Sergeant Allan Petrie – Lanarkshire Constabulary

SERGEANT ALLAN PETRIE

LANARKSHIRE CONSTABULARY

Allan Petrie was born on the 28^th of April 1861 at Whitehill, St.Cyrus, Kincardineshire.

He was the son of Robert and Jessie Petrie. Robert was employed as a Salmon Fisher. This couple were married in February 1843 at Laurencekirk in Kincardineshire.

They had Allan relatively late in life. Robert was 38 and Jessie was 40 years old. They had three other children, George, Jessie Anne and Elizabeth. Allan was the third child.

In 1881 the family were residing in Lochside, St.Cyrus. Robert was still a Salmon Fisher and Allan was an Agricultural Labourer, probably working on the local farms.

By 1889 Allan (28 yrs.) was living at 29 Dunbeth Road, Coatbridge. He was now a Police Constable with Lanarkshire Constabulary.

On the 3^rd of October 1889 Allan married Isabella Milne (20yrs) who was a Domestic Servant living at 17 Manse Street, Coatbridge. They were married at the Church of Scotland, Bank St, Coatbridge. The couple were presented with an oil painting of Allan’s portrait as a wedding gift from colleagues.

In 1891 the couple had moved to 10 Fir Park Street, Shettleston. No 8 and No 10 were the Police Station and Police House. Allan is recorded as being a Police Sub-Inspector.

On the 8^th of January 1895 the couple had a daughter, Annabella Strachan Petrie. She was born in the police station at Fir Park Street.

By 1903 the couple had moved to 13 Hutton Street, Govan. At this time Govan was a Burgh and not part of the City of Glasgow. Allan Petrie was a Police Sergeant and Annabella was by this time 6 years old.

On the 21^st November 1903 the couple had a son, Allan Blyth Petrie. He was born at the police station in Kirk Street, Stonehouse. Allan Petrie is recorded as being a Police Sergeant with Lanarkshire Constabulary.

In 1908 tragedy struck the family. Their 2 month old son John died in March. One month later their daughter Annabella died at the age of 13yrs. She drowned in the Clydesdale Distillery Low Pond, Glasgow Rd, Wishaw. She had been missing for three days between the 20^th and 23^rd of April 1908.

The family were by this time residing in the County Police Buildings in Roberts St, Wishaw, where Allan Petrie was a Police Sergeant.

In 1911 Allan Petrie, senior and junior, were living at the police station in Abington where Allan snr was the Police Sergeant. Isabella is not shown in this census however the family appear to have a domestic servant living with them by the name of Jessie Muir who was 52 years of age.

The 1911 census shows Isabella Petrie as being resident at Hartwood Asylum in Shotts. She was 43 years of age. It cannot be confirmed, however it is possible that the death of John and Annabella has had a significant impact on Isabella causing her to be committed to the Asylum.

Isabella died on the 10^th of April 1918 within Hartwood Asylum. The cause of death was Tubercolosis Pulmonalis.

On the 30^th April 1919 Allan Petrie (58yrs) married for the second time. He married Margaret Perryman (53 yrs) who was a widow. They married at 453 Sauchiehall St, Glasgow.

Allan Petrie retired from the police sometime between 1921 and 1925. The 1920-21 Valuation Rolls show him as living at the Police Station in Abington.

In 1925 he was residing at 16 Belmont St, Overtown, Wishaw. These houses were built around 1924-25, therefore he must have been one of the first occupants of the new local authority estate. These houses remain today.

On the 6^th November 1933 his second wife, Margaret, died aged 68 years of a Carcinoma of the Uterus. The couple were still living in Belmont St.

On the 28^th of August 1947 Allan snr died of Myocarditis Bronchitis. He died at 16 Belmont St. His death was registered by his son Allan Petrie who was by this time residing at 3 Marchmount Drive, Dumfries. Allan Jnr was a Constable with the Dumfriesshire Constabulary.