Dundee Hibernian

[antiquesam]

My grandfather played for Hibs in their early days before WW1. Someone reminded me that they were a Catholic team and, to the best of my knowledge, the family were Protestant. He certainly attested to that when joining the army. The family lived in the Lochee district of Dundee, which had a large Irish community, but all the Parish records, relating to the family, pre 1856 are Church of Scotland. Is it likely that a protestant could be on the team? The family name is Scrimgeour.

[AlanBoyd]

This article argues that there was not a clear sectarian divide between the two Dundee clubs.

https://medium.com/@anothercountry/no-dundee-and-dundee-united-are-not-like-rangers-and-celtic-da6ba67ec24

[antiquesam]

Thank you for that Alan. I did wonder whether there was deep sectarian divisions in Dundee. He ended up getting a transfer to Portsmouth before war shortened his footballing career.

[AlanBoyd]

Thank you for that Alan. I did wonder whether there was deep sectarian divisions in Dundee. He ended up getting a transfer to Portsmouth before war shortened his footballing career.

Yes, I found a newspaper article about that, but guessed that you would already know.

[dowdstree]

My great aunt's husband played for Dundee Hibernian prior to WW1. He joined the Black Watch and was killed in action on 25/9/1915 aged 30. His name was William Thoms Brown.

There is a site called Great War Dundee Project which has names and information on all the Dundee men who were killed in action during WW1. There is also a section for Returnees names too provided they were Dundonians. The gentleman who runs it is always looking for new names to add to the site. You could have your grandad added. My grandad is under the returnees - William Small and his brother George Small is under those KIA. I have given the details and they have been added.

Just thought it was something you may like to do.

Dorrie

[antiquesam]

Thank you that information Dorrie. My grandfather had a very comfortable war it seems. As a machine engineer he got posted to the armaments factory in Newcastle for the duration where he married my grandmother and had a child. Soon after the war he left for Calcutta to become a jute wallah.

[dowdstree]

That was good for your grandfather getting posted to Newcastle and metting a lovely lass there.

My grandad's cousin left Dundee after WW1 to become a jute wallah too. He met a Dundee lass there and they had 3 children in Calcutta in the 1920's.

Small world isn't it.

Dorrie

[antiquesam]

It is indeed. It seems my grandmother left her son with family to join her  husband but returned to Dundee to have my mother before taking her back out to Calcutta. Alas my grandfather died in India in 1937 and is buried in the Scottish Cemetery, but is remembered on the family stone in Balgay Cemetery. It all seems a bit cold hearted to me.

[dowdstree]

The cousin I mentioned sent his 3 children home when they were of school age to be educated in Dundee. They lived with their maternal grandparents.

I have lots of family buried in Balgay too. Try to visit as often as I can. My great uncle who was killed in Italy during WW2 is remembered on the Headstone.

Dorrie