Queries Page
The main purpose of this page is to provide a forum for members wishing to look for information from both members and non-members. While the Guestbook is generally available it can only be added to by those on the internet so this page can carry queries sent from those without a computer link as well as our computerised members. Queries sent to the Journal editor will be included and those can be added to the website at more frequent intervals than the Society Journal.
It is quite acceptable for queries to be entered on both the Guestbook and Queries pages. There may well be members and non-members out there who will not look at a Guestbook but will peruse a Queries page.
If E-Mailing Queries they can be sent to caithnessfhs@gmail.com while by ‘snail mail’ they should be addressed as follows;- Allan C Lannon, 6 Burnett Place, Thurso, Caithness. KW14 8RF.
Mitchell, Olrig Query
My
g.g.grandfather's brother, Charles Mitchell, died in Castletown,
Olrig, Caithness on the 8th of May 1926. He was a
gamekeeper and although born in Aberdeenshire, had worked there,
in Ireland and on the Blair Estate in Culross in Fife. I
understand that the Blair estate was taken over by Lord Carlow
during or after WW1 and I presume that that is when Charles
moved to Caithness.
Where in or near Castletown would he have worked - still a
gamekeeper according to his death certificate? The address
given is something-field, Castletown, Olrig.
Was he buried in Castletown? He was Church of Scotland,
his wife a Roman Catholic and she died in 1949 in Dalmuir,
Dunbartonshire.
Did any of the family remain in Olrig? The informant on
his death certificate, Angus William Mitchell, his son, moved
sometime afterwards to Glasgow and then to Fife. Another
son Charles is also in Dalmuir at the time of the mother's
death.
Replies gratefully received at tishgibbons@yahoo.ie
or addressed to:-
Tish Gibbons, Cloonleenaun, Annaghdown, Co. Galway. Republic
of Ireland
Alexander Miller Query
I have read with interest your
association’s web site and am writing to ask if any of your
members can help me to trace my ancestor – Alexander Miller
from Reay in
Alexander Miller was born abt. 1801 at Reay in Caithnessshire
(source 1851 and 61 census) and died 17 Nov 1862 in Comrie St.
Crieff,
The hard evidence that I have is as follows:
1795 Baptism October 28 ----- to Donald Miller & Ann M
Pherson in Forsnian? (Which I take to be the name of a dwelling
or hamlet)
1841 Census -
Alexr. Millar, Male, 45, Tanner , Not born in county
1851 Census - King Street, Crieff, Perthshire
Alexander Miller, Head, Married, 50, Tanner, Caithness shire,
Reay
1861 Census – King Street East Side North House
Alexr. Miller, Head, Widr., 60, Tanner (Jour.), Caithness shire,
Reay
1862 Death Certificate
Alexander Miller, Tanner’s Labourer, Widower of Mary Edington,
1862 November Seventeenth 3h 0m PM Comrie Street, Crieff, Male,
69 (possibly 60) years, father Donald Miller (deceased) mother
------- Miller M.S. McPherson (deceased), Donald Miller son
present.
I would be grateful for any advice as to how best progress this
matter and confirm Alexander’s baptism and his parents details
Colin Millar
colin.millar@tinyonline.co.uk
Army Query and the Caithness Contemptibles
I have Captain Thomas Dunbar of Grangehill, born abt 1736 marries 1st Janet Dunbar, daughter of Sir William Dunbar of Hempriggs. There are six children born of this marriage with bpts all at Wick covering the years 1763-1769 when Janet dies.
George
McLeod Family and Sinclair Family Research
I need help in
locating a family which lived and hopefully still lives in the
I am seeking to contact this family because they are a link to my
great-grandfather, John Sinclair, who was born in the Latheron
area in either 1838 or 1839, and who went to
I myself am a retired Presbyterian minister, and I live in the
midwest of the
I would be most grateful for any assistance you can give me to
locate a family which might be the McLeods I am seeking.
W. Noel Brown
13252 Pleasant Street (
Harbert MI
oreresource@rocketmail.com
Sinclairs from Lybster Question
Dear members of the Caithness Family History Society,
I am sending this email to you because I don’t know who to contact. I have all the certificates from Scotlandspeople but I want to find some living relatives. Could you put me on to someone (a Sinclair from Lybster perhaps) who could help me?
I am bringing my 80 year old mother to Scotland in early June and I want to show her where her family lived at Rowe Ulbster. Her mother grew up in Ulbster but she has lost contact with her immediate family and she is the only descendant in her line.
