George Fraser
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TitleGeorge FraserPhoto Number008225DescriptionGeorge Fraser of Randwick, Sydney, Australia (1845-1926)
The Following is contributed by descendant and donor Kim Fagerlie.
'My great grandfather George Fraser was born near Albion Park, New South Wales, as the third of eight children of pioneering farmer Alexander Fraser and Helen (nee Munro) from the Black Isle (see article in CFSSUK newsletter from 2004 – “Frasers of Albion Park”. Albion Park is 104 kilometers south of Sydney.
Alexander was born around 1803 the son of John Fraser and Barbara Gillanders at Allangrange near Munlochy on the Black Isle. Helens father was Hector Munro, school teacher in Ferintosh, which is a tiny place on the Black isle. According to her obituary she had two brothers who were ministers and was descended from the Munros of Foulis. I think the rev. Christopher Munro (1817-85) was probably one of Helens minister brothers and therefore George’s uncle:
I think so because the information about Christopher’s background matches exactly what we know about Helen. It seems too coincidental if there two school teachers called Hector Munro in Ferintosh at the same time with the same credentials.
One of George’s brothers was John Fraser JP, farmer, first alderman of Albion Park Shire Council, first Mayor, Director of the Shellharbour Steam Navigation Company and chairman of the Illawarra Co-operative Central Dairy Company.
George moved far north from the rest of his family to Woodford Island in the Clarence River near Grafton, approximately 630 kilometers north of Sydney. Woodford Island is an inland island covering 37 square kilometers.
According to my late mother Thelma Fagerlie (nee Jack), her grandfather George became a sugar farmer, supplemented by dairy farming as a side line. He employed Indian workers. Judy Fraser-Byass the Clan Fraser Society of Australia confirms that this area did employ Indian workers.
According to the book “A pioneer Family – Charles and Sarah Munro - Their parentage and descendants 1766-1982” (National Library of Australia) by Bettye Ross, George Fraser was married to Christine Munro, daughter of Charles Munro and Marion (Sarah) McLeod at the home of Christine’s twin brother Hugh on Woodford Island by the rev. Duncan McInnes of the Presbyterian Church of Eastern Australia, Maclean on 18th June. 1869. Munro Island in the Clarence River is named after Christine’s family.
Christine was born on the Isle of Skye. According to Ross, George and Christine’s “first five children were born on Woodford island and the last two on Chatsworth Island, to which they had moved. George built both “Charleville” at Clarenza for Christina’s brother Donald and “Waterview” on Woodford island for Hugh. “Charleville” in later years was burnt down, but “Waterview” still stands”.
The children were Alexander George, Charles Hugh, Helen, Donald John, William James, Sarah Margaret and my grandmother Georgina Jessie.
During Georgina’s childhood in the late 19th century there was apparently some friction with local aboriginals. My mother told me that an old aboriginal, “Sugar Bag”, threatened Christine that he was going to kill her children. The threat was taken seriously as the Fraser children had to ride on horseback to school. The Fraser family was armed.
George was a freemason and an elder of the Presbyterian Church. According to my mother he owned white horses that he used when travelling to church.
She told me that he at some point wasn’t happy with the local sugar refiners and the prices offered. So he built his own horse drawn wagons and organised his own transport of cane to market.
George made his fortune and sold the farm around 1900. This enabled him to retire on independent means for the rest of his life. He settled in the Sydney suburb of Randwick where he bought a house for his wife and himself, and another for his three daughters, as he would not allow any of his daughters to rent.
George travelled on a “grand tour” to “the old country” and kept a diary of the churches and relatives he visited in Scotland. The diary was once shown to me in Sydney by my late cousin George Jackson Fraser. Sadly it has disappeared without a trace.
Donald John immigrated to New Zealand and was in charge of large construction works there. He married Marjorie Christine Charlton and has many descendants in New Zealand through daughters. Charles Hugh became Managing Director of Norco Co-operative Limited and settled in Bellevue Hill, Sydney. His children were George Jackson Fraser, engineer, and Heather Maude Fraser. Georgina married William Jack and settled in Hobart, Tasmania. Their children were my mother Thelma Fagerlie, Principal Violinist, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Bergen, Norway, and Douglas Jack, retired Marketing Manager for Shell Oil, Tasmania.
