Recently, a friend of mine told me about Crichope Linn gorge, Crosshouse parish, Dumfriesshire. There are many wonderful stories about it and I am hoping to visit soon.
Online there are many pictures of this dramatic yet also romantic gorge. This includes photographs of graffiti inscriptions made in the red sandstone of Crichope Linn. I was particularly struck by an inscription made by JAMES KIRKPATRICK in 1879. The beautiful lettering has survived the course of time. Clearly, some care had been taken in the draftsmanship. For this reason, I felt that I wanted to try and find out more about James Kirkpatrick and have spent some time looking through available archives. Here, I share what I have found.
1856 Ordnance Survey map of Crichope Linn:
Ordnance Survey Book entry for Crichope Linn:
1901 census: Penarth Wales
I believe that this is James Kirkpatrick living with his wife and daughter Winifred. James is described as a ‘Wholesale Clothing Manufacturer‘. It is stated that he was born in Dumfriesshire:
21 September 1910: The marriage of James Kirkpatrick’s daughter to Sir Henry White-Smith. Winifred is now known as ‘Lady White-Smith’
South Wales News, 23 March 1914: Sudden death of James Kirkpatrick:
Western Daily Mail, 24 March 1914. [Note: James Kirkpatrick is described as a keen angler]
This is a photograph of Lady White-Smith taken by Lafayette in June 1922. She is described on this portrait as “daughter of James Kirtkpatrick of Closeburn“. Crichope Linn, of course, lies within the parish of Closeburn.
London Evening News, 23 October 1925: Divorce.
Western Morning News, 15 April 1942. The only son of Winifred, Lady White-Smith
Sub Lieutenant Ian Kirkpatrick White-Smith, the only grandchild of James Kirkpatrick, was killed in action, HMS Lanka, Ceylon, in April 1942. His name is inscribed on the Lee-On-Solent Memorial:
James Kirkpatrick:
