Captain David McPherson Ramsay

[Ralph Knowles]

Good morning Fiona.
I have just seen your post regarding your grandfather and his death and burial in Calcutta. Coincidentally I had just been on The Royal Tay Yacht Club news letter site and there is to be a talk by Charles Bruce on 9th May at 7.30pm, about the Dundee connection through the jute trade with Calcutta of the Scottish Cemetary and its restoration, after it was allowed to become overgrown and broken down. Since you are only sixty odd miles north of Broughty Ferry, I thought that you may be interested in attending. Please email me at ralphknowles@Hotmail.com and I can forward you the details and also my phone number.

Ralph

[Fiona Napier]

Good morning Fiona.
I have just seen your post regarding your grandfather and his death and burial in Calcutta. Coincidentally I had just been on The Royal Tay Yacht Club news letter site and there is to be a talk by Charles Bruce on 9th May at 7.30pm, about the Dundee connection through the jute trade with Calcutta of the Scottish Cemetary and its restoration, after it was allowed to become overgrown and broken down. Since you are only sixty odd miles north of Broughty Ferry, I thought that you may be interested in attending. Please email me at ralphknowles@Hotmail.com and I can forward you the details and also my phone number.

Ralph

Hi Ralph,

I have just tried to send you an email regarding the information you posted regarding the Royal Tay Club's talk on the 9th May. However, it just isn't recognising that email address I'm afraid. Anyway, I do hope you are back on this thread and can therefore, read my reply to you. Unfortunately, we leave for Croatia on the 6th May and will be still abroad when Charles Bruce gives his talk-otherwise, I would have definitely made the trip south to hear about the work that they are undertaking. This is disappointing as it comes at a time when it would have been fascinating to hear his story. I had never even heard of the cemetery until a couple of weeks ago! I have now received information via the Trust giving me clear verification that my grandfather is indeed buried there and they have even sent me photographs of the grave. I am just about to reply to them and to thank them all for all their efforts- done so very promptly. Thank you too, for taking the time to get back to me. Are you intending going to the meeting? Fiona

[Ralph Knowles]

Hi Fiona,
I sincerely apologise for the 'glitch' on my email address. It looks like I inadvertently put a capital H in 'hotmail'! Lets try again.

ralphknowles@hotmail.com

Hope this works. I hope that you have a good holiday in Croatia. I have only visited that scenic country on one occasion, on a chemical carrier, with a cargo of ethyl alcohol to Split and Sebenic. This was in the early 70's, well before the catastrophic war. Very few tourists then.
I do intend attending the meeting. I am a life member of the club and I had an uncle, also a member, who did business with the jute mills in Calcutta, manufacturing loom and spinning machine parts, shuttles, picking arms, shuttle boards, bobbin pins etc. Most of these machines had been built in the foundries and mill furnishers in Dundee. These parts may have been shipped out on general cargo ships like the B.I. ships that Captain Ramsay sailed on. You probably know that the mansion houses all around the RTYC were built by mill owners who made their fortunes 'in jute', both in Dundee and Calcutta, but the clubhouse was built by a ship owner. Many crossing trades.
Ralph