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Hi Belem,
It is a shame his name is not on the marriage certificate. I think he was a labourer. Maybe he has connections with the local mine.  If we could see the records for the local mines in Loftus maybe a birth place may be mentioned. I am too far away to be able to visit but maybe someone would be able to go one day. I was thinking also that his original name may be William Kenneth as his first son was called William and they were usually called after the fathers father. Maybe worth looking for a William McLean and not Kenneth,
Wooddvillecaz

Also there are so many McLeans in the area it is difficult to sort them out. Trying to