Monument Details E01

Details of the monument you have selected are shown below. Click on the image(s) of the monument (at the bottom of the page) to view a larger version (opens in new window). Please allow a few moments for the larger version to load; although every effort has been made to ensure the large images download quickly, internet speeds may vary depending on connection speeds. Click here to go back to your search results.

Forename
Surname
Date of Death
Age
Place Name
Margaret
Johnstone
04 February 1885
52
Uana
Johnstone
29 February 1912
61
Thomas
Porter
08 January 1910
58
Thomas
Porter
18 September 1913
n/a
James
Russell
11 June 1880
68
James
Russell
07 October 1895
28

Relatives: Wife of James Russell Stone Condition: Sound Material: Marble Height: 2.57 Breadth: 1.17 Depth: 0.5 Inscription Condition: Clear but worn Inscription Technique: Incised Mason: W. Buchanan, Glasgow Pre 1855 no. N/A ( What's this? )

Monument Inscription

ERECTED
BY
MARGARET JOHNSTONE,
IN MEMORY OF HER HUSBAND,
JAMES RUSSELL
WHO DIED 11TH JUNE 1880, AGED 68 YEARS.
THE ABOVE
MARGARET JOHNSTONE
DIED 4TH FEBY 1885, AGED 52 YEARS.
AND THEIR SON
JAMES,
DIED 7TH OCTR 1895, AGED 28 YEARS.
HIS UNCLE THOMAS PORTER
WHO DIED 8TH JANY 1910 AGED 58 YEARS
ALSO UANA JOHNSTONE
WIFE OF THE ABOVE THOMAS PORTER
WHO DIED 29TH FEBY 1912, AGED 61 YEARS
ALSO THOMAS PORTER
GRAND-CHILD OF THE ABOVE THOMAS & UANA PORTER
DIED 18TH SEPT 1913, AGED 11 MONTHS


“Though lost to sight to memory dear”

Family History

James Russell (1833-1880), the son of farmer William Russell and his wife Elizabeth of Balgray, was both a farmer and an inn keeper. In 1862 James married Margaret Johnstone who was born in Islay: in 1866 their son James was born. James died prematurely at the age of twenty-eight. Prior to his marriage James (Snr.) lived at Shawhill, near the Red Lion Inn at Mearnskirk. It is not known whether he was the proprietor of the nearby Red Lion or of the Newton Inn at Mearns Cross at this time, although it is clear that he was established as proprietor of the latter some time between 1861 and 1871, and continued so until his death in 1880.

Following her husband’s death Margaret took on the role of inn keeper at the Newton Inn until her death in 1885. According to the 1881 census, she was head of the household and was living with her son James now fifteen years old. The census return also includes the names of two servants, a coachman, a groom and a bus guard. These last three would have been involved in running the horse bus from the Inn to the station at Giffnock to connect with the Glasgow train.

Following her death in 1885 Margaret’s sister Una and her husband Thomas Porter took over the management of the Newton Inn. Thomas, born in Ireland in 1852, was a railway engine driver and a widower when he married Una Johnstone in 1881. Thomas then became the proprietor of the Newton Inn, known locally as Porter’s Inn, and continued to manage the horse bus service from the Inn.

The Newton Inn, which closed in the 1930s, stood at north east corner of Mearns Cross approximately on the site of the present BP Filling Station. It seems likely that it was built following the completion in 1832 of the New Line, the Glasgow to Kilmarnock Road.

The writer was intrigued to note the spelling of UANA JOHNSTONE on the memorial as the conventional spelling is recorded on both her marriage and her husband’s death certificate. Perhaps UANA was just the mason’s version of her name.