THE lands of Dalmarnock are situated on the right bank of the Clyde, at Bridgeton. From a remote period these belonged, in unequal portions, to two old Glasgow families related to each other, named Gray and Woddrop. The Grays held the largest, and it is to their property the present sketch applies.
The Grays of Dalmarnock and Carntyne were owners of several other estates around Glasgow. The last Gray of Dalmarnock was named John. He succeeded his elder brother James in that property in 1778. It extended to about 160 acres. In 1784 John Gray sold Dalmarnock to his son-in-law, Thomas Buchanan of Ardoch, who soon afterwards built Dalmarnock House.
He was succeeded by his son, John Buchanan, also of Ardoch. The father and son were leading partners for about forty years of the once celebrated Ship Bank. Mr. John Buchanan was also a Deputy Lieutenant for Dumbartonshire, and represented for some time that county in Parliament. He improved Dalmarnock House, more particularly by putting on a new front and adding wings. Afterwards he sold the whole estate to Archibald Grahame, (1) then proprietor of the adjoining lands of Barrowfield, and many years cashier of the aristocratic Thistle Bank in Virginia Street. Mr. Buchanan at the same time purchased another estate in a neighbouring county.
Since that period Dalmarnock House has changed owners several times. It now belongs to the heirs of the late George Wilson, Esq.
Part of the extensive suburb of Bridgeton has been built, and various streets formed on the lands of Dalmarnock; but when the old mansion was erected by Mr. Thomas Buchanan, about eighty-five years ago, there was not a single house besides on the whole property.
(1878)
Dalmarnock the Less still belongs to the Woddrops, who are among the oldest land-owners round Glasgow. This ancient patrimony of theirs has greatly grown in value, but now forms only one of several valuable properties.
Henry Woddrop of Dalmarnock, and Lilias Hamilton of Aitkenhead, had a son, William Woddrop of Dalmarnock. He married Ellen Gray, daughter of John Gray of Carntyne (the last Gray of Dalmarnock the Greater). Their son, John Woddrop of Dalmarnock, fell heir to John Allan of Elsrickle, and thereon took the additional surname of Allan. He also acquired the estate of Garvald in Peeblesshire. From him his only son, William Allan Woddrop, has inherited Dalmarnock, Elsrickle, and Garvald. Further, from his distant relation, Mary Hamilton, last of Holmhead (niece to his great-grandmother, Lilias Hamilton), William Allan Woddrop has succeeded both to Holmhead (with the representation of the old Renfrewshire family of Hamilton of Holmhead, formerly of Aitkenhead) and to a share in the valuable Glasgow feuing property of "Bell's Park" (a Hamilton inheritance from the old Glasgow family of Bell of Cowcaddens.) Miss Mary Hamilton had succeeded her brother, James Hamilton of Holmhead.
"Holmhead" (he got no other name) was as well known in society in the West of Scotland as any one of his day. He was a man of fine presence, scrupulous in dress, and punctilious in manner, and of good abilities. But he was best known as one of the old school of Scotch Lairds, who made a point of honour that no guest should rise from their table sober. Of this horrible school he was a most zealous scholar. Happily he was among the last on the roll; and, as some amends, he was among the first here who took to the healthy sport of yachting. He and James Oswald of Scotstoun (who had been in the Navy) owned the first Clyde yacht, properly so-called, the first sea-going vessel expressly built here for pleasure. She was a cutter, named the "Lamlash," from her anchorage in Lamlash Bay. The house still standing on the Holy Isle was built by Holmhead as his yachting head-quarters. Latterly he lived in a villa he built at Ardrossan. He died in 1832.
(1) Archibald Grahame was descended from a cadet of Dougalston. His ancestors had been in former times seneschals or chamberlains to the Marquises and Dukes of Montrose, and lived at Easter Mugdock, and it is only about thirty years since a branch of this family (cousins-german of Archibald Grahame) ceased to reside at Mugdock Castle. The main line of Grahame of Dougalston having failed, Archibald Grahame's descendants represent that old family, and are, besides, amongst the heirs of entail of Graham of Ballagan, whom they represent through the female line, by the marriage of Mr. Grahame's father, John Grahame of Drumquhassle, with Barbara Grahame of Birdston. These again represent another ancient family of Grahams, viz., that of Graham of Dunans and Glenroy, one of whose seven sons, John, married a daughter of Robert Campbell of Mochaster, and founded the Ballagan family; and another, Archibald, married in 1713 Marion Donaldson, heiress of Birdston, mother of Mrs. Grahame of Drumquhassle, grandmother of Archibald Grahame of Dalmarnock, and great-great-grandmother of Archibald Hamilton Grahame (Stirling), and James Grahame (Auldhouse), both citizens of Glasgow. (See Whitehill.)
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