Sutherland Family Reunion 2006

Gathering descendants of Robert SUTHERLAND and Grace LOUTFOOT (LIGHTFOOT) to celebrate 150 years of their family migrating to Australia from Dunfermline Fife Scotland

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Are you related to the SUTHERLANDs of Fife, Scotland?

Robert SUTHERLAND was born in Torryburn, Fife in 1791 to Daniel SUTHERLAND and Jean PATERSON. 

Grace LOUTFOOT (LIGHTFOOT) was born in Torryburn, Fife about 1791 to David LOUTFOOT and Katherine DUNCAN.

They married around 1812 in Torryburn, Fife but all their children were born in Dunfermline, Fife.

They had 5 surviving children.  The people listed below are not the entire family, but the only ones who had children.  

Are you one of their descendants?  

(contact sutherlandreunion@yahoo.com.au )

Surnames of Robert and Grace's children and grandchildren  (1840s to 1900s)

Robert and Grace's Life in brief

Robert and Grace married in 1812 in Dunfermline, Fife Scotland and over the next 21 years, went on to have 8 children.  5 of these children, 4 boys and a girl, survived to adulthood and each married, giving  Robert and Grace 19 surviving grandchildren who then went on to have children of their own.  The name SUTHERLAND therefore carried on strongly into the early 1900s, particularly in the New England area of NSW. 

After suffering the loss of several very young children to childhood diseases which was far too common in that time, 3 of Robert and Grace's children (Robert jnr, David and Catherine) migrated to Australia with their young families for a better chance at life in a new colony which was a warmer, dryer climate and had open spaces.  It helped that the migration was heavily subsidised by the government to encourage the new settlers to in habit the new country. 

First to leave Dunfermline were Robert and Margaret (nee ANDERSON) in 1849, then Catherine and William SMART in 1852, followed quickly by Robert and Grace themselves, aged 62 and 63 in 1853.  Finally, David and Janet (nee HENDERSON) completed the migration in 1856.  All settled in the newly established New England area of New South Wales except their only daughter Catherine, who with her husband William SMART, settled in Warrnambool Victoria.  All children are buried in the locality to which they migrated.

The Sutherlands worked the land in various ways, primarily raising cattle, sheep and horses and were amongst the early pioneering families of Walcha.  Robert died in 1866 and Grace survived another 13 years before dying in 1879.  Many of the Sutherland residents are buried in Walcha Cemetery, in close proximity to each other.  The SMARTs are buried in Warrnambool Cemetery in an unmarked grave, no headstone to see, just a grassy space.

***It is the desire of the descendants of Robert and Grace and their sons Robert and David's families to restore the graves, headstones and surrounds at Walcha to their former glory so that they will be available for another 150 years for future generations. 

Many descendants of pioneering families in Walcha have done this already and the cemetery is becoming a clean and tidy memorial to the pioneering generation.  Our family were a significant part of that generation and we hope to raise this money in 3 ways: 

• any surplus funds from the Reunion will be used entirely in the restoration of these graves 

• fundraising will be undertaken to aid the restoration (items for sale at the reunion)

• donations will be gratefully received to the Restoration Fund by family members. 

A permanent memorial in Walcha to the Sutherland family is being investigated and will be announced at the Reunion.  Tentative plans are to combine the 'unveiling' of the restored graves, dedication of the memorial and launch the family book at the one time in a "Back to Walcha" event a year or so after the Reunion. 

*  Please note:  Any surplus income from the Reunion will ALL be spent on grave restoration *

If you have any questions, please contact us at sutherlandreunion@yahoo.com.au

or by writing to

This page was updated on 30th March 2006