Fore-Rigg: New Cumnock, Ayrshire
Although James Murdoch did not take the offer of the Three Year tenancy of Fore-rigg from Whitsunday 1851, his son Matthew Murdoch opted to do so, living there along with his wife Mary Morrison and their young family. It is appropriate at this point to reflect on the Morrison family and their association with the parish of New Cumnock.
Matthew Morrison (c.1786-1860) & Mary Maxwell (c.1791-1865)
In 1813, New Cumnock-born Matthew Morison and Edinburgh-born Mary Maxwell were married at Old Cumnock –
Matthew Morison in parish of New Cumnock and Mary Maxwell in this parish* gave in their mutual order for proclamation of Banns on Saturday the 19th June were duly called in Church on the… immediately following Sabbath and no objection being offered were married on Friday the 2nd July 1813.
*Scotland’s People: Parish of Old Cumnock, Banns & Marriages
Unfortunately, it has not been possible to identify whereabouts in New Cumnock Matthew Morrison or whereabouts Mary Maxwell was born, nor where she was living in the parish of Old Cumnok at the time of her marriage. However, the baptisms or births of their children is well documented in the Old Parish Records of the parish of New Cumnock.
Their first three children – Rachel (1814), Thomas (1816) and Mathew (1818) were born at Carcow in the parish of New Cumnock), some 4 miles to the south-east as the crow flies from Rigend. The family then settled at Rigend (later the division known as High Rigend) where six more children were born – John I (1820), Mary (24th November 1812), Margaret (1824), John II (1827) and Isabel (1832).
The 1841 Census Record of Riggend reads Mathew Morrison (55), farmer, Mary (50), Rachael (25), Thomas (25), Mathew (23), Mary (19), Margaret (16), John (14), George (12) and Isabella (9).
Four years later, as previously discussed the lands of Nether Riggend (also known as Riggend) were to be let at Whitsunday 1845 in ‘two divisions as now possessed by Messrs. Morrison and Lennox’. These two divisions were later named High Riggend and Low Riggend. The Lennox family continued to let Low Rigend, as recorded in the Valuation Rolls of 1855, which confirms that the Morrison family had tenanted High Riggend.
High Riggend would have been very familiar to Mathew Murdoch, sitting a half mile to the north of Fore-Rigg on the banks of the River Nith. He may also have been familiar with Robert Burns love song ‘Mary Morison’ and his thoughts may have turned to the opening lines as he approached High Riggend – “O Mary, at thy window be, It is the wish’d the trysted hour’’ as he and Mary Morrison fell in love.
However, Matthew Morrison did not take up the offer of the tenancy of High Rigend and the family moved to Carcoside in the parish of Kirkconnel, Dumfriesshire, sometime before 15th May, i.e. Whitsunday 1845. Matthew Murdoch was quick to act and two months later, on 13th June 1845, he married Mary Morrison at Carcoside before returning to Fore-Rigg to live with his father.
Meanwhile the Morrison family moved from Carcoside, Kirkconnel to Lochside, Sanquhar some 2 miles to the south-east, close to the Curling Loch. It was here that Matthew Morrison died, aged on 13th July 1860 and was buried in Kirkconnel kirkyard. (N.B. Sadly there is no existing headstone, however there is a headstone for his daughter Margaret and husband David Laing).
His wife Mary moved to live with their son Matthew and his family at Whiteside farm, Kirkgunzeon, Kirkcudbrightshire. It was there that Mary Morrison (nee Maxwell) passed away aged 74, 28th April– 4 weeks after her daughter Mary Murdoch (nee Morrison).
N.B. The marriage date of Matthew Murdoch and Mary Morrison is found on the birth certificate of their daughter Ann Murdoch born at Auchreoch 7th June 1863, which reads ‘1845 June 13th at Carcoside, Sanquhar, Dumfriesshire’. It should be noted Carcoside is often associated with the parish of Sanquhar, however it sits in the parish of Kirkconnel, close to parish boundary with Sanquhar. By road from Carcoside to the parish church of Kirkconnel is about 3 miles further away than the parish church of Sanquhar and it may be the case that some Kirkconnel parishioners attended church at Sanquhar.
Matthew Murdoch returned to Fore-Rig with his new bride Mary who certainly would have been known to his father James and his sisters Ann and Barbara. The couple had three children over the next few years meanwhile his two sisters, had married and left Fore-Rig. As discussed, Mathew took up the offer of the ‘Three Year’ lease for Fore-Rigg at Whitsunday, 15th May 1851.
The 1851 Census that year took place on 30th/31st March and shows that James Murdoch had moved on by that time. The residents at Rigg, (n.b. the Census did not include the names of the divisions of the Rigg) were all New Cumnock born – Matthew Murdoch (34), a farmer of 116 acres, wife Mary (29) and their children – James (4), Mathew (3) and William (1) along with John Murdoch (35), lodger and carter, almost certainly Mathew’s elder brother John.
Matthew was referred to as ‘a farmer of 116 acres’, which confirms he was the tenant at Fore-Rigg, which was described in the letting notices as “FORE-RIGG, a good Dairy Farm – extending to 116 acres or thereby, comprising Arable, Meadow, and pasture and – partly drained”.
However, Matthew decided not to complete his tenancy of three years at Fore-Rigg, due to end at Whitsunday 1854. Nevertheless, it appears his elder brother John Murdoch continued to live there, since the Valuation Rolls (1855-56) record ‘Messrs. Murdoch’ as tenants.
