Marjory was sent to Edinburgh, seemingly very soon after the birth, to become a nurse.  She seemed to have made this into a successful career. The photograph, right, was taken of Marjory at the City Hospital in Edinburgh in 1912. 

In 1921 she was presented with a silver inkwell from Glenalmond Hospital where it is believed she had been Matron for a few years.  (This was a hospital for war wounded.

It is thought she returned to Inverness after that and married a Malcolm Fraser, possibly from the Ardersier area.  He was a few years older than her - they had no children. 

Her granddaughter, Jean, often spoke of spending many happy times with her ‘Granny Ballifeary’ helping out with hens and cattle at the house in Ballifeary Road.  

Malcolm Fraser died before Marjory.  She was a very fit and capable woman and ran the croft  until the end of her life  in 1939 .  She passed away, doing what she enjoyed,  tending her small holding.

MALCOLM JOHN ROSS -  (1897 - 1965)

Malcolm John Ross was brought up by his grandparents. John Nicol & Christina Cameron at “Drumarkie” Rosemarkie, Ross & Cromarty.  He was born  to Marjory  Nicol, a seamstress and  John Ross, a son of the Ross family of Balnagown Estate, who moved away to Canada after Malcolm’s birth,  and as far as we know, John was never involved with his son or Marjory. 

Little is known about his boyhood except that he was very musical and good at maths.  He was also skilled at carpentry and could turn his hand to making or repairing anything.  In his early 20’s he lived on the Isle of Skye, working as a foreman with Tawse where the first tarmac roads were being constructed. 

He married Catherine MacLennan (Kate) in 1926.  Following the birth of their children, John and Marjory Jane (Jean) the family moved to Dochfour Estate, Inverness, where Jock worked as forester.  Life was good there.  He worked hard and in his spare time played the pipes.  He even formed a pipe band with the estate workers.    Sadly, many of these boys went away to war and never returned.  In 1957 he retired from the sawmill and moved back to Inverness, to the home his mother had lived in at Rowanbank. 

Not idle for long, he started work with Rossleigh’s Garage as a taxi driver.  His popularity as a taxi driver grew so successfully that he started up his own taxi service, based at Rowanbank.  At the height of its success, he owned 3 taxis and officiated at weddings, funerals and lots of everyday  bookings.  John, Jean and  her husband  Donnie also helped out at busy times.  In his spare time he grew all his own vegetables and worked tirelessly in the garden., keeping the household supplied with fruit and vegetables. 

Sadly, Kate died in 1964 and Jock the following year.

MARJORY JANE ROSS   1927 - 2004 

Marjory, known as Jean, was born to Malcolm John & Catherine (Katie) McLennan in Inverness in 1927. 

She was brought up at The Lodge, Dochfour  attending Dochgarroch School, Central School and Inverness High School. 

She started work  at age 15 in Inverness.  Her first job was a clerkess with Herraghty, Wine Merchants and then in the Town Hall in the Town Chamberlain’s Office.  She also worked in the Food office at night, dealing with the administration of Ration Books. 

In 1951 she married Donald Fraser, farmer of Balmore, Scaniport

Jean and Donnie separated in 1964 and subsequently divorced.  Donnie remarried and died in 1991. 

Jean  moved to Inverness and Jean returned to full time employment. 

In 1968 Jean met Geddes McWilliam, an Aberdonian who was employed as Superintendent of Cleansing with Inverness Town Council. They eventually married in 1983.     Geddes passed away in 1993 & Jean in 2004, aged 76. 

Marjory Jane is survived by her daughters two daughters, two grand daughters, one grandson and one great grandson 

Marjory’s brother John did not marry.

Submitted by her daughters - 2007