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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Midlothian => Topic started by: Danchaslyn on Wednesday 04 August 10 19:25 BST (UK)
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ROBERT GORDON AITKEN, born 9 August, 1899, West Linton, Scotland, died Edinburgh, 1953.
Son, of Sir Robert and Lady Caroline Aitken.
We have information on his parentage and two siblings, a brother, and a sister, but are seeking any help possible, in regard to his life?
Any help, however trivial it may seem, will be much appreciated.
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Have you checked SP for a marriage and for any children born of that marriage
www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk
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Robert Gordon b West Linton 9 August 1899; d Edinburgh 14 September 1953. Son of Sir Robert and Lady Caroline Aitken (nee Lobb) of the Imperial Bank of India. Married (1) Margaret Carfrae 19 April 1923; (2) Irmintraude Adelheide Deutscher 2 July 1937; (3) Margaret Turnbull Kyle Stoddart 23 October 1948. The daughter by his first wife is my sister-in-law, there is a possible daughter by his second wife b 1937.
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Yes, thank you, CaroleW.
And, Geowin, thank you. Would you know, if Robert Gordon Aitken was born at his paternal grandparents home, John and Grace Aitken, in West Linton? or was he born elsewhere, in West Linton?
Also, did he attend the local primary school? and which school or place of higher learning he may have attended?
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Family history implies that ROBERT GORDON AITKEN, was a 'Lieutenant in the Cavalary in India', from round about age, 18, i.e. +/- 1917.
It's very confusing to attempt to unravel which horse regiment Robert would have served with, as his "dates" fall within such changes that occurred at the time in the armies of India.
There was an Indian Army, which served until the time of partition, 1947. This had been formed, 1903, from the absorption of the three previous armies. The presidency armies of the Bengal Army, the Madras Army and the Bombay Army.
From 1903 -1947, in India, the army consisted of two entities, the Indian Army itself and The British Army in India.
If Robert did arrive as a cavalry man round about 1917, or 1918, which army would he have served with?
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Is it likely that ROBERT GORDON AITKEN, being born in West Linton, Scotland, and raised there, would automatically have entered to serve, in a Scottish regiment perhaps?
What was the joining age for recruits towards the end of the First World War? As Robert Gordon Aitken was aged 18 years at the end of the First World War, might he have served in WW1 at all, or would he have been part of the army in India?
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'Merchiston Castle School Register up to 1913' shows Robert Gordon Aitken attended 1913. His older brother, John Ellis entered the same school in 1910 and won the Hope Prize for modern languages and was in the football and cricket teams (1913?). The address is given as 33 Findhorn Place where the brothers would have lived with their Aunt Elizabeth.
Robert Gordon was in the regular army and went to Sandhurst. He served in the Indian cavalry 13th lancers and another regiment (?). He rescued people from a fire which affected his lungs and he was sent to Osborne House (Isle of Wight) to recover. The Geddes Act (?) brougth army cuts and although his father could have renewed (i.e. bought) his commission, he didn't return to India. In WWII he was in the Pay Corps, stationed in York. He was Bursar at Murchiston School for a time and an Art Teacher. "He spent money like water and was alway running up debts."
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Geowin
What fascinating information, thank you!
Merchiston Castle School is in Edinburgh of course, as is the address, where the two brothers, lived with their Aunt Elizabeth Aitken? Did their sister, Marjory Grace stay at the same address, and attend school in Edinburgh to?
How amazing that sometime after Robert Gordon served in India, he returned to his Merchiston Castle School, as Bursar, and an Art Teacher. Do you have these dates, please?
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Geowin
Thank you also for the information on Robert Gordon Aitken's army career.
So he would have signed up, presumably, to enter Sandhurst, straight from Merchiston Castle School?
Thank you for details of the regiment in which he served, i.e. the Indian Cavalry 13th Lancers, and could the other regiment have been the 7th Light Cavalry?
I'm intrigued by Sir Robert Aitken's not having renewed (bought) his son, Robert Gordon Aitken's commission, after the Geddes Cuts. Was this because Robert Gordon didn't wish to return to India, or his father didn't wish to renew his commission?
Was Robert Gordon recognised in any way for his heroic rescue of the fire victims? Was Osborne House a royal residence at this time?
And to think he served in WWII as well!
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Reflecting on some of the Aitken family names, and I realise that ROBERT GORDON AITKEN, probably received his middle christian name, after his maternal grandmother's maiden name: Sophia Lobb, nee Gordon.
My late Aunt Winifred GRACE Aitken, after her grandmother, Grace Aitken, nee Tennant. My other late Aunt ELIZABETH Dorothy Aitken, after her Aunt Elizabeth, also aunt of Robert Gordon Aitken.
Robert TENNANT Aitken, after his grandmother, Grace Aitken, nee Tennant.
The "John Aitkens" of the 17C, 18C and 19C; unfortunately "John" no longer seems prevalent.
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Further to my mention of Robert Gordon leaving the army:
Newspaper report of the fire -
BIG FIRE AT ASHAR
WOMEN JUMP FROM BURNING BUILDINGS.
