Saturday 17 May 2014

A William Muir chronology I: 1817-1883

This chronology was prepared by Ted Ryan some twenty-five years ago.  His source was principally the Oban Times obituary of Muir published in 1939.


1817
George Walker Muir (father), one of a "talented family of five" born in Kilmarnock.

1818
4 September. Birth of Christine Penman (mother) in Glasgow.

1837
Birth of Count Gleichen (patron).



Clyde Terrace, Glasgow.


1841
Census: 20 Clyde Terrace, Gorbals, Glasgow. Family of Robina Niven includes Christine, William's mother.

1844
George Walker Muir and Christine Penman marry, Gorbals.

1845
7 May. Birth of William Muir, Gorbals.

1846
George Walker Muir listed in Glasgow Post Office Directory as "commission merchant" at 20 Clyde Terrace (home), 46 Gordon Street (business).
4 September. Birth of Andrew Penman Muir (brother).

1848
Birth of Christina Muir (sister).

1850
8 February. Birth of Hannah Tilloch Muir (sister).

1851-53
G. W. Muir, student of Law at Glasgow University.

1851
Census: family of G. W. Muir at 20 Clyde Terrace.
23 November. Birth of George Walker Muir, junior.

1855
Patents taken out by George Walker Muir. First with Glasgow as his address but later in the same year at Manchester.

1858
Tormor Quarry, Ross of Mull, first appears on valuation roll.

The "Mary Jane" at Tarbert.

1859
William Muir note on press cutting "I remember the Mary Jane as far back as 1859".

1860?
Muir commenced his business career in a stockbroker's office in Glasgow, remaining for some years.

1860
1 January. Birth of John MacCormick.
16 July. Death of Andrew Penman Muir at Ascog, Bute.

1861-71
Reference to giant obelisk intended for Albert Memorial and to a George Muir of the Scottish Granite Company.

1866?
Muir manager at Quarry on island of Mull—"when very young"—lived in house "Fionnphort" ("White Bay")—made acquaintance of MacCormick family, father Neil MacCormick was quarry foreman and 8 sons, two of whom also worked in quarry-after time lessees involved in lawsuit, work at quarry stopped and Muir "suspended".
Articles written and contributed to Oban Times [indexed?].


Dr Mary Edwards Walker. 

1866
"Noted lady doctor" Mary Edwards Walker—1866 visit to G. W. Muir (W. Muir?) in Glasgow from Mary E. Walker, MD—relative from US—"she caused a very great sensation by dressing in man's attire"—inhabitants of Mull especially scandalised—letter dated 1889 of Mary Walker—"Thanks for the newspaper cutting, but I was not a nurse, but a surgeon, and such are the laws, that I have been receiving a pension, by general law, for a number of years, as an AA surgeon in the War—the only one who was a woman doctor."—offer to adopt Hannah by Mary E. Walker.

1869
14 November. Death of Christina Penman Muir.

187-?
Muir went to Aberdeen—editor of agricultural newspapers—until dispute over quarry settled.
Returned to become manager of quarry for some years.
Next to Manchester—employed by Galloway Boiler Tube Manufacturing Company.
"In the meantime he had invented the safety match" and sold patent for a modest sum

1871-91
Tormor Quarry—owners G. & J. Fenning.

[1872]
Reference by Muir in a letter of 1932 to being in Manchester at this date.

1877
Muir: commission agent, Upper Thames Street.

1878
D. D. Fenning with Muir? Is this some relative of the G. & J. Fenning of Tormor?

[1879]
Quarry not working.

Angel Place, Edmonton.

1881
[From Manchester to London.] When Muir goes to London, MacCormick takes over as quarry manager, moving into Fionnphort House.
Census. William Muir at 9 Angel Row, Edmonton. Unmarried; occupation: "granite agent. Later marries a Miss Druitt, from a family of well-known monumental masons in E. London.
24 December. Neil MacCormick presented with time piece by local churches.
31 December. Reference to the introduction of use of Morse signalling on Iona by Muir (Oban Times).

1882
Jabez Druitt with Muir/Fenning.

1883?
He sold his first compilation of Blake's work to John Rylands Library, Manchester. [Thus from the Oban Times obituary. Probably an error for the late 1930s donation of Blake Press master copies.]

1883
Muir & Fenning now 42 Old Broad Street—Muir only agent?

No comments:

Post a Comment