Donald MURRAY
[17/8/1828-28/12/1879]
married
1) MARY BELL
[13/7/1829-14/5/1859]
2) ELIZABETH MACKAY
[born 27/6/1829]
Donald was born at Rhemusaig, Rogart, fifth child of William Murray and Catherine Grant.
There is a fascinating story told in Rogart of Donald, as a young man, sitting on the parapet by the bridge at Pittentrail with two other young men one Sabbath evening. James Matheson ("Holy James") passed on his way to Rogart Free Church. The young men mocked him and he rebuked them telling them that "they would be sealed over water and would die by water". The young men laughed!
Donald married Mary Bell on 27 December 1855 at Rogart. Mary was born in Lairg, daughter of James Bell, shepherd, and Margaret Mackay. Sadly Mary died at Pittentrail, Rogart, in 1859 aged 29 years, mother of two children. Donald worked for the Postal Service as a mail guard/sorter on the railway - firstly he worked on the coach by which the railway mails were conveyed to Wick and Thurso before the extension of the railway network. The 1861 census shows Donald, a widower, working as a postrunner in Golspie village.
He and Mary had the following children:
WILLIAM MURRAY, born 18 August 1856, Dornoch (IGI) [died Norwich, England] [married Mary Seaman]
MARGARET MURRAY, born 20 May 1858 Rogart [died 8 December 1928 Renton, Dumbartonshire] [married George Matheson]
The widowed Donald married on 28th February 1866 in Golspie to Elizabeth Mackay, who was born in Old Kilpatrick, Dunbarton, daughter of Donald Mackay and Margaret Grant.
Donald and Elizabeth had the following children:
DONALD JOHN MURRAY, born 28 August 1869 Thurso, Caithness
WALTER HUGH MURRAY, born 10 April 1872 Thurso, Caithness [died 8 January 1941 at Johnston Avenue, Dundee] [married Catherine Williamson in 1897 in Dundee, daughter of Thomas Williamson, marine engineer and Catherine Brassel - Walter, a mercantile clerk, and Catherine had three children Donald, Constance and Ella. In the 1901 census the family were living at Commercial Street, Dundee. He and his wife died at Johnston Avenue, Dundee.
Donald’s elder children, William and Margaret, remained at Rhemusaig, Rogart, where they were looked after by their grandmother, Kate Grant, and their Uncle Sandy. Donald and Elizabeth moved again, this time to Dundee where they are shown in the Dundee Street Directory living at 13 South Ellen Street in 1878. Donald continued to work on the railways and was now a mail sorter and mail guard. South Ellen Street was situated about a ten minute walk from the railway station.
On the morning of Sunday, 28th December, 1879, Donald and Elizabeth were preparing to go to church when a colleague arrived to say they were short-staffed that day and requested that Donald work an extra shift. Donald changed from his church suit into his uniform. As the weather was particularly bad on this Sunday he wore two pairs of 'drawers', one cotton and one of plaiding; trousers of a yellow colour and a blue pilot jacket. On his head he wore the uniform cap with its gold lace and as always, his large watch on a silver chain. In his pocket he put his pass book and his keys. He said goodbye to his wife and children and left for work. His duties took him on the stretch of line between Dundee and Ladybank which lies midway between Cupar and Glenrothes in the heart of Fife.
The weather continued to deteriorate. A newspaper report later described it so - "Dundee was visited by one of the most fearful hurricanes which has ever been experienced in this neighbourhood." His journey to Ladybank was smooth and uneventful. The train on which he was to return to Dundee left Edinburgh at 4.15pm and headed for Granton where the passengers boarded the ferry for Burntisland (the Forth rail bridge was not built until 1890). The ferry then connected with the 5.27pm train from Burntisland to Dundee. As the train pulled out of Burntisland in the cold darkness there was a strong south-westerly wind. The train reached Ladybank on time and Donald boarded the train. Shortly after seven o'clock the train reached St Fort, a small station about two miles from the south end of the Tay Bridge, where the tickets were checked as usual. The ticket collector, William Friend, was an old friend of Donald. There were about 75 people on the train, including staff, at this point. As they were now only a few minutes from Dundee I imagine Donald had completed his work and was looking forward to home, supper and a warm fire. The weather was still dreadful and if anything had worsened since morning. The train slowed down for its approach on to the Tay Bridge. The wind had reached hurricane speeds and the river below was one sheet of white seething foam.
The train was seen to reach the high girders of the bridge. A few seconds later a gust of wind, more violent than any that had preceded it, was experienced and simultaneously spectators saw several flashes of fire descend from the bridge and disappear into the water. In one terrible moment columns, girders and train went down to the foaming river with not the faintest chance of survival for the victims.
Donald's body was never recovered. An article in the Dundee Advertiser of 31st December 1879 stated "........ in the north especially, where he [Donald] was a great favourite, his sad death will be heard of with much regret ......." It is interesting to note that not only did Donald die by water but I am assured that his two companions 'cursed' by the old man in Rogart, also died by water!