Her mother Catherine Sinclair born 1880, grew up with her brothers Donald (died in South Africa) , Robert (stayed on the croft but remained single), William (married late in life-no children & lived in Perth), Christina (died in her twenties (single) and John George (said to be the "black sheep" of the family).
The family tree
1st generation Donald Sinclair born c 1750 married Janet Seir
Child
2nd generation William Sinclair born 1813 mid-Clyth married Christina Miller
3rd generation Children- some of them
Stewart
John
Robert b 1848 d 1937 Ulbster -married Mary Miller lived at Ulbster with Mary's mother Mary Miller after William Miller's death
Children 4th generation
Donald- died South Africa
William – married late in life- lived in Perth
Robert- worked on the farm at Ulbster- single
Catherine married James Ward in Glasgow in 1910 and came to Sydney Australia after 1910 One child Gwendolene Moya Ward b 1926 (my mother)
Christina single died in her twenties
John George-unknown where he went
My only hope of finding someone alive is through Robert's brother Stewart who married Margaret Slater in 1881. They lived in Lybster later on but some of the children were born in Mid Yell.
The children were Margaret married James Baikie m 1905 and lived in Lybster; Martha, Christina, Johan, William, Annie, John, Lizzie, Stewartine, and Donald born 1899. Margaret died and Stewart remarried Esther McLeod
(Sinclair) in 1920.
I was hoping that through this family I might find a descendant who still lived there.
Through burial sites I have the tombstone of Mary Sinclair and her daughter Christina at Clyth even though they were living at Ulbster at the time.
Robert died in 1937 and I presume he was buried at Ulbster.
I would most appreciate it if you could help me or put me on to someone who could help.
Regards Roslyn Hartwig email ellros8@bigpond.com
Catherine Nichol l
I
am researching my great grandmother, Catherine Nicholl who came
out to N.Z. in the early 1860s, perhaps with her brother Francis
(Frank) She married in
Invercargill (N.Z) Joseph Pierce Punch on 23rd March 1865.
According to her death Cert. 11th July 1926 she was 83
years old and had lived in N.Z. for about 63 years.
I
would love to be able to trace her date of birth and the ship on
which she left the U.K
My
friend in Wick has unveiled a great deal of history for me and has
found her mother as Catherine (Cormack) Nicholl and father John
Nicholl and their respective death dates as 11th June 1891 aged 81 and
1st Sept 1888, her father John was 80 years old I
believe these latter parents of my great grandmother to be buried
in the Latheron OLD cemetery near the NW corner of the Church (now
the Clan Gunn heritage Museum.
Could
anyone help me with my quest for information. I know
very little about my great grandmother except for always knowing
that my father's family loved her dearly and she was highly
regarded in our community of Raetihi N.Z.
I would be very grateful for anything which would help ..
Dorothy
Battersby. My postal address is
E-Mail – omorehu@actrix.co.nz
Mackay and Gunn - Dunbeath
I
am in my first fortnight of researching the MacKay and Gunn
families from Latheron parish.
Basic
details are as follows:-
John
MacKay, farmer, Rangag, b.1826 d.1898 married Janet Gunn b.1827 d
1911
Family
of above:-
Margaret
MacKay b.1858 d.1953
Mary
MacKay b.1860 d.1955 married Francis Duffy
John
MacKay b. 1862 d.1907 no marriage details
Isobella Helen
MacKay b.1866 d. 1957 married William Manson
In
an account dated October 1913 and which relates to beneficiaries
of an estate of a person unknown but could
have
been the estate of my great grandmother Janet MacKay, Margaret,
Mary and Isobella are named as
beneficiaries
with the amounts to be credited to each one given. A fourth
beneficiary is named, one Ronald MacKay
I
have no idea of his family background, date of birth, place of
birth and location when named as a beneficiary
Before sending
to the GRO in
any
of the following questions:-
1.
Marriage date of John MacKay and Janet Gunn and where married
(from their ages I would suggest mid-1850's)
2.
Any information on Ronald MacKay
3
Where there any further children born to my great grandparents
after the birth of my great aunt Bella in 1866?
I put
in question 3 above because a trawl through what little family
papers I have showed the existence of John
MacKay
b.1862 who died in Croydon in 1907 and was a retired inspector
from the Metropolitan Police force.
I
never ever heard my grandmother or her sisters ever talk about a
brother or for that matter, Ronald MacKay.
