Arthur Wardlaw Ramsay – the last of his ilk
Arthur Balcarres Wardlaw Ramsay (1887 – 1956)
As a younger son, Arthur (he used his middle name Balcarres) did not expect to inherit Whitehill. He served in World War I, when he was gassed, so was unable to work afterwards. Although obliged to sell Whitehill, he was interested in his family history; as the custodian of the extensive archives, he spent many happy hours cataloguing and researching the papers, with the help of an archivist.
This document was solicited from the College of Arms. It confirms Arthur’s right to bear the arms of Wardlaw, combined with those of Ramsay, and lists the historical evidence. He commissioned a family genealogy in 1910, which is now in the SNA GD143/127
Arthur maintained the family tradition by writing his own memoir, from which he “omitted controversial or over-gruesome matter”. He writes about his love for Whitehill, the house, the policies and the estate as a whole. “The estate of Whitehill was just over 4,000 acres in extent, and… included rich arable farms – Thornton, Rosewell Mains, Broachrigg, Newbiggin, Gourlaw, Capielaw, Kirkettle, and Shewington… woodlands near Roslyn and … a small patch of heather… known as Drummond’s Moor.” As a child, Arthur was delicate and his education was sporadic. The Boer War was in progress while at school in Walmer and he remembers the pitch of youthful patriotism that it aroused. In 1902, Arthur was sent to Bad Nauheim with a nurse to take the waters, and enjoyed watching the German army manoeuvres. On his return, the whole family set off for Rome, where they stayed for a year, exploring Italy and North African towns (photos of their adventures have been preserved in albums).
Arthur’s state of health put paid to ambitions to attend Sandhurst, and at the age of 17, he was shipped off to British Columbia where he engaged in big game shooting. Alas, that probably meant moose! On his return, Arthur managed to join the militia, the 4th Battalion of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. Further attempts by his parents to educate him (sending him to the Highlands) ended with a bout of tuberculosis, and a trip to St Moritz as a lung patient. On his return, he resumed his battalion training and, by 1911, was learning about estate management. His father got him a job with the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, dealing with outbreaks of animal diseases. It was incredibly hard work… To be continued on Arthur’s Memoir page.
Arthur was known by his second name Balcarres