Roy's Find

ADHS member Roy Scott is a keen metal detectorist and avid history enthusiast. His interest in history started when, in his late 40s, Roy found his eyesight was beginning to deteriorate and he found his passion at that time, fly fishing, almost impossible. With other sports also being out of the question and not wanting to give up being outdoors, the progression into metal detecting suited Roy as he says “right down to the ground”.

Roy would go to an area and speak to the land owners and get their permission to detect, he also asked them if there was anywhere, they would like him to go over. Quite often he was told “well I have always wondered about that bit of land…”, or “that’s a funny dip”. He also found his knowledge of the surrounding area improved, and all of the locals came along to see what the man walking back and forwards over the field was doing.

Roy’s most historical find to date is the Iron Age tankard handle, it is also his most memorable. His most publicised and quirkiest is the gold set of dentures he found on Spittle Beach.

It was a few years ago now while detecting near Appletreehall that he discovered a bronze medallion, which had been awarded for Latin from the University of Edinburgh in the session 1897-98 to a Peter Bell Donaldson. Intrigued, Roy handed the medallion over to ADHS member Alex Davidson who was fascinated with the find and decided to see what he could uncover about Mr Peter Bell Donaldson.

Here is what he uncovered…

The medallion prompted a search to determine further details of the its origins and its owner, which revealed a fascinating story reflecting life at the end of the nineteenth century.  It transpires that Peter Bell was an interesting character and, while much has been found, there remain significant blanks in the history research prompted by the finding of this university medallion. Peter Bell Donaldson was born in 1879 at East Newton, Arbroath, to Robert Jamieson Donaldson and his wife Jane Ann Bennet Donaldson who were married at Fowlis Easter in 1872. Peter’s father owned 43 Jamieson Street, St Vigeans and the family may have lived there for some time but by 1885 the family lived in the farm house on the East Newton Estate where Robert was the tenant farmer. He had six sisters and one brother, Mary Jamieson (1873), James (1874), Helen Buchanan (1875), Annie (1876), Jane Ann (1878), Louisa Rowe (1881) and Ruby Jamieson (1886). He was educated at Arbroath High School for nine years and then at Blairlodge Academy, Polmont for two years. Blairlodge Academy was a school for boy boarders where there was a practical strain to the curriculum with an emphasis on science.  At Arbroath in the session 1894‐5 he was an outstanding scholar being awarded the Gordon Medal for English, the Bailie Grant Dux Medal for French the Corsair Medal for Mathematics and the Edinburgh Angus Club Medal for Latin thus becoming the Dux of the school. He was ‘very popular among his school‐mates’, Arbroath Herald 27 June 1895. 

He matriculated at Edinburgh University for the session 1897‐8 and gained a medallion for Latin in that session.  There is no record of him graduating. Peter’s mother, Jane, died in 1899 at the age of 46 and it is possible that Peter relinquished his studies in Edinburgh to return home and assist his father.  The Donaldson’s continued to farm at East Newton and by 1920, Peter not only occupied the farm house but was the owner of the entire 300‐acre estate.  His father continued to live there till his death in 1925.  An obituary recorded: 

Oldest Farmer in Arbroath Area.

Death of Mr R J Donaldson, Inverkeilor

The oldest agriculturist in Arbroath and district has passed away in the death of Mr R J Donaldson, farmer, East Newton, Inverkeilor, which took place yesterday. Mr Donaldson was not only the Father of the Market but was one of the most practical and most successful agriculturists in the eastern part of Forfarshire. The son of a farmer, he was born on the farm of the Mill of Kinnells, and on the death of his father, more than half a century ago, he succeeded him in the tenancy of that farm. 

 A few years later he also took over the farm of East Newton, Inverkeilor, and he continued the occupancy of both these large farms until about six years ago, when he relinquished the Mills of Kinnells. Mr Donaldson had not been in robust health for many years, but had been able to be about up to a few days ago.  Although keenly interested in all public affairs he did not take an active part in the work of public bodies.  He was a devoted member of St Vigeans Parish Church, and had for many years been an office‐bearer. Deceased was held in high respect, and was one of the best-known farmers in Forfarshire. He was predeceased by his wife a good number of years ago and is survived by two sons and four daughters.  One of his sons, Mr Peter Donaldson, having for several years been associated with him in the management of the farm.

