The Very Mysterious John FLETCHER

[fifer1947]

Fifer,

Kengharair Farm is located at Grid Ref. 436486 on OS Sheet48 Ben More and Mull.(1976)

About 2.5m south of Dervaig, to the east of the hill road over to Torloisk, overlooking the River Bellart.  The access track to the property leads off the Torloisk road, midway through the tight uphill U-bend in the road.
Over the years the spelling has changed from Kingarbh(1882), Kingharair(1897) to its present Kengharair.

Regards
Istrice

  That explains why I never saw the sign as I am always the driver! That bend is pretty terrifying although the river is impressive.  Thank you Istrice 

[argyllshiregirl]

This is so interesting! Off topic, but when my father showed me Kengharair in 2008, he pointed out "the shedder". It's a funny little gate that is supposed to be used for grading animals, but supposedly it was once used to grade people! When there were large gatherings, the working men were sent one way and the upper class folks went the other way to dine with their appropriate class.

The big house there today was the manager or overseer's house. Down the hill, among a clump of trees, near a burn, stood the shepherd's cottage. It's gone now. My great grandparents were there and my grandmother was born there in 1889. All her siblings were born on Tiree where her maternal grandparents (PATERSON) lived. It was the custom for the women to go home to their mother to give birth. I guess my gran made a surprise appearance or maybe the late November weather prevented a safe crossing.

Fifer, why are you called Fifer? Just asking because my mother lived with relatives in Dunfermline during the 1930s - 50s, even though she was an Argyll native.

Mary

[fifer1947]

I lived in Fife for 30+ years just outside Dunfermline.

I read your on-line travels argyllgal, strangely I was living there at the time 

[argyllshiregirl]

Hello folks,

Nothing new to report but Dad and I still try to brainstorm for answers to this puzzle. John FLETCHER (aka MCDONALD/MACDONALD) must have died sometime somewhere. The answer is out there and we just have to find the key to unlocking it.

We have decided that we are not 100% sure that he was using his original given name of John (he was actually Archibald for the first few days of life - another oddity) in combination with his alias surname M(A)CDONALD. If we knew the names of all of the MCDONALD men living in/around Taynuilt in the 1930s, born about 1860, we could perhaps eliminate them all but one. As I say, he MUST have died some time, and so what does it say for parents on this man's death registration? It would be odd to find a male MCDONALD with FLETCHER parents listed I would think. I also wish you could search SP by informant because I am quite sure the nephew of our mystery man, Colin FLETCHER, was the informant.

[MonicaL]

Hi Mary

Been a while 

Just looking through the material again. John, with sister Lily, in 1871 showed as born in Kilninian. There is this 1901 census to consider:

Robert Boyle 62 Pier Master b. Kilwinning, Ayrshire
Janet Boyle 61 wife b. Buchanan, stirlingshire
Ellen Boyle 27 daughter b. Kilninian, argyleshire
John Fletcher 42 Worker Porter b. Kilninian, argyleshire

Address: Keppel Pier House, Cumbrae Bute

Just a possiblie further piece of info for John.

Monica

[Beryl Duff (Fletcher)]

I might have an answer for you.  My great-grandmother stowed away to South Africa during the time you lose trace.  I have traced my bloodline to the exact same John Fletcher.   It is possible that names were changed at the time to protect their identities.  I have a marriage certificate to an Isabelle Frazer

[Beryl Duff (Fletcher)]

Sorry I missed the bit that my Great-grandmother left with John Fletcher and Margarete Fletcher (daughter) to South Africa.  I am quite convinced these are the same people you are trying to trace.