Sir John Ross
Ross family of Oatlands
Robert Ross married Margaret Jane Christie
born circa 1825 13 Feb 1851 born circa 1824
Derry Londonderry
died 1 Jul 1894 died 27 Sep 1882
Londonderry Londonderry
Robert Ross born circa 1825 son of John Ross, a farmer was educated at Belfast and Edinburgh.
He was ordained in 1848. Rev Robert Ross, DD, Presbyterian Minister of Fourth, Derry married
Margaret Christie on 13 Feb 1851 at the Presbyterian Church, Comber Londonderry. Margaret
was the daughter of Stuart Christie, a farmer of Derry and Mary Stobart Jeffcock. He was
moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in 1886. Margaret died
27 Sep 1882 at Ardfoyle, Londonderry. Robert died 1 Jul 1894 at Ardfoyle Manse, Londonderry.
1 Annie Ross eldest daughter born circa 1852 married Rev Hugh McCulloch on 21 Jun 1881
at Ardfoyle Manse. Hugh was the son of Hugh McCulloch, a farmer. They were living at
Greenlaw in 1891 and had two children. He was minister at Berwickshire for 29 years and
transferred to Portlaw in 1915. Hugh died at Portlaw in August 1937 and Annie died a
few weeks later in September 1937.
1 Margaret MacCullagh born circa 1884 at Edinburgh, Midlothian.
2 Robert Ross MacCullagh born circa 1891 in Berwickshire. He was wounded and
suffered shell shock in WW1. He was a solicitor and worked for his uncle Stuart
Ross. He took his own life on 15 Aug 1920.
2 John Ross eldest son born circa 1853 in Derry was educated at Londonderry Model School
and Foyle College. He then attended Trinity College Dublin. Ross entered Gray's Inn,
London in 1878 and was called to the Irish Bar in 1879. John married Katherine Mary
Jeffcock Mann on 17 Aug 1872 at St Michan’s Dublin. Katherine was the only surviving
child of Lieutenant-Colonel Deane Mann, of Dunmoyle and Corvey Lodge, County Tyrone,
and his wife Mary Stobart Jeffcock. John took silk in 1891 and was MP for Londonderry
from 1892 to 1895. Katherine was the executor to her father’s will in 1894. John was
appointed land judge of the chancery division of the High Court of Justice in 1896. He was
chairman of the St John’s Ambulance Association in Ireland in 1911 and continued as chair
during WW1. They lived at Oatlands from 1916 to 1922 and John was conferred a baronet in
1919. He was chief justice and appointed Lord chancellor in 1921. He was stepped down on
the abolition of that office in December 1922 on recognition of the Free State and retired to
England. In retirement he wrote his memoirs; ‘The years of my pilgrimage’ in 1924 and
‘Pilgrim scrip’ in 1927. Katherine died on 27 Oct 1932 at Dunmoyle, Six Mile Cross, Co Tyrone.
John died 17 Aug 1935 at Dunmoyle, Six Mile Cross, Co Tyrone.
1 May Margaret Ernestine Ross born 1885. She married Francis Percival Saunders on
29 Dec 1910 at The Chapel Royal. Francis was a lieutenant in the Royal Navy and the
son of retired Lieutenant Colonel Robert Erazmus Saunders. May was living with her
father in 1921.
2 Ronald Deane Ross born 13 Jul 1888 at 41 Percy Place. He served during WW1 and
was awarded the Military Cross and the Croix de Guerre. He married Dorothy Evelyn
Frances Ryder in 1921. Dorothy was the youngest daughter of the Rev Algernon
Dudley Ryder. He was MP for Derry City and County for various years between 1929
and 1951 and also served during WW2. Major Ronald Deane Ross became the second
baronet on the death of his father. He died in 1958 and the baronetcy became extinct.
3 Irene Katherine Douglas Ross born 16 Jul 1899 at 66 Fitzwilliam Square died
22 Dec 1905 at 66 Fitzwilliam Square.
3 Stuart Christie Ross second son born circa 1863 in Derry. He was educated at Foyle and
Trinity College. He was a talented tennis and badminton player. He was a solicitor and
partner in Babbington & Ross and later acted as registrar to his brother John. He was a
bachelor in 1911 and died in July 1948 at his home Beltra in Castleknock.
4 Fanny Ross born 27 July 1864 at the Manse, Glendermot living with her brother Stuart in
1901. Fannie died unmarried in 1929.
5 Robert Hamilton Ross born 13 Jun 1868 at Argyle Manse, Waterside, Londonderry. He was
a physician having qualified in Edinburgh. He married Violet Heather on 10 Oct 1900. Violet
was the eldest daughter of Lieut Col D C W Heather, later Army Medical Staff, Beech Lodge,
Gorey, Co Wexford. Robert was the medical officer for Clogher Workhouse and by 1911
they had two children. Robert died 23 Jan 1922 Clogher, County Tyrone.
1 Violet Ross born circa 1902.
2 Ivy Katherine Ross born circa 1904.
6 Violet Josephine Ross youngest daughter born 31 Dec 1870 at Ardfoyle Manse. She married
Rev John Beckett on 23 Jun 1904 at St Philip’s, Earl’s Court. John was the eldest surviving son
of Alexander Beckett of Twilough, Castlebar. Violet died in May 1942.
