Elizabeth Ramage of Ayrshire

Elizabeth Ramage of Ayrshire

Elizabeth Ramage was my Great Great Grandmother, born in Loudoun, Ayrshire on the 15th of October 1866. Her father registered the birth.

The family lived at Auchencloich Cottage, Sorn, Ayrshire where her father was a Dairy Man and the rest of the family helped him on the farm. Life was hard. Early starts did not mean early finishes, as the family worked to produce cows’ milk, butter and butter milk. Originally butter churns were turned by hand which was a laborious and strength sapping activity, mostly carried out by the women of the farm. Then there was the early morning exit of wheeled vehicles, which could be seen leaving the farm, carrying their sought after fresh products to eager customers in the nearby Ayrshire towns. One positive aspect of the tiring existence was that their products were highly sought after and often the supply could not keep up with the demand.

In 1871 Elizabeth is living on the farm with her father David (aged 35) her mother Elizabeth (35) her sisters Annie (14) Jane (7) and her brothers John (11) Allan (2)

Auchencloich Cottage was a one storey farmhouse with adjoining barns and outhouses. Prior to life on the farm the family had lived at Barr Street, Galston and David had worked in the local mine as a Pit head man. This new opportunity on the farm gave the family the chance of a new life and the opportunity to generate their own income.

It’s interesting to know that in the mid-1800’s in Scotland people would attend Autumn feeing (or hiring) markets. While the market would be dressed up as an entertainment attraction, with confectionary stalls and pop up theatre shows the reality was it was a recruitment event for farmers. Men and women would come to sell themselves to the highest bidders. Women, generally aged between 14 to 25 standing close together on one side of the street, with the men opposite, would stand for inspection, to be hired by the year or half year. As well as a reasonable wage, employees would receive additional benefits such as accommodation, free allowances of meal and potatoes and sometimes milk. Dairymaids were in great demand and received from £7 to £9 10 shillings for a half years work and young girls unable to milk from £3 to £5.

Elizabeth’s father David was no stranger to this practice. He had taken part himself as a young boy. At the age of 14, he had secured for himself, a position as a farm labourer on John Muir’s 34 acre farm in Killoch Mains, Mauchline, Ayrshire.

The agricultural depression in the early 1880’s forced the family to uproot and move once again. They settled back to the town of Galston at 14 Blair Street. Elizabeth isn’t with the family on the 1881 Scottish Census. Although she was only 14 years old, she had found employment as a domestic servant. Her employer, Mrs Margaret McIntosh, a widow, was owner of Strath Mill House and the Paper Mill attached. The house and the Mill had been in the family for generations. Margaret lived with her three sons and two daughters. Elizabeth was the sole employee and it was her job to keep house and look after the family. One of Margaret’s sons John McIntosh had served his apprenticeship as an architect, and for a time he followed that profession in the Valley of Irvine, but later he took over the paper mill, and also devoted himself to literary and artistic work. He published four books: 'Historical review of Galston and Loudoun Parishes'; 'Ayrshire Poets'; 'Ayrshire Night's Entertainment' and 'Irvinedale Chimes'.

In March 1886 Elizabeth discovered she was pregnant. To this day there is no clue as to the identity of the child’s father. Elizabeth’s older brother John Ramage had previously moved from the family home to Liverpool, England where he had married Catherine Berry. It was decided that Elizabeth would make the trip to Liverpool and stay with John and his family until the baby was born.

James Ramage was born in Liverpool in January 1887. Mother and baby returned home.

It is likely that while David and Elizabeth Ramage were unhappy with their daughter’s ‘situation’, they remained supportive.

Historically, illegitimacy was more common in Eastern Scottish agricultural communities and Ayrshire than the rest of the country and in truth they had wed in the January of 1857 and daughter Annie had been born six weeks later, so on some level they had an understanding.

Perhaps their patience was tested even further when Elizabeth fell pregnant for a second time in Spring of 1891. She had found work as a lace darner and was living with her parents and son James at 11 Blair Street, Galston when she gave birth to my great grandfather David Ramage at 3am on the 30th of December 1891.

Fast forward to 31 March 1901 and the family are still living at 11 Blair Street, Galston.

David Ramage is 65 years old and continues to work as a Colliery Labourer. His wife Elizabeth is a housewife. His daughter Elizabeth is a lacer darner and James Ramage, aged 14, has joined his grandfather down the mines. David Ramage Jnr is aged 9 and attending school.

Tragedy would befall the family at the time of the census. David Senior had a massive stroke on the 19th of March and was bedridden at home for 14 days with bleeding of the brain. He passed away on the 2nd of April 1901.

They say tragedy comes in three’s and for Elizabeth it did. The passing of her father left the family in dire straights financially. In the summer of 1906 her son James began complaining of feeling unwell – a fever, weakness, stomach pain, headaches, and vomiting. While at work one day his condition worsened, he was taken to the Coal Pit Infirmary where he was found to have Enteric Fever (Typhoid). He died aged 19 years on the 1st of August 1906. Suspected cause of transmission was dirty drinking water.

Around the same time Elizabeth’s mother fell unwell. She died the following year, at 13 Blair Street, Galston on the 13th of July 1907, from previously undiagnosed pernicious anemia - a condition in which the body can't make enough healthy red blood cells because it doesn't have enough vitamin B12. A family of five only one short year ago, Elizabeth and her son David were now alone.

David Ramage and his mother elizabeth.jp

On the 10th of September 1909 Elizabeth married John Hamilton at her family home, 13 Blair Street, Galston. John was a lacer weaver and widower living at 44 Brown Street, Galston.

John Hamilton was born in Loudoun, Ayrshire. He had married Sarah Hopkins in 1890 and the couple had eight children together:

William Hamilton born in Galston on the 11th of January 1891
Robert Hopkins Hamilton born in Galston on the 15th of February 1893.
Isabella (Bella) Hamilton born in Galston on the 9th of November 1894
Elizabeth McIntyre Hamilton born in Galston on the 14th of November 1896.
John Hamilton born in Galston on the 3rd of July 1899
Alexander (Alex) Hopkins Hamilton born in Galston in 1905
Samuel (Sam) Wilson Hamilton born in Galston on the 17th of August 1908
Sarah Hopkins Hamilton born in Galston on the 17th of August 1908

Sarah died in childbirth on the 17th of August 1908 giving birth to Sarah Hopkins Hamilton and John was now left with six surviving children.

John would marry Elizabeth Hamilton almost a year to the day since his first wife died.

David Ramage would go from being a lone child to suddenly inheriting six stepbrothers and sisters. It was all change again!

Elizabeth and her new husband, son David and six new stepchildren all resided at 42 Brown Street, Galston. They are listed there on the March 1911 Census. Strangely David Ramage is listed as a boarder and not as a stepson.

1919 DAVID RAMAGE DISCHARGE FROM ARMY.jp

Perhaps for David it was finally time to go out on his own. Perhaps he found the changes in his life difficult to deal with.

He joined the Army, signing up for the Royal Scots Fusiliers on the 4th of November 1911, in Hamilton, Lanarkshire. A town that would become so important to his descendants. To read more about David’s life click HERE

Elizabeth and John Hamilton lived a long and happy life together in Galston. Elizabeth finally found the happiness and security which had long eluded her.

Their marriage saw them survive two World Wars together.

John died on the 28th of February 1946 at 44 Brown Street from a brain haemorrhage. He was 80 years old and a Market Gardener. His son William Hamilton signed the death certificate.

Elizabeth died at 44 Brown Street, Galston on the 17th of October 1949. She suffered a Heart Attack. She was 82 years old. Her son David Ramage signed the death certificate.