This Document, date and author unknown. Spelling and Punctuation as original.

I am enclosing a number of entries from the Parish registers which will serve as the basis for some further conclusions. It is probable that you will be able to recognise connections which do not appear immediately on the face of the record.

If you will give me any opinion you may have or any further information you may have acquired upon the early relationships between the five branches, it may be possible in time to draw up a more succinct account of the Family, now scattered over Scotland, England, Ireland, Australia and Canada.

It is the opinion of Mr John Slorach of London that the region around Glass, that is Glen Deveron, is the original home of the family, in which case it could have been within the territorial “regality” of the Dukes of Gordon, the Cock o’ the North. This seems most likely.

The family name has not changed for over three centuries. I append the two earliest references to it that I have seen, and these are from the published Records of the town of Elgin (or Banff?)

“Oct. 18th. 1592, Marion Slorach is arraigned for committing cruelty on her own person with a knife. She is sentenced to stand in the joggis in the nether end of the Town, with the knife stuck in the tree beside her.”

“Nov. 23rd. 1551, Peter Slorach sues Meriounn Byrnett, whom he accuses of stealing his (either kettle, or cattle) and Meriounn Byrnett made restoration.”

There are five branches of the family but the evidence of the parochial records do not always assist us in establishing their relationship, chiefly because in the entries of marriages, no mention is ever made of the names of the Parties’ father and mother. The memories and traditions of the present members of the Family may afford more information.

The branches referred to are:

The Forres branch, now represented by Mr William Slorach, 76 Bon Accord Street, Aberdeen, who is in direct descent from John whose home was in Forres and who migrated to Aberdeen and founded his family there. I think it is likely that this John was born in 1801, that his father was a John, born in 1777 and that his Grandfather also was a John. There is no evidence yet to connect this family with Fochabers.

The Fochabers branch, now represented by Mr John Slorach, High Street, Fochabers, is, by clear knowledge of the family, descended from George, a Soldier, who became forrester to the Duke of Gordon. George was the father of John,, born in 1791, and John was the father of Robert, born 1827, the last named who died in 1911 was father of Mr John Slorach who now represents this branch.

The Boharm of the family is very small according to the records, but its descendants are probably more numerous than appears. James appears as the father of four sons, Thomas, William, Colin, and Patrick. Of these sons, William has a descendent, a daughter, now Mrs Margaret McDonald, 48 Murray Terrace, Aberdeen, who has kindly assisted with this information. There is nothing to tell us what happened to the other three brothers.

There are two Huntley branches, apparently distinct from one another, though this is scarcely likely.
The first may be called the Inverkeithnny-Huntley branch and is now represented by Mr George Slorach, 65 High Street, Banff, Mr R.G. Slorach, of Strathbogie House, Hamilton, Mr Adam Slorach, 48 Deveron Street, Huntley, and by Mr Robert Slorach, 5 Roseburn Street, Edinburgh. There are many descendents of this branch of the family. The traditions of this branch can establish its direct history from the time when it first appears as resident in Huntley. The Inverkeithny records afford information upon two generations of Slorachs before the time when this family came to Huntley. Since they know that they lived in Inverkeithny before they lived in Huntley, it is likely, though not proved, that the entries in the Inverkeithny register refer to the father and grandfather of the Huntley Slorach who was grandfather of Mr George of Banff and of Mr Adam of Huntley, and greatuncle of Mr Robert of Hamilton and of Mr Robert of Edinburgh. I feel certain that the traditions of the members of this branch will make this clearer.
The other Huntley branch, which as yet cannot be linked in relationship to the Inverkeithny-Huntley branch, is represented by Mr John Slorach, 25 Cricketfield Road, Clapton, London. Mr Slorach is the son of Mr John Slorach, an engineer who spent much of his life in Ceylon and later returned to Huntley. The latter’s father was a John, but his grandfather’s name is not proved. I think, however, that it is most likely that the entries in the Huntly register may be related, and that we may presume the following: John (who married Isabel Garden in 1795) was father of John, born 1801: that this John (married Margaret Dow in 1829) was father of John, born 1830, the aforesaid Engineer and father of Mr John Slorach of London.




