Introduction / Westray Grays / George Gray and Margaret Seatter / Robert Gray and Marion Meal / William Gray and Ann Sandison / Janet Gray and William Tulloch

William Tulloch and Esther Armstrong

William Tulloch (c. 23 Dec 1831) was the second son of William Tulloch and Janet Gray. He was with the family at Pow in Westray in 1851 but emigrated to Australia. It is unclear just when he went to Australia but there is a William Tulloch on the electoral roll in 1856 for Castlemaine, Victoria. This would have been at the time of the gold rush. An obituary does mention that he spent some time at the diggings.

He was employed on a government schooner in South Australia, then spent two years on a station or "run" at Fowler’s Bay. The Fowler’s Bay run was taken up in 1860 by William Robert Swan and Robert Barr Smith with James Armstrong joining them later.

William found the body of a shepherd there on 19 Jan 1861 and was a witness in the subsequent murder trial.

Photo: State Library of South Australia, B 11726

It seems likely that he met his wife Esther Armstrong at Fowler’s Bay. They married on 29 Jul 1864 at the home of Esther’s uncle William Murray, Glen Osmond (Adelaide, South Australia). Esther (b. 12 Apr 1837, Roberton, Roxburghshire) was the daughter of Francis Armstrong and Mary Murray.

William’s younger brothers, David and Thomas Tulloch, were also to go out to Australia, arriving on 31 Dec 1866.

William became a trader to the West Coast of South Australia from Port Adelaide and was engaged in that for about 34 years. He was in charge of a ketch called the "Tommy" and subsequently the "Lucy". Subsequently he became the master and owner of the schooners "Grace Darling", "Magnet" and "Woolomai" and part owner of the schoolers "Rachel Cohen" and "Mary Ellis".

By all accounts, William Tulloch was quite a character.

He and Esther had five children:

• Mary Janet Tulloch (b. 16 Apr 1865, Charra Station, South Australia) who married James Goldie McColl

• William Tulloch (b. 21 May 1867, Glen Osmond, Adelaide) who married Margaret Wylie Brown

• Jessie Anne Tulloch (b. 16 Jun 1869, Queenstown, SA) who married William Arthur Crooks

• Flora Eleanor Elizabeth Tulloch (b. 2 Aug 1875, Queenstown, SA) who married Alexander Scott Crooks

• Francis James Tulloch (b. 2 Aug 1877, Queenstown, SA; d. 28 Jul 1900, Woodville, SA)

Family: Jessie Anne Tulloch (b. 1869); William Tulloch (b. 1867, later major of Woodville); William Tulloch (b. 1831); Flora Eleanor Elizabeth Tulloch (b. 1875); Esther Tulloch (nee Armstrong); Francis James Tulloch (b. 1877) and Mary Janet Tulloch (b. 1865). Photo State Library of South Australia, PRG 1556/1/124 c1895.

William died on 26 Nov 1900 at Port Lincoln, South Australia. He was 68. Esther died on 20 Mar 1906 at Woodville Park, South Australia. She was also 68.