Edward TRAGHEIM

Edward TRAGHEIM
b: 17 NOV 1881
d: 1971
Biography

Edward Tragheim was born Joseph McColl, because his mother was unmarried at the time of his birth. Eliza McColl married Edward Tragheim (Sr) on 25 June 1884, when Joseph would have been 2 1/2 years old. It's not known whether Tragheim was the father, or whether he simply took on the child when he married Eliza. According to Jean Tragham, in a letter dated 30th Oct 1991, "the father could have been a Joseph Selkirk, a neighbour of the McColl family."

The family lore (recorded by Jean in her letter) has it that Joseph ran away at the age of 16 to join the army, and at that point he changed his name unofficially to Edward Tragheim. However, he enlisted in the Royal Scots Regiment on 31 Oct 1899, when he would have been just over two weeks shy of his 18th birthday. His age on enlistment is recorded as being 18 years, which is close enough to the truth not to matter much.

It's also said that he detested his father, but that may be as unreliable as the claim that he was a boy soldier.

He served in the Second Boer War, and was in Africa from 16th May 1900 to 23 March 1903. On 1 April 1901 was awarded the South Africa Medal and Clasps for service in Belfast, Cape Colony, and the Orange Free State. The Queen's South Africa Medal (QSA) was awarded to military personnel who served in the Boer War in South Africa between 11 October 1899 and 31 May 1902. Units from the British Army, Royal Navy, colonial forces who took part (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, India and South Africa), civilians employed in official capacity and war correspondents. The QSA (without bar) was also awarded to troops who guarded Boer prisoners of war at the POW camp on the island of St. Helena.

The Belfast clasp was awarded to troops who, on 26 or 27 August 1900, were east of a north and south line drawn through Wonderfonein, and west of a north and south line through Dalmanutha Station, and north of an east and west line drawn through Carolina (Transvaal).

The Cape Colony and Orange Free State clasps were issued for service within those states when no specific battle clasp was issued to the recipient for a specific action within the same state. So we can assume that Edward was not engaged in specific actions in Cape Colony or in the Orange Free State.

Edward was also awarded the much rarer King's South Africa Medal, on 1st October, 1902. The King's South Africa Medal (KSA) was awarded to all troops who served in the Boer War in South Africa on or after 1 January 1902, and completed 18 months service before 1 June 1902. The medal was not issued alone but always with the Queen's South Africa Medal or QSA.

The KSA was awarded only to those troops who fought in 1902, and who had served for 18 months. Service did not have to be continuous, but even with continuous service the recipient would have had to serve from December 1900 to have 18 months service before the war ended in May 1902 (and commencing before the death of Queen Victoria on 22 January 1901). Hence the majority of participants qualified for the QSA only. Edward earned clasps for service in 1901 and 1902.

On 26 March 1904, Edward signed up to complete eight years with the regiment. He was also promoted at that time to Lance Corporal. By that point he'd already served 4 1/2 years. His army forms say that he had enlisted for 7 years' army service, and 5 years on reserve.

His seven years of service would have been up in 1906. On 5th April 1907 he married Jane Ann Waddell in Dundee at her home at 13 Park Lane, Dundee. The wedding was conducted according to the forms of the United Free Church, by George Smart, the minister of the United Free Church in School Wynd, Dundee, vice-president of the United Free Church of Scotland Sabbath Observance Committee, and author of "The Sabbath: The Safeguard of Religion and Morals."

At the time of his marriage Edward was a journeyman baker, and lived at 60 Montrose Street, Brechin. His father was also a baker. Did they work together?

His son Edward was born 9th June 1907, followed by Helen ("Auntie Nell") on 8th Dec, 1908, and Thomas on 9th March 1910. John and Douglas were born in 1912 and 1913, respectively, although Douglas passed away in 1914.

On 5 August 1914 Edward was mobilized at the Royal Scots' Glencorse Barracks, situated just outside the Midlothian town of Penicuik. He was in the British Expeditionary Force from 11th August 1914 to 4th June 1918.

He was awarded the Victory Medal, the British War Medal, and the 1914 Star (also known as the Mons Star). These three medals were awarded to most of the British servicemen that had served from 1914 or 1915. They were irreverently referred to as Pip, Squeak, and Wilfred.

The majority of recipients of the Mons Star were officers and men of the pre-war British army, specifically the British Expeditionary Force (the Old Contemptibles), who landed in France soon after the outbreak of the War and who took part in the Retreat from Mons (hence the nickname 'Mons Star'). 365,622 were awarded in total. Some 6,500,000 British War Medals were awarded in total.

