Matthew Gilmour (1850 – 1936), Secretary of Beith Farmer’s Society

On 27 May 1922 Matthew Gilmour retired as Chairman of the Beith Farmers’ Society Management Committee, having served as secretary and treasurer, and lately as chairman, for 31 years.

Matthew Gilmour was born 04 November 1850 at Nether Gree Farm, Beith, the youngest of five children born to parents Matthew Gilmour and Jane Wylie.  The 1851 census revealed that his father owned the 57 acres of farmland at Nether Gree, Beith and employed four servants.  Matthew’s ancestors had been farming Nether Gree for over 200 years.

Matthew was educated at Gateside School and then Irvine Academy, after which he began an apprenticeship at the Clydesdale Bank, Beith in 1865 and three years later was appointed accountant at the bank.  In 1873 he was transferred and later sent to Ayr where he met his wife Jessie Howat McIlwraith whom he married on 11 December 1878 at Content House, St Quivox.  They went on to have three children, Jessie (1879), Jane (1883) and Matthew (1885). 

Matthew moved back to Beith in 1878 when a vacancy arose at the Clydesdale Bank, and he was appointed as bank agent (manager).  He continued to work for the Clydesdale Bank for 44 years.  In addition to his work for the bank, he was very active in Beith society.  He was treasurer of the Beith Parish Nursing Association for the poor for 28 years; was treasurer of the Bowling Green for 29 years, during which time he helped them to increase their funds, so that they were able to lay down a new green, thereby enabling them to bring back the Scottish Bowling Championships to Beith.  He was a member of the school board and represented the school board as a heritor on the governing body of Spiers School.  He was appointed Justice of the Peace in March 1878 and when the Licensing Act was passed in 1903, he became deputy clerk to the Northern District of Ayrshire.  He was also Registrar for the parish of Beith, recording births, deaths and marriages for 34 years and Session Clerk and treasurer of the Beith Parish Church for 33 years.  Mr Gilmour had also been treasurer of the Relief of Distress Fund.

He appears in “Slater’s Royal National Commercial Directory of Scotland” dated 1903 as ‘Gilmour Matthew, registrar of births, deaths & marriages, session clerk, insurance & bank agent, Clydesdale Bank, Braehead, Beith

In 1906 the Clydesdale Bank moved to new premises at Braehead, Beith with an attached Bank house.  The 1911 census reveals that Matthew and his family were living in the Bank house, along with two servants.  His son Matthew, then aged 25 was employed as a Law Clerk.  Following his retirement from the Clydesdale Bank and his various activities in 1922, Matthew and Jessie Gilmour moved to 53 Bellevue Crescent, Ayr.

On Friday 25 August 1922 members of the Beith Farmers’ Society and their friends gathered to honour Matthew Gilmour who had been their secretary for 31 years at the Saracen Hotel, Beith.  Mr Gilmour had been secretary and treasurer of the Farmers’ Society since 15 May 1891 and had resigned in November 1920, before becoming Chairman of the Management Committee from 15 March 1921 until 27 May 1922.  He had also been secretary to the local branch of the National Farmers’ Union which was formed in 1914 and held that office until 1921.  Mr Gilmour was presented with a Silver Salver which was inscribed: “Presented to Matthew Gilmour, Esquire, by members and friends of the Beith Farmers’ Society in recognition of the inestimable services rendered by him to the Society for the long period of 31 years, and to agriculture generally in Beith and district, August 1922”.  His wife was presented with a case of silver cutlery which was inscribed: “Beith Farmers’ Society, presented to Mrs Gilmour, August 1922”.

On Thursday 06 October 1922 a function took place at the Beith Townhouse where Matthew Gilmour was presented with a writing bureau and a cheque and his wife was presented with a handsome easy chair.  Both pieces of furniture had been made by Messrs Stevenson, Higgins & Co., Beith.  The writing bureau bore the inscription “Presented to Matthew Gilmour, Esq., in recognition of his long services to the community of Beith, October 1922”.

Matthew Gilmour died 18 April 1936, 7.15pm at 53 Bellevue Crescent, Ayr, aged 85.  His beloved wife Jessie predeceased him.  His son Matthew who now lived at Nether Gree farm, Beith, registered his death.  He was buried in the family plot at Beith Old Cemetery, Section G, Lair 21 along with his wife, parents and paternal grandparents.

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