Union Canal

Canal Banksmen

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Banksmen on the Union Canal

Thank you to Bill Hall, Leith, Edinburgh, for allowing me to reproduce this photograph of canal banksmen.  This was amongst a collection of photos taken in and around Ratho that Bill has sent to me.

The Union Canal passes through Ratho, so I assume that this photo was taken on the Union Canal.  When might this photo have been taken?

Acknowledgement:  Bill Hall, Musselburgh, East Lothian, Scotland:  May 24, 2010

Banksmen on the Union Canal

Thank you to Bill Hall for telling me more about this photo.

Bill wrote:

John and Archie Tait

"This photo was taken about 1900.  The man on the extreme right is John Tait, born 1858, died 1931.  He married Janet Clark whose family stayed at Wilkie's Basin, 2 miles from Ratho going west.  He is the Father of Archie Tait, the ploughman in this photo."

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Bill added:

The Clark Family

"Janet Clark was the sister of my Great Grandmother, Mary Clark. The Clark family were Carriers in Linlithgow going back to the 17th century.  Mary's father Alexander Clark moved to Wilkie's basin on the canal to be a banksman in 1861.  The family were there for approx 70 years until John Taits death in 1931."

Bill Hall, Musselburgh, East Lothian, Scotland:  June 8, 2010

Comment

1.

Ken Clark

Nantwich, Cheshire, England

Thank you to Ken Clark who wrote:

The Clark Family

"I noticed that Bill Hall, above, states that he is the great grandson of Mary Clark. I am the Great Great Grandson of William Clark, the elder brother of Mary Clark.

I know that their father, Alexander Clark died in Ratho in 1898 and was 84, but little else before this apart from a few census records.  William Clark moved to Glasgow with the railway and died relatively young from TB. "

Ken Clark, Nantwich, Cheshire, England:  June 14 2010

Ken tells me that his family is from Kirkintilloch & Lenzie, but moved South to Derby, York, Doncaster and finally Crewe - following the family railway tradition.

Comment

2.

Ken Clark

Nantwich, Cheshire, England

Ken Clark wrote:

Tall Men

"I found it interesting to learn in this Ratho page that Bill Hall's family were policemen in Edinburgh.

I was wondering whether there is a tall gene in the family, as apart from myself (6' 1") all my male relatives are over 6' 5".

I know that my great grandfather, born in the 1870's, was 6' 4", which would have been quite extraordinary in 'turn-of-the- century' Glasgow."

Ken Clark, Nantwich, Cheshire, England:  June 26 2010

Ratho

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