Robert on Muffin the Mule; Jim Stronach standing.
This is the Father of James W. Stronach and Brother of Alex. This is the dog that was found on the chest of their Brother Thomas.My Dad and his Dad used to go for a drink together. There was a coal fire-Robert M Stronach
in the pub. My Grandpa used to have a seat by the fire that he used. If
someone else was in (His) the seat, my Dad would make the seat available by
accidently hitting the person on the head with his pint and spilling some over
them. It seemed to work.
They were not just father and son they
were friends. Dad used to tell me lots of stories about him and so did my
Mum, they got on well together.
A few of the ships Tom was serving on were torpedoed. He was the 8th child of Robert & Jane Stronach. His life story is quite sad.
Thomas lost a leg whilst onboard a ship that was sunk during the War. He was lost at sea for 3 days before being picked up. When they found him floating in the water there was a dog on his chest. The dog became a family pet.
From Letters etc.,
Petty Officer Discharged 11 July 1918. Served with honour
and was
disabled in the Great War.
Last served on Minesweeper H.M.S.
Garth and Hibernia.
1918. Royal Naval Hospital Plymouth.
13 May
1918.
Transfered to R.N.H. Chatham.
4 Jul 1918. Discharged to R.N.H. Gt.
Yarmouth.
9 Jul 1919. Transfered to Lanark District Asylum Hartwood,
Lanarkshire.
3 Apr 1950. Owing to the outbreak of Smallpox, you are urgently
requested to
give your consent to the vaccination of the above named
patient.
Hartwood
Mental Hospital, Hartwood, Shotts.
Whilst in the Mental hospital he would get violent and the staff would take his wooden leg off of him.
Heavy weight Tug of War Team on H.M.S. Hibernia Aug 22nd 1911
On left seated on ground Eldest son of 9 children to Robert F. & Jane Porter Stronach. Bobby is the one who worked as Recording & Corresponding Secretary in Allegheny Valley Central Labor Unions from 1917/30.
In 1911 his father updated his will so that Robert would not gain anything from it.
Robert was an illegal imigrant believed to have died abt 1930. Shot during the miners strikes, in U.S.A. He was active in the trade union movement in America. Believed never to have married.
His brother, Alex in Troy, N.Y. last heard of Bob in 1926. His last letter to his mother was 20 Aug 1930.
4th Child of Robert Forbes & Jane Porter Stronach.
STRONACH:- At Westville, Picton County, N.S. Canada,
Monday 6th August, 1906, Gordon Cathcart Stronach, aged 23 years ( while
bathing, accidentally drowned), the third son of Robert and Jane Stronach,
Corennie, Law Juntion; deeply regretted.
Above picture taken at Edinburgh Castle. Papa Stronach was in the pipe band that played at the Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
"The house was the Police house and the top left window that you can see was the
prison cell. It was a strange house inside, there was a wooden stare
case ( like a ladder ) that pulled down into the bathroom which was the
entrance to the cell.
Behind the windows to the left of Adam
was a lovely big room with wall to wall book cases all beautifully bound books,
mostly Burns books. When Adam died all the books had to be put in the bin
as there was wood worm right through the book cases and the
books.
I can remember there was an organ in the house too, I
think Dad took it to the church in Hamilton where it took pride of place in the
Relief Society room which was also the room where the Baptismal faunt
was.The organ had two foot peddles that pumped the air through it and a big
row of stoppers above the two rows of keys. I can also remember the
musty smell that came from it ! "
"When we lived in Irvine there was an old man lived over the back fence-Robert Morris Stronach
from us. One day when I was out working in the garden we got
talking. When he learned that my name was Stronach he asked if I had
connections in the Law village. He went on to tell me about the village
Bobby (Policeman) who when he was just a wee boy had told him off for
swinging on the gate of his house, he added, 'I did nay like him '.
I could hardly believe my ears !
What a small world we live in. I asked if he could remember anything more about the Law village or its bobby,
he said that he could not as it was a long time ago and he was only about six years old at the time, but that, that had stuck in his mind because he did nay like the police!
The Policeman that we were talking about was my Great Grand Father
and I have the handcuffs that he would have used, but going by the stories I
have heard he did not have the need to use them, he just took a hold of someone,
anyone, and they went with him."
Standing at back is Robert F. Stronach & Maria Jane. Standing from left to right is Gordon Cathcart & Twins George & Robert Forbes. Seated is William Morris & Jane Porter With Alexander Wilson Russell on her knee.
