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Samuel McRoberts
SRoH. Private Samuel McRoberts. Home: The Lodge, Ardencaple, Helensburgh. Born at Gatehouse. Enlisted 8th August 1914, 5th King’s Own Scottish Borderers.
Home Service.
Girthon Gravestone : The 1891 Census provides names for Samuel’s parents-in-law. A Girthon gravestone confirms their names as Henry Bertram and Agnes Satterthwaite.
1871 Wigtown Census, at North Back Street : Samuel McRoberts (8, born Wigtown) with father Robert (70, labourer - confined to bed), mother Elizabeth (45) and 2 brothers.
1881 Wigtown Census, at Back Lane : Samuel McRobertrs (18, apprentice blacksmith, born Wigtown) with widowed mother Elizabeth (55) + brother Andrew.
1891 Girthon Census, at Mill Cottage, Samuel McRoberts (27, born Girthon) with wife Agnes (27, born England) + son Cornelious G McRoberts (aged 9 months, born Girthon). They lived with Agnes’s parents Henry and Agnes Bertram (bobbin manufacturers).
1901 Anwoth Census, at Boatgreen : Samuel McRoberts (36, stone mason, born Gatehouse) with wife Agnes + children Godfrey (10), Agnes(8), Bertram (5) and Maggie (2).
1911 Girthon Census, in Catherine Street : Samuel McRoberts (46, stone mason, born Girthon) with wife Agnes + daughter Margaret G.
Scotlands People Index : birth of Samuel McRoberts at Wigtown in 1862, but none in Gatehouse.
Scotlands People Index : Marriage of Samuel McRoberts to Agnes Bertram in 1890 at Anwoth, Kirkcudbrightshire.
Samuel and his sons Bertram and Godfrey McRoberts all served in World War I. Samuel would have been about 50 when he enlisted. SRoH says Samuel was born in Gatehouse – maybe there was another Samuel McRoberts !
Gatehouse link : Born in Wigtown but lived in Gatehouse.
John McSkimming
SRoH. Private John McSkimming. Home : Station House, Parton.
Enlisted October 1918, 4th Scottish Rifles. Transferred to 2nd Battalion, Cameron Highlanders. Served in South Russia.
Medal Index Card : Pte John McSkimming (41196) Sco. Rfs. (and later Labour Co. (604845) may be the same person). Victory and British medal.
1891 Kirkcudbright Census, at High Kirkland : John McSkinning (3, born Kirkcudbright) with father William (26, agricultural labourer, born Anwoth), mother Jessie, (twin) brother Thomas and 3 sisters.
1901 Girthon Census, at Rainton Farmhouse : John McSkimming (12, born Kirkcudbright) with father William (ploughman), mother Jessie Marget, 5 brothers (Thomas, William, Rodan, Robert James and David) and 4 sisters (Agnes, Ellen, Edith Annie, and Jessie).
1911 Girthon & Anwoth Censuses : Some of the children are in other places but the family do not seem to be in Girthon or Anwoth.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 1915: Mrs McSkimming of Rainton has 4 sons in Kitchener’s Army. Pte. Robert McSkimming 42nd Royal Highlanders, Pte. William McSkimming 5th K.O.S.B., Pte. Roden McSkimming 5th K.O.S.B. and Pte Thomas McSkimming.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 11th May 1917: Private John McSkimming Scottish Rifles has been wounded. His parents live at Auchenhay Lodge, Twynholm.
Note: The 1901 census shows that Mrs McSkimming had at least 6 sons. The KA report in 1915 mentions 4 excluding John.. The KA report in 1917 says that John had been wounded. If he is the John from this family he must have joined the war effort between the 2 KA reports. Rodan was killed in 1915, the only one of the brothers who lost his life.
Gatehouse link : Born in Kirkcudbright but lived at Rainton and / or Parton.
Robert McSkimming
SRoH. No mention in The Stewartry Roll of Honour.
Identified from KA article in 1915 re 4 sons of Mrs McSkimming.
