Four Moray Place was in the hands of the Frazer family for the first 85 years. This is their story.

James Frazer

James Frazer was born in Glasgow in 1815, the son of James Frazer and Isabella Bannatyne.

He was married on 23 January 1849 in the Presbyterian Church of Ballymacarrett, Belfast, to Rosanna Agnew, eldest daughter of the late Joseph Agnew, Esq, of Redhill, near Moira, County Down . At the time, he was working for the newspaper The Banner of Ulster. Rosanna’s maternal grandfather was the Rev William Moffat, himself a Scot, of the Secession Church in Moira .

The couple moved back to Glasgow, and in 1851 were at 9 Bellgrove Street in the east end, with a mysterious 9-year-old Richard McNeil, born in Java, “a gentleman’s son”. Bellgrove Street was adjacent to the Cattle Market. James was working as a General Commission Agent.

By 1861 he had become a publisher, printer and newsagent. The family were living at 121 North Montrose St, Townhead. Their fourth child had just arrived, and they moved to the newly built 4 Moray Place shortly thereafter.

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William Howie was the builder of the tenement on the south side of Nithsdale Road, which was completed and occupied in 1878. We know this as the deeds record the feuing of the land by William Stevenson, the developer of Strathbungo, to William Howie & Sons, on the understanding they would, within a year, raise a tenement of shops and houses.

Excerpt from deeds of a Nithsdale Road flat, describing feuing of land to William Howie & Son.

At that time the street was known as Matilda Place, and the tenement was named Matida Terrace. It is now simply known by the odd numbers on Nithsdale Road, and includes establishments such as The Bungo Bar & Kitchen, formerly the Fotheringay, and Zinfandel, formerly Samuel Dow’s.

The building was Category B listed in 1989 .

Later 19th century late Georgian-style 3-storey terrace. Unusually long rank of identical single window bays, centre part (nos 33-41) very shallow recessed, public house at W end, shops and canted corner bay at E.

However the identity of William Howie had remained a mystery until I was contacted from Australia by his great great grandson, Adrian Howie. We can now add William to the list of Builders of Strathbungo. The architect remains unknown.

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