RootsChat.Com
Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Midlothian => Topic started by: kooky on Tuesday 21 August 07 09:22 BST (UK)
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My 2 x gt grfather JOSEPH KAY died in the Poor House in 1883. He was in the Poor House in the 1881 census, with wife ANN nee BREMNER. He had been a Glass Blower.
I was wondering if there were any records available from when he first went into St. Cuthberts.
They had 4 children, all were married with families. 2 sons, also glass blowers were working. I wondered why the family did not take them in?
Kooky
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Records are held by
Edinburgh City Archives,
Department of Corporate Services,
The City of Edinburgh Council,
City Chambers,
High Street,
Edinburgh EH1 1YJ
Pictures of the buildings are on this site (together with some history):
http://www.workhouses.org.uk/
Nell
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Nell, thanks for the link. In the 1841 and 1851 censuses Joseph's birthplace was Newcastle on Tyne. In 1861,71 and 81 it was Edinburgh.
I have found his christening at Tynemouth and the marriage of his parents, John Kay and Margaret Watson in Newcastle, so I know he was not born in Edinburgh! ;)
Would he have been able to go in the workhouse in Edinburgh if he had not been born there?
His wife Ann [Bremner] was born in Edinburgh.
She died in 1899 at Craigleith.
Kooky
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Not an expert on Scottish poor laws, I'm afraid so I don't know the answer to that one. If you look on the same site under "Poor Laws" then Scotland, you may well find out the answer to your question.
Nell
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My understanding is that the City of Edinburgh Council (or their predecessors) destroyed the individual records of the people in the Poorhouses in Edinburgh. Please let us know what result you get back from the City Archives - to confirm or deny my understanding about these records.
ADP
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I will write to the Archives soon. Then I will of course report back on their response!
Kooky
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I was also wondering where pauper inmates would be buried? Presumably they would be in a mass grave with no headstones? :'(
Kooky
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Received a letter from the archivist in Edinburgh City Archives. Briefly it says that all the applications for this workhouse have not survived :(
However, she looked at the Law Committee minutes and found that Ann Kay was confused about where she was born and was trying to claim relief in Glasgow!
I have an address in Glasgow to see if there are any other details!
I 'phoned the archivist to thank her and she said she would have a look for possible glassmakers in Edinburgh :)
She was extremely helpful and said there was no charge :o
Kooky
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Following up kooky's post from August, I'm trying to find where an ancestor might be buried. He died in the St Cuthbert's poorhouse in 1893. By then it was located in Crewe Road.
I've tried the Edinburgh City Archives and the council bereavement services (who hold many cemetery records) without success.
Any thoughts?
J
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The nearest cemetery to St Cuthbert's Poorhouse, Crewe Road (now part of the Western General Hospital) is Comely Bank Cemetery, but that didn't open until 1898. The next nearest one would be Dean Cemetery, followed by St Cuthbert's Churchyard. Unless the deceased had connections elsewhere and was buried in that location, wherever it may be.
ADP