1901 Girthon Census, at Rainton farmhouse : Robert James McSkimming (3, born Balmaghie) with father William (ploughman) + mother Jessie Marget, 5 brothers and 3 sisters.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 1915: Mrs McSkimming of Rainton has 4 sons in Kitchener’s Army. Pte. Robert McSkimming 42nd Royal Highlanders, Pte. William McSkimming 5th K.O.S.B., Pte. Roden McSkimming 5th K.O.S.B. and Pte Thomas McSkimming.
ScotlandsPeople Index : Birth of Robert McSkimming in 1887. Father: William McSkimming, mother Jessie Margaret Middleton (married 1883).
Robert had 4 brothers who fought in World War I - John, Rodan, Thomas and William. Rodan was killed in1915.
Gatehouse link : Born Balmaghie but lived at Rainton in 1901.
Rodan McSkimming
SRoH. Private Roddan McSkimming. Home: Twynholm.
Enlisted 1/5th King’s Own Scottish Borderers. Served in Dardanelles.
Killed in action 9th July 1915.
Anwoth & Girthon War Memorial, Gatehouse inscription : Rodan McSkimming K.O.S.B.
Borgue War Memorial inscription : Roden McSkimming K.O.S.B.
CWGC : Private R. McSkimming 2176 K.O.S.B. 5th Battalion.
Died 08/07/1915 Buried Redoubt Cemetery, Helles, Turkey Grave: Sp.Mem.B.18
Scottish War Graves website: Roden McSkimming was born in Parton in 1896. Father: William McSkimming Mother: Jessie Margaret Middleton. Roden was living at Auchenhay Lodge, Borgue when he enlisted.
Army records - Roll of Individuals K.O.S.B.: Pte. (2176) McSkimming, Roden (sic) 1/5 K.O.S.B.
1901 Girthon Census, Rainton farmhouse : Rodan McSkimming (4, born Parton) with father William (ploughman) + mother Jessie Marget, 5 brothers and 3 sisters.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 1915: Mrs McSkimming of Rainton has 4 sons in Kitchener’s Army. Pte. Robert McSkimming 42nd Royal Highlanders, Pte. William McSkimming 5th K.O.S.B., Pte. Roden McSkimming 5th K.O.S.B. and Pte Thomas McSkimming.
ScotlandsPeople Index : Marriage of William McSkimming and Jessie Margaret Middleton in 1883 Kirkcudbrightshire. (Rodan’s parents).
ScotlandsPeople Index : Birth of Rodan McSkimming in 1896 at Parton, Kirkcudbrightshire
Rodan had 4 brothers who fought in World War I - John, Robert, Thomas and William. Rodan was the only one to be killed.
Gatehouse link : Born Parton but lived at Rainton in 1901, then possibly Borgue and/or Twynholm.
Thomas McSkimming
SRoH. No mention in The Stewartry Roll of Honour.
Identified from KA article in 1915 re 4 sons of Mrs McSkimming.
1901 Girthon Census, Rainton farmhouse : Thomas McSkimming (13, born Kirkcudbright) with father William (ploughman) and mother Jessie Marget + 5 brothers and 3 sisters.
1911 Girthon Census, at Boreland (of Girthon) Cottage : Thomas McSkimming (23, ploughman, born Kirkcudbright), with wife Agnes + children Jessie (aged 3) and Robert (8 months). Thomas and Agnes had been married for 3 years.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 1915: Mrs McSkimming of Rainton has 4 sons in Kitchener’s Army. Pte. Robert McSkimming 42nd Royal Highlanders, Pte. William McSkimming 5th K.O.S.B., Pte. Roden McSkimming 5th K.O.S.B. and Pte Thomas McSkimming.
ScotlandsPeople Index : Birth of Thomas McSkimming in 1887 at Kirkcudbright.
Father: William McSkimming, mother Jessie Margaret Middleton (married 1883)
Girthon Banns : Thomas McSkimming married Agnes Manson at Girthon on 28/07/1907.
Thomas had 4 brothers who fought in World War I - John, Rodan, Robert and William. Rodan was killed in1915.
Gatehouse link : Born Kirkcudbright but lived at Rainton in 1901, then moved to Boreland of Girthon when he married.
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