Elizabeth continued to live in 13 South Ellen Street, Dundee. She was recorded there in 1881 with her sons Donald and Walter. She also had two lodgers. In 1884 Margaret Murray, Donald’s daughter Margaret, by his first wife, married at Elizabeth’s house.
There is a fascinating story told in Rogart of Donald, as a young man, sitting on the parapet by the bridge at Pittentrail with two other young men one Sabbath evening. James Matheson ("Holy James") passed on his way to Rogart Free Church. The young men mocked him and he rebuked them telling them that "they would be sealed over water and would die by water". The young men laughed!
Donald married Mary Bell on 27 December 1855 at Rogart. Mary was born in Lairg, daughter of James Bell, shepherd, and Margaret Mackay. Sadly Mary died at Pittentrail, Rogart, in 1859 aged 29 years, mother of two children. Donald worked for the Postal Service as a mail guard/sorter on the railway - firstly he worked on the coach by which the railway mails were conveyed to Wick and Thurso before the extension of the railway network. The 1861 census shows Donald, a widower, working as a postrunner in Golspie village.
He and Mary had the following children:
WILLIAM MURRAY, born 18 August 1856, Dornoch (IGI) [died Norwich, England] [married Mary Seaman]
MARGARET MURRAY, born 20 May 1858 Rogart [died 8 December 1928 Renton, Dumbartonshire] [married George Matheson]
The widowed Donald married on 28th February 1866 in Golspie to Elizabeth Mackay, who was born in Old Kilpatrick, Dunbarton, daughter of Donald Mackay and Margaret Grant.
Donald and Elizabeth had the following children:
DONALD JOHN MURRAY, born 28 August 1869 Thurso, Caithness
WALTER HUGH MURRAY, born 10 April 1872 Thurso, Caithness [died 8 January 1941 at Johnston Avenue, Dundee] [married Catherine Williamson in 1897 in Dundee, daughter of Thomas Williamson, marine engineer and Catherine Brassel - Walter, a mercantile clerk, and Catherine had three children Donald, Constance and Ella. In the 1901 census the family were living at Commercial Street, Dundee. He and his wife died at Johnston Avenue, Dundee.
Donald’s elder children, William and Margaret, remained at Rhemusaig, Rogart, where they were looked after by their grandmother, Kate Grant, and their Uncle Sandy. Donald and Elizabeth moved again, this time to Dundee where they are shown in the Dundee Street Directory living at 13 South Ellen Street in 1878. Donald continued to work on the railways and was now a mail sorter and mail guard. South Ellen Street was situated about a ten minute walk from the railway station.
On the morning of Sunday, 28th December, 1879, Donald and Elizabeth were preparing to go to church when a colleague arrived to say they were short-staffed that day and requested that Donald work an extra shift. Donald changed from his church suit into his uniform. As the weather was particularly bad on this Sunday he wore two pairs of 'drawers', one cotton and one of plaiding; trousers of a yellow colour and a blue pilot jacket. On his head he wore the uniform cap with its gold lace and as always, his large watch on a silver chain. In his pocket he put his pass book and his keys. He said goodbye to his wife and children and left for work. His duties took him on the stretch of line between Dundee and Ladybank which lies midway between Cupar and Glenrothes in the heart of Fife.
The weather continued to deteriorate. A newspaper report later described it so - "Dundee was visited by one of the most fearful hurricanes which has ever been experienced in this neighbourhood." His journey to Ladybank was smooth and uneventful. The train on which he was to return to Dundee left Edinburgh at 4.15pm and headed for Granton where the passengers boarded the ferry for Burntisland (the Forth rail bridge was not built until 1890). The ferry then connected with the 5.27pm train from Burntisland to Dundee. As the train pulled out of Burntisland in the cold darkness there was a strong south-westerly wind. The train reached Ladybank on time and Donald boarded the train. Shortly after seven o'clock the train reached St Fort, a small station about two miles from the south end of the Tay Bridge, where the tickets were checked as usual. The ticket collector, William Friend, was an old friend of Donald. There were about 75 people on the train, including staff, at this point. As they were now only a few minutes from Dundee I imagine Donald had completed his work and was looking forward to home, supper and a warm fire. The weather was still dreadful and if anything had worsened since morning. The train slowed down for its approach on to the Tay Bridge. The wind had reached hurricane speeds and the river below was one sheet of white seething foam.
The train was seen to reach the high girders of the bridge. A few seconds later a gust of wind, more violent than any that had preceded it, was experienced and simultaneously spectators saw several flashes of fire descend from the bridge and disappear into the water. In one terrible moment columns, girders and train went down to the foaming river with not the faintest chance of survival for the victims.
Donald's body was never recovered. An article in the Dundee Advertiser of 31st December 1879 stated "........ in the north especially, where he [Donald] was a great favourite, his sad death will be heard of with much regret ......." It is interesting to note that not only did Donald die by water but I am assured that his two companions 'cursed' by the old man in Rogart, also died by water!
Elizabeth continued to live in 13 South Ellen Street, Dundee. She was recorded there in 1881 with her sons Donald and Walter. She also had two lodgers. In 1884 Margaret Murray, Donald’s daughter Margaret, by his first wife, married at Elizabeth’s house.
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