Skerrington, Old Cumnock

Location: at the fork on the road out of Cumnock to New Cumnock. OS 6 inch second edition c1900. A roundabout was built there when the bypass was built.

 

The farm building is still there, used as offices.

Taken before the bypass about 1989 by Jim G Smith.

OPR baptism 1744

Marion Howatson, daughter lawfull of Hugh Howatson and Agnes McKartney in Skerrington was baptised Oct 14th 1744

Horse Tax 1797-98  Angus Rankin Skerrington Park 2 horses , one untaxed 

 

                                                                 Gazetteer of Ayrshire 1750-1800

The New History of Cumnock - John Strawhorn

p131

‘Mary Maxwell Campbell (1818-1886) who wrote The March of the Cameron Men was a daughter of Dugald John Campbell of Skerrington’.

The 1841 census shows Hugh Andrew 40 farming  Skerrington Farm with 2 female farm servants.

The 1851 census shows David Taylor 49 and his wife Margaret 35 (Brown) farming 63 acres employing 1 labourer, their children Marion 5, James Bruwn Taylor 4, Janet D Taylor 1, 1 Male farm labourer and 2 female house servants.

The 1861 census shows David Taylor 59 and his wife Margaret 47 farming 60 acres employing 1 man & 2 women. Also living there is dtr Margaret 15, son James 14. dtr Jessie 11, dtr Margaret 9, dtr Mary 6, 1 ploughman and 2 female domestic servants.

Associated with the Murray family from the 1871 census
1871 James Murray 42 Farmers Of 59 Acres All Arable Employing 3 Labourers wife 6 children one 10 year old girl servant
The 1881 census shows James Murray 54 with his wife Sarah 51 farming 82 acres arable.  They have Gilbert aged 28, ploughman, David 14 a draper's apprentice, James 13, Sarah Jane McKervall 11, Mary 8, and servant Lydia Scott 15 general farm servant.
The 1891 census shows James Murray 64 farming with his wife Sarah (Lang) 62, son Gilbert 38 who is an agricultural labourer, son David 24 a draper’s assistant, son James 23 an agricultural labourer, dtrs Sarah Jane 21 &  Mary 18 both dairymaids, David Murray 99 father/army pensioner  and 1 female general servant
The 1901 census shows Sarah Murray now head of household farming with her son Gilbert 48, dtr Sarah Jane 31, 1 Male farm servant and 1 dairymaid.

Gilbert Murray 1921

Gilbert Murray Farmer Skerrington retiral and story CC 1921

Gilbert Murray Farmer Skerrington retiral and story CC 1921

Gilbert Murray and family on Cumnock Connections Tree

Skerrington farm, bottom right corner - from " The Cumnock Area - Photopack five " school booklet 1975.

Most of the farm is now built on, though the  house remains as offices.

1907  see the post Ayrshire cattle by train to Finland 

Valuation Roll 

1855  prop Robert Campbell, tenant D Taylor.  

1865 tenant William Murray.  

1875 tenant James Murray.  

1905 tenant Gilbert Murray.  

1915 prop Lord Skerrington, tenant Gilbert Murray.  

1925 tenant William Dixon. 

1940 prop Dr Basil Patrick Campbell, tenant William Dixon

The McLanachan family became tenants of Skerrington Farm after the Dixons who had supplied milk to the houses in Cumnock.

Hugh McLanachan drove a tractor from an early age
Photo courtesy of Anne & Hugh McLanachan

‘I used to sit on the tractor going across a hill and I used to sit on the mudguard at the big wheel and drive it that way because if I started to roll I was going off that way’.

-Hugh McLanachan - (listen to Hugh and his sister Anne talking about Skerrington Farm in our audio

                                                                                                                                                             files)

Hugh & Nancy McLanachan with children Anne & Hugh at the baking tent
at Catrine Show
photo courtesy of Anne & Hugh McLanachan

The McLanachans of Skerrington Farm at a Farmers’ Dance

                                                  photo courtesy of Anne & Hugh McLanachan