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John Shaw
SRoH. No known records in Roll of Honour. Identified from living relatives.
ex Stuart Wilson (Sons of Galloway) :
Private M2/187449 John Shaw Royal Army Service Corps.
Attested under Derby Scheme in late 1915.
Mobilised June 1916.
1901 Girthon Census, Catherine Street : John Shaw (20, shepherd, born Gatehouse) with father John (63, general labourer) and mother Jane (55) + brothers Henry and Thomas + nephew John B. Muatt.
1911 Anwoth Census, Mossyard Cot House : John Shaw (30, shepherd, born Girthon) with wife Janet + daughter Margaret (aged 3).
From a Family Member : Known as Jack. Served in France as a member of the Royal Army Service Corps.
Born 28th October 1880 in Gatehouse of Fleet (Father John Shaw, mother Jane Lockhart)
He received a character reference from the Kirkcudbright Constabulary at Gatehouse on 2nd June 1916. The local police constable William McGill said of John :
‘This is to certify that I have known John Shaw for a number of years. He is a sober, steady and obliging man and thoroughly trustworthy. He is an expert Motor Car driver and has had any amount of experience and is a man that has never been in trouble of any kind. In giving this certificate I do so with the greatest of pleasure knowing that John Shaw is worthy of it.’
John’s address at the time was High Street, Gatehouse.
Also received a licence to drive a motor car or motor cycle from the County of London (valid 28th July 1916 to 27th July 1917)
John married Janet Hughan on 9th April 1907 at Gatehouse. John and Janet had 3 children Margaret J. (born 1907), James Hunter (born 1912) and Nettie (born 1915).
John is a brother of Henry, James M. and Thomas (born 1888) and an uncle of John Mowatt Shaw who were all soldiers.
Gatehouse link : Born and lived in Gatehouse.
John Shaw
SRoH. Private John Shaw. Home: West View, Gatehouse.
Enlisted December 1916, 4th Royal Scots Fusiliers. Note: West View is in Birtwhistle St.
Transferred to Royal Scots. Served on Western Front. Wounded and gassed.
Prisoner of war from 20th April to 30th November 1918.
1901 Girthon census in Birtwhistle Street : John Shaw (age 1, born Gatehouse) with father William (28, agricultural labourer) and mother Eliza (28) + 2 brothers.
1911 Girthon census in Birtwhistle Street : John Shaw (11, born Girthon) with father William (38, general labourer) and mother Eliza (38) + 4 brothers and 4 sisters. William & Eliza had been married for 18 years, and had 11 children of which only 8 were still alive.
A family member says that William & Eliza had at least 12 children including a John, a William and a Thomas. John emigrated to New Zealand and had 8 children.
John, Thomas and possibly William Shaw were all brothers who fought in the war. Thomas and William were killed.
Gatehouse link : Born and grew up in Girthon..
John Robert Mowatt Shaw
SRoH. Corporal John R. M. Shaw. Home: Catherine Street, Gatehouse.
Mobilised 4th August 1914. Kirkcudbrightshire Battery, 2nd Lowland Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. Transferred to 66th and 37th Division.
Served on Western Front (Ypres & La Bassee). Wounded at Kemmel Hill.
Anwoth Gravestone : Mowat Shaw died 1977, aged 86 (born c.1891). Wife Jessie Nichol.
Military Records :
Enlisted 01/06/1916. Was 20 years & 11 months in June 1917.
In France 08/05/1918 to 22/12/1918.
Next of kin Mrs JRM Shaw, Catherine Street, Gatehouse.
Previously served with Kirkcudbright RFA as a corporal.
Re enlisted as a Private 3181607 5th KOSB on 07/02/1922.
Promoted to lance corporal in1922.
Was a corporal 06/02/1923 when he was discharged.
Home Catherine Street, Gatehouse. Date of birth 25/07/1891
He was a labourer and was married.
Height 5' 9½'' Weight 168 lbs. Presbyterian.
Clear complexion, Brown eyes and black hair.
1891 Girthon Census, Catherine Street : John Muat (3m, born Girthon) with grandparents John and Jane Shaw and their 5 children, including daughter Maggie Jane Shaw (domestic cook) who was probably mother of John R M Shaw.
1901 Girthon Census, Catherine Street : John R Muatt (10, born Gatehouse) with grandparents John & Jane Shaw.
1911 Girthon Census, Catherine Street : John Robert Muet (20, hotel waiter, born Girthon) with grandparents John & Jane Shaw + uncles Henry and Thomas Shaw and another grandchild. Grandfather John was a retired drainer.
The Progeny of Joseph Gibson and Jane Nisbet by William A McKibben
No 655601 Promoted from Gunner, to A/Bomber, to Corporal. Demobbed March 1920.
Re- enlisted February 1922 in 5th K.O.S.B.as a Private. 5’9½’’ tall & Presbyterian. Married.
Girthon Church Banns : 21/11/1915 marriage banns of John Robert Mowat Shaw to Jessie Nichol of Girthon. John’s home given as Larbert.
Marriage Certificate. He married Jessie Nichol (domestic servant from High St., Gatehouse) on 03/12/1915 at Gatehouse (Girthon). He signed as J.R.M. Shaw (corporal in the Royal Field Artillery.) No father’s name given, mother Maggie Shaw (domestic servant) John’s usual residence was given as Larbert.
