Posting this on behalf of Mr James Ritchie, Sarawak, Borneo.

I’m a 70 year old retired journalist living in Sarawak Borneo. I’m trying to trace my Scottish uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews, grand nieces and nephews with a view of writing my memoir. Can you post my family story in your newsletter?

Background: My grandfather Alexander Hector Ritchie was born in 1878. His father William owned 148 acres of land at Bucksburn Farmhouse.

In 1891 the family moved to Oldmeldrum, 14 miles north of Aberdeenshire, (newhills is 4 miles north of Aberdeen). At that time William was 48 and wife Margaret, 38. They had 10 children out of which the oldest four, James, Maggie, William and George, subsequently died.

By 1901 Alexander was the oldest in the family. Subsequently he left Scotland for Malaya to become a gold miner but died on September 7th 1914, eight months before my father was born, and was buried at Batu Gajah in Perak In Malaya. He (father? ed.) rose to become the Commissioner of the Sarawak Constabulary (1967-1970).

Paternal Grandfather:
1901–Census–Parish of Newhills,
County of Aberdeenshire

Great-grand Father:– William Belhelvie Ritchie–Head of Household 71: Farmer; Born Belhevie
Great-grand mother:–Margaret Ritchie–wife of William aged 48–Born Dyce, Aberdeenshire

1. Grandfather: Alexander Hector Ritchie, 22,–Born Newhills
2. Uncle: John Hector, 19, Engineer (fitter)–Born Newhills
3. Alfred Charles, 17, Engineer (fitter)–Born Old Meldrum
4. Robert P, 14, scholar–Old Meldrum
5.Jane Isabelle, 12, scholar–Old Meldrum
6. Edward S, 11, Scholar, Old Meldrum
7. Helen GC, 9, (DAUR), Old Meldrum
8. Agnes S, 4, (Daur)

Servants:
1.William Bruce, 22, Ploughman (Born Crimand, Aberdeenshire)
2. Thomas Allan,19, ploughman (Newhills)
3.William Anderston, 21, Cattleman (Newhills)
4. George Hendry, 18, (New Machar)
5. Alice Greig, 20, Domestic servant (Cruden)
6. Christine, 24, Dairymaid (Kenney)

If you would like to contact Mr Ritchie please get in touch
info@oldmeldrum.org
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