Fraser Family of Westermains, Kirkintilloch

Locality of the stipend of the Parish of Kirkintilloch, 1931; works estimate, 1902

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Admin history amended by Janice Miller, 13 June 2008, using information received from family member. Added GD86/2 from Acc 2015/25, Janice Miller, Archivist, April 2020

James Fraser was born in Edinburgh in 1824 and came to Kirkintilloch sometime between 1841 and his marriage in Kirkinitlloch in 1848. He was a slater. His son, also James Fraser, was born in Kirkintilloch in 1857. He started out as a slater too, and built up a building business with a yard in Regent Street. He married in 1882. He built several houses around Kirkintilloch, his own family occupying the house known as Thistlebank at Regent Street sometime after 1898. Business prospered and in 1914 he purchased Westermains, on West High Street. He died in 1933. His son Robert and his wife moved in to the farmhouse in 1937, where they carried out substantial alterations to the buildings. They continued to live there for many years. When Robert Fraser retired from farming around 1970 the farmyard was demolished and the first of the present small industrial units were set up in its place. He died in 1980 and the farmhouse was sold in 1981. The original farmhouse was number 80/82 West High Street. At some time it was divided into two flats and number 78 was occupied by the farmer.