Michael T Tracy

George Ballingall (1809-1886) Michael T Tracy

On Wednesday, 21 April 1886 the Dundee Courier Newspaper reported on the death of a leading Forfarshire farmer by stating "Mr. George Ballingall, farmer, Cookston, about a mile north of Eassie Station, died there rather suddenly about eight o'clock yesterday morning. Mr. Ballingall, who was about seventy-eight [sic] years of age, attended the Forfar Auction Mart on Monday, and was in his usual health when he retired to rest that evening. He rose about half-past six yesterday morning, but after dressing he remarked that he felt somewhat unwell, and did not take breakfast. He shortly afterwards returned to bed, but grew gradually worse, and expired about eight o'clock as stated. Mr. Ballingall has been a tenant of Cookston, which is some 600 acres in extent, for about fifty years, and he carried on an extensive business as a flour miller as well as a farmer while running his first tack. Three or four years ago, he entered on a lease of the farm of Tarbrax, in the Glen of Ogilvy, about two miles south of Glamis, and he was also a large sheep farmer. His son, Mr. George Ballingall, is tenant of Linross and Madgeholes, to the east of Cookston. The deceased, who was a J. P. [Justice of the Peace] for Forfarshire, was well known and greatly respected throughout the county, and being regarded as an authority in agricultural matters he was frequently employed as an arbiter and valuator. Mr. Ballingall, who hailed originally from Fifeshire, was twice married, and has left a widow and grown-up family. Dr. Grant Glamis, was called, and, we understand, he attributed death to heart disease." George Ballingall is descended from a long line of Fife agriculturalists dating back to the late 1600s. His father, Patrick (Peter) Ballingall (1770-1813) was the tenant farmer of Collairnie in Dunbog Parish for many years. George would take up agriculture himself in his own right when he decided to relocate to Airlie Parish, Agnus (Forfar) in about 1836. During the year of 1854 he began farming Cookston on the Estate of Glamis for the next fifty years. While on the farm, Ballingall began an extensive business as a flour miller. George Ballingall had three children with his first wife, Jane Simpson, who subsequently died at the age of 27 of consumption and four children with his second wife, Helen Whyte. Ballingall was a leading authority in agricultural matters of the area and was a long time member of the Eastern Forfarshire Farming Association; the Union Agricultural Association and the Angus Agricultural Association. This then is the narrative of the life and times of George Ballingall, the agriculturalist of Cookston.