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New Luce | A History
A Photographic Journey Into The Past
I have just found this web site and found it very interesting . My grandmother was born in New Luce she was Jane Todd ( née McLean) .. Her brother James features in the bowling photograph. I think their mother was a Jane Baird McLean and they had a sister Lizzie who also lived in the village. I used to spend school holidays there and spent time with Meg and Sheila Harvey and also Veronica Cronie whose comments I have just read. I may have some old photographs and I still have cousins in Stranraer who also may have some.
isa caven died on the 10th of november at dumfries royal infirmiary.
Had fun browsing through this site and looking at all the old photos.
I lived here in the early 60’s.
We lived first at Inch cottage right in the village (just where this car is parked) …
http://www.newlucehistory.co.uk/2011/new-luce-village/194-1960s/
Then we moved about 2 miles away to a farm (kind of) called Stair Lodge.
My dad was David Munro (gamekeeper) my brother David and my sisters Carolynn and Fiona.
I remember going to school there. One class had the earlier primary kids and the other class had the older ones.
My best friend was Jim Todd who lived in the village. I also was good friends with the hyslops who’s farm was just over the hill from Stair Lodge. I remember austin and catharine kelly and I’m sure the McQuistins
The early 60’s photograph is probably about 1965 or 1966. I recognise a few faces, namely, John Waugh, Hugh Ray, Alex Brown, Dougie Mclellan, Gilbert McIlwrick, myself George McLarty, and the Headmaster Mr McLure
i am isa s son she lives in locharbriggs,dumfries wullie used to stay two doors up from her also in locharbriggs.
Granny remembers the family name and the farm but not many details maybe a willie with a baby Jenny around 1935 does this fit with your family tree
Yes she Janet (jit) willies sister who are you sorry cant work it out from your comments
kia ora and hello from New Zealand, what a great website, thanks to my cousins who noticed mums photo is already posted with other ladies on what I take was a WRI day out.I’ve got some photos I’d like to contribute.
First though, I’d like to ask for your help in gathering stories. My mum, Bessie Helen McMeekan has dementia and still lives locally in the toon! We would very much appreciate any photos and stories of the McMeekans in New Luce. As you can guess childhood stories are a favourite. if anyone can offer memories that mum might share I’d be very grateful.
Many thanks to those of you who have worked to put this site together. When I was wee I loved staying in New Luce at my granda’s house, the smell of wood smoke still takes me straight back. If anyone is interested I’ve taken some photos of the older headstones that surround the church, the stones are old but the photos are recent!
Hello,
Your website is great
My Great Grandparents came for the New Luce area and lived at the farmhouse Dirnimow (Dantaggart)and
I would be most grateful if anyone had any photos of the Howatson family.
Robert Howatson married Jean(Jane) McCulloch
Robert died 1894 and Jean (Jane) died 1895
A photo of the Dirnimow (Dantaggart) farm house
Regards
Judith Howatson
was it janet mcmeekin, willie mcmeekin s sister?
thats right thanks.What is youre grandmothers name? James.
The McMeekans where there to 1920’s to 60’s I believe
Hi my Grandmother (92) remembers Alan and how his grandmother used to knit his trousers for him, her and her sister where just talking about him the other day. She remembers Alan living with his Grandparents at the Stair Arms after his mother died, Samuel his grandfather used to call my gran and her sister Jit and Rit as they walked past he would say here comes Jit and Rit (Janet and Rita McMeekan). Alan was younger than granny but she remembers him being at the school and thinks he was friends with an Eric McQuiston.
Granny was only 3 when Jessie died but believes it was on the day that she moved into New Luce and remembers the story of her death in that she drowned in the River Luce at the Black Pot which is somewhere they used to swim in New Luce not near the viaduct. The version that she heard was that Jessies clothes and jewelry where found near by . I gave Granny the names and she told me the stories she remembered about them before I read your entries to her, however being only a child herself when Jessie died it will be a recount of the event that she remembers so cant rely on facts. Granny has loads of memories of New Luce and is amazing at remembering names etc we have lots of photos of that time that I hope to add soon.
