The photograph above is a wonderful view of The Fermtoun where my 2nd Great Grandfather, William Mcrobbie was born in 1821. Ryntaing is now about a mile down a track off the end of the road that runs through Glenbuchat. It was last occupied in the early 1920's by William's grandson Harry. Many of his family died of Tuberculosis. It is about as remote as you can get these days. I shudder to think what it was like back in those days. However since William's Dad Harry died in 1881 at the age of 92 maybe it wasn't all bad.
Details from the above website are as follows.
Ryntaing - Upper Glenbuchat
Allt Sown Hill,Creag na Gamhna, Claisdhu Hill, Creagandubh and Crespit Hill can all be seen surrounding the fermtoun of Ryntaing in the uppermost reaches of Glenbuchat. The skyline and watershed is the Aberdeenshire/Banffshire boundary.
The Slackmore, Mid and Clashwalloch Burns along with Allt Sowan all converge at Ryntaing forming the Leadensider Burn that runs past Newseat and Ballochduie in turn being fed by the Burn of Sluggie to join the Water of Buchat at Badenyon
The 1841 Census of Scotland for County of Aberdeen, District of Alford, Parish of Glenbucket states that Harry McRobie 50y, a Farmer and his wife Isobel 45y, two sons John 20 and Charles 13, and three daughters Isobel 15, Mary 9 and Ann 6 all lived at Ryntaing
Harry was born in 1788 in Glenbuchat and christened on 13th October 1788. His parents were William McRobbie and Magdalen McRobbie ( nee Strath ) He married Isobel Glennie before 1815 and died on the 16th August 1881 aged 92 of old age. He was buried in Strathdon Cemetery in Aug 1891.
He was recorded as farming 12 Acres and having two labourers in 1851 and then as farming 43 acres arable and living in a house with 4 rooms and windows in 1871 when he was 81 years and still described as head of the household.
In the 1881 census he is aged 92 and a retired farmer.
His wife Isobel was the daughter of Alexander and Isabella Glennie (nee Henderson) and she was born about 1795 in Towie, Aberdeenshire. She died on 14th November at Rhintaing, Glenbucket, Aberdeenshire and was buried in the same month in Strathdon Cemetery.
They had nine children. William, John, James,William, Peter, Alexander, Isabella, Mary and Ann.
Ann was born on 21st May 1835 and married John Reid at Rhintaing on 12 April 1872 aged 36. She had two children, James Harry Reid and Isabella Reid. She died on 20 Feb 1922 at Newton ( just down the glen a bit) aged 86 of Chronic Rheumatism and Old Age. She out lived her son James who died in 1897 at age 22. Her daughter, Isabella, is noted as being a scholar aged 8 in the 1881 census.
The trail goes cold here !
But picks up again here...
Harry's son Willaim was born 21 Nov 1820, Glenbucket, Aberdeen, Scotland and married Mary FARQUHARSON on 26 Jan 1851 in Tullynessle. He died 27 May 1863 15:30pm, 2 Clarks Court, Upper Kirkgate, Aberdeen at age 42 .
This William was a farmer at Wester Carnie and had the following children :
1. Isobel McRobie was baptized on 20 Apr 1851 in Strathdon [IGI].
2. Alexander McRobbie born 28 Jan 1854, Skene, Aberdeenshire. Christened: 9 Feb 1854, Skene, Aberdeenshire. Married Agnes SIEVEWRIGHT on 23 Dec 1874 in 4 Darlington Place, West North Street, Aberdeen and he died 2 Jan 1936, 23 Bright Street, Aberdeen at age 81 of arterio-sclerosis. This is the point where the farming occupation end. He was a Railway Guard in 1883, 1890, 1901 and a Railway Brakesman (retd) in 1920
He and Agnes had 14 Children. (Agnes, Alexander, Mary, George, William, Charles, John, Bella Milne, James, Allan, Stuart, Frank Downie, one un-named child and Annie)
It is Bella Milne McRobbie that takes the line forward. She was born 28 Feb 1890, 30 Allan Street, Aberdeen.
Bella married Thomas DIACK, son of Adam DIACK and Annie Stephenson WATSON, on 28 Jan 1920 in Aberdeen 2 Union Place. (Thomas DIACK was born on 8 Jun 1889 in Portknockie Railway Station, Banffshire and died on 28 Sep 1953 in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.) The cause of his death was Exfoliative Psoriasis,Broncho-Pneumonia, Chronic Uraemia.
A picture of Tom is here :
Link
She was living at 68 Duthie Terrace, Aberdeen aged 11 in 1901 and at 10 Margaret Place at the time of her marriage. The cause of her death was Sudden death coronary thrombosis.
Bella and Thomas Diack had one son, Alan George who was born 1 Dec 1932 in Aberdeen
Alan Diack won a scholarship to Robert Gordons College, Aberdeen and attended from 1943 to 1950
Alan married Irene Mcleod SHIACH, daughter of William Lorimer SHIACH and Jessie McLEOD, on 27 Dec 1957 in Aberdeen Kings College. (Irene Mcleod SHIACH was born on 5 Oct 1932 and died 11 Mar 1990 10:30am in Dr Grays Hospital, Elgin Usual Address 29 Milnefiled Avemue, Elgin.) The cause of her death was 1) Cardiac Failure 2) Atrial Fibrillation 3) Rheumatic Heart Disease.
Alan and Irene had two sons, Alastair and Neil Mcleod Diack
Alastair Diack has a website at
LinkAlastair Diack married Christina Margaret CURRAN and they have 3 sons, Cameron James, Malcolm Alan George and Ruaridh Alastair Diack.
Alastair has pictures on a website that takes this story full circle
Link
Thanks to Ken Taylor for the picture and the info.
Google Earth file here:
Ryntaing - Upper Glenbuchat:: OS grid NJ3320 :: Geograph British Isles - photograph every grid square!
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