There is much I could share with you re James Ford Strachan, but there will be many others who would be more closely linked to the families. I will just make some notes to explain how there is such a twist in this long list of prominent families from the Western District. My ancestors George Bostock and Ann Cox had a daughter Mary Rachael Bostock who married 1874 in W'bool to William Anderson Adams. Mary Rachael Bostock was sister to my grandfather Robert Bostock 1850/1921. William and Mary Adams had daughter Annie Geraldine Adams who married Hugh R. McCrae, grandson of Georgiana McCrae. Hugh & Annie McCrae had a son Will Dalrymple ADAMS who married Eileen WILLAN. They then, had a daughter Noela McCrae who married Noel Strachan Shannon. He was son of EMILY RUTLEDGE and Ford Strachan Shannon. Emily from William Rutledge of course. The Strachan, Shannon etc names were all partners in the woolbroking business with Thomas Edward BOSTOCK ( 2 ) as Managing Director c.1880 in Geelong. They occupied the building now (?) Bay City Plaza (?) This Thomas Bostock (2) was a son of Thomas Bostock & Catherine Jane Mackersey who managed Boortkoi for Thomas Manifold in the Diary of Augustus Bostock. Both parents of Thomas had died while he and his siblings were still young. Thomas (2) was taken to London for his education by Edward Robe Bostock and his wife Mary Mackersey. Thomas (2) studied in Germany before returning to enter the woolbroking business in Geelong. Thomas was a Geelong Councillor 1894-1912, becoming Mayor of Geelong 1905-1908. Edward was first cousin to Augustus, George, James, Thomas, Ernest Bostock, Emily Connolly, Margaret Doveton and Eliza, wife of Alexander McLean Hunter. Mary Mackersey was sister of Catherine Jane Mackersey w/o Thomas (1) . Now back to James Ford Strachan. My interest in this name is through the purchase of the vessel Lillias by my great grandfather George Bostock. The Lillias was named after the wife of James Ford Strachan who sold it to George Bostock c.1850 (from memory). The 89 ton Schooner was launched in 1839 and was lost in a heavy gale at the mouth of the Hopkins River in 1852. If you put James Ford Strachan or any combination of names, into Google search engine, I am sure you will find much research help. For now Sincerely in Searching... Thelma Bostock/Wilkinson/Rafferty/Rhodes - http://birrell.1hwy.com/index.htm Cox/Dorset/Clarendon/N.S.W. www.angelfire.com/rnb/mrbirrell/ James Cox/Connell Clarendon/Tasm. http://matthewbirrell.tripod.com/index.htm From: Carpenters I am wondering if you ( or any other readers on the list) have any information regarding two men associated with the very early days of Warrnambool - James Ford STRACHAN