26 years of heartache
Doting sister tells of family’s long search for answers over tragic brother James’ mysterious death after leaving pub in early hours
YEARS OF GRIEF Angie is haunted by loss of James, inset. Above, with the little brother she ‘looked after’
A GRIEVING sister has spoken for the first time of her family’s agonising 26-year quest for answers over her brother’s mystery death.
The body of 22-year-old James Magee was washed up on Musselburgh’s Fisherrow beach one morning in 1994.
He was last seen alive leaving a pub in the town in the early hours the day before, when he was in a cheerful mood after a few pints but not drunk.
But the family have never found out what happened to James after he left the bar and how he ended up in the water.
And big sister Angie Thomson, 54, from Wallyford, East Lothian, has now appealed for anyone who knows what happened to come forward.
She said: “It doesn’t go away. Both my mum and dad passed not knowing what happened to him.
“I’d love answers but I don’t think we will get any. Whatever happened is not going to be straightforward.
“The police said, ‘ You never know, somebody might come forward,’ but I don’t think they will.”
Popular James left the Burgh pub at 1am closing time on Sunday, February 27, 1994. The factory worker was looking forward to his first trip to Hampden to see his beloved Scotland play.
The family are desperate to know what happened too him between then and 8.20amm next morning, when he was foundnd by a dog walker. They were told bruises on his body were consistent with being washed shed downstream in the River Esk.
But the family do not know now why he was near the river as it was not on his route home. e.
Angie recalled: “It was raining the night he disapappeared. It was dreich and nd people had their blinds down wn so no one saw anything.” The he
EXCLUSIVE
coastguard worked out from tides and where his body was found that James fell into the Esk near Shorthope Street. Yet that was the opposite direction to James’ route home.
Office clerk Angie added: “He couldn’t swim and he didn’t like water. He wouldn’t go near it so how he ended up in the water, I don’t know.”
She said: “On the Monday morning I heard on the radio they’d found a man’s body in Musselburgh and I knew it was James – Dad had to go to identify him.”
James was the youngest of five and his sudden death had a devastating impact on Angie as well as brothers John, 53, William, 51, and Anthony, 50.
Their mum Jessie died two years ago, aged 72, while they lost dad Bill, 76, to coronavirus in April.
Fighting back tears, Angie said: “He was my baby, I looked after him.
“I’m always thinking about him and always wondering how he would’ve turned out.
“He enjoyed being outside and by now I expect he’d be away somewhere travelling.
“I’ve started to forget his voice. I couldn’t even say his name without greeting until I named my son after him. At least I can say his name
now.”