Hope this helps
Kate
Just been chatting to my Grandmother today .. it was her 92nd birthday and her best friend when she was at school was a Mollie Caven she remembers the family Mollie had Twin sisters m? and betty, sadie and isa and brothers Jim and peter, she believes her father was a farm worker xx does this tie in with your family tree ?
What a great website. Do I have any long lost relatives left in New Luce?
My gt x4 grandfather was John Wilson, he married Helen McMeiken in about 1814.
My gt x3 grandfather was James Wilson, he married Elizabeth Ferguson in about 1841.
I believe the children from both marriages were born in New Luce. Are any of their descendants still in the area?
DOES ANY BODY KNOW THE CAVEN FAMILY THAT LIVED IN NEW LUCE 1920-40
Congrats on the website it is great to see all the pics, could I ask if anyone has any photos of the Fenion family as I know they lived in the village from 1820.
HelloElaine, as you see I am married to one of the Fenions that has the same line as you. Sadly there are no family left in New Luce as far as we know, My husbands family live in Stranraer, I am at present trying to do the family tree and have it back to Daniel and Agnes also, our line was their son Peter, It’s a lovely village isn’t it , we would love to live there, we live in the Newcastle area. Great Site love the pics. Anyone know anything about the Fenions?
I realize (previous post) that the Margaret in the photo with Alan of course is more likely to be his paternal grandmother – also Margaret (nee Skinner). Sorry for any confusion, but the rest of the story holds true, his ‘other’ grandmother was also Margaret/Maggie – my Great Grandmother.
Margaret Skinner was the wife of Samuel who was Hotel Keeper at the Stair Arms.
It would help enormously if someone knew which Margaret was in the photo with Alan.
Ooops!
Mike Irvine
What a great site! Congratulations on hosting such an interesting walk through the life and times of New Luce. My family and I are planning a vacation in Wigtownshire this coming year and a visit to New Luce is top of the list. I have never been to that part of the world before, but I have numerous ancestral ties to the area. Among the photos you have are two that are of special interest to me. One is of Andrew Edmonds with his taxi and the other of Alan Edmunds and his grandmother Margaret. I sense some hesitation in the captions on those photos so I’d like to offer some comments on what I have come to know about these specific people. In doing so I’m hoping someone with more knowledge of New Luce in days gone by can help me confirm or otherwise contribute to my own family research.
If I have my research correct Alan’s grandmother is my Great Grandmother Maggie Irvine (nee Downie). She was married to William Irvine. William was a Hotel Keeper and I believe he ran the Kenmuir Arms in the 1920s although he later moved to run another hotel in Castle Douglas. The Kenmuir Arms link is supported by the marriage certificate of William and Margaret’s daughter Jessie Queen Irvine to Andrew Skinner Edmunds (the ‘u’ spelling is the one that I believe is correct). Andrew’s father Samuel was also a Hotel Keeper at this time – at the Stair Arms. The happy couple married in 1924 at the school house.
Jessie and Andrew (a ‘Motor Hirer’ according to the wedding certificate) had a son Alan later in that same year (1924). There is a strong possibility that Alan actually lived with one or other of his grandparents as his mother Jessie was found drowned under the Viaduct in what I believe is called the Bloody Wheel pool before Alan reached his first birthday. I have no contemporary account of the circumstances of her death – only the death certificate that rather dryly describes the death as a drowning (by accident or otherwise I have no idea).
I would love to hear from anyone that remembers stories about the incident and about the two hotel histories, the taxi service Andrew ran and/or about the school that Alan might have attended in the later 1920s/1930s, etc. I believe Andrew and Alan left for England at some point, but I have never had any direct contact with the family. I am descended from Jessie’s brother Alexander Irvine (my grandfather). He too lived for a short time at the Kenmuir, but left to join the Army and headed south…
Many Regards
Mike Irvine
Hi really impressed with the website. I was in New Luce on 7/10/2011 in the church graveyard trying to trace my family roots. I found a gravestone for the Fenion and Perry family. Daniel and Agnes were my great, great, great grand-parents. My great grandmother Euphemia Gowan came to Glasgow at the beginning of the 1900’s . What a culture shock it must have been for her . Euphemia parents were Gilbert and Ann Gowan . Ann’s maiden name was Fenion and here parents were Daniel Fenion and Agnes Perry. Does anyone know if any relatives still stay in the village.
