Born: 23 October 1871 – Dysart, Fife
Died: 31 December 1958 – Abernethy, Perthshire

David Wishart was born at nine-thirty in the morning of 23 October 1871 at Braehead Cottage in Dysart, Fife. He was the son of James Wishart, a manufacturer from Abernethy, and Janet Ireland. By 1881 his father, who was partner in Wishart & Ireland – a successful linen manufacturers, had built Strathearn Villa – the family home on Loughborough Road, which still stands today, and operates as a hotel. David’s mother had died four years earlier, and he was living with his father, step-mother and four siblings.

After leaving school David joined the family business and eventually ran the firm’s factory, known as the Strathearn Power Loom Works, in Abernethy. He married Mary Westwater, the daughter of a manufacturer, on 20 November 1894 in Dysart and by 1901 was living at Ingleneuk, a cottage on Main Street in Abernethy. In 1905 David joined the Newburgh Golf Club (as Vice-Captain) and was the first to play on the course against the ex-Provost Anderson. In addition to being a keen golfer, David was also the Right Worshipful Master of the Abernethy lodge. In February 1911 he purchased a Motosacoche motor cycle and in 1914 published a book entitled: “Genealogical History of the Wisharts of Pittarrow and Logie Wishart, County of Kincardine, or the Mearns, and of Fifeshire (Scotland).” Sections of the book were copied from Charles Rogers book (published 1876) about the history of the Wishart family, and David made substantial additions in the form of information about his own antecedents (though many other Wishart lineages were not researched.) The book, which contains details of over 700 Wisharts, was transcribed in 1997 by Neville Wishart of Wellington, New Zealand, and first made available in digital format by the Wishart Society. The book has subsequently been reproduced widely throughout the internet, and we can provide a PDF of it here.

By the time of publication David had built a new villa in Abernethy for himself and ‘May’ and named it Pittarrow (in a nod to a branch of the family whose family home was known as ‘Pitarrow’.) After the Great War ended, David and May had taken a clear liking to travel, and spent long spells at a time taking cruises around the world. For example, they visited in 1921/22 – the USA (including Hawaii) and Canada; 1930 – the West Indies; 1934 – Japan; 1937 – South America and 1938 – South and East Africa. One can only assume that the travelling ceased due to commencement of World War II.

Mary died from a heart attack at Pittarrow on 16 October 1955 whilst David died from bronchopneumonia just over three years later in the small hours of 31 December 1958.