James Alexander Hair (F) Kirstene, Louise, Alison (M), Deborah and James The Hair Family
The Hair Family are directly related, by marriage to the powerful Lamont Clan of North Ayrshire.
Kirstene will not be lonely at Westminster since her cousin John Lamont was also elected to Westminster in 2017.
The Lamonts:
Although the clan leader James Lamont was thrown in a dungeon for five years, and his brother Archibald was among those killed, James’ pregnant wife escaped to Ireland and took the name McDonald to avoid suspicion.
The baby boy later retook the name Lamont and became the new Lamont clan chief, continuing the name under reduced circumstances.
Some sixty years after the Dunoon Massacre, another Archibald Lamont was born in Dunoon.
Several hundred of his direct descendants are listed in Eleanor Thomas’ book, including his great-great-granddaughter, the third Janet Stevenson Lamont, who married a McKinnon and emigrated to Canada, and her granddaughter Dorothy Lamont McKinnon.
Archibald Lamont was born in 1710 in Dunoon, Scotland. He married Jean Gemmel (b. May 16, 1711 in Neilston, Renfrew, Scotland) on July 25, 1732 in the Parish of Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland, according to church records.
They lived in Kilwinning, Scotland and had three children: John (b. Apr. 30, 1734, d. Jan. 7, 1789 in Kilwinning, buried in the Old Kilwinning Cemetery), Jean (b. Jun. 27, 1736) , and Archibald (b. Jul. 26, 1739).
John married Martha Crawford (b. 1738 in Kilwinning) and had one child, John (b. July 13, 1769 in Murchland, Ayrshire, d. Jan. 31, 1853, buried in the Old Kilwinning Cemetery).
During the late 18th century and early 19th, the second John Lamont farmed about 150 acres at the so-called Cockenzie Farm (click for aerial photo from Google Maps; if you back out a little you can see Ardrossan, Scotland on the coast, home of the McKinnons).
Cockenzie Farm, which is a couple of miles south of the town of Dalry, and a couple of miles north of Kilwinning, was owned by the Lamont family for hundreds of years, until finally sold by Robert and Elizabeth Lamont in Dec., 1997.
On May 11, 1804, when John was 35, he married 20-year-old Janet Stevenson (b. Mar. 4, 1784 in Fenwick, Ayrshire to John and Ann Stevenson, d. Jan. 29, 1863, buried in Old Kilwinning Cemetery).
The spelling of Stevenson is sometimes found as Stevenston, which is the name of a town a few miles west of Kilwinning.
John and Janet Stevenson Lamont had 7 children John (b. Feb. 17, 1805, d. Dec. 18, 1884, buried in the New Kilwinning Cemetery), Archibald (b. Jul. 18, 1809 in Stewarton, Ayrshire, d. Aug. 6, 1897 in Maybole, Ayrshire, buried in the New Kilwinning Cemetery), Anne, James, Robert, William, Allan and Janet.
They would also have two granddaughters named Janet Stevenson Lamont. One would stay in Scotland, and the other would end up in North Dakota.
Brothers John and Archibald married two sisters, daughters of John Reid and Martha Crawford. John (the third John Lamont, if you’re counting) married Ann Reid (b. Nov. 11, 1812, d. Oct. 14, 1858) on Jun. 26, 1835.
John and Ann lived at Cockenzie Farm, having seven children, including a daughter named Janet Stevenson Lamont (b. Feb. 17, 1845, d. Feb. 13, 1937, buried in Dalry Cemetery).
Janet (number two) married a farmer, James Warden Hair in Dalry, Scotland on March 19, 1872.
Archibald Lamont married Ann’s sister Margaret Reid (b. 1816, d. May 1, 1880, buried in New Kilwinning Cemetery) on May 20, 1842.
They had eight children, John, Martha Crawford, Janet Stevenson (number three), Ann, Margaret, Archibald, Daniel, and Jean Wilson.
Their daughter Janet Stevenson Lamont (b. Feb. 10, 1847 in Kilwinning, Scotland, d. 1937 in Mapleton, ND) was 4 years old during the 1851 Kilwinning census (check District 2, under Dubbs Farm).
