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Three McGregors on Portpatrick WM

 
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Kenneth Morrison



Joined: 29 Sep 2008
Posts: 7749
Location: Rockcliffe Dalbeattie

PostPosted: Mon Apr 04, 2011 11:53 am    Post subject: Three McGregors on Portpatrick WM Reply with quote

I've just been reading Derek's transcription of the Portpatrick WM
http://warmemscot.s4.bizhat.com/warmemscot-ftopic2382.html
when I noticed the three McGregors listed there
Sergt. Charles McGregor, A.&.S. Highrs.
Sergt. James K. McGregor, N.S.W.I.
Pte. Simon G. McGregor, C. Victoria Rifles

Charles seems to be Sgt.(4354) 1st A&SH d. 16/4/1915 but SNWM has him born in Blairgowrie, Perth.
James seems to be Pte. (1992) 1st AIF d. 6-11/8/1915 enlisted New South Wales but born in Rattray, Perth. He was promoted to Sgt. prior to joining the 1st. Bn. but that does not seem to have been confirmed.
Simon I cannot find at all.

I don't see any of them on Blairgowrie/Rattray WM but?

Lots of questions Confused
Are they related? What's the Portpatrick link? Where is Simon? etc, etc.
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dhubthaigh
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 04, 2011 2:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, well, well, Blairgowrie & Rattray for the McGregors. I can't recall seeing any reference to them in my trawls of the local papers. Perhaps they went to Portpatrick when very young.
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Kenneth Morrison



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PostPosted: Mon Apr 04, 2011 5:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mark
There is a Charles McGregor b.1877 Rattray and a James Keith McGregor b. 1881 Rattray and a Simon Grant McGregor b.1889 at Killearn on scotlandspeople.
There is a James McGregor (a farmer) with his sister and two nieces at Portpatrick in 81, 91 and 1901 but no obvious connection.

James served with the Black Watch for some 15 years, including in South Africa, according to his service file at NA Australia.
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Kenneth Morrison



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PostPosted: Fri May 23, 2014 4:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Having tracked the family history I can now say that all three McGregors are brothers.
Charles MacGregor (b.1877) and James Keith MacGregor (b.1881) were the sons of John MacGregor, Gamekeeper at Craighall, Rattray, Perthshire and of his first wife, Elizabeth Anderson.
Elizabeth died in 1885 and John re-married in 1886 to Annie Menzies Grant.
Simon Grant MacGregor was born in 1889 in Killearn, Stirlingshire
His father was Gamekeeper at Ballikinrain, Balfron, Killearn and the family were there in 1891, 1901 and 1911.
(It might be significant that Ballikinrain castle was burned-out in June 1913, the blaze being attributed to suffragettes, causing £100,000 of damage. It was rebuilt in 1916)
Update: The Orr-Ewing family own (and still run) the Dunskey Estate. The family also owned Ballikinrain but sold out in 1911 and the estate was broken-up - which explains the McGregors move to Dunskey.

On the 1915 Valuation Roll John is Gamekeeper at Dunskey, Portpatrick.
John and Annie died there in the 1930's and are buried in Portpatrick Cemetery, as is another of their sons, Peter F. MacGregor who died in 1970 aged 82.

See also: http://warmemscot.s4.bizhat.com/viewtopic.php?p=64188#64188
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dhubthaigh
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 06, 2015 9:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

STIRLING OBSERVER: 16.02.1918
IN MEMORIUM


M'GREGOR - In Loving memory of Simon Grant M'Gregor, 24th Victorian Rifles (Canadians), killed in action, 11th February, 1916, in France, fifth son of John M'Gregor, Dunskey, Portpatrick; also of his brother, Sergeant Charles M'Gregor, A. and S. H., killed in action, 16th April, 1915; also his brother, Sergeant James K. M'Gregor, reported missing 6th to 11th August, 1915, now reported at that time killed in action.

O, sacred heart of Jesus,
How heavy is our cross;
'Tis Thou alone who knowest
Our sad and bitter loss.

