Ervie-Kirkcolm Church of Scotland

I am ill-health retired and a wheelchair-user.

I arrived on site, due to researching my maternal grandfather's (William Griffin) history.

He was born at Damhouse, Kirkcolm in 1888. Like his father before him, William worked as a blacksmith. He moved at some point, to Barrhill, where he married Mary Hyslop, his first wife, in 1914, who tragically died of TB aged 27 years.

Later the same year, Mary's son Thomas aged 3 years, also succumbed to the disease. My mother, Annie Griffin (my Mother) was the only other child of this marriage.

William married again, in 1920, a Margaret McNeil and two children were born of this marriage, Ellen and Thomas Griffin mark 2.

Tragedy again struck him, when Margaret or 'Peggy' died in 1944.  At the Smithy in Barrhill, he penned a lovely poem 'To Peggy', full of grief, loss and longing. A copy of the poem was only found a few years ago, by his grand-daughter, Margaret, when looking through some of his effects. He died in 1962 in Barrhill.

I have asked on site, if anyone knows of 'Damhouse' and if it still exists as a name within the parish. Any snippits of info would be great and much appreciated. Thanks.