Monteath Mausoleum: History and Description by Lynda Henderson as part of her Architecture Conservation course

This mausoleum was built for Major Archibald Douglas Monteath, who served in the East
India Company before returning to Glasgow. He was interred here in 1842 and his brother, James Monteath Douglas, was interred here in 1850.

An entertaining story – its truthfulness debatable – is that while serving in India, Monteath “made his fortune when an elephant carrying precious gems belonging to a Maharajah was captured and ‘relieved’ of its load by him.”

The mausoleum was designed by architect David Cousin, who is best known for his Edinburgh work. It is an unusual building, being of neo-Norman design in this cemetery of predominantly classical monuments. Intriguingly it has no writing, lettering or numerals inscribed anywhere on it – it is completely silent about its occupants.

It is a circular temple building 30 ft in diameter, the design of which was based on the Knights Templar Church of the Holy Sepulchre 8. The main lower portion of the building is split into sixteen facets around its circumference with one double-bay-wide entrance arch and fourteen deep, round-arched blank window niches at low level, each one elaborately carved in a different design. Above these are recessed panels with four columns topped by semi-circular interweaved arches.  Above this a cornice supports the edge of the lower roof – a shallow conical roof of large stone slabs, each slab alternately higher and lower around the roof. Over this sits a lantern with eight facets, each facet having three slit openings flanked by columns topped with arches. Above these are regularly spaced grotesque faces which support the cornice and roof of the lantern – again stone but in a common tile pattern. This is topped with a mini version of the Choragic Monument of Lysicrates.

The entrance porch is elaborately carved with a round arch over the door including carved grotesque faces and a pitched stone roof above. The door is solid timber, secured with two padlocks. I was unable to gain access to the interior of the mausoleum as the Council have lost the keys, however Ruth Johnston notes in her book “Afterlives Tales Of Interments” that “internally the monument is unfinished rubble work walls and the roof of the tower inside is brick.” This based on the description in George Blair’s ‘Sketches of Glasgow Necropolis’.

A building in Edinburgh on Rutland Place by David Cousin sports an identical entrance porch – every detail is the same!

Nearly every surface of this building is decorated with carving, much of it high relief and intricate.

Please visit our Monteath Appeal page.

This profile was sent in by John McCall-Peat March 2011.

The two persons in which I have the greatest interest are the grand daughters of William McCall (1799), Jessie Meuros Peat and her sister Mary King Dalglish (Peat) whose brother, Samuel McCall Peat came out to South Africa (Port Elizabeth), fought in the Boer War and later married, in South Africa, Mary (May) Davidson (born in Aberdeen).

Samuel hyphenated his second forename thus creating my family surname McCall-Peat.

William McCall Born 1799 Died 30 December 1871. Father of Margaret McCall who married John Peat. Their son born 1866 was named Samuel McCall Peat. He settled in South Africa and married Mary Smart Davidson.

They had 6 children whose surnames were shown as McCall-Peat. Their first child was born in 1900.

The family appears to have been prosperous, as the residential addresses appearing in the various censuses are in very desirable areas. Further the cost of this type of memorial would have been fairly expensive.

William and his wife Jessie (Janet) McCall (Meuros) in the 1841 census lived in

Tarbot Street St. Paul’s District. At the time of the 1851 census they lived at 112

Rottenrow St Mungo District Glasgow.

The following are extracts from the will of  William McCall.

Builder and Wright and the founder of William McCall & Sons Glasgow.

The spellings are exactly as shown in the will.

….who died at Dahlandhui, Gareloch, Dumbartonshire on the 30^th day of December 1871.

……deceased houses number 25 Richmond Street Glasgow. Dahlandhui, Rockville and Carloch on the Gareloch,Dumbartonshire.

…….to my eldest son the said Samuel McCall all and whole the plot of ground with the house or villa built thereon and offices and pertinents thereto belonging called Dalandowie, situated on the Gareloch being part and portion of the lands feined by me from his Grace the Duke of Argyll in the Parish of Roseneath and County of Dumbarton.

