by Roberta McGee
Alexander McDonald Allan was born in Netherthird Farm, Old Cumnock on 15/2/1876. His father was Robert Allan who was born in Old Cumnock on 20/2/1837 and his mother was Jeanie Baxter McDonald who was born in Kirkintilloch in 1849.
Robert's brother, who was also called Alexander, served his apprenticeship with Turnbull & Young, watchmakers & jewellers, who had premises in Glaisnock Street, and when the firm decided to sell up, Robert and his brother Alexander acquired it. They traded under the name of R & A Allan - "Sign of the Big Clock". "The Big Clock" or "Allan's Knock" hung above their shop in Glaisnock Street next to McKechnie's. The shop became, in later years, Peggy Lindsay's, draper.
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| Allan’s Knock is on the right |
Sadly Robert died on 10/3/1886 at Viewfield Cottage, Cumnock, where they had moved to from Netherthird Farm. His wife Jeanie moved to 2 Armour Street, Kilmarnock and that's where we find her on the 1891 census with her children Margaret aged 18yrs who is a pupil teacher, 16yrs old William who is a baker, Alexander aged 14yrs & Helen aged 9yrs.
Alexander excelled at Kilmarnock Academy. Here is the transcription of an article from the Cumnock Chronicle from 1936 detailing his extraordinary life.
Interesting career of a Cumnock native
"On Sabbath last the pulpit in the West Church was occupied by the Rev. Alexander McDonald Allan, a Cumnock native, who, in the course of his service, gave a most interesting account of 26 years' service in Colombia, South America. We have been favoured by a fuller account of Mr. Allan's experiences, and have great pleasure in reproducing them, and we are certain that they will be read with great interest, not only by all in Cumnock who knew him as a boy at school, but by natives of Cumnock, no matter where they reside.
Mr Allan was the son of Mr. Robert Allan, who, 60 years ago, occupied the farm of Netherthird, and who, along with his horse 'Prince', was a very well-known feature of Cumnock streets at that time. On retiring from Netherthird, Mr. Allan, along with his younger brother Alexander, bought the jewellery business of Turnbull & Young, and formed the firm R. & A. Allan, which was in business for many years, and whose name still adorns the big clock in front of the premises they occupied in Glaisnock Street.
Mr Allan was born at Netherthird in 1876 and his father died 10 years later at Viewfield Cottage, Glaisnock Road. In 1889 the family removed to Kilmarnock, and at Kilmarnock Academy Alexander gained the Paterson Bursary and the Ballochmyle Bursary. At the age of 16 Alex went to sea and for four years served before the mast, during which time he visited Mauritius, Australia, Mexico, Costa Rica, Chile and Brazil. At the latter place he was shipwrecked and had to swim ashore. He crossed the Equator 18 times, rounded the Cape of Good Hope 5 times and Cape Horn 3 times. All his seafaring experiences were gained in sailing ships.
Returning to Glasgow, he studied two years at Glasgow University, and then went to New Zealand where he was engaged in mission work in the Northern part for some years amongst Maoris and Europeans. He travelled all over the North Island and visited the South Sea Islands for five months in the Anglican Mission schooner 'Southern Cross', and spent some time amongst the cannibals of the Solomon Islands. He spent the next six months in Australia and two years in California, where he continued his studies. Returning to New Zealand in 1904, he spent three years in the Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Dunedin and two years in mission work.
He married Margaret Allan, whose grandfather belonged to Riccarton, Kilmarnock, and was one of the first settlers in New Zealand.
He offered himself for foreign mission work in South America, and was accepted by the Presbyterian Church in USA, and went to Colombia in 1910. He resides in Bogota, the capital, which has a population of 350,000 people and is situated 9000 feet above sea level. The state of Colombia has a population of 8 millions. He has a furlough every six years. He has a family of two; Margaret, who is now aged 22 years and Robert, 16 years, who is accompanying him on a brief visit to Scotland.
James Fraser, an Aberdeen medical student, went from Paris to Colombia with the British Legion, consisting of 2000 Scotch and Irish, to help General Boliver in the Wars of Independence. After victory, Fraser invited the Presbyterian Church of Scotland to send missionaries to Colombia, but they were already too busy in Africa and India to do so. He wrote to the USA Presbyterian Church and they began to work in Bogota in 1856. They have now 26 missionaries in Colombia. Mr Allan has remained a British subject, but furloughs in USA. In September and October he undertakes deputation work for the churches in Illinois and Ohio.
He and his son sail from Greenock on the S.S. 'Samaria' on August 22nd for New York, to rejoin his wife and daughter at Wheaton, Illinois. He and his wife return to Colombia in March 1937, while his son and daughter will remain in Illinois to continue their studies.
Six years ago the clerical-conservative government gave way to a transition government. Two years ago a Liberal government got into power, and it is now busy seeking complete separation between Church and State, and the liberation of the public schools from clerical control, and endeavouring to increase the number of schools, and further the general development of the country along democratic lines, but avoiding the extremes which are causing so much trouble in Spain today.
Altogether there are eighty Protestant missionaries in Colombia, from various societies, and the people receive them well as an element of progress, providing schools and bibles, and a new outlook on religion, but in this work they are opposed by the priests. In 1912 Mr. Allan founded a paper entitled 'El Evangelista Colombiano' and since that time it has been published every month, and 1300 copies are sold monthly. It is a religious and popular paper for those interested in Protestantism.
Mr. Allan has been a pastor of a church in Bogota, where all the work is done in Spanish, the language of the country. He has now under his care 8 country schools, 10 country congregations and he itinerates one third of each year over a territory as large as Scotland. In spite of all their difficulties, their congregations are increasing and developing, and contrary to popular belief, mission work is easier in South America than in Asia. However, all Mission Boards are sorely tried today, through the increased cost of living in foreign lands, and the decreased gifts since the crisis at home, at a time of enlarging opportunities."
Both Alexander and his wife, Margaret Gordon Allan, became American citizens in 1955, their residence given at that time as 755 Mayflower Road, Claremont, California. Their children, both of whom were born in Bogota, were resident in the USA - Margaret in Pomona, California and Robert in Kansas City.
Margaret Gordon Allan died 29/12/1960 in Los Angeles, California and Alexander died 22/1/1973 also in Los Angeles.
As for "Allan's Knock", Well it didn't have such a peaceful ending.
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| 1963 Cumnock Chronicle |
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