John McAlpine

26th Sep 18301,2 - 26th Jul 19054

Life History

26th Sep 1830	Born in Rothesay, Bute.1,2
17th Oct 1830	Christened in Rothesay, Bute.2
1851	Resident in 1 Nelson Street, Greenock.3 Residing with his aunt Ann Crane, Aged 31 a seamans wife, born in Rothesay
1856	Resident in Regent Street, Greenock.4
21st Nov 1856	Married Janet Grant in Watergate Street, Rothesay, Bute.4
13th Sep 1857	Birth of daughter Mary McAlpine in Greenock.4
12th Oct 1859	Birth of son Robert Stewart McAlpine in Greenock.4
1861	Occupation Blacksmith (journeyman).4
1861	Resident in 13 St John Street, Greenock.1
12th Mar 1866	Birth of son Daniel McAlpine in Rutherglen.4
19th Jun 1868	Birth of daughter Janet McAlpine in Rutherglen.4
23rd Nov 1870	Birth of daughter Ann Lyon McAlpine in Rutherglen.4
1871	Occupation Foreman Blacksmith.5
1871	Resident in 80 Mill Street, Rutherglen.5
1880	Resident in 13 Spittal Row, Mill Street, Rutherglen.4
1881	Occupation Foreman Blacksmith.8
18th Sep 1890	Death of Janet Grant in 146 Mill Street, Rutherglen.4
1891	Occupation Blacksmith (Ships).6
1891	Resident in Mill Street, Rutherglen.6
1901	Resident in 16 Mill Street, Rutherglen.7 Resided with his daughter Ann and her family
26th Jul 1905	Died in 10 Wallace Street, Rutherglen.4 Senile Decay

Notes

John moved to Rutherglen in the early 1860's to become Foreman Blacksmith in the shipbuilding yard of T.B. Seath & Son at Rutherglen Quay on the Clyde.
He is noted in Rutherglen Lore (written by W Ross Shearer, 1922) as well known in Rutherglen for "being the only man to have ever sailed a ship all the way from Rutherglen Quay to London".

Wanting to draw attention to a local political dispute John along with fellow town councillor, Andrew King established the local newspaper the Rutherglen Reformer in 1865, which still exists today.

THE FOLLOWING EXTRACTS FROM THE COUNCIL MINUTE BOOKS CAN BE READ AT

www.tennent.org.uk/rutherglen

John McAlpine extracts from the Council Minute Book of The Royal Burgh of Rutherglen

For the election of 3 November 1880
John McAlpine stood as a candidate for the council
(At this time John McAlpine was a 44 year old foreman blacksmith living at 15 Spittal Row,
he was born in Rothesay Bute.)

along with -

Archibald Baird a 38 year old dairyman of Canada Cottage, Newfield Place he was born in Glasgow.
John Bowman a 38 year old coalminer of 65 Glasgow Road he was born in Hutchestown
William Mitchell a 50 year old master joiner of 48 Chapel Street he was born in Byladdie, Kinross
Fletcher Pool a 45 year old spirit merchant of 241 Main Street he was born in Derby
And William Reid a 58 year old spirit merchant of 94 Main Street he was born in Rutherglen.

Minutes:
4 Nov 1880 The Provost admits each of John Bowman, John McAlpine and Fletcher
Pool to be a Burgess and Guild Brother of Rutherglen.

5 Nov 1880 John is appointed to a committee on the causes which lead to crime in
the Burgh.

14 Feb 1881 The Committee on Crimes gave instruction to Inspector Dods of the
police in regard to suspected shabeening in the burgh.
( An illicit bar or club or similar where excisable alcoholic beverages were sold without a
licence. The word derives from the Irish síbín, meaning 'illicit whiskey'.)

11 Apr 1881 John proposed and moved "that the council recommend to the
magistrates in the order of decency and order that no special licence for the sale of
excisable liquors in the burgh shall extend beyond the hour of one o'clock AM"
Seconded by C. Barrowman
After debate and vote C. McAlpine moved the following additional motion as an
amendment "That when a special licence is obtained for the sale of excisable liquors
in any room or hall of the burgh buildings an extra sum of £1 shall be charged in
addition to the usual rent for such a room or hall".
Seconded by C. Barrowman (again).
The motion was carried by the council.

6 May 1881 He was appointed to the Works Committee at the same meeting he also
moved a motion for additional funding for the burgh library.

12 Dec 1881 John moved that seven shillings and six pence (7/6) be paid to
each fireman for their services on the occasion of the falling of the gable in
Main Street during the recent gale.

22 Nov 1881 He was elected to the Finance Committee.
9 Jan 1885 John became Convener (Chairman) of the Public Health
Committee.

Following re-election on 4 November 1887 he was elected Burgh Treasurer
for the statutory period of three years (Nov 1887 - Oct 1890).

6 Nov 1891 He moved "That a committee be appointed to consider the duties
and salaries attached to each office and as to the most efficient and
economical way of getting the duties performed" motion carried.

16 Oct 1893 As Convener of the Burgh Lands Committee he proposed that "in
letting the halls where a piano is required the parties pay the usual rate for the
use of the piano belonging to the corporation whether they bring their own
piano to the hall or not" motion carried.

At the ballot held in November 1897 there was proposed for election for the
West Ward of Rutherglen.

John McAlpine, 70 Mill Street, now aged 67 retired and living with his
daughter Ann and her family.

John Love, Rock Villa a 53 year old mason and builder born in Tollcross.
William Miller, 57 Chapel Street a 49 year old baker and spirit merchant born in Rutherglen
William Watson, 18 Harriet Street a 46 year old watchmaker born in Lanark.

Result of Ballot
John Love 305
John McAlpine 280
William Watson 277
William Miller 114

The first two elected to the council.

In 1898 he was once again Convener of the Public Health Committee
however by now poor health must have been catching up with John.
The minutes record that he convened the Public Health Committee and attended
the full Council meeting held on 5 July 1900. This was his last recorded
attendance. He did not attend the 26 July 1900 meeting "due to ill health" and
the subsequent meetings held on August and October are noted likewise.

A new Convener was appointed following the November 1900 ballot.

John McAlpine died at 11:15pm on the evening of 26 July 1905 at his son's
home at 10 Wallace Street, Rutherglen. He was 75 years old.

His final recognition of his work for Rutherglen Burgh Council is given below.

Council Minutes of the meeting held on 14 August 1905.
Provost Adam Keir Rodger in the Chair.

"The Provost before proceeding with the business of the meeting alluded to
the death, which occurred on 26th july last, of Mr John McAlpine. After stating
that Mr McAlpine had been a member of the council from 1880 until 1900,
with a short exception, had served as treasurer for the usual term of 3 years
and as convenor of the Public Health Committee for about eight years, and
after referring to the valuable services rendered by him to the Burgh in the
various municipal offices which he had from time to time held, especially in
the latter office, the Provost moved that the council record an expression of
their sense of loss which the community has sustained by the death of Mr
McAlpine and of sympathy with his family in their bereavement and that an
extract of this minute be transmitted to the family."

"The motion was unanimously adopted and the Town Clerk instructed
accordingly"
George Grey, Town Clerk.

John McAlpine

Life History

Notes

Sources