George Kinross

Provost George Kinross, 1843-1919.

George was born at Shore Road, Stirling on 22^nd October 1843, and baptised on 19^th November 1843, the eldest child of William Kinross and his first wife Janet Buchanan.  He died on 14^th January 1919 at his house at 4 Victoria Square, Stirling, aged 76 and is buried at The Church of The Holy Rude.   “He had had a nasty fall from slipping on the pavement 10 days before, and evidently the shock to his system was too much for him.”

George was educated at the High School, Stirling.  In 1892 he addressed a dinner for his schoolfriend Mr Hendry where he stated “they were introduced to school life together in the old Cowane's Yard under William Young and Duncan McDougall. (applause) Mr. McDougall's memory had been handed down by the institution of a scholarship, but Mr. Young's had not been perpetuated in the same way, but he would be remembered always as a true, honourable and Christian gentleman - (applause) - which what was every teacher of youth ought to be.”

He was originally going to go into the legal profession, but he took over the running of the carriage works with his younger brother James instead.

George married Grace Ferme Sutherland in 1878.  They had 8 children.  Grace was born in 1856 and died young, aged 38, on 6^th January 1894.  She is buried with George at The Church of The Holy Rude.  Their elder daughters brought up the younger children after she died.

George was admitted “Burgess as Neighbour”, Stirling on 8^th September 1880, occupation “coachbuilder.”

In the April 1881 Census, George Kinross was recorded as a “coachbuilder employing 40 men and 15 boys”, living at 5 Albert Place, Stirling with his family and 2 domestic servants.  Sometime later they moved to 4 Victoria Square, Stirling.

George was: Provost of Stirling from 1891 to 1897, a member of the Stirling Town Council for 24 years from 1879 to 1903, including Convener of the Finance Committee, a J.P., Chairman of the Stirling Educational Trust and a Director of the Royal Infirmary.

He retired from the carriageworks in 1910, when he was 67.

“Ex-Provost Kinross is a ‘Son of the Rock’ in the fullest sense of the term, as he was born and educated in Stirling.  His grand-uncle Henry Kinross, founded a public work for coachbuilding, which since his father, Mr. William Kinross' death in 1874, has been entirely managed by the ex-Provost with his brother, Mr. James Kinross.

He was elected a member of the Town Council in 1879, and represented Port Street Ward for 24 years in succession.  He was elected Bailie in 1882, and served in that office 3 times - 9 years - and was unanimously elected Provost and High Sheriff of Stirling in 1891, and Provost again in 1894.

On 24^th May 1895, Stirling's Post Office was officially opened by Provost Kinross in presence of a large gathering of the principal inhabitants, and it being the Queen's Birthday, the first telegram was despatched to Her Majesty, to which a gracious reply was received, the first letter posted being one to Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, G.C.B., M.P., acknowledging his services in connection with the undertaking.

In 1896, the new filters at Stirling Water Works, on Touch Hills, were opened by Provost Kinross, when he was presented with a silver jug in commemoration of the event.

On 11^th September 1897, the Provost was chairman at the national gathering on the Abbey Craig, on the occasion of the 600^th anniversary of the Battle of Stirling Bridge, and led the way for other speakers with a patriotic speech.  That evening he presided at a banquet in Stirling, when the Earl of Rosebery, in a historic and eloquent speech, proposed “The Immortal Memory of Wallace.”

In October 1897, the Provost presided at a crowded meeting in the Albert Hall, when the Earl of Rosebery received the freedom of the burgh.

Provost Kinross had the honour of being amongst those invited by Her Majesty the Queen to a reception at Buckingham Palace on the occasion of her diamond jubilee, and receiving the medal commemorative of that event.”

Extracted from "Old Faces, Old Places & Old Stories of Stirling" by William Drysdale, 1899.

The following extract comes from the Stirling Confirmations & Inventories, 1919.
“George Kinross, 4 Victoria Square, Stirling, died 14^th January 1919, at Stirling, testate.  Confirmation granted at Stirling, 28^th August, to Robert Laing Sutherland, 37 Craigmillar Park, Edinburgh, his brother-in-law, James B. Paton, his son-in-law, and William Kinross, his son.  Executors nominated in Will or Deed, dated 22^nd June 1918, and recorded in Court Books of Commissariot of Stirling, 9^th August 1919.  Value of Estate, £8136.1s.7d.”