LATER YEARS

Hugh McCulloch remained in Peru until at least 1833 but we have little knowledge of his business activities there during the years following the winding-up of the Californian business. One of the few pieces of information is in a file held by the Peruvian Navy Historical Archive which reveals that in 1828 under his name of Luis Macala he was acting as ship's agent for the schooner Ayacucho which was commanded by a fellow Scot, Frederick Condell. 

A short extract from the file. Both images courtesy of the Peruvian Navy Historical Archive

We mentioned earlier in this story the dreadful conditions in Callao during and after the Siege. Captain Benjamin Morrel in his 'Narrative of Four Voyages' writes: 

"At the time of surrender Callao was literally in a state of ruin, presenting the most horrid spectacle I ever beheld. A great part of the town was levelled to the ground, and every house left standing was more or less injured. Unburied dead bodies of those who perished by famine or by gun-shots were found in the houses, and lay scattered about the streets.........the sufferings of the besieged can scarcely be conceived...." - it continues with detail too unpleasant to repeat.
This description is corroborated by many other accounts, for example:
"Out of above four thousand of the unfortunate people who retired to Callao, not more than two hundred outlived the effects of famine and epidemical disease."

Callao, let us remind you, is where Hugh McCulloch lived and carried on his business, apart from a short period in 1822/3 when he was voyaging to California. British Royal Navy Admiralty correspondence held at the National Archives in Kew, London, reveals that he played a prominent, perhaps heroic, role in assisting British merchants and sailors in Callao during and after the Siege and the other conflicts of the Peruvian War of Independence.

In August 1832 Hugh wrote to Lord James Townshend, the Captain of HMS Dublin which was then in Callao Bay as follows:

"Having in consequence of the state of my health made arrangements for returning to England, I take the liberty of troubling your Lordship on a subject which I have not hitherto brought to the notice of the British Government, namely my Services at this place as Agent to the British Consulate, during the time it existed in this Country, and since the departure of Messrs Willmot and Kelly the Pro Consuls, doing the duty of Vice Consul."

The letter continues with some detail of the work he has undertaken:

".........In the year 1825, I first undertook the charge of Agent to the British Consulate at this place, from the great number of British Seamen reverting to Callao, and the consequent disputes with the Population of it, always easily excited and more so from the supposition that the English had given support to the Spaniards in their defence of the Castles, I was frequently placed in dangerous situations and settling these affairs always caused much trouble, and required great influence with the local Authorities, this influence which your Lordship knows I even now possess........."

and concludes:

".......I ought also to mention that before there was any Public establishment for the reception of sick Seamen I had a room fitted up in my house for them, maintaining and providing them with Medical attendance as well as every necessary Comfort at my own expense.

I hope your Lordships will pardon me for troubling you at such length and also permit me to request your Lordships kind offices in forwarding my letters to H.M. Minister for foreign affairs in England that if my services should be deemed deserving of reward he will grant me such remuneration as he may think I deserve."

Lord Townshend then wrote to his superior, Rear Admiral Sir Thomas Baker as follows, and his letter is worth reproducing in full:

I have the honor to enclose the Copy of a letter to me, from Mr Hugh McCulloch of Callao, being a statement of his services as “Agent to the British Consulate at Lima”, and for the “Hospital for British Seamen” in that City.

Captain Waldegrave on leaving this Station, spoke of Mr McCulloch's care and attention in high terms, and he writes under date 17^th March 1832, Valparaiso that "the Sick are exceedingly well attended to by Dr. Smith, and Mr McCulloch has shewn every caution in admitting only proper patients for care – I have every reason to be grateful to those Gentlemen for their constant care in their respective departments. If it was not for Mr McCulloch's constant attention to the business of the Merchant Shipping, in my absence, and without a Consul, I could scarcely venture to leave the Port of Callao to perform the necessary duties of the station in other parts."

From my own observation, I can only say that I have never met with a person more anxious than Mr McCulloch to assist British Subjects, in every way; his House is at all times open to them, and he devotes much of his attention to facilitating their business with the different departments, which, as far as regards the Custom House at Callao, is a matter of much importance.

I am therefore induced to request you will be pleased to forward his letter to the Secretary of State for foreign affairs, in the hope that the claims of Mr McCulloch will be admitted, and he will be remunerated for his long and valuable services.