I
am 76 now but can recall back as far as Xmas 1933 and onwards
when I was with my grandmother and her
sisters
so I'm quite positive that I never heard in conversation those two
names. My father up until the 1st World
War
spent holidays in
called
her when telling me about his visits in those days.
Thank
you to anyone who can answer my queries thus fill in missing links
in my family background.
Tony Duffy
bretonduf@eircom.net
TURNBULL QUERY
My
gggrandfather James TURNBULL was married at Gladsmuir Haddington
in 1841 and the census that year and 1851 shows he was married
Caithnesshire Wick however I can find no trace of his birth.His
death cert at Belhaven Dunbar shows a father Andrew (mother
not shown) he died in 1875 aged 65 making his birth about 1810.
In
Caithness there was a family Andrew Turnbull/Isobel Cuthbertson
with children born in
I have the
family bible starting 1841 with their wedding all filled in up to
date but I just cant get the birth connection.Being a borderer I
believe they may have gone up with sheep from down this end with
the clearances and he came down as a groom pre 1841.
Any help
would be appreciated.
Alan
turnbull
Caithness -Suffolk connection
I am desperately trying to find a link between Caithness and Southwold in suffolk. My Spence ancestor's came from Caithness and built a house in Southwold (Caithness House). But can i find the link not a chance...in 1891 there was a Spence family living in the house but they were born there. I think the link must be with a Mary Ann who married Benjamin Spence but can't find info anywhere. I have Spence's back to 1721 all born in Southwold apart from John Spence born 1740. Most of them were fishermen so i have a feeling the link will be on the female side. If anyone could help or advise i would be very grateful. My e-mail address is chelleandnoel@aol.com
Alexander Macpherson
I am looking for information on my two g.uncle's who emigrated to Canada early 1900's one was called Walter Gunn. He went to Banff and Donald Gunn who was a fire chief in Winnipeg. Their brother was called John and their sister(my g.ma.) was called Margaret. They all lived in Olrig(Thurso)Caithness. Contact e-mail sandy2_8@msn.com.
Caithness - A Peek into the Past
When I was up in Thurso I came across a publication called 'Caithness-A Peek into the Past'. Going through it on page 38-39 was a photo of my father playing football for Halkirk in 1935. This was a year prior to my birth. When I made enquires from various sources including the Groat who published the book (2004). I was told it was out of print and that only 1000 copies had been printed. I am willing to pay full cost plus post and package if someone could supply a copy of the book.
Alexander MacPherson E-mail; sandy2_8@msn.com
Robert and Jane (nee Geddes) Galloway
John McDonald (MacDonald)
Looking
for descendents of the John McDonald (MacDonald), born N.Uist c.1831
who married a Mary Barrie in 1859 and moved first to Thurso and then
probably in the early 1860's to Wick where he was a Police constable
until he retired about 1897.
Our
descent is via his son John born 1860 died `1900 in Edinburgh Royal
Infirmary (and then his daughter Mary Barry McDonald who married
a Donald Nicolson) although his wife and children were still living in
Pulteneytown.
We
know the burial place of most of John Jnr's children -many who died
very young -but we've been unable to find his burial place. Have tried
all the cemeteries in
Ann-Marie
Simpson
Ferguson/Horne
Query
He
married CATHARINE HORNE b 8/8/1795 Thurso on 9/8/1816 at Wick.
They
had 3 children
James
b 3/7/1820 Wick
Mary
b 16/3/1819 Thurso
Janet
b 16/8/1817 Thurso
I
have followed James through birth to death.
No
trace of Janet or parents.
Can
anyone help please?
Many
thanks
ENQUIRY
FROM JOHN SMITH
Has anyone got information on Captain
David Edward Medley Smith, born Lybster
(Reay) in 1841. His parents were David
Smith and Isbella Bain. They had nine
siblings - John, Janet, James, Steele,
Joseph, William, Andrew (1), Andrew (2), and
Margaret.
David Edward Medley Smith married Jessie
Dunnet at Wick on 18/01/1867. Their children were - Jessie Laird
Smith, b.28/02/1 869, Wick, Isabella Bain Smith, b.6/1 Oil 871, Thurso,
Helen Smith, b.6/1 1/1876, died 1881, David John Smith,(1) b.16/02/l
877, died 4/03/1 877, David Smith,(2) b.8/06/1 877, (my Grandad),
Donaldina Smith b.28/06/l 881, and James Smith, b. 26/07/1886.
Also David Smith and his wife Barbara
(nee Nesbit) lived at Freswick House,
Does anyone have any information on the
above?
