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Archiver > ANGUS > 2002-07 > 1026120834
From: "Patsyd" <>
Subject: [ANGUS] For your interest there was a 'Sunnyside House' separate to the well known hospital.
Date: Mon, 8 Jul 2002 21:33:54 +1200
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From: Patsyd
To: ANGUS LIST
Sent: Monday, July 08, 2002 7:20 PM
Subject: For your interest there was a 'Sunnyside House' separate to the well known hospital.
Patrick DICKSON was from Laurencekirk. His wife is known as Mrs R.I.DICKSON.
They had 4 sons. Born c 1885-1892. The 1881 census gives Patrick's age as being 48 yrs.
Sons were Eric DICKSON and Alan DICKSON. The other two I don't know their names yet.
Eric, Alan and the two middle brothers lived at Sunnyside House in Montrose, Scotland.
Patrick and his son Eric moved to the London area by 1903. Living or working at:-
26 Artillery Lane, Bishopsgate, London.
None of my DICKSON'S remained in Scotland from 1903 according to a letter I have from Eric Dickson written from London in 1918. It also mentions that his father was a much older parent, having married late in life.
Patrick died about 1915 or 1916. His younger son Alan Dickson was killed in 1914 age 22.
The 2 other DICKSON'S that keep me mystified were still serving as commanders of the 6th mobile repair unit, in 1918.
I am interested if anyone has the 1891 census and would be kind enough to look up this DICKSON family for me.
Patsy Dickson,
New Zealand
Subject: Sunnyside House/Sunnyside Hospital
Sorry for the brevity of the previous message, I hit the send button a bit too quickly!
I have done a bit more poking around, because I am interested in the history of the hospital, and I have found that there is (or at least was) a Sunnyside House in Montrose, quite apart from the hospital. In the 1881 census it was inhabited by four servants, so the "family" were obviously away from home. They had a butler so must have been well to do.
I can only find one Patrick Dickson who looks as if he could fit the bill and even he is a bit "iffy". Again in the 1881 census there is a Patrick Dickson, age 48, unmarried, born Laurencekirk, who is a solicitor, bank agent, landed proprietor and farmer, living in Laurencekirk. He certainly could have lived at Sunnyside House later, although he must have been quite old to get married and have a family, but it would certainly not have been impossible. I looked at the national index for Patrick Dicksons and he is the only one who is anywhere near 'local' and a possible age.
I would suggest you contact the Angus Archives in Montrose, www.angus.gov.uk/history/ , to see if they have a copy of the Montrose WW1 Roll of Honour, which might tell you more about Alan Dickson and his family than the Commonwealth War Graves site does. (Maybe someone on the list might have a copy.) I just noticed that he was commissioned, which also points to him coming from a wealthy, upper middle class family at that time, even in war time.
Hope this is helpful.
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