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Original poster

Another historical scribble to decode!

80 replies

reddingweddy · 09/02/2023 13:44

Since we all enjoyed @OldTrot's historical letter deciphering, here's another for you - this one is a bit more recent but no less unfathomable. Off you go!

Another historical scribble to decode!
Another historical scribble to decode!
Another historical scribble to decode!
OP posts:
Original poster
reddingweddy · 09/02/2023 14:35

This is so fascinating!

OP posts:
NameOchangeO1 · 09/02/2023 14:35

reddingweddy · 09/02/2023 14:29

Oh you are all so good!
I think "tow path" is right and wonder if it is "she will like the change from a pram walk"

I think it is "she will like the change from a pram coach"

Original poster
reddingweddy · 09/02/2023 14:36

WarningToTheCurious · 09/02/2023 14:33

Blackie and Son was a publisher based in Glasgow and in Charing Cross Road - closed in 1991.

The Murdoch family had lived at Fairfield Lodge since at least the mid 1850s - the house is at 8 Racecourse Road, Ayr, and is now called Langlaigh.

Amazing detective work!

OP posts:
mrsjoyfulprizeforraffiawork · 09/02/2023 14:36

Beat me to it@reddingweddy !

WeegieWan · 09/02/2023 14:37

Found his birth cert - Robert David Hugh Murdoch born 8th July 1919 at Fairfield Lidge, Racecourse Road Ayr to James Alexander Douglas Murdoch, Solicitor and Cecil's Murdoch née Douglas, who were married in London Nov 2nd 1915

WeegieWan · 09/02/2023 14:38

Ceiling not Cecil!!!

WeegieWan · 09/02/2023 14:39

Bloody autocorrect! Cecilia!

Sunbird24 · 09/02/2023 14:39

Cecily? 😂

WarningToTheCurious · 09/02/2023 14:39

I've found the family - Robin had sisters Marjorie and Maureen, Robin was married to Audrey and children were two daughters - looks like Lallo could be a pet name for the eldest?

The letter writer is Cecile Murdoch.

Sunbird24 · 09/02/2023 14:40

Got to love autocorrect! Can you get to the name of his daughter? Would love to know about ‘Lallo’

WeegieWan · 09/02/2023 14:40

Actually looking at her name again there's an accent over the 'e' so it's probably Cecile.

WarningToTheCurious · 09/02/2023 14:41

Daughters were (are?) Alison and Elizabeth.

Sunbird24 · 09/02/2023 14:41

Ah, so Lallo would probably have been Alison

WeegieWan · 09/02/2023 14:43

So it's his mum who is writing? Isn't this brilliant?!

WarningToTheCurious · 09/02/2023 14:46

Alison born Q3 1954 so would have been about 2 and a half at the time the letter was written?

Original poster
reddingweddy · 09/02/2023 14:46

The power of Mumsnet... this is fantastic. Where are you getting the family info from?
I've googled the house, it's rather lovely...

OP posts:
Original poster
reddingweddy · 09/02/2023 14:47

If his daughters are still around I would love to return this to them.

OP posts:
WarningToTheCurious · 09/02/2023 14:47

Google is your friend! There was an obit for Marjorie and then you can get quite a lot of birth / marriage / death info from FreeBMD.

WeegieWan · 09/02/2023 14:48

Cecile died in Ayr in 1964, her husband James in 1954, so she's already a widow at time of writing

SydneyCarton · 09/02/2023 14:55

@WeegieWan I was trying to find him on FreeBMD, then realised he would have probably been born in Scotland.

Ancestry has a Robin Murdoch, born 8th July 1919, died 30th August 2011 in Pitlochry

Original poster
reddingweddy · 09/02/2023 14:56

Well that makes sense, the bookshop was in Pitlochry...

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WeegieWan · 09/02/2023 14:57

Also - Robin died at 92 in 2011 at Rannoch & Foss, Audrey at 95 in 2020 in Pitlochry. I wonder if they had family there, its quite a hike from Rannoch to Pitlochry.

WeegieWan · 09/02/2023 14:59

@SydneyCarton Beat me to it! Great work! They might not have come back to Scotland though so it's nice that they did.

WeegieWan · 09/02/2023 15:02

@reddingweddy . If your husband bought the book in the last 2 years it may have been a house clearance after Audrey's death in 2020?

Original poster
reddingweddy · 09/02/2023 15:07

WeegieWan · 09/02/2023 15:02

@reddingweddy . If your husband bought the book in the last 2 years it may have been a house clearance after Audrey's death in 2020?

That's what I'm thinking...

I am now wondering if Robin served during WW2 given he was a father at the age of 35 which I think is fairly late for the time?

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