FORRES REGISTER

1 Children of John Slorach, mason in Forres, and Margory Smith:
2 John baptised 14 August 1777
3 William “ 2 April 1780
4 Jean “ 22 February 1782
5 Elizabeth “ 12 March 1785
6 Anne “ 25 December 1786
7 Magdalen “ 18 September 1788

8 Children of John Slorach, junior, mason in Forres, and Janet Junkers:
9 John baptised 20 March 1801
10 (Witnesses John Slorach senior and John Junkers, shoemaker in Forres)
11 Peter baptised 22 May 1803
12 George “ 24 June 1805

13 Children of John Slorach, Sawyer, and Elizabeth Murray:
14 James baptised 9 March 1834
15 Mary Ann “ 2 May 1836
16 William “ 11 March 1839
(Witnesses, William Murray, Baker in Forres.)

BELLIE (FOCHABERS) REGISTER

17 Children of George Slorach, in Calan, near Fochabers, and Jean Hutcheon:
18 John baptised 17 May 1791
(Witness, John Dean, of Ordihush)
19 Jean baptised 18 October 1793

20 Children of John Slorach and Betty Milne:
21 Jean baptised 3 June 1818
22 Ann “ 27 June 1819

23 5 December 1789, Alexander Slorach and Ann Wilson, both of Fochabers, were married.
24 27 May 1738, James Sim and Elizabeth Slorach of Fochabers, were married.
25 2 June 1768, Alexander Gibson and Janet Slorach of Botriffny, were married.
26 9 June 1778, William Fraser and Jean Slorach of Fochabers, were married
27 26 June 1813, Alexander Reid, of Gamry, and Jean Slorach, were married

DEATHS

28 28 March 1809, George Slorach, Ordeyfish.
27 July 1808, a child Slorach, Fochabers
February 1801, a child Slorach, Ordeyfish
30 January 1799, a child Slorach, Ordeyfish
1795, Jean Hutcheon, Thorneybank
10 March 1814, Jean Hutcheon, Fochabers


BOHARM REGISTER:

29 Children of James Slorach (described variously as “of Limylees”, “in Loonmuir”, and “of Mulben”) and Isabel Wands, his wife:
30 Thomas, baptised 14 March 1816
31 William, “ 17 July 1818
32 Colin, born 17 October, baptised 10 November 1821
33 Patrick born 17 March, baptised 24 April 1825

34 Children of James Slorach, junior (described variously as “in Backshalloch”, “in Malcolmbridge”, “in Upper-shalloch”) and Margaret Bowrie, his wife:
35 Elizabeth, baptised 5 September 1835
36 (Witness Elizabeth Slorach)
37 Margaret baptised 7 March 1837
38 Jean “ 20 January 1839
39 Isabella “ 6 September 1843
40 William “ 4 February 1844
41 Hellen “ 23 August 1848
42 Janet “ 17 January 1851

INVERKEITHNY REGISTER:

43 9 November 1754, William Slorach and Helen Wat, both in this parish, were married.
44 11 January 1788, John Wilson and Katherine Slorach, both in this parish, were married.
45 31 January 1790, John Slorach and Margaret Gall of the parish of Marnoch were married.
46 4 February 1792, John Slorach, of this Parish, and Christian Innes, of the parish of Marnoch, were married.

43 Children of William Slorach, in the Kirtown, and Helen Wat:
47 John baptised 8 October 1755
48 Katherine “ 30 November 1758

45 Children of John Slorach, in the Kirtown, and Margaret Gall:
49 William baptised 23 December 1790

46 Children of John Slorach, in the Kirtown, and Christian Innes:
50 John baptised 20 October 1792
51 Helen “ 4 October 1794
52 James “ 13 October 1796
53 Alexander “ 1800

HUNTLEY REGISTER:

