Rev Joseph Corkey married Miss Isabella Sloane in 1866 and the background to this happy event is worth relating.
Isabella’s parents, James and Anne Sloane were originally from Scotland. James did not enjoy good health and it may have been because of this that they went to live in Hobart, Tasmania, where Isabella was born in 1840.
Sadly James died in 1848, leaving his wife Anne with three little girls, the eldest being Isabella who was then eight. Very soon, Anne Sloane decided to leave Australia and go back to Scotland to live with her father-in-law, who was called James Sloane. He was the headmaster of the Grammar School at Peebles, a school which produced many eminent pupils.
Anne Sloane and her three young daughters soon settled in Edinburgh, because she wanted the girls to be educated at the famous school called Edinburgh Ladies Institution. Isabella was clever and won many medals and prizes at the school. Later she, her mother and sisters went to Germany to finish her education.
She had been thinking of returning to some friends in Tasmania when one day something caught her eye as she read the Scotsman newspaper. It was an advertisement which had been inserted by William Tillie, originally from Glasgow. He had built a huge shirt factory in Derry. At that time it was the biggest shirt factory in the world and it was using a new American invention – the sewing machine.
Mr Tillie required an accomplished governess for his children and so Isabella decided to apply for the position. The story is told that the replies to this advertisement came at a busy time for Mr Tillie and while glancing through them he was struck by the excellent penmanship and qualifications of Isabella Sloane and decided immediately to give her the job.
Isabella accepted the post which meant her coming to live with the Tillies’ at their beautiful residence at Bellevue, Waterside. Young Joseph Corkey the newly installed minister of Second Glendermott lived in rented accommodation which was about ten minutes walk from Bellevue.
Their paths soon crossed and a friendship began between them which blossomed into love. The young governess fell head over hells in love with the handsome minister and in 1866 they were married.
Their first child Annie was born when they moved into the new manse in 1870 and not very long after that the rest of the large happy family arrived, filling the home with all the joyous sounds of childhood. The marriage was a long and fruitful one as they had 11 children – three girls who all became missionaries and eight sons who all became Presbyterian ministers.
Isabella passed away in 1905 and her husband Joseph followed five years later.
THE HOME COMING
Written by the Rev Alexander Corkey in commemoration of the re-union of Rev Joseph Corkey and his eight preacher sons at Glendermott Manse, September 1908.
The years have glided swiftly
Since we parted one by one;
And left the happy scenes of youth
When training years were done.Some had crossed with mighty ocean,
And had travelled far and wide;
All busy as ambassadors,
Teaching Christ the crucified.But a longing for the old home
Came amid the toil of life;
And we planned a grand home-coming
And a rest from every strife.We came with happy joyful hearts,
Eight brothers all were there;
And ‘neath the old homes sheltering roof
We bowed in thankful prayer.The honoured Father still in strength
Welcomed his sons with love,
And Mother’s joy was full, I ween,
Though now she lives above.What glad handshakes, what greeting gay,
What hours of rest and joy,
The preacher sons are young again,
Each feels himself a boy.And so me thinks when life is done,
And in that home above
We’ll meet in joyful companies
With gladness, praise and love.Our Father there will greet us
On that fair Heavenly shore,
And we, his well-loved children,
Shall rest, all journeys o’er.