Edward was gassed on 20th May, 1918, and was sent home from the war on 5th June. The effects of being gassed were to stay with him for the rest of his life. Besides damage to his lungs, Edward had been blinded.

If I'm reading his army papers correctly, he was put back on reserve on 6th March, 1919, when he would have been 38 years old.

Lilian was born two years later, in 1921.

***

Recollection by Bodhipaksa: I remember visiting my great grandfather in hospital. My grandfather, Thomas Tragham, would take me to a stationer's shop, where he would buy me a Lyons Maid "Zoom" ice-lolly that looked like a rocket, as well as two small tubs of vanilla ice cream. My great grandad would always play a game of not remembering who I was, and then he'd day "Oh, you're the Fifer!" (I lived in the county of Fife). It's possible that he actually had trouble remembering who I was, and that this wasn't a game!

I was ten years old when he died (aged 89) but I have the feeling I was a lot younger at this time. My grandad told me that his dad was very aggressive in the hospital, and would sometimes attack the staff with his walking stick. But he always seemed friendly when I was there.
Facts
  • 17 NOV 1881 - Birth - ; Noble’s Land, Dalkeith, Edinburgh
  • 1971 - Death - ; Lochee, Dundee, Angus
  • Occupation - Baker
  • Religion - United Free Church
Ancestors
   
Samuel TRAGHEIM
10 AUG 1838 -
 
 
Edward TRAGHEIM
1861 - 1939
  
  
  
Catherine WINTON
1 AUG 1837 - 1914
 
Edward TRAGHEIM
17 NOV 1881 - 1971
  
 
  
?
 
 
Elizabeth Jane Ayton MCCOLL
22 NOV 1862 - 1951 or 1952
  
  
  
?
 