54 28 June 1806, Donald Gregor and Christian Slorach, both of Huntley, were married.
55 5 March 1796, James Gordon and Anne Slorach, of the parish of Glass, were married.
56 31 July 1803, Walter Slorach, weaver, and Janet Leslie, both of Huntley, were married.
57 28 November 1795, John Slorach and Isabel Garden, both of Huntley, were married.
58 25 June 1829, John Slorach, mason in Huntley, and Margaret Dow, were married.
59 15 July 1855, John Slorach, in Kinnoir, in the parish of Drumblade, and Mary Hay of Huntley, were married.
60 23 March 1844, William Fordyce, groom in Cairney, and Jane Slorach, of Huntley, were married.
61 7 February 1845, William Slorach, in Westerton, and Margaret McDonald, of Huntley, were married.
62 10 February 1846, George Slorach, in the parish of Cairney, and Elizabeth Horn, of Huntley, were married.
63 20 May 1848, William Slorach, tailor, and Ann George, both of the parish of Huntley, were married.
64 14 July 1855, John Slorach, engineer, in the parish of Huntley and Margaret Marno, in the parish of Kinnethmont, were married.

65 Children of John Slorach, flax dresser, and Christian Davidson, his wife:
66 A child baptised 26 April 1772
67 David “ 8 July 1778
68 Christian “ 7 April 1785

69 Children of Alexander Slorach, flax dresser, and Margaret Shekel, his wife:
70 Christian baptised 18 May 1786

71/56 Children of Walter Slorach, weaver, and Janet Leslie:
72 Janet baptised 11 July 1806
73 Mary “ 29 April 1811
(Witness, William Alexander, manufacturer.)

57 Children of John Slorach and Isabel Garden:
74 Elizabeth baptised 12 March 1799
75 (Witness Walter Slorach.)
76 John baptised 15 April 1801
77 (Witness Walter Slorach.)
78 Jane baptised 15 March 1805
79 Charlotte “ 30 August 1808
80 Christian “ 4 April 1815

58 Children of John Slorach and Margaret Dow:
81 John baptised 21 March 1830
82 Margaret “ 14 January 1832
83 James “ 27 June 1834
84 Jane “ 9 November 1836

59 Children of John Slorach and Mary Hay:
85 John baptised 25 January 1852
86 Mary Ann “ 4 November 1854






CAIRNEY REGISTER:

87 31 July 1747, James Smith and Jean Slorach were married.
88 6 November 1761, John Brown, in the parish of Grange, and Margaret Slorach were married.
89 28 August 1763, Colin Slorach, of this parish, and May Gordon of Glass, were married.
90 31 December 1764, George Sellar, of Botriffny, and Margaret Slorach, of Cairney, were married.
91 19 January 1765, John Chalmers and Margaret Slorach, both of Cairney, were married.
92 10 October 1766, George Slorach, of the parish of Glass, and Janet McLeod, were married.
93 8 June 1816, John Slorach and Isabel Brander, were married.
94 5 June 1795, John Birnie and Isobel Slorach, of this parish, were married.
95 3 June 1797, Hugh Slorach and Margaret Stitchell, both of Cairney, were married.

96 Children of George Slorach and Isobel Slorach in Ruthven (or Rathven?) his wife:
97 George baptised 24 April 1749
98 Janet “

99 Children of James Ritchie and his wife Isabel Slorach, in Redfold:
100 Isabel baptised June 1755
101 (Witness John Slorach and (102) Hugh Slorach
103 Jean baptised 25 May 1761
(Witness Hugh Slorach, in Redfold)

93 Children of John Slorach of Auchendoir, and Isabel Brander of Cairney:
104 Helen baptised 22 June 1816
62 George “ 7 September 1818

105 Child of Colin Slorach and Magdalen Day, his wife:
106 John baptised 2 July 1816
(also James and Mary 173 and 174)


AUCHENDOIR REGISTER:

93 8 June 1816, John Slorach in this parish and Isabel Brander, in the parish of Cairney, were married.
107 31 December 1826, James Archibald and Mary Slorach were married.

