Christina McVicar 1859 - 1937

[[Name: Christina McVicar

Father: Donald McVicar

Mother: Catherine Sinclair

Born: 5 Nov 1859, Inveraray

Siblings:

Married: Never Married

Children: No known issue

Death: 28 Dec 1937, Strathlachlan1
Last seen alive 28 December 1937. Body found on shore at Newton 13 April 19382

  • Cause of Death: Drowning (Probable) - unascertained owing to decomposition
  • Burial
  • Headstone

Occupation: Domestic Servant

Address: Lime Kiln Cottage, Inveraray (1937)

Census:

  • 1861

Auchnagoul3
3 rooms with windows

Name Rel. Con. Age Occupation Born
Donald McVicar Head M 42 Farmer Inveraray
Catherine McVicar Wife M 38 Inveraray
Donald McVicar Son Un 8 Scholar Inveraray
Margaret McVicar Daur Un 6 Scholar Inveraray
Duncan McVicar Son Un 3 Inveraray
Christina McVicar Daur Un 1 Inveraray
Sarah McVicar Daur Un 1 Inveraray
Anne McVicar Sister Un 53 Inveraray
  • 1871

Auchnagoul4
3 rooms with windows

Name Rel. Con. Age Occupation Born
Donald McVicar Head M 52 Farmer (90 acres arable land) Inveraray
Catherine McVicar Wife M 49 Farmer's wife Inveraray
Donald McVicar Son Un 18 Farmer's son Inveraray
Margaret McVicar Daur Un 16 Farmer's Daughter Inveraray
Duncan McVicar Son Un 13 Scholar Inveraray
Christina McVicar Daur Un 11 Scholar Inveraray
Sarah McVicar Daur Un 11 Scholar Inveraray
John McVicar Son Un 9 Scholar Inveraray
  • 1881

Church Square Union Bank Buildings5
Only Christina McVicar & Flora McVicar speak Gaelic & English
13 rooms with windows

Name Rel. Con. Age Occupation Born
Quintin M. Wright Head M 54 Solicitor & Bank Agent Inveraray
Prudence E. Wright Wife M 44 Solicitor's Wife East Indies, Madras Residency
James B. Wright Son Un 20 East India Merchant Inveraray
Anna M. Wright Daur Un 18 Inveraray
Richard Wright Son Un 13 Scholar Inveraray
Quintin M. Wright Jun. Son 9 Scholar Inveraray
Hugh B. Wright Son 5 Inveraray
Charles Wright Son 4 Inveraray
Flora McVicar Serv Un 31 Cook, Domestic Servt Ballachulish, Argyll
Christina McVicar Serv Un 23 Housemaid, Servt. Inveraray
Susan McIntyre Serv Un 17 Nurse, Servt. Inveraray
  • 1891
  • 1901
  • 1911

Stories:

On the afternoon of Tuesday, December 28th, 1937, Christina and her twin sister Sarah, known as Morag, were visited by a relative, Mrs. MacVicar, of Lochgilphead.6 What exactly transpired at the end of this visit has not yet been clearly established. By some accounts, Morag accompanied Mrs MacVicar into Inveraray and then headed for home.7 Yet, other accounts suggest the twins may have accompanied their relative together for some distance.8 John Morrison, a farmer at Sallachary, Glenaray (and 2nd cousin 1 generation removed), said that he has passed the twins twice that evening in Inveraray about 7:00 pm. They were to have been speaking Gaelic.9

What is known is that sometime between 10:40 pm and 11:30 pm that evening, Morag McVicar was found wandering about the Inveraray Golf Course in the fog with her Collie dog Donald by Sergeant James Ross. Morag was to have been "half clad", without her hat and "drenched from the waist downwards."10 Morag was found in an "exhausted and confused condition".11 and appears to not have been able to give a clear account of events that night. It is suggested that the sisters left the house at 7:00 pm and became seperated.12 But it has also been thought that Morag might have discovered her sister missing and gone in search of her.13

The search was exhaustive. 400 people actively searched14 This included the Duke of Argyll on Saturday, 01 January 193815 The River Aray and the mouth of Loch Fyne were dragged with "improvised gear".16

"Thw two sisters (were to) have lived together all their lives. They carried on the family farm at Auchnagoul for 20 years after the deaths of their parents, and only 18 months ago retired and set up house in the cottage. Every night they went out about seven o'clock for a walk together"17

We know from Christina's death certificate that her body was found in April 1938, washed up across Loch Fyne and that her poor sister Morag died prior to this in February in the Argyll & Bute Asyllum.

References

Files / certificates held and by whom.

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  • Valuation Rolls