Home of Donald and Catherine Munro, Dornoch

Date Added: 17 July 2011 Year: 1998 Institution Name: dnhhl Cat No: ◀ | 2011_070_01 | ▶ Picture No: 10318

Monchrome photograph of the rear of Arthur & Carmichael's offices in Dornoch, once the home of Donald and Catherine Munro.

Groups: Family groups

5 Comments

This picture appears to belong to the collection of Donald (Danny) and Catherine Munro who are my Grandparents. (The clipping above should read Donald and Catherine Munro and not John Munro). Danny was born in 1879 in Embo Street and died in Dornoch in 1953. His wife Catherine Munro was born in Achmelvich in 1883 and died in Dornoch in 1975. On the 1911 census they were living in North Street, Dornoch with their three oldest children, Thomas, Donald and George. The rest of the names for this family are Margaret (whose daughter supplied photos), John, Hugh, Cathel, Christina and Mary Munro. Thomas emigrated to South Africa. Mary Munro stayed in Dornoch and married John Macdonald. Their children are Carine and Phyllis Macdonald. Donald Munro settled in Lairg. Margaret, Chrissie, George, John, Hugh and Cathel Munro all left the Dornoch area eventually for England. Hugh Munro at a later date emigrated to Germany. Chrissie and Mary Munro can be found on this website in school photos. Hugh and Cathel Munro will be seen in football pictures. Information for Cathel Munro during the second world war also appears on History Links. Nephews Duncan and Alastair Munro were brought up with this family after their mother Annabella died from the result of a house fire in or around Dornoch in 1918. Can anyone recall a tale of the whereabouts of this house fire? It MAY have been in Church Street, Dornoch! If someone could shed some light on this it would be much appreciated. Nephew Alastair Munro lost his life in the second world war and his older brother Duncan settled in England. My Dad is John Munro. He did his apprenticeship on the Royal Dornoch Golf Course in the 1930's. After this he left Dornoch for Cornwall. I can only remember staying with my Grandparents at Roseville, North Street and not at the address above. Danny Munro's oldest sister Christina Munro born approximately in 1875 in Embo Street married Thomas Mackay from Sandycroft, Dornoch. Christina Mackay died in 1920.
[Title and description have been amended in the light of this comment -Administrator] Comment left on 19 June 2015 at 13:36 by Sandra Wilson (Munro)

Found archive entry in "The Northern Times" dated 6th August, 2010 for our Uncle Thomas Munro from Roseville, North Street, Dornoch. Please see below.
1935 - Mr. Thomas Munro, Malvern, Johannesburg (formerly of Dornoch) was married in St. Andrew's Church, Johannesburg to Miss Evelyn Macdonald, daughter of Mr. and Mrs Macdonald, Bayview, Bonar Bridge, who recently left Marybank, Ross-shire, where she was a teacher and where she received handsome presentations for professional and social services. Comment left on 24 June 2015 at 19:15 by Sandra Wilson (Munro)

Where was Cathel Munro born? Was it 2 North St, where his father Donald (Danny) died?
Cathel (known as Jock) was living at Fawley (near Southampton) in 1949 at the time of his marriage. By 1952 he was living in Worthing. He laid and maintained the bowling greens at Beach House Park to an extremely high standard. This persuaded the English Bowling Association and Worthing Council to transfer the Men's National Championships from Watneys London to Worthing in 1973. They remained there for 41 years. The economic benefit to Worthing was tremendous.
Jock suffered from skin allergies on his hands caused by the chemicals used on the greens. He died on the 22nd Aug 1994. I was very pleased to have been a good friend for about 20 years.
If you could confirm his birthplace I will try to persuade Dornoch Council to append a "Blue Badge" on the door. After all he was recognised by many as the best greenkeeper in the UK and perhaps the world. - Thank you for the fascinating information about Cathel Munro. Unfortunately we don't hold birth records but you should be able to access them on Scotland's People https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/ - Administrator.
Comment left on 19 May 2022 at 14:53 by Gordon Niven

Have accessed the birth records of 7 out of the 8 siblings of Cathel. They all say only "Dornoch". However the 1911 census has his parents and the 3 oldest children living in North St Dornoch. So it appears that his parents lived from 1911 to 1953 in North St - perhaps No 2 where his father died in 1953. Comment left on 19 October 2022 at 17:21 by Gordon Niven

The Munro Family was living in Castle St Dornoch in 1921. Cathel (Jock) was born in 1919. We therefore cannot be certain of his birthplace. So the idea of a blue plaque cannot proceed. Comment left on 17 May 2023 at 17:09 by Gordon Niven

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