George Cunningham ROY [636]

  General Notes:

(Image courtesy of R Filsell)


Scotland Select Births and Baptisma 1564-1950
Name:George Cunningham Roy
Gender:Male
Birth Date:25 Nov 1848
Baptism Date:10 Dec 1848
Baptism Place:Methven,Perth,Scotland
Father:
James Roy
Mother:
Mary Scott
FHL Film Number:1040129

G C Roy, Accountant, 8 Barossa Place, Perth 1884-85 Perth Directories [Searched by Rosemary Filsell at Perth Library 1997]

George Cunningham ROY assisted his wife with the correspondence to John Anderson in South Australia even after his wife's death in 1888; then he remarries and continues corresponding and Christmas cards into the 20th century - George and John had never met - what a wonderful man.

Image 167, 168 & 169
8 Barossa Place, Perth,
17 Sepr. 1884.
My dear friend,
I am afraid that my character & reputation for letter writing must be considerably damaged in your eyes, for I think, in fact I'm sure, that this is only my second note to you since I first became connected with you, matrimonially speaking & considering that its now more than 2 years - (Bless me how time does fly, - as Artemus Ward says "it's a way that time has") since the dire event was consummated. I think I might have given you a little more of my mind through the medium of pen & paper, seeing that these two commodities ar'nt so expensive. However mon ami be seldom you see our handwriting you are not altogether forgot. An occasional paper finds its way to you. I hope you get them and then you often turn up in conversation. "John" is a fruitful source of talk, sometimes of an evening, when the house is quiet and something is mentioned that takes the mind & memory back to long years ago. Then "Punch" dilates and pours out in rich profusion her stories of reminiscence & events connected with the old close, No. 55 and the happy days you all had together there. That was long before the barbarous name of Roy, suggestive only of cattle lifting & fierce turmoil, was even known or had been heard of. Time has many changes in store for one, its good when it only brings happiness & comfort, but then it hides behind its impenetrable w\\veil, death & separation.
We have got all our holidays over for another year. I get a fortnight always - generally the latter half of July, when the days are at their longest & their warmest & when one should expect good weather - But this year July was a very wet month & particularly our fortnight - Our place of sojourn was Carnoustie - the whole time - & not withstanding the disadvantage of getting a good wetting occasionally we enjoyed ourselves immensely. We had a delightful cottage all to ourselves very near the Links, where we were comfortably squatted, and where we got, in the way of vegetables, everything we wanted, delightful potatoes, green peas carrots etc. I bathed regularly every day, sometime twice. I'm very fond of the water, and Mary also faced the briney pretty regularly, even the little Jim, little did I say, the big, the burly the heroic Jim faced the wild waves and feared not, yea even loved to be in their midst. The usual routine each day for me was - bathe in the morning then breakfast & read the papers, then start at 10 o'clock with our clubs for a round of golf, it took us 2 hours to do the round, then if it was worm & tempting we had another dip, after that dinner, then in the afternoon till teatime at 5 o'clock we meandered about on the sands & links, smoked the pipe of peace & sauntered & lolled away lazily the sunny hours after tea, another round of the golf course, then perhaps a quiet walk, & smoke, then supper & to bed. Carnoustie is perhaps is a great resort of Perth people so that during July Augt. & Sept. there are no want of kent faces & lots of people are known to fraternise with, & of course it's a great place for golfers, in fact one must golf down there, there is no other recreation. I never handle a club during any other part of the year, and am certainly not a golfer, but I enjoy it thoroughly, it is splendid exercise and then the fun, the wit, the general sociality that goes on in a foursome, that is where 4 play together - 2 on each side it is simply immense, and then the appetite one develops is something marvellous! Talk of leading your stomach - we each and all of us loaded ours three times a day, and are all alive to tell the tale, and with a stock of health that will defy frost & cold & storm, rheumatics or influenza. Doctors & their medical chests
over/
-2-
8 Barossa Place, Perth.
17 Sepr. 1884.
may go off to Hong Kong for a long holiday, we'll have none of them. We can snap our fingers so to speak in their faces, such is the invigorating influence of the seaside. The little chap enjoyed it very much. He got a spade & little pail & away he went & spent hours among the sands, tumbling about like a ball. He is certainly the better of it - Your Mother too, who generally imagines that next to her own fireside, there is no place like Comrie, was down with us for a week and enjoyed herself very well, there was only one thing that troubled her mind and that was the immense capacity she was developing for putting victuals out of sight, she imagined that she could soon be bankrupt if she carried on long in her health she has resumed her normal condition. She went however to Comrie afterwards & stayed several weeks.
My sister who is married & resides at Glenalmond, north from Methven came down the first week & stayed with us and her 4 boys, so you see we had'nt time to weary and altogether we had a fine time of it.
I hope you are continuing to like your situation and Adelaide, it seems to be a fine City, judging from the view of it you sent us the other week. We are always addressing our newspapers to your office, perhaps it might be better that you gave us the address of your lodgings. Mary wants to know if you have good lodgings and a careful & kind landlady. Is she English, Scotch or Irish or is she a native. I suppose that living will be pretty dear & also we generally get "The Australian Observer" - a splendid Journal it is, a really good 6d. worth - & I observe you publish 2 others - Is it a good office, have you hard work & long hours. Do you get to the Presbyterian Church & and is the Pastor a decent boy, does he visit his flock & has he ever been to see you. I suppose that clothing, provisions & living generally will be high - Do you manage to save money, & if so do you put it in the South Austn. Savings Bank? Whose advertisement I see in your last paper to us which we recd on Monday night. Are there any Perth people out & do you know any of them & do you think Adelaide a good place to settle in? How do you manage to pass your evenings & leisure hours, in short is the social life in the City agreeable, & do you think you will settle down in it. - Have you any news of matrimony or have you yet spotted, to use a vulgar phrase, any young lady, that you think would make you a good wife. And do you not think that by marrying, you might live cheaper, and at the same time be far more comfortable and happy. However be careful of the Colonial belles, if you have any doubt about them & would like to marry, I think I could name one young lady now residing in the fair City & who was visiting us & had tea with us on Sunday night, who would make you a first rate partner. This is now the end of my Catechism, of which I am sure you are heartily tired, but which have been all prompted by your revered sister, better known to you under the name of "Punch.
I hope for the sake of pleasing hr. you will give them all an answer in your next letter & we hope it wont be long till we get one from you.
I must thank you very much for the newspapers you so regularly send to me, they are really very interesting & I enjoy & look forward to them. I send you along with this letter a "Graphic" which I have no doubt you will enjoy. I think you cant equal us for illustrated papers. We really do these well, although in the way of magazine illustration America is far ahead of us.
Over/
-3-
8 Barossa Place, Perth.
17 Sepr. 1884
I don't know if I have much news that wd. Interest you. Perth still stands where it did of yore. We move slowly here, we're conservative fight shy of violent changes. - We are to have a new Station which I suppose will be commenced to next month. It will, make a vast change & improvement in the City. L100,000 are to be spend on it so that it will be something substantial.
John Henderson, who was a great friend of yours in the old days, is still running about & is fresh and gay as ever. Your Mother was up seeing them last night. Their little one, who is now 20 months old is growing fine & is nice young girl. I Think that by the time this letter reaches you, they will have another.
The Country is perfectly wild with politics just now, Gladstone has been holding forth . . words indistinct . . about the Franchise Bill. And every City, town & village has its demonstration. Perth is to have its demonstration the the 11th of next month. All the great leaders of both parties are in Scotland just now. Gladstone is in Aberdeen, Sir Stafford Northcote & Lord Salisbury, in Edin. & Glasgow.
I will conclude now, for I think I have given you too much at once. Your mother has just come up and she tells me she has written to you this mail too - she says that Friday the 19th inst. is your Birthday. I wish you many returns of it, and with love from Mary & myself
I am Yours faithfully,
G. Cunningham Roy.
Dont be long in writing
18 Sepr. 84.

