4th September 2024

Family tree added for 'Armstrong'.   'Davidson' tree updated.  See 'Gatehouse Families'.

2nd August 2024

Drystane Dyking web-page re-written. Now includes story of "the 1914 Dyke" started by 2 brothers before they joined the army and were then killed in action. 'Gatehouse People' - 'Other Groups' - 'Drystane Dyking'.

26th July 2024

Dates when the Fleet Bridge was widened. 'Travel around Gatehouse' - 'Roads'

14th July 2024

Recent Golf Club competition results as reported in the Galloway News. 'Gatehouse People' - 'Sports Teams & Events' - 'Golf'.

22nd October 2023

Girthon Kirk gravestones now have photographs. 'Gravestone Transcriptions' - 'Girthon Kirk Photos'

6th October 2023

Anwoth Old Kirk gravestones now have photographs. Previously there was only a searchable page of transcriptions. Now each stone has a photo and transcription wherever possible.
'Gravestone Transcriptions' - 'Anwoth Old Kirk Photos'

25th August 2023

Family trees added for 'Clark' and 'McGarva' under 'Gatehouse Families'.

11th August 2023

In 1793 Robert Heron published an account of his journey throughout the western counties of Scotland. The part of this account that refers to Gatehouse can be viewed in "Gatehouse History" at the bottom of the page under the heading "Various Old Guides & Accounts".

9th August 2023

We re-vamped the Gala Floats, which are accessed via "Photos - People - Gala" and then "Gala Floats".

4th August 2023

In 2009 children from Gatehouse Primary School produced a young person's guide to the history of Gatehouse. To see this document go to "Gatehouse History" and see Booklets about Gatehouse.

2nd August 2023

There is a small page about Loch Grannoch. Go to "Places in Girthon & East" then choose "Loch Grannoch".

31st July 2023

We now have 475 Gatehouse postcards, and have just revised their presentation. Go to "Old Postcards".

21st July 2023

Under "Gatehouse Families" the Carney tree file now has 2 essays written about life at Carney Cottage in the early 20th century.

19th February 2023

Home Page now has links to (1) location of Gatehouse, (2) old 1854 map and (3) Google street view starting in Ann Street.

5th February 2023

New booklet of verses about Gatehouse and fishing in The Fleet, called Fish Pie.   Go to "Poetry and Lyrics".     We also added a set of old b&w postcards sold by Kirkpatrick.

27th August 2022

New section about "Tourism".   First entry is about a visit to Gatehouse in 1947 by staff from the Creamola factory in Glasgow.

13th June 2022

Re-worked Gatehouse Scouts as "Photos - People - Scouts".

21st April 2022

We have prepared a presentation broadly about the history of Gatehouse, its building and it people. It is called "The Changing Face of Gatehouse" and is found under main directory "Gatehouse History".

2nd April 2022

We have acquired a number of fullscap typed pages which are transcriptions of various old documents. A number of these have been scanned, re-typed and added under "Old Documents"

6th January 2022

Our web page "War Service" - "WW2 - 75 Years On" contained details of a sale to raise money for homecoming soldiers. Towards the end of the page is a photo of the front page of the catalogue for this sale which, if clicked, shows the list of items sold. We now have a list of most of the prices realised at this sale and these are contained in 2 .pdf files which are linked just to the left of the front page of the catalogue.

29th December 2021

Re-structured and dded photos to  "Photos - People - Gala".
Horatio Square house details added to "Who Lived Where - High Street"

17th December 2021

We have finally completed the house details for Catherine Street. The eastern end, which is between Old Ford Lane and Castramont Road, is particularly difficult for the early years. It is more important to stress that we have done our best but neighbouring families could easily be living in neighbouring properties to those that we have suggested. "Who Lived Where" - "Catherine Street".

7th November 2021

Scanned images of old gala programmes in "Photos - People - Gala" - "Gala Programmes".

28h October 2021

New family details in "Gatehouse Families" for "Petrie / Gray".

1st October 2021

"Who Lived Where" for "Woodside Terrace" and "The Cut".

25th June 2021

New pdf file "Hannay Street & Boatgreen"  added to "Who Lived Where" - "Boatgreen / Hannay St".

24th June 2021

New page "William Phillips" headmaster, added to "Who Did What" - "Schoolteachers".

22nd June 2021

New layout to "Education and Religion" front page.

21st June 2021

Added new page about the "Rutherford Hall". Go to "Education and Religion" & "Churches", then Rutherford Hall will be an option on the left.

15th June 2021

Added 3 new aerial views of Gatehouse taken c.1920.  Go to "Photos - Places - Gatehouse General" then click "Aerial Views of Gatehouse".