Family Group Sheet - Child
PARENT (M) Edward TRAGHEIM
Birth1861Newcastle upon Tyne, Westgate
Death1939Springburn, Glasgow
Marriage25 JUL 1884to Elizabeth Jane Ayton MCCOLL at Dalkeith
FatherSamuel TRAGHEIM
MotherCatherine WINTON
PARENT (F) Elizabeth Jane Ayton MCCOLL
Birth22 NOV 1862Dalkeith, Midlothian, Scotland
Death1951 or 1952Langside, Glasgow
Marriage25 JUL 1884to Edward TRAGHEIM at Dalkeith
Marriageto Unknown Possibly Joseph UNKNOWN POSSIBLY SELKIRK
Father?
Mother?
CHILDREN
MEdward TRAGHEIM
Birth17 NOV 1881Noble’s Land, Dalkeith, Edinburgh
Death1971Lochee, Dundee, Angus
Marriage5 APR 1907to Jane Ann WADDELL at Dundee
MAlfred TRAGHEIM
Birth16 MAY 1885Pursell’s Close, Dalkeith
Death1959Monifeith
Marriage21 JUN 1912to Elsie May GILES at 50 Wellington St, Glasgow, Scotland
FElizabeth Kay TRAGHEIM
Birth20 FEB 1887117 High St, Dalkeith, Midlothian
Death1897Lasswade, Midlothian
MEdwin TRAGHEIM
Birth1882
Death
FCatherine Winton TRAGHEIM
Birth16 FEB 1889Elm Bank, Penicuik
Death1975West Kilbride, Ayrshire
Marriage29 SEP 1917to James Kirk GIVEN at 140 Queens Drive, Glasgow
FEmily Jane Ayton TRAGHEIM
Birth1891Peebles
Death23 JUL 1989Hamilton
Marriage1 SEP 1927to James Norman Palmer LEWIS at Niagara Falls
MAlexander TRAGHEIM
Birth12 APR 1900Tranent
Death24 NOV 1941H.M.S. Dunedin, South Atlantic
Marriage12 MAY 1927to Helen Spencer ANDERSON at Govan Town Hall, Summertown Rd, Govan, Glasgow
FFlorence TRAGHEIM
Birth18 APR 1898Markinch, Fife, Scotland
Death
Marriage2 SEP 1917to Thomas Alfred MUIR at 33 Queen Square, Glasgow
FRobina TRAGHEIM
Birth12 JAN 1893Canongate, Edinburgh
Death
Marriage1921to James BOYD at Govanhill, Glasgow
MGeorge Wright TRAGHEIM
Birth24 AUG 1896Lasswade, Midlothian
Death1985Greenock, Renfrew
Marriage30 JUN 1933to Helen McDONALD at Marlborough House, Langside, Glasgow
MRobert Edward TRAGHEIM
Birth24 JUL 190717 Forcat? Park Road, Dundee
Death1986Glasgow
Marriage1938to Margaret Stewart McGREGOR at Pollok, Glasgow
FLilian TRAGHEIM
BirthABT 1903
Death
Marriage12 JUL 1929to Colin Campbell ALLAN at United Free Church, Crosshill, Glasgow
Family Group Sheet - Spouse
PARENT (M) Edward TRAGHEIM
Birth17 NOV 1881Noble’s Land, Dalkeith, Edinburgh
Death1971Lochee, Dundee, Angus
Marriage5 APR 1907to Jane Ann WADDELL at Dundee
FatherEdward TRAGHEIM
MotherElizabeth Jane Ayton MCCOLL
PARENT (F) Jane Ann WADDELL
Birth18792 Russell St, Dundee, Scotland
Death1973Dundee
Marriage5 APR 1907to Edward TRAGHEIM at Dundee
Father?
Mother?
CHILDREN
MThomas Waddell TRAGHAM
Birth9 MAR 1910
Death1 DEC 2005Dundee
Marriage14 OCT 1932to Marjory Robertson DUNCAN at 1 Shamrock St., Dundee
FLilian TRAGHEIM
Birth1921
Death
Marriage24 NOV 1944to Donald Robert JAUNAY at Dundee
MEdward TRAGHEIM
Birth9 JUN 1907Kinnaird Place, Brechin, Angus Scotland
Death1987Dundee
Marriage1936to Barbara (Babbs) Chalmer BROWN at ARBROATH AND ST VIGEANS, ANGUS
FHelen “Nell” Clunie TRAGHEIM
Birth1908Brechin, Angus
Death2000Dundee
MJohn Smith TRAGHEIM
Birth1912St Clement District, Dundee
Death1964 Alton, Hampshire, England
Marriageto Margaret
MDouglas C Waddell TRAGHEIM
Birth1913St Clement District, Dundee
Death1914St Clement District, Dundee
Descendancy Chart
Edward TRAGHEIM b: 17 NOV 1881 d: 1971
Jane Ann WADDELL b: 1879 d: 1973
Thomas Waddell TRAGHAM b: 9 MAR 1910 d: 1 DEC 2005
Marjory Robertson DUNCAN b: 23 NOV 1911 d: 26 SEP 1998
Eileen MUELLER b: 19 MAR 1973
Eileen MUELLER b: 19 MAR 1973
Kaylee Dillon MUELLER b: 25 OCT 2015
Megan b: ABT 2001
Jaimie b: ABT 2002
Eleanor Dorothy TRAGHAM b: 16 MAR 1938
Ian STEPHEN b: 2 MAY 1933
Shrijnana LEMONE b: 8 SEP 1968
Maia Bereket SERING b: 8 NOV 2006
Malkias Milko Kiran SERING b: 19 APR 2008
Fiona Grace STEPHEN b: 18 DEC 1963
Jessie BARRIE b: 9 SEP 1994
Daniel BARRIE b: 21 APR 1997
Matthew BARRIE b: 8 MAR 2001 d: 9 OCT 2016
Ronald TRAGHAM b: 1933 d: 2017
Kenneth David TRAGHAM b: 1 MAR 1961
Margaret Theresa JONES b: 18 JUL 1960
Jennifer Helen TRAGHAM b: 2 JUL 1986
Richard William TRAGHAM b: 17 NOV 1985
Novella MOONEY b: ABT 1981
Linda Anne T TRAGHAM b: 14 MAY 1967
Craig DOUGLAS b: 23 JUN 1990
Tyler DOUGLAS b: 10 OCT 2011
Anne TRAGHAM b: 14 FEB 1970
Cordelia Ashley b: 30 JAN 1996
Alan TRAGHAM b: 3 JAN 1953
Oliver Lewis TRAGHAM b: 3 OCT 2008
Claire Elaine TRAGHAM b: 8 JAN 1985
Jack James TRAGHAM b: 22 DEC 2015
Lilian TRAGHEIM b: 1921
Donald Robert JAUNAY b: 19 OCT 1918 d: 25 AUG 2012
Robert Edward JAUNAY b: 30th May 1950
Edward TRAGHEIM b: 9 JUN 1907 d: 1987
Barbara (Babbs) Chalmer BROWN b: ABT 1912 d: 1987
John Smith TRAGHEIM b: 1912 d: 1964
Douglas C Waddell TRAGHEIM b: 1913 d: 1914

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