John Tweedie McMurray Post Office
John Tweedie McMURRAY
The Man John Tweedie McMurray was born on 14th September 1899 at Craigbank Terrace, New Cumnock, Ayrshire, son of James Mellis Simpson a Grocer and Margaret Jane Moffat nee Tweedie.
At the outbreak of World War I on 4th August 1914 John was only 15 and so too young to enlist but turned 18 in 1917, enlisting into the Machine Gun Corps as a Private with service number 145211, seeing service, possibly in France, during the latter part of the war. He was awarded the 1914-18 British War and Victory Medals.
In 1930 aged 31 John joined the Post Office in Castle Douglas as a Postman, his appointment appearing in the London Gazette of 8th September 1931.
On 19th April 1938 aged 39, he married Grace Linwood Hamilton and was living at 35 Queen Street, Castle Douglas.
John was re-appointed to the Post Office in 1947 still as a postman, indicating he may also have seen World War II service, although he would have been aged 40 in September 1939. After his re-appointment he became an Assistant Postal Inspector at Castle Douglas Post Office in Dumfriesshire. It seems he was also a keen bowler, playing for the Scottish Post Office Sports Association.
He retired aged 60 in December 1959 after 32 years’ service and awarded his Imperial Service Medal by Mr W Rendall the Postmaster, when he was described as cheerful and possessed of tact and understanding.
John died in 1978 at Castle Douglas aged 78.
At the outbreak of World War I on 4th August 1914 John was only 15 and so too young to enlist but turned 18 in 1917, enlisting into the Machine Gun Corps as a Private with service number 145211, seeing service, possibly in France, during the latter part of the war. He was awarded the 1914-18 British War and Victory Medals.
In 1930 aged 31 John joined the Post Office in Castle Douglas as a Postman, his appointment appearing in the London Gazette of 8th September 1931.
On 19th April 1938 aged 39, he married Grace Linwood Hamilton and was living at 35 Queen Street, Castle Douglas.
John was re-appointed to the Post Office in 1947 still as a postman, indicating he may also have seen World War II service, although he would have been aged 40 in September 1939. After his re-appointment he became an Assistant Postal Inspector at Castle Douglas Post Office in Dumfriesshire. It seems he was also a keen bowler, playing for the Scottish Post Office Sports Association.
He retired aged 60 in December 1959 after 32 years’ service and awarded his Imperial Service Medal by Mr W Rendall the Postmaster, when he was described as cheerful and possessed of tact and understanding.
John died in 1978 at Castle Douglas aged 78.
Imperial Service Medal
The Story The Imperial Service Medal awarded to John Tweedie McMurray was acquired from South West Medals and Collectables on 21st August 2021. It was of interest as it had a newspaper cutting with it giving some detail of the recipient and a photograph – always a bonus.
Ancestry.UK, Scotland’s People and the London Gazette provided extra detail enabling a brief biography to be pieced together.
However, as John’s middle name is so unusual – Tweedie – his was the only exact match on Ancestry and revealed he had seen service in World War I in the Machine Gun Corps, being awarded the 1914-18 British War and Victory Medals. A google search found that these medals had been sold at auction in the US by a company called Worthpoint. The search is now on the find them!
Interestingly John may have also seen World War II service as he would have been 40 in 1939 and his post office records showing being re-employed in 1947
Ancestry.UK, Scotland’s People and the London Gazette provided extra detail enabling a brief biography to be pieced together.
However, as John’s middle name is so unusual – Tweedie – his was the only exact match on Ancestry and revealed he had seen service in World War I in the Machine Gun Corps, being awarded the 1914-18 British War and Victory Medals. A google search found that these medals had been sold at auction in the US by a company called Worthpoint. The search is now on the find them!
Interestingly John may have also seen World War II service as he would have been 40 in 1939 and his post office records showing being re-employed in 1947
World War I Medal Index Card showing award of 1914-18 British War and Victory Medals.
John McMurray's Scottish Post Office Sports Association Medal (Bowls).
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Sales of John McMurray's WWI pair - further details unknown
Medal Details:
- Imperial service Medal: JOHN TWEEDIE McMURRAY
This page last updated 9 Sep 21
