"Thanks Angela - I will contact Sam. Our link to the McMurtrie's (as it is spelled in our connection) goes way back to the early 1800's but the subsequent generations to at least grandchildren seem to have moved around the pits (they were coalminers) in concert with their relations in various branches of the Caldwell family.

Although our family came from Galston there seems to have been a strong link back to the other branches of the family in Dreghorn parish and that continued at least until the early 1900's.

I have evidence that the Caldwell's who emigrated to Gympie in 1883 did keep in regular contact with their Scots relatives right up until about the end of WWI.

All this does not help with your specific research but the Galston Census' for 1841 and 1851 are now on-line through Freecen.

Thanks for your prompt reply which unfortunately was diverted when the Loudoun Kirk notification was dumped in my spam email box - could have been easily overlooked.

Tom"