William McTurk Esquire of (West) Polquhirter
Residence: West Polquhirter, New Cumnock
The lands of Polquhirter in the parish of New Cumnock in 1833 were held by two heritors namely William McTurk (West Polquhirter) and Thomas Hunter (East Polquhirter & High Polquhirter).
West Polquhirter
William McTurk was born at what is now known as West Polquhirter on 19th January 1810 the only child of William McTurk and Janet Gibson, daughter of John Gibson of Lanemark. Sadly, his father died two days before baby William was baptised on the 28th of that month.
William McTurk married Margaret Arthur, daughter of David Arthur, farmer at Benston and sister to William Arthur, after whom the former Arthur Memorial Church was named. Together they had 8 children at Polquhirter before Margaret died in 1847, aged 37 years.
- Thank you to the Lilydale & District Historical Society for the copy of William McTurk’s headstone in Lilydale Cemetery. Please visit their website at lilydalehistorical.com.au
Widower William sold off his lands in 1853 to Miss Guthrie, daughter of the late Alexander Guthrie, The Mount , Kilmarnock and emigrated to Victoria, Australia. He died on 18th July 1890, aged 81 years and is buried at Lilydale Cemetery, Warburton, Deeside along side his daughter Margaret and her husband John Rankine Gibb.
Proprietor William McTurk Esq / Land Tax Rolls 1803: Brown’s Polqhuirter* and Park **
Notes: * Thomas Brown was a former owner the lands of what is now known as West Polquhirter.** Park is High Park
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
National Library of Scotland
- http://maps.nls.uk/index.html
- All maps reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland
Scotland’s People
- https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk
- Old Parish Records, Births, Marriages, Deaths, Census Records, Valuations Rolls, Wills & Testaments
Scotland’s Places
- http://www.scotlandsplaces.gov.uk/
- Historical Land Tax Rolls
Lilydale & District Historical Society
NEW CUMNOCK HISTORY 