Alan is also born in Ireland). On the 1851 census a William McElhoes with father Alexander (shoemakers from Ireland again) appears, but this seems to be the same family as the McIlwees of 1841.
There is also another William McElwee who came to Australia, settling in Victoria, in 1856. He put a notice in the newspaper searching for his sister Hannah who came out before him, and it says in that notice she's from Ballyshannon in Ireland. I can trace his movements in Australia, and he didn't come to Tasmania.