I would like to apologise to anyone who
has been in touch with me and did not get a
reply, due to ill health.
Tel. 01776 704276. Mob.07855 632019
William Swanson/Esther McKay
I have been researching my Mcdonald/Mckay family tree and have come across an interesting side branch with which I would like to have any help available.
Bremner
and Dunnet Search
I
am trying to find my grandfather's birth place and my grandmothers
Daniel
Bremner (my
paternal grandfather)
First
wife Elizabeth Dunnet (
my paternal grandmother)
1.
Robert Bremner
b. 1872
2.
Daniel Alexander Bremner
b 20 November 1874 Montreal, Quebec c 1875 Montreal
St. Mathhew, Anglican m Lillian
Butterly, 6 Dec 1893 Toronto, d Rochester New York 20
October 1942
3.
Ann Bremner
b Toronto Ontario 25 April 1878, d August 29 !897 16 months I think
found a death registration but no parents names but registered by the
same man who registered her birth. and the time frame works out and
haven't found her anywhere else.
4.
Henry Dunnet Bremner b
19 January 1880
5. William
Millar Bremner b 30 October 1881 d???
6.
Charles McKay Bremner twin
b 03 October 1883 m Elizabeth
Jane Goddard
1956 d 15 August 1945
8.
George Wright Bremner ( my father) b 20 February 1885
Toronto, Ontario, m Florence
Mary Mann 21 June 1916 m
Mabel Edie 11 May 1955 d
06 January 1976
9.
James Smart Bremner
b14 December 1887
10.
Elizabeth Dunnet Bremner b
06 March 1888 d 22 May 1888 3 months old
she
is buried with her parents in
As Elizabeth Dunnet died when she was 37 years old just 18 days after she gave birth to her Daughter Elizabeth Dunnet Bremner the twins, my dad and James were all put in an orphanage, the older boys took out the twins, but my dad and younger boy were left there
Cormack Search
Looking for the names of Marion Cormack born on March 22, 1730 in Reiss, Caithness, Scotland parents. Reiss, Caithness, Scotland is about 3 or 4 miles north of Wick.
SEEKING WILLIAM SUTHERLAND
I am searching for a William
Sutherland, father of another William Sutherland with the son being born
in 1716 and the father about 1685 in the Catchery, Watten Parish.
Any leads or direction that you can give me would be appreciated.
Graham Evan MacDonell
Suite 341 - 111 West George Street
Glasgow G2 1QX
graham_macdonell@yahoo.co.uk
Halcro
I'm trying to find out any information on my surname Halcro, there just doesn't seem to be much information out there and there must be something as the name does exist and has roots in Scotland and the Orkney Islands, any help would be greatly appreciated.
Anne
MacDonald is looking for her Grant ancestors/descendants from Badbea
She has been unable to trace a birth
record for her great, grandfather, George Grant.
He was born in 1845 but no record has come to light.
His parents were Gordon Grant and Georgina Gunn, married January
1834. In the 1841 census for
Badbea it lists:
Gordon
Grant 35
John
Grant
4
Anne
Grant
2
Betty
Grant
8
Anne
can be contacted at:
Sutherland Family Query from jdzijlstra@slingshot.co.nz
Hello, my name is Dianne (nee McLauchlan) & I have been searching for ancestors of my g.grandmother Christina Sutherland who was born on 16 November, 1838 In Dunbeath, Caithness. Her parents on her death certificate are listed as William Sutherland & Christina Sutherland formerly Sutherland. I have no idea where they lived previously or who Christina's (daughter)siblings were.
Query from Barbara McCulloch
PATTERSON
Please
help me disseminate this letter to anyone who may have genealogical records
for “Paterson” or “Patterson” families from
I
am a 7th generation “Patterson” residing within a half mile of the
original homestead in
My
desperate hope is that somewhere a record exists of a “John Paterson” from
John
was born somewhere in
http://www.gogaspe.com/sunny/john.htm
Andrew Patterson
19 Sunny Bank,
e-mail: andy@gogaspe.com
Telephone: 1-418-368-3723
Linda Boyd is:
Researching: ANDERSON,
BAIN, BANWELL, BLAIKIE, BOYD, COGHILL, KIELEY,
MacKay, MILLER, WHITE
Looking for any information on Andrew BOYD who married Jane COGHILL who
parents were William COGHILL and Mary MILLER.
