James Lennox Torrance was born on 30th August 1895 at Kilnside Road Paisley. His father was Gavin Torrance, Dress Manufacturers Warehouseman and his mother Jeanie Torrance nee Lennox. They were married on 26th October 1894. In the 1901 census the family were at 17, Union Avenue, Newton, Ayr. The father's occupation is given as Cotton Mill manager. James had an older brother Alex who died aged 16 years and a younger sister Janet. By 1911 the family had moved to Dalblair, 24, Whitehill Avenue, Stepps. By this time there was another younger sister. The Misses Torrance stayed together in the family home until the 1950s. They were accomplished singers and often performed at events in the village. Prior to the war James had been a bank clerk at the National Bank of Scotland, St. Rollox office. He is commemorated on the bank war memorial, now re-erected in the Royal Bank of Scotland headquarters at Gogarburn, Edinburgh. He is also commemorated on the family stone in Riddrie Cemetery, Glasgow. He died in a field hospital in France of pneumonia.

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