Carnock Road Accident and Bowhill Call to Ministry

In the Dunfermline Journal and Advertiser for West Fife 100 years ago this weekend (to be specific the 4 December 1915 issue)

Welcome all to my new blog post focusing on social history in Dunfermline 100 years ago!

Road Accident - Carnock Man Killed by Motor Cycle

An incident occurred on the Dunfermline Carnock Road about three hundred yards to the east of Carnock village late on Saturday night.  While William Wyllie, underground manager, East Grange, was proceeding home to Dunfermline on his motor bicycle, accompanied in a side-car by his brother-in-law, William Lemels, the machine came into contact with a dark object lying on the road.  Wyllie was thrown from his machine and on investigation the obstacle was found to be the body of a man later identified as William Stevenson, a miner, fifty years of age, residing in Carnock,  The unfortunate man was badly injured about the head and one of his jaw bones was broken.  Death was instantaneous.  Stevenson is a married man but resided alone.

Bowhill - call to Rev Mr Conway

The Rev S M Conway pastor of Bowhill Baptist Church has received a unanimous call to the Baptist Church, Dumfries.  Mr Conway came from Dundee 6 years ago as successor to the Rev James Young who left for Manchester at that time.  The members of the Baptist Church opened a new place of worship in November 1907 2 years previous to Mr Conway taking up duty and there still remained a debt of £300 in 1909.  Largely due to the energies of Mr Conway this debt was cleared 2 years ago.  Mr Conway was also a member of the School Board and took a keen interest in public matters.

{Bowhill baptist church was demolished after 1988 and it's former site is now occupied by terraced housing at Derran Drive, Bowhill.]

Tune in next week to see what happened in Dunfermline next week 100 years ago ..........

Blog written by Jacqueline Hunter of Ancestral Research by Jacqueline, Dunfermline, Scotland. Please email me at jacquelinehunter895@gmail.com if I can help you with your family history research.

Thefts in Cowdenbeath and Rosyth

In the Dunfermline Journal and Advertiser for West Fife 100 years ago this weekend (to be specific the 30 October 1915 issue)

Welcome to the next issue of Dunfermline 100 years ago.  I apologise for the lack of a blog post last week.  I had injured my shoulder and was giving it and the keyboard some much needed rest.

Anyway usual service will now resume ..............

Juvenile Offenders - Cowdenbeath Lad's Record

Sheriff Umpherston at Dunfermline on Monday had before him several lads for various offences - the most serious being theft by housebreaking.

James McDonagh (11) son of Stephen McDonagh, miner, 2 Mungal Street, Cowdenbeath admitted having (1) on 8th inst at the restaurant premises at 54 High Street, Cowdenbeath occupied by Guiseppi Ventura stolen 2s of money and at the premises ar Crosshill occupied by Galtine Campanile ice cream vendor, broken into the shop and stolen 20 packets of cigarettes and 3s of money; (2) on 13th inst at Foulford Farm stolen from a bothy an alarm clock (3) on 15th inst at the shop at 270 High Street, Cowdenbeath occupied by John Levine general dealer pretended to his daughter Diana Levine then in charge that he had been sent by her father and sister to get a woman's watch for a soldier who was waiting in the shop at 174 High Street also occupied by John Levine and thus induced Diana Levine to deliver to him a woman's watch which he appropriated to his own use and thus defrauded her of it and (4) on 18th inst at the premises at 264 High Street occupied by Millie Bolan licensed broker stole a purse.  He admitted a previous conviction for theft in 1913.

The lad's father who was present said that so far as he could learn his son was guilty of all the charges.

The sheriff - you know your boy has been in trouble before.  You have not been looking after him.

The parent replied that he had done his bit but the lad had got a little out of his control of late.  He (the son) was not responsible for all his actions.

The fiscal - he must be an enterprising youth at his age and should be properly guided.

The sheriff said he would send the boy to a school where he would be looked after and where he would not be able to get beyond control.

Albert Hopping (13) son of James Hopping timberman and Charles Lawrey (11) son of Frederick Lawrey labourer Wood Street Rosyth Village admitted having at Rosyth School (1) between 18th and 20th September broken into the school with intent to steal therefrom (2) between 25th and 27th September broken into the school and stolen 4 keys (3) between 2nd and 4th October broken into the school and stolen from a lockfast desk eightpence of money and (4) on 10th October broken into the school with intent to steal.

They were put on probation for 4 months.

Tune in next week to see what happened in Dunfermline next week 100 years ago ..........

Blog written by Jacqueline Hunter of Ancestral Research by Jacqueline, Dunfermline, Scotland. Please email me at jacquelinehunter895@gmail.com if I can help you with your family history research.

Price of Victory - Local Casualties - West Fife Heroes

In the Dunfermline Journal and Advertiser for West Fife 100 years ago this weekend (to be specific the 16 October 1915 issue)

 

It struck me on looking through the local newspaper 100 years ago that there were increasing numbers of war casualties and this is what I have decided to highlight this week.

 

 

 

Price of Victory - Local Casualties - West Fife Heroes

 

The Brothers Robertson - A Church Tribute

 

In St Margaret's UF Church on Sunday the Rev John Sanderson made sympathetic references to the death of Private James Robertson son of Mr John Robertson, Reid Street.  He pointed out that of five sons of Mr Robertson who were serving, 2 have been killed and another wounded.  Private Robertson he said was a member of the choir of St Margaret's Church.  He took a known interest in the work of the choir his place being seldom vacant either at the services or at practice.  At the close of the service the 'Dead March' in 'Saul' was played by the organist Mr Wm Davidson the congregation meantime upstanding as a mark of reverence for the brave dead.  

 

[St Margaret's United Free church opened in East Port, Dunfermline on 02 September 1827 with room for 970 people.  The church was demolished in 1981 to make way for a new headquarters of the Dunfermline Building Society.  The congregation had previously moved to a new church in the Touch area of Dunfermline in 1974 and the congregation of St Margarets, which is now part of the Church of Scotland, is still in that same building in Touch].

 

9th Black Watch Cricketer Wounded

 

Twelve Dunfermline men who enlisted in the 9th Black Watch together have suffered badly in the recent fighting.  Nine have been wounded as yet nothing has been heard of the 3 others since the battle took place.  Among the wounded is Private Robert Boyd the well-known Fife cricketer who appeared for many seasons with Fifeshire Club.  He is at present lying in a French Hospital with a severe shrapnel wound in the right breast.  His parents reside in Elgin Terrace.

 

Another member of the company is Private Peter Philip.  He is at present in Edinburgh Infirmary and has been wounded in the legs and shoulder.  After being wounded he had to crawl several miles to safety.

 

Private Henry Wilson of the same regiment who previous to the war resided in Nethertown is in an English hospital with a bullet wound in his hand. He was employed as a miner before enlisting.

 

Private Thomas MacDougall who enlisted at the same time is also in hospital slightly wounded.  He was a rubber worker and when he enlisted resided in Dickson Stret.

 

Private Adamson of Forth Street is another of the unfortunate twelve.  His wounds are also slight.

Tune in next week to see what happened in Dunfermline next week 100 years ago ..........

Blog written by Jacqueline Hunter of Ancestral Research by Jacqueline, Dunfermline, Scotland. Please email me at jacquelinehunter895@gmail.com if I can help you with your family history research.