Rear Admiral Baker writing from HMS Warspite in Rio de Janeiro on 10th December 1832 to Captain the Hon. George Elliot, Secretary to the Admiralty in London wrote:

"I have the honor to transmit for the favourable consideration of my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty Copy of a letter dated the 22^nd of August last, from Lord James Townshend, the Senior officer in the Pacific, enclosing the Copy of a Representation from Mr Hugh McCulloch the Consular Agent at Callao, regarding his services in behalf of British Interests in that part of Peru and as I have frequently been informed, since I have held this command, of the zealous and meritorious conduct of Mr McCulloch and of the numerous acts of civility and assistance which he has at all times been happy to perform towards the Squadron on the station for a long series of years, it affords me much satisfaction to forward his claims on this occasion, with a view that, if it shall be deemed fit, Mr McCulloch may have the benefit of their Lordships influence with His Majesty's Government."

Unfortunately it has not been possible as yet to determine whether or not Hugh received any form of remuneration for his services.

We know he had returned to Scotland by 1836 as on 7th May of that year his signature appears as a witness on a codicil to the will of his uncle Quartermaster John Ross in Musselburgh, who died in March 1837 leaving a large estate of £4000. He declined a share in this estate in favour of his relatives who he considered were in greater need - all he wanted and received was his uncle's silver plate worth £36.

Between 1836 and 1840 he appears to have continued his travels as on the 30th July 1840 he wrote to a cousin in Canada from Durness where he was staying with his widowed mother Barbara at the Manse of the Reverend William Findlater. He writes:

"On my return from the U.S.A. and Cuba your favour of 10th October last was handed to me and I have noted the contents. From not having any fixed place of residence since my return from South America made me decline as one of your Uncle's executors ....... where I date this from is the land of my birth and I mean to remain with my mother for 6 weeks ....... I mean to pass the winter in Liverpool and if I can reconcile myself to the place remain there where I have many old friends, therefore if writing to me at any time, address care of Mr William Atherton, Atherton Buildings, Liverpool."

He died on the 23rd February 1842 when he was residing at Liscard on the Wirral peninsula near Liverpool. The executors of his will were William Atherton and the Reverend William Findlater (to whose four daughters he left £50 each, and he left his fishing tackle to Findlater's son Eric John who was, incidentally, the father of the well-known authors the Findlater Sisters).

We began this story by referring to the charity the "McCulloch Bequest for the Poor of Durness" and the following excerpt from the Will relates to this bequest: 
"I give and bequeath unto my Trustees hereinafter appointed the sum of Three hundred pounds Sterling upon trust to invest the same as soon as conveniently may be after my decease in the purchase of a competent Share or Shares of the three per cent Consolidated Bank annuities in the name of the Minister for the time being of the Parish of Durness in the Shire of Sutherland in Scotland to be held by him in trust and confidence yearly and every year after such investment as aforesaid to receive the dividends interest and annual produce thereof and pay apply and divide the same in his discretion unto for and among the Poor of the Parish of Durness aforesaid."

We will leave the final words to Heinrich Witt, a former merchant in Peru, who visited Glasgow in 1843 and wrote in his diary:
"A little south of the Cathedral lies the Necropolis or general burial ground upon a hill particularly arid and stony, belonging to the charitable institution called the merchants house, the sides of the hill are cut out into terraces which are crowded with tombstones and monuments; by chance I came upon a tombstone on which the name of Hugh McCulloch who died in 1842 was inscribed; I had known him in Callao, where under the name of Luis Macala, for he considered his own name too jaw-breaking for the Peruvians, he had been established as port agent."

THE END

EPILOGUE

Hugh McCulloch's mother Barbara moved from the Manse to live until her death in 1858 with her grand-daughter Hughina Sutherland at the Sutherland family croft in Saingomore near Durness. Hughina Sutherland was the grandmother of Beatle John Lennon's Uncle Bertie and Lennon spent many of his childhood summer holidays staying at the Sutherland croft, as commemorated by this plaque:

Hughina had been living with her grandmother at the Manse when Hugh was there, her parents having emigrated to Canada, and Hugh left her an individual bequest of £200 in his will. She married Robert Sutherland in 1844, not long after she would have received this bequest.
Hugh bequeathed his writing desk to his mother, along with his other personal effects. Perhaps, even likely, this writing desk found its way to the Sutherland croft house when she moved there.
Writing desk ....... John Lennon ......... postcards??

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