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How confusing! I must admit that I had never heard Stratton pronounced Strechin, as we have always pronouced it as it sounds. Having said that, my link is through James and Jessie's son, another James. He had an illegitimate son, also called James, with a woman named Elizabeth Beattie. He is named James Beattie on his birth certificate and only later does he begin calling himself James Beattie Stratton. James Stratton does confirm that he is the father according to the Banchory Devenick Kirk Session records, which I have since checked. I doubt that James Beattie Stratton had much contact with his father, as his father emigrated to Australia a few years after he was born. He appears to have been raised by his mother's family, the Beatties, so there is a possibility that he was not aware of the correct pronunciation of the name... Perhaps...
To make matters more confusing, I'm pretty sure that the parish of Strachan is actually pronounced Straun!!
Also, when checking the Kirk Session records for Fetteresso, there was mention of antenuptial fornication (!!) between a James Stratton and his wife Catherine Reid. I have found no birth in the OPRs to correspond with this and no child's name is mentioned in the record. I have also failed to find a marriage for these two, but may have some luck if I try name variants... I'm pretty sure I have come across Strattons in Strachan before. I don't have my notebooks in front of me but I'm pretty certain there was a James Stratton and a Martha Smith.
I have also found confirmation in the Kirk Session records that John Lindesay Stratton is indeed the son of our James (before he married Jessie). The Kirk Session accounts are rather hilarious as both Isabel Skinner and John were conceived around the same time in different parishes, and there is correspondence between the Elders. James does appear and confirms the children as his, but is entirely unrepentant. When I have a moment, I will type up the text and email it to you. The records also solve a family mystery as they mention that Jessie is living with her sister at the time, a Mrs McKilligan. This is my grandfather's middle name and he had no idea where it came from. As the youngest of 5 boys, I don't think he asked many questions and there's no-one left on our side of the family now from that generation - my grandfather was the last and he died a year ago.
I'd be really interested to see your photos. The only one I have is of James Beattie Stratton, his wife and their first three children. We can perhaps exchange email addresses by PM.
And thanks again for your reply!
Louisa

Hi there

I am trying to work out who my grandfather's birth father was. He was adopted at birth and didn't find out until about 20 years ago, by which time it was too late to ask his adoptive parents as they had both died many years before. On her death bed, his last living aunt told him that he had been adopted at birth, and that his mother had had an affair (she was single) with a married law professor at the University of Aberdeen. As my grandfather was born in 1926, I asked the archivist at the University of Aberdeen library for the names of academic staff from the Faculty of Law from the previous year and these are the names she gave me:

Professor
   Alexander Mackenzie Stuart, KC MA LLB

Lecturers
   Archibald Cameron Morrison, OBE MA LLB
   Robert Moir Williamson, MA LLB
   George Duncan, MA
   Alexander Blacklaw, MA

University Assistant (part-time)
   Robert P Masson, MA LLB

Based on some very quick internet research, I think the names above relate to the following people:

Alexander Mackenzie Stuart (d 1935), married to Amy Margaret Dean, and father of Alexander John Mackenzie Stuart (Baron of Dean, b 1924,d 2000).

Archibald Cameron Morrison. Fourth son of John Morrison, parochial schoolmaster, Logie Pert,
and Elizabeth Paterson Cameron, his wife. Born at Logie Pert, 29th July, 1870. Married at Paisley, 11th June, 1901, Agnes Sproul, dau. of John Nicolson, commission agent, Glasgow, magistrate and resident of Paisley.

Robert Moir Williamson. Fourth son of George Williamson, Alumnus, Mar. Coll., 1834-35,
farmer, land valuator, and guild burgess of Aberdeen, and Elsie Morrison, his wife. Born at Shempston, Duffus, near Elgin, 3rd June, 1867. Married, 2nd June, 1896, Katharine Hogg, dau. of Archibald M. Macrae, indigo planter, with issue : —

1. George Alexander.
2. Archibald Moir.
3. Robert Bertram.
1. Margaret Lesley.

George Duncan. Elder son of James Duncan, architect, Turriff, and Ellen Liddle, his wife. Born at Turriff, February, 1869. Married, 4th August, 1897, Eveline Louisa, dau. of Peter
Crombie, dental surgeon in Aberdeen, with issue : —

1. James Lindsay.
1. Anne Elizabeth.
2. Helen Margaret Eveline.

Alexander Blacklaws, S. of William B. ; /;. Aboyne, I2th Feb. 1859. Solicitor, Aberdeen. In 1888 he adopted the name of Blacklaw in place of Blacklaws. Clark Lecturer on Procedure, Evidence and
Commercial Law in the University, 1904.

Robert P Masson (found no info)

If anyone is related to any of the families above and could help me, please get in touch. Obviously I should point out that the father is not mentioned on his birth certificate, just his mother.

Many thanks,
Louisa

Hi Patricia

I have a James Valentine who married Isabel Skinner Strattton 3 Jun 1870 in Banchory Devenick. Both are buried at Nigg Churchyard.

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/nescotland/images/nigg5.jpg

I don't have a note of James's parents to hand. Not sure if there's any connection there...

Louisa

I couldn't crop it so I ended up taking a picture of the section concerned (I hope it's still clear)

Thanks,
Louisa

Hi there
I am trying to work out if there is any connection between my ggg grandfather, James Stratton, and the Strattons of Lauriston. He was born sometime around 1820, and I think I found him in Dunnottar in the 1841 census. From 1851 onwards he is variously at Turniemiddle or Duffshill, Portlethen, with his wife Jessie Trail, who he married in 1849 in Banchory Devenick/Nigg (recorded at both), along with their children. In the census, it states that he was born in Fetteresso, but I can find no trace in the OPRs. His parents are not named on his death cert (informant was one of his children, though his wife was still alive at that time). I have yet to try the Kirk Session records, but believe they may hold the key... In any case, there was a move by one of the branches of the Strattons of Lauriston from Marykirk to Fetteresso around 1820 when they took on the lease at Farrochie. David Stratton, his wife Susan Taylor, and their children Margaret b1807, Anne b1809, David b1810 and twins James and Helen b1813 (all Marykirk). This James died unmarried in Aberdeen and I have a copy of his death cert, so I know he is not "my" James. The only other piece of information I have that might give a possible clue is that James and Jessie had an illegitimate daughter in Banchory Devenick before they married called Isabel Skinner Stratton - I haven't come across any other Skinners, so this might prove a link to James's family heritage. Incidentally, there was another illegitimate birth in Nigg that same year - John Stratton to a James Stratton and Anne Lindsay - I have often wondered if this might be the same James... I have looked at several volumes in the Angus Archives in Forfar concerning the Strattons of Lauriston and can find no reference there. Any clues or connections to any of the above would be gratefully received.
Thanks,
Louisa