WELCOME HOME

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 117, 20 May 1930, Page 16

WELCOME HOME

SIR CHARLES FERGUSSON

TENANTS' ENTHUSIASM

(From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, 10th April. Sir Charles. Fergusson and Lady Alice Fcrgusson returned to their family seat at Kilkerran, Ayrshire, ,on Saturday. The homecoming is thus described by the Glasgow "Herald": — The Fergussons of Kilkerran are ;" much-loved family in Ayrshire, and Sir Charles's homecoming was an event which those residing on tl- -. estate could not allow to pass without saluia tion. The railway ollicials entered into tho scheme of things, and as the tram bearing the seventh Baronet of KU kcrran to his family seat approached the lazy little station the explosions of a series of fog signals sent the sheep scurrying from their grazing in nearby fields and roused the waiting tenants to lusty cheerings. Gaily coloured bunting fluttered between the budding trees and the station-house. When Sir Charles, who was accompanied by Lady Alice Fergusson and their eldest son, Mr. James Fergusson, stepped to the platform they were met by Mr. James Purves, factor of the estate. Mr George Mowatt, overseer; Mr. John Ferguson, gamekeeper; Mr. John Grant, gardener; Co.one) and Mrs. Houlds worth, and tho Rev. G. VV. Walker, St.. Machar's Dailly. Lady Alice Fergusson was presented with a bouquet of flowers by Margaret, Brown, the seven-year-old daughter of the Kilkerran signalman. "In the course of a brief address. Sir Ultarlos said it. hardly seemed ovur vc yoiirs since they wel>l abrnnd. ami Saturday was the day they had thought of and looked forward to ever since they had gone away. Now that the day had come, I!iey were as happy as they could be to be back again in Ayrshire.

"Nevertheless, th«y had had a happy time abroad. The people of New Zealand had made them feel at home from the day on which they arrived in that country. Many of the people there had gone from this country 50 or 60 years ago. One found there the old, familiar names of people who talked in older and broader Scots than the people of Ayrshire did now.' "Yet those people had never been out of New Zealand. They had learned their language from their fathers and grandfathers in days gone by. When they talked of home they meant this country, a/id they were wonderfully loyal to the homo country. "He could only say that they were very happy to be back among the people of Ayrshire, and ho hoped they would again have the old happy friendships that had existed between Kilkerran and the people around for generations past. (Applause.) "Since the days of King Robert 1. the Fergussons hay been seated in Ayrshire. From that monarch, Fergus, son of Fergus, obtained a charter of certain lands in Carrick, Ayrshire. Robert; the Bruce, as Rarl-of Carrick, was a near neighbour his castle of Turnberry being only about seven miles from Kilkerran."