1911 Scottish Census - look-up? please for Haddington

[c145hoo]

Looby, Thanks for the following from The Scottish War Memorials Project: -
Cairnie,Peter,40806,Pte.,1st.bn.RSF.,executed for Desertion,   28/12/1916.
deserted trs.nr.Serre,exexcuted 7a.m.at J.15.d. near Bus-les-Artois,E.S.E.of Doullens.
Map 57D NE3
b.1890-91,Ayr/Kilmarnock.WO 71/532,D1916 126/AF 30(25)
name on Thiepval Memorial,Somme,France.Pier&Face 3C.
Have sent a request to them to see if anyone can ascertain where this information came from - will let you know when (if) i get a response. 
Have looked on Scotlands People for William Cairnie or Peter Cairnie from 1880 through 1900 and only get 8 responses for William and 10 for Peter and none of these for Ayrshire. 
Am still trying to obtain a copy of the book 'Shot at Dawn'  Executions in World War One by Authority of the British Army Act by Julian Putkowski, Julian Sykes (ISBN: 9780850526134) which our local library is due to have a copy soon - as according to Cramond Brig there is a bit more information in the article about William/Peter, but not a lot, so don't really want to spend £20+ to review one page!

[loobylooayr]

Hope you get a reply.
I've also tried Ayrshire for Peter but like you no likely candidate 
I will be interested to hear if you get any further info.
Looby

[loobylooayr]

Hi c145hoo,
Did you ever get word back from the Scottish War Memorial Project re. Peter Cairnie and the Ayr/Kilmarnock place of birth?

I've been taking advantage of FindMyPast's free access weekend and remembering poor Peter looked him up. His records are in a poor state 
Anyway also checked out Censuses and found this which excited me -
1901 Census -
Wellmeadow, 29, Paisley, Renfrewshire.
James Cairney      head     married   age 34     General Labourer    born Ireland
Annie Cairney                      "          age 38                                 born Ireland
Annie Cairney       dau                     age  11     Scholar                 born Kilmarnock, Ayrshire
Peter Cairney    son                      age 7           "                       born Kilmarnock Ayrshire
Ellen Cairney        dau                       age 4                                  born Paisley, Renfrewshire
James Cairney      son                       age 0                                   born Paisley Renfrewshire
Phelix Cairney     boarder  single        age 32   General Labourer      born Ireland
James McAulally  boarder  single        age 18   General Labourer      born Ireland

Looby

PS. I visited Edinburgh Castle recently and visited the huge Scottish War Memorial there which has large ledger books of each regiment WW1 and WW2 with the names of all the fallen recorded. I checked out the Royal Scots book - this Peter is listed - just basic name , rank, date of death. My daughter and I quietly paid our respects.

[c145hoo]

Looby,
Apologies for long silence, been tied up in other activities!  Received the following back from CWGC the other day, although not of much help!

Our Ref: 110588
Date: 23 January 2015
 
Thank you for your e mail of 25th  September 2014. Please accept our sincere apologies for the delay in our response –  this is due to the very high volume of enquiries we are receiving, since the commencement last year of the 1914-18 Centenary Commemorative period.   

With regard to your query concerning the forename of the following casualty:

Rank: Private
Surname: CAIRNIE
Forenames: PETER
Service No: 40806
Unit: 1st Bn.
Regiment: Royal Scots Fusiliers
Date of Death: 28 December 1916
Commemoration
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL, Somme, France, Pier and Face 3 C.
 
It appears that the amendment to our record was made in the 1990s –  we can assume that general, internal research during that time brought to light that the individual was named Peter; as you suggest his service records and medal card refer to him as Peter and in addition, two key publications on field court martials (‘Shot at Dawn’ and ‘Blindfold & Alone’) both refer to him with this name as well.  The reference to him as being named ‘William’ has yet to be explained, but one could speculate that this was either a simple reporting/transcription error at the time the early military records were being compiled, or even possibly a name he used to confused the authorities at the time of his several arrests for desertion. Other than the above casualty details we have no documentation, dating back to the post war years that indicates next of kin or family contact details and I am sorry to disappoint you in this respect, and I regret that we have no further information to offer clarification in respect of the difference in names.  May I thank you however for taking the time to write to us and for waiting for our response, in what is a very busy time for the Commission.
 
Kind Regards

 

Re. Peter Cairnie and the Ayr/Kilmarnock place of birth, will post a further update shortly...

[loobylooayr]

Hi again c145hoo,
No need to apologise ....life can take over from Family History...sometimes 
Good to hear an update
What a pity there was no further info from CWGC on Peter but at least they have clarified that he was a Peter.

Look forward to any further update.

Looby

[c145hoo]

Herewith the response back from A.N. Other who posted the original details on The Scottish War Memorials Project web site: -

I first penned the Article in 2003 when the Info was very sparse on the executed men.I used the book "Death Sentences passed by military courts of the British Army 1914 - 1924" for much of the Info. Against Peter W. Cairnie's name was Note 529 - bn.from Ayr/Kilmarnock. I have never updated the detail as such. I couldn't find any Cairnie from Ayrshire that matched the Info available.The FGCM papers gave his Christian name as William, so there I left it.

I've since read 'Blindfold & Alone', 'Shot at Dawn', 'For the Sake of Example' & 'The Thin Yellow Line' but these add no additional information or clarity on Pte Cairnie.  I've yet to get hold of a copy of "Death Sentences passed by military courts of the British Army 1914 - 1924".  There is a new edition of 'Shot at Dawn' due to be published in late February 2015, so will see if anything gets updated in that version. 

Will post updates once I get to see both the books mentioned....


 

[Templar75]

Hi,

   It seems that the area in Nungate Haddinton was named after a James Smith it seems he was an Architect.

See old map attached.

Cheers.

Archie. 

[Templar75]

Hi again,

              if you call the Library at Haddington they might be able to help you Telephone: 01620 820680 they are very good, it is better calling them and tell them clearly what you want.

Cheers.

Archie.

 

[c145hoo]

Archie,
Thanks for the map and the library details, it all helps building the picture.  I'll phone the library and see if they are able to help and will post an update.....