This is, very briefly, his story: His father, George Shepherd, a successful dealer who exported cattle through the port of Aberdeen, married Margaret Davidson in 1877. They lived at three different addresses in Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, during their thirteen years together. George, like many wheeling-dealing businessmen, drank a fair amount and died suddenly from a heart attack, at the age of 42, in Aberdeen Railway Station in August 1890, six months before his youngest child, Mary, was born. Although he had been comfortable when he was alive, money was scarce after his death. James, their second child, who had been born at 68 High Street, was eleven years old at the time. He was still at school and if he continued with his education, it may have been funded by the Freemasons. George’s induction certificate into Freemasonry is still in existence.

She shows up on the 1901 Census in the London household of Sir George Macpherson-Grant, MP. The Macpherson-Grants went to their ancient Scottish castle, Ballindalloch, every year for the shooting. They traveled overnight by train from London, the “quality” in first-class sleepers, the servants in third class on hard seats. It was in Aberdeenshire that the couple met. They were married in St Mary’s Church of England in Wavertree. It is not known why they came to Ireland.

James got a job on the Wells Estate in Gorey, Co Wexford in 1907 as Head Gardener. In February 1908 twin daughters, Peggy and Violet were born and in 1910 another daughter, May completed the family. James’ wife Martha seems to have had a social chip on her shoulder, maybe because of her humble origins, and had difficulty in getting along with the other staff and their spouses on the estates where they worked. It is mainly for this reason that they moved five more times in James’ 42 years in Ireland. In 1916 they were on the Dowdstown Estate, Navan, Co Meath. Many years later their daughter, Peggy, recounted how they could hear the guns all the way from Dublin during the Uprising.

Click the image to hear Richard’s account of his grandfather…