Image 166
19 Queen Street, Perth.
20 June, 1898
Dear John,
Mrs. Baker, who since Mr. Baker's death has resided in Broughty Ferry, has returned again to stay in Perth, and on calling on her the other evening she expressed a wish that I should write you and ask you to repeat the advertisement in regard to her son Willie which you were kind enough to insert some years ago. Although she does'nt expect that any good result will come of it, still you can understand that her Mother's heart will still hanker after some news. In case you forget the nature of the advertisements, it was I think something like this -
(Sutcliffe, Wm. Alexr. - sailor from Glasgow to Melbourne p Loch Lomond April 1883, his Mother Mrs. Baker, Spens Crescent, Perth, Scotland anxiously Enquires.)
I shall feel obliged if you will kindly do this for her. She has only one little granddaughter left now of all her relations, a daughter of Freds' whom you would know I suppose.
I notice some little time ago in the "Observer" that you had got an addition to your family. I hope that Mrs. Anderson and the little one - and the whole of you are keeping well.
I am glad to say we are all well. The children have already got free from the school - which is a little earlier than usual owing to the prevalence of measles in the town - Jim however is still at the Academy.
We are looking forward to our holiday in the month of August when we go up to Glenalmond where we have taken a farmhouse for a few weeks.
We are having splendid weather here and the country is looking beautiful, and you I suppose will be in the middle of your winter.
With kind regards to you all.
Believe me,
Yours very truly,
G. Cunningham Roy.

