William Aitken

William Aitken was known as the Railway Poet.
Born in Sorn in Ayrshire in 1851 where his father was the village shoe maker.   He rose in rank during his work with the railways, he lived and worked in Greenock staying at 25 Brougham Street with his wife Jean and family. Founder member of the Greenock branch of the Railwaymen’s Christian Association Mission which began in 1885.  He was a member of the Congregational church where he was the Sunday School Superintendent.  His minister, the Rev. Dr. Rankine recognised his talent and encouraged him in his writing and helped promote it.   Author of many books of poetry and readings for children and adults, a mixture of serious and humourous many about everyday events and observations during his work on the railway.  Some of  his books were, “Songs from the South-West and Bits for the Bairns”, “Echoes from the Iron Road”, “Lays of the Line”, “Rhymes and Readings” and many more. 

His family were:

David Richmond 1875 – 1901 Served with A&SH  and died in Pretoria of Typhoid Fever

Janet Anderson 1877 – 1952 married Gilbert King

Catherine Pollock 1880 – 1974

Helen Jane 1882-1975 married Alexander McCallum

Thomas 1885 – 1921 – died of wounds from World War 1

Roasanna 1889 – 1892

William 1891 married Helen McCulloch

The family are buried in Sorn church yard or remembered on the gravestone if buried elsewere.

Information from:

William Aitken’s grand daughter

Dane Love’s “Ayrshire’s Lost villages”

Greenock Telegraph 6 June 2023