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The Lindsay Family

The Lindsay Family Dr. Robert Lindsay was a graduate of the Trinity College, Dublin, Dr. Lindsay had emigrated to Australia from Londonderry, where his family of Scottish origin, had been linen merchants and small manufacturers since the 18th century.

In 1864 Dr. Robert Lindsay set up his practice in Creswick and in 1866 moved to a house at the corner of Raglan and Cambridge Streets.

Robert married Jane Elizabeth Williams, a daughter of the Reverend Thomas Williams, a Wesleyan missionary. Thenewlyweds spend the first few years of marriage at the corner of Raglan and Cambridge streets, eventually building a large home on the corner of Cambridge and Victoria streets, where some of the family lived until the 1960's.

The Lindsay's had ten children; Percival, Robert, Lionel, Mary, Norman, Pearl, Ruby, Reginald, Daryl and Elizabeth in that order.

Five of the 10 children of Dr.Robert Lindsay went on to become leaders in the Australian artistic community-Percy,Lionel, Norman, Ruby and Daryl became noted artists and writers and three of Norman's novels re-create the town a century ago, namely Saturdee, Red Heap and Halfway to Anywhere.

Another son, Percy, painted numerous scenes of Creswick, of which over twenty are in the Ballarat Fine Art Gallery Collection. One Percy Lindsay painting depicts Chinatown, Creswick, a reminder of the Chinese gold miners.

Lionel, the third son, moved to Spain around the turn of the century (1900) and went on to create many well known pictures here. Some of these works are on display at the Creswick Museum.

Daryl Lindsay went on to become the director of the National Gallery of Victoria and opened the Creswick Museum on the 22nd November 1970. Several of his works are also on display at the Creswick Museum.

Daughter Ruby was the only one of the "girls" to become famous although Isabel (Elizabeth) was a teacher of art in Creswick at one time. Mary also was a prolific letter writer, but Ruby did exquisite work and sadly died at the young age of 33 in England.

The Creswick of the Lindsay's Arts Trail will be established over the next few years focusing on the town through the eyes of the Lindsay's. 2010 will see the first part (the Magic Pudding Playground) start to take shape after copyright permission is granted.

Click here for details of Lindsay related items for sale.