FETTERESSO REGISTER:

108 Children of James Slorach, of Megray, and his wife, Elizabeth Ogg:
109 Jean baptised 25 November 1849
110 Elizabeth “ 14 May 1852
111 James Mollison “ 12 November 1854


BOTRIFFNIE REGISTER:

112 28 February 1736, George Slorach and Margaret Cameron, both of this parish, consigned pledges but revoked their contract.
105 23 January 1803, Colin Slorach of the parish of Glass, and Magdalen Dey of this parish were married.

113 Child of James Ritchie and his wife, Anna McDonald:
114 Margaret baptised 26 June 1771
(witness Thomas Slorach)
(In the margin of this entry of baptism are the reference names “Ritchie and Slorach”, which suggests that Anna’s maiden name was Slorach and that James Ritchie was her second husband.)

115 Child of William Slorach in Bodrifinnich, and Margaret Milne:
116 Margaret baptised 20 August 1767

117 Children of James Slorach in the Milne of Towie, and his wife Mary Philip (also entered as Margaret Philip):
118 James baptised 30 September 1732
119 Janet “ 9 November 1734
120 Alexander “ 2 October 1737
121 James “ 9 January 1743

122 Children of George Slorach and Isabel Shand:
123 Janet baptised 4 October 1743
124 Jean “ 24 March 1746
125 Margaret “ 6 May 1749
126 Isabel “ 30 September 1751
127 Elspet “ 28 April 1754
128 Alexander “ 12 May 1756
129 (Witness Alexander Slorach and (130) Jannet Slorach)

GLASS REGISTER:

131 9 February 1771, William Gordon, in Cabrach, and Isobel Slorach of Glass, were married.
132 7 July 1781, James Wall and Anne Slorach, both of Glass, were married.
133 4 August 1786, James Grant and Jean Slorach, both of Glass, were married.
134 15 March 1796, James Gordon, in Huntley, and Anne Slorach in Glass were married.
135 1839, James Esronach, from Cabrach, and Isobel Slorach, in Glass, were married.
136 16 March 1844, John Smith of the parish Gartly and Anne Slorach of Glass, were married.
137 14 July 1795, James Slorach, in Balnacraig, and Margaret Wane, were married.
105 23 January 1803, Colin Slorach in Balnacraig, and Magdalen Dey, were married.

138 Child of George Slorach in Greystone, and Barbara Middleton:
139 Jean baptised 11 March 1761

140 Child of John Slorach, in Succoch, and Jean Lobban:
141 Ann baptised 22 May 1764
(witness James Slorach (142), in Croft Cummerton)

143 Child of Thomas Slorach, in Timberfoord, and Margaret Henderson:
144 John baptised 11 August 1811

145 Child of William Gordon and Isobel Slorach, in Newbiging:
Isobel baptised 31 May 1775

146 10 November 1822, Colin Slorach is a witness at the baptism of Mary Douglas

147 Children of Walter Slorach, in Newmill, and Jane Gordon:
148 Isobel baptised 26 December 1822
149 Walter “ 26 August 1824
(Walter Slorach, the father, died shortly before the birth of his son)

150 Children of Walter Slorach in Howmill, and Bessy Wilson:
151 Margaret baptised 19 July 1746
152 (witness James Slorach, in Wrightiestown, and Alexander Christie in Succoch)
153 Ann baptised 15 September 1754
154 Jean “ 29 May 1758
155 Margaret “ 20 March 1762
156 Walter “ 27 November 1764
157 Helen “ 19 August 1767
158 Patrick “ 13 April 1770

137 Children of James Slorach in Balnacraig and Margaret Wans:
159 Elizabeth baptised 18 September 1796
160 James “ 3 June 1798
161 Jean “ 1 June 1800
162 John “ 30 July 1802

163 Children of Colin Slorach, in Greystone, (also “in Westfolds”), and Majorie Gordon:
164 Patrick baptised 23 December 1769
165 John “ 1 March 1772
166 Colin “ 23 June 1775
167 (witness George Slorach, in Greystone.)
168 Elizabeth baptised 5 July 1777
169 Thomas “ 8 October 1779
170 (witness Thomas Slorach, in Drummuir.)
171 John baptised 31 March 1786
172 Isobel “ 26 July 1782

