Belston now the location of a depot for a firm of agricultural builders and contractors , RWHB Ltd. (R Brown).
Valuation Roll
1905 prop. William Campbell; tenant John Murdoch.
1905 Prop. Lord Skerrington; tenant Hugh Rorison. 1940 prop. Hugh Rorison.
OPRs Ochiltree
7/6/1747 Christian lawful daughter to Adam Murdoch in Bellston.
Thomas Murdoch was christened 5/9/1779 in Bellston. His father was John Murdoch, a woollen weaver in Bellston and his mother was Mary Lees.
John Murdoch formerly residing in Bellston died 24/1/1831 age 88yrs at Drumjoan
Lair Ref: 134 Ochiltree Churchyard
Patrick (Peter) Murdoch died 18/6/1834 at Bellston and his wife Margaret Murray died 6/7/1834 at Bellston. Their 6yr old son John had also died at Bellston 30/5/1834. Margaret who had been born in June 1834 was brought up in New Cumnock and died at Pathhead in 1894.
The History of Ochiltree Village & Parish - Dane Love
p308
Belston
-1831 John Murdoch (1743-1831)
<1834 Patrick Murdoch
1851-1861 Hugh Auld (1806-18 )
1891 Robert Brown
1901 James Murdoch (1876- )
The 1851 census shows Hugh Auld 45 an agricultural labourer occupying Belston with his wife Margaret and family.
The 1861 census shows Hugh Auld 57 an agricultural labourer still living there with his wife Margaret and family.
The 1871 census shows Belston now being occupied by Joseph R Whitehead a railway labourer, his wife and a lodger who is also a railway labourer.
