Walter Ballantyne

Walter Ballantyne, my 2x great granfather, was born in Glen Tanagaidh, Kinlochewe, Gairloch, Ross & Cromarty on 31 May 1860. He was a twin and his brother was called John. By the age of 11 years, in 1871, Walter was living in Newton-Kennedy, Girvan with his family and he was attending school. On 30 December 1881, aged 21 years, Walter married Janet Brown who was a general domestic servant living at 27, Loudoun Street, Stewarton. Walter was living at ‘Dinnings’ near Kilmarnock, which was probably a farm, as Walter, at this time, was a ploughman. Janet was 27 years old when they married.

1891 Census

Walter and Janet Ballantyne are now living at  Druffing…. Cottage, 8, Loudoun St, Stewarton. He is an agricultural labourer and she a labourer’s wife. They had 3 children, Robert age 8; Jessie age 6 and Thomas age 3.

There was only one room in their house with a window.

1901 Census

Walter & Janet Ballantyne, are living at 23 Loudoun St, Stewarton. Seemingly he was known as ‘Watty.’

Walter is 41 and Janet is now 49.  Walter is a labourer and they now live in a house with 3 rooms with one or more windows.

They have four children –

Robert, age 18, a lace worker

Jessie, age 16, also working with lace

Thomas, age 13 and still at school

Katie, age 7, who is also at school.

They have a boarder called Jessie Gibson, aged 21 who is a hosiery worker.

1911 Census

By this time Walter was aged 50 and living at 7 Kirkford, the other half of the house accommodated the Stewart family. Walter was, according to the census, a general labour but according to my father he was a stonemason and worked with a local builder. Janet was 58 and the couple had been married for 29 years. Their daughter Katie, 17, was still living with them and she was a woolwinder at one of the local Stewarton mills. Walter and Janet’s illegitimate grandson Walter Henderson is now five years old but his mother, Jessie is not part of the household.

Walter died, age 77, on 24 December, 1937 at 37, Ravenscraig Rd, Stewarton from heart failure. Janet died, 20th August 1935 at 6, Kirkford, Stewarton. She was 83 years and died from heart failure.