The Story as told by Joyce Simpson
“My granny once told me that one of the McLellans had run off with money from the bank. My first indication that granny might have been right was a photograph of David McLellan in David Collins book Kirkcudbright, An Alphabetical Guide to its History, which has the following –
David McLellan was a banker who disappeared from the town in strange circumstances. He was driven to Castle Douglas by Dr Reid’s coachman never to return, and was later found to have embezzled a substantial sum of money.
This photograph is also in a collection in the Kirkcudbright Museum which has the following text handwritten below –
David McLellan Banker
Absconded because he had embezzled funds. Driven to CD by George Scott, Dr Reids coachman. He never returned to Kbt Was related to Dr Reid probably through marriage.
Richard Torrance reinforces this in his book The McLellans in Galloway under the heading for David McLellan.
Tom Gibson’s experiences started in the Artic convoys and continued in Sunderland aircraft in the far East. His contribution to the war effort has been recognised by Russia.
