16 SIR WILLIAM RAMSAY 



The liveliest of all his visits were those to the Turnbull 

 family at the place of Bonhill. A branch of the Turn- 

 bulls' works had been started on the Water of Leven, 

 and the old manor-house was the home of the Turnbull 

 family. It was a curious old house, the property of 

 the Smolletts. It was really two complete houses, at 

 right angles, touching each other but with no passage 

 between. Two sons of the old Mr. Turnbull, old Mr. 

 Ramsay's partner, lived in one house and the widow 

 of their brother in the other. The establishments were 

 separate, but there was constant communication, and 

 one would imagine mutual criticism. The old people 

 took the greatest interest in all that went on in the 

 other house, where Mrs. Turnbull lived, with her large 

 family of sons and one beautiful and charming daughter, 

 afterwards Mrs. Duncan Jameson. They were all high 

 spirited, witty and kind hearted, and the hospitality of 

 the house was unbounded. Formal invitations were 

 quite unnecessary, and however many friends offered 

 themselves, there was always room and a warm welcome. 

 We have the testimony of Mr. William Turnbull (grand- 

 son of the Turnbull who with Sir William Ramsay's 

 grandfather constituted the firm of Turnbull & Ramsay) 

 that young William Ramsay was a very popular visitor 

 at Bonhill. He writes as follows : 



" Being an excellent raconteur and very musical, lie afforded 

 us all much amusement. He was wiry and athletic, a good 

 pedestrian, rower, and one of the best swimmers I ever met. 

 Even in those days he occupied his idle moments in working out 