- Inserted by their Parents, Brothers, and Sisters.

MacGREGOR, S

Rank: Private
Service No: 65691
Date of Death: 10/02/1916
Age: 27
Regiment/Service: Canadian Infantry 24th Bn.
Grave Reference: X. C. 1.
Cemetery: LA LAITERIE MILITARY CEMETERY
Additional Information: Son of John and Annie M. Grant MacGregor, of Dunskey, Portpatrick, Wigtownshire. Born at Ballikinrain Balfron, Stirlingshire.
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Adam Brown
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 07, 2015 10:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Once again the contemporary papers come up trumps. Here's a Stirling newspaper solving a mystery in the Galloway.

I've checked for Simon MacGregor's name in the Scottish National War Memorial and he isn't listed.

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columba



Joined: 19 Feb 2014
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 07, 2015 2:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The local papers of yesteryear are proving to be invaluable but can I put in a wee plaudit for the Stirling Observer of nowadays? In every issue (Wednesday and Friday) since August 2014, they have printed articles pertaining to WW1 from the corresponding issue of 100 years ago; these sometimes include lists of "Stirling Men for Active Service" with addresses and regiments. Today (7th January) there's also an article on "Girls' duty to aid war effort" - by raising cash and living a pure life!!
I don't know if any other local papers are doing something similar but I think it's a great idea.
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Adam Brown
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 07, 2015 2:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That is good news about the Stirling Observer. The Midlothian Advertiser is doing something similar but I don't know of others,

Adam
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apanderson
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 1:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Added this to Portpartick Memorial:

Stirling Observer, 1st April 1916, ‘Whole Family in Arms’
Under this heading the “Evening News” of Montreal, Canada, of date 26th February, gives a group photograph of Mr. John M’Gregor, 466 Nicolet Street, who is working on ammunitions, and his six brothers, five of whom are at the front and one enrolled under the Derby scheme. They are all the sons of Mr, John M’Gregor, who was head gamekeeper at Ballikinrain with the Orr-Ewing family for 25 years. Mr. John M’Gregor junior, who sends the paper, states that his father is now gamekeeper at Dunskey and Port-Patrick, Wigtownshire. Of the family in Canada:
Alec is in the Motor Section, Army Service Corps, presently attached to the Australian Red Cross
Donald is in the Motor Transport, Army Service Corps, Ammunition Park
Simon, 24th Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force, was killed in action on February 10th.
Charlie, who was a sergeant in the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, fell at Ypres on April 16th 1915
James, who was a sergeant in the New South Wales Infantry, has been missing at Lone Pine, Gallipoli, since August last.
Another brother, Peter, who is also a gamekeeper at Dunskey, is enrolled for service in the Army Service Corps and expects to be called up shortly after the single men have all been requisitioned.
John McGregor, who sends the Montreal “Evening News” containing the descriptive matter and the photograph (which for scientific reasons we are unable to reproduce), is shown in the uniform of the 2nd Montreal Heavy Brigade Canadian Artillery of which he was a member some years ago.

Children of John McGregor (Senior) & 1st Wife Elizabeth:

John* c1874, Blairgowrie
Christina c1875, Rattray
Charles* c1877, Rattray
Elizabeth c1880, Rattray
James Keith* c1882, Rattray

Children of John McGregor (Senior) & 2nd Wife Annie Menzies Grant

Peter F.* c1887, Killearn
Simon Grant* c1889, Killearn
Donald* c1892, Killearn
Margaret C. c1894, Killearn
Alexander G.* c1897, Killearn
Mary c1902, Killearn

* Listed in article

Anne Smile
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Adam Brown
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 2:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It would be interesting to know if their sister Margaret was involved on war work or in the services by the end of the war too given her age. Interesting that three brothers were in the ASC and were the ones who survived. The eldest two were in the MT section which might mean they were drivers before the war and were perhaps chauffeurs for the Orr-Ewings?

What I am surprised about is that one brother was in Australia and one in Canada before the war. I think it would be more usual that one would have followed the other to the same dominion rather than the other side of the world.

Adam
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