…..to my second son the said William McCall that plot of ground with the house or villa built thereon and offices and pertinents thereto belonging called Rockvalley and situated immediately to the north of Dalandowie being part and portion of the lands feined by me from his Grace the Duke of Argyll.

….to my youngest son Archibald Grieve McCall that plot of ground with the house or villa built thereon and offices and pertinents thereto belonging called Carlochvale being part and portion of the lands feined by me from his Grace the Duke of Argyll.

….whole of any property situated in Balmanno Street , Dean Street and Deanside Lane, immediately to the north of the court behind the range of buildings in George Street called Graham’s buildings……

…with the wood yard presently possesed by me and wright’s shops and whole buildings and pertinents thereto belonging to my said sons Samuel and William McCall ………

…hold in trust in their names for behoof of my Daughters ..…… the following tenements belonging to me situated in and forming part of the said range of buildings on the north side of George Street of Glasgow called Graham’s buildings……on which several lots the deceased John Graham erected four large tenements of land fronting George Street…..the west most tenement of said range of buildings at the corner of George Street and Deanside Lane…my eldest daughter Grace McCall.

…..the tenement immediately to the east of the said west most tenement…my daughter Isabella McCall, or Dixon…the tenement immediately to the east of the one last mentioned …my daughter Mrs Margaret McCall or Peat ,wife of John Peat…

….the remaining of the east most tenement of the said range being the tenement on the corner of George Street and Balmanno Street….my daughter Mrs Janet Freeland McCall or Maitland….

…to hold the property in Glassford Street possessed by my tenants Messrs. Wilson & Matheson…..

Memorial Inscription

The stone is a very large 3 sectioned stone with pink granite panels and lists around 23 other family members, some of the people listed are obviously not buried there, but the area/width it covers is the equivalent of at least 4 lairs (e.g. approximately 12 feet wide, allowing for the burial of at about 16 individuals).

The stone sits right at the top of the Necropolis in Section Zeta and because of the size of the stone, it can be seen quite clearly looking at an aerial view.

WILLIAM  McCALL Section Zeta

In memory of WILLIAM McCALL, Builder, Glasgow, born 25th September 1799, died 30th December 1871 (72)

JESSIE MEUROS his wife, born 25th July 1800, died 19th January 1860 (59)

Who rest in the New Cathedral Churchyard.

JAMES MAITLAND their son-in-law died 17th July 1885 aged 54 years who rests in Dumfries Cemetery

JANET FREELAND McCALL his wife born 10th October 1833, died 27th November 1893 (60)

GRACE DOUGLAS McCALL born 18th December 1821, died 31st March 1896 (74)

Who are interred here.

WILLIAM McCALL MAITLAND born 16th May 1863, died 30th June 1923 (60)

GRACE DOUGLAS DALGLISH born 10th October 1893, died 16th November 1927 (34)

JESSIE MEUROS PEAT born 26th February 1860, died 1st February 1933 (72)

MARY KING DALGLISH born 10th March 1864, died 11th January 1934 (69)

Samuel M. McCall

In memory of SAMUEL MEUROS McCALL, Builder, born 18th September 1837, died 8th August 1913 (75)

DAISY WEBB his daughter-in-law, born 1st March 1885, died 9th January 1929 (43)

SAMUEL MEUROS his son, born 14th November 1884, died 4th March 1935 (50), both interred at Brisbane.

WILLIAM LANDELL (Sonny) his grandson, born 22nd June 1908, died 23rd February 1925 (16)

AGNES KENNEDY his daughter, born 19th March 1880, died 24th January 1944 (63)

(Wife of Thomas F. Landell) Both interred in Logie Churchyard (Stirlingshire).

