Cumnock Parish Church Memorial

The Square Cumnock.

Photo by Morag Gordon

John Girvan, Australians

I found this clipping in the Cumnock Chronicle of 3 May 1918 and spent some hours trying to work out who these people were.

It was easy enough to find the fallen soldier using cwgc.org though his full name is William John Girvan.  He died on 2nd April 1918. There was further helpful information on his parents (John and Mary) and his birthplace and his age, 25. I looked for him on ancestry and found his birth.

Strangely there is a William John Girvan living in Waterside Place in 1881 (where Mrs John Cree is in 1918) but he is much older and the family seems to have gone on to Canada. So that seem to be a coincidence.

Other family trees suggest his mother Mary Allan is daughter of James Allan and Mary Archibald and I treat this with suspicion until I find that John Girvan and Mary Allan had a daughter Mary Archibald Girvan born in Maybole. (Scottish naming patterns can be very helpful)  The later children were born in Australia and Mary Archibald Girvan is in Australia too.

Now to look at Mrs John Cree in Waterside Place. There are 2 John Crees in the 1911 census in Cumnock and neither is in Waterside Place. John Cree a baker married Mary Catherine Peden of Ochiltree. Her mother Annie I can see in the censuses was born in Lamlash. This rang a bell as I had seen an Annie Allan born in Lamlash, already a sister of Mary Allan. Yes, her mother is Annie McCulloch Allan (named after James Allan's mother)  so Mary Catherine Peden  is the cousin of Corporal John Girvan.

The Chronicle has him as John Girvan. His family say he was known as Jack.

Allan family on the tree

His service record (74 pages) can be downloaded.  Click on View Digital Copy top right.  He enlisted on 1 March 1915 and his occupation was a labourer, He had trained as a barber for a year. He was 5 ft 5 and a half inches tall, had dark hair and eyes. He had been wounded three times previously, shot in the head, ear and leg. . After one of these hospital stays in England he was on furlough in January 1017 which is probably when he visited Cumnock. He served first in the Dardanelles and then France. He was promoted to Corporal on 5th June 1917.  He was badly wounded on 1st April with gunshot would to thighs causing a fracture and arm and back in Belgium. He died at the 5th Australian Field Ambulance the following day. (This doesn't quite tally with the newspaper report above). There is correspondence with his mother regarding his medals and war grave. All very sad reading.

Update 22 April 2018: The family in Australia has been in contact and have been to his graveside on the centenary of his death.

Great great grand nephew Malcolm Maurer writes:
Last night as we arrived in Brisbane, soil from William's grave was declared and treated with nothing less than honour and respect by Australian Customs.

In France Rod, Vanessa and I joined Meredith and Erin, touring the Western Front  as we prepared for the 100th anniversary of William's death.

Nothing could prepare me for the overwhelming emotion of the magnitude of sacrifices for our freedom.

Walking through fields in No Man's Land and finding live ammunition and items of war 100 years after thousands of men on both sides died in so many fields.

We walked as close as possible the final steps of William, as we made our way to his grave. Locating the clearing station that he was treated in before he died.

Arriving at Pont-D'Achelles Military Cemetery, I new where William was as I walked up the steps entering the cemetery.

I walked every row reading each name, then I stopped, paused and continued as I read William's headstone. Returning to his grave once I read each headstone.

Family from Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth honoured William's sacrifice in a private family service.

Given to us by our tour guide, I read the attached for the first time at his grave.

As each family member removed soil from his grave, we replaced it with flowering plants including a poppy.

A small gesture to reunite a mother and son, the soil will be interned into his mother's grave at a later date.

It was overwhelming knowing that in spirit he was home in Australia.

We will remember.

Previously the plan to visit was published in the Cumnock Chronicle in May 2017 in which we get a mention.

Robert Shankland V.C.

I have found a Cumnock Connection to a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest British military honour, Robert Shankland.

Robert was born in Ayr on 10 October 1887 to William Shankland, a railway porter later a guard, from Durrisdeer and Jane McCririck of Cumnock who had worked for the Boswells of Garrallan for at least 10 years before her marriage.

Daily Record 20 December 1917

Robert emigrated to Winnipeg, Canada in 1911 on the Sicilian.

He enlisted in Canada on 18 Dec 1914.

