I guess every family has a tale to tell and a mystery to solve and my family is no exception. After many years of trying to solve these mysteries I have decided to place these stories on the internet to give all you budding Genealogists a challenge to achive something that has eluded me for years. There are no prizes and I have no wish to engage a professional researcher this is here for a bit of fun. Family research is my hobby and I enjoy helping others where I can.

Peter Cairns Lost at Sea.

	Peter Cairns was born on the 9 June 1878 at Mill Wynd Musselburgh the son of David Cairns & Agnes Murray.
	Peter is mentioned in the 1891 Census at the family home in Broad Wynd in the Shore district of Leith. Peter was aged 12 and discribed as a Scholar.
	My mother often spoke of Peter Cairns and how he was Lost at Sea but more than this she could not recall.

The handwritten note on the back of this photograph which was written by my Great Aunt Minnie confirms what my mother had told me many years ago.
Minnie`s " Beloved brother Peter was lost at Sea."

If you can help with information about how Peter Cairns met his death. Please contact: archie.cairns@blueyonder.co.uk

Mystery of the death of John Cairns

John Cairns, Railway Agent, Porter & Signalman with the Peebles Railway Company. Son of David Cairns a Groom at St. Clemontwells & Mary Chalmers or Chambers b. 12 Jul 1827 at Inveresk Musselburgh. John married Jane Moodie a Domestic Servant on the 13 Nov 1855 at 4 West Brighton Crescent Portobello. The family moved to Roslin in the late 1850's and took up residence at the Station House Roslin where their third child, Robina Francis Moodie Cairns was born on August 19th 1859. By 1881 the family had moved to number 7 High Street Loanhead where they were tenants to Mr. James Glover landowner. The family lived at that address until about 1889 when the property changed hands to a Mr. John Thomson a Clothier of number 3 High Street Loanhead and the tenancy was taken over by Robert Young a Miner.

Genealogist baffled by the disappearance of John Cairns hunt's for clues and is appealing to local historians, railway enthusiasts and genealogists to keep a sharp lookout for information which could help identify the fate of this local railwayman.

It is known that John's widow Jane Moodie returned to Musselburgh where she died at the home of her daughter in 1908. Any sighting's of Jane Cairns in the 1891 Census would be of great help in tracking the families movements after 1889. Jane would be aged about 70 years and her birthplace may be given as Portobello, Duddingston or Inveresk.

Minutes of the Peebles Railway Company provide a good account of John Cairns' appointment as Railway Agent at Lonestone and the family has been found in all the Census records up to 1881. It is also known that some of their children moved to Leith and raised families there. A massive search of the death records of all the John Cairns' who died in Scotland between 1885 to 1891 has been carried out without trace.

Anyone with information about John Cairns or any suggestion`s as to possible other research sources please contact: archie.cairns@blueyonder.co.uk

Brick Wall

I guess at some point everyone hits a brick wall with their family research. My research came to an abrupt halt when I started searching for my Great Great Grandfather's siblings and found that four brothers and a sister appear have vanished without trace.

William Cairns was born in Tranent on 15 Aug 1822. William does`nt appear with the family at Wallyford in the 1841 Census and neither does his sister Helen King Cairns who was born in Dalkeith on 24 Jul 1825.

Their younger brother Robert Cairns who was born at Inveresk on 25 Sep 1829 is mentioned in the 1841 Census and is discribed as being in employment at a Brick Work. Robert was aged 11 years. Life for a young lad at that time must have been hard.

James Cairns twin brother of Janet Cairns was born on the 10 Oct 1836 at Inveresk. It is thought that James may have died in infancy but like his elder brothers and sister a careful search of the death records revealed nothing. So have they turned up in your family tree???

I have already mentioned the disappearance of the other brother John Cairns the Railwayman who`s life has been well documented, but strange as that might seem. Their father David Cairns a Groom at St Clemontwells Wallyford who's death has also gone unrecorded makes me begin to wonder what fate awaits me...

Any clues or suggestions would be welcomed.

Gretna Rail Disaster

In the early morning of May 22nd 1915 a troop train carrying Officers and Men of the 1/7th (Leith)Battalion Royal Scots crashed into a stationary local train at Quintinshill Junction near Gretna Green and then shortly afterwards the London to Glasgow Express ploughed into the wreckage. The Gretna Rail Disaster reported to be the worst in British Railway History. The troop train was constructed of timber coaches and fitted with gas lighting. The gas tank had been filled just a few short hours before departure at Larbert near Falkirk. Of the 485 people on board 227 were killed and 146 were injured. My Cousin LCpl Archibald Anderson Cairns was one of the soldiers killed at Quintinshill. He was the son of Hugh Cairns and Ann Anderson and grandson of John Cairns and Jane Moodie mentioned above.

I believe that there may have been other members of my family aboard that train who survived that terrible crash and I would like to hear from anyone who has information about any lists of survivours. Please contact: archie.cairns@blueyonder.co.uk

Click on the image of the Poppy to listen to a lament entitled "HELL BOUND" which seems appropriate for such a tragedy. The lament ends as abruptly as the the troop train did that fateful morn...

'Lest we forget'

"No Battlefield, no German foes, for them across the foam that dewy morn, alas for them, a soldiers death at home. A cruel death, a noble death, heroic none more seen, than those poor lads who perished at dawn near Gretna Green."

Author Unknown

Gretna Rail Disaster ~ Further Information

If you are seeking information about a relative who was killed in the Gretna Rail Disaster the best advice I can offer is that you contact Forrest Anderson of Edinburgh, Scotland.

Forrest is a Military Researcher and Book-finder, specialising in British Army/Navy/Air Force Lists, and Biographical Dictionaries.

Forrest's email address is forrestdale@dial.pipex.com or if you prefer you can link directly to his website by clicking on the photogragh of the Memorial Cross above.

Don't forget to bookmark my website before you leave incase you should want to return.

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This document is maintained by archie.cairns@blueyonder.co.uk. Material Copyright © 1999 Archie Cairns