David BRUCE

Notes:

Following information provided by Margaret Guthrie Bruce's nephew Frank Leighton via email in 2020....
List of the homes of Peg & Dave Bruce (married 30th Aug 1946)
Years Place
1946 - 50 Whitehaugh, Clova
1950 - 53 Tullochcurran, Kirkmichael
1953 Langwell, Rosehall, Sutherland (3 months)
1953 - 55 Runtaleave, Prosen
1955 - 56 Hillhouse, Cromlix, Stirlingshire
1956 - 70 Linross, Glamis
1970 Littleton, Airlie (2 months)
1970 - 73 The Warren, Glamis Castle
1973 - 82 Gatelodge, Redmyre, Ruthven
1982 - 90 Gatelodge, Airlie Castle
1990 - 95 Gatelodge, Cardean, Meigle
1995 - 97 Saddlehillock, Dryloch
1997 - 2001 7 Park Terrace, Kirriemuir
* Dave died 25th January 1997 at Saddlehillock
* Peg died 10th June 2001 at Park Terrace
Dave was first a hill shepherd, then a stockman (at Linross, for 24 years), then an underkeeper at Glamis, Ruthven and Airlie. Finally he worked for the East Coast Viners - shooting pigeons when they stayed at Cardean and Saddlehillock where the local children called him, "Bang, bang Davy".
Note - when they were at Langwell, the farmer refused to pay Dave. He thought it was enough that they had a cottage and free milk!
Cromlix is the Estate where Andy Murray now has his hotel.
I stayed at Runtie, Hillhouse and Linross. At Linross I used to go to pick berries with Peg at Cookston (Bob Davidson was the farmer), then I worked a whole summer at Linross for Jocky Patullo (now at Sandyford). One day, he sent me out in this brand-new tractor to hitch-up a "Tumblin` Tam" and turn all the hay in this field - despite me telling him I COULDN`T DRIVE!

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Dave was a real character. He was born at Colinshaugh, a farm on the south bank of the River South Esk in Aberlemno Parish & not too far west from Brechin. His father, also David was an agricultural worker & this meant lots of moves for the family to different farm cottages. His first school was Burnside at Memus village & Dave had to walk there from Drumclune where they then lived. His very first job at age 14 was on a neighbouring farm at Longbank in Kirriemuir Parish where the farmer was William Rough (a younger brother of my Gt grandmother, Betsy). After the War, Dave became a hill shepherd (see attached list of places he & Peg lived in their married life). He was very good at training sheepdogs & at carving sheep horns or deer antlers to make shepherd`s crooks). During the terrible winter of 1947, Dave was stuck at Whitehaugh in Glen Clova & Peg - who`d gone shopping was stuck in Kirriemuir for weeks! But Dave had learned to cook when he was in the Army & was used to living in a farm bothy & looking after himself. Later, Dave became an under keeper at Glamis Castle Estate (where Princess Margaret was born) & he became an excellent shot with a shotgun. A skill he later used to shoot pigeons for the East Coast Viners. He & Peg then lived in the gate lodges on three different Estates (including that of Airlie Castle - where Dave worked for the old Dowager, the mother of the Earl of Airlie). Dave died at Saddlehillock, Dryloch Farm on Burns` Night 1997.

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Birth:
https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/
BRUCE, DAVID, M, year 1921, ref 277/ 1, at Careston

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Died:
https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/
BRUCE, DAVID, aged 75, mother's maiden name, ADAMS, year 1997, ref 361/ 6, at Kirriemuir

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David married Margaret GUTHRIE on 30 Aug 1946 in Kirriemuir, Angus, Scotland, UK. Margaret was born about 1918 in Kirriemuir, Angus, Scotland, UK; died on 10 Jun 2001 in 7 Park Terrace, Kirriemuir, Angus, Scotland, UK. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]