Guthrie, Charles Wilfrid
Charles Wilfrid Guthrie was born on 30th January 1898 in Kings Norton, Birmingham. His father was Charles Guthrie (1869-1953), son of the Advocate/Sheriff of Lanarkshire. His mother was Margaret Elizabeth (1873-1953), surname possibly Wilson; she married Charles on 14th April 1897 in Fulham, although they were both from the Edinburgh area. In the 1901 Census…
Read MoreMoir, George and Gordon
George Walker Moir was 23 when he died during a phase of the Battle of The Somme. He was a Lance-Corporal with the 5th Battalion of the Scottish Rifles (known as the Cameronians). Having been spared the horrors of the first day of the battle on 1st July, the 33rd Division was transferred to the…
Read MoreKirsop, Conrad Robert John
I have already described key events in Conrad Kirsop’s early life in my profile of his younger brother, Purves (link). To briefly recap: He was born Conrad Robert John Kirsop on 30th October 1892 in Hillend Gardens, now Highburgh Road in Hyndland; his father was a trader in iron and steel. When he was aged…
Read MoreHulley, George
Painting called “The Battlefield at Night” by FJ Mears (1890-1929) George Alan William Hulley (known as Alan) was a private in the 6th Battalion, King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (KOYLI) serving in Belgium in 1917. On 11th October the battalion was moving up from reserve into the front line, as recorded in the war diary: On the…
Read MorePaterson, Alexander
Alexander Paterson was born on 24th January 1880. His place of birth is given as “Old Town, Milngavie”. While this sounds like a general description, it appears as an address in the 1881 Census so clearly referred to a well-defined street or area, possibly near Gavin’s Mill (modern Tesco store). His mother was Mary Stewart,…
Read MoreGordon, Michael
Michael Gordon (no middle name at this stage, possibly a mistake by the registrar?) was born on 7th March 1883 at 37 College Street, Dumbarton. His father, also Michael, was a grocer. His mother, Maria (Mary), was of Irish descent – her maiden name is uncertain but most likely Heraghty. Michael was the 3rd of their…
Read MoreWaterston, Robert
Robert Waterston was born on 29th January 1886 at Cannon Park, Grange Road, Edinburgh. His father George was a gardener who had married Jane McGregor in Methven (between Perth and Crieff) in September 1883. George was from Kenmore in Perthshire and is listed in the Census as “G&E” i.e. he spoke Gaelic and English. Robert…
Read MoreMcBeth, John
I’ve spelled John’s name as it appears in the birth records on the Scotland’s People website. Various sources spell his surname “Macbeth”, spell Gilmore as “Gilmour” and use 0, 1 or 2 middle names. I’m indebted to members of The Great War Forum in their help with aspects of John’s military service. John was born…
Read MoreRobinson, William Henry
William Henry Robinson was born on 19th May 1896 at 55 Cedar Street, Glasgow (between Garscube Road and St Georges Road) Cedar Street is close to the junction of St George’s Road and Garscube Road (small circle in orange) and is the home of several high-rise blocks of flats. His parents were Alexander James Robinson…
Read MoreCoull, James
Many thanks to Margaret for the photo. James Lawson Coull was born on 1st February 1897 at Dunclutha Cottage in Bothwell. James’s parents were David Duncan Coull, a gardener, and his wife Margaret (Maggie) Cullen. James probably worked for John Boyd, an engineer, who owned Dunclutha House. Like Bearsden, Bothwell was semi-rural at the time…
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