1 Dorothy Beckett married Major R G G Harvey.
2 Mary Beckett married Charles S Robinson.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - March 2025
Return to Oatlands page
Robert Ross married Margaret Jane Christie
born circa 1825 13 Feb 1851 born circa 1824
Derry Londonderry
died 1 Jul 1894 died 27 Sep 1882
Londonderry Londonderry
Robert Ross born circa 1825 son of John Ross, a farmer was educated at Belfast and Edinburgh.
He was ordained in 1848. Rev Robert Ross, DD, Presbyterian Minister of Fourth, Derry married
Margaret Christie on 13 Feb 1851 at the Presbyterian Church, Comber Londonderry. Margaret
was the daughter of Stuart Christie, a farmer of Derry and Mary Stobart Jeffcock. He was
moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in 1886. Margaret died
27 Sep 1882 at Ardfoyle, Londonderry. Robert died 1 Jul 1894 at Ardfoyle Manse, Londonderry.
1 Annie Ross eldest daughter born circa 1852 married Rev Hugh McCulloch on 21 Jun 1881
at Ardfoyle Manse. Hugh was the son of Hugh McCulloch, a farmer. They were living at
Greenlaw in 1891 and had two children. He was minister at Berwickshire for 29 years and
transferred to Portlaw in 1915. Hugh died at Portlaw in August 1937 and Annie died a
few weeks later in September 1937.
1 Margaret MacCullagh born circa 1884 at Edinburgh, Midlothian.
2 Robert Ross MacCullagh born circa 1891 in Berwickshire. He was wounded and
suffered shell shock in WW1. He was a solicitor and worked for his uncle Stuart
Ross. He took his own life on 15 Aug 1920.
2 John Ross eldest son born circa 1853 in Derry was educated at Londonderry Model School
and Foyle College. He then attended Trinity College Dublin. Ross entered Gray's Inn,
London in 1878 and was called to the Irish Bar in 1879. John married Katherine Mary
Jeffcock Mann on 17 Aug 1872 at St Michan’s Dublin. Katherine was the only surviving
child of Lieutenant-Colonel Deane Mann, of Dunmoyle and Corvey Lodge, County Tyrone,
and his wife Mary Stobart Jeffcock. John took silk in 1891 and was MP for Londonderry
from 1892 to 1895. Katherine was the executor to her father’s will in 1894. John was
appointed land judge of the chancery division of the High Court of Justice in 1896. He was
chairman of the St John’s Ambulance Association in Ireland in 1911 and continued as chair
during WW1. They lived at Oatlands from 1916 to 1922 and John was conferred a baronet in
1919. He was chief justice and appointed Lord chancellor in 1921. He was stepped down on
the abolition of that office in December 1922 on recognition of the Free State and retired to
England. In retirement he wrote his memoirs; ‘The years of my pilgrimage’ in 1924 and
‘Pilgrim scrip’ in 1927. Katherine died on 27 Oct 1932 at Dunmoyle, Six Mile Cross, Co Tyrone.
John died 17 Aug 1935 at Dunmoyle, Six Mile Cross, Co Tyrone.
1 May Margaret Ernestine Ross born 1885. She married Francis Percival Saunders on
29 Dec 1910 at The Chapel Royal. Francis was a lieutenant in the Royal Navy and the
son of retired Lieutenant Colonel Robert Erazmus Saunders. May was living with her
father in 1921.
2 Ronald Deane Ross born 13 Jul 1888 at 41 Percy Place. He served during WW1 and
was awarded the Military Cross and the Croix de Guerre. He married Dorothy Evelyn
Frances Ryder in 1921. Dorothy was the youngest daughter of the Rev Algernon
Dudley Ryder. He was MP for Derry City and County for various years between 1929
and 1951 and also served during WW2. Major Ronald Deane Ross became the second
baronet on the death of his father. He died in 1958 and the baronetcy became extinct.
3 Irene Katherine Douglas Ross born 16 Jul 1899 at 66 Fitzwilliam Square died
22 Dec 1905 at 66 Fitzwilliam Square.
3 Stuart Christie Ross second son born circa 1863 in Derry. He was educated at Foyle and
Trinity College. He was a talented tennis and badminton player. He was a solicitor and
partner in Babbington & Ross and later acted as registrar to his brother John. He was a
bachelor in 1911 and died in July 1948 at his home Beltra in Castleknock.
4 Fanny Ross born 27 July 1864 at the Manse, Glendermot living with her brother Stuart in
1901. Fannie died unmarried in 1929.
5 Robert Hamilton Ross born 13 Jun 1868 at Argyle Manse, Waterside, Londonderry. He was
a physician having qualified in Edinburgh. He married Violet Heather on 10 Oct 1900. Violet
was the eldest daughter of Lieut Col D C W Heather, later Army Medical Staff, Beech Lodge,
Gorey, Co Wexford. Robert was the medical officer for Clogher Workhouse and by 1911
they had two children. Robert died 23 Jan 1922 Clogher, County Tyrone.
1 Violet Ross born circa 1902.
2 Ivy Katherine Ross born circa 1904.
6 Violet Josephine Ross youngest daughter born 31 Dec 1870 at Ardfoyle Manse. She married
Rev John Beckett on 23 Jun 1904 at St Philip’s, Earl’s Court. John was the eldest surviving son
of Alexander Beckett of Twilough, Castlebar. Violet died in May 1942.
1 Dorothy Beckett married Major R G G Harvey.
2 Mary Beckett married Charles S Robinson.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - March 2025
Return to Oatlands page