He was awarded both the DCM and the VC. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for Passchendaele on 26 Oct 1917.

With King George V and Queen Mary

He was given the freedom  of the Burgh of Ayr.

Daily Record 02 January 1918

He married Annie Stobo Haining in Prestwick in 1920 and by 1921 they were back in Winnipeg.  He died in 1968 in Vancouver.

His VC was put up for sale in 2009 but happily was purchased for  $240,000  by the Imperial War Museum of Canada.

Wikipedia

The Canadian Encyclopaedia

He died in Vancouver in 1968.

Cumnock Connections tree

John Hamilton

I now believe that this John Hamilton is the one referred to on Cumnock War Memorial and that the one I wrote about in 2014 here is on New Cumnock War Memorial.

I spotted the announcement of his death in the Cumnock Chronicle.

At Stobhill Hospital on 11th May 1917 as a result of wounds received in France on 18th Oct 1914 JOHN HAMILTON, RSF, husband of JEANIE MILLER, Roseburn Row.

His pension record survives.

He had been serving in the Territorials for 6 years when he enlisted in 1914.

He had blue eyes and brown hair and was 5 ft 4 in.

He was mobilised in August 1914. He was with the Expeditionary Force in France from 11 Sep to 20 October and at Home from 21 Oct until he was discharged unfit on the 2nd February 1916.
He received a gunshot wound (severe) to the back on 19th October 1914. All of which fits in with the notice.  The bullet seems to have pierced his bladder causing major problems and ultimately most likely his death, see below.

Family members are his wife Jane 7 Garrallan Row
Mother Jane Hamilton 45 High St Ayr
Younger brother Hugh, Drongan, Ayrshire
Children Margaret born Bellshill
twins Harriet & Jane born Old Cumnock

His pension records suggest he was born about 1888 in Calton, Glasgow. And his marriage certificate gives his mother as Jane Scott and father John Hamilton deceased.

His mother seems to be Jane Hamilton who married Cochrane Scott in 1885.  We have as yet been unable to find his birth certificate.

His death record gives cause of death as calculus in bladder (bladder stones), abcess in pelvis, suprapubic cystostomy (catheter) shock. He was 29.

Cumnock Connections tree

He doesn't appear on the Commonwealth Grave Commission's site, presumably as he had been discharged already from the army. Seems harsh.

John Shankland

Reported in the Cumnock Chronicle of 7 June 1918 the death of John Shankland of Tokanui, Southland, New Zealand while on service in France on 29th March 1918. He was the son of John Shankland and the grandson of John Shankland of Bowes Farm, Cumnock.

His father John was born in 1860 and emigrated to New Zealand by 1891 where he married Jane Agnes Parlane on 20th August.   John was a farmer  at Tokanui. Their son John was born in 1892.

John was a rifleman with the New Zealand Rifle Brigade and died at the Somme on 29 March 1918. He was 25.He is buried at Euston Road Cemetery in Colincamps

His father died suddenly a few months later on 17th June 1918 aged 58 and is buried at Quarry Hills Cemetery.

CWGC

Cumnock Connections tree

John Burns

John Burns was born in Cronberry about 1899,  the son of Peter Burns and Susan Kilday.

Here he is on the tree

The family lived at 260 Cronberry, second row. His father was a coal miner.
His parents were in Cambuslang by 1911

Ancestry tell us:-

Name	John Burns
Birth Place	Cronberry, Ayr
Residence	Cambuslang, Lanark
Death Date	13 Oct 1918
Death Place	France and Flanders
Enlistment Place	Hamilton
Rank	Private
Regiment	Machine Gun Corps
Battalion	(Infantry)
Regimental Number	132947
Type of Casualty	Killed in action
Theatre of War	Western European Theatre

CWGC has this on him.

Rank:

Private

Service No:

132947

Date of Death:

13/10/1918

Regiment/Service:

Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)

 

24th Bn. 

Grave Reference:

V. A. 5.

Cemetery:

ST. AUBERT BRITISH CEMETERY

Additional Information:

Son of Mr. P. Burns, of 32, Buchanan Square, Cambuslang, Lanark.

John Pollock

John Pollock was born about 1895 in Sanquhar. His parents Thomas Pollock and Mary Kirkhope had the Queensberry Hotel there at the time but by 1901 they were in Cumnock at the Burns Inn/ Bucks Head.

