Edward Mark Anderson

Edward Mark Anderson was born on 9th June 1916 at Duncarss, a large house just off of Drymen Road.  The map below (from 1914) shows the location:

It's interesting to compare to today's satellite view from Google Maps:

Edward's parents were Peter and Sarah Ann (nee Watkins, married in Dunfermline in 1900), and on the birth record Peter's father gave his occupation as "gardener (domestic servant)".  It would be interesting to know what his duties included - while the garden at Duncarss was big, could the upkeep be a full-time job?

Duncarss has a role in Bearsden's history as Bearsden South Paris Church has its origins in a meeting held there (source)

The 1920 Valuation Roll shows Edward's father as resident at Duncarss, presumably in one of the buildings in the grounds, with the main house occupied by Hugh Ernest Fulton, who was a director of the Albion Motor Company in Scotstoun:

The 1921 Census provides a fascinating social snapshot:

On the left hand columns we can see Duncarss house as one property of ten rooms, housing four people (two of whom were servants) and Duncarss Cottage with three rooms housing nine people (five of whom are aged 16 or above)!  

Catherine Fulton, aged 82, is the head of the household; the occupation of "H.D." refers to "Home Duties", anyone who wasn't in paid employment or at school, I suspect.  She has a companion, a cook and a housemaid.

Peter, Edward's father, gives his occupation as gardener, although we can now see his employment in the right-hand column is "private".  This could signify he also did gardening work for other people, but having said this in local newspaper reports of awards at gardening shows he is described as "gardener to Mr Fulton, Duncarss".

We can also see his eldest son, Ronald, gives the same answers (gardener, private employment) so I wonder if there was a "father and son" gardening company serving the large houses in the area (although I have no supporting evidence for this such as a newspaper advert).  The next two children, Elsie and Hector, work for the Albion Motor Company - as Mrs Fulton's relation (son?) Hugh was a director there, we can see he might have had a role in finding them opportunities.  The fourth child, Gilbert, is an apprentice joiner for Muirhead and Sons in Maryhill.

Albion Motors in Scotstoun (Thomas Blythe, also profiled on this website, worked there as well, click here).

By the 1925 Valuation Roll, Hugh Fulton was the owner of Duncarss, with Peter and family still in the cottage; nothing had changed by 1930.  In 1931 Hugh Fulton retired as a managing director of Albion Motors, but he was still at Duncarss in 1935 (he died the following year).  While Peter was still tenant in the cottage at Duncarss in the Valuation Roll, by August that year he and Sarah had moved to Crossburn on Roman Road, which is number 47.  We know this for the sad reason that at the age of 57, Sarah died of a cerebral haemorrhage (stroke) in the Western Infirmary early in the morning of 7th August.

Note the property has a market garden attached and a look at a map from 1949 shows this garden was substantial:

Again, it is interesting to compare to the modern satellite view:

Peter had now retired and moved to Milton of Campsie; aged 72 he died in 1940 of peritonitis caused by a stomach perforation.  At the time of the 1940 Valuation Roll, Edward (aged 24) was the owner of Crossburn:

With the start of the Second World War, Edward joined the army and was assigned to the Royal Army Service Corps.  He was a Lance-Corporal and in early 1943 he was based in Worksop, Nottinghamshire.  On 21st January he was killed in an accident (no further details available), aged 26.

Milngavie and Bearsden Herald of the 30th January 1943.

He is buried in New Kilpatrick Cemetery: