McAloney, Robert Simpson

Fast Facts

Type of person	Individual
Date of birth	1853
Place of birth	County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Date of arrival	1880
Principal occupation	Teacher
Date of departure	1895
Date of death	1914
Place of decease	Kensington. SA

Robert Simpson McAloney was born in 1853 in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. He was the son of James McAloney (1829-1880) and Eliza Jane Simpson (1832- ). They were Wesleyan Methodists.

Robert married Elizabeth “Minnie” Malcomson (1858-1939) on 18 July 1876 at Belfast, Antrim, Northern Ireland. They had eleven children:

• James (1877-1907) was born at Balynahinch, Down, Ireland and died, aged 30 years, at Melitay Barracks, South Head, NSW.

• Fanny Jane (1878- 1960) was born at Balynahinch, Down, Ireland and died at Adelaide, SA.

• Thomas Simpson (1879- ) was born at Balynahinch, Down, Ireland.

• Alexander Malcomson (1880-1964) was born at Knockbrackin, Down, Ireland.

• Robert Simpson (1882-1904) was born at Willunga and died at Unley, SA.

• John Wilson (1883-1937) was born at Aldinga and died at Brighton, SA.

• Minnie Elizabeth (1884- ) was born at Aldinga and died at Bacchus Marsh, Victoria.

• Maggie Herdman (1885-1886) was born and died at Aldinga.

• Thomas Herdman (1887-1887) was born and died as an infant at Terowie.

• Annie (1888-1985) was born at Terowie and died at Adelaide,

• William (1890-1890) was born and died as an infant at Terowie.

Robert arrived in Australia aboard Cuzco from London on 19 April 1880 but Minnie and their four oldest children may have arrived later aboard Garonne in 1881. Robert was a teacher at Aldinga, Terowie, Petersburg (Peterborough), Willunga and Marryatville. He was appointed as head teacher at Aldinga school shortly after he arrived in South Australia in April 1880 and he was resident in Aldinga until July 1886. During his six years in Aldinga, he was an active member of the Aldinga community, winning running races at the annual Foresters picnic in 1881 and singing in local concerts as well as organizing entertainments and training the school pupils in singing and recitation. He was the auditor for the local council elections, living at and working in the school at Terowie by January 1888 where he spent about three years. Then he was Head Teacher at the Willunga Public School for five years from 1891 to 1895. Two of Robert's and Eliza's children, Robert and Fanny, won school prizes at The Willunga Show in 1891 and 1892.

Robert Simpson McAloney, aged 61 years, died on 20 February 1914 and was buried in West Terrace Cemetery. Minnie McAloney died at Norwood on 8 August 1939.

Sources

• Passengers in History Database – South Australian Maritime Museum
• South Australian Births – Index of Registrations 1842-1906
• South Australian Marriages – Index of Registrations 1842-1937
• South Australian Deaths – Index of Registrations 1842-1972
• SA Directories – Aldinga 1883-1886
• Evening Journal 24 April 1880:2
• Adelaide Observer 15 Oct 1881:37
• South Australian Weekly Chronicle 21 Jan 1882:22
• Adelaide Observer 6 Jan 1883:16
• Adelaide Observer 1 Aug 1885:16
• The South Australian Advertiser 31 Dec 1885:7
• The Mail 21 Feb 1914:5

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