The Revd. James Gait 1908-1989
Seemingly an only child
1908. James Gait was born to James Henry Gait and Margaret Lyon Dixon 1908 Stonehaven . SP has his b.c. . Date known??
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James as a baby
1911C. James Gait, 2, is living in Fetteresso with his parents,, aged 36 & 34, no other siblings - SP but not purchased
By 1924 he was at the Mackie Academy, Stonehaven
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James is back row, extreme right
James Gait is middle row, 2nd from the right.
James is the first cello (bottom right).
1926-1929. He studied at Aberdeen University . Obtained an M.A.
1929-1930. He attended Edinburgh University & Theological College
Maybe 4th from Right, back row
1931-1936. He was Curate at St. Margarets, Glasgow.
1933. James Gait married Edith Natalie Brown in Dunnottar -SP, not purchased- on 28/12/1933 in St James' Episcopal Church, Stonehaven. The bride was given away by her uncle, Mr William Rose: he the husband of Helen Brown 1872. One of the bridesmaids was Eileen Gowans, presumbly her niece, daughter of her sister, Trixie Brown 1897
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Dundee Courrier 30/12/1933- likely James Henry Gait & wife, Margaret Lyon Gait(Dixon) on left of photo, behind the bride & groom
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1936-1939. He was the rector, Prestwick
1937. James Edmund Christopher Gait was born Prestwick - died 1994 . His daughter, Valerie, provided many of these photos - thanks
1939 Peter William Gait was born 4/5/1939 Prestwick
1939-1942. James Gait was a Chaplain in the BEF in WW2. He was torpedoed and taken prisoner."
1939. Rev. James Gait, M.A., was commissioned Chaplain to the Armed Forces, 4th class, on 23/10/1939 - London Gazette 27/10/1939
His war record can be ordered for ~£35, but likely FREE for Peter, as his nearest next of kin: need his d.c., I think, and proof that one is a direct descendant ( I have my father's war record)
Almost certainly in 1942 - "He was torpedoed off the coast of North Africa and was in a lifeboat for about a week and they were then picked up off the coast of Sierra Leone. The main thing I remember was a child was the family legend that also torpedoed was a sailer suit for dad or Peter (both of whom were very glad it was lost), and he was either shipped out (or back) on the Queen Mary as he came across a souvenir from the ship when packing up the house at Fasque".-Valerie. He never talked about it - a traumatic time .
There is a strong possibility that he was on the Laconia: this was torpedoed off Ascension Island on 12/9/1942, en route from Cape Town to Britain. Many of the survivors, were helped by the U Boat captain, and 7 other UBoats summoned to the scene, who radioed his rescue attempt in good English. Despite this, on 16/9/1942, a US plane flying out of Ascension Island, repeatedly bombed the U boats and the life boats . There were ~1600 killed (of which 1400 Italian PofW) , 1100 survivors
Mention is made of this experience in the Church Magazine - but this states he was on a troopship in the Mediterranean !!
Survivors from the Laconia approaching port
1942. Rev. J. Gait, M.A., (131083) C.E. resigned his commision as chaplain to the Forces, 4th class, on 29/12/1942- The Gazette 19/1/1943 . This surely a result of the trauma suffered in the torpedo incident.
With Emily's? husband by his tank: James in centre? - so who was Emily?? _ Valerie did not know
But 2/2/2022 I received an email from Emily's daughter ( Anne Price/Ewles b.1946, ) . and the man with Jim / James was Charles Price . " We always knew that Jim had found him in the desert and that it had meant a lot to everyone at the time. My parents were married at Ston Easton in1938 and Jim officiated at their wedding. Jim is in their wedding photo. I can remember Jim and Natalie visiting us in Bristol but not with Christopher or Peter. I have a hazy memory of meeting someone who was doing National Service and he would have been staying with Henry Gait at Ston Easton! Henry was Emily’s brother.Now Valerie can solve the mystery “Emily”. I’m assuming that you are Valerie’s husband - NO!- and that Christopher was her father" "James was my mother Emily’s first cousin and she always referred to him as Jim" Emily's father was William George Gait 1872, elder brother of James Henry Gait 1874.
