Emma Blake was born in 1833, the daughter of Charles Henry Blake and Francis Denis. Her grandmother on her maternal side was an Indian Princess. On 30 April 1853, Emma married Allan Macpherson 3rd of Blairgowrie, who was born at Blairgowrie in 1818. William 2nd of Blairgowrie, went to Australia in 1829 taking his son Allan, aged 11 with him, where Allan attended Cape's School in Sydney. William held several senior posts including Registrar of the Supreme Court and Clerk of the Legislative Council. He died in 1866 at his country house, Bernera, near Liverpool about 20 miles from Sydney.
After completing his education, Allan took up sheep and cattle farming, his father having acquired a Crown grant of about 200 square miles of land in the Gwydir district of New South Wales, which he named Keera. He took up more land at Mount Abundance, Queensland, close to where now stands the town of Roma.
In 1854, Allan and Emma's first child, Jessie, was born at Blairgowrie and was followed in 1855 by a son, William Charles, also born at Blairgowrie. In 1856, Emma accompanied her husband and Jessie to Australia.
She wrote one of the earliest books on Australian pioneer life, My Experiences in Australia, 1856 to 1857, by a Lady. Emma was a talented artist and during this short stay in Australia she painted an album of scenes from her travels. Copies of three of these paintings form this display together with present day pictures of the same scene. The other paintings in the album but not on display have been reproduced and are in the folder accompanying the display. The album is in the Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales.
Emma and Allan had five sons and two daughters. The second son, Alan, was born in 1857 at Keera and became a judge. Charles Henry was born in 1858 at Blairgowrie. George Denis, in 1861 at Bernera, New South Wales. He never married and was killed as a Major in the Royal Scots at the Battle of Loos in 1915. The fifth son, Ewan Francis, was born at Blairgowrie in 1864. He held several important posts including Chairman of the Board of Health for Scotland and was awarded the C.B. The youngest child, Frances Eva, was born at Blairgowrie in 1874.
Emma and Allan Macpherson of Blairgowrie were the great grandparents of Sir William Macpherson of Cluny and Blairgowrie, the present Chief of the Clan Macpherson.