13th June 2021

New link "The Police Station" added to "Who Lived Where" - "Victoria Street".

9th June 2021

New page "William Wilson" fishmonger, added to "Who Did What" - "Shopkeepers".

18th May 2021

New link "The Smithy" added to "Who Lived Where" - "Victoria Street".

8th May 2021

New page "Railway" added to "Transport around Gatehouse"
     3 sections - Stations , Viaduct & Royal Carriage
New page "Community Centre" started in "Special Buildings"

3rd April 2021

New page "Policemen" added to "Who Did What"

1st April 2021

Obituary to Jack Jarmy linked from home page

29th March 2021

New "McDavid Family Tree" added to "Gatehouse Families"

28th March 2021

New "Stark Family Tree", including narrative and photos added to "Gatehouse Families"

7th March 2021

Revised "Henderson Family Tree" to include narrative and photos.

New page about "Gatehouse Weather". Flooding - Snow - Clouds.

6th March 2021

4 old class photos added to the beginning of "Photos - People - Schools", "School Classes : pre-1950". These are very old, so any help to identify your relatives would be very welcome.

19th February 2021

New section "Shopkeepers" added to "Who Did What". 2 watchmakers included, Stark & Wood.

We also added a new page at the top of our home page which is called "Projects we've been working on." This will contain work that we have been working on but haven't yet finished, or haven't yet decided where to put the work on our site.

2nd February 2021

Revised family trees for McQuarrie & Shaw.

30th January 2021

Revised family trees for Henderson, McQuarrie & Walker.

9th January 2021

New section "Artists" added to "Who Did What". Life and Works of artists who have lived in Gatehouse or who have come here to paint and leave a legacy of artwork. Much of the original work was done in November 2020.
This section was suggested by David Steel, who also did much of the proof-reading, for which we are very grateful.

28th July 2020 

New section "Anwoth & West" added to "Who Lived Where". Now contains limited details about people who lived in 3 properties within Skyreburn Glen.

24th July 2020 

New section "Farms & Field Names" added to "Old Maps & Place Names". Cntains maps of Low Creoch & Low Barlay, Rainton and Cally Mains & Cally Park. We will be adding explanations of some of the field names later.

16th July 2020 

Family tree added for McQuarrie. See "Gatehouse Families".

2nd July 2020

Below is a reference dated 9th June 2020 to Audrey Crosbie being the last of the "Gatehouse Crosbie Clan". We apologise for this loose choice of phrase as there are still living descendants of the  Gatehouse Crosbie family. Audrey was the last of these with the Crosbie surname who still lived in Gatehouse.

Also on 9th June we changed the title of the section on "Who Lived Where" to be "Individual Properties". We never liked this change so it is now "Who Lived Where" again. This section contains the occasional property like Crosbie's Garage where people worked but didn't actually live. We apologise to all who noticed the change and that it has now changed back !!

19th June 2020 

Family trees added for McKinna & Pickthall. McClymont has small change. See "Gatehouse Families".

13th June 2020 

Family tree added for McInally. See "Gatehouse Families".

11th June 2020 

Family trees added for Shaw & Walker. See "Gatehouse Families".

9th June 2020 

Audrey Crosbie died towards the end of May this year. She was the last of the "Gatehouse Crosbie Clan". In commemoration we have produced 2 new pdf files. The first is a Crosbie family tree which can be found in "Gatehouse Families". The second is a pictorial summary of Wm. Crosbies & Sons who owned the Woodside Garage. This can be found in "Individual Propertires" - "Woodside Terrace".

N.B. The "Individual Properties" section used to be called "Who Lived Where", but now includes businesses.

22nd May 2020 

More weddings photos added in "Photos - People - Other Groups" - "Weddings to 1959".

12th May 2020 

Cbeebies & Local Hero star Katrina Bryan is applauded under "Who Did What" - "Other Kenspeckle Folk"

3rd May 2020 

Presentation about People of Gatehouse in the 2nd World War = 75th Anniversary of VE Day.

26th April 2020 

New family tree "Broadfoot / Hay" added to "Gatehouse Families".

28th March 2020 

Girthon new graveyard extension - transcription & photogrphs completed.   "Graveystone Transcriptions" - "Girthon Photos Overflow"

19th February 2020 

New page to celebrate work done by the British Legion. Select "War Service" from the main menu, then select "Royal British Legion".

27th January 2020 

Updated the site map on the "Home Page". "Tait" familiy tree added to "Gatehouse Families".

