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Frederick Lawrie
SRoH. No mention in The Stewartry Roll of Honour.
Identified as soldier ex Kbt Adv. 18/06/1915. Survived the War.
1901 Glasgow Census, at 71 Centre Street, Govan : Frederick Lourie (8, born Gatehouse) with father David (dock labourer) and mother Mary Jane (both parents born in Gatehouse) + 3 brothers – Robert A, Albert & David), 3 sisters and a brother in law.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 18/06/1915 : Private Fred Lowrie, the youngest son is with the 9th Scottish Rifles in France.
ScotlandsPeople Index : Frederick Lawrie born 1892 Girthon.
Brother of William, David, Albert & Tom Lowrie. William was killed in 1915.
Note : the surname is spelt several different ways Lowrie, Lawrie, Laurie, Lourie.
Gatehouse link : Born in Gatehouse.
Thomas Lawrie
SRoH. No mention in The Stewartry Roll of Honour.
Identified as soldier ex Kbt Adv. 18/06/1915. Survived the War.
1881 Ulverston Census, Cumbria : at 53 Quebec Street, Thomas (8, born Scotland) father David (iron miner) and mother Mary Jane + brothers William, David and 2 sisters.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 18/06/1915 : Gunner. Royal Field Artillery. Eldest of family. Served in Boer War then became a Reservist.
Brother of William, David, Albert & Fred Lowrie. William was killed in 1915.
Note : the surname is spelt several different ways Lowrie, Lawrie, Laurie, Lourie.
Gatehouse link : Born in Gatehouse.
William Lawrie
SRoH. No mention in The Stewartry Roll of Honour.
Identified as soldier ex War Memorial.
Anwoth & Girthon War Memorial, Gatehouse : inscription : Wm. Laurie S.H.
Glasgow Roll of Honour
CWGC : Private William Lawrie, 6856 Seaforth Highlanders 2nd Battalion.
Died 26/04/1915. Buried Seaforth Cemetery, Cheddar Villa, West Vlaanderen, Belgium (Grave B.1/A.1)
Wife: Agnes Lowrie, 94 King Street, South Side, Glasgow.
1881 Ulverston Census, Cumbria at 53 Quebec Street : William Lowrie (4, born Scotland) father David (iron miner) and mother Mary Jane + brothers Thomas, David and 2 sisters.
1891 Girthon Census, in Nelson Square (should say Neilson Square) : William (14, born Gatehouse) with father David (labourer) and mother Mary Jane + brothers David, Robert A., Albert and 3 sisters.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 18/06/1915 : Mrs Lowrie, who left Gatehouse about 20 years ago, has 5 sons and a son-in-law who have served in Kitchener’s Army.
Private William Lowrie served with 2nd Seaforth Highlanders and was killed a month ago (actually April 1915) He had been a Reservist who went to France last October.
Also her son-in-law Private Tom McDonald is training with 5th Scottish Rifles at Stirling.
ScotlandsPeople Index : William Lawrie born 1876 Girthon.
Brother of Tom, David, Albert & Fred Lawrie.
Note : the surname is spelt several different ways Lowrie, Lawrie, Laurie, Lourie.
Gatehouse link : Born in Gatehouse.
Catherwood Craig Learmonth
SRoH. 2nd Lieutenant Catherwood Craig Learmonth. Home: Laurel Bank, Gatehouse. Enlisted September 1914, Lowland Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps. Transferred to 3rd Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers.
Served on Eastern Front (Egypt, Gallipoli & Bulgaria). Promoted to 2nd Lieutenant when transferred to R S Fusiliers.
1901 Girthon Census, Hill Cottage, Gatehouse : Catherwood C. (4, born Girthon) with father William (public schoolmaster), mother Kathleen C. + brother James.
(Hill Cottage is now called Lochlyoch and is on The Cut)
1911 Girthon Census, at Laurelbank (High Street), Catherwood Craig Learmonth, (14, born Anwoth), with father William Learmonth (school teacher), mother Catherine Craig + brother James R}5;gnvald.
London Gazette Reg. No. 61751
Kirkcudbrightshire Adveriser 28/12/1917: Catherwood Craig Learmonth of Laurel Bank, Gatehouse has been gazetted as 2nd Lieut. Royal Scots Fusiliers.
Internet search : After war he became a legal administrator and was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His father was William Learmonth and mother Katherine Craig. He died c.1980
Gatehouse link : Born in Gatehouse.
James Rögnvald Learmonth
SRoH. Captain James R Learmonth. Home: Laurel Bank, Gatehouse.
Enlisted August 1914 as 2nd Lieutenant in 8th Battalion King’s Own Scottish Borderers.
Served on the Western Front (Loos and other engagements).
1901 Girthon Census, Hill Cottage, Gatehouse : James R. (6, born Girthon) with father William (public schoolmaster), mother Kathleen C. + brother Catherwood.
(Hill Cottage is now called Lochlyoch and is on ‘The Cut’)
1911 Girthon Census, at Laurelbank (High Street) : James Rögnvald Learmonth, (16, born Anwoth), with father William Learmonth (school teacher), mother Catherine Craig + brother Catherwood Craig.
Internet search : Born in Gatehouse 23/03/1895. His father was William Learmonth and mother Katherine Craig. (His father was from Orkney with Viking heritage, hence James’ middle name)
Educated at Gatehouse School and Kilmarnock Academy before studying medicine at Glasgow University in 1913.
His studies were interrupted by the war in 1914. During the war he became an expert on the technologies of gas warfare and instructed troops at home on how to deal with gas attacks.
He returned to university after the war and graduated M.B.Ch.B. in 1921. He was regarded as having a brilliant mind and won may academic prizes.
He married Charlotte Newell Bundy in 1925 and they had a son and a daughter. Charlotte was from Vermont, USA and they probably met when James was working at the Mayo Institute in Minnesota.
He was awarded a C.B.E. in 1945.
Later, as a surgeon he became a pioneer in the field of nerve surgery.
He operated on King George VI and he was knighted K.C.V.O. (Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order) by the King in 1949 (in the King’s bedroom).
James died in 1967 in Peebleshire.
Gatehouse link : Born in Anwoth.
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