Meanwhile, Matthew Murdoch and his family settled at Auchreoch farm, Balmaclellan, Kirkcudbrightshire. This was quite a flitting, with a journey of 4 miles to Dalmellington and then 20 miles south-east to Balmaclellan.
The family soon expanded with the addition of five more children – John (1852), Mary (1854), Thomas (1857), George (1860) and Ann (1863). Sadly, Mary Murdoch (nee Morrison) passed away at Auchreoch, 31st March 1865, aged 44 years.
At the time of 1871 Census, widower Matthew and was living at Loop/Loupe, Balmaclellan (yet to be identified), and now working as stone breaker. Ten years later he was living at Bogle Knowe about half a mile to the east of Auchreoch and still working as stone breaker and then later as a road contractor*.
* In the marriage register of his son John Murdoch & Elizabeth Jamieson, Matthew Murdoch’s occupation is recorded as a road contractor.
By the time of the 1891 Census, he was recorded as a ‘retired farmer’ living at South Burnside Street, Dalmellington. It was at Dalmellington, on 10th May 1895, that Matthew Murdoch, farmer, aged 78, passed away.
A few brief notes now on the children of Mathew Murdoch and Mary Morrison –
Born at Fore-Rig, New Cumnock
- James Murdoch (b.1847) At the time of the 1861 Census he lived with the Carruthers family at Craig farm, Balmacellan as an errand boy. In 1872 he was working as a hotel barman at Dalmellington when he married Agnes Brown at Kirkgunzeon, Kirkcudbrightshire. Agnes was a farm servant at Whitside farm, tenanted by James’s uncle Mathew Morrison. James later established himself as a grocer in the Main Street, Dalmellington. Sadly, Agnes passed away in 1882 at Dalmellington. Widower James later married Annie Scullen, however he passed away at Dalmellington 4th October 1884.
- Matthew Murdoch (b.1848) moved from the family home at Balmaclellan and in the 1871 Census he is recorded as a farm servant at Whiteside farm, tenanted by his uncle Matthew Morrison. By the time of the 1881 Census he was living at No. 2 Collier Row, Dalmellington working as a horse driver in the coal pit. By 1891 Census he was working as a contractor living with his retired father Matthew and sister Annie at South Burnside Street, Dalmellington and in 1901 Matthew Murdoch, carting contractor was living at 11 High Street, Dalmellington with his widowed sister Mary Mutch (nee Murdoch). He died at 3 Main Street, Dalmellington, 6th May 1922.
- William Murdoch (b.1850) moved from the family home at Balmaclellan and in the 1871 Census he is recorded as a farm servant at Whiteside farm, Kirkgunzeon, tenanted by his uncle Matthew Morrison. Sadly, he died there on 11th September 1879, aged 30 years
Born at Auchreoch, Balmaclellan
- John Murdoch (b.1852) stayed in the family home at Balmaclellan -, Auchreoch (1861) and Loupe No. 2 (1871), where he worked as a labourer. In 1876 he married Elizabeth Jamieson at Kirkoswald, Ayrshire while both were living at Dalmellington, where John worked as a carrier. At the time of 1881 Census the couple were living at 7 Main Street, Dalmellington along with their three children Elizabeth, Mary and Matthew as well as John’s younger brother George. John was now working as a contractor & carter. A fourth child, Barbara was born at Dalmellington. Their next child would be born in Australia – but more of this family later
- Mary Murdoch (b.1854) stayed in the family home at Balmaclellan -, Auchreoch (1861) and Loupe No. 2 (1871), where she worked as the housekeepe. In 1876 Mary gave birth to a son William. At the time of the 188I Census she worked as a general servant for Harper at Corra, Buittle, Kirkcudbrightshire. In 1891 she was the housekeeper at Craigdarroch, New Cumnock, home to John Welsh, shepherd (on retiral he lived at Afton Bridgend, New Cumnock – see D3: Agnes Murdoch & George Murdoch). By 1892 she was living at Doonholm, Alloway, Ayrshire, housekeeper to widower James Mutch, forester – and they were married in March that year at Dalmellington; a daughter Annie Murdoch Mutch was born at the end of the year. Sadly, her husband, James died the following year. Mary lived to the grand age of 83 and passed away in 1937 at Haugh of Urr, Kirkcudbrightshire.
- Thomas Murdoch (b.1857) stayed in the family home at Balmaclellan -, Auchreoch (1861) and Loupe No. 2 (1871), where he worked as a stonebreaker. By the time of the 1881 Census, he was working as a railway porter and lodging with his aunt Barbara Clark (nee Murdoch) and her husband Quintin Clark, railway gatekeeper at the Gatehouse, Dalmellington. He later set sail for Brisbane, Australia.
- George Murdoch (b.1857) stayed in the family home at Balmaclellan -, Auchreoch (1861) and Loupe No. 2 (1871) and by the 1881 Census he was lodging with his elder Brother John and his family at 7 Main Street, Dalmellington, working as a carter. Sadly, John died on 5th May 1884.
- Annie Murdoch (b.1863) stayed in the family home at Balmaclellan – Auchreoch(1863), Loupe No. 2 (1871) and Bogle Knowe (1881) and then housekeeper to her widowed father Matthew at 3 South Burnside Street, Dalmellington. In 1894, she married Ivie Auld, blacksmith and the couple lived at 17 High Street, Dalmellington. Ivie passed away in 1920 and Annie in 1923.
Children of James Murdoch and Ann Fleming & their Spouses
NEW CUMNOCK HERITAGE 