Archibald and Margaret farmed about 90 acres and raised dairy cows with a half-dozen hired hands.
It was said that he much preferred the milking to ploughing the fields.
One afternoon in 1880, at age 64, Margaret died after being hit by the morning express train from Glasgow while walking home along the tracks from shopping in Kilwinning.
John Lamont MP
The Hair Family
The family name is derived from the Irish O’hIr, ‘descendant of Irish’ . It is a name common to Ayrshire.
The first direct record linking the current Hair family is:
John Hare and Niven Here who were registered as voters in the parish of Qwilton (Coylton), in 1513.
The Hair family went on to become were well established farmers across North Ayrshire from 1500 – to date.
The joining of the Lamont and Hair families was sealed in 1903 in Dalry when John Hair of South Lissens Farm, Dalry (Still owned by the Hair family), married Margaret Lamont of Auchenskeith Farm, Dalry.
The Current Hair Family of Angus – Landowners and Electricity Providers
Two brothers, (James Alexander Hair and John Lamont Hair) are third generation major landowners owning: Smithfield Energy, (electricity production), located at, Smithfield Farm, Monikie and Regiongrain Ltd, (growing of cereals, except rice, leguminous crops and oil seeds), located at, Mains of Ardovie Farm. Valued in excess of £1million (each).
James is married to Alison. They have three daughters, Louise b1985, Deborah b 1987, Kirstene b1989, and a son James b1990.
The family are of staunch Tory stock and are are keen supporters of the Scottish farmer and Young Farmer organisations (the girls have benefited from a number of sponsored trips abroad over the years) which is nice.
Kirstene is without any relevant experience politically but is keen to start her political career near to the top of the pile. Not for her any lowly Councillors job.
Education. University of Aberdeen. Master’s Degree, Politics. 2007 – 2011 17-21y (She studied for an MA in politics but it is unclear if she managed to gain a degree.)
Family members, a formidable team were highly visible during her campaign for election:
Deborah 30y: A highly qualified digital marketing consultant with expertise in financial, education, fashion and government sectors. Senior manager with Beattie, the large Scottish creative communications group. Most likely the inspiration behind much of her sister’s excellent campaign.
Employment Summary
Political Campaigns Assistant. (work experience whilst studying) March 2009 – May 2010 (1 year 3 months 19-20y
Overseas sales representative. OPM Partnership. September 2010 – December 2010 (4 months) 20y
Sales Representative. Kuoni Group. March 2011 – July 2011 (5 months) 21y
Personal Assistant. Scottish Conservatives. August 2012 – August 2013 (1 year 1 month) 22-23y
Personal Secretary. Wilde Thyme Ltd. August 2012 – October 2013 (1 year 3 months) 22-23y
Personal Secretary. DC Thomson Publishing. February 2014 – April 2015 (1 year 3 months) 24-25y
Executive Assistant. DC Thomson. July 2016 – Present (11 months)
The Hair girls at brother’s wedding
22 February 2016: Kirsten Hair Candidate for Angus South (seriously)
I am delighted to tell you that Kirstene Hair was selected yesterday to stand as the Conservative and Unionist candidate for the Angus South constituency in May’s Scottish Parliament election.
Kirstene has allowed herself to be drafted in at short notice to stand instead of Derek.
Because of the limited time between now and the election on 5th May, and so as to ensure that there is no pause in campaigning in Angus South, the local Association has adopted a fast track selection process, which has been endorsed by the Party’s Candidate Selection Board in Edinburgh.
Kirstene lives in Angus and her family farm here.
She has been an energetic, effective local activist for us during the Better Together campaign and the General Election and has prior experience of the Party and Scottish politics through working in Central Office.
We are therefore extremely fortunate to have such a good, young local candidate..
http://www.angusconservatives.co.uk/2016/02/22/new-candidate-for-angus-south/
Questions Put to Kirstene on her Facebook by potential voters from the date of her nomination (All unanswered) Need to Question Why She is Standing
Marion Philip: You do know that the Scottish Parliament has voted for a second Independence referendum??
