Robert Colquhoun Flockart (17 January 1820[1] – 29 January 1898) was a Wesleyan Methodist minister in colonial South Australia and Victoria; ranked Major Rev. Flockart, he was the first Methodist Chaplain-General of Australia.
History
Flockart was born in Glasgow, Scotland, the son of John Flockhart and Isabel Flockart, née Sinclair.[1]
Flockart was one of those who joined George Williams, John Christian Symons, (died 14 February 1894),[2] and a few others[a] who, in 1844, constituted the first meeting of the Y.M.C.A.[3]
He made three voyages to Australia as chaplain on convict transport ships, notably the Thomas Arbuthnot, which arrived 5 May 1847,[1] and is reported to have preached at the original 1841 church in Collins Street in 1849.[4]
After his marriage to Annie Munday they became Wesleyan missionaries, sailing to Australia aboard Randolph, acting as religious instructor on the voyage, arriving Melbourne on 8 August 1849, and entered the Methodist ministry in 1850.[1]
At Sydney they were met by Revs W. B. Boyce and Nathaniel Turner. At Hobart they met Rev. John Eggleston,[5] and proceeded to South Australia, where the only Methodist ministers were D. J. Draper,[6] R. C. Symons and W. Lowe (died 1891).[7]
Flockart spent 19 years in South Australia: Adelaide, Burra Burra (Kooringa), Kapunda, Mt Barker, Willunga, Gawler, and Brompton.[3]
All their children were born in Adelaide.
In 1885 Flockart was President of the Conference of the Victoria and Tasmania Wesleyan Methodist district.[8]
He retired in 1891 at the age of 71 years.[3]
He died at his home, "Clydeville", Seymour Avenue, Malvern,[9] although many references have Armadale,[4] the location of his last parish.
Albert T. Holden (died 1935)[10] succeeded Flockart as Wesleyan military chaplain in Victoria.[11]
Family
In 1849 Flockart married Ann Elizabeth "Annie" Munday (21 August 1821 – 18 August 1917), daughter of Isaac Munday, baker.[1]
She was converted to Wesleyan Methodism in 1845 after hearing the famous preachers Robert Young, Robert Newton, Dr. Beaumont, and Dr. Dixon at the Hinde Street Wesleyan Church.[3]
Their children included:
Annie Elizabeth Flockart (1850 – 1 March 1870), died age 20.
Robert Munday Flockart (20 May 1851 – )
Robert Pearce "Bert" Flockart (14 November 1886 – 15 July 1915), killed at Gallipoli[12]
^"The King's Mowings". The Methodist. Vol. III, no. 8. New South Wales, Australia. 24 February 1894. p. 7. Retrieved 2 January 2025 – via National Library of Australia.
^"No Title". The Elmore Standard. No. 191. Victoria, Australia. 23 January 1885. p. 2. Retrieved 3 January 2025 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Family Notices". The Argus (Melbourne). No. 16, 093. Victoria, Australia. 31 January 1898. p. 1. Retrieved 3 January 2025 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Rev. A. T. Holden Dead". The Sun (Sydney). No. 7997. New South Wales, Australia. 20 August 1935. p. 9. Retrieved 4 January 2025 – via National Library of Australia.
^"News of the Day". The Ballarat Star. Vol. 43, no. 13079. Victoria, Australia. 11 March 1898. p. 1. Retrieved 3 January 2025 – via National Library of Australia.