CATHERINE SINCLAIR LAW his wife, born 8th April 1853, died 30th November 1946 (93)

EDITH AIRTH his daughter-in-law, born 25th March 1889, died 12th February 1955 (65)

WILLIAM his son, born 21st January 1877, died 3rd November 1955 (78)

ROBERT LAW his son, born 4th February 1883, died 2nd January 1971 (87)

William McCall

In memory of ANNIE FERGUSON MATHESON his wife, born 22nd April 1848, died 4th May 1877 (29)

The said WILLIAM McCALL, Builder, born 18th February 1840, died 16th October 1912 (72)

MINA LANDELL his elder son’s wife died 25th March 1917

ROBERT MATHESON his younger son, born 24th November 1875, died 21st March 1948 (72)

ETHEL LASSAM, his elder son’s wife, born 1st December 1887, died 4th December 1954 (67)

William McCall Stone – New Cathedral Churchyard.

Descendants of William McCall

The Muir Family and Friends

Profile supplied by and copyright of Morag T. Fyfe

In compartment Beta of the Glasgow Necropolis a stone commemorates James and Mary Muir and three of their children.  The mother and three children all died on the 22^nd May 1868 when the SS Garonne was wrecked off Lands End.  James Muir was rescued but died two weeks later on 7^th June at Penzance, Cornwall.

Further research reveals a tragic story in which ultimately the sole survivor of eighteen passengers on board the Garonne was a five year old boy.  Amongst those lost that night were two mothers of families, seven children ranging in age from nine months to nine years, five female maids and nurses accompanying the families, an elderly gentleman in his late sixties and his nephew dying from consumption.  The father of one of the families was rescued along with his son but died later.

View Larger Map

Location of wreck

SS Garonne was a schooner rigged steamer of 499 tons register built at Hull in 1866 and owned by Messr. James Moss and Co. of Liverpool.  She was 225 feet long and had engines of 90-horse power.  Commanded by Benjamin Drew from Megavissey she and her captain had been specially requested to bring this party home from France.  On the voyage from Bordeaux to Liverpool she struck one of the Bucks Rocks between Land’s End and Penzance about 11pm on 22^nd May while going at full speed in thick fog.  In the confusion as the vessel broke up all the passengers were swept overboard and sixteen drowned.  The crew managed to launch three boats and eighteen out of twenty two crewmen survived.  The master, mate and two stewards were lost.

A Board of Trade Enquiry was held at Penzance in June into the circumstances of the sinking and Captain Drew was blamed.  Comment in the Glasgow newspapers suggested that the crew should also have been held to account as making no effort to save the passengers but they were exonerated at the enquiry.  The whole sorry episode was widely reported in the newspapers at the time.

Inner and outer Bucks from the coastal path

© Copyright Rod Allday and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

The passengers on board were a group of neighbours and friends from Bothwell, Lanarkshire.  James Muir and his family had lived at Dunclutha House, Bothwell until 1867 when they are said to have moved back to Glasgow, though the PO Directories do not give a new address there for them.  Alexander Turner and his nephew William Turner lived at Grange, Bothwell and James McEwan and his family lived at Greenknowe, Bothwell.  According to newspaper reports all three families had gone together to spend the winter months at Pau in the south of France and were now returning to Scotland.  William Turner’s married sister Thomasina Maclellan had also spent the winter with them but she was recommended to return home overland and not by sea.  Thus she survived the tragedy that befell her brother and uncle.  Alexander Turner had not been at Pau over the winter but travelled out especially to escort his sick nephew home.  Also in the party were two French maids attached to the Muir family who are only known as Madeline and Marie from a death intimation.  The McEwans had two servants with them one of whom has been identified as Susan Spencer aged 19 of Castleroe, Coleraine, Northern Ireland.  The other is described in newspaper reports simply as a highland girl and no further details of her have been discovered.  Mrs Maclellan’s nurse Christina Mackenzie from Doune, Perthshire travelled with the Turners to look after William Turner and was also lost.  Without a very careful reading of all the newspaper reports it is difficult to ascertain exactly how many bodies were recovered and returned to their families for burial.

