Craig Family Saltcoats to Sydney
Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2006 4:29 am
The following is forwarded with the approval of the author Andrew Howell. I've given Andrew contact details for the Local History Department at Ardrossan Library. But if you can help, or this family interests you please contact him. (Hugh McCallum)
Hi,
Let me say first up - great website!
I am currently writing an architectural PhD on a firm of architects who practiced in Sydney between 1907 and 1922. The architects did a lot of work for a very famous family here called the Craig's who migrated from Saltcoats to Australia in the 1880s. An amazing family full of famous surgeons, academics, captains of Industry. I have a stack of information on the family (Captain Robert Craig), Dr Robert Gordon Craig etc. Dr Robert Gordon Craig (born Androssan 24 May 1870) was the first golfer in Australia to wear shorts. My interest in the family is that they were amateur architects who used my architects to produce some pretty remarkable houses in Sydney around the turn of last century. Captain Robert Craigs wife was Elizabeth Brown from the town of Irvine, brother of John McMillan Brown famous scholar who moved to NZ, and married the first woman in the British Empire to gain a Masters Degree in Arts. Etc etc etc
There is a famous house in Sydney named Ailsa which I think is named after an Island nearby plus a couple of daughters called Ailsa who all died in strange circumstances. There is also a restored Barque in Sydney named the James Craig named after a son of Joseph J. Craig who I also believe is part of the same family but emigrated to New Zealand.
Is there anyone there, such as a member of a local history group that might be able provide some information on the family pre-migrating to Australia? The organisation that run the Sailing Ship the James Craig in Sydney are also interested. I return I can provide a stack of information on the family, pretty remarkable lot. Despite the fact that none of them were architects, they had a significant impact on the development of domestic architecture in Australia in the first part of the 20th Century.
I hope you can pass me onto someone who can help.
Cheers and thanks in advance
Andrew
Andrew Howell
Architect
Graham Brooks + Associates
Architects, Planners and Heritage Consultants
71 York Street Sydney 2000 Australia
andrewhowell@gbaheritage.com
Hi,
Let me say first up - great website!
I am currently writing an architectural PhD on a firm of architects who practiced in Sydney between 1907 and 1922. The architects did a lot of work for a very famous family here called the Craig's who migrated from Saltcoats to Australia in the 1880s. An amazing family full of famous surgeons, academics, captains of Industry. I have a stack of information on the family (Captain Robert Craig), Dr Robert Gordon Craig etc. Dr Robert Gordon Craig (born Androssan 24 May 1870) was the first golfer in Australia to wear shorts. My interest in the family is that they were amateur architects who used my architects to produce some pretty remarkable houses in Sydney around the turn of last century. Captain Robert Craigs wife was Elizabeth Brown from the town of Irvine, brother of John McMillan Brown famous scholar who moved to NZ, and married the first woman in the British Empire to gain a Masters Degree in Arts. Etc etc etc
There is a famous house in Sydney named Ailsa which I think is named after an Island nearby plus a couple of daughters called Ailsa who all died in strange circumstances. There is also a restored Barque in Sydney named the James Craig named after a son of Joseph J. Craig who I also believe is part of the same family but emigrated to New Zealand.
Is there anyone there, such as a member of a local history group that might be able provide some information on the family pre-migrating to Australia? The organisation that run the Sailing Ship the James Craig in Sydney are also interested. I return I can provide a stack of information on the family, pretty remarkable lot. Despite the fact that none of them were architects, they had a significant impact on the development of domestic architecture in Australia in the first part of the 20th Century.
I hope you can pass me onto someone who can help.
Cheers and thanks in advance
Andrew
Andrew Howell
Architect
Graham Brooks + Associates
Architects, Planners and Heritage Consultants
71 York Street Sydney 2000 Australia
andrewhowell@gbaheritage.com