Ritchie, Hugh
Hugh Nicol Ritchie was born on 26th September 1898 at a street then called Park Road South, Whiteinch. The clue is in the name, of course and this street is now called Victoria Park Road South: Unfortunately as the streets were renamed they also seem to have been renumbered because while Hugh was born at…
Read MoreBilling, James Milne Munro
As I write it’s possible the Marks and Spencers shop facade on Sauchiehall Street will be demolished. Instantly recognisable it opened in 1935. Of the design, a campaigner for the Twentieth Century Society said, “It uses a modular façade system that formed the basis of over 40 Marks & Spencer stores around Britain. A distinguished…
Read MoreGraham, Thomas
Thomas Daye Graham was born on 17 May 1922 at West Chapelton House, Bearsden. His father, John Graham, has his occupation recorded as “painter (master)”. His mother was Elizabeth Lyall Daye and had married John in 1909. Thomas was the fifth child of seven. West Chapelton House can be seen in this 1896 map: Drymen…
Read MoreFowler, William
Photo credit William Fowler was born on 25th November 1886, very probably in what was then one of the busiest dockland areas in the world, the east end of London. His father was also William, a labourer, and his mother was called Mary Ann. He was baptised on 17th January 1887 at St Barnabas Church,…
Read MoreRankin, Andrew
I’m indebted to the RAF Commands website (link) for this photo and much valuable information here and elsewhere. Andrew Rankin was born on 27th April 1922 at 12 Maxwell Avenue, Westerton. His father and mother were Robert and Mary Dickson Watson who were married in 1919. Robert was a property agent. By 1935 the family had moved to…
Read MoreDied from disease: George Dunlop, David McGavin, James Shaw
George Edward Dunlop George was born in 1920 in Betws garmon, Caernarvon. His father William, was a representative for a shoe manufacturer (on George’s Baptism record: “boot salesman”) His mother was Harriet Hewitt Croucher. By 1935 the family moved to Scotland, living at a house called Westbury, 1 Afton Crescent, Killermont, Bearsden. From 1939 to…
Read MoreDevitt, Robert
Robert Francis Xavier Devitt was born on 22nd November 1922 at 22 Scotia Street, Glasgow. Number 22 is on the corner of New City Road. St George’s Road is on the extreme left – the M8 now blasts through the centre-left of the map. The building labelled ‘Bank’ on the extreme right, just below centre,…
Read MorePlane crashes: Peter McDonald, Colin Guttridge, Robert Smith
Peter Gordon McDonald Peter Gordon McDonald was born on 26th November 1924 at 1065 Maryhill Road. Maryhill Road runs from top left to bottom right, red circle shows 1065. His father, Peter, was a glazier and had married Margaret Murdoch Breckenridge in Kilmarnock in 1915. His link to Bearsden is not certain but Mrs Margaret M…
Read MoreYoung, John
John Stevenson Young was born on 22nd August 1882 at Killermont House, Bearsden. This is still standing and is a part of Glasgow Golf Club (the golf course was laid out in the grounds of the house – heading for Maryhill Road coming from Canniesburn Toll, turn left at the traffic lights by Arnold Clark…
Read MoreHamilton, William
For this and lots of information I am indebted to the aircrewremembered.com website (link here) William Clark Hamilton enlisted in the RAF Volunteer Reserve on 14th April 1939, being called up full-time from 1st September as a Leading Aircraftsman. On his paperwork he is described as 5 feet and 7 inches tall (170cm), fair hair, blue…
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