Tour Scotland Video George Malcolm Ship Owner Gravestone Old Kirk Graveyard Kirkcaldy Fife

Tour Scotland video of the George Malcolm, Ship Owner, gravestone in the Old Kirk cemetery on ancestry visit to Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland. To the memory of George Malcolm, senior, who died 25th August 1836, aged 65 years, Isabella, his wife, who died 22nd December 1813, aged 36 years, and their three sons, David, George, and George Greig Malcolm.

The Malcolm surname is an Anglicized form of the Old Gaelic " Mael Coluimb ", later " Maol Chaluim ", devotee or Saint Columba, from " maol ", bald, tonsured, and the personal name Columb from the Latin " Columba ", " Dove ". St. Columba was a renowned Irish abbot and missionary, born in Donegal circa 521; who died on the island of Iona in 597, who is said to have been directly descended from Niall of the Nine Hostages, 4th Century High King of Ireland. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of John Malcum, a baker in Perth, which was dated 1545.

Kirkcaldy harbour was acknowledged for having " a sheltered cove round the East Burn ", thus giving easy accessibility for boats. By the early 16th century the vessels of the harbour had begun to engage in trade with the Baltic; later dealing with the import of grain in 1618 and continental beer in 1625. A shipbuilding trade also existed on the site until this was phased out temporarily in 1645. As Kirkcaldy entered into the 19th century, the arrival of the Kirkcaldy and District Railway, later to become part of the North British Railway, saw the town develop into the industrial heart of Fife, reviving the use of Kirkcaldy port, which had a severe setback during the mid 17th century. The harbour was catering for the growing trade of imports of flax, timber and hemp and exports of coal, salt and linen cloth, when a decision was made to build a new wet dock and pier from 1843 to 1846. The subsequent demands for linoleum and coal led to a further extension from 1906 to 1908 in the form of an inner dock.

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