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Looking at one of the newspaper articles about Alexander I think it is more likely that John was born at Dingwall as Alexander was transferred there on 1st June 1862. He wasn't transferred to Edderton until 10th October 1878.
This was from the North Star and Farmers' Chronicle 11 January 1900.
Perhaps because John was only young when they went to Edderton he just assumed that is where he was born.
Kath. x
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Hi Janet,
You could add a photo to your "keepsafe" (top of page) and mark the image as open to anyone to see and then put a link to the page on here so Chris can see it.
If your medal has Queen Victoria's head on it I don't think it will say 1820 as she didn't come to the throne until 1837.
Kath. x
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How can I every thank you enough for all your time and effort in getting me all those leads and information. I was so excited to read more about John Macdonald in thos Rosshire Journal articles. I must have been doing something wrong when I searched, because all I got was John Macdonalds who were in court on assault or reference to other's by the same name :) .
I know from an original obituary for John that he was with the London Scottish, but what I am not 100% of now that I have read the 2nd of your articles is whether he volunteered under the London Scottish or The City of London Imperial Volunteers (because the person writing about him seems to be from that battalion)?
I tried to get into the London Metropolitan Archives, a link you sent me which looked very promising. But it appears that you have to sign up and go into the archives personally to get information - or am I mistaken? Being in Cape Town, this would not be possible.
I've so enjoyed looking up all the links you sent. I may even have one of John's medals without knowing it, although it looks slightly different to the Queen's Medal you sent me. It still has Queen Victoria's head on it but the date says 1820? I wish I knew how to attach a photo to this post, then you could see it.
Ah well, my lunch break is over, so I had better get back to work. Hopefully all these leads will provide me with John's Soldier number and DOB which I want most of all.
Janet
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http://www.thehighlandersmuseum.com/research-archives/
(can only suggest contacting above, to see what they say on things, they do have a research service)
Chris :)
Edits
26 January 1900 - Ross-shire Journal - Dingwall, Ross and Cromarty,
Farewell Dinner to a Ross-shire Volunteer in London.
A few Ross-shire friends to the number of thirty, met in the Hotel Florence, Piccadilly, the other evening to wish “God-speed and good luck” to Mr John Macdonald, son of the respected station master at Strathpeffer (who was recently station master at Edderton), who, as member of the London Scottish Volunteers, left last Saturday for the front. Macdonald for several years stood head of the London Scottish Battalion as premier shot with rifle and revolver, and on several occasions found a place in the Queens Hundred at the National Rifle Association, as well as being a reserve man in the Scottish Twenty in International contests.
20 July 1900 - Ross-shire Journal - Dingwall, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland
A correspondent writes:- a following extract from a private letter written by a C.I.V. at the front to a friend in London, maybe of interest to Tain and Edderton readers. After a long and interesting description of the doings of the C.I.V's he says inter alia, 'John Macdonald. I am sorry to say, has been ill with poisoning from tinned meat, but will not give in, and is marching. I wish he would lie by for couple of days, and rejoin us, but he refuses'. Mr. John Macdonald was amongst the first to volunteer when the City of London called for volunteers for the front, and joined with the contingent of the London Scottish Volunteers. Mr. Macdonald is one of the sons of Mr. Macdonald, late station master at Edderton and now of Strathpeffer.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_London_Imperial_Volunteers
(The City of London Imperial Volunteers (CIV) was a British corps of volunteers during the Second Boer War.
After the outbreak of the Second Boer War in October 1899, volunteer corps were established in most counties of the United Kingdom to provide officers and men for service in South Africa)
(no idea on below, you would need help from researchers on link, or their advice perhaps)
Anglo-Boer War records 1899-1902 Transcription (Find My Past)
First name(s) J
Last name MacDonald
Service number 681
Rank Lieutenant
Regiment Southern Rhodesian Volunteers
Other regiments/units Unit: served with City Of London Imperial Volunteers, Rank: Lance-Sergeant, Number: 681
Rolls WO100/231 page 252 WO100/267 page 43
Notes QSA Clasps: J,DH,CC,OFS,R
(below, perhaps those Clasp initials)
https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/medals/queens-south-africa-medal
The Queen's South Africa Medal (QSA) was awarded to military personnel who served in the Boer War in South Africa between 11th October 1899 and 31st May 1902.
CAPE COLONY: 11 October 1899 – 31 May 1902
All troops in Cape Colony at anytime between 11th October 1899 and 31st May 1902, inclusive, who had not received a clasp for a specific action in the Cape Colony or the “Natal” clasp
JOHANNESBURG: 29th May 1900 (Transvaal)
Awarded to those troops who, on 29 May 1900, were north of an east and west line through Klip River Station and east of a north and south line through Krugersdorp Station.
DIAMOND HILL: 11–12 June 1900 (Transvaal)
All troops who, on 11th or 12th June 1900, were east of a north and south line drawn through Silverton Siding and north of an east and west line through Vlakfontein
RHODESIA: 11 October 1899 – 17 May 1900
All troops who were under the command of Lieut. General Sir F. Carrington and Colonel Plumer in Rhodesia between 11th October 1899 and 17th May 1900, both dates inclusive, or who landed at Beira between 11th October 1899 and the 25th May 1900, both dates inclusive.