105 Children of Colin Slorach in Balnacraig (also “in Brownhill”) and Magdalen Dey:
173 James baptised 13 November 1803
174 Mary “ 13 September 1807



GARTLY REGISTER:

175 22 August 1820, Walter Slorach, of Glass, and Jean Gordon, of Gartly, were married.
176 6 April 1844, John Smith, of Gartly, and Ann Slorach, of Glass, were married.













































Copy of Correspondence from E. R. Lindsay, North Berwick (UK) to (John) Slorach, (Clapton, London?). No date, but presumed 1920s

55 Dirleton Avenue
North Berwick

Dear Mr Slorach

The enclosed extracts from “newsletters of 1715-6” (A.F. Stewart) are interesting as evidence for the old Scots pronunciation of the name Garden: a pronunciation which you used when you told me the name of your Great-grandmother, whom we may confidently assume to be the Miss Isabel Garden who married Mr. John Slorach (No. 57 in our list of extracts from Registers) in 1795.

And if Miss Isabel Garden was a descendant of either of those two Doctors, this would be an additional point of contact between Aberdeen University and her Gr. Grandson. I think that was your university, wasn’t it?

It is quite likely that Mr. John Slorach (No. 65 in the Extracts) who married Christian Davidson about 1770, was your Great great grandfather.

I feel sure that the scattered members of your race and clan will be gratified by the goodwill you show in writing to them and the Australians will extend their hands back to you, making it Hands-across-the-Sea indeed.

With kind regards to you and to Mrs. Slorach and to Marno.

Yours

(signed) E.R. Lindsay

PS.
“The Address to the Pretender of the Clergy of Aberdeen was graciously received, being introduced Duck of Mar and the Earl Marshall of Scotland and presented by the two Doctor Gairneses, in Aberdeen College........”

A footnote on another page refers to the two Doctors as: “James Garden, Professor of Theology at King’s College; died 1725; and his brother, George Garden; died 1733.”

From “News-letters of 1715-1716” by A. Francis Steuart 1910.

The Address (dated 29 December 1715) is printed at length in Rae’s “History of the late Rebellion”: p.352: where the two names are spelt Garden. It was presented at Fetterosse. (=Fetteresso?)






Copy of correspondence from John Slorach.


25 Cricketfield Road
Clapton, London E5
25th January, 1925.

Dear Sir,

Your letter dated 28th October 1923, to the Reverend and Honourable E.R. Lindsay, has been given to me by him. This gentleman is not related to the Slorach sept in any way. He is the younger brother of the Earl of Crawford and Balcarres, one of the oldest of the many old families in Scotland. His family have much landed property (that is real estate) in Fifeshire and Lomanshire, where Lord Balcarres owns much coal land and is very wealthy.

Mr. Lindsay’s father was the owner of “Dunecht” on Deeside, where he set up a giant telescope in his observatory. He was an authority on Astronomy. The family disposed of this estate following an outrage on the grave of this Earl, whose body was “snatched”, but by whom and for what motive was never disclosed, the body was found on the hillside on the opposite bank of the Dee, from the place of the vault.

Mr. Lindsay is a most likeable man. He has spent 16 years in Saskatchewan, Canada, where he was a pioneer missionary covering hundreds of miles in a sparsely populated state of that vast dominion. Oh do not say you are losing interest in your name and many cousins. Mr. Lindsay has sent me only a few days since, the following extract, which he took form the Statute of Perth (not Western Australia). Here it is:

“A forebear of yours fought against the Sheriff of Forfar, Sir Alex Ogilvie, at Gasklyne, 1392, and was alas put to the horn, at the Parliament held later that year at Perth. He is named in this Statute of the Scots Parliament, Slurach and his brother.” I do not know what being put to the horn means, but I reasonably assume it to be death.