"Gravestone Transcriptions", "Girthon Parish Photos" individual grave photos now complete for old enclosure. Some photos of rows of graves still to be included,  and graves in the new enclosure still to be added. N.B. Graveyard Plan has also been corrected.

Two new photographic pages under "Photos - People - A Chronology". One is "2000 High Street Businesses", the other "2000 Gatehouse Tradespeople". Reproduced from original photos by Geoff Keating that were displayed in The Mill on the Fleet.

25th December 2019

The photographic record of gravestones at Girthon Parish Graveyard have been incomplete for 3 years. Many new photos have been added today, but still another 50 or so are required - they will need to await suitable conditions to take new photos. See "Gravestone Transcriptions" - "Girthon Parish Photos".

"Belford" & "Kirkpatrick" (small) family trees added in "Gatehouse Families".

Added more to "Valuation Rolls" for Anwoth & Girthon.

mid-November 2019

Several changes and additions to family trees in "Gatehouse Families". More to be added soon.

"Chesney" & "Davidson" family trees added in "Gatehouse Families".

15 wedding photos added (mostly dated 1960s) in "Photos - People - Other Groups" [photo quality not good, ex newspapers].

James Dalrymple, mgr of Glasgow tramways, added to "Other Kenspeckle Folk" under "Who Did What"   - Thomas Newbigging, Gas Industry Manager, added to "Other Kenspeckle Folk" under "Who Did What"   - Family tree details for "Hornsby" & "Henderson" revised, +"Fergusson" added to "Gatehouse Families"

24th October 2019

Family tree details for "McMichael" & "Livingston" added to "Gatehouse Families" which has a new layout.

"Woodlyn" added to "Who Lived Where" - "Castramont Road".

"Birtwhistle Street" added to "Who Lived Where".

11th September 2019

3 school photos added.     1987 P7 under "Photos - People - Schools" then "School Classes - 1980s"  Many of the same pupils in 2 photos under "Photos - People - Schools" then "School Other".

1962 photo of Gatehouse schools complex showing Fleetside, Old Gatehouse School (built 1927) and New Gatehouse School (built 1964). See "Who Lived Where" - "Garden Street".

Reunion of Gatehouse Secondary Year 1 class of 1962 at "Photos - People - Schools" then "2019 Reunion"

New Class Photo for Gatehouse Primary 2-3 in 1952. "Photos - People - Schools"  then  "School Classes : 1950s"

21st December 2018

Sub-page "Gatehouse Golden Weddings" off main page "Photos - People - Other Groups" 

"Girthon Poor Law Register" added to main headings.

To complete our work in celebration of the 100th anniversary of WW1 Armistice we have added 2 new pages. Off main directory "War Service" there is now a "WW1 Roll of Honour" and also a new page "WW1 Heroes who Returned".

4th November 2018

New page "1995 Gatehouse Bicentenary" in "Photos - People - A Chronology".

New sub-directory "2002 Queen's Golden Jubilee" off "Photos - People - A Chronology". Contains photos taken by Andy Chappell.

Substantial refinements to the linguistic origins of place-names in the Fleet Valley carried out by Dr. Alan James. Check out "Place Names" - "Place names : linguistic origins".

Photos, postcards and brief history of Cardoness added to "Photos - Places - Anwoth" sub-page "Cardoness".           File added to "Gatehouse Families" "Carney" which contains two interesting insights into life in the late 19th / early 20th centuries.

30th Septmeber 2018

"1953 Coronation Programme" of events in Gatehouse included in "Photos - People - General (by Decade)" - "1950s".       Extracts from 2002 Closure Programme for Anwoth Parish Church in "Special Buildings" - "Anwoth Churches"

Booklet “Wheels of Wood - Wheels of Iron” included in “Special Buildings” – “Birtwhistle Mills”
Booklet “1997-98 Fleet Star Programme for Present v. Past Players” included in “Photos – People – Sports” sub-section “Football”. Also includes brief history of the club.
Booklet “The Gatehouse Experiment” by Philip Mann included in “Gatehouse History”

Removed page "Please Help" & replaced with "New Additions", which is where we will put many of our latest photos for a short while before moving them to more relevant places.

Early August 2018

New selection of aerial photos, generally in Gatehouse, under "Photos - Places - Gatehouse General" and then "Aerial Views Close-ups 1978".
Also added an audio file of Mrs Murray Usher talking about her life and Gatehouse to a radio interviewer, under "Who Did What".

New section for Gatehouse Snooker Club under "Photos - People - Sports" then "Snooker". Includes tribute to Willie McKie. This will become an active page for information about the snooker club - not just photos.

