Location also known as Lochmark
Canmore architecture notes:-
(NS 4498 1960) Drongan House, a moderately sized stone mansion, dates from the late 18th century; it appears on Armstrong's map of 1775. Its kitchen premises are formed by the earlier crowstepped farmhouse of Lochmark.
J Retter 1978
Transferred from the parish of Stair to the parish of Ochiltree - Hay/Shennan report of 1892.
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| From a postcard - Canmore circa 1920 |
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| Elaine Corbett 2019 |
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| John Smith of Drongan 1786 - 1830 by Sir Henry Raeburn |
Overview of the Smiths of Drongan. - Also see Wikipedia entry for Drongan
Court case in the SCOS archive Link
John Smith in the Age of Improvement Link
John Smith lived in the previous house at Drongan, which his grandson John had replaced with the one we see today.
Mungo Smith - wife Marjory Brodie, Servant Tax roll show him as having two servants, only one of whom he paid duty for. There is some evidence that one of his servants was a black boy named Jack Scott who came back with him from the West Indies where he made his money.
Children baptised at Stair -
Margaret born 1776
Marion Born 1784 - married David Limond Esq. Provost of Ayr, of Dalblair.
Elizabeth born 1785
John born 1786 - portrait above, went to seek his fortune in India. The portrait was possibly commissioned by his father Mungo before he left. Went as a clerk to banking firm Ferguson and Co, and became a partner aged 21. Married Eleanor Gale and had children Eleanor and Mungo, both died as children. John died in Calcutta in 1830, his widow drowned when the ship (Providence) she was travelling in sank in the Bay of Bengal in 1835. They are buried in the South Park Street cemetery, Calcutta, West Bengal.
A lengthy court case over the ownership of the house he had built but never lived in and the farm that went with it meant that the house fell into disrepair, although it seems to have been decorated and furnished ready for the return of it’s owner that never was to happen. It was eventually sold and the farm and house let.
Link to the grave of John Smith and his family in Calcutta - Find a Grave website
A cutting here for the death of Jean Gibson (Shaw) who was born at Lochmark. Click on her link to see her photograph in Cumnock Connections.
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| Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald March 1897 |
The History of Ochiltree Village & Parish - Dane Love
p316
Drongan (Drongan House)
Incorporates Lochmark. 128 acres in 1879.
-1879 Drongan Estate - John Smith
1879- Drongan Estate -
1882-1901 Drongan Estate - James Sloan (1852-19 )
1914 Drongan Estate - Henry Knox
1925-1940 Drongan Estate - James Lymburn
2020 David M. Gemmell
Census
1841 Wallace family, John 45, Sarah 25, John 20, Robert 14, Agness 12, Jean 7, William 4, Margaret 2, and Hugh under 1. Also Allan Weir 15, and Elizabeth Murray 25.
1851 The house appears to have been made into flats. Families are ;
John Ferguson 32, a coalmaster employing 24 men and 15 boys.
Marion Knox 43 a widow and dressmaker
William Mair 40, farmer of 110 acres, with servants Mary Tempeny 22 and Sarah Laverty 19.
1861 David Smith 29, farmer of 112 acres with servants John Walker 18, and Mary Auld 16.
1871 David Smith 39 farmer of 140 acres arable, with servants James Knox 27, John Fleming 18, Christina Merray 20, dairymaid, Christina Woodburn 40 (Spierston).
Christina Woodburn Murray, (daughter of Christina Woodburn), mentioned in the Schoolfellows Reunion post as being of a pleasant disposition. She married David Smith’s brother Thomas.
David Smith died in 1879 leaving a widow (Mary Osborne, Drumjoan) and two children, Mary and Robert.
1881 Allan Dunsmuir 32, coalmaster, wife Agnes 27, family Margaret 7, Marion 5, John 3, Thomas C 2 and Agness W C under 1. Sister Margaret Dunsmuir 40 (deceased coal master's daughter) and Jane McGee 15.
James Sloan 28, formerly Creochhill, farmer of 145 acres employing 1 girl and 1 boy.
1891 James Sloan 39, wife Grace 34, and children George 7, James 4, and Mary 1. Servants are Mary Hogg 20, and James Adams 14.
Also the Davidson family. James 34, grocer with wife Jane W 32, son James 2 and daughter Jane 1. Their servant is Maggie McCulloch 14, a nurse domestic.
1892 the parish boundary is changed from Stair to Ochiltree.
1901 Lochmark, James Sloan 49 with wife Grace 44 and three children with Jessie Thom 18 and Sarah Drain 15, servants.
Valuation Rolls
1874 Tenants of land, Drongan are J MacGavin Nicol, and David Smith.
1875 John Muir (Mair) is tenant of the upper flat of Drongan House
1895 Proprietor John Manners Yorke
1905 Tenant Henry Knox.
1925 Proprietor David Downie. No tenants listed.
Modern day farmer, David Gemmell
