Drumclog sits above the road in Wormit, looking over to Dundee and west up the river – an ideal spot for a house in 1895 (and it still is). Its first owner was Rev. Robert Howie Wyllie, the popular and hard-working minister of the Hawkhill U. P. Church in Dundee. From the time he was called to Dundee in 1889 he had stayed in the pleasant surroundings of Westpark Road on the Perth Road, but he joined an ever-growing movement of the middle and professional classes to Wormit. He initially rented a house in Birkhill Avenue but within the year had moved into Drumclog.
But being a minister means having commitments to your congregation, and it was the congregation who put an end to his rural residence. They objected to having to pay 2d. for the train fare to come to see their minister, so Rev. Wyllie had to return to Dundee and took up residence in Blackness Road. He may well have had thoughts of returning to Drumclog as he didn’t sell the house when he returned to the city. Unfortunately, ill health took its toll and he ended his days at his home in Blackness Road. Drumclog was bought by its sitting tenant, James Ogilvy Adams, who renamed it Abbotsford.
Hi
What a wonderful site! I am looking for some help in establishing the ownership of Wormit War Memorial so that I can apply to the War Memorial Trust for restoration funding. I have been in correspondence with Fife Council for around a year with a view to establishing ownership and requesting them to adopt. At the end of this period of protracted correspondence I find myself back where I started – ie. the memorial is part of the wall which is part of a house and not owned by Fife Council (I wanted them to adopt it).
I see reference for your minute archive to ownership of the Wormit memorial referring to transfer of ownership to the Town Council in 1920-21 “Wormit war memorial: Council to take it over for all time coming. Mrs Orchison, Carseview, had granted the corner site.” I would like to know which council this was and whether the ownership can be traced forward (e.g. was this Council amalgamated into a replacement body that can be traced to the current day). Any suggestions, please? Thanky0u!
The Wormit War Memorial is owned by Fife Council. It was adopted by Newport Town Council in 1920/21. The Newport Town Council Minutes you require are B79-1-20 (1920/21) and B79-1-47 (1947/9), both held at St Andrews University Library Special Collections