The Campbell Family Bible

Object Post 154

The Campbell Family

Bible

From Heather & Heath and Kissing Cousins

Source: Hector Campbell would have had it for his dynasty

Significance: It linked generations

Fate: At Glen Heather

~*~*~

She fetched the heavy Bible from the parlour and they pored over the names.

“If you’re a Garland,” said the man suddenly, “you’re a cousin of mine. Somewhat removed, and I can’t place the exact relationship. We’d have to check the Family Bible for that. How do you do, Cousin Garland?”

When Ness McCleod left Scotland to sail for New South Wales in 1837, she brought with her a limp little bible which she read from on Sundays. Ness’ bible wasn’t the Campbell Family Bible, though, because that was a heavy one. It is most likely that Hector Campbell, though not much of a one for religious observance, bought the larger one to record the growth of his dynasty. After her father Robert’s untimely death in 1919, Hector's great-granddaughter Alice Campbell used the bible to try to trace the new owner of the property Glen Heather.

In the 1990s, Alice’s great-great-niece Trina Garland visited Glen Heather, and met Alice’s great-grandson Alister McKenzie. Trina found the family bible.

 The sun’s rays fell dazzlingly on the large brass box on the mantel above the fireplace, and she picked it up. It was unexpectedly heavy, so she laid it on the polished table before she opened the lid. Inside was the Family Bible, its edges blurred with age and its black cover limp and greenish.

Trina and Alister also used the bible to seek out relationships, although their motive was simple curiosity. The last time the bible was sighted was when Alister used the box as a temporary resting place for one of Trina’s broken shoes.

Alister glanced uneasily at the shoe with the broken heel, just now perched skittishly on the box containing the Family Bible.

The Campbell-McKenzies being a traditional family, no doubt they still have it, now bearing the inked names and dates of a whole new generation.