Family connections

Donald Abbott has been in touch with some interesting information: “In the spring of 1960, when walking past the quarry entrance with my late father, he mentioned the involvement of his great great grandfather Donald McDonald with this quarry, by then abandoned.

“Appetite whetted, I did some research and confirmed that Donald McDonald had been born in Findynate, Strathtay on October 13 1803, younger son of John McDonald , weaver of Dull and his wife Janet Connacher from Logierait. “Donald and his two wives were the progenitors of 13 children, their descendants today living worldwide. Donald died in the quarry manager’s house at Druids View, Pitroddie on December 2 1887. He had 10 children by his first wife Ann Roger and three by his second wife Margaret Stewart.

“Official documents over the years described Donald as ‘quarrier’, ‘foreman’ and ‘quarry manager.’

“However, he had originally been the leaseholder of the quarry but following a huge increase in rent, he gave the lease up.

“Thereafter, around 1860 the lessees became mainly the Dundee police commissioners with an interest from the Perth District Roads Committee.

“The police commissioners appointed Donald to manage the quarry and thereafter, dressed setts, flags and channelling etc were sent to Dundee by train from the police commissioners siding at Inchcoonans in the Carse of Gowrie.

“Thus a good deal of the street paving etc of Dundee from the 1860s onwards originated in Pitroddie quarry.

“At least 10 workmen, including quarriers , stone dressers and labourers were working there in 1876 a number of them living in cottages provided at Druids View by the police commissioners and there were also at least two local carters transporting the stone products to Inchcoonans under contract, for onward transmission to Dundee by the Caledonian Railway Company.

“The advent of the Second World War saw the demise of the quarry and its lessees by then were Messrs Martin & Macfarlane, the management based in Errol.

“Incidentally, Donald McDonald had also served the Pitroddie community as precentor, manager and elder of the United Presbyterian church of Pitroddie.”