Rosewell-Online Community Groups

Helen Noels (nee Turnbull) came across
this photo in her mother's (Vera Turnbull) old photo albums.
It had Rosewell Women's Rural 21st Birthday Party written on the back but unfortunately no date.
If you know the date please email us and we will update the page!
Miss Bell and Mrs Moody are cutting the cake.
She recognizes lots of other faces, but can only name a few now -
Allison Wight, June Scott, Laura Stewart, Mrs McLean, Mrs Tait, Mrs Johnstone.......
Helen now lives in Fergus, Ontario, Canada

Maggie Ingram sent a few photographs of Mrs Elizabeth Abernethy Ferguson, nee Tait, widow of David Ferguson,
Farmer of Stonefieldhill Farm near Rosewell, and their son David Ferguson.

She believes that Ferguson Park, Rosewell was named after this family.

Her Grandfather, John Seath, was farm manager at this farm.

Mrs Elizabeth Abernethy Ferguson of Stonefieldhill Farm
near Rosewell

David Ferguson of Stonefieldhill Farm near Rosewell (son of
David Ferguson, Farmer, and Elizabeth Abernethy Ferguson).

Jim Sneddon sent us this picture of Rosewell Football Team
Let us know if you can fill in any of the missing names...

(Back Row): Committee Man? Pat Seath, Thomas McKale,
Dave Watson, Jake Bennet, John Hill, Tom McFarlane,
Cristy McGarie, George Kane

(Front Row): Billy Kennedy, Andry Morris, Alec Chapman,
Wee Joe Hill, Paddy Dillon, Billy Kennedy, Andrew Morris,
Billy Chapman, Joe Hill (Penicuik), Bertie Mckale

Picture sent in by Alice McDonald

Top row Margaret Gold, then unknown,Yanni, Christine Grant,Lynda Drurie,Anne Paton

bottom row Sanndra Stewart, Elma Dowie, then Anne Stewart,
Alice McDonald Anna Kerr,

some of the lads in that year were,David Agnew,Ian Brennan,Ian Morris,Billy Kennedy.

Sent by Alice Dowling,nee McDonald,West Yorkshire.

This was taken about 43 years ago,
the children in the photo were all neighbours,
the backrow has Billy Kennedy either Anne or Wendy Stewart,Alice Mcdonald the next row one of the Scott girls some
I can't remember,then Catherine Brown Ian Kennedy,and on the bottom row Christine ?surname ,her older sister is also on the photo and the little girl on the end is a Brennan,

I am sure the others will recognise themselves.
Sent by Alice Dowling,nee McDonald,West Yorkshire.

UPDATE: 25 07 2007
Re.the prefab picture, Maureen Brennan here, i am indeed in the bottom of the picture to the left, christine connon is on the other corner, and margaret connon is in the row behind, from memory
the only other two people in can think that would be in the picture, would either be marie hanley, who lived in the prefabs, next to christine and liz gold who lived in gorton place but in the big houses. yours maureen brennan, windsor canada!

I found this photo which is dated 5.7.1931,and on the back it has Rosewell Urd. FC,the only person I know on the photo is the goal keeper,Alex Rae,he was my uncle,
he worked and lived in Bonnyrigg.

I lived in Rosewell from being one year old,until I left and went to Yorkshire in 1968 ,I trained as a nurse at Rosslinlee and when I qualified moved to England.I used to have a large family in Rosewell,when I was small my mum worked for the family who lived in Rosedale ,then went on to work at Midfield house.When I was small we lived in Whitehill place opposite the Ramsay Hall and Simpsons farm,we were totally dependant on the coal mine,for the gas ,coal and jobs, many of my relatives worked in the pit or gas and brickworks,we had no electric lights and used to go to Watersons garage to get the battery for the wireless charged up.I still have quite a few photos of the gala days,Rosewell was a lovely village to grow up in ,we had a beautiful park,with tennis courts and putting green,other towns used to visit Rorswell for their trips out. We also used to have great church pantomimes,it was a great community effort to stage them I still have some photos and the programmes with the cast names on.

This photo was taken by our teacher Mr. Alexander in the park behind Rosewell Primary in 1959. Mr Alexander was way ahead of his time. He took us to Edinburgh on several occasions, introduced us to tropical fish, taught us to play the recorder, gave us introductory lessons in French and Russian. I just wish we had appreciated him more than we did. Below is the names of most of the people in the photo. If I've made any mistakes please correct me and maybe someone will know the ones I couldn't remember. My name is Anne Ritchie, my maiden name is Turnbull
and I lived on Cochrina Place.
I Came to Canada in 1968, and Mum, Dad
and my sister Helen came in 1969.
Back Row Anne Turnbull, Margaret Borthwick, Katrina Abbott, Norma Kennedy, Pat Baxter, Mary Stevenson,
ean Coleman, Janet Tierney, Ann Trotter
3rd Row Ian Graham, Frances Wilson, Marion Grant
2nd Row Duncan ?, Billy Gray, Eleanor Payton, Anne Ewing,
Isa Shanks, Doris Welch, Ann Knox, Eleanor Coburn
Front Row Tommy McCabe?, don't know, don't know,
Stewart Foster, Robert Mackie, Derek Waterson,
John Noble, Jackie Robinson

Picture sent in by
Christine Woodcock

Rosewell Sunday School Outing
Church of Scotland
Circa 1949

Can you spot yourself!
email us some names..
email

Stewart Foster
sent us this School Photo

This photo was taken around 1960.
Mr. Chapman on the left was the Headmaster.
Back Row: Brian Moody, Joan Campbell, Irene Reilly, Jean Neil, Robert Rice, John Stafford, Mick Kennedy.