His story is brought to us by the Dumfries & Galloway Standard. Thanks to Rhonda for finding it.

Dumfries and Galloway Standard 18 April 1917

Later report some good news

2 June1917

And then some good and not so good news

5 Sep 1917

Snippet from the Cumnock Chronicle 11 January 1918

Lieutenant John Pollock, a prisoner for 9 months in Germany, is expected home today (11 January). He left a leg in Germany.

And he took part in a concert at Cumnock picture house in June 1918 for Red Cross Week.

On Cumnock Connections tree

He lived to be 85!  He died in Bishopbriggs in 1980.

Robert Miller

Robert Miller was born on the 23rd July 1879 in Cumnock the son of David Miller a coal miner and Agnes Kyle.

He is mentioned in the Cumnock Chronicle Roll of Honour in 1916 as with the Canadians, so he was easy to find.

His Canadian papers can be see here

He enlisted on the 5th September 1914 at Valcartier. He was single 34 years old,  a labourer and his next of kin was his mother Agnes living in Ayr.

1881 census
2 Barrhill rd Cumnock
David Miller 33
Agness Miller 33
Ellen Miller 12
Maggie Miller 10
William Miller 8
Isabella Miller 6
Agness Miller 5
Jane Miller 3
Robert Miller 8 Mo

1891 census
Ayr rd,  Cumnock
David Miller 43 coal miner b Kirkconnel
Agnes Miller 44 b Strathaven
William Miller 18
Agnes Miller 15
Jane Miller 13
Robert Miller 11
David Miller 9
James Miller 7

In the 1901 census  he is a spirit salesman in Rutherglen, Glasgow.

He appears to have survived the war.

on the tree

John Pyle

John Pyle appears in the Cumnock Chronicle list of men serving in WW1. He is an engineer on board HMS Anne, a seaplane carrier.

John was born on 7 February 1891 in Dumfries the son of a tailor William Lockerbie Pyle and Carolina Boggie Wilson.

The family was in Cumnock by 1899 when sister Robina was born.

In the 1901 census they are in Townhead Street and father William is a tailor's cutter.
William Pyle 32
Caroline Pyle 31
John Pyle 10
Caroline Pyle 8
Robina Pyle 1

In the 1911 census they are in 4 Waterside Place and John is an engineer, mechanical
There are two nieces living with them Mary 8 and Elizabeth Pyle 2 born in Dumfries.

John died in Cumnock in 1975.

PC written to his sister Ruby (Robina)

John in Cumnock Connections tree

Kelly brothers of Skares

David Kelly, the son of Richard Kelly and Martha McFarlane enlisted in the Royal Garrison Artillery at Ayr on 10 Apr 1918. His service record survives and provides much information.

He was a coal miner aged 19 years and 241 days and his next of kin was his mother Mrs Richard Kelly, 140 Skares.

He was 5ft 5 1/2 in and chest 35 1/2 in.

He was invalided out on 18th June 1918 at Newhaven because of shortness of breath and inability to walk far.

It also states "he is sufficiently robust to earn a normal day's wage in the employment he is going to take up".

His older brothers James and William both died within weeks of each other in the 1918 flu epidemic.

David married neighbour Sadie Thorburn in 1925.  In the 1930 valuation roll he is a collier at 128 Skares Row. They lived latterly in Mauchline.

Brother Charles Kelly was in the HLI and also discharged as unfit on the 29th August 1918. He was a spirit salesman, of good character, sober, honest and diligent.

Cumnock Connections tree

Henry Carruthers

Henry Charles Carruthers was a 34 year old grocer living with his wife Janet or Jessie McSorland and 3 children at 368 Cronberry when he enlisted in 1917.

He was in the RGA and was a gunner, stationed at Falmouth and Plymouth.

On demobilisation his address was 29 Glengyron Row and he was still at that address in 1930 (valuation roll). By then he was a labourer.

He was born in Dalbeattie about 1882. His parents were Hugh Carruthers a ploughman and Henrietta Jane Russell.

Here he is on Cumnock Connections tree

Fred McCririck

He was born Alfred McCririck in  but later records have him as Frederick. His parents were William McCririck and Jane Younie.

