Hello, my name is " P-J". Major-General Ilay ( he never spelt it with an 's'! ) Ferrier was my great-gt.-gt.-gt.-Grandfather, and was Lieutenant-Governor of Dumbarton Castle from 1796 until his death in 1824. Romeo Drysdale was his Master Gunner, and the two men became friends. When Ilay drew up the final version of his Will, Romeo was his witness.
When, in 1836, it was decided that Dumbarton Castle no longer needed a Governor, Romeo Drysdale remained in nominal charge, in effect as custodian, and would conduct visitors round the Castle and Rock, telling them the history and stories of his own period of service there. When he died, at his home in Strathleven Place, Dumbarton, on 27th August 1849, The Greenock Advertiser ( 4th Sept. 1849 ) and The Stirling Observer ( ( 6th Sept. 1849 ) carried this notice:
" At Strathleven Place, Dumbarton, on the 27th ult., Mr. Romeo Drysdale, aged 83 years, late master-gunner ( Royal Artillery ), for 38 years in Dumbarton Castle, and 60 years in Her Majesty's Service ".
I'm sure you know that his & Margaret's son William had a Memorial Stone erected in the Riverside Kirkyard, Dumbarton ( Stone no. NS 3975 ). It's badly weathered but what remains of the inscription runs:
"Erected by William Drysdale, plumber, to commemorate his father, Romeo Drysdale who died 2[?7th August 1849 aged 84]: Margaret Ha[?rgrove] his mother, d. 30th April 1848, aged 73: Margaret, his sister, who died 16th June 1848, aged 29: and Islay, his brother, who died 14th July, 1851, aged 35."
There's a notice in " China Who's Who " 1922 re. William Drysdale, his wife Christina Watt and their son Islay Ferrier Drysdale [who was b. 12th Feb. 1867, Glasgow, and m. Mary Young.