Family History - William Brown McGregor
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William was a damask linen designer by profession, but was an active amateur (and possibly professional) artist and photographer. His obituary in The Dunfermline Press provides an interesting synopsis of his life:3
The passing away last Saturday of Mr. William B. McGregor, damask designer, Foundry Street, Dunfermline, has removed a personality well known to many of the older members of the community. He served his apprenticeship with Erskine Beveridge & Co., Ltd., St. Leonard’s Works, and after a few years’ sojourn in the United States, returned to their employment. After some years he took up business on his own account in the town as a damask designer. Perhaps his best known piece of workmanship was the design of the “Robbie Burns” table cloth, manufactured by Erskine Beveridge & Co.
Mr. McGregor was a keen member of the Dunfermline Art Club, and the annual exhibition was not complete without some of his exhibits. After his retirement from business a number of years ago, he took a great interest in photography and was a prominent member of the Dunfermline Photographic Association and regular exhibitor at their exhibitions. He was keenly interested in fishing and returned regularly from Loch Leven with well filled baskets.
Durn the last few years, Mr. W. B. McGregor, who was 77 years of age, was a regular attendee at the Old Boys’ Club in Pittencrief Glen, and his favourite pastime was feeding the birds and squirrels. He was unmarried and is survived by his brother James, who is resident in the United States.
William is mentioned in over half of the “Dunfermline Press” articles about the Annual and Triennial Dunfermline Art Club exhibitions from 1911 through 1945. Many of his pictures are named or described, several including valuations since they were either sold or given as prizes in Art Union drawings. William was skilled in various artistic media, including oil, watercolor, ink, chalk, and possibly crayon. Surviving artifacts include a letter to his brother David dated 7 January 1938, and several examples of his artwork. A water color painting of a pastoral scene with grazing sheep, signed ‘W.B. McGregor 1914,’ is in the possession of David Mailler. Several other of William’s works are in the possession of Lee Gazlay, including a watercolor coastal scene (likely of Largo Bay, Fifeshire, Scotland, a popular venue of William and other Dunfermline Art Club members), signed ‘W.B. McGregor 1914’ (which for years was displayed on the porch wall of William McGregor in his Toms River home); a splendid oil painting of a boy scout; an ink sketch of a lake scene (the latter two undated); and several photographs taken (and presumably developed and printed) by William. A search of shops and records in Dunfermline, including contact with the Dunfermline Art Club, unfortunately did not reveal more examples of his work.
William begins his holographic Last Will and Testament (drafted 29 May 1937 and executed 11 October 1945), “I, William B. McGregor, hereby bequeath to Mr. & Mrs. John Fraser, Fitzroy, Crossford all my pictures as are at present on the walls of this house…” suggesting the importance he placed on his artistic creations. He left the rest of his estate to Miss Ann Inches, who is shown as living at his address in Dunfermline, and who acted as executrix. William was interred 7 August 1945 in lair V178, Dunfermline Cemetery.
- Ireland Births and Baptisms, 1620-1881, William Brown McGregor, born: 26 March 1868 in Waringstown, County Down, Ireland; father: William McGregor; mother: Margaret Brown.
- Irish Genealogy.ie, Church Records, Superintendent Registrar’s District: Lurgan, Registar’s District: Waringstown, No. 240, William Brown McGregor, born: 26 March 1868 in Donacloney; father: William McGregor, living in Donacloney, yarn dresser; mother: Margaret McGregor, formerly Brown.
- Obituary, The Dunfermline Press, Dunfermline, Scotland, 11 August 1945, William B McGregor, died 4 August 1945 in Dunfermline.