Unusual Request - Tracing Gambling Solicitor in 1960s Glenfarg Farm Sale!

[johnkingedinburgh]

My mum told us that when our grandparents sold their Glenfarg farm in the 1960s, they accepted an offer and took a 50% deposit. 

However, the buyer went bankrupt before paying the balance of the money, and when they went to sort it out they found that the solicitor who handled the sale had used the deeds as security for gambling debts, and when he realised he was in too deep he shot himself. 

My auntie seemingly tried to sort it out and had all the paperwork ready to go to court the very week that my grandad passed away, some 8 years later. 

Some family stories have turned out to be wide of the mark, whilst others have been spot on so I'd like to do a bit of research to find out how true this story was!  For example my mum couldn't remember the lawyers name which I find a bit suspicious and other members of the family know nothing about it! 

Obviously the Sasines could possibly be useful, but the records office charge £28 so a bit steep for what is really a bit of curioisty! 

The Scotsman's Archive only goes up to the 1950s. 

Does anyone have any ideas of where I could start my research, preferably online resources?

[MonicaL]

John, you are back...with your really interesting family!

1960s is pretty hard to research online for all sorts of reasons really, privacy mainly overall. Also there is a gap on newspaper online archives around these decades. The Glasgow papers are around at this time online, but and it is BIG but, you need to know the date to search the papers for Glasgow by specific day.

Solicitor shooting himself etc...likely made the papers outside of Perthshire for sure you would think.

From what you have, have you narrowed down the date of your granddad's death (you mention his daughter getting ready to go to court 8 years later and then he died at that point). Guess you don't have the name of the farm, you haven't mentioned if you have.

Forgive me, can't remember now where you are location wise. The other option, if you have a date of death for your granddad would be to check for wills etc....but again this cannot be done online currently after 1925.

You need to be checking local archives etc. which likely not possible if you are still living outside of Scotland?

What were your grandparents' names for this line?

Monica

[aghadowey]

If Glenfarg is anything like Aghadowey then the neighbours will remember such a recent event 

[MonicaL]

That is a thought, aghadowey!

There is this site for example www.glenfarg.org/#

Monica

[aghadowey]

Just remember that the danger is that everyone could be related to everyone else 

[MonicaL]

As long as they remember the facts and the history, we welcome them in to the families 

Monica

[johnkingedinburgh]

John, you are back...with your really interesting family!

Ha ha yeah not had much time for researching family history lately, but my brother had a drink with one of our cousins at the weekend and his stories got us curious again! 

From what you have, have you narrowed down the date of your granddad's death (you mention his daughter getting ready to go to court 8 years later and then he died at that point). Guess you don't have the name of the farm, you haven't mentioned if you have.

I know the name of the farm, but the current owner according to the electoral register has been there since at least 1965 according to the Valuation Roll I found here: http://www.glenfarg.org/gdc/ValuationRoll.pdf

So I thought in terms of privacy it might be better not to mention the name of the farm in the public forums. 

Our cousin took a trip to the farm and the owner welcomed him in and showed him around, so may be worth dropping him a line, I'll just need to be extra tactfull

Online access to the Sasines seems to be aimed more at solicitors handling property transactions, but it would be a useful family history resource if it wasn't so expensive! 

Forgive me, can't remember now where you are location wise. The other option, if you have a date of death for your granddad would be to check for wills etc....but again this cannot be done online currently after 1925.

I'm down south, I'm occasionally in Edinburgh but never seem to have enough time!  He died in 1973, I think we've seen his will, by that time the farm was definately sold, but supposedly my Aunty was trying to get back the money he was supposedly cheated out of (nobody seems to know how!)

What were your grandparents' names for this line?

William McCullogh Innes and Jessie Innes nee Brown. 

[josey]

John, have sent pm about Register of Sasines online service.

ADDED: have you thought of putting a letter in the Perthshire Advertiser? No need to mention names of people or the farm or reason for any scandal, just to ask if anyone remembers the suicide?

[Rosinish]

If Glenfarg is anything like Aghadowey then the neighbours will remember such a recent event 

Aghadowey..................love your sense of humour but it's actually true what you are saying 

Annie