Here is a little information to help you with finding your “Scottish heritage” and to find the “ancestral” home of Peter Anderson in Dalmally, Scotland.
Peter Anderson, my great grandfather, was born in Dalmally in 1837 and left at the age of just 20 to seek out a new life in Australia, arriving in 1858 – the first “Anderson” to set foot on these shores. From the records I have, my great, great grandfather, William Anderson (Peter’s father) may have been (**) born in Northumberland, England and at some time moved to Scotland.(**) Some research I have done indicates he was actually born in Scotland – which may be more plausible ? – I’m looking further into this.
William was a Shepherd and various latter 1800’s Scottish Census records have the family living in different locations around the nearby area (including Glencoe). He died in Dalmally in 1884 and my records indicate he is buried in Tyndrum Cemetery (note however the current Tyndrum Cemetery was opened in 2004. There is an old cemetery at St Fillans Priory ruins – about half way between Tyndrum and Crianlarich off the A82 on the West Highland Way, turning off near Auchreoch – I obtained a “monuments inscription list” for this cemetery and he is not listed, although there are many “unknown” plots. So I haven’t confirmed where he is buried).
After arriving in Australia, Peter ended up in Copeland, near Gloucester on the NSW mid north coast. He married Mary Robson in 1866 and the family grew from there.
Emerson Anderson (Peter’s youngest son), my grandfather, visited and stayed in Dalmally during World War I – when on leave from the battlefields of France. These below were actually obtained from the Dalmally Historical Association (DHA) – this postcard (front on the left, back on the right) was actually sent by Emerson to his cousin Mary Ann in Dalmally in March 1918. The picture below this shows Emerson with Mary Ann (on the left) in Dalmally – the other lady is a friend of Mary Ann’s.
Dalmally is located on the western side of Scotland and is about 75 miles north of Glasgow (about 1 hour and 40 minutes by car) or about 45 miles south of historic Glencoe (about 45 minutes by car) using the most direct access route along the A82 and branching off at Tyndrum onto the A85. This map shows the general location :
In 2007, we did a trip to the UK, and having taken the “Caledonian Express” overnight train from London to Inverness (in the northeast of Scotland), we collected a car and headed west, arriving via the Glencoe direction. We stayed in a fabulous B&B in Crianlarich, just south of Tyndrum, called Ewich House. Whilst it has since changed hands, it was relatively new at the time but it is a beautiful old stone building – dating back to the early 1800’s – in a fantastic, scenic location and would be well worth considering if you are looking for somewhere to stay.
Of course we visited Dalmally however I was very ill-prepared for that trip and had very little information about the “family house”. I knew it was near the railway station but that was about it. The weather was a bit miserable and we were short on time when we visited so the station was about all we saw that visit ! (The station was a bit rundown then – it has been improved dramatically since then and now includes an Airbnb !)
Back in 1990, my Mum and Dad (Enid and John Anderson) visited the house during their “once in a lifetime” retirement trip. They did a bus tour of Europe with Mary Spicer (Auntie Mary) and then they met up in London with my brother John and wife Carol and they all did a road trip together around the UK.
After Dad passed away and Mum moved to Ferndale Gardens, when we were sorting out their bits and pieces I came across a travel diary Dad had kept for that trip. Here is an extract from Saturday 16 June 1990 –
“We drove all the western shore of this beautiful loch (Loch Lomond) – had lunch, then drove to DALMALLY. Saw the house where Dad used to take his leave, went to the craft shop and saw his photograph in the historical albums. Then we drove right around Loch Awe and up to Oban where we are staying the night”
– if you are looking for somewhere to stay (don’t know if it’s still there !) Glenroy Guest House in Oban is where they stayed !
Now Dalmally is not a big town, and those chimney pots in the picture above are fairly distinctive, so I decided to spend a bit of time using Google “street view” to “wander around” Dalmally, so to speak, and see if I could find those chimney pots – and thus the house. And whilst I can’t be 100% sure, I would be extremely confident that I have found it. Talking to my brother John, who was there with Mum and Dad, would seem to confirm my confidence that this is the place ! We’ll be testing it out ourselves with another visit later in 2018.
So here is how to get there –
Below is a close up “satellite map” from Google showing Dalmally along the A85. Looking at the map, you would be heading from Tyndrum on the right, or from the west (Oban) from the left. If heading from Tyndrum, turn off the main A85 onto the loop road shown to get into Dalmally village itself. The location of the railway station is clearly marked on the map so you should be able to find that easily, as we did in 2007. Then , staying on the main part of the loop road, head west past the station toward the fork in the road (it’s actually not very far past the station up the hill).
When you get to the fork, you should see something like this below (noting that this is a 2011 view from Google). Taking the right fork would take you back to the A85. However, you want to take the left fork in the direction of the arrows to Monument Hill/Duncan Ban’s Monument. When you turn left, you will be immediately on a bridge crossing the railway line.
Then, almost immediately, the 4 chimney pots should appear on the roof of the house on the left. This is it !
The hedge is a lot lower than it was in 1990 and the white gate has gone, but those chimney pots and the roof line is unmistakable ! (I don’t think its the same car parked along the street though !)
If you end up here in your travels, I would love to get a photo to add to the “family collection” of visitors 😀
I have also been able to find the following interesting bits about other members of the family who lived in Dalmally after Peter left (though not confirmed fully as there is some conflicting information) –
The old craft shop Dad talked about in his diary was located near the railway station. It is no longer there. I have been corresponding with a lady from the Dalmally Historical Association and they now hold the “historical albums” Dad mentioned in his diary (where the postcard from Emerson above came from).
Peter Anderson’s brother, John (born 1846) was the Dalmally Postmaster according to the 1901 Census records. Two of his daughters, Mary Ann and Isabella, worked as Telegraphists in the Post Office. He had been a Police Constable prior to this in Kilmartin (about 30 miles southwest at the other end of Loch Awe). John passed away in 1910 and is buried locally, with a number of his family, at Glenorchy Parish Church (see location in top right corner of satellite map above).
John’s son, John (yes – another one !) was the Butcher in Dalmally. According to 1915 and 1920 Valuation Rolls, “John Junior” was the proprietor of a house and shop called “Dunshee”. Another “walk around” Dalmally and I found a property across the road from the railway station with “Dunshee” above the doorway ! This building is almost opposite the railway station so you will pass it as you head toward the fork in the road noted above. John Junior lived until the ripe old age of 95, passing away in 1969. He is also buried at the Glenorchy Parish Church.
An old ordinance map of Dalmally from 1899 clearly, shows the railway station , the Post Office and the “family house” just over the railway bridge (near the number 226) – not many houses around in 1899 !
The Post Office is actually a separate building along the street to the left side of the “Dunshee” building above. The following is a picture of the old building. The woman standing at the front is thought to be Mary Ann Anderson (noted above), Emerson’s cousin and the daughter of the Post Master, Peter Anderson’s brother John Anderson. It is directly opposite the little road accessing the station carpark and “Dunshee” is back down the road a little.
Another of John’s (Snr) sons, Archibald, was a Reverend in the Church of Scotland. It appears that he was first a minister with the United Free Church which came into existence in 1900. In 1929 it merged with the Church of Scotland. The “family home” was known as “Cruachan” (all their houses seem to have names!) and seems to be known as the “ministers residence” at the time. Archie, Mary Ann and Isabella all lived in this house until they died.
The “old post office” building, as it became known, also became a minister residence (called a “manse”) at one point and was called “Ardlussa”. The last minister left the area in about 2011 and the property has since become a private residence. It is now called “The Old Post Office House”.
I’ll keep adding any information I come across in the future.