"I’m not quite sure how to begin. I recently began to revisit my family history as my son was interested in some details. I googled Rev. James Gait Stonehaven. He was my mother Emily’s first cousin and she always referred to him as Jim. .As I was scrolling through your lovely history page I was absolutely amazed to come to a photo of my father in front of his tank standing with Jim. It was quite overwhelming and wonderful to see. My father was Charles Price. We always knew that Jim had found him in the desert and that it had meant a lot to everyone at the time. My parents were married at Ston Easton in1938 and Jim officiated at their wedding. Jim is in their wedding photo.I can remember Jim and Natalie visiting us in Bristol but not with Christopher or Peter. I have a hazy memory of meeting someone who was doing National Service and he would have been staying with Henry Gait at Ston Easton! Henry was Emily’s brother.Now Valerie can solve the mystery “Emily”. "
1943. The Rev James Gait was inducted as the Rector of St Martins Church, Leeds ~29/11/1943 - FMP Newspapers
FMP announcement prior to November
1944. James Gait was preaching in St Edmunds Church, Roundhay, Leeds, on 262/1944 - FMP Newspapers
~1943-1950 in Leeds . Rector of St Martins Church, Leeds . A £5 1 month sub to the Church Times would give all his appts 1945-retirement
1945 & 1946. . The rev. James Gait, M.A., Sub Lieut Engineer, officiated at weddings in St Martins Church , Potternewton, Leeds - FMP Newspapers
Peter said they used to camp when driving up from Leeds to Stonehaven for holidays (& that’s Granny’s scarf which Michelle still has on the back of the chair). Maybe late 40’s, early 50’s?
James. Christopher, Peter & Natalie ~ 1948?
1954 . "Think they moved back to Laurencekirk when Peter was about 13" - more likely ~15. - Laurencekirk~5 k E of Fettercairn & Fasque
The Drumtochity Church pamphlet gives him as aged 46 & as having served 11 years with the Church of England when he was appointed at Laurencekirk & its 3 surrounding kirks
St Andrews Fasque
St Laurence Episcopal Church, Laurencekirk
James & Natalie staying with friends in London
He lived in Beattie Lodge in Laurencekirk .- this only a couple of kms outside Fettercairn - inland, ~ half way between Dundee & Aberdeen
PHOTO of Beattie Lodge someone please
Natalie & James - maybe ~1946?
This could be one of their trips to London. Can’t remember why, think they stayed with friends & used to go to Wimbledon but I may be getting that mixed up. Papa was a very good sportsman, tennis & hockey especially. Think Michelle found write ups in the Aberdeen University journals of the day.
1960. He conducted a wedding at St Laurence Episcopal Church, Laurencekirk, Kincardineshire- The Times
1961. He conducted the christening of the Queen's goddaughter in St Andrews Episcopal Church, Fasque - The Times
1965. He conducted a wedding at St Laurence Episcopal Church, Laurencekirk, Kincardineshire- The Times
Also officiated at the funeral of Mrs John Bowes-Lyon
1976. Officiated at the confirmation, of the same girl as above, at his church in Fasque , Fettercairn where the Queen was present!
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He taught in the school of one of his parishes
~1977. . He retired after 21 years- he would have been almost 70 - and moved to a cottage on the Fasque estate
James with his dog, Jason
1983. James & Natalie celebrated their Golden Wedding
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Above photos need taken individually with greater resolution. . . . . Picture of Lithinglow that hang over their sideboard
Memories of James Gait- from his grandson David–Remember spending happy, sunny, warm afternoons (can’t have been that many of them!) on the grass outside Fettercairn having lots of home-made jam (not sure what we had the jam with – scones, pancakes? - but the jam was clearly the highlight!). Once, Papa allowed me to use his kindling axe and showed me how to turn an unsuspecting log into a fine pile of kindling. Remember him explaining how to do the complicated Times crossword but don’t think I understood a word of it…
1989. Canon James Gait, 81, dies 10/12/1989 Stonehaven ~ 30 k NE of Fasque . He had been a priest for 56 years
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Cannot decipher the above at all - new photo??
1993. His wife, 90, dies 20/12/1993 Stonehaven
No death notice found
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