McManus 168
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Mr Patrick Small Dow
Patrick Dow was a successful, commercial shipping accountant with Dundee, Perth & London Shipping Company. Married to Margaret Ower, he had three children, Margaret, Marjory and William. He was well known and respected amongst civic society and the local shipping community.
Subscription value in 1863:
£10
Relative to inflation up to 2024:
£1000
Relative to income compared to 2024:
£8000
Personal details and history
Affiliations, clubs, offices and related subscribers
Religious affiliation
Free Church: Patrick Dow became an elder of St John's Free Church, Small's Wynd[14]
Political affiliation
Unknown
Clubs / societies
Unknown
Public offices
Related subscribers
Subscriber 56 – Thomas Couper – Manager of Dundee, Perth & London Shipping Co.
Subscriber 75 – James R. Fleming – colleague in the Dundee Perth & London Shipping Co.
Subscriber 210 – John Stevenson – father of Patrick Dow’s son-in-law, James Stevenson
Career and worklife
Career to date:
Patrick Dow was a young man in his mid twenties when he became a clerk with the 'Dundee & Hull Shipping Company.'[18] His post as 'clerk' would appear to have incorporated the skills of book keeping, at which he apparently became proficient. In 1857, the 'Dundee & Hull Shipping (Steam Packet) Company' was acquired by the 'Dundee, Perth & London Shipping Company,'[19] at which point, Patrick Dow retained his position after the merger. Continuing as he did, Patrick ultimately became cashier / book-keeper / accountant to the company.[20] He was described as a "painstaking and trustworthy servant"[20] - worthy and necessary attributes no doubt. Thomas Couper had been appointed manager of the D,P & L Co. in the early 1850s.[21] His working relationship with Patrick Dow was to continue for decades to come.
More information
Patrick Dow was born to John Dow and Marjory Anderson at Kirkmichael, Perthshire. He gained his early education at Ballintuim[20] and is reported to have arrived in Dundee, as a youth,[20] in the mid 1830s. He was later to be joined in Dundee (from Kirkmichael) by his younger siblings Bathia and James, who forged their own lives in the town.
By the early 1840s, Patrick had entered into the busy trading of the Dundee shipping scene, as clerk to the ‘Dundee & Hull Shipping Company.’ This was the same Company which owned the ‘Forfarshire,’ which was wrecked off the Farne Islands, giving rise to the heroic story of Grace Darling.[19]
Having secured a position as ‘clerk,’ Patrick married Margaret Ower in 1846 and the couple produced three children by 1851. His working life remained constant. Having begun work in the early 1840s, Patrick Dow remained with the same Company, (even after a merger) until his retirement around 1897 – more than 50 years. Such was his service and loyalty, that the Directors of DP&L awarded him with a pension on his departure.[21]
Patrick’s wife Margaret died in 1885. He remained in his position as accountant and also remained resident at Magdalen Yard Road. However, having retired in the late summer of 1897, he took a major decision. Eight months prior to his death in 1898, Patrick Dow advertised his long term residence, in Magdalen Yard Road, for sale by private bargain. Two months later, in February 1898, he purchased a dwelling in Albany Terrace from Mr David Stewart.[22] His daughter Marjory and her family took up residence at Albany Road. Patrick’s death came six months later. Sadly, his daughter Marjory outlived her father by a mere eight months. She was survived by her husband James Stevenson (of F & J Stevenson, dyers) and a young family.
Patrick Dow, over many decades, gained insight and knowledge in his dealings at DP&L, enabling him to have made some judicious purchases in stocks and shares. His estate amounted to almost £10,000.[12] He also received £50 from a Margaret Mathewson in her will, her brother being William Mathewson a fellow colleague at D.P. & L. and member of the local Marine Board[23]
Sources
- [1]Old Parish Registers. Kirkmichael. Births. (1820). 29/ 6/ 1820. ScotlandsPeople website.
- [2]Scotland. Select Births and Baptisms. 1564-1950. [database on-line]. Provo. UT, USA: Ancestry website.
- [3]Scotland. Select Births and Baptisms. 1564-1950. [database on-line]. Provo. UT, USA: Ancestry website.
- [4]Old Parish Registers. Dundee. Marriages. (1846). 282/ 230 210. ScotlandsPeople website.
- [5]Scotland. Select Births and Baptisms. 1564-1950. [database on-line]. Provo. UT, USA: Ancestry website.
- [6]Scotland. Select Births and Baptisms. 1564-1950.Parish: Dundee; ED: 15; Page: 34; Line: 16; Roll: CSSCT1861_40. Ancestry website.
- [7]Dundee Postal Directory, 1850. p.96. Dundee Central Library, Local Studies.
- [8]Dundee Postal Directory, 1853-54. p.154. Dundee Central Library, Local Studies.
- [9]Dundee Postal Directory, 1861-62. p.276. Dundee Central Library, Local Studies.
- [10]Dundee Postal Directory, 1869-70. p.122. Dundee Central Library, Local Studies.
- [11]Statutory Registers. Dundee. Deaths. (1898). 282/ 1 362. ScotlandsPeople website.
- [12]Legal Records. Wills and Testaments. Dundee Sheriff Court (1898). SC45/ 31/ 50. ScotlandsPeople website.
- [13]Dundee Courier. Thursday, 25 August 1898. p.4. British Newspaper Archive website.
- [14]Dundee Courier. Thursday, 25 August 1898. British Newspaper Archive website.
- [15]Dundee Courier. Thursday, 09 October 1890. British Newspaper Archive website
- [16]Dundee Postal Directory, 1885-86. Dundee Central Library, Local Studies.
- [17]Dundee Postal Directory, 1864-65. p.116. Dundee Central Library, Local Studies.
- [18]Dundee Postal Directory, 1844-45. Dundee Central Library, Local Studies.
- [19]DP&L Goup. History. dpandl website.
- [20]Obituary. Dundee Advertiser. 25 August 1898. p.6. Findmypast website.
- [21]Obituary. Dundee Courier. 25 August 1898. p.4. Findmypast website.
- [22]Dundee Advertiser. 9 February 1898. p.2. Findmypast website.
- [23]Dundee Courier. Tuesday, 03 May 1892. p.2. British Newspaper Archive website.
The information above about Patrick Small Dow has been collated from a range of digital and hard copy sources. To the best of our knowledge it is correct but if you are relying on any information from our website for the purpose of your own research we would advise you to follow up the sources to your own satisfaction. If you are aware of an inaccuracy in our text please do not hesitate to notify us through our Contact page.