Margaret Thorburn was born in Skares on the 15th May 1885, the daughter of William Thorburn and Elizabeth Burnside.
She married Robert Gardner of Kirkconnel in 1908. They had 2 children under 12 when she enrolled in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps on 8 May 1918. She was 32 years old.
I was able to download her application from the National Archives for a small fee.
She was just over 5 ft tall and weighed 111lbs. Her address was 100 Prestwick Road, Ayr and she gave her father William Thorburn, 128 Skares as her next of kin. She was working as an assistant. waitress. She was given the option to serve abroad or at home and she chose unsurprisingly home.
She had to submit references! She was educated at Garallan school 'til the age of 14. John B Wilson her former teacher gave her a reference. As did Mrs Mary Urquhart of 32 North Park Avenue, Ayr , the wife of a blacksmith with whom Margaret had been employed as a metal machinist. She had also been employed before her marriage by Mr D Thomson Auchinleck Road, Cumnock as a table maid and by Dr Roxburgh of Troon.
After training in Edinburgh, she was posted to Gailes Camp nr Irvine.
There is no further detail of her service.
The family emigrated to the USA and she died in San Francisco in 1954.
Cumnock Connections tree
Remembering WW1 soldiers with a connection to Cumnock in Ayrshire, Scotland, including those who survived and others not mentioned on the War Memorial. Researched by Cumnock History Group.
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