Very extensive damage was done my a fire which broke out on Friday night near the tin bazaar in Ashar. The alarm was given shortly after nine o’clock, and the Central Fire Station received a call at 9-25 P M. It was obvious to the Officer Commanding the Fire Brigade that heavy work was awaiting his men and he turned out two engines from the Central Station, two from Magil, and the two fire floats.
When the Brigade arrived on the scene they found that a large khan was well alight, and that several shops and houses in the vicinity were also burning. Unfortunately owners of some of the shops had become very excited, and thus hindered the firemen in their arduous work. Many women were hysterical; some of them jumped from the roofs of the burning buildings, and were seriously injured. In this connection, valuable work was done by members of the Basrah Civil Police, who recued women and children from perilous positions. At the time this edition went to press the injuries sustained by the residents had not been received.
The efforts of the Fire Brigade were primarily directed towards preventing an extension of the outbreak, as the location from this point of view was somewhat dangerous. After several hours’ work they succeeded in controlling the fire, but it was still burning at 7 o’clock in the morning. A number of roofs collapsed, and Lieut. Aitken, who was personally in charge of operations, was carried out of one building suffering from the effects of smoke and fumes.
It was almost 1 a.m. when the engines returned to their stations, and at that time a fire float was still working. It is too early yet to give even an approximate estimate of the damage done, but it must run into many thousands of rupees. In one of the houses there was a large store of sugar, and this, in common with other commodities and stocks, was practically destroyed. In another building the basement was burned out, and the people had to be removed from the dancing hall which occupied the upper story by the police, which managed to get them out through the roof.
Report in local paper. No date but there is a telegram (9 May 1922) sent to his future wife saying that he was arriving back to Edinburgh from Osborne House (where he had been convalescing) and was leaving the army.
Telegram 9 MY 1922
“Miss Carfrae 13 Chamberlain Rd Edin
Leave extended till well into cold weather with view to being medically boarded out of the service
arrive Waverley 7.20 tomorrow morning Love Gordon.”
Robert Gordon is mentioned in his school register along with his older brother, John Ellis and his future brother-in-law Robert Carfrae, the younger brother of Margaret.
Merchiston Castle School Register 1833 - 1913
Second edition July 1914. Edinburgh: H&J Phillans & Wilson, 86 Hanover Street
Page 171: 1910.
AITKEN, JOHN ELLIS (B.3), [1ST Jan. 1896], (P. 1908), xv., xi ; VI. Form . Bank of Bombay, Bombay, India.
Page 178: 1913.
AITKEN, ROBERT GORDON (D.3), [9th Aug. 1899], (P. 1909), 23 Findhorn Place, Edinburgh.
CARFRAE, ROBERT (D.3), [3rd Nov. 1899], (P. 1909). 13 Chamberlain Road, Edinburgh.
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Hello Geowin
What an amazing story of Robert Gordon Aitken's heroism during the fire in Ashar, India, and his subsequent convalescence at 'Osborne House'.
Much to comment on in your whole post, but in the meanwhile, I was under the impression that Lieut R G Aitken's recuperation had taken place on the Isle of Wight?
But, on Wikipedia there's notation of another Osborne House, which I think is the more likely of the two residences, as being the nearest military hospital for an ill cavalryman, from India!
At Corio Bay, in the Geelong District of Australia, is Osborne House, named by its owner builder, Robert Muirhead, after Osborne House, Isle of Wight. It was built during 1858 and Robert Muirhead died 1862. Following the death of his wife a year later, the house was sold and leased out, until 1878 it was sold by Muirhead's Executors to James Frances Maguire.
In 1913 it became an Australian Naval College and during WW1 was turned into a Military Hospital and also a base used by the Royal Australian Navy Submariners. It carried on as a Military Hospital until 1924.
Lieut Robert Gordon Aitken's telegram of May, 1922, to his future wife, Margaret Carfrae in Edinburgh, announcing his arrival at Waverley Station, Edinburgh, after his convalescence following injuries received in the Bazaar fire in Ashar, India, might have been sent on his behalf, from the Antipodes, not the Isle of Wight?!
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Hello Geowin
Do you know if Lieut Robert Gordon Aitken perhaps received any sort of formal recognition for his bravery in rescuing the people from the fire in the area near the Tin Bazaar, in Ashar, India?
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ROBERT GORDON AITKEN'S, second wife, 'Irmintraude Adelheide Deutscher' may have been a very young, Austrian Au-pair, in the home of one of his friends, when they married, 2 July, 1937.
She may have been only 19 at the time of her marriage and to have details of her birth, round about 1918 would be great?
From IGI it would appear that most Austrians with the surname of Deutscher were during the 19C and Early 20C, in the Alf-Frautautz town, of Bukowina, Austria.
Do her parents' details and place and date of birth appear on their Marriage Certificate? Were they married in Edinburgh, Scotland?
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Hi, I thought we should have a picture of Robert Gordon Aitken. Here he is dressed in his "lancer's lace".
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Thank you Geowin, what an amazing treat to be able to see at last Robert Gordon Aitken, "our long lost" family member.
What a wonderful picture of a dashing hero!
Many, many thanks
Danchaslyn