“Just sit there and do not move.” The fiery forge fascinated me. I was Pop’s shadow, exploring his shed, loving the garden and curious about all things Scottish. Living near our grandparents, John (Jock) and Edith Muirhead, we saw them frequently.
After retiring from the Post Master Generals Department, Pop filled his days gardening. I pestered him to let me help. My job became watering the plants. Many hours were spent following him around the garden, exploring Nana’s greenhouse, checking the peach trees at the back of the shed and playing under the fig tree in the back corner enjoying the fresh earthy smell as Pop turned in the weeds.
His shed was a treasure trove of curiosities, including his blacksmith’s forge. I loved watching him work at the forge and was not allowed to move from my perch. If I was lucky, I could pump the bellows while he shaped the glowing, blistering hot steel around the anvil with hammers and tongs. Pop would whistle a tune and teach me steps from Scottish dances. He laughed when I wanted to learn to speak ‘Scottish’, but obligingly taught me to say some words with a Scots accent. He was reluctant to answer my questions about his life and Scotland. Why, I do not know. Perhaps he thought I was too young.
I was twelve when Pop succumbed to a severe heart attack. I had gleaned only small pieces of information from him about his life and family. My memories of Pop were as a child, however I now wanted to know him from an adult’s perspective. Many family members told me Pop stories, but were they true? Was his marriage one of convenience? Did his mother buy him out of the army, when he was eleven and again at thirteen? The third time, did she hand him a bible and leave him in the military?
Questions remained. Did he fight in the Boer War? The assumption was that he served in India and was involved in the accidental death of a Gurkha during physical training. His son Doug believed it happened during a wrestling match, while his daughter Edith recalled the Gurkha died after falling from the top of a human pyramid during gymnastic training. Following the tragic accident, he was forced to leave the British Army. His children had seen his honourable discharge and a letter recommending his clerical abilities, so what was the real story?
My investigation became more formal, searching for records and facts.
His marriage certificate revealed Pop’s parents were John Muirhead, Master Tailor and Margaret Neilson. Pop and Nana were married in St Peter’s Church of England, Townsville on 4 August 1913.[1]
1891 Pop and his family lived in High Street, Moniaive. His father John Muirhead, a Master Tailor and his wife Margaret had five children, Margaret, 13, Isabella, 11, Mary Ann, 9, John, 7 and David, 6. Except for his mother who was born in Kelton, Dumfriesshire, the family was born in Moniaive, Glencairn, Dumfriesshire. At this time, the children were attending The Moniaive School. Uncle Dave, who learnt the tailors’ trade from his father, told me Pop, as the elder son, was to be the tailor but he had other ideas. Uncle Dave said Pop would cadge handkerchiefs from him to give to the girls.
Pop enlisted in the Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany’s) and on the 4 December 1900, he took the Oath of Attestation, having passed his Medical Examination and a Primary Military Examination at Thornhill. His service record made no mention of a previous enlistment or his mother buying him out.
From Thornhill he was assigned to Fort George Military Station, Ardersier, Inverness. I wonder if Pop approached the long journey to Fort George with excitement or trepidation. After acquiring the required education, Third-Class and Second-Class Certificates and a year of training at Fort George, Pop was posted to the First Battalion in Egypt on 24 December 1901. Before leaving Scotland, he was appointed Lance Corporal. However within two months in Cairo he requested to revert to Private. No reason is given. In Cairo, the Seaforth Highlanders were stationed at the Citadel Barracks where they joined the Highland Rifle Militia, the Reserve Battalion of the regiment. The Second Battalion was fighting in South Africa in the Boer War. It appears he served in the Reserve Battalion for the Boer Wars but did not actually fight in South Africa.
Pop travelled with the First Battalion from Egypt to Nasirabad, Ajmer, India on 1 February 1903. The Highlanders faced challenges beyond the Indian conflict. A severe typhoid epidemic occurred in Nasirabad in 1903, the eradication of flies was attempted after all other methods of control failed. Finally the flies disappeared and infections ceased until they reappeared in late 1906. We do not know if Pop was one of the many soldiers who contracted typhoid fever. In 1904 he extended his time of Army Service to complete eight years and 1905 he received two Good Conduct Badges. In 1908, he fought in the North West Frontier Campaign and was consequently awarded the India General Service Medal with the North West Frontier Clasp.
In September 1908, he extended his time in the Seaforth Highlanders to complete twelve years with the colours. Leaving Active Service and joining the Reserves is not mentioned in his record, however he ceased to draw Service Pay in December 1908. The last entry on his record before his discharge is “Army Reserve Section & Transferred, L/C, eighth July 1909.” Why is this record not in chronological order? Why did active pay cease in December and not in July? Was he transferred to the reserves after the Gurkhas accidental death?
Questions concerning Pops military service remain. The earliest reference I have found of Pop in Australia is the 1913 Electoral Roll in Townsville, Queensland, so his whereabouts between 1909 and 1913 are unknown. His Military Record says he was Home (Scotland) from July 1909 to December 1912. When did he immigrate to Australia? Will further research find answers to these questions? I will continue to be Pops shadow, following his life.
References
Informal Conversations with family.
Scotlands People Muirhead John 1891 Censushttps://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/
Seaforth Highlanders Army Records: Muirhead, John Short Service Record
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seaforth_Highlanders
https://web.archive.org/web/20060626160934/http://www.btinternet.com/%7Ejames.mckay/seaforth.htm
https://everything.explained.today/Seaforth_Highlanders/
https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/seaforth-highlanders-ross-shire-buffs-duke-albanys
https://archive.org/details/fliesinrelationt00grah/page/138/mode/2up
Seaforth Highlanders Explained. [online] https://everything.explained.today/Seaforth_Highlanders/ [Accessed 28 Jun. 2026].
The Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany’s) | National Army Museum. [online] Available at: https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/seaforth-highlanders-ross-shire-buffs-duke-albanys [Accessed 28 Jun. 2026].
Wikipedia Contributors (2025). Seaforth Highlanders. https://web.archive.org/web/20060626160934/http://www.btinternet.com/%7Ejames.mckay/seaforth.htm.
Internet Archive. (2026). Flies in relation to disease : non-bloodsucking flies : Graham-Smith, George Stuart : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive. [online] Available at: https://archive.org/details/fliesinrelationt00grah/page/138/mode/2up [Accessed 28 Jun. 2026].
Footnote:
[1] Muirhead John and Bartels Edith May 1913 Queensland Marriage Certificate A 87393
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