Returning Rosses 2009

It was a pleasure to meet our first returning Rosses of 2009.  Ian, with his sons, Nick and Edward were visiting from London and Pembrokeshire. Ian is heading home to do some research into the family history and hopefully he will let us know how he gets on.

Helen, Kay and Rebecca Mumme have done a lot of research into their family history. Their ancestor, William Gordon Ross and his wife Annie emmigrated from Aberdeen in 1913 to Perth, Western Australia. When they arrived there they were all wearing their winter gear and the temperature was 36 degrees Celsius! William was a coach builder and, as an apprentice, had worked on the Golden Jubilee Coach for Queen Victoria. He transferred his upholstery skills to motor vehicals when he moved to Australia. William and Anne had 13 children.

Floyd and Carol Ross made a visit to the Clan Ross Centre in May. According to family tradition Floyd's ancestor left Ross-shire about 1730 to live with his mother's family in Ireland. Around 1840, 3 brothers, descendents of this Ross-shire relative took ship to America where they settled - some in the United Sates and Flyod's family in Canada.

Father and daughter, George and Mimi Ross visited from Shropshire, England to learn more about Clan Ross history.

Father and son, Hugh and Cameron Ross stopped by on a tour of Ross country. Although the history of the Ross connection has been lost in the family the pride in being a Ross certainly has not as we can see in their splendid turn out.

Bob and Rhonda Wilson paid us a visit as part of their trip to see Bob's Ross family origins. Rhonda has done a lot of research using the "Scotlands People" website.

May has been a busy month for Returning Rosses. Dennis Ross from Iowa and his son David, along with Susan and Stacey made a flying visit to Tain and were please to come across the Clan Ross Centre. Dennis and David's ancestor was fighting in the French-Indian War in 1765. Dennis hasn't been able to make the Easter Ross connection yet but thinks his ancestor arrived in America via New Brunswick. 

Euphemia Ross was our first Returning Ross in June.

Alice Ross Macintosh made a visit from Nova Scotia in Canada.  This is her
third trip since 1970.  Her great-great grandfather, Roderick Ross (1787 -
1875) emigrated from Gairloch  to Pictou, NS in 1805 on the "Sir Sydney
Smith".  At the Gairloch Heritage Museum Alice, was fortunate to locate
records of Roderick's father, Duncan Ross in Easter Achtercairn in the mid
1700,s.  Alice has been doing family research for several years, adding to
the oral story passed on by her father.  She is also looking for
information on other Ross relatives who emigrated on the "Hector" in 1773.
Alice and her husband, Doug, son George (a piper and bagpipe maker),
daughter-in-law Pam, and 10 year old grandson Ross had a wonderful visit in
Tain and the Western Highlands and Islands.

June Haynes from London has traced her family back through her grandmother Jessie Ross who lived in Aberdeen to her great grandfather who lived in Dalmore, Rogart (Sutherlandshire) before moving to Kilmuir Easter (Ross-shire)

The sun was shining for Jacqueline Ross who travelled from Holland to visit us at the Clan Ross Centre

The Parris Family from Florida in the USA  were making a trip home to Tain where their ancestor Robert Ross Linton was born.

Elma Watt's mother was born at Petley near Portmahomack. The family moved to Balnaha in 1900 where Elma's grandfather Charles Ross built Balnaha House. Elma is seen here with Jim Watt and her grand-daughter Sally Wilkes.

Mary and her family visited us during a thunderstorm hence the photo taken in the Pilgrimage. Mary heard about Scotland's Homecoming Year and though it was a good opportunity to come back to Ross-shire. Her father was Alexander Ross from Dingwall who emigrated to Australia in 1950. Mary is seen here with her brother Don Ross, her son and daughter Robert and Ruth and Robert's wife Judy.

Jennifer Ross,Achriesgill, Sutherland

Malcolm Ross from Perth, Scotland, visited to find out more about Clan Ross. His interest in the Clan was first awakened by his Canadian English teacher, Mr Ross, who used to tell him of the history of the Clan.

Meredith Ross, visiting from Calafornia, USA, has made the journey to Scotland a number of times before. Her late father founded the Clan Ross USA Association. Meredith is equally proud of her Ross heritage.

Mary Ross-High visited with her family from Florida, USA.

Gary and Lois Ross with their daughters Courtney and Andrea called in to see us on their visit to Tain. The family are involved in the space programme in America.

 July saw sisters Irmelin Sandman Lilius from Finland and Heddi Bockman from Sweden visit us. They have traced their family line back to Hugh Ross of Balnagown.

Irmelin and Heddi, could you get back in touch with Morag please?

Petra Ross and her Family travelled from Holland to visit the Clan Ross centre. Petra is the daughter of Ton Ross. 

Dylis Cornes and Dennis travelled from Stoke-on-Trent to make their first visit to Easter Ross. Dylis is the descendant of Evelyn Ross.

Barry Hartman and Wanda Ostrauder from USA called in to see us in July. Wanda's paternal grandmother was a Ross.

It was a great pleasure to welcome Grahame and Berys Ross back to Tain. They visited from New Zealand in 2007. This time they brought their daughter Sally who has done a lot of work on their family history.

Betty Margaret Ross visited from West Sussex. Betty thinks her Ross ancestors came from Nairn.

Paul Ross called in to see us having just been at the Gathering of the Clans down in Edinburgh. Paul is a former President of the Clan Ross Association in America.

Katina Fontes and her daughter Katie called in to see us on a lovely sunny day. Katina from the USA knows her ancestor immigrated to America in the mid 17th century, probably arriving at Rhode Island.

July closed with a flourish when we entertained members of the Clan Ross Association USA and the Clan Ross Association of Canada. Here they are with Chief David Ross of Ross and Balnagowan and Lady Eileen who journeyed north to be with them as Tain & District Museum and Clan Ross Centre volunteers held a mini-gathering in their honour.

Maureen McIntyre chose a gloriously sunny day to visit us. Maureen has traced her Ross ancestors back to John and Margaret Ross who were married in Fearn in 1802. Their children were born in Logie Easter and they eventually moved to Tain. John and Margaret's son was Richard Ross married to Georgina Calder.

Guy Anderssen from Finland has a Ross ancestor and called in to see us today. He is travelling round Scotland with his friends.