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Mulben
Mulben maps
Historic maps of Mulben and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Mulben maps
Mulben area books
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Memories of Mulben
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memories of Mulben.
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Mulben Station 1901-1909
My grandfather, Robert Urquhart, was a Signalman/ Porter, employed by the Highland Railway. He had served at Forres and Elgin before transferring to Mulben, about 1901. Robert (Bob) and wife Margaret (Maggie) already had three children in 1901; however their brood increased by another three bairns during their occupancy of Mulben Station.
The Urquhart family's next move was to a house named 'Calternach', still in Mulben. The family occupied that house from about 1909 to about 1915, during which time another three children were born. Robert Urquhart had left his railway job in about 1909 and was subsequently employed by Glentauchers Distillery as a Maltman.
Banffshire memories
Maggieknockater : The Bee''s Knees.
'I gave up the idea of farming and took up employment as an apprentice blacksmith in the village close to home. The prettiest village in Speyside - Maggieknockater. I took to smithing like a duck to water. I had the magnificent salary of five old shillings per week which I afterwards supplemented by hoeing the gravel paths around the local church and the school for which I was paid two old shillings and sixpence, an increase of fifty per cent on my meagre salary...'
From the memories of an uncle of mine, written in 1985, but referring to the late 1920's...
Note 1: I understand the Motor Garage at Maggieknockater is still in the hands of the McLean family. Maybe the associated smithing activity has been discontinued ?
Note 2 : I have just seen the dance ,' The Bees of Maggieknockater ', demonstrated on
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uL2svEJRcQ
Keith Grammar School
While living at Mulben, in the Parish of Boharm, some members of the Urquhart family attended Keith Grammar School, about the time of the First World War. One of those Urquhart boys was Robert William Urquhart. He went on to eventually become Sir Robert. As a distinguished ex-pupil he is remembered by a plaque near the school gates.
Great-Grandparents
Most of my great-grandparents were born in the Banff area. They later moved to Huntly in Aberdeenshire. Their surname was Robertson, most of them are intered at Huntly. If anyone has any memories of the Robertsons could you please share them with me. George Robertson married an Ann Watts in Huntly on May 31st 1962, they had 4 children, Alexander, Jane, Margaret, Georgina. Margaret sadly died at the age of 21.
Huntly
I went to the Gordon Schools until I moved to England in 1972, they were the best days of my life. My uncle George Robertson owned the painting and decorating shop in Castle Street. I remember the picnics down by the Deveron in the summer. There was an old tale about the green lady who was supposed to haunt the castle at night, I don't think anyone dared walk down that way in the dark, it was very creepy. I still visit quite often and can't believe how it has changed over the years. I also went paddling down at Branders mill until a family tragedy and we never went back there after. At Easter my mum would boil the eggs and we all walked up the Clashmach hills then rolled our eggs down the hill. I think the simple things in life when I was growing up are the most memorable, like playing hide and seek, skipping in the streets during the summer hols and sliding down the roads... Read more
DRUMMUIR STATION
I believe that Drummuir Station, Parish of Botriphnie, County of Banff, Scotland, was the starting point, in 1926, of a very long, life-changing journey:
My teen-age father, along with an older brother, headed for Southampton, England. There they boarded the ship SS 'Corinthic' and 'set sail ' for New Zealand, 26th Feb.
Their emigration had begun ...
Botriphnie, Banffshire
Robert (Bob) and Margaret (Maggie) Urquhart, and family, occupied a croft named Drywells, at Bodinfinnoch, Parish of Botriphnie, County of Banffshire.
One of the Urquhart boys later described Drywells as: 'The most miserable croft that anyone could imagine... It was inaccessible; buried deep in the hills; surrounded by heather. The buildings were cramped and built in one long line, with sheet iron roofing. The lack of water, which had to be carted from a pump situated some quarter of a mile from the house, the encroaching peat and heather which had to be dug to supply fire for heat and cooking, the poor land which, we found, would not grow grass or decent oats, was all quite unbelievable... The family had increased and we boys huddled together scarcely more comfortable than the animals.'
