Achray House

[thommoje]

Hello Stirlingshire Chatters, I have a family member who worked at Achray House, as a domestic servant.
                                             Her name was Mary Burgess McKay and she subsequently married John Anderson who was a game- keeper there.
                                   He lived in Callender and she lived at Achray House.
                                      Can anyone tell me whose home this was?
                                  Regards, Thommoje

[apanderson]

Hi thommoje,

According to the 1881 Cencus, there's only 1 Achray listed and that's as follows:

Achray, Aberfoyle, Perthshire

Head of Household:
Neal THOMSON, Baker & Farmer, age 28 , born Cathcart, Renfrewshire
Margaret E. THOMSON, wife, age 26, born Glasgow, Lanarkshire
Elizabeth M. THOMSON, daughter, age 4, born Cathcart, Renfrewshire
Helen THOMSON, daughter, age 3 , born Cathcart, Renfrewshire

and also at Achray were:
John James THOMSON, brother of above Neal, widower, age 25 , born Cathcart, Renfrewshire
Occupation listed as: Income From Land & Houses
John STEWART, cousin of above Neal, age 27, single, born Callander, Perthshire
Occupation listed as: Master Baker
Helen MC FARLANE, cousin of above Neal, age 43, single, born Port Of Monteith, Perthshire
Occupatio listed as: Interest Of Money
James G. HUNTER, age 29, single, born Mearns, Renfrewshire
Occupation listed as: Coachman /Domestic Servant
Hugh SELLARS, age 21, single, born Dunblane, Perthshire
Occupation listed as: Domestic Gardener
Angus MC LEOD, age 22, single, born Ardaschattan, Argyll
Occupation listed as: Servant/Shepherd
Sarah MC GREGOR, age 47, widow, born Newlands, Peebleshire
Occupation listed as: Servant/Domestic Nurse
Isabell STEVENSON, age 26, single. born Kirkmichael, Ayrshire
Occupation listed as Servant/ Domestic Housemaid
Annie ALLAN, age 27, single, born Stewarton, Ayrshire
Occupation listed as: Servant/Domestic Cook
Mary B. MC KAY, age 26, single, born Tarbettain, Ross and Cromarty
Occupation listed as Servant/Domestic Tablemaid
Isabella MC INTYRE, age 25, single, born Callander, Perthshire
Occupation listed as Servant/Domestic Laundress
Annie MC MILLAN, age 29, single, born Kilmeties, Argyll
Occupation listed as Servant/Domestic Dairymaid

Achray could be here:   http://www.achray-house.co.uk

Anne

[thommoje]

  Hello Anne, Thank you for that. I had seen portion of that census entry which covered my G Grandmother`s cousin, Mary Burgess McKay.
                       This same Mary was a witness at the wedding of my G Grandparents , so I figured she must have been a special family member and I thought she had perhaps journeyed all the way fromTain, R&C for the wedding of Jane Brooks and Alexander Purdie on 30 -12 - 1880.
                       Mary B McKay subsequently married John Anderson ( Game Keeper and son of a Game Keeper) on 18 October 1882 in Glasgow and Mary`s address is given as Achray House , Trossacks,Callander.
                         So I figured this must have been a large country house and from the occupations listed by the Thompson family members, it may have been built by them. I was just curious about its history, Regards, Jean
                                                                     Thommoje