THE property of Ralston is situated in the parish of Paisley and county of Renfrew, about six miles from Glasgow. The Ralstons of that Ilk were a very old family in Renfrewshire. The name is supposed to have originated in one Ralph or Ralf, who is said to have been a son of one of the Earls of Fife. He came to Renfrewshire, and having obtained lands there, named them after himself, "Ralfstoune" or "Ralstoune."
Be their origin, however, what it may, the Ralstons were undoubtedly of great antiquity in this parish and county.
In the chartulary of Paisley "Nicolaus de Ralphston" is mentioned in 1272. In the Ragman Roll, "Hew de Ralstoune", is a subscriber about 1296, and "Jacobus Ralstoune dominus ejusdem" is a witness to a charter in 1346. A John de Ralstoune appears in 1488, and afterwards a Richard. There was a Hugh Ralston of that Ilk in 1560, who "is an subscryver of that solemn bond entered into by many for manteaning the trew evangell." (1)
From the old Ralstons was descended in a direct line Gavin Ralston of that Ilk, who about the beginning of last century sold his lands to John, Earl of Dundonald; and upon the marriage of the Lady Anne Cochrane, eldest daughter of this nobleman, to James, fifth Duke of Hamilton, Ralston passed with her to the house of Hamilton.
In 1755 James, the succeeding Duke, sold Ralston to William M'Dowall of Castlesemple. This gentleman was much connected with Glasgow. His father, Colonel M'Dowall, of an old Galloway family, acquired by marriage large estates in the West Indies, and in 1727 purchased Castlesemple. In the same year he acquired the "Shawfield Mansion" in Glasgow, and was engaged in business there. His house was occupied by Prince Charles Stuart during his residence in Glasgow in 1745. Colonel M'Dowall died in 1748, and was succeeded by his eldest son, who purchased Ralston. He was one of the six enterprising Glasgow merchants who founded the Ship Bank in 1750. This was the first Glasgow Bank, and is now amalgamated with the Union Bank.
In 1800 William M'Dowall sold a considerable part of Ralston to William Orr, (2) who died in 1812, and was succeeded by his eldest son, Robert Orr. After again changing owners, Ralston came into the possession, in 1840, of the late James Richardson, merchant in Glasgow. On his death his eldest son Thomas succeeded. He added to the property by the purchase of Hillington, in the immediate neighbourhood, and dying at Pesth in Hungary in 1872, his son Robert Young Richardson, became the proprietor.
Ralston is described by Wishaw as "the seat of ane old family; a very pleasant place lyand near to Paisley. . . . Bot having their residence att Woodsyde (3) in Cunninghame, westward of this, they neglected this place." About the beginning of this century William Orr built an excellent house upon the property, and in 1864 large additions were made to it from furnished by Campbell Douglas, architect, Glasgow.
(1) Hamilton of Wishaw.
(2) William Orr of Ralston had a brother, whose descendants, John and Robert Orr, John Orr Ewing,* Archibald Orr Ewing M.P., and others, are well known and prominent citizens of Glasgow.
* Mr. John Orr Ewing died while this volume was passing through the press.
(3) "Woodsyde" was acquired by Hew Ralston in 1551, and he built a "strong tower" there, which is part of the present house. He transferred the family residence from Ralston to Woodside, and called it Woodside-Ralston.
Gavin Ralston, who succeeded in 1691, and who sold Ralston, had, with other children, a daughter, Jean, who married in 1732 John Shedden of Ruchwood; the eldest daughter of this marriage married John Patrick of Treehorn. The estate of Woodside is now in the possession of Robert William Cochrane Patrick, the great-great-great-grandson of Gavin Ralston, who sold Ralston.
Gavin Ralston, the grandson of the last laird of Ralston, died at Edinburgh in 1819, aged eighty-five, and as he left no sons, he was the last male representative of this ancient family.
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