DonorFagerlie, Kim
The Following is contributed by descendant and donor Kim Fagerlie.
'My great grandfather George Fraser was born near Albion Park, New South Wales, as the third of eight children of pioneering farmer Alexander Fraser and Helen (nee Munro) from the Black Isle (see article in CFSSUK newsletter from 2004 – “Frasers of Albion Park”. Albion Park is 104 kilometers south of Sydney.
Alexander was born around 1803 the son of John Fraser and Barbara Gillanders at Allangrange near Munlochy on the Black Isle. Helens father was Hector Munro, school teacher in Ferintosh, which is a tiny place on the Black isle. According to her obituary she had two brothers who were ministers and was descended from the Munros of Foulis. I think the rev. Christopher Munro (1817-85) was probably one of Helens minister brothers and therefore George’s uncle:
I think so because the information about Christopher’s background matches exactly what we know about Helen. It seems too coincidental if there two school teachers called Hector Munro in Ferintosh at the same time with the same credentials.
One of George’s brothers was John Fraser JP, farmer, first alderman of Albion Park Shire Council, first Mayor, Director of the Shellharbour Steam Navigation Company and chairman of the Illawarra Co-operative Central Dairy Company.
George moved far north from the rest of his family to Woodford Island in the Clarence River near Grafton, approximately 630 kilometers north of Sydney. Woodford Island is an inland island covering 37 square kilometers.
According to my late mother Thelma Fagerlie (nee Jack), her grandfather George became a sugar farmer, supplemented by dairy farming as a side line. He employed Indian workers. Judy Fraser-Byass the Clan Fraser Society of Australia confirms that this area did employ Indian workers.
According to the book “A pioneer Family – Charles and Sarah Munro - Their parentage and descendants 1766-1982” (National Library of Australia) by Bettye Ross, George Fraser was married to Christine Munro, daughter of Charles Munro and Marion (Sarah) McLeod at the home of Christine’s twin brother Hugh on Woodford Island by the rev. Duncan McInnes of the Presbyterian Church of Eastern Australia, Maclean on 18th June. 1869. Munro Island in the Clarence River is named after Christine’s family.
Christine was born on the Isle of Skye. According to Ross, George and Christine’s “first five children were born on Woodford island and the last two on Chatsworth Island, to which they had moved. George built both “Charleville” at Clarenza for Christina’s brother Donald and “Waterview” on Woodford island for Hugh. “Charleville” in later years was burnt down, but “Waterview” still stands”.
The children were Alexander George, Charles Hugh, Helen, Donald John, William James, Sarah Margaret and my grandmother Georgina Jessie.
During Georgina’s childhood in the late 19th century there was apparently some friction with local aboriginals. My mother told me that an old aboriginal, “Sugar Bag”, threatened Christine that he was going to kill her children. The threat was taken seriously as the Fraser children had to ride on horseback to school. The Fraser family was armed.
George was a freemason and an elder of the Presbyterian Church. According to my mother he owned white horses that he used when travelling to church.
She told me that he at some point wasn’t happy with the local sugar refiners and the prices offered. So he built his own horse drawn wagons and organised his own transport of cane to market.
George made his fortune and sold the farm around 1900. This enabled him to retire on independent means for the rest of his life. He settled in the Sydney suburb of Randwick where he bought a house for his wife and himself, and another for his three daughters, as he would not allow any of his daughters to rent.
George travelled on a “grand tour” to “the old country” and kept a diary of the churches and relatives he visited in Scotland. The diary was once shown to me in Sydney by my late cousin George Jackson Fraser. Sadly it has disappeared without a trace.
Donald John immigrated to New Zealand and was in charge of large construction works there. He married Marjorie Christine Charlton and has many descendants in New Zealand through daughters. Charles Hugh became Managing Director of Norco Co-operative Limited and settled in Bellevue Hill, Sydney. His children were George Jackson Fraser, engineer, and Heather Maude Fraser. Georgina married William Jack and settled in Hobart, Tasmania. Their children were my mother Thelma Fagerlie, Principal Violinist, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Bergen, Norway, and Douglas Jack, retired Marketing Manager for Shell Oil, Tasmania.
DonorFagerlie, Kim
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George Fraser. Shellharbour City Council, accessed 05/12/2025, https://discover.shellharbour.nsw.gov.au/nodes/view/17673