(The Dundee Courier 10 February 1925)

 In 1927 Peter married Jean Buchanan Bell of The Red House, Hurworth‐on‐Tees,

Durham, at Kellyfield, Dundee.  Jean’s parents were William Bell (deceased) of Muirloch Farm, Dundee and Helen Bell (nee McLaren).  Helen died at East Newton in 1928. How exactly Peter was able to afford to purchase the estate is currently unknown.  An uncle, John Buchanan Bell, lived at Burnton Farm House, Dickmontlaw, St Vegeans and farmed 330 acres of arable land there employing 11 men, 5 girls and five boys by 1875 and in the early 1880s was also a tenant occupier of a farm and house on the Cauldcots Estate of Anniston in Inverkeilor up till the 1890s.  This uncle and Peter’s mother were both born at Easter Fowlis.  The uncle died at St Vigeans and may have been Peter’s beneficiary. The only other information uncovered about Peter is that in 1924 there was an enquiry at Forfar Sheriff Court into the death of one of his employees Dundee Evening Telegraph 9 October and Dundee Courier 13 October.  There is also a record of Peter being fined £1 for a black‐out offence in 1941, Arbroath Herald and Advertiser for the Montrose Burghs, 26 September. East Newton farm was in the Donaldson family for over eighty years and was sold in 1944 to a Mr David Goodfellow of Balnuith, Tealing Dundee Courier, 11 November 1944.  Peter died at the age of 78 on the 16th December 1957 at Richmond, Yorkshire, not far from Hurworth‐on‐Tees which was the address of his wife at the time of their marriage. He is buried at Kinnell alongside his parents and two sisters.

Mary Jamieson Donaldson

 Peter’s sister, married Francis Malcolm Batchelor in 1906 and they farmed at Kellyfield, Dundee.  They had one son, Gordon Guthrie Malcolm Batchelor who, in 1935, married Miss Lettice Darling, the only daughter of Mrs and the late Adam Darling of Bondington, Berwick.  A daughter, Patricia Anne, was born in 1938.  Gordon Batchelor, Captain, King’s Own Scottish Borderers, was Adjutant of the 5th Battalion (the Territorial Battalion recruiting in Dumfries and Galloway) and he took command in 1945.  He retired from the army in 1947 and died at the age of 68 in Dumfries                                                                                           

James Donaldson

 Peter’s brother, was educated at Arbroath High School for six years then Clifton Bank, St Andrews, a private boarding school for ‘gentlemen’s sons’ at which Earl Haig was also a former pupil.  He went to St Andrews and graduated MA in 1899 and subsequently took his first professional exams in medicine before enrolling in the Faculty of Medicine at Edinburgh University and graduating MB ChB in 1903.  He married Olive Murial (surname unknown) and they had four children Sheila Bell, Eleanor Mary, Robert Graham and George Maxfield King.  He emigrated to South Africa and died at the age of 72 on 13th August 1948.  His death certificate records his occupation as Municipal Cashier which seems strange for a medical graduate.

 Helen Buchanan Donaldson

 Died in infancy in 1875 at St Vigeans

 Louisa Rowe Donaldson

 Died in 1904 at St Vigeans

 Annie Donaldson

 Died in 1971 at St Vigeans

 Jane Ann Donaldson

 In the census record of 1911 was living at St Vigeans.  She died at St Vigeans in 1953.       

 Ruby Jamieson Donaldson

 In the census record of 1911 was living at St Vigeans.  No issue.  Died at St Vigeans 1966.

Peter Donaldson had a long association with the Forfar area but, unfortunately, he has no direct descendants.  How his medallion from Edinburgh University found its way to a hay field in Appletreehall remains a mystery.  He was clearly a very well-educated man and his large family, some of whom died in infancy, is typical of the Victorian era. In time more information may emerge.

Acknowledgements

 Thanks are due to Grant Butters, Deputy Archivist, University of Edinburgh; Ian

Martin, Archivist, KOSB Regimental Museum: Roger Owen, Ancrum; Violet Ritchie of Carmyllie Heritage Society and to Roy Scott, Ancrum for providing information on which this account is based.