J.R.M. Shaw’s uncles James M., John, Thomas and Henry were all soldiers in the war.
Known as Mowatt.
Married Jessie Nichol 03/12/1915 (witnessed by Harry Shaw & Tom Nichol).
Son John William Shaw born 02/11/1917 at Gatehouse.
Gatehouse link : Born and grew up in Girthon.
Thomas Shaw
SRoH. No mention in The Stewartry Roll of Honour.
Identified from Military Records on Ancestry.co.uk after searching for ‘Gatehouse’.
Girthon Gravestone : parents were John Shaw & Jane Lockhart.
Military Records : Private. Army Service Corps (Motor Transport) no MT/187204 Home: Catherine Street. Enlisted Dec. 1916 Church of England. Enlisted at Dumfries. Attested 09th December 1915 (27yrs 77 days old, so born c.1888). He was 5’ 6’’ tall and a bus driver.
Posted 30th May 1916. Served with BEF as a lorry driver and was attached to various units such as 1/1Highland Battalion and 4 GH 2 (Gordon Highlanders?) He had a stiff 4th finger on left hand.
Married to Georgina Duff (married 29th October 1915 at Gatehouse). Son John born 27/01/1916, daughter Jessie Ina Jane born 28/08/1919, both at Gatehouse.
Served in France (from July 1916 to October 1919) where he was a lorry driver.
Very good character & awarded G.C. Badge 09/10/1917.
Ex Stuart Wilson (Sons of Galloway) :
Shaw, Thomas Private M2/187204 Royal Army Service Corps.
Thomas Shaw, Catherine Street, Gatehouse.
Born 1888, Gatehouse. Father: John Shaw Mother: Jane Lockhart. Wife: Georgina Duff.
Attested under Derby Scheme 9th December 1915. Mobilised 30th May 1916.
Served on Western Front from 01/07/1916.
Discharged to Army Reserve 10/11/1919.
1891 Girthon Census, Catherine Street : Thomas Shaw (2, born Gatehouse) with father John (53, farm servant) and mother Jane (45) and 4 siblings.
1901 Girthon Census, Catherine Street : Thomas Shaw (12, born Gatehouse) with parents John (63, general labourer) and Jane (55) + siblings John (20), Henry (17) & Robert Candlish (36, half brother) + John B Muatt (10, nephew).
1911 Girthon census, Catherine Street : Thomas Shaw (22, cab driver, born Girthon) with father John Shaw (71, retired drainer), mother Jane (65), brother Henry (26), nephew John Robert Mouet (20) and niece Jessie Shaw (9).
Shaw family history website : Thomas Shaw was born 23/09/1888 in Gatehouse. Died 1963.
Thomas is a brother of Henry, James M. and John and an uncle of John Mowatt Shaw who were all soldiers.
Gatehouse link : Born and grew up in Girthon.
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Thomas Shaw
SRoH. Corporal (Private) Thomas Shaw. Home: Canada. Born in Gatehouse. Enlisted January 1915, in 33rd Canadian Infantry. Transferred to 12th and 1st Battalion. Served on Western Front. Wounded 3 times. Died of wounds on 5th April 1917.
Anwoth & Girthon War Memorial, Gatehouse inscription : Tom Shaw Canadians
Girthon Church Memorial : T. Shaw Canadians
CWGC : Private T. Shaw 401305 Canadian Infantry 1st Battalion. Born 8th March 1896. Died 5th April 1917 (aged 20). Buried at Aubigny (-en-Artois) Communal Cemetery Extension, Pas de Calais, France. Grave I.K.19. Parents: William & Eliza Shaw, West View, Gatehouse.
1901 Girthon Census, Birtwhistle Street : Thomas Shaw (4, born Gatehouse) with father William (28, agricultural labourer) and mother Eliza (28) + siblings William & John.
1911 Girthon Census, Birtwhistle Street : Thomas Shaw (14, born Girthon) with father William (38, general labourer), mother Eliza (38) + 4 brothers and 4 sisters. Parents had 11 children but only 8 were still alive.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 13th April 1917: Mr William Shaw, church officer at Girthon Church, received a telegram saying that his son Private Thomas Shaw was dangerously wounded in France.Thomas had enlisted with Canadians in January 1915
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 20th April 1917: The family of Private Thomas Shaw were informed that he had died from his wounds on 5th April 1917.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 18th May 1917: Pro Patria Mori - a poem dedicated to the memory of Private Thomas Shaw by his father William Shaw of Birtwhistle Street, Gatehouse. Tom was wounded on 03/04/1917 and died on 04/04/1917, aged 20 years. He was with the Canadian contingent.
A family member says that William & Eliza had at least 12 children, including a Thomas and a John. The family thought that Thomas was killed in Belgium but the records below say France. The family also believe that Tom never went to Canada and never understood why his home was given as Canada in the Stewartry Roll of Honour. There was another son William Shaw who is also believed to have been killed during the war aged 17 but no records of him have been found.
John, Thomas and possibly William Shaw were all brothers who fought in the war. Thomas and William were killed.
Gatehouse link : Born and grew up in Girthon.
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