Andrew was a skipper of the 'Robert and Helen.' When she was wrecked on the Mull of Kintyre in a dense fog, the crew escaped with their lives by climbing the precipitous cliffs of the rock-bound coast. He sailed abroad the 'Kintyre' and 'Freedom.' He was aged 20 when he was Master of the "Freedom" and was part owned by his father in law John Cumming. What a clever man he was to have his Masters certificate at the age of 20. Andrew was also Master of the 'Jane.'

He then took command of a new vessel christened the 'Brothers,' owned by him and his two brothers Captain Charles and shoemaker John. They all had 21 shares and it was built the 20th of December 1858 at Dumbarton. On the 14th July 1860 near Tobermory on the West Coast of Scotland and while in command of the 'Brothers', he was sailing back home from Liverpool. At 10 am Andrew suddenly died at the wheel and fell into the arms of his son John, who was the Mate at the time, he was only aged 48.

His death certificate states he died of ossifications of the heart, (heart attack). A post mortem was performed and he is interred in Tobermory. His brother Captain Charles was lost at sea four months later in November 1860, so shoemaker John now owned 64 shares of the Brothers.

The shipping indexes in Scotland. In 1842 it says the Jane is a Smack and Andrew McCulloch Murdoch is master of her and has 43 shares, he is living in Kippford. The Jane was built at Kippford in 1823, registered Port of Dumfries. In 1850 the Jane is now a sloop and Andrew is master and has 64 shares, he's living in Dalbeattie now. In 1855 it still says the Jane is a sloop and Andrew still has 64 shares.

http://www.dumgal.gov.uk/historicalindexes/shipping.aspx

Liverpool Mercury Newspaper, Friday, December 26, 1856
COMPENSATION FOR SALVAGE-Mr, Coiller, solicitor, appeared on behalf of Captain Murdoch, owner of the sloop Jane, of Dumfries, to prefer a claim for salvage. On Sunday morning week, about six o'clock, the crew heard agitated cries of distress from a vessel about 20 miles S W. of Rhyddlan Head, and in making up they found the galliot Elephant, belonging to Mr. William Smith, in distress, and took her in tow to the Magazines, where they left her in safety. The Elephant had lost her topmast, and was laden with 80 tons of iron ore from Barrow for Garston docks. Mr. Almond, for the defence, urged that the complainant had said he was not a steamer, and might require a lift some time. The sum of £100 had been talked about as a fair compensation for the services rendered: the defendant considered too large a demand, and the matter was left for reference to competent judges- Mr. Mansfield, assisted by Capt. Schomberg, awarded the sum of £12 as ample remuneration, and 25s, the ordinary cost of the court. (The sum of £20 had been offered and declined, the demand of the complainants being for £50)

Glasgow Herald newspaper-Wednesday 22nd September 1858.
GREENOCK AND COAST NEWS.
FOG IN THE RIVER. - On the morning of Wednesday last there was a dense fog at the moth of the river, which led to destruction of property, fortunately unattended by loss of life. During the fog the sloop Flora Macrae, Macrae, with a cargo of salt, from Liverpool for Dornie, went on shore neat the Mull of Kintyre lighthouse, about 7 a.m.; it was so thick that land was not seen until within a boat's length of the shore. On the flood-tide she was got off a short distance, and immediately sunk; nothing of the ship or cargo was saved, but the crew escaped. The schooner Robert and Helen, Murdoch, from Liverpool for West Highlands with a general cargo, went on shore near the Mull of Kintyre lighthouse, on the same morning, about 5 o'clock. The master reports it was so thick that he could not see half the length of his vessel. The vessel is close to the bold rocky shore, fills with the tide, and there is no chance of her being get off. A small portion of the cargo has been landed. The crew were saved. The schooner Margaret, of Stornoway, is reported to have stuck about the same time, but was towed of by crew.

My GG Grandmother Mary Murdoch, nee Cumming was born the 3rd of Oct, 1815 in Kippford and is the daughter of shipbuilder John Cumming and Mary Wilson. on the 1861 census she was living at Water Street, Dalbeattie. On the 1881 census and 1891 she was now living at 13 Station Road.

Mary died aged 77 on the 20th December 1892 of senile debility at 13 Station Road, Dalbeattie and is buried in Colvend Parish Churchyard. Station Road are granite built house's and were built in 1868, it is now a 'C' listed building.

The 1891 census lists an Elizabeth Johnston aged 15 who was a servant in Mary's house.

I visited Mary's house in 2005 at Station Road and could feel her ghostly presence.

Andrew McCulloch Murdoch and Mary Cumming had ten children and they were.

