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Former Pupil Biographies
John Usher (1840 - 1892)
Born in 1840 at Stodrig, Makerstoun, Roxburghshire. He
was educated at Madras College, St. Andrews and attended the
University of Edinburgh. He became a tenant farmer at Gatehousecote,
Hobkirk, Roxburghshire in 1863. He won the Auld Reekie Cup riding
Hilarity at a sporting event in Edinburgh in 1871. He served in the
military in 1872 in Hawick, becoming a member of the Border Mounted
Rifles and attended the first meeting at the Tower Hotel, Hawick, when
that corps was formed in 1872. At the Lothian Hunt Steeplechase he
rode Anchorite and won the cup worth 50 guineas, which at his request
was presented in the shape of a handsome salver. His string of
sporting successes continued and in 1887 he won the Challenge Cup on
Marigold. The cup was given by Lord Minto. He won the cup again in
1892, this time on Border Reiver, a clever little horse bred and
trained by himself at Gatehousecote. He married Isabella AITCHISON,
daughter of William AITCHISON and Jane OLIVER, on 10 Jun 1873 in St.
Georges, Edinburgh. He died in 1892 at Salisbury, Wiltshire, of
pneumonia:
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SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF JOHN USHER BORN AT STODRIG 27TH
AUGUST 1840 DIED AT SALISBURY, WILTS 1ST JULY 1892 FOR 29 YEARS TENANT IN
GATEHOUSECOTE ROXBURGHSHIRE "I THANK MY GOD UPON EVERY REMEMBRANCE OF YOU"
ALSO OF OUR INFANT SON, AND ONLY CHILD, BORN AT GATEHOUSECOTE 17TH JULY,
DIED 24TH JULY 1874. "HE SHALL GATHER THE LAMBS WITH HIS ARM" ALSO TO THE
MEMORY OF ISABELLA AITCHISON, WIFE OF THE ABOVE JOHN USHER, BORN AT
LINHOPE ROXBURGHSHIRE 21ST APRIL 1847 DIED AT EDINBURGH, 5TH JANUARY 1921
"HE GIVETH HIS BELOVED SLEEP"
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