Agnes Murdoch was born at Lanehead Lime Works (probably Lanehead Cottage) in 1813 and later lived with her widowed father James and several siblings at Rigg, later known as Fore-Rigg, a division of Rigg.
In 1840 she married Penpont-born George Hyslop, at Rigg –
George Hyslop, in this parish*, and Agnes Murdoch in the parish of New Cumnock, were regularly proclaimed in this parish church, on Sabbath 20th and 27th Dec., 1840 in order to Marriage. They were married at Rigg, New Cumnock, Tuesday 29th by the Rev. Mr. Kirkland, Minister of New Cumnock.
Scotland’s People: *Parish of Dalmellington, Banns & Marriages
Benbeoch, Dalmellington, Ayrshire
The couple are recorded in the 1841 Census as living at Benbeoch in the parish of Dalmellington as George Hislop (25), agricultural labour and Agnes Hislop (25). Although there is no named farm / cottage of Benbeoch, it must have been located near the lower slopes of Benbeoch hill and the nearby Benbain, some 2 miles south-west of Fore-Rigg. Indeed, it may be the case that the name Benbeoch was entered in error and the cottage in question was Benbain.
Pennyvenie Cott House, Dalmellington, Ayrshire
By the 1851 Census, George and Agnes Heslop were living at Pennyvenie Cott House along with their three daughters Ann (9), Jean (8) & Agnes (6) followed by three sons Joseph (4), James (3) & John (1). George found work as a drainage labourer, meanwhile his birthplace was recorded as Penpont, Dumfriesshire; some 25 miles south-east of Dalmellington, The family moved to New Cumnock (no location) where in the period 1853-58, children Catherine and Janet were born.
Soon after they settled at Kirkconnel Village, Dumfriesshire, where George found work as a farm servant. Sadly, a fourth son, George, 5 months, died there in February 1858 and in May the following year George, aged 46, passed away. Father and son were buried in Kirkconnel Kirkyard, but sadly no headstone, if there was one, has survived.
Widower Agnes Hyslop returned to New Cumnock and settled at Leggate, a small row of houses on the outskirts of the town. She died there, aged 46, on 24th April 1860 less than a year after her husband had passed. Agnes was buried in New Cumnock Kirkyard (no existing stone). The 1861 Census Records reveals where some of the orphaned offspring of George and Agness Hyslop were initially housed –
In 1861, eldest sister Anne (19), hand-sewer, along with sisters Catherine (8) and Janet (6) and youngest brother John (11) were living at Afton Bridgend, New Cumnock. N.B while Ancestry gives the specific address as the Reformed Presbyterian Manse, at Afton Bridgend.
- Sadly, Catherine died in 1867 at Greenhead, New Cumnock, a hundred yards or so from the Manse.
- At the time of the 1871 Census both Anne, dairy maid and Janet, servant were working at Little Creoch farm, New Cumnock but both moved to live at Greenhead soon after. Ann later had two children, John (1871) at Greenhead and George (1882) at Afton Bridgend. Meanwhile in 1877 Janet married John Roxburgh, shepherd at Waterhead, ‘After Banns according to the Forms of the Free Church of Scotland’, by the Reverend Matthew Hutchison, Minister of Afton Free Church, New Cumnock – formerly the Reformed Presbyterian Church. John Roxburgh was the son of James Roxburgh, farmer at Waterhead and Christina Wilson – retaining a link with the Estate of Waterhead. The couple set up home at Marchfoot cottage, some 600 yards from Waterhead farm. By the 1891 Census they were living at Afton Bridgend at the home of retired shepherd James Welsh, while James Roxburgh was now working for the County Council as a roadman. By the 1901 Census the couple had relocated to Kirkinbridge Toll, Dalmellington, less than a mile from the town on the road to Carsphairn. It was here in 1935 that Janet Roxburgh, nee Hyslop, aged 80 years, passed away.
- The story of youngest brother John makes fascinating reading. Although, seemingly missing from the 1861Census, he reappeared in the 1871 Census of England, as a soldier in the Grenadier Guards Hospital, Rochester Row, Westminster, London. John then settled in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England. In 1887, now working as an innkeeper he married Martha Upton and together he had a daughter Harriet Violet G. Hyslop. His wife Martha died in 1909 and John Hyslop, now 60 years old, married Emma Maria Smith the following year. John Hyslop died at Atcham, Shropshire on 10 Sep 1928.
