John Seath was born in the small mining village of Donibristle in Fife on the 4th of September 1894.  He was the first child of Alexander Williamson Seath and Agnes Howden Sked. 

 

He was destined to follow his father into the coal mining industry at an early age.

 

The family moved to Holyrood Square at the foot of the Royal Mile, Edinburgh around 1895 where his father had obtained employment at a brewery there.  While there, his brother Christopher (Kit) and Sister Jessie were born. 

 

Returning to Donibristle around 1900, once again his father returned to the mining industry.

 

John, at the age of 12 joined his father as a miner and remembered working in 9 inches of water while working an 18 inch seam.  These constant damp conditions meant that he developed rheumatic heart disease at a very early age.

 

On the outbreak of World War I, John joined the Scots Guards as a private.  The front was not his destination and he spent most of the war on guard duty at Buckingham Palace and only travelled overseas at the very end of the war visiting Cologne for a short mopping up sortie.  His WW1 service records can be found HERE as a PDF file.

 

Returning home after the war the family were living in Hill of Beath, John had gained a young sister while he was in the Army, the last child of Alex and Agnes, Mary, had been born in 1916.

 

It was then that John met a young domestic servant from Cowdenbeath named Daisy Stuart.  After a short engagement, they were married in Edinburgh on the 20th of February 1920 and took up residence in the house next door to Johns parents at 8 East Row, Hill of Beath, Fife.

 

It was there, ten months after their marriage in December 1920 that Daisy presented John with their first child.  A daughter named Daisy Stuart Seath.  Three years later another daughter was born but tragically died aged 2 days from what was noted as congenital rickets she was never names but the family always referred to her as Agnes.  Daisy always blamed herself for not getting enough nourishment while she was pregnant.

 

Around 1925 the family moved to Newmills in Fife and, in 1927, their first son, Alexander MacLauchlan Seath was born.  Another daughter Joan was born in 1929 but only lived for 16 days.  She was born with spina bifida and, at that time the medical advice was not to feed her but just keep her lips moist until nature took it's course.  Who can say what torment this caused John and Daisy to watch their daughter waste away and not to be able to do anything to help.

 

In 1933 their last child Robert Sharp Seath (or Bobby as he was known in the family) was born.  Although born with a 'caul' or face veil at birth he was perfectly healthy.

 

It was not long before WW2 broke out and John decided to join the Royal Observer Core which had a look out post in the neighbouring village of Torryburn.  Work was slack and around 1939 the family moved to Marjory Road, Chaddesden, Derbyshire where John's brother Alex lived with his family so that John could take up work in a local munitions factory.  Unfortunately Daisy could not settle due to the constant bombing so they decided to uproot again and return to Newmills.  They got 'home' on the night of the Clydebank blitz!

 

 

A new street of houses built 4 years earlier in Tinian Crescent, Newmills took their fancy and, Daisy, ever the enterprising mother, had a word with the local councillor and managed to get the small semi detached bungalow facing the main street.  It had a good sized garden which John tended producing fruit and vegetables for the family.

 

His health deteriorated and in the mid 50's a sudden setback meant that the local doctor had to be called.  Daisy was told that he would be lucky to survive the night.  Somehow the next morning he was slightly better and improved to such an extent that he soon returned to the mine.  After his recovery he recounted seeing his brother Alex, who had died a few years previously, standing at the bottom of his sick bed.  John told him he was not ready to go as he still had a young family.  A strange episode indeed.

 

John retired in 1959 at the age of 65 as a Colliery Winding Engineman at Valleyfield Colliery having spent over 50 years in the mining industry.  He was awarded a certificate of long service which he treasured.  Never one for sitting still however, he became an assistant gardener at Craigflower Private School in Torryburn, finally retiring at the age of 75. A long and fruitful life. Never one to sit still he still produced fruit and vegetables from his garden.  Daisy producing the most wonderful selection of fruit pies, tarts and jam.

 

By 1970 his body was beginning to give out but he was forever cheerful and had a lot of time for the family.  Grandchildren had come along Andrew and Marguerite in 1950, Craig in 1959. 

 

His last great outing was to his son Bobby's wedding to Maureen White in 1970 where he, along with the family, travelled down to Warwickshire to attend the wedding.  He may have been ill but his enjoyment of the day was obvious to all.

 

Another grandchild, Joanne Elizabeth Seath was born in 1972 to Bobby and Maureen and on visits to Newmills he could be found kneeling on the floor playing with her despite his lack of energy and breath.  He was a man devoted to his family.

 

Late in 1973 his illnesses forced him to take to his bed.  His son Alex had set up a mirror at an angle in the bedroom so that he could see his beloved garden and also what was happening in Newmills Main Street.

 

I remember the last time I saw my Grandfather, lying on his bed, I asked him how he was and rather than the usual "no' bad son" he looked at me and said "no' too well".  It was then I realised that I was losing a friend.  I gave him a hug as we left to go home.

 

He died in the Dunfermline and West Fife Hospital on the 16th of February 1974 with his sons Alex and Bobby at his side.

 

Cremated at Dunfermline Crematorium a peaceful man left this world.  

 

He was a lovely gentle man who could always make the children laugh.  He was loved by all the family and with his death died a lot of family stories I was too young or inattentive to listen to.  That is my loss indeed.