(1) Margaret Murdoch was born in 1836 and died aged 2 on the 16th of May 1838.

(2) Samuel Murdoch was born in 1837 and died aged 1 on the 26th of Dec 1838.

(3) Then my Great Grandfather John Murdoch born 1839.
For the family tree click here

(4) Jane Murdoch was born in 1842 and died aged 6 on the 13th of August 1848.

(5) Elizabeth Murdoch raised my grandfather Alexander Rae Murdoch and she was born in 1844 at Kippford, and was a dressmaker. She never married and died aged 83 on the 14th of March 1928 of bronchitis at 14 Station Road, Dalbeattie. On the 1891 census she was living with her mother at 13 Station Road, and on the 1901 census she was now living at 14 Station Road.

The following statement is from her will.
I Elizabeth Murdoch leave Mary Elizabeth Jane Cumming and Bertha, daughters of my brother Henry Cumming Murdoch, equally among them all my trinkets, my watch and chain, feather bed, chest of drawers, bed and table linen. To my niece the said Elizabeth Jane Cumming Murdoch my piano and stool. To my nephew Alexander Murdoch son of my brother John Murdoch, the sum of 5 pounds sterling. Fourth to my said brother Henry Cumming Murdoch the dwelling house, number 14 station road Dalbeattie, belonging to me and I leave the residue and the remainder of my means and estate equally between my said brother Henry Cumming Murdoch and James Alexander son of my deceased brother James Murdoch and there respected heirs.

(6) Mary Murdoch was born in 1847 at Dalbeattie and worked as a dressmaker too. She married James Carson on the 15th of March 1886 at Dalbeattie, the address she gave on her wedding certificate said 120 High Street, Dalbeattie. James 1847-1918, was a stonemason who served his apprentice at Craignair Quarry, Dalbeattie. Once married they went to live in the U.S.A, where they had a house called Craignair in Clarks Island, Mary died aged 61 in 1909 at Clarks Island.

(7) Andrew Murdoch was born in 1851 at Dalbeattie. He worked a Stonemason. In 1873 he became a Freemason and joined the Lodge Granite Union, No. 480, 128 Copland Street, Dalbeattie, the Lodge opened in 1868. Andrew died at 13 Station Road aged 46, on the 17th of July 1896, at 5.15 AM, his brother James was the informant. He left the sum of £286 pounds in his will. That is worth £23,728.04 using the 2007 retail price index.
His sister Elizabeth received £200 pounds and his brothers James, Henry and sister Mary to share £86 pounds and Henry was left his watch and chain.

(8) James Murdoch was born on the 9th of Sep 1852 and worked as a Stonemason. He was also a Freemason and joined the Dalbeattie Lodge aged 21, on the 16th of Dec 1873.
He married Jane Maxwell McNish in 1896 at Dalbeattie, he was aged 42 and his wife was 10 years younger, one of the witnesses at the wedding was Agnes Cumming Murdoch. James spent most of his life in U.S.A. He retired in Dalbeattie and started his own yard/business. James died aged 54 at Greystone Cottage on the 8th of July 1907, and his wife died aged 58 on the 30th of Nov 1921, at Greystone Cottage also. They had one son James Alexander Murdoch who was born in 1906 and died aged 81 in 1987 and his wife Nicholas Wylie who died aged 91 in 2003, they had no children.

(9) Alexander Murdoch was born on the 6th of March 1855 at Dalbeattie and died at 13 Station Road aged 39, at 8 am on the 20th of December 1894, his brother James was the informant. Alexander and his brother Andrew were skilled Stonemasons, and served seven years apprenticeship at the Craignair quarries, Dalbeattie. As young men they went to the U.S.A. where there was a demand for craftsmen to build public edifices in New York, Boston and Philadelphia. They both returned home to Dalbeattie to die of sclerosis of the lungs, which was one of the hazards of being a stonemason, they never married and had no children. Most of the stone masons-cutters died of stone cutter's consumption. They breathed all the dust because there wasn't any ventilation. The dust would harden their lungs and they had a hard slow death. I found the shipping register for USA. Both men were on the same ship.
Andrew Murdoch Apr 1886 from Liverpool to New York onboard the "Aurania"....-Mason. Alexander Murdoch Apr 1886 from Liverpool to New York onboard the Aurania…Mason.
(Aurania) 1886 arrived at NY Sunday morning after crossing the Ocean in 6 days and 10 hours.