ORANGE FREE STATE: 28 February 1900 – 31 May 1902
All troops in Orange River Colony at any time between 28th February 1900 and 31st May 1902, inclusive who had not received a clasp for a specific action in the Orange River Colony.
(quite a lot on google search)
http://www.aim25.ac.uk/cgi-bin/vcdf/detail?coll_id=15763&inst_id=118&nv1=search&nv2=
(London Metropolitan Archives Records of the City of London Imperial Volunteers comprising nominal rolls, pay lists, communications, minutes, correspondence and other papers.)
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/c/F121671
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/407223991289135906/
(looks to be Uniform on above)
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Thank you so much Chris for your contribution. I loved reading up more about my great great grandfather's time as Stationmaster at Edderton. I knew that much about him, but not details and the article has provided me with how long he served there and when he retired and well as the mention about his son John heading for the Boer War. I have Alexanders birth, marriage & death certificates already, but what I can't find is the birth date of his son John. And I was hoping to achieve this through army records.
Do you know of any way that I can contact the 3rd Seaforth Highlanders to see if they have a record of John Macdonald. Or the London Scottish to ask the same? I now know thanks to your newspaper article that in January 1900 John was "on his way" to South Africa with the London Scottish to fight in the war. I also know that by 1902 he was already working as Town Clerk of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, having completed he service in the army. I have tried looking up London Scottish, but there is London Scottish 1 and 2 and lots of John Macdonalds :(. So without an army number or date of birth I am stuck.
Once again many thanks for your help.
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Thank you so much Chris for your contribution. I loved reading up more about my great great grandfather's time as Stationmaster at Edderton. I knew that much about him, but not details and the article has provided me with how long he served there and when he retired and well as the mention about his son John heading for the Boer War. I have Alexanders birth, marriage & death certificates already, but what I can't find is the birth date of his son John. And I was hoping to achieve this through army records.
Do you know of any way that I can contact the 3rd Seaforth Highlanders to see if they have a record of John Macdonald. Or the London Scottish to ask the same? I now know thanks to your newspaper article that in January 1900 John was "on his way" to South Africa with the London Scottish to fight in the war. I also know that by 1902 he was already working as Town Clerk of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, having completed he service in the army. I have tried looking up London Scottish, but there is London Scottish 1 and 2 and lots of John Macdonalds :(. So without an army number or date of birth I am stuck.
Once again many thanks for your help.
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https://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards/board/ancestors/thread/1367328?page=0
(Alexander Macdonald, Stationmaster at Edderton)
(have added above, for previous info. reference)
Chris :)
(not sure if any more 'Threads', I have a 'Tick' as viewed before on below)
26 January 1900 - Ross-shire Journal - Dingwall, Ross and Cromarty,
On Wednesday night Mr Alexander Macdonald, who has been the stationmaster at Edderton for the past twenty-one years, was met in the Parish Hall and made the recipient of valuable gifts, on the occasion of his promotion to Strathpeffer...
(brief mention of son, Mr. J. Macdonald, London, he having given up an excellent appointment and was now on his way with the London Scottish to South Africa)
(another relating to above retirement, says...
As passenger guard Mr. Macdonald ran on the second train that left Inverness for Perth 9th September 1863, on 1st August 1874 he was stationed at Georgemas Junction)
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/
(could be more if you have time to sit and search newspapers!, 'playing' with surnames, keywords etc. Above or Find My Past and Genes, all subscription based)
(if anything on below)
http://www.eggsa.org/
http://www.national.archsrch.gov.za/sm300cv/smws/sm300dl
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Thank you for your help Kath. I am very new to this and it is all a bit overwhelming. I don't have an exact date of birth for you which makes things more difficult. I have John's original death certificate on 30 August 1919 where he died in Fochabers, Scotland. And his age at death was 48 years.That means he was born between Sept 1870 and August 1871.
But a copy of his marriage certificate in March 1903 (married in Bulawayo, Rhodesia) shows his age to be 32 years which means he was born between April 1869 and March 1870.
In addition, an extensive obituary written in the local Bulawayo newspaper (he was town clerk for 17 years) says that he was born in Edderton (near Tain) Rosshire in 1869 where he father (Alexander Macdonald) was local stationmaster. But a search in the area and at that date shows no births under his name.
So in fact I was really hoping to try and get hold of any military records pertaining to John so that I could possibly establish his date of birth. Until I get his date of birth I can't research my family tree further for fear of following the wrong John. And as you say, there are nearly 100 of them born between 1869 and 1971 in the whole of Scotland. Any help you can give me is most appreciated. Janet
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Welcome to the boards Janet.
What was his year of birth and place of birth please as there are a lot of John MacDonalds?
Kath. x
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Greetings. John Macdonald was a volunteer for the 3rd Seaforth HIghlanders (Rosshire Buffs) in around 1891 for a number of years, and then for London Scottish. In about 1899 he volunteered to serve in the Boer War. He was discharged around the end of 1900. I am trying to get some military records of his service and if possible some personal information as well i.t.o date of birth. I tried email 1st Scottish Horse but received no reply, and now I have hit a dead end. I would be grateful for any leads.
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