Actually, my full name is James Douglas Carr, but as my grand-father, my father and two uncles were also called James, I was to be known as Douglas - not Doug or Duggie, but Douglas.  Only my Aunt Stella was allowed to call me Doogie!

I was born in Glasgow on 17th September 1935 and spent my boyhood in the south side of the city living at 130 Boyd Street, Crosshill, (shown above left), attending Queens Park Senior Secondary School.   My sister Joyce Romanis Finlay Carr was born on 8th July, 1935.  My mother Agnes Carr (nee Simpson) pictured above right died in 1948 and three years later, in September 1951, I joined the Royal Navy training to be a Radio Operator.  See my Navy Days Page links.

The Kerr Clan

The Kerrs were one of the notable clans of the Scottish Borders, and their name is rendered in various forms, including Kerr, Ker, Carr and Carre.  Indeed my great grandfather was born a 'Kerr' and died a 'Carr'!  There are two mottos associated with the clan: dexter (on the right hand side of the shield) sero sed serio - "late but in earnest" and sinister (on the left hand side of the shield) "Forward in the name of God".

Fuller details as to the history of the Kerr Clan can be found by clicking the link to Ancient History.

More Recent History

The earliest family photograph in my possession dating from 1914/15 - that of my maternal grandfather & grandmother together with, in order of age, my late uncle Jack, my mother, my aunt Estella (sitting), and my aunt Mabel (on my grandmother's knee).  I guess it was taken because my grandfather was about to go into action with the Kings Own Scottish Borderers.  In fact he was wounded twice.  A larger picture is shown on the previous page

A more comprehensive family tree has been developed by my son Ian and can be accessed by clicking this link Ian & Sally Carr Family History and typing the password "gypsy".

My mother Agnes Mary Ann Logan Romanis (nee Simpson) was born on 16th February, 1909 and died of renal failure on 23rd August, 1948, and buried in Cathcart Cemetery, Glasgow.

My father, James Carr, was born on 27th May 1904, and died of lung cancer in Edinburgh in 1977.