Linda Boyd can be contacted at: thistles_55@hotmail.com
Brian Gay is looking for George Scott:
I am trying to trace a George Scott, born c1832. The connection I have is from an 1871 English census for Clewer in Bucks (Berks?) where he is living with his wife Mary Ann and his children. The census lists him as being born in 'CAITHNEGE' SCOTLAND. The GROS tells me that this is probably Caithness hence my search.I f anyone can shed any light on George, his background and family I would be most grateful. I have no clues as to the area, parish or parents.
Brian Gay brimax@tiscali.co.uk
Brian Dixon sales@bd-electronics.co.uk says:
My Gr/Gr/Grandad was called George Sutherland born c1826 in Scotland. He married a Jane Smith in Birkenhead on 28th December 1858 a month after the birth of Janes’ son George Smith (later to be called George Smith Sutherland. From this marriage certificate his father is a Donald Sutherland a Farmer. Later on the family turn up in Prescot in the 1871 Census, Then Mallerstang Westmorland in the 1881 Census.
Searching on the Scottish peoples website for a George Sutherland with a father Donald comes up with two instances in 1826.
I ordered both records. George from Aberdeen his father was a weaver, but george from Dunnet, Caithness his father was a Farmer of 6 Acres in the Scottish 1871 Census at the ripe old age of 98yrs.
However I still cannot link my Gr/Gr/Grandad George with Donald's son George because I cannot get an exact Birth date for George Sutherland in any of the UK Records etc.
He worked as a railway Labourer, possibly on the Seattle to Carlise Line in the 1870’s.
Any ideas in locating his date of birth so I could link him with George Sutherland from Dunnett Caithness.
Nicolson Descendants
I am interested to know of any
living descendants of my great-grandparents, David Nicolson and Catherine
Harold, who were married in June 1848 (marriage recorded in the parish records
of Wick and Canisbay). They lived at or near Nybster.
They brought up their grandson John Elder Nicolson (my grandfather) and his twin
Alexander (born 27th July, 1880) when their mother died a month after the twins
were born. (Their mother was Janet, born 27 April 1857 at Wick).
Other children of my great-grandparents included Alexander (baptised 7 Dec 1849
at Canisbay), James (baptised 17 Dec 1850), Ellen (born 14 May 1859), David
(born 23 March 1862), twins Catherine and William (born 9 March 1866), and twins
Donald and Sinclair (born 21 June 1868). There might also have been other
children.
In the 1891 census, in addition to my grandfather John and his twin Alexander,
there was also another grandson, Donald McKay, aged 2, recorded in the
household - I would be interested to know whose child he was.
My mother was Mina Nicolson, John Elder Nicolson's elder daughter. She was born
in Edinburgh in 1912 and lived there and in Fife for most of her life. She died
in December 2004.
Christine Ramage cmckr@hotmail.co.uk
A Mystery from Morris Pottinger
Mystery surrounds the fate of a Simpson and a Robson, or Robertson, from Reay Parish in the mid 1850s. I met long years ago an Australian couple who had a press cutting of two men beset by Aboriginees in the Outback, one was killed, the other got away. I did not record it at the time, a grievious error. Now I know that a Simpson vanished from the Mill at Lybster, Forss, and only a few days ago heard that a Robson, living near by at Balmore, also vanished. They were cousins, at least by marriage. Nothing was ever heard of them. Were they the two mentioned, does someone in Australia have access to the facts or knowledge of this episode? Morris Pottinger, Member of the Caithness Family Society, would like to know if there is still a trace to be found to conclude this mystery.
If you can help E-Mail: allan@alannon.freeserve.co.uk
Alexander Sinclair Dunnett requires help
Alexander Sinclair Dunnett (Membership No. 430), Flat 4, 4 Magdalene Place, Edinburgh, E15 3BJ (Tel. 0131 669 8942) is looking for help with the following;-
James Dunnet (Farmer) Mey or East Mey
Wife Elizabeth Horne Date approx. 1750
Known Child Alexander Dunnet Born 1788 Christened 04/07/1789
The information he wishes to get is:-
1. Location of Farm/Holding
2. Date of Marriage
3. OTHER Childre
4. His Parents
5. Any other information
Mr Dunnett hopes to make a visit to Wick/Thurso later in the year.
Elizabeth Jolley Requests help
Death certificate of Joseph Bain (d. 1877 aged 73) named parents as George Bain (Joiner) and Jean Beg but they have not been located. Can anyone help?
Information from Leigh White
Joan McMurdo Whiston (MS Sinclair), CFHS 459
I am looking for a Chelsea Out Pensioner, David Robertson. He was in the 1851 census for Latheron. I wish to find out the regiment and the war he was involved in.