Your MSP friend clearly does not understand that the decision is made, or does he not recognise Holyrood as a a decision making parliament? If not why is he there?
Helen Cairncross: Tell us what you are going to do to improve things in the UK.
Stephen McConnell: The SNP are Sinn Fein IRA in Scotland. Squash the filthy bastards.
Steve Brannigan: Tut Tut, bad language and such aggression? Are all unionists so aggressive? It is a bit childish is it not to be comparing the SNP to Sinn Fein?
Darren Stewart: Rape Clause?
Atholl Clark: The Scottish Tories have done a massive handbrake turn on Free Prescription charges. Is there a single journo in our foreign owned media that has the balls ,or honesty to ask Ruthie about this monumental change of heart. Was she wrong then ,or lying now?
Jacqui Cook: I used to vote Conservative but disappointed in the way they are handling Brexit. Also fox hunting, where do you stand?
Dunc Gilmour: The Tories are nothing but scum, attacking the Disabled and sick whilst lining their pockets and making themselves rich. A vote for the Tories is a giant slap in the face for all those being humiliated by a Government that don’t care.
Hamish Budge: The Second independence referendum is already happening as OUR Scottish Parliament has already approved it. Scotland don’t want cruel Torys in charge Your values are vile! #rapeclause #foxhunting #bedroomtax #polltax #taxloopholes for the rich. I could go on…
Brian Shepherd Still better together ??? Winter heating allowance .. gone! Pensions triple lock .. gone ! The Conservative Party plans to scrap free school meals for children in the first three years of their education. Despite reports that 3 million UK children go hungry without school meals during the summer holidays, the Tories have revealed a plan to remove universal free school lunches for infants. Conservatives ….. still attacking the old, weak and defenceless….
Graeme Shepherd: Kirstene, if you say the Tories have done a great job on the economy, can you please explain why we have increasing number of cuts, a doubling of national debt since 2010 and shrinking wages? Surely that is an economy in trouble?
A brilliant family effort and one of the best Conservative campaigns in Angus for a very long time that will not go unnoticed by Ruth Davidson and party HQs.
Thank you Iain for your support – that is very kind of you.
You will do very well at the next election. I’m sure that you’ll get in.
Charlotte Louise Stratton: Great photo. You did us proud.
Charlie Sharkey: Great job Kirstene and Ruth too. The fight back has begun!
Craig Allan Stewart: Yeah let’s turn Scotland blue. And have food-banks, poverty, bedroom tax, Trident, expenses fraud, election fraud, paedophile cover ups, austerity, monarchy, house of lords……
Like Show more reactions. Can you tell me if you support the raising of the current pension age please? I read that it is planned that this will go up to 70. Can you confirm or deny this and if not 70 what What are your views on fox-hunting?
Further to your question to Mike Weir in Arbroath Herald and his response, can you confirm Scottish fishing grounds WILL NOT be used as bargaining chips with EU and that any post Brexit deal has fishing devolved to Scotland.
I know you must be very busy but I really would like to know your views on University fees?
Graeme Shepherd: first of all, thank you for the election leaflet that came through my door just now.
You may not know this but I will tell you. Independence referendum is mentioned 26 times, SNP get 20 mentions, Nicola Sturgeon herself gets 9 mentions.
Lagging behind is yer pal Ruth, she gets 7 mentions and Theresa gets 4.
Sadly, for you, no mention.
So, my question is simply this ‘why are the Scottish Tories so obsessed with an independence referendum?
Ruth, Theresa and Tories got pretty much same amount of mentions put together as the independence referendum got on its own.
Stop obsessing about the referendum and get on with your day job – providing a decent opposition to the Scottish National Party (SNP).
As ever, look forward to you answering my questions.
Steve Brannigan: Would you vote to close the Scottish parliament?
Michael Smith: http://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2017-02-20-30000-excess-deaths-2015-linked-cuts-health-and-social-care.
Do you have any thoughts on this ? Or is it just the same as for them as the foxes.
Steve Brannigan: 30,000 more deaths in England & Wales due to cuts to social care budget, surely Kirstene will have a view on that?