James Muir seems to have been born about 1823 in Paisley probably the eldest son of Matthew Muir, a grain merchant according to the 1841 census, and Margaret Stevenson.  He married Mary Erskine the second daughter of James Erskine, Governor of Carrickfergus Gaol (1827-48) in Glasgow on 6^th October 1857.  The couple had four children:

Mary Erskine Muir born 15^th Dec 1858 at Tradeston,

Margaret Elizabeth Muir born 26^th June 1860 at Roseneath,

Matthew Muir born 16^th October 1862 at Tradeston and

Anna Erskine Jackson Muir born about July 1867 (9 months old when she died on the Garonne).

Anna’s body was soon recovered but her mother’s was not found until the 20^th June and those of her two elder sisters do not seem to have been recovered at all.

Glasgow Herald, Thursday, May 28, 1868.

James Muir and his brother Thomas were partners in Matthew Muir & Sons who ran the Tradeston Flour Mills.  By the census in 1871 Matthew Muir, junior the only survivor of the wreck seems to have been living with his uncle Thomas and his aunt Ada at Ballincleroch House, Campsie, Stirlingshire.  Disaster struck the Muir family again when a dust explosion and fire destroyed the Tradeston Mills on Tuesday 9^th July 1872.  Eighteen people in the mills and surrounding buildings lost their lives.  As a result by 1878 the firm was in financial trouble and I do not know how long it survived.

The other family on board was the wife and children of James McEwan.  James McEwan of Smith & Sharp, Wholesale Grocers and Tea Merchants, Buchanan Court, 75 Argyll Street came to Glasgow from Port of Menteith.  He is probably the James McEwan born on 18^th March 1817 at Port of Menteith to Duncan McEwan and Janet Ferguson.  He married Elizabeth Graham McColl on 22^nd April 1859 at Kirkintilloch and had five children:

Mary Henderson M’Ewan born 23^rd March 1860 at Kirkintilloch,

Duncan M’Ewan born 2^nd Aug 1861 at Kirkintilloch (died young),

Janet (Jessie) Ferguson M’Ewan born 10^th July 1862 at Kirkintilloch,

Daniel M’Ewan born 30^th Apr 1864 at Bothwell and

James M’Ewan born 12^th May 1866 at Bothwell.

The bodies of all four children were recovered but that of Mrs McEwan does not seem to have been found (certainly not up to the end of July 1868 when I stopped searching newspapers).  The four children were buried at Bothwell on 29^th May according to a newspaper report.

Glasgow Herald, Wednesday, May 27, 1868.

The remaining two members of the part to lose their lives were Alexander Turner born 8^th December 1802 at Luss, Dunbartonshire, son of Duncan Turner and Lucy Leitch, and his nephew William Turner born 26^th October 1831 in Jamaica, son of William Turner and Mary Fenton Stephenson.  Alexander Turner was unmarried and seems to have acted as guardian to his niece and nephew Thomasina and William Turner.  He was an East Indian merchant retired from the firm of Martin, Turner & Co.  His nephew William had previously been in Melbourne as a merchant.  Both men’s bodies were recovered and they are probably buried in the family lair in Luss graveyard.  The body of Christina Mckenzie who had been looking after William Turner was also recovered.

Glasgow Herald, Tuesday, May 26, 1868.

James Murdoch was born in Glasgow in 1857 and died 1858 at his home in 1/2 21 South Portland St Glasgow.  As he was only 16 months old when he died there is nothing very much to say about his short life. The cause of death is noted as Scarlatina (Scarlet Fever).

His Parents were Hugh Murdoch and Agnes Gordon, both born in Ireland and married in 1848 in Glasgow.  They are both buried in Craigton Cemetery.  James is buried in an unmarked grave in the Glasgow Necropolis.