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Drysdale - a Douglas sept
Information
Drysdale is considered a sept of the Douglas clan, but it is quite likely that this was a separate family which existed previous to when the three Douglas brothers adopted the Drysdale name. A sept is a family that can be related to a clan or larger family for various reasons. Usually this came about either through marriage or by a small family seeking protection from a larger and more powerful neighbour.
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Story of the creation of the Drysdale family
The following is said to tell the story of the creation of the Drysdale family, it was actually part of the Black Douglas clan which remained in Scotland, following their failed attempt against the Scots crown in 1455. [Earlier references to Drysdale, or Dryfesdale can be found]
"On the Twentieth Day of May, One Thousand Five Hundred and Three Years
We, Thomas, William, and James Douglass, sons of the departed Thomas Douglass, of Brushwood Haugh, in the parish of Drysdale, and Shire of Dumfries, left our native place for the reason here assigned, viz:- Defending our just and lawful rights against our unjust neighbour, Johnston of Greenstonhill, who, being determined to bring water to his mill through our property, and having obtained leave of his friend, the King, began his operations on Monday, the 16th of May, We prevented him by force.
The next day he brought twenty of his vassels to carry on the work. We with two friends and three servants, (eight in all,) attacked Johnston with his twenty, and, in the contest, fourteen of his men were killed, along with their base leader. A report of these proceedings was carried to the King, and we were obliged to fly, (the tocsin being sounded).
We took shelter under the shadow of the Ochil Hills, in a lonely valley on the river Devon. After having lived there a full two years, we returned home in disguise, but found all our property in the possession of Johnston's friends, and a great reward offered for our lives. We, having purchased a small spot, called the Haugh of Dollar, and changed our names to the name of our Parish, are clearly in mind to spend the residue of our days under the ope of the Ochils, and wish the name of Drysdale to flourish in the lonely valley. The King passed through this with his Court on the 12th of June, 1506, going from Stirling to Falkland - dined on Halliday's green. (an eastern neighbour;) but we were not recognised."
The above story has been preserved among the desendants of Thomas, William, and James Douglass, now known by the name of Drysdale, and copied at several times by different individuals - first, by Simon Drysdale of the Haugh of Dollar, in the year 1620; by Robert Drysdale of Tillicoultry, in 1708; by John Drysdale, Dunfermline, in 1835; by James Drysdale, Dumfermline, in 1838; by John Montrose Drysdale, in 1841; by George Drysdale, Aberdeen, in 1845; by David Drysdale, Glasgow, in 1857; by John Harrower Drysdale, Aylmer, Ontario, Canada, in 1920; and now by Nicholas Edwin Kontzie (great-great-grandson of Jane Drysdale), Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, in 2000.
Discussion Forum
The origins of the surname Drysdale
Started by Ronald Drysdale. Last reply by Ronald Drysdale May 4. 28 Replies 2 Likes
In a previous post I gave some background information on the Barony and lands of Dryfesdale:…Continue
Tags: Moffat, Johnston, Maxwell, Gresson, Kirkpatrick
Scots living in Holland in 17th & 18th Centuries
Started by Ronald Drysdale. Last reply by Russell Lynn Drysdale Apr 11. 13 Replies 0 Likes
Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scots_International_ChurchThe Scots International Church or the Scottish Church (Dutch:…Continue
Tags: Drysdale, Netherlands, Douglas, Rotterdam, church
The Drysdales of Dollar
Started by Ronald Drysdale. Last reply by Ronald Drysdale Mar 29. 18 Replies 1 Like
The 1998 publication - 'History of Dollar' contains a lot of information concerning early Drysdale feuars & tenants in Dollar i.e. residents of Dollar prior to 1605 & thereafter:…Continue
Tags: Lag, Dumfries, Dollar, Douglas, Gregorsoune
Early Douglas and Drysdale migrants to South Africa
Started by Ronald Drysdale. Last reply by Ronald Drysdale Oct 26, 2024. 3 Replies 1 Like
Hi all,Following on from William Douglas's recent comment:…Continue
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Comment by Russell Lynn Drysdale on September 8, 2019 at 17:14
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in re : James Drysdale once Provost of Bridge of Allan , in William Drysdales book Auld Biggins of Sterling there are a few old photos of Bridge of Allen.
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Comment by William Douglas on September 7, 2019 at 18:49
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On a visit to Cambuskenneth, a ruined Augustinian monastery located on an area of land enclosed by a meander of the River Forth near Stirling in Scotland, I found a Drysdale grave marker is the small cemetery attached to the abbey.
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The Drysdale/Wharrie connection
https://historic-hamilton.co.uk/tag/major-james-drysdale/Major James Drysdale is the son of William Drysdale of Pitteuchar and Anne Cunison, daughter of the Sheriff-Clerk of Hamilton
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Searched high and low - and then found the link with James Cuniston, Sheriff-Clerk of Lanarkshire in my own library! From the 'Lost Mansions of Lanarkshire', by Dan Sweeney
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A Drysdale family in Batavia.
from left to right:
Dee Drysdale (background with glasses, great aunt of mine)), Thomas Drysdale (foreground in chair, great-grandfather), Rob Drysdale (uncle, boy in background next to aunt Dee), Peter Drysdale (uncle, next to Rob), Ben Drysdale (great uncle, in chair), Suze Drysdale-Turpijn (great-grandmother), Jane Mary Drysdale (my mother), unknown to me (with glasses .. who knows it may say)
This photo was taken in Batavia, near the Theresiakerk / Theresiakerkweg ... as far as I know. I don't know any professions, only that my grandfather Thomas Cochrane Drysdale (not on photo) worked at the Government House Service (and sergeant at the KNIL) and died on / at the Burma railway in 1943.
Greetings, Ben Franken
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Agnes Begbie Drysdale is the daughter of William Drysdale. She married Maj.-Gen. Robert Hutchison, 1st and last Baron Hutchison of Montrose, son of Alexander Hutchison, on 26 April 1905.
From 26 April 1905, her married name became Hutchison.1 After her marriage, Agnes Begbie Drysdale was styled as Baroness Hutchison of Montrose on 30 June 1932.I am guessing that Agnes is the daughter of Georgina Begbie and William Drysdale (1838-1902), himself the son of John Drysdale of Kilrie. Elsewhere, she is described as an only daughter, and William and Georgina had only one daughter (and three sons)
Any opinions?
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https://deriv.nls.uk/dcn23/8526/85268199.23.pdf
source: https://deriv.nls.uk/dcn23/8526/85268199.23.pdf
William Drysdale. Old faces, old places and old stories of Stirling -LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS.
Drysdale, Ex-Provost James, Bridge of Allansource:http://www.ebooksread.com/authors-eng/william-drysdale/old-faces-ol...
Fountain of Nineveh (1851; fig 11) gifted by Major Henderson of Westerton
to celebrate recent Babylonian excavations; heron added by James Drysdale,
Chief Magistrate in 1895source: https://my.stirling.gov.uk/media/3716/bridge-of-allan-ca-app.pdf
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James Drysdale was once the Provost of Bridge of Allan
https://holeousia.com/time-passes-listen/bridge-of-allan/105-hender...Do we know any more about him?
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[#1.] William's (1717-1757) son, [#2.] William Drysdale (1745-1825), was also Town Clerk of Kirkcaldy, and acquired the estate of Pitteuchar, in Kinglassie parish, in the early 1800s.
He was succeeded there by his son,[#3.] Sir William Drysdale (1781-1843), Writer to the Signet, who was knighted while City Treasurer of Edinburgh, 1841-1843.
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