John McLeod

[Momomac]

I am trying to get any information available on John McLeod who was a policeman living in Hill Street Inverness in 1920.

Thanks for your help.

[CaroleW]

Welcome to Rootschat

Exactly what type of information are you trying to find - his ancestry or post 1920's?

John McLeod is a pretty common name - about 160 of that name in Inverness in 1901 - so you would have to supply some additional details such as his birthplace and birthyear.

The 1911 census is the last available but if you are looking for him post - 1920 you would need to look for a marriage/death on Scotlands People depending on how old he was in 1920

https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/search-our-records

Somebody with more knowledge of Scottish records may be able to tell you whether it's possible to find his police service record which may give more info but see this link

http://www.scan.org.uk/familyhistory/myancestor/policeman.htm

[Momomac]

Unfortunately I don't have any details of his birth or death, just that he was a policeman. Do police forces hold records of ex policeman. He lived in Inverness in 1920 but I suppose he may not have served in Northern Constabulary. Any advice on where to go from here would  most welcome.

[Momomac]

He is noted on a birth certificate as the father of the child in 1920.

[CaroleW]

Without knowing his age or birthplace or whether he was single/married it's difficult.  He may have been born elsewhere in Scotland and just been posted to Inverness.  He is clearly now deceased but when and where is a problem.

The only other thing I can suggest is searching the Scottish 1911 for his name and using his occupation to help narrow it down.  However - that census was 9yrs before the 1920 birth so depending on how old he was in 1911 you may get nowhere as he may not have even been a police officer then.

Have you checked electoral registers for the address from 1920 onwards?

[MonicaL]

Momomac, there is someone here on RootsChat who might be able to offer you some help. See this post here for example www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=758937.msg6096728#msg6096728

Why don't you send him a personal message via this link here www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?action=pm;sa=send;u=65310 and see whether he may have access to further details.

Monica 

[conner395]

Back then Inverness had TWO police forces, one for the Burgh (Town) and another for the county (Inverness-shire). I can find no record of anyone called John MacLeod then serving in the Burgh Police (albeit the Burgh force's record book appears to have been rewritten during the late 1920s to list only those then currently serving).

There was however a JOHN MACLEOD then serving in the County force, stationed at Force HQ in Inverness (and his duties would be covering the rural area around the town itself). Hill Street was very convenient for County Police HQ at Inverness Castle. As there is no mention of him in the Inverness Street Directory for 1920, he clearly was not a householder but was likely in sub-rented accommodation or lodgings. There are a couple of retired policemen listed as living in that street, so it is possible he lodged with one of them.

John MacLeod, from the Isle of Jura (Argyllshire) had originally joined the force on 01 February 1915 (aged 24, so born c. 1891). His former occupation is listed as "Ghillie" and had also served 4 years in the Lovat Scouts. He was stationed at Inverness from 1915 until April 1937 when he was transferred to Laggan (between Newtonmore and Fort William). Thereafter he was transferred to Dores (one-officer station in a village at the top end of Loch Ness) from October 1941 to September 1943. In September 1943 he was transferred back to Laggan, and his record shows "Died at Laggan Police Station" - aged 53 - on 22 January 1944. I believe his death may have been due to injury sustained in a motor cycle accident.

That's about as much information as I can provide but please feel free to send me a Personal Message (Rootschat rules prevent me listing my email address here) or contact me via my email address which is listed on the front Page of http://www.norconpipeband.co.uk/

Best regards

Dave

I am trying to get any information available on John McLeod who was a policeman living in Hill Street Inverness in 1920.

Thanks for your help.

[MonicaL]

Thank you so much Dave for joining in here. Lots of info and background there.

Just filling out a little on this John MacLeod you have been discussing. From what you have, this is a possible 1901 family census entry for him:

Hugh Mcleod 41 Gamekeeper (domestic) b. Kincardine, rosshire
Annie Mcleod 30 b. Kirkhill, Invernesshire
John Mcleod 9 b. Jura
Peter Mcleod 8
Katie Mcleod 5
Naomi Mcleod 3
Alexander Mcleod 2 Months
Jessie Darroch 16

Address: Gamekeepers House, Lergy Breek Jura Forest, Jura, Argyll

Father Hugh's occupation fits well with John later showing as working as a ghillie prior to joining the force.

Monica

[conner395]

Well the Inverness-shire/Ross-shire connections of his folks tends to explain how he ended up back in Inverness-shire to join the bobbies. I have also been contacted directly by the original enquirer, and am glad to have been of some help.

Thank you so much Dave for joining in here. Lots of info and background there.

Just filling out a little on this John MacLeod you have been discussing. From what you have, this is a possible 1901 family census entry for him:

Hugh Mcleod 41 Gamekeeper (domestic) b. Kincardine, rosshire
Annie Mcleod 30 b. Kirkhill, Invernesshire
John Mcleod 9 b. Jura
Peter Mcleod 8
Katie Mcleod 5
Naomi Mcleod 3
Alexander Mcleod 2 Months
Jessie Darroch 16

Address: Gamekeepers House, Lergy Breek Jura Forest, Jura, Argyll

Father Hugh's occupation fits well with John later showing as working as a ghillie prior to joining the force.

Monica