According to his service papers :-

• He volunteered for the Territorial Army and was enlisted  in the 5th  RSF at Ayr in 14 April 1908
• He was 5 ft 9
• He was an engineer with Baird & Co.
• His father was Frederick McCririck of Glaisnock St, although  the census gives his father as William McCririck
• He was promoted to Sergeant.

1891 census
Donaldsons Brae, Cumnock
William McCririck             50
Jane McCririck             45
Thomas McCririck             14
Alfred McCririck             7

1901 census
Greenbraeheads, Cumnock
William McCririck             60 blacksmith
Jane McCririck             54
Fred McCririck             17 engineers apprentice


He married Annie Morrison McKenzie in Muirkirk in 1913.  He later worked as an engine fitter in Glasgow.

He is the brother of Thomas McCririck

Cumnock Connections tree

Thomas McCririck

Thomas McCririck survived the war but died young nevertheless in 1920.

He was born on 18th March  1877 at Garallan Smithy of a long line of blacksmiths working there. His parents were William McCririck and Jane Younie.  He was a bright lad though and went to Glasgow University.

In the 1911 census he was working as a doctor in Wandsworth Hospital, London. He married Isabella Morrison in 1912 in Glasgow.  Things were going well for him until the advent of war.

Glasgow University records provide a lot of information:-

Thomas McCririck graduated from the University of Glasgow with an MA 1900, a BSc 1903, MBChB 1906, MD 1911, and DPH RCPS Eng 1911.

Thomas was born 18 March 1877 in Old Cumnock and he was a very high achieving student at the University, gaining a number of prizes and having a particular gift for Botany and Zoology.
In 1901 he gained the Herbarium Prize and a Second Class certificate for Botany with ‘Special Commendation of Excellence of Specimens’. The entry records that: “Mr McCririck’s Herbarium contained 471 specimens correctly named.”

The next year he was the Medallist in Practical Botany and also won the William Hunter Medal and Special Prize for Practical Zoology. In 1903 Thomas gained a Second Class certificate for Anatomy and was 2nd equal in the class for Embryology. He gained a First Class certificate for Embryological Lab the next year. In 1905 McCririck gained a Commendation Certificate for Clinical Surgery and received a First Class certificate in Senior Clinical Surgery in 1906.

Thomas McCririck then gained an MD 1911 with a thesis titled: The streptococco-opsonic index in scarlatina, erysipelas and puerperal fever.

During WW1 Thomas McCririck served in the Royal Army Medical Corps as Temp Lieutenant in 1915 and Temp Captain in 1916 and 1918. McCririck was awarded the British Medal, the Victory Medal and the IS Star for his services during the War. 

Thomas McCririck died in 1920, believed drowned and perhaps as a result of living with shell shock.

The implication is he drowned himself.  

Hull Daily Mail 10 June 1920

This is his probate.

Thomas on our family tree

With thanks to Rhonda Queen for research.

Cumnock Chronicle Articles

In the summer of 1914 to mark the outbreak of WW1, we prepared some articles for the local newspaper, the Cumnock Chronicle. It seemed fitting as a lot of our findings came from old Cumnock Chronicles.

Articles as they appeared in the Chronicle

James Baird

James Baird was the son of Cumnock potter William Baird and Margaret Barrie. He was born in Belfast in 1897.

Here's the family in 1911 census
114 Townhead St, Cumnock
William Baird 39 potter, thrower, Scotch Motto Ware
Margaret T wife married 15 yrs 4 ch 4 living b Glasgow
Annie 15 b Glasgow
James 14 b Ireland
William 12 b Ireland
Alexandra 10 b Sauchie, Clakmannashire
Alexander Barrie 77 wid father-in-law b Glasgow

James enlisted in the HLI in 1916. His service record survives. He had blue eyes and brown hair.  He was a millwright. He lived at Crossriggs Cottage in Townhead Street, now the vets. He was of good character.
He was discharged just three months after enlisting as he suffered from a lung condition and was in hospital in Edinburgh. He was advised to go to a sanatorium but was not willing.  There was some discussion as to whether army service caused or aggravated his condition. The army concluded it did not. He got £25 as a gratuity.
He married Christina Speirs in 1925 but succumbed to his lung condition in 1928.
He had a son who is still alive. He was only 8 months old when his father died, and his daughter sent me the photos.

James on Cumnock Connections tree

James in hospital blues

James with his sisters

1925 wedding photo