GRAND VALLEY – Grand Valley resident Rob Skeoch, whose great grandfather is from Fergus, recently discovered new connections to his roots via a car in Dalbeattie, Scotland.
After spending most of his life in Burlington, Skeoch moved to the area five years ago. Living closer to Fergus has given him the opportunity to connect with several locals who share the name, which is not uncommon in town, noted Skeoch in an email.
“James B. Skeoch in Dalbeattie … was in the car business. This is the same part of Scotland that many of the Fergus Skeochs come from and the name isn’t that popular, or old … so they’re all related,” Skeoch stated in the email.
James Skeoch made about a dozen Skeoch utility cars, halting his efforts after a fire in 1921 destroyed them.
A century later a group of men in Dalbeattie have now built a Skeoch car.
This group, known as the Dalbeattie Men’s Shed, is part of a larger British organization offering free access to tools and workshop spaces for local men, with an emphasis on helping those who are isolated.
Relatives of James Skeoch had kept some of his original plans and materials for the cars. The Dalbeattie Shed, known for its experience restoring cars, was approached with the materials and asked to build the car.
One of the vehicles has been successfully built, and is used in local fairs and parades.
Skeoch learned of the car while chatting with a Fergus Skeoch who knew of the efforts. Skeoch was able to contact these men, asking to see the car. He received a response, inviting him to visit. Skeoch and his wife Brenda vacationed in Scotland and took the opportunity to see the vehicle.
On July 7 the Skeochs took a train to the Scottish town of Dumfries and met the Men’s Shed there.
“The hospitality by the group was amazing,” Skeoch stated, adding the group drove 30 minutes from Dalbeattie to Dumfries, to pick up and drop off the Skeochs at the train station and took them out for lunch after the car viewing.
“I think everything built in the 1920s is a rough ride,” Skeoch joked of how the car drives. “You need a crank to start it. It has one door, a two-gear gear box, hand throttle like a tractor, and a great ragtop.
“Not a lot of safety features back in 1921 but they put the one door opposite the driver so they don’t slide out while taking a sharp corner.
“It’s in the colour of the original car, bright red.”
