Crocketford Community Initiative is bidding to track down relatives of a dedicated local GP – almost a century after his death.
The group is planning to commemorate the life of Dr Archibald Chalmers and would like anyone with a family connection to him to attend.
Dr Chalmers died on Sunday January 7, 1923 following a tragic accident while out on his bicycle.
So far, efforts to find any living relative either of him or his wife Agnes have drawn a blank.
Now CCI is appealing for information ahead of a planned 100th anniversary commemoration outside the village hall.
Director Meg Fulton said: “Arrangements for the commemoration have not yet been set, but it will be as close to January 7 as we can make it.
“We have tried to find living relatives but, despite a lot of research, we have not managed to trace anybody.”
According to Meg, a chance inspection of inscribed sandstone gateposts at the building set the ball rolling.
She said: “The pillars stand outside the Anderson Memorial Hall which was formerly the school.
“One of our members, Charles Hubbard, noticed they had inscriptions on them.
“He asked if we realised it was nearly 100 years since Dr Chalmers died.
“We hadn’t – despite us walking past those pillars hundreds of times.
“We got them renovated and will get the lettering picked out in due course.”
Meg, a former Kirkcudbright Academy teacher, added: “Dr Chalmers fell off his bike at Barfil Farm road end on Thursday 4th January 1923.
“He was found by Mr Gordon, a joiner from Shawhead, but was able to walk back to his home in the village, wheeling his bicycle.
“He was later attended to by a Dr Kerr but played down his injuries.
“By the next day, however, Dr Chalmers became unconscious and died in the early hours of Sunday morning, 7th January 1923, aged 57.”
Dr Chalmers was born in Rothesay where his printer father John set up The Rothesay Chronicle.
The family later moved to the Gorbals and Dr Chalmers studied medicine at Glasgow University in the 1880s.
Meg said: “We know that Dr Chalmers and his wife, Agnes Young, were married in 1895 at Lochrutton.
“They lived in Crocketford from then until they died, Dr Chalmers in 1923 and Agnes in 1939.
“Dr Chalmers’ sister, Isabella Margaret Chalmers also lived in Crocketford for some time, but died in Dunscore in 1947.
“Dr and Mrs Chalmers are buried in Urr Cemetery in Haugh of Urr. We don’t think they had any children.
“We also know that Agnes Young’s family came from Dunscore but moved to Deanston Farm and then to Barr Farm, both in Lochrutton parish.
“Agnes’ parents were called Robert and Agnes Young, both from Ayrshire.
“Young Agnes had two brothers, Andrew and Robert, and two sisters, Elisabeth and Margaret.
“We know the family lived at Barr Farm until 1891 – but we’re not sure where they went after that time.”
Meg added: “We’d love to hear from anyone who might have some connection to either of these two families or who might know something about them.”
