Hugh Wright b1831- d1911

This Hugh Wright was born at Alticry. He was the nephew of Duncan Wright (who left Kilmarnock for Monte Video and Buenos Ayres to make his fortune in commerce as an agent) and he inherited Alticry from Duncan. Hugh married Irishwoman Margaret Bell (b1833 in Belford, Co Down, d1911). They were married on 12 Feb 1863 at Holywood, Co Down, Ireland and had Mary "Mimie", Duncan, Hugh "MacIntyre", Anne Campbell "Annie", Leslie, Dorothea "Dora", Graham Duncan and Angus, all born at Alticry. When his uncle Duncan died, Hugh became a trustee of the Duncan Wright Endowment and set about investing money in land companies and stocks and shares. One of his investments was The Canada North-West Land Company (Limited), where in 1885 he was on the board of directors, amongh 11 others. Other investments included land in Bahia Blanca, to where he sent his son Hugh and land in the north of Argentina; to where he sent his son Leslie. I believe at this point of my research and could have to edit later, that his son Duncan was sent to Canada. Apologies for the confusing repetition of names down the generations - it is a tad confusing but I can't change that. This Hugh Wright seems to have had some involvement with his local church because in a newspaper article of The Scotsman, March 1882, he is declared an Elder of the Wigtown Presbytery. There is a lot to fill in of Hugh Wright's life and strife, but he lived the later part of his life in London in a house called Heidelberg on the King's Road in Clapham and later at Cornwall Mews, Kensington, where he died in 1911. His son Hugh and he had such a falling out that his son took the drastic action of changing his name so as not to be associated to his father or brothers, so this is how my branch became MacIntyres.

Aunt Dora

In we go. “This should be interesting” I hear the family think - well, I hope it will be once I’ve got more than the bare bones down. I’ll add as I find things out, so this blog will be updated and changed.

Dora Wright was in 1873 in Mochrum, Wigtownshire, Scotland, probably at Alticry House. Her father was Hugh Wright (b.1831- d.1911) and Margaret Bell (b.1833 - d.1911). According to the UK Census on 3 April 1881 she was aged 8 and living at Alticry. She had two older sisters (Mary and Annie) and 5 brothers (Duncan, Hugh, Leslie, Graham and Angus)

All very hum-drum so far, but then surprisingly, I found that she was sent as a teen to school in Schleswig-Holstein in the town of Glucksburg, the most northernmost German settlement near the Danish border. Why would a Scottish family send their youngest daughter there?

This photo was in Aunt Dora’s belongings.  Presumably it is of the school.

 Anyway, her dream was to study medicine at Cambridge, and I have a receipt for an entrance exam, so she did go.

The next document I have is of a St John’s Ambulance certificate.

There’s also a Beekeeper’s Certificate.

Burns Night

It was Rabbie Burns' birthday yesterday and it looks like one of the Hugh Wrights really enjoyed Burns Night dinners.  Here's a clipping from the Strathearn Herald but a similar recount also appeared in the Dundee Advertiser, January 1886.

It reads:
ONE WHO DANCED WITH BURNS. - At a meeting of the London Burns Club on Monday night, Mr Hugh Wright of Alticry said that within the last twenty years he had spoken to an old lady who had danced with Burns at his [Burns's] brother's marriage. Burns was very hearty, and as he and his partner were careering round the room the poet upset the table which contained the bride's china.

I believe this was Hugh Wright, Born 1831 in Mauchline, Ayrshire, Scotland. Burns' wife was from Mauchline, and although Rabbie died in 1796, this story is entirely possible. According to visitscotland.com, the period of time Burns lived in Mauchline was "arguably his most creative and productive period".

Diving into the past - June 28, 1842

So, I'm diving into the past - June 28, 1842

This is a transcript of part of a letter from Hugh Wright in Kilmarnock to his brother Duncan Wright in Manchester.

Most of the letter is taken up by explaining that the apprenticeship Duncan had asked Hugh to arrange for a Mr Gibson with a Mr Hood has fallen through as Mr Hood will not take anyone on for 12 months, "trade being so dull", i.e. the business being quiet. Hugh says "send him to his father and let him put him to a trade but perhaps you will object to Glasgow for fear of bad company but I say there is as much of it here". I'm not sure why Duncan Wright was responsible for securing a placement for this lad Gibson.

Towards the end Hugh becomes more personal and slightly maudlin, saying that he hasn't heard from their brother Angus for a while and is hoping nothing is wrong. Also asking about their friend "anything from Mr McAllister coming home this year?" [from Buenos Aires?]

"We are in good health here at present but I cannot but remember with sorrow the loss of my amiable sons and this day tells me it is just a year since the love of my heart took his first fever and a sad time I had for 14 days and nights until the fever took a turn for the better.

Time works wonderful changes upon man and manners in this world but I never can under any circumstance alleviate from my memory the loss of those boys.

I must confess myself rather childish about my loss but I cannot help it. I sleep on the very spot where Duncan died and it is often far in the morning before sleep closes the eyes of your

                                     ever loving brother

                                                          Hugh Wright