Alan James has now finished his work on the origins of place names in the Fleet Valley. Like a good coffee- table reference, Alan's dictionary is well worth a peruse, and you'll want to come back for more. 'Place Names - Place Names : Linguistic Origins'

Re-worked  "Birtwhistle Mills" under "Special Buildings" to include some history.

25th April 2018

Separate section created for Rev.Samuel Rutherford in "Who Did What"

New section on "Birtwhistle Mills" under "Special Buildings", contains some photos & history.

Lots of weddings added to "Photos - People - Other Groups" then "Weddings ....."
New school class photo for 1968 Secondary, probably year 3.

26th March 2018

New file on 'Dr. Alastair Christie' under 'Who did What'  -  'Doctors & Nurses'

mid-March 2018

We are re-structuring our online photos collection. When we started our website we didn't know the number and variety of photos that we would eventually have. We are now allocating all photos into basic categories - generally either people or places. Those groups of people who don't fit into any category will be put into a  'General' category which will be structured into decades.

4th March 2018

New file on 'David McAdam' under 'Who did What'  -  'Other Kenspeckle Folk'

1st March 2018

Added Anwoth WW1 memorial and notes about symbols on Gatehouse War Memorial to 'Gatehouse  War Memorial(s)' under 'War Service'

28th February 2018

New section in 'Gatehouse Miscellany' called 'Gatehouse Memorabilia'

27th February 2018

'Macadam Family Tree' added to "Gatehouse Families"

26th February 2018

One of the first projects we carried out on this website was the detailing of information about soldiers and nurses from WW1 who had any association with Gatehouse.  There were issues around photographs that we used. Many portrait pictures appeared squeezed and in landscape format, particularly when accessing the site via an iPad. We have now solved the problems and hopefully our portrait pictures are the correct way up. Check this out in "War Service" - "Servicemen in WW1"

14th February 2018

Photos added to "Old Photographs - Other" , "Music, Drama & Dancing"

2nd February 2018

New page added at "Old Photographs - Schools" , "School Classes : 2000s".  Sharon McKinnel provided the 2 photos added today.

8th November 2017

New group photos added to "Please Help".

14th October 2017

New page started in "Old Photographs - Gala" - "At the Races"

13th October 2017

New page added with Baby Show contestants in "Old Photographs - Gala" - "Baby Shows"

12th October 2017

New page added with photographs of winners at the Annual Flower Show. = "Sports Clubs & Other Activities" - "Flower Show".

10th October 2017

Tidied up and extended photographs of Gatehouse cricket teams in "Sports Clubs & Other Activities" - "Cricket".

3rd October 2017

Short article on James Wolffe QC added to "Who did What..." - "Other Kenspeckle Folk".

5th August 2017

Updated "Gatehouse Bibliography" in "History of Gatehouse"

1st August 2017

1 new EMU Xmas card (1982) + 1 part card (Xmas 23) in "Who did What and When " - "Mrs Murray Usher"

31st July 2017

Re-arranged and added a limited number of Gatehouse family trees in "Gatehouse Families"

30th July 2017

Rutherford Monument Appeal in "Please Help".

26th June 2017

Tidied up Cally House School in "Who Lived Where - Cally Estate", inc. stories by Margaret McConchie and Jack Nelson.

22nd June 2017

Section on 'Place Names' has been completely revised and updated.

20th March 2017

Articles on Dr Alexander Craig and Dr Alexander Dott in "Who did What" - "Doctors"
 Article on David Clark in "Who did What" - "Schoolteachers".

4th March 2017

New .pdf file about "Fishing Pools in the River Fleet" off sheet "Local Clubs and Interests".

25th February 2017

2 new pages off "Home" page : "About Us" & "Beautiful Gatehouse in Pictures".

23th February 2017

5 photos of folk outside Frullani's shop added to "Old Photographs - Other" - "Various Gatherings"

February 2017

We are still working on "Who Lived Where" in "Catherine Street" and also "Girthon Graveyard Images"
 We recently added a separate section for "Skyreburn School" within "Old Photos - Schools" so that we could include a list of all children registered from 1928 to 1963.
 Also added is a section on "Doctors & Nurses" in "Who Did What".
 Modified "Gatehouse Families" to include family trees for Henry & Dalrymple.

6th January 2017

"Old Photographs - Other"  page "Weddings" now has c.10 newspaper weddings from the1970s.

4th January 2017

Modified "Miss Gatehouse" page in "Who Did What and When"

2nd November 2016

Gatehouse Volunteers - recently found badge, in "Please Help to Identify"

18th September 2016

'Old Photographs - Other' , sub-page 'Weddings' has a new set of wedding photos from the 1950s & 1960's which came from contemporary newspapers.