Third row: Alan Docherty, Melvin Rutherford, George Hogg,
Clark Gracie, Tommy Chapman, Mark Sneddon.

Second row: Judith Baxter, Ailsa Stokes, Ann Borthwick,
Ian Beveridge, Margaret Downie, Alice Downie, Rena Slater.

Front row: Alan Sneddon, Rosemary Cairns, Gavin Beveridge, Susan Peden, Jim Turnbull.

he's not sure if he got all the names right,
tell us if there are any mistakes!

Piper Christopher Seath First Battalion Scots Guards 1933

Maggie Ingram kindly sent us a few photographs of her uncle's funeral in 1934 at Hawthornden Cemetery, Rosewell.
He was Christopher Seath, aged 23, who was a Piper with the First Battalion Scots Guards. He was the son of John and Janet Seath
of Cappielaw Farm, Rosewell.

This photograph was taken as his coffin, carried on a gun carriage, passed the family home of Cappielaw Farm Cottage.
The cortege was led by the First Battalion Scots Guards and the Royal Scots at the rear.

CHRISTOPHER COCHRANE SEATH was born on the 28th of August 1910 at Thornton Farm in the Parish of Carrington, Midlothian.
He was the son of John and Janet Seath (they had eight children). Christopher at the age of 16 joined the Royal Armed Medical Corps, Territorial Army, Edinburgh, prior to becoming a professional soldier in 1930 with the First Battalion of the Scots Guards, serving 4 years until his untimely death from pneumonia on the 27th of March 1934 at the Queen Alexandra Military Hospital, Millbank, London.

He was also given a military 'send off' from Wellington Barracks, Bird Cage Walk, London to Kings Cross Station where his coffin was brought home to Rosewell, Scotland, by rail. He fulfilled many duties in Buckingham Palace and also on guard duty to the Palace.

As a young boy Christopher Seath and two of his four brothers and one of his three sisters were initially taught to play the bagpipes by Jimmy Mckenna from Rosewell. Jimmy was an ex-Royal Scot soldier.

This is a copy of Christopher Seath’s diary – placed on the diary
is Christopher’s, Queen Mary, first class medal, which he won in 1934. The competition was for the Scottish Piping Society London held on the 10th of February 1934 at the London Scottish Headquarters, Buckingham Gate, London SW1. Christopher Cochrane Seath was destined to be the Pipe Major, taking over from Regimental Pipe Major Alex MacDonald of the First Battalion Scots Guards. Due to his early death this was never achieved. Christopher Cochrane Seath died aged 23 years - 45 days after winning this medal.

Maggie Ingram also has other stories regarding this family. Christopher's father, John Seath, (her grandfather) was champion ploughman for Scotland - he worked on quite a few different
farms around Rosewell.

Another brother, William Seath, was also a Scots Guardsman during WW2 and served in the Special Force in Norway and North Africa. He was also one of the pipers who played at the Coronation of King George VI. Another story about William was that before he joined the army he eloped to Gretna Green in 1935 with
his wife-to-be - they were both dressed in their kilts
and had their story published in the Sunday Post.

Another brother, Tom Seath was policeman at Rosewell before policing at Gorebridge, Musselburgh and eventually becoming sergeant at Dalkeith.

View Cross Stitch 'Sampler' created by Alison Simpson 1853, aged 10 Rosewell Primary School
	Douglas Thomas discovered recently when sorting the effects of his deceased Aunt, that his Great Grandmother Alison Simpson attended Rosewell School in 1853 aged 10. This is detailed in a beautiful cross stitched "Sampler". Rosewell Online located his GGmother's records in the 1851 census. They were part of the Carrington Parish Church Register. The family consisted of F: John (48), M: Elizabeth (41), D: Alison (8), D: Agnes (8), S: Peter (5), D: Margaret.(3). They lived in Thornton, located on the outskirts of Rosewell, a working farm at that time. John profession was listed as a Hedger. Alison and Agnes were twins. Unfortunately, no records exist from the Primary School.
According to a note from his grandmother found in an envelope with my late aunt's effects, another Tester was done by Alison Simpson's friend "Margaret Tweedie". >From a quick search of the IGI this looks to be Margaret Tweedie born 04 Feb 1843 to John Tweedie and Janet Kingo - this seems to be consistent with some of the "extra initials" at the end of each row. If the IGI Maragaret Tweedie is indeed this Maragaret Tweedie then she was born in Edinburgh and christened at Edinburgh Parish Church 0n 04 February 1843. He have no knowledge as to whether Margaget Tweedie went to Rosewell School or where and when the friendship flourished or how Margaret's tester came to be in Alison's possession, but clearly the two girls where of approximately the same age - Alison 1842, Margaret 1843. Can anyone help Douglas? Are you related to John Tweedie or Janet Kingo? Email Us with any info