(10) Their last son was Henry Cumming Murdoch, who was born on the 13th of July 1859 at Dalbeattie. He was a stonemason and served his seven year apprenticeship with Shearer Smith Co, a London firm which quarried granite at the Craignair Quarries.
Henry died aged 72 on the 13th of Sep 1931 at Glenshalloch Place, Dalbeattie from hypoactive congestion of the lungs, and fatty degeneration of the heart, his son Alan was the informant. He married dressmaker Mary Copeland at Dalbeattie on the 27th of March 1891 and she was born in 1862 and died aged 72 on the 7th of May 1935 at Dalbeattie. On the 1901 census they where living at Burn Street, Dalbeattie.

They had 9 children and are listed below.

(1) Henry Copeland Murdoch who died aged 9 months in 1900. He was known as wee Harry.

(2) Mary Murdoch born 26-6 1888 and died at the young age of 37 on the 7th May 1926.

(3) Andrew McCulloch Murdoch was born 17th of May 1896. He was apprencied t J& J Rae. Co, Liverpool on their full rigger "Ben Lee" from 1911 to 1916. This was one of the Rae's last ships. She was the largest full rigged sailing ship on the British Register until she sank in 1916 after a collision with the American Line's "Philadephia.
When the Rae's ceased business in 1916, Andrew joined Patrich Henderson and Co, of Glasgow (UK to Burma). In 1918 he joined the Irrawaddy Flotilla Co, on the Mandalay Shore, Burma; he came close to Dalbeattie in 1924 and did a few voyages with his cousin Captain James Murdoch from Poole in the ship "Raymond". Andrew never married and died in 1967.

(4) James Carson Murdoch was born in 1905 and died aged 66 on the 2-5-1971 in Newcastle, his wife was May Syme.

(5) Alan Clark Murdoch born 7-1-1892, he was a painter decorator who had his own business which he ran from Castle Douglas for many years, he married Grace Lochhead born 1887, she died in Castle Douglas 19-11-1965. Alan died in Manchester in 1969. He lived at 14 Station Road, Dalbeattie.

Alan's son was Harry Cumming Murdoch and he was the first family historian and moved to Canada with his family but sadly died in 2001. Your fantastic hard work will never be forgotten!

Harry Cumming Murdoch was born 25-6-1921. He attended Dalbeattie High School from 1926 to 1936 and then went on to the Kirkcudbright Academy from 1936 to 1939.

In July in 1939 he joined Robert McAlpines and son Co, LTD, a large UK construction and property company, shortly after joined them he enlisted in the Royal Armoured corps with the out break of world war II.

During the war Harry served with the 6th Royal Tank Regiment, initially in the western desert and then later in Italy, from 1941 to 1945.He was demobilised in 1946 and immediately rejoined McAplines in Glasgow, Scotland.

Harry was with the firm McAplines in Scotland from 1946 to 1953 and eventually became the Commercial Manager for the Scottish area. In 1953 when McAplines Canadian Subsidiary was formed, he went to Toronto where he eventually became General Manager of McApline's Canadian property development company. He retired in 1982. He married Margaret Hodgins in 1956 and she died in 2007. They had one daughter, Margaret, and she married Richard Bruce Williams, and they have three children.

Henry Cumming Murdoch and Mary Copeland other children are.

(6) Elizabeth Jane Cumming Murdoch 1893-1985. She married Jack Climson. They had a daughter called Mary Cumming Climson born 1921 and she married Jack Rudgman and they had two children.

(7) Bertha Murdoch 1895-1970. She married Duncan Hutchson, a ships engineer Bertha worked in a book shop. They lived in the High Street, Dalbeattie. Their daughter is Mamie
1929-1987 and she married Alan Robertson and they have two children

(8) Kenneth Murdoch 1901-1969. He married Edith Syme and she died in 1984. They lives at Station House, Dalbeattie. Their son is James Andrew Murdoch born 1942 and he married Patrica Syme and they live in Castle Douglas and have two children.

(9) John Murdoch, was known to the family as Jack and was born at 6 Burn Street, Dalbeattie on the 22th of March 1903. He died at the nursing home he had been at for 18 months peacefully in his sleep from old age in Manchester in 1994. He left Dalbeattie in 1926 and went to Blackley, Manchester and joined the local Presbyterian Church which is where he met his wife Myra Kathleen Oliver, but they did not marry until 1936. Myra was born in 1908 and died in 1990. Their two children are Barbara Mary Murdoch, she was born in 1938 and lives in Manchester and John Alan Murdoch born in 1942, he lives in Macclesfield, they are married with families.

John Murdoch began his working life as a joiner, but was promoted to contracts manager at the building firm, Robert Carlisle, he never lost his Scottish accent. He played the fiddle and all his brothers where very musical and would and used to tour as a travelling band and played at Ceilidhs, etc. He would take his two children on holiday almost every year to visit his family at Dalbeattie.

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