12th September 2016

Many additions to local Births, Marriages, Deaths & Obituaries.

28th August 2016

'Anwoth Grave Transcriptions' now has a combination of lair records and gravestone transcriptions. 'Anwoth Graveyard Images' walks you through the graveyard with photos of all gravestones.

28th June 2016

'Girthon Parish Graveyard' transcriptions have now been combined with Lair Records to give a more complete coverage of deaths in Girthon.

4th April 2016

At last we have a reasonbly full set of details for "Who Lived Where" in "Fleet Street".

29th March 2016

Have a chuckle and admire the bravery of the few in the Gala Calendar 2007 ('Gatehouse Miscellany').

26th March 2016

Introduced new main heading "Transport Around Gatehouse".
First new page covers the Railway Line and includes links to u-tube and other videos.

7th March 2016

Updated our collection of various births, marriages & deaths.

27th February 2016

New section off the main menu "Please Help".
New page off "Home Page" called "How to do Things on Our Site"
New page off "Old Photographs - Other" - "Gatehouse School 1950s"

24th February 2016

New section under "Old Photographs - Other" - "Cally House School"

January 2016

New sections under 'Births, Marriages & Deaths'
Gravestone transcriptions now included (as well as on sister site 'kirkyards.co.uk')

20th December 2015

Note on "Gatehouse Town Clock" added to "Gatehouse Miscellany".

14th December 2015

Re-arranged "Kenspeckle Folk", new pieces on EMU, Jack Henderson & May Gillone.

10th December 2015

Re-worked 'Gatehouse Miscellany' home page. Bibliography & Chronology updated and tidied.. 'Gatehouse 100 years ago' transcribed from 1921 newspaper.

25th November 2015

More re-design of School Class photos + new sets "School Classes : unidentified" & "School Groups"  containing people to be identified (please !).

18th November 2015

New section of pre-1950 school photos under 'Old Photographs'.

16th November 2015

a number of new photos in 'Old Photographs - Other' ,  'Gatehouse - Other' 
- some early photos in 'Old Photographs',  'School Other' amended with names from files left by Rita Holmes.
- there are now photos of Anwoth Church ministers in 'Who Did What'
- New section 'Gatehouse Families' with short notes on Jardines & Palmers, drapers.
- New section under 'Who Lived Where',  'Cally Estate' starts with Cally Lodges.

Sept. to Nov. 2015

Changed the style of "Old Postcards" and added many cards, including comments where appropriate.
- Short piece on Bert Cox under 'Kenspeckle Folk'.

5th August 2015

New page created called "History of Gatehouse"
- McMurray Photos moved to be with "Old Photographs"

30th June 2015

New page "Gatehouse Chronology" added to "Gatehouse Miscellany".
- 1957-8 Gatehouse Secondary Football Team added to "Old Photos", "school - other"
- "Changes to Street Names" in Gatehouse accessed from "Place Names".
- "1908 Skyreburn School - girls" added to "Old Photographs" - "School Classes"

28th June 2015

After months of 'trauma' we have finally cleared up our interpretation of 'Who Lived Where ?" on "High Street". Please contact us if you find errors. Given the time this has taken, it may be some time before we tackle Catherine Street and Fleet Street.

June 2015

Major revisions to 'War Service' - 'Servicemen in WW1' carried out between April and June. 

22nd January 2015

Added Guidance Notes on Family History Research : linked via "BMD", "Gravestones" & "Census" sections.

11th November 2014

1837 'Search of Incumbrances of Cally' added under "Old Documents".

19th October 2014

List of schoolteachers in Girthon & Anwoth censuses added under "Who did What and When".                  - List of ministers in Girthon & Anwoth added under "Who did what and when".

2nd October 2014

Summaries of Girthon Kirk Session Notes added (under "Births, Marriages & Deaths"). Very useful source for naming fathers of illegitimate children.

14th September 2014

Selection of Mrs Murray Usher's Xmas cards entered in 'Kenspeckle Folk'.

18th August 2014

New section on "Miss Gatehouse" added to "Who Did What and When".

10th June 2014

New section created under War Service called "Story of Gatehouse Folk in WW1".

5th April 2014

We now have 426 McMurray photos online out of the total set of about 730.

30th October 2013

"Gatehouse Miscellany" : short piece on Gatehouse Postal Service - Maltese Cross cancel of 1840.

3rd October 2013

Gatehouse Miscellany" : short pieces on Gatehouse Halfpenny, Coat of Arms, Bibliography