Heraldic Stained Glass Memorial to a Family

This next memorial window in Glasgow Cathedral stands out a bit because it separates the arms and the crest into two panels of nearly equal prominence.

The legend at the base of the window states that:

This window replaces an earlier window to
the memory of James Dunlop of Garnkirk, Marion
Buchanan his spouse, Lelias Dunlop their
daughter, John Dunlop their third son, by Miss
Dunlop of Coper Mount, 1858, and incorporates
the coat of arms from that window.

The arms for Dunlop of Garnkirk as given in Balfour Paul's An Ordinary of Arms (matriculated 1672-7) are blazoned Argent a double-eagle [we might rather say now, a double-headed eagle] displayed gules, a mullet for difference. Here, the mullet is missing, but a bordure azure has been added. (Under the Stodart system of differencing often used in Scotland, a bordure azure is the difference for a fifth son.)

 Burke's General Armory gives for Dunlop of Carmyle and Garnkirk (1779), Argent a two-headed eagle displayed gules in dexter chief a rose gules, a bordure azure, with the crest A hand holding a dagger in bend sinister proper, and two mottoes: above the crest, Merito [Deservedly]; and below the shield E spinis [From the thorns].

James Dunlop, 5th of Garnkirk and of Tolcross was born in 1741, the son of Colin Dunlop of Carmyle and Martha Bogle. served as heir to his father on 24 October 1777. He purchased Garnkirk from his uncle, James Dunlop, 4th of Garnkirk. He passed away in 1816.

He married in 1774 Marion Buchanan of Mount Vernon (1754-1828), the daughter of George Buchanan of Mount Vernon (1728-1762) and Lilias Dunlop of Garnkirk (this lineage presumably makes James Dunlop and Marion Buchanan cousins to some degree, though clearly not to the degree that would bar their marriage. Cousins marrying is not limited to royal families; in my own family tree, it turns out that my parents are second cousins once removed, which makes me, I think, my own third cousin once removed. It almost reminds me of that old comic song, "I'm My Own Grandpa." But I digress).

James and Marion (Buchanan) Dunlop's children were:
   Colin Dunlop of Tolcross (1775-1837)
   George Dunlop of Tolcross; Writer to the Signet (1777-1852)
   John Dunlop of Tolcross (1779-1830), merchant (memorialized in this window)
   James Dunlop of Tolcross (1781-)
   Martha Dunlop of Tolcross
   Lilias Dunlop of Tolcross (1778-1813) (memorialized in this window)
   Marion Dunlop of Tolcross (-1868)

Garnkirk is about 6 miles north-east from Glasgow, in the Parish of Cadder. Anciently, Garnkirk belonged to the Church, and was first secularized in 1587, by Charter from the Commendator of Glasgow, to John Stirling, son of Stirling of Balquharrage, a cadet of the Stirlings of Cadder. On 10 March 1634, “Robert Stirling in Garnkirk, and John Stirling, his eldest lauchful sone” [lawful son], conveyed “the town and lands of Garnkirk” to “Mr. John Dunlop, merchant burgess of Glasgow, and Elizabeth Dunlop his spouse, and longest liver.”

It's a beautiful and touching memorial to an old Glasgow family, and I'm glad that I can share it with you.