Centenary History of the Presbyterian Church in New South Wales
Please stay with me. I know, it sounds like a real page-turner, and it is if you happen to have a number of ancestors who were pivotal players in that history. But this Quick Glimpse is about the book itself.

It was written by Rev. James Cameron M.A. D.D. That is a Master of Arts and a Doctor of Divinity.

Figure 2: Courtesy of Patricia Downes https://members.pcug.org.au/~pdownes/welcome.htm
There is an online version of the book on Wikimedia, which is fantastic.
But this beauty in Figure 1 is all mine. I found it on Abe Books, which was selling it for City Basement Books. If you are into books check out their website, they have an amazing array of stock.

https://citybasementbooks.com.au/
The reason I purchased it? My 3x Great Grandfather, the Rev. David Hunter Ballantyne makes an appearance in it being the first Presbyterian minister in the Albury area back in 1851.

Figure 3: Courtesy of the Macvean Family Archives


The book was published in 1905, and the one I have in my possession now is a first edition. This makes it 118 years old. I can’t help but think about the hands that have held it like me now, over that time and can’t help but wonder at the history it has seen itself.

It is filled with a collection of photo plates of the various ministers, churches and manses in New South Wales up to 1905, where they preached and lived their lives. Each photo plate has a protective covering which are still intact after all these decades.

I uploaded a post earlier this month on the anniversary of my 2x Great Grandmothers death (David’s daughter, Jessie). In it, I mentioned the only photo I was able to find of the manse where David and his wife Margaret lived and where my Great Grandfather was born. It was this book that it came from. Here is my scan of the photo of the manse and church from the book.

You might be thinking that it must have cost a fortune but no, this little piece of my family history was just $60.00 plus postage and handling. What a gift and an amazing addition to the growing family resource collection I now have.
Hi John,
It would be interesting to know if Rev. James Cameron M.A. D.D.was related, as Alexander Mac Vean married Margret Cameron & one of their daughters, a sister of John Hugh, also emigrated to Au. and she married a Cameron, query cousinly love? It was rampant back then.
https://peopleaustralia.anu.edu.au/biography/macvean-john-hugh-19979/text31148 scroll down to see their biography’s.
Cheers Phil
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Hi Phil, thanks for reading and your comment. Did a bit of digging today and can’t find a link to our Cameron branch. Rev Cameron was the son of Colin Cameron and Ann Taylor born in Aberdeenshire. He was married to Eliza Bowman, and they had 8 children, none of who matched us. But what an interesting person he sound like. A fantastic listing on FindaGrave for the Rev.
Cheers
John
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/162439296/james-cameron?_gl=1*rjaixi*_ga*MjMxMDk5MTM3LjE2NjI2MTMyMzY.*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*MTY3NTk5NjAxMi40Ni4xLjE2NzU5OTc1NTguMC4wLjA.*_ga_B2YGR3SSMB*Y2M1ZjAzMjYtNWM4Yi00ODdmLWJkNTItZjcwMjEyNDE2NDVlLjUyLjEuMTY3NTk5NzU1OS4wLjAuMA..
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Loved this little snapshot 🙂
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