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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Renfrewshire => Topic started by: rory mac on Saturday 28 November 09 05:50 GMT (UK)

Title: Help with Feus and feuars
Post by: rory mac on Saturday 28 November 09 05:50 GMT (UK)
Can anyone help me understand more about these terms?  Particularly in connection with Crawfordsdyke near Greenock.  All I know is that a feuar held a feu which was a form of tenancy transferable by deposition.  And one had to be a feuar to serve on the Greenock Council during the late 18thC.

My ggg-grandfather's younger brother John McPherson was described as a feuar at Crawfordsdyke in 1803.  Another John McPherson was described as a feuar at Crawfordsdyke in 1784.

Will be most grateful if someone can shed more light on this question.

Cheers
Rory
Australia

Title: Re: Help with Feus and feuars
Post by: Kathyh on Saturday 28 November 09 09:54 GMT (UK)
Title holder of land
Title: Re: Help with Feus and feuars
Post by: Ann Baker on Saturday 28 November 09 10:03 GMT (UK)
Hi Rory

as a tenant you paid feu duty to your landlord (the owner) at set intervals throughout the year. Where I lived in Scotland it was every 6 months. Tho I owned the flat I lived in I didn't own the feu so had to pay feu duty. It's a practise that still continues to this day. In England it's called ground rent but means same thing.

Ann :D
Title: Re: Help with Feus and feuars
Post by: Skoosh on Saturday 28 November 09 12:51 GMT (UK)
Ann,  Feu duty was done away with years ago.....Skoosh.
Title: Re: Help with Feus and feuars
Post by: Ann Baker on Tuesday 01 December 09 01:06 GMT (UK)
Hi Skoosh

seems that not everywhere has caught up with brave new world cos  it;s still alive and well in some parts of west of Scotland - tho it's now called Ground Rent/Feu depending on who you pay it to.

And is still alive and well down here cos I pay my £6 every year to the Sheffield Forresters Society for Feu. (says so on the bill)

Ann :D
Title: Re: Help with Feus and feuars
Post by: rory mac on Tuesday 01 December 09 02:16 GMT (UK)
Hi Ann

Many thanks.  Your information helps to fit another piece to the jigsaw puzzle!  But I'm still looking for more detail re Greenock in late 18thc.

Regards

Rory
Title: Re: Help with Feus and feuars
Post by: Skoosh on Tuesday 01 December 09 11:19 GMT (UK)
Ann,  feu duty was abolished by an act of the Scottish Parliament in 2004, with a one off payment by way of compensation, land is now owned outright. The situation before was that land could be sold but the feudal rights retained incurring duties. In England I gather that you could buy land Leasehold and that in say a hundred years hence the land/house reverts to the seller. The situation is explained in http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2004/08/19790/41578
Title: Re: Help with Feus and feuars
Post by: elaine447 on Tuesday 01 December 09 12:09 GMT (UK)
Hi Rory
what other info are you looking for regarding Greenock
Elaine
Title: Re: Help with Feus and feuars
Post by: rory mac on Wednesday 02 December 09 04:31 GMT (UK)
Hi Elaine

My McPherson ancestors arrived in Greenock from Argyle mid to late 1700's.  I'm trying to establish from which parish.  One of the family, John was a feuar and I've come across another John McPherson also a feuar in Crawfordsdyke who was born in Inverchaolain.  Am trying to determine whether the two were related.  So am interested in knowing how many people were likely to have been feuars in Greenock parish, particularly Crawfordsdyke, late 1700's.  And whether there are records concerning the transfer of feus.

Regards
Rory
Title: Re: Help with Feus and feuars
Post by: RJ_Paton on Wednesday 02 December 09 10:17 GMT (UK)
If your ancestor was a land owner in Greenock (or anywhere in Scotland) the Sasine records held by the National Archives of Scotland in Edinburgh should hold some information (see this Rootschat link for info about sasines  Sasines  (http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,26232.0.html)
Title: Re: Help with Feus and feuars
Post by: rory mac on Thursday 03 December 09 10:46 GMT (UK)
Many thanks Falkyrn

I now have something tangible to follow.  Have looked up the article, very helpful and have consulted the Familysearch site which confirmed they have the indexes to sasines on microfilm.  Particularly helpful for those of us in Australia.  So my next step will be to visit my nearest Family Search Centre.

Who knows what I might learn about my family!!

Regards
Rory