The photos and text below were contributed by Glen Dobbie glendobbie@supanet.com. Glen is a descendant of William Dobbie and is seeking  information regarding the parents of William, Francis  Dobbie and Agnes McCreath married 25 July 1873 in Maybole.

William Dobbie was born in 1878 in Maybole. Two years later, his parents, Francis Dobbie and Agnes McCreath died there leaving two young sons, William age 2 and his brother James age 6. James remained in Maybole with his maternal grandparents while William was raised in Glasgow by his aunt. William Dobbie later moved to York and became a council member in 1911. He fought and was wounded in WWI. After the war he became an alderman of York and in 1923 was elected Lord Mayor, the first Labour mayor ever. He was head of the National Union of Railwaymen from 1925-1927and 1931-1933. In 1933 he was elected M.P for Rotherham. He served a second term as Lord Mayor in 1947 and in the same year was made a C.B.E. ( it is said he refused a knighthood). He died in 1950.

William Dobbie in 1923 during his
 first term as Lord Mayor of York.

July 7 1948. A visit from  King George VI, Queen Elizabeth and then Princess Elizabeth.

Not bad for an orphan from Maybole! Although he spent much of his life in England and was brought up in Glasgow, I feel he would be very proud to be associated with the town of his birth. Glen Dobbie glendobbie@supanet.com