1859 North Melbourne - address, who was living with Mary?

[wivenhoe]

McCAUL/L births , NZ, name her as Mary Russell McDONALD.

This is not her name at marriage, Victoria, 1859.

This is not her name for birth of first child, Vic, 1860.

Why not?

You need to see this death certificate, NZ -

1918/17363   McCAULL   Mary Russell   79Y

Quite often the death certificate is the big reveal, the occasion when you find information that you had no reason to expect.

[NZfamily]

This from you about Mary McDONALD, married Melbourne 1859, of her father Alexander McDONALD -

" the father seemed to have a business as a Calico printer "

Mary identifies her father as Alexander McDONALD, calico printer.

Where do you see her father to be having a printing business?

I am guessing if Alexander came to Australia, he might have continued his work as a Calico printer. It was his trade in Scotland. As I said in my original post, we don't know if he immigrated or not. Hard to find the family in shipping records

[wivenhoe]

You need to see this death certificate, NZ -

1918/17363   McCAULL   Mary Russell   79Y

[NZfamily]

McCAUL/L births , NZ, name her as Mary Russell McDONALD.

This is not her name at marriage, Victoria, 1859.

This is not her name for birth of first child, Vic, 1860.

Why not?

You need to see this death certificate, NZ -

1918/17363   McCAULL   Mary Russell   79Y

Quite often the death certificate is the big reveal, the occasion when you find information that you had no reason to expect.

Yes, that is odd. That first NZ childbirth is the first appearance of her giving "Russell" as a middle name. Oh, didn't realise that the birth of Charles nathaniel McCaull Jnr gives mothers' middle name as "Russell" as well

[Neale1961]

Have a look at the passenger list for the EBBA BRAHE arriving Melbourne Dec 1857 from Liverpool.
There are the following scots: Alexander and Ann McDonald , both age 46, and Mary McDonald age 16.
His occupation is just “factory” – which may have been the case. Most of the Ayrshire cotton workers were in factories by this stage.
Mary is listed separately in single women – Her age is slightly out, but she may have reduced her age for a cheaper passage.
This is in the un-assisted passenger listing.
https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/3B0750BA-F96C-11E9-AE98-19084F8A768F?image=278

...  however gives wife's name as "Agnes" - which I know is going to cause heated debate .....

Not at all - "Agnes" = "Ann" = "Nan" in Scotland and other places in between.

[Neale1961]

Calico printing was very much on the decline when your family left in the 1850s. I don't think Alexander would find work in that area in Australia.
http://www.shelwin.com/e/ancestry/macadam/calico.htm

[sparrett]

Yes, that is odd. That first NZ childbirth is the first appearance of her giving "Russell" as a middle name. Oh, didn't realise that the birth of Charles nathaniel McCaull Jnr gives mothers' middle name as "Russell" as well

It doesn't.

Charles Nathanie McCAULL
1860
Geelong, Victoria
Henry Michael McCAULL,
Mary McDONALD
#3182

[Neale1961]

I note that on Mary’s birth record 05/09/1840 Kilmarnock she is recorded as the fourth child of Alexander McDonald. So there must have been another older sibling (who died) in addition to Hugh and Donald.
Do you have the McDonald-McLean marriage record to see if this was the first marriage for both parties?
MCDONALD   ALEXANDER   marriage to AGNES MCLEAN       FR2642 (FR2642)   
15/09/1835   597/    110 163   Kilmarnock

[wivenhoe]

Mary McCAULL nee McDONALD has strong, and ongoing  connection to the name RUSSELL.

You need to see this death certificate, NZ -

1918/17363   McCAULL   Mary Russell   79Y

Quite often the death certificate is the big reveal, the occasion when you find information that you had no reason to expect.