Born - 7 March 1878 - Townhill, Dunfermline, Fife Scotland
Died - 9 July 1945 - Methil, Fife Scotland

When Thomas was younger than 3 he moved away from Townhill, Dunfermline to Woodside, Aberdour where he is on the census with his parents and siblings, John (12), Janet (9), James (7), Andrew (5), and David (1). His father was an Engine Keeper. His mother died 4 years later of pneumonia .

By 1891 his father had remarried and they have moved to Buckhaven. They were living in the factory cottages, his father was a miner. John, Janet and James had moved out the family home but were living locally. He now had 2 younger brother’s Andrew and Ebeneezer. George Reid (17) was also living with them, he was his step brother.

On 31st December 1900 Thomas married Mary Ann Murray. Many people got married on the 31st December as Hogmanay was a huge celebration in Scotland and New Years was one of the few holidays working class people got (Christmas Day wasn’t a public holiday until 1950’s). They lived in Lawson Square, Buckhaven where they had their first born child.

By the 1911 census they had moved to Smithyhill which was then under Milton of Balgonie, Markinch. Their family had grown to 7 children! Come the 1921 Census Thomas Leitch and Mary Ann were living in Denbeath with 8 children (alive). They had suffered many loses between 1905-1921, it truly is a sad tale. Detailed below are some of the information I have uncovered. In his lifetime he lost 8 children.

• James Leitch (before 1906)
• Andrew Leitch (1906-1906) cause of death – Bronchitis, whooping cough
• William M Leitch (1902-1917), cause of death – Pulmonary tuberculous
• Murray Leitch (1913-1917), cause of death – Pulmonary tuberculous
• Ebenezer Leitch (1915-1917) cause of death – measles, bronc pneumonia
• Jane Leitch (1918-1919), – cause of death – Acute Bronchitis
• Helen M Letich (1919-1921), cause of death – measles, bronc pneumonia
• Tommy Leitch (1904-1942), cause of death – Acute Infectious Jaudice

His eldest son emigrated to New Zealand (detailed in Peter’s story) and his sister Janet emigrated to Canada and lived in Vancouver.

By the 1930s Thomas had moved to 297 Methil High Street and was given the licence to run the Steamboat Tavern (301 High Street Methil) from his Uncle, not father, as per newspaper article below. I have also found an article of him getting into trouble for supplying under age alcohol!

First newspaper article dated 20th October 1926 was in the Dundee Courier. It wasn’t until 17 November 1939 – The beginning of the second world war he got into trouble!

Thomas was a publican until he died in 1945. His gravestone is in Wemyss Cemetery. He died aged 67 and was outlived by his wife and 5 children.

Thomas took his own life, my Di was 14 at the time and remembers getting told by another child on his way home from school that his granddad had “hung himself”. His death certificate states

Father – John Leitch

Mother – Ann Rattray

Wife – Mary Ann Murray

Son – Peter McKinlay Leitch