Now for your family tree, your Grandfather George in Calan near Fochabers, married Jean Hutcheon. This is taken from the Parish of Bellie register, in which is Fochabers, where they lived and had a son John born 1791. Your surmise that Betty Milne was your Grandmother cannot be correct, as the same register says, that John Slorach and Betty Milne had two children Jean and Ann, both respectively 1818 and 1819. You are quite right abut your mothers name Jessie Hendry, her brother Bob and his brother are cabinet makers at Keith, and clever men at that. I remember Bob making a bookcase for my maternal Uncle William Marno V.S. Keith, somewhere about 1878. I shall explore the many ramifications of our common name and give you some further information. Mr. Lindsay says I am more entitled to your letter to him that he himself. Our family is the Glass and Huntly one. In 1624 my Grand-ancestor was the head elder of the church of Glass.

Give our kindest regards to your family, and I am glad to know numerous nieces.

Yours very faithfully,

(signed) JOHN Slorach
Copy of letter from E.R. Lindsay, London, to John Slorach, Australia.

1 Holland Park,
London.
August 9, 1925.

Dear Sir,

I am hoping that you will not mind my writing to you, from far away Britain, to ask for some information about your Scottish ancestors. I have for some time been interested in the genealogy of the Slorachs, and, while there are at least three branches here in Scotland which are as yet independent of one another in relationship, I still entertain hopes of establishing their connection. I may add that I am not making the enquiry for any other reason than an interest in the former history of one of the smaller of the distinguished families which seem to have originated in Morayshire. I have recently been talking on the subject with Mr. John Slorach, of Fochabers, whom it is possible that you may know. Some of his Australian cousins, whose names were Arthur and Norman, visited him at the time when they came over this side of the world, to assist the Allied Armies in the Great War.

There are two persons of the name who are known to have left Scotland for Australia.

ROBERT SLORACH: His father was William Slorach, and his mother’s maiden name was
(Robert must Isabella Brander. This William lived (I suppose as a farmer) at
have been born Cairnie Farm, near Huntly. His Grandfather, (the father of this William)
about 1830). was a small farmer at Inverkeithny, in Banffshire. I have not been able to identify his name, nor the name of his wife.

William and Isabella Slorach had other sons beside Robert George, whose descendents are living today in Banff: James, whose descendents are now in Aberdeen: John, who has descendents living in Huntly: and Adam, who had descendents in Kilmarnock. I know nothing of Robert, except that he went to Australia.

JOHN SLORACH: His father was John Slorach, who was connected with the Gordon Castle Estate, near Fochabers. His brother Robert (1827-1911) lived and died at Fochabers, where his numerous descendents still reside.
I think Arthur and Norman, who came over during the War, were his Grandsons of this Mr. John Slorach. John Slorach lived at Natimuk, Lowan County, Victoria.

If you can give me any accurate information about the two branches of the family now established in Australia, it would be very interesting. I should like the full family tree, if you can draw it out. You will notice that there might be two quite independent sets of cousins. As yet I have failed to establish the connecting link between the Forebears mentioned, Robert and John.

Any information which I might obtain by further enquiries I would of course send you.

I am,
Yours most sincerely,
(Signed) E.R. Lindsay.
Copy of Letter from E.R. Lindsay, London, to John Slorach, Australia.

1 Holland Park,
London. W.11.
December 12.

Dear Sir,

It was very kind of you to reply to my query about your family, and I am very grateful to you for doing so. And what you say will be of great interest to other members of the Family, especially Miss Ann Slorach and Mr. John Slorach, the latter being the senior representative of your branch, as you doubtless know. It was for my and Miss Slorach’s amusement and interest that we first took up the enquiry about the Family’s origin. I am, however, in no way, as far as I know, related to the Slorachs.

It is said that the Family arose in the district of Glen Deveron, near Glass, in Aberdeenshire, in which neighbourhood it has lived since the first half of the 16th century. It is however hardly possible to trace a common ancestor among the well defined branches at the present day. You will be interested to hear about these branches.

First, there is your branch. Its home has been in Fochabers, near Gordon Castle, for over 100 years. George (17 in the list of entries) was a Soldier, and was in the same regiment as the Duke of Gordon. The Duke made him forrester of the Gordon Estate, and some of the plantations there are still known as Slorach’s Wood. The family continued in the way which you will observe by reference to the list.

