Mullaun is a townland just to the east of Newport where, when Arthur Oram’s diaries start in 1887 his sister-in-law Isabella “Bella” Dick nee Anderson lived.
- Robert Dick 1854-1887
- Isabella “Bella” Dick nee Anderson born 2 September 1857. Arthur Oram usually referred to Bella as “Mrs D” in his diaries.
- James Dick born early 1885
- Margaret Stokoe “Hittie” Dick born 1 September 1886
Robert Dick was the son of James Dick who moved from Lanarkshire, Scotland to Ireland. In the mid 1850’s the Griffith’s Valuation shows James Dick as tenant of a total of 272 acres near Newport in the townlands of Carrowbaun, Kilbride, Knockatinnyweel, Mullaun and Tawnanameeltoge.
James Dick left Robert to run Mallaun and returned to Scotland to ‘Eastfield’ farm, Rutherglen, Lanarkshire with Robert’s brother William Dick. Most years William visited Mayo a few times while their sister Agnes Dick who married John Drysdale was a less frequent visitor. In his diary Arthur Oram made a note of when he occasionally arranged for stock to be shipped to ‘Eastfield’.
During the first three months of 1884 Robert Dick married Isabella “Bella” Anderson in the registration district of Ballinrobe. About three years earlier Bella’s sister Catherine Anderson had married Arthur Oram and was living at Wilford Lodge.
The first incidence of note in Arthur Oram’s diaries was the death of Robert Dick in May 1887, leaving Bella with an eight month old daughter Margaret “Hittie” and two year old son James. Arthur Oram ran the farm for Bella until James was old enough to gradually take charge.
Photographs of Robert Dick’s brother William Dick, sister Agnes Dick and her husband John Drysdale who are mentioned in Arthur Oram’s diaries.
The Rose connection
With the help of researchers in Scotland it has been established that Robert Dick’s sister, Jessie Dick married William “Willie” Rose. Willie was the farm manager at Burrishoole farmhouse and a close friend of Arthur Oram. The connection was hinted at in Arthur Oram’s diaries as Jessie sometimes stayed at ‘Eastfield’, the Dick family home in Scotland for a few weeks.
There was another marriage between the Dick and Rose families when, in 1896 William Dick whose photograph is above married Maria Rose.
Margaret “Hittie” Dick’s marriage to David Deverell
In 1905 Margaret “Hittie” Dick married David Weldon Page Deverell, son of the Newport hotelier Samuel Deverell. About 1919-20, at around the time Arthur and Catherine died the family lived at Wilford before emigrating to the USA. No doubt David ran the farm at Wilford. One of Hittie’s daughters wrote the essay that is quoted in the the Anderson history page.
James Dick’s marriage to Rebecca Margaret “Raby” McKenna
In 1919 James Dick married Rebecca Margaret “Raby” McKenna and continued farming at Mullaun until his death in the 1958.
Slide Show of images of the Dick family:
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/7079/6865844688_951a8e8f28.jpg "0136, David & Margaret "Hitty" (nee Dick) Deverell")
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/7044/7011947835_033be63d55.jpg "0062, Margaret Dick (Deverell) "Hittie"")
I belive that I was the Scottish researcher mentioned in this article
I would be interested to know if the diary mentions anything relating to a family called Johnston who were also very closely connected to the Dick family.
The Johnstons and Dicks moved from Lanarkshire to Burrishoole at roughly the same time.
The Johnston family emigrated to the US around 1870, which was just before William Dick (Snr) and his wife are known to have returned Scotland.
Thanks
Anne
Yes, thank you for your input to the Dick story!
John Oram never mentioned the Dick family in his diaries, and I cannot remember seeing the name Johnston. The close Oram-Dick connection did not start until 1884 when Arthur Oram’s sister-in-law Isabella Anderson married Robert Dick.
Carolyn
Thank you Carolyn for the reply as I now fully understand the Oram connection.
Mrs Dick (snr) who returned to Scotland between 1871 and 1881, was a sister to my ancestor.
When she and William Dick (snr) first moved to Co Mayo, another members of her own family also made the same move and also farmed in the same area
Both Dick and Johnston families had children born and baptised in Burrishoole in the same 10 yr period.
Anne
This is a wonderful website, it contains so much fascinating information for my cousins and myself. We are the six surviving grandchildren of Maria Rose and William Dick. It will be of great interest to us when the diaries are available, but already you have so much here for us to look at. Many thanks, Margaret
I was digging at work and I found a small milk bottle with dick dairies Rutherglen that is why I opened this page does anyone know if the farm in Rutherglen belonging to the dick family was a dairy farm . I still have the bottle in tact if any of the family would like to have it
Margaret, whose father built up the dairy would like the milk bottle. I have tried to send you Margaret’s address by e-mail but the message could not be delivered. Please send us another message using a different contact e-mail address.
Thanks
Carolyn
Hi carolyn I dont have another email address but when my daughter comes In I’ll get her to sort something out thanks for the reply x
Hi Tricia Look out for Margaret wanting to be your friend on Facebook.