Private Peter Younger

Peter Younger of the 6th Battalion, Black Watch was the earliest death during the First World War of those commemorated on the Meigle War Memorial but, because his surname falls towards the end of the alphabet, it is the final name on the list. Peter Younger was born on 7th June 1866 in Dundee, the illegitimate son of Agnes Younger, a house servant.1 As a teenager, he worked at Burnhead Farm at Auchterhouse where he lived in the adjacent cottages2 and it was here that he met his future wife, Rachel Alcorn.

Burnhead Farm Cottages, Auchterhouse3

Peter and Rachel were married at the Auchterhouse Toll on 21st September 18884 and then the couple moved to Alyth.5

Peter was the head gardener on the Balhary Estate for twenty five years6,7 where they lived in Balhary Cottar House.8,9

Balhary House10

Around 1910, they moved to Meigle, living initially at Bank Cottage when he was a janitor with the local School Board,11,12 then later at Balmacron House.13 Peter and Rachel had 12 children,14 of whom all but one lived into adulthood and many to good ages.15

Balmacron House (Old Balmacron)16

Peter was in the National Reserve and was called up for service in mid March 1915,17 joining the 2nd Supernumerary Corps of the 6th Black Watch18 at the perhaps surprisingly old age of about 48. He was noted as being a crack shot and was a founding member of the Meigle Rifle Club.19,20 Unfortunately, his military career was to be very short as, after being stationed in Perth for only one week, he became seriously ill and died in Woodbrae Hospital, Dunkeld just two weeks later.21 He died on the morning of 7th April 1915 of “cardiac degeneration and dilation”22 and was later buried in Alyth Cemetery with military honours.23,24

Woodbrae, Dunkeld25

Peter Younger’s Gravestone in Alyth Cemetery26

Peter Younger left a widow and a family of three daughters and eight sons,27 two of whom were serving with the Scots Guards at the time of his death.28 Two more were also later to enlist. His eldest son, William, fought with the 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards at Loos and it was reported in April 1916 that he had “escaped without a scratch”.29 William’s brother, George, was not so fortunate. George was wounded in October 1915 and invalided home, although he later recovered sufficiently to return to the front.30

Private William Younger, 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards Peter Younger’s Eldest Son31

References 1 Birth registration, Peter Younger, Statutory Births 282/01 00992,1866 births in the 1st District of the Burgh of Dundee in the County of Forfar, p331. 2 1881 census, 3 April 1881, Auchterhouse; ED: 2; Page: 9; Line: 15; Roll: cssct1881_77. 3 Photograph by the Author, taken 13 August 2006. 4 Marriage registration, 1888 marriages in the Parish of Auchterhouse in the County of Forfar, p3, via family tree posted on ancestry.co.uk by “golfmadbill”, Accessed 14 April 2014. 5 County of Perth Valuation Rolls, 1885-1988. CC1, No. 8 (1), 1A-213, via family tree posted on ancestry.co.uk by bucket7357. 6 Alyth Guardian, “A Meigle Warrior”, 21 April 1916. 7 Obituary, People’s Journal (Perth & Perthshire), 10 April 1915. 8 1891 census, 5 April 1891, Parish: Alyth; ED: 6; Page: 5; Line: 18; Roll: CSSCT1891_106. 9 1901 census, 31 March 1901, Parish: Alyth; ED: 6; Page: 6; Line: 6; Roll: CSSCT1901_115. 10 Photograph by the Author, taken 9 August 2008. 11 1911 census, 2 April 1911, Census 1911 379/00 002/00 007. 12 Op cit Obituary, People’s Journal (Perth & Perthshire). 13 Leslie’s Directory for Perth and Perthshire 1910/11, 1911/12. 14 Op cit 1911 census. 15 Family tree posted on ancestry.co.uk by “bucket7357”, Accessed 14 April 2014. 16 Photograph by the Author, taken 7 October 2014. 17 Op cit Obituary, People’s Journal (Perth & Perthshire).

18 Death registration, 1915 deaths in the District of Dunkeld in the County of Perth, p3. 19 Op cit Alyth Guardian, “A Meigle Warrior”. 20 Blairgowrie Advertiser, MEIGLE RESERVIST’S DEATH, 10 April 1915. 21 Op cit Obituary, People’s Journal (Perth & Perthshire). 22 Death registration, 1915 deaths in the District of Dunkeld in the County of Perth, p3. 23 Op cit Funeral Report, Dundee Courier. 24 Interment Report, Perthshire Advertiser, 10 April 2016. 25 Photograph by the Author, taken 12 December 2014. 26 Photograph by the Author, taken 7 March 2014. 27 Op cit Obituary, People’s Journal (Perth & Perthshire). 28 Funeral Report, Dundee Courier, 10 April 1915. 29 Op cit Alyth Guardian, “A Meigle Warrior”. 30 Op cit Alyth Guardian, “A Meigle Warrior”. 31 Op cit Alyth Guardian, “A Meigle Warrior”.