In 1861, Agnes Hyslop (16) was living with her uncle William Murdoch and his wife Mary McCrone and their family at Knocksoul farm, Ayr. Unfortunately, the whereabouts of her brother James Hyslop (13) and her sister Jane /Jean (18) in 1861 have yet to be found, however their paths soon crossed.
- In 1866, Jane Hyslop domestic servant, Greenhead, New Cumnock gave birth to an illegitimate daughter named as Agnes Hyslop in the Register of Births but was later known as Agnes Blane; however no other Blane connection has been found. In 1887, Agnes Blane while living at Afton Bridgend, married John Imrie, carter, Lesmahagow, Lanarkshire.
- By the 1871 Census, Agnes (26) was living at Greenhead Street, New Cumnock with her brother James (23), coal miner and their niece Agnes Blane. The sister and brother continued to live together at Greenhead (1881) and then Afton Bridgend (1891), along with their nephews (sister Anne’s sons), John (19) and George (8).
- By the 1901 Census, Agnes was still living at Afton Bridgend, now as housekeeper to James Welsh, retired shepherd (see Janet Roxburgh nee Hyslop above) and by the 1911 Census she was living on her own at Coupla, the east side of Afton Bridgend.
- In 1895 James Hyslop, coal miner and Mary Lammie, grocer, both living at Afton Bridgend, were married at Kyle Hotel, Ayr by the Reverend William Scott of the Free Church of Scotland, New Cumnock. In 1901 and 1911 they lived together with their two children at Afton Bridgend; where James was latterly working for the County Council as a roadman. In 1913 the family were living at Coupla, when Mary Lammie, 59 passed away at Kilmarnock Infirmary.
- At the 1921 Census, Agnes and widower James Hyslop, sister and brother, were living together again at Afton Bridgend.
- In May 1923, James Hyslop died aged 75, at home, Coupla, Afton Bridgend, New Cumnock
- In December 1929, Agnes Hyslop died, aged 85 years, died at Coalburn, Lanarkshire, at the home of her niece Agnes Imrie (nee Hyslop / Blane) and her husband
In 1861, eldest son Joseph (14) found work as a farm servant at North Boig farm, New Cumnock.
- By the 1871 Census Joseph (24), farm servant was living at Dalricket Mill, New Cumnock. In December of that year, he was living at Greenhead and married Mary Anderson at the Reformed Presbyterian Church, New Cumnock. Dalmellington born Mary was a domestic servant at Craighouse, the farmhouse adjacent to the Lanehead Lime Works on the Waterhead Estate. At the time of the 1881 Census Joseph, coal miner and Mary were living at Bridgend with a family of five.
- By the 1891 Census the family had relocated to High Pennyvenie, Dalmellington not far from where Joseph was born at Pennyvenie Cottage. Joseph was now working as a bower, in the footsteps of his grandfather James Murdoch, bower at High Pennyvenie in 1851. At the time of the 1901 Census the family were living as 15 Gas Brae, Dalmellington, with Joseph now working as a roadman. In 1906 Mary Anderson nee Hyslop died at Dalmellington, with Jospeh was now working as a draining contractor.
- At the time of the 1911 and 1921 Census he was living with his son James Hyslop, grocer and his family, and it was at Carsphairn village that Joseph died in 1930, aged 84 years. He lies in New Cumnock Auld Kirkyard with his wife Mary Anderson and their infant son George Hyslop.
The Ordnance Survey Name Book for the parish of New Cumnock (1855-67) considered the town of New Cumnock to comprise of the 5 villages – Pathhead, Mansfield, Castle, Afton Bridgend and Couplagate. Of particular interest are Afton Bridgend and Couplagate.
Afton Bridgend (often shortened to Bridgend) stretched from the east side of the bridge over the Afton Water to the Reformed Presbyterian Church later known as the Afton Free Church. Couplagate (often shortened to Coupla) stretched east from the Reformed Presbyterian Church to the outskirts of the town.
Afton Bridgend, Couplagate & Greenhead
Children of James Murdoch and Ann Fleming & their Spouses
NEW CUMNOCK HERITAGE 