Captain John Scouller 1849-1923 Yorkhill Glasgow

[Amberdog]

I stumbled across this article by accident about my 1st cousin x 3.  I downloaded his Will and Inventory years ago when researching my family tree. Obviously a Falkirk newspaper has been added online since I researched him initially.

 

Some of the text was scrambled, but I managed to make out the following.

 

The Falkirk Herald 12 May 1923

The late John Scouller - A Link with Falkirk.  Many of our readers will learn with deep regret of the death of Mr. Scouller which happened at his residence in Pollokshields last week.  Although not a native of the town, the deceased gentleman was well known to a wide circle of friends in Falkirk, which town he came to as a youngster and resided till he was 10 years of age.

 

The greater part of his long life he spent in Glasgow, his place of nativity, but his interest in and connection with the town in which his early years were spent, never ceased.  He returned to Glasgow 18??, when his father took employment from Messrs James Aitken & Co, brewers, Falkirk.

 

His after school lay in the direction of the paternal profession and succeeded to his father's post on the latter's death in 1875.  Subsequently he took up the retail side of the licencing trade, controlling the Horse Shoe in Drury Street, Glasgow, one of the largest establishments in the West.  Failing health dictated his retiral from active business a short time ago.

 

Mr. Scouller's connections with the Incorporated Trades of Glasgow was rather unique.  In his association with the Flesher's Incorporation he enjoyed a deal of distinction, as he was the youngest occupant of the chair of that body and was also the oldest surviving Deacon.

 

His most remarkable record was his direct lineal descent from craftsmen as far back as 1605, while the Protocols of the city show his ancestors were members of the Hammer men Incorporation as long ago as 1536.

 

He traced his genealogy to James Birrell, armourer in the Gorbals, who was a member of the Hammer man Incorporation and who was one of the burgesses who signed the Letter Guildry of 9th February 1605 belonging to his ???.

 

In 1653 the great granddaughter of James Birrell married William Gilmour and the Gilmour succession carried on till ????, when the father of the deceased (Charles Scouller) married a daughter of Alexander Gilmour.

 

On his grandfather's side Mr. Scouller also boasted connection, which took him back to 1748 with the Gardener's Incorporation.  He was too, a member of the Grand Antiquary Society of Glasgow, in virtue of his ancestry.

 

Throughout his lifetime the deceased was an enthusiastic citizen soldier, being in his younger days a member of the Volunteer Engineer Cadets in which he held the rank of Sergeant.

 

In 1872 he joined the Lanark Yeomanry and two years later, the Queen's Own Glasgow and Lowland? of Lanarkshire Yeomanry.  With the latter Corps, he served for the long period of 47 years and passed through various ranks until he was commissioned as Regimental Quartermaster.

 

When the war slogan sounded over the land in 1914, Captain Scouller, as he is now known, proferred his services, which were accepted, and for four and a half years was in charge of the Yeomanry Depot at Yorkhill.

 

He retired on reaching the age limit and in addition to receiving the thanks of the War Office, he received the special Territorial Decoration for officers and given the honorary rank of captain, with the right to wear the uniform.

 

His interest in things military, were reflected in his collection of swords, dirks, skean dhus, targes, flintlocks and halberds.  Of Andrea Ferrara's (swords) he had no fewer than 25.  These include some of the very finest known specimens of the greatest of swords makers and had an intimate knowledge of the fine points of the armourer's art.

 

He also had a unique collection of medals, ranging from Waterloo to the Mons Star, not to speak of the horns, snuff mulls and rare old pewter and glass.

 

The deceased was held in the highest esteem by all who knew him.  He had many sterling qualities of heart and head, which endeared him to all with whom he came into contact.  He is survived by his widow.  (Jane Ann Wylie, his wife died age 73, 23 Dec 1929, they had no children).  John and wife Jane are buried in Lair 678 in the Necropolis, Glasgow city cemetery.

 

There's a picture of John here and some background on the Horse Shoe pub in Glasgow and it's world breaking longest bar.

https://pollokshieldsheritage.co.uk/Notable%20Residents/ScoullerJ.html

[Terry_Reeves]

Amberdog
Thanks for posting. Just for interest, the Yorkhill Riding School was used as the Mesopotamia Depot for officers and men of the Royal Engineers Inland Water Transport during WW1.

 

TR