Mair Family - Portknockie

[alanatabz]

Hi All, Back on the info hunt again.

A bomb that fell in Portknockie. few people in one household, 2 killed but details of others vague.

Father James Mair (age 51), Killed 19/2/41
Mother Catherine Mair (MS Mair) - Survived
Married 1922

Brother (once called, James - approx 18)
Margaret Ann Mair  (age 16)  , killed 19/2/41
At least one other Brother

Grandfather - Unsure if this was James or Alexander (both named Mair).  Using James death registration, his parents were James and Annie (Wood) married in 1926, so unclear how 51 year old James can have them as parents!

Any ideas?

[ev]

Some information to check on here -

James Mair was born on 20 October 1889 at Portknockie, Banffshire, Scotland.1 He was the son of James Mair and Ann Wood. His family was known by the tee-name of "Shanker".
He was listed as head of household's son in the 1901 census at 255 Portknockie, Banffshire, Scotland. Those recorded in the household were: James Mair Shanker, head; Ann Wood Royal, wife; James Mair, son.2

http://www.pirieonline.uk/history/PFWv1-o/p3027.htm

SP has a marriage -
James Mair(Shankie) / Ann Wood(Royal) , 1888 Seafield Banff.


ev

[Forfarian]

Deaths in Seafield RD, 1941

No 1 Mary Slater or Mair, 84 (died 11 Jan 1941)
No 2 James Mair, 51*
No 3 Margaret Ann Mair, 16*
No 4 Annie Mair or McKay, 47*
No 5 James Slater, 66
No 6 William Slater, 47
No 7 John Alex Slater, 54
No 8 John Bruce slater, 24
No 9 David Wood, 84
No 10 Mary Jane Forbes or Sutherland, 70
No 11 Alexander Scott, 76
No 12 John Mair, 66
No 13 Jessie Ann Gauld or Smith, 78
No 14 George Mair, 71
No 15 Elsie Ann Innes or Mair, 76
No 16 Mary Buchan or Pirie, 78
No 17 John Williams Anderson, 31
No 18 Margaret Clark or Smith, 53
No 19 John Bruce, 60
No 20 William Wood, 75
No 21 Helen Ledingham or McGregor, 66
No 22 Margaret Mair, 74
No 23 Jane Pirie, 83
No 24 Joseph Mair, 79
No 25 Jessie Ann Mair, 57

*LIBINDX gives 19 Feb 1941 as date of death for these three.

If anyone else died, they must have died in hospital and been registered in a different RD.

[Millmoor]

There are a number of articles and notices  to be found in the newspaper archive regarding this bombing in the various Aberdeeen papers. These indicate that there were 3 casualties, James Mair, Margaret Ann Mair and, from Forfarian's list, Annie Mair or Mackay. The last named is  described as a neighbour  and was the wife of Alexander Mackay, a fisherman who was on active service. " Miss Mair was peeling potatoes at the time, while Mrs Mackay was returning to the house after hanging out clothes to dry". The articles also indicate that a son of James Mair was in the house at the time as was his wife and his father.

William

[alanatabz]

Thanks all for the info

Annie Mckay's husband was listed as on active service, but registry says he was a fisherman. So unsure which.

I have one of the jJames/catherine sons called James, he died in 1992 and the listing says he was a brother / uncle, so was trying to work out which brother was in bed at the house when the bomb exploded.

EVs post there is an A Mair (son) this is Alexander . So it was Either James or Alexander who was upstairs in the house when the bomb exploded. Alexander was Born approx. 1927, married in 1952 and died in 1990. There was also a Daughter Kathleen, Born 1929 (died 2015) so at 12 may have been at school

I was trying to figure out when people left School in 1940, as one thought alexander was about 14 so may have been at School. Leaving James the older brother in bed at the house the bomb hit.

[Forfarian]

Annie Mckay's husband was listed as on active service, but registry says he was a fisherman. So unsure which.

Surely he could have been both - a fisherman in civilian life, serving in the navy during the war?

I was trying to figure out when people left School in 1940, as one thought alexander was about 14 so may have been at School. Leaving James the older brother in bed at the house the bomb hit.

The minimum school leaving age in 1941 was 14. If Alexander was born in 1927, he may well not have had his 14th birthday by 19 February 1941. If he was born in 1926 he would have had his 14th birthday in 1940 and may have left school. There are births of Alexander Mairs in Seafield RD in 1926, 1927, 1928 and 1929.

[alanatabz]

Thanks all again for your help.

I see Annie Mackay who was killed on the raid had a funeral at Hillhead Cemetery at Portknockie, but can't seem to see about John and Margaret Mair, I can't even seem to see graves at the cemetery for them.

Any useful resources that I could use to look?

[Forfarian]

If there's nothing on LIBINDX http://libindx.moray.gov.uk/mainmenu.asp it means there wasn't a legible inscription when the graveyards in the present district of Moray were surveyed.

So you will need to look at the burial records. These are in the care of Moray Council and can be consulted on microfilm in the Local Heritage Centre in Elgin.

However this may have to wait until the centre reopens as as far as I know it is still closed under Covid-19 restrictions.

[alanatabz]

Thanks Forfarian.

I'll add that to my list.