The next branch is the Forres branch. This was resident in Forres for several generations until about 1840, John, its representative, migrated to Aberdeen where his descendents still flourish, calling themselves Slora.

The Inverkeithtny-Huntly branch, which was resident in Inverkeithny about 1750, went to Huntly, (not far from their first home) about 1800, and from thence they have scattered to all parts of Scotland. To this family belongs the Mr. Robert, of whom you give news in your letter which I have sent to his nephew from whom I first heard of Mr. Robert.

There is another Huntly branch, apparently independent of the last. We think it can be traced back to 1795, and it has a few and distinguished representatives: Mr. John, of 25 Cricketfield Road, Clapton, London, being the senior in line.

A fifth and very small branch lived at Boharm, since 1800. The representatives are few according to our knowledge today, but I do not doubt they are numerous if they could be identified.

Very little more can be done, I think, to link up relationships: at the same time I feel sure you will like to have a list of the entries taken out of several of the parochial Registers, now housed in Edinburgh. Many other entries could be found in other registers, and I am examining a few. But this will serve a good purpose and demonstrate a fact which it should be good for your rising generation to know, that the Slorachs have always been loyal sons of Scotland, and showed it in the Great War, and that the Members of the Family living in Australia are still remembered by their Cousins in the Old Home.

You will be interested to know that six of your name were serving with the Canadian Forces, as was discovered by Mr. John Slorach of Clapton. The Canadian Branch is descended from a son of 62 George, whose name was Robert.

Your son Norman was mentioned to me by your cousin, Miss Ann Slorach, when she told me of your Australian home. Perhaps Norman may recollect having met her at Fochabers.

As years roll on more may come to light upon the early relationships of the five branches I have named. All one can do is to keep it and note it, and write it down, until what is not yet understood may possibly be given a later explanation.

Perhaps later on a Member of the clan may feel inclined to collect a record of all the living members of the name. It would not be very difficult.

I am, Sir,
thanking you for so kindly answering my letter,
Yours sincerely,

(signed) E.R. LINDSAY



























Letter from John Slorach of London to Norman Slorach of Victoria, Australia.

25 Cricketfield Road
Clapton. E.5.
28th April 1928.

Dear Norman,

The enclosed letter is the reply which the Ministry of Lands has made to my request that an endeavour ought to be made to trace the property lately in the possession of my great aunt who left the same to her only brother (my Grandfather John Slorach long resident in Huntly). You might ask your nephew in Sydney to trace the above. If the property, last in her possession as she survived her husband evidently, were disposed of in whole or in part the sellers name would be given as her married name or Slorach. I know she died during the decade of 1860. Perhaps this would be a clue for your nephew to go to look through the deaths in Parramatta for that decade. I thank you in anticipation if you can induce your nephew to undertake this interesting quest. Her husband and she must have reached Australia somewhere about 1820 - 1830. I shall be, ever, under a debt of gratitude to you for your gratuitous suggestion of enlisting the services of your Sydney nephew. I was greatly interested of what you said of your sons predilections and also of their physical stature. It is in the nature of a coincidence that my two sons are also big and powerful men. The elder, Marno, is five feet ten inches and the younger Stanley six foot and my elder daughter is about the medium height. But then all the women of our family were big and gross which no doubt the great heat of Australia would greatly reduce. I trust you are all well in which hope and expectation my own family joins.

I am,

Yours faithfully,

(signed) JOHN Slorach

Copy of letter from Department of Lands: Sydney.

8 March, 1928.
Reference: Sales 28/3778.

Dear Sir,

With reference to your letter of the 14th January, 1928, relative to your enquiry regarding property in the Parramatta district which is said to be owned by your great-aunt, I have to inform you that further search is not possible from the information furnished.

If, however, you can supply this Department with the husband’s name, a conclusive search could be made in the matter.

Yours faithfully,

(signed) W.J. Roper
Under Secretary.