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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Lanarkshire => Topic started by: Hibee on Friday 04 September 09 13:21 BST (UK)
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I'm seeking the names of George Pinkerton's parents. He was born in Glasgow in 1916, and was credited with downing the second (some say the first) enemy aircraft over Britain in WWII, near the Forth Bridge in 1939.
He doesn't seem to have died in Scotland.
Are there any obits out there which might have the information, or is it going to be another tenner to ScotlandsPeople?
Thanks.
Hibee
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I don't know where he died but he grew up not far from where I grew up in Renfrewshire. He is also related to the founder of the Pinkerton Detective Agency in America.
His family also used to own Pinkerton's farm in Renfrewshire near Linwood and is still there today although I don't know if they family still actually own it.
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Thanks, Davieboy. He doesn't seem to be one of my Cambuslang cotton Pinkertons.
Hibee
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Hibee, he was one of the Hogganfield Pinkertons, who had the Rhubarb Fields at Millerston, I was taught by a Miss Pinkerton (check the spelling) she could still be living in the house on the Cumbernauld Road across the lane from the United Free Church, and facing the Hogganfield Loch, if so she must be some age. The big hoose (Hogganfield) adjoining (built with rhubarb) is now a nursing home and the farmhouse is , like the rhubarb, under new housing. I don't think they were connected to the detective Pinkerton's. I heard "Mr George" used to fly over the farm and waggle thewings to the pickers. We used to pinch the rhubarb as weans, they had a sign up "One stalk will do! If you take two, we'll get you!"............Skoosh.
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Thank you, Skoosh.
That's more rhubarb than a person needs.
Hibee
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Hibee, found a wee thing on the web, Re' John Pinkerton of Hogganfield, the family originally came from Gooseberry Hill, Rutherglen where they were Market Gardeners.....Skoosh.
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Hibee / skoosh
thought that this would be a good link for you.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/71/a3084671.shtml
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Thanks, both.
Rutherglen is certainly closer to Cambuslang than Hogganfield.
I'm beginning to think we might have saved Abraham Lincoln's life.
Hibee
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A wee correction on Miss Pinkerton, I'm reliably informed that she has died in this last year sometime, sad, the last connection here to the rhubarb dynasty.(crumbled?) The variety was "Victoria" I believe.....Skoosh.
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I knew him. He owned the farm next to my fathers. There were 4 brothers. John who died after enlisting and about to ship out to the far east. Jimmy who farmed at Linwood. George who farmed at Houston. The youngest was Matthew who took over from his mother at Hogganfield near Glasgow. George is best known as a Spitfire pilot with City of Glasgow. Jimmy and George both road speedway on Douglas machines. Jimmy was well known at the time. Georges machine last time I saw was in the Glasgow Transport museum courtesy of his son Ian who still farms at Houston. Matthew drove stock cars as well. There is a very distant relationship to the Pinkerton detective agency.
Father an mother farmed at Hogganfiled. All grew rubhard but other things as well. Mushrooms pigs turkeys and so on
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Guzzi, fascinating stuff, the house at Hogganfield is all locked up, no sign of a new owner, sad! are they still growing rhubarb at Houston?...Skoosh.
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I live in Detroit have not been back to Glasgow area in 5 or more years. lat time I passed South Mains there was still Rhubard there. By the way George P died close to home about 10 years ago. Jimmie is also dead.
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Guzzi,
I grew up in Linwood and many a summers day me and some friends would wander up the Moss Road and "liberate" some of the rhubarb.
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I lived at Loanhead Farm on the Georgetown straight. Pinkertons do not own the farm in Linwood, Blackstone was the name. It went when Jimmies son John got into some financial difficulties many years ago. I spent much time there as my father was a friend of the Pinkertons.
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Folks, I was just speaking to one of the Pinkerton's at Hogganfield, possibly Matthew's son? he confirms that his uncle George Pinkerton shot down the first German aircraft over the Forth and also verifies the family connection with Alan Pinkerton of the detective agency. Cracking day, he was cutting down scrub. The family home at Rutherglen (Gooseberry Hill) was known as Grozzet Ha'. Presumably George's father was James. Skoosh.
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Still some confusion over who was first.
http://secretscotland.wordpress.com/2010/05/15/memorial-for-pilot-who-shot-down-first-enemy-bomber/
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Interesting site Sancti! there was a review of the Patrick Gifford book in the Herald, George Pinkerton's nephew disagrees with this. I think there were only minutes between the two downings. He also said that the Fleet Air Arm claimed to have downed a German Bomber in the North Sea before this, not with a Spitfire though. I forget the plane, a Hunter something?
Skoosh.
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Another link
http://warmemscot.s4.bizhat.com/viewtopic.php?t=1933
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Hello George
That’s a great story sounds like he was a war hero
My great grandad stationed in Austria don’t know much about what he did in the war he kept it very quiet !!
I was just looking to speak to you about some land at Craigends
Many thanks
Sam