Steve Brannigan: I genuinely want to hear where she stands on all the questions I have asked.
I am sure the majority of the county want to hear them as well.
Craig Allan Stewart: Prescription charges. To pay or not to pay?
Depends what face you’re wearing.
Stewart Falconer: This mornings news suggests cuts to free school meals, pensions triple lock gone in two years and no cold weather payments for some pensioners, thoughts please.
Steve Brannigan: I’m sure there is a perfectly reasonable answer to these developments
Stewart. After all the OAPs are key to the Tory vote and to a NO vote in a referendum
.Stewart Falconer: My guess is they’ve been released to hide something else going on but hey I’m an old cynic.
Steve Brannigan: I genuinely want to hear where she stands on all the questions I have asked.
I am sure the majority of the county want to hear them as well.
Craig Allan Stewart: Prescription charges. To pay or not to pay?
Depends what face you’re wearing.re home for perennial losers?
Stewart Falconer: This mornings news suggests cuts to free school meals, pensions triple lock gone in two years and no cold weather payments for some pensioners, thoughts please.
Steve Brannigan: I’m sure there is a perfectly reasonable answer to these developments Stewart.
After all the OAPs are key to the Tory vote and to a NO vote in a referendum.
22 Sep 2017: Newly Elected Angus MP found it oh so difficult to make a decision on Brexit referendum so she didn’t vote. Unbelievable!!!
Despite her constituency voting Remain; 55.3% while 44.7% voted to leave and Scotland as a whole voted to remain by 62% to 38% Kirsten did note vote on Brexit.
She said: “I didn’t vote on Brexit. I took the decision not to vote on it. It was incredibly difficult. The first time I’ve never voted in my life. It was very difficult because you get two arguments very strong on both sides. I just ultimately couldn’t make that decision and I thought I would therefore go with the will of the UK which if I’m honest I thought we would remain. But I left that to everyone else. Now I think we all have to get behind it and say, you know what, that’s the way the country voted and we have to make the best.”
Full article here:
24 Sep 2017: Kirstine Hair experiences no pangs of indecision when it comes to voting through a cut in the wages of agricultural workers
It’s been a busy week for newly-elected Tory MP Kirstene Hair, who stormed the SNP stronghold of Angus in the recent General Election.
Ms Hair turned her back on the family farm in favour of public service at Westminster.
But she faced pelters this week after publicly admitting that she didn’t vote in the Brexit referendum — because it was all too hard.
Spitting in the face of all that the Suffragettes stood for, she said: “It was very difficult because you get two arguments very strong on both sides.
I just ultimately couldn’t make that decision.”
You can’t blame Ms Hair for being unable to make up her mind.
After all, the Prime Minister used to think that Brexit was an economic disaster — now she loves it to bits.
The Foreign Secretary used to think it would bring in £350 million a week for the NHS and now he says he doesn’t.
In fact, the last time he said he doesn’t think that was exactly one day after he wrote a newspaper article saying that he did think that.
Ms Hair is to be saluted. This is a political break-through moment. Imagine if all our politicians took this kind of principled stance.
Imagine if they all went public and admitted “I don’t know what the hell I’m talking about so I’ll just shut up.”
Imagine if the public joined in and votes were cast only by people who had a clue. The effect would be transforming.
Of course Ms Hair is confused. But at least, now that she is an MP, she won’t have to make any more difficult decisions because the party whips will tell her how to vote from now on.
Anyway, she wasn’t confused when she appeared on the wireless this week.
Since Farming Today is broadcast at stupid o’clock in the morning, you probably missed it, but Ms Hair was there, calling for the abolition of Scotland’s Agricultural Wages Board.
It ensures fair wages for agricultural workers and it ensures fruit pickers are paid a rate which means they are able to earn the minimum wage.
Ms Hair wants it abolished. She thinks it prevents people getting a start in farming because they are priced out of the market.
So there we go. She wasn’t very sure if leaving Europe would be good for the family farm business, but she is absolutely certain that lower wages would be. (The Sun)
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