Good Luck with the website
Elaine
It is wonderful to see New Luce in this way. I am a descendant of the McGuires and Hannays who lived in and around New Luce until just after the first world war. I remember visiting Daisy Mc Caig who was my granny’s cousin and hearing Jimmy Mc Caig’s stories about Sir Adrian Boult who lived nearby. They,and all the others, struck me as people who really cared and were generous and loved to enjoy themselves. Many happy Sundays in my childhood were spent skimming stones on the river at the end of Daisy’s back garden! Then there would be a wonderful tea – all of it home-made and in abundance. Sometimes my father succeeded in avoiding Daisy’s warnings and took “McCaig” for a pint or two. I also remember Bessie and Jimmy and Nancy who lived elsewhere in the village.
In recent years I have been back and met Peggy Brookes,daughter of John McGuire whose photo you show. She filled me in on much of the family history and joined up many dots.
I saw the immigration picture and wondered if the Maurers featured in it. Their descendants are now, like me, in Ayr. Indeed one of them is a great friend and we taught together for some time before discovering our New Luce connection. I wonder if the values of New Luce – friendship and interest- are handed down?
A great website and I look forward to its continued success.
Grace M Kay
Hi
For such a great website I cannot believe that only Cronie,s and McQuistin,s lived there, at least that is where all the comments are coming from, come on New Luce and ex New Luce folk, Neale has put much effort into creating the site for all to enjoy – let’s have your comments, views, opinions and stories from the past.
I left the village before I was 18, joined the Army and have travelled the world ever since, I have a home near Annan but currently live in Singapore and I make the trip home to New Luce every year to visit the graves of my parents, sister and brother, regardless of where in the world I might be.
Thanks to the site I have downloaded 2 pictures of my father with his beloved horses, had them printed, framed and they now hang proudly in my home in Singapore.
I believe that I am probably New Luce,s most traveled son and claim that I have done something that no other New Luce person has done. I have in the space of 7 days crossed the River Luce via a bridge, crossed the Yangtze River via a boat and also crossed the Mekong River via a boat, so come on folks I challenge all you Ninivites to compete.
Regardless of where I have been there is only one home – New Luce. Neale thanks for the memories and keep up the good work.
Best Regards
Bryan Cronie
Hi Neale
What a great website, I have spent time looking through the pictures and have really enjoyed seeing them all it brings back fond memories of my years living in the village and the great friends I made , also seeing the old school photos and trying to remember who they all are.
I still visit the village every time I am down in the area and it always makes think back to the good times I spent in New Luce and the great community spirit it had.
It great to see the site and I am sure a lot of people will love looking at it and savouring the memories.
Well done to all involved.
Hi Veronica,
I’m really pleased that you liked the first wee look at our website. Some of the locals have been gathering up stuff for a few years now and we thought that this would be a good way of sharing it with others.
I look forward to you commenting more, as and when the site is more complete than it is at present.
We have tons of pictures so I’m sure you will get ample opportunity to reminisce about hame .
Keep in touch
Neale
I have just looked at your website of Old New Luce – and find it absolutely fascinating – I am wondering who provided the photographs and if they have any others, also I was wondering if names could be added to the bottom of photos so we can see who the people are – that is if whoever has the photos knows the names of course. Having been brought up in New Luce and on the Farm at Balneil – it is my father Andy Cronie who is in the ploughing photos. I was so happy to see the school photos where I see my brothers, and sisters in them and have never seen these photos before so it is wonderful to view – to the person who is responsible for the website – this a brilliant job and I’m sure many many people will be interested in seeing as many photos as possible on the site. CONGRATULATIONS. New Luce holds very very fond memories of my childhood and my family life (a vey happy one).
thank you once again and would like to hear from you sometime. Thank you
Veronica Guy