Image 165
[This note in Xmas Card]
Perth
15th Nov. 1906.
My dear Friend,
I trust that this may find you all in the best of health.
Your "Observer" always reaches me with weekly regularity. I hope the "Weekly Scotsman" finds its way to you with the same punctuality.
With the kindest wishes and best compl. Of the season.
G.C.R.
[To Mr. John Anderson and Household. From Geo. C. Roy, Perth. Xmas 1906]

Monumental Inscription. Welshill Cemetery, Perth:
In Memory of / Mary Anne Morison / wife of / George Cunningham Roy / who died 31st March 1888 / age 29 years / also his son / Edward Gordon / died 15th November 1903 / aged 4 years 8 months / and the above / George Cunningham Roy / who died 17th October 1907 / age 52 years / Helen Robertson Gordon / who died 23rd October 1949 / aged 88 years / and his elder daughter / Mary Ann Morison / who died 25th March 1968 / aged 79 years.

  Other Records

• Census: Scotland, 30 Mar 1851, Battleby, Redgorton, Perthshire. George is recorded as Son age 2 born abt 1849 at Methven Perthshire.

• Census: Scotland, 7 Apr 1861, Battleby, Redgorton, Perthshire. George is recorded as Son age 12 born abt 1849 Methven Perthshire and described as Scholar.

• Census: Scotland, 2 Apr 1871, Battleby Cottages, Redgorton, Perthshire. George is recorded as Son age 22 born about 1849 Methven Perth and described as Bank Clerk, living with his parents.

• Census: Scotland, 3 Apr 1881, 8 Barossa Place, Perth, Perthshire, Scotland. George is recorded (incorrectly) as George C Ray NOT Roy as Head of household age 31 born abt 1850 and described as an Accountant Savings Bank. (His older sister Isabella Ray/Roy age 48 and a Visitor Mary Cameron age 29 recorded at the same address.)

• Leslie's Directory: Accountant, 1885, 8 Barossa Place, Perth, Perthshire, Scotland.

• Leslie's Directory: Accountant, 1887, 8 Barossa Place, Perth, Perthshire, Scotland.

• Leslie's Directory: Accountant, 1889, 19 Queen St, Craigie, Perth, Perthshire, Scotland.

• Leslie's Directory: Accountant, 1890, 19 Queen St, Craigie, Perth, Perthshire, Scotland.

• Census: Scotland, 5 Apr 1891, 19 Queen St, Perth, Perthshire. George is recorded as Head age 42 born abt 1849 Methven, Perthshire and described as Savings' Bank Accountant.
Also recorded is a Housekeeper Jeannie Chapman age 50 born abt 1841 Dunbarney Perthshire and the relationship is described as Servant; occupation Housekeeper.

• Leslie's Directory: Accountant, 1893, 19 Queen St, Craigie, Perth, Perthshire, Scotland.

• Census: Scotland, 31 Mar 1901, West Craig, Abbot St, Perth, Scotland. George is recorded as Head age 52 born about 1849 Aberchirder Banffshire and described as Bank Accountant. Included in the household is Barbara Henderson age 17 born abt 1884 at Logierait, Perthshire and described as General Servant Domestic.

• Leslie's Directory: Bank Accountant, 1903, West Craig, Abbot St, Perth, Scotland.

• Leslie's Directory: Bank Accountant, 1905, West Craig, Craigie, Perthshire, Scotland.

• Leslie's Directory: Bank Accountant, 1907, West Craig, Abbot St, Perth, Scotland.

George married Mary Ann "Annie" MORISON [634] [MRIN: 219], daughter of James MORISON [631] and Mary Ann NEISH [629], on 13 Jul 1882 in Perth, Perthshire, SCT. (Mary Ann "Annie" MORISON [634] was born on 18 Jul 1858 in Perth, Perthshire, SCT, died on 31 Mar 1888 in Craigie, Perth, Scotland and was buried in 1888 in Welshill Cemetery, Perth, Scotland.)

  Marriage Notes:

Witness to the Marriage of Mary Ann Morison and George Cunningham Roy July 1882 - A.D. Matheson.

George next married Helen Robertson GORDON [640] [MRIN: 220] in 1892 in Perthshire, Scotland. (Helen Robertson GORDON [640] was born about 1861, died on 23 Oct 1949 in Edinburgh, SCT and was buried in Welshill Cemetery, Perth, Scotland.)