I was born and educated in Edinburgh and came to Canada about 50 years ago. I have done extensive research on my Caithness ancestors and continue to do so (Researching: Sinclair – Latheron – 1800 on, Robertson – Halkirk & Latheron 1790 on).
I would be happy to help any members with Canadian research at minimal cost.
GILLIAN TOVEY
Mrs Tovey, in a letter to George McKain our Membership Secretary, outlines her research interests and would be delighted to hear from anyone who can help her with her family history. Her interest is in the ‘Sinclair-Wemyss Family’ of Southdun, Bower. Currently she is trying to find the ancestors of Lt.Col. William Weymss who married the heiress, Henrietta Sinclair, heretrix of the Southdun estate.
Mrs Tovey says that it appears that his great grandfather was a gentleman tenant of Lord Pitsligo living at Aberdour in Aberdeenshire. His grandfather was a John Wemyss (1729-1802) and was a writer to the signet.
While having a skeleton framework, which now requires some flesh, Mrs Tovey finds further research difficult as she does not have a computer. Anyone able to assist can write to Mrs Tovey at the following address;-
Mrs Gillian Tovey, 64 Broadgate Crescent, Almondbury, Huddersfield, HD5 8HU, West Yorkshire. Her Telephone Number is 01484 515958.
REQUEST FOR INFORMATION FROM MARGARET GRUBE
Mrs Grube’s grandfather was John Farquhar (1855-1940) and his parents were William Farquhar and Jean Sinclair. Below is the information given by Mrs Grube and any information on this family would be very much appreciated.
William Farquhar, born 4 March 1808 (?), died 20 March 1885 aged 77 years married Jean Sinclair, born 9 November 1807, died 1892 aged 85 years.
Their Family;- Born Died Place
George 4 Nov. 1832 Winnipeg
Janet 15 Jan 1835 12 Nov. 1915
Jean 19 Nov. 1836 7 May 1912
Elizabeth 29 July 1843 1896
William 12 Aug. 1845 18 Jan. 1913 Sault St Marie,
Ontario
Alexander 3 Sept. 1847 1899 Manitoulin, Island,
Ontario
Margaret (Stitt) 26 Mar. 1850 11 Sept. 1931 Toronto
John 12 Nov. 1855 25 Aug. 1940 St James Cemetery,
Winnipeg
QUERY FROM GEORGINA HARRIS (MS DUNNETT) CFHS 454
I am interested in tracing information on my great grandfather, Maxwell Dunnett. He was born in Scotland and I was led to believe in the Mey area. According to his English marriage certificate was aged 23 in 1874, 48n years on the 1901 census and 84 years when he died in 1936. This would make his year of birth 1851-52.
I am sure I visited a relative of his when I was a child in the late 50’s. Her name was Peggy and she owned a drapers shop in Thurso. She had a son named Maxwell and a sister Maxina Dunnett.
The Scottish registrars were unable to help as they could not find anyone of that name or age registered in the births.
I would be very grateful if any member could advise where I might find the information to enable me to obtain a birth certificate.
E-Mail – georgie_girl@fsmail.net
A Query From David Worrall CFHS 438
I have been investigating the life history of my wife's Grandfather ROBERT SKAIN DOULL.
There is a family "STORY" about him of which I am trying to prove True or False, to no avail as yet:-
"He was a Merchant Seaman and a very good swimmer. During the 1st World War, one of the ships in Wick Harbour was bombed and he dived into the water and saved many of the crew. As he came up for the last time, he hit his head on part of the boat and although he was ok for a time after that, he did die from a brain haemorrhage some time later, caused by the knock on the head".
The facts I do know are :-
He was born in Wick on 29th October 1892 to Walter and Janet Doull.
He married Christina Webster on 16th November 1914. Address 19 Grant Street Wick, Occupation Seaman (Royal Naval Reserve).
On 31st July 1922 he was admitted to the Royal Asylum in Montrose ( a seaman from 21 Argyle square Wick)
He died 2 years later in the Royal Asylum, a seaman aged 31 years from General Paralysis (2 Years) Cerebral Congestion (2 Days).
I have obtained copies of his Service Records from the National Archives, but have found no clues as to the truth of the "STORY".
Can any C.F.H.S member throw any light on the life saving incident, or suggest where I go next?
David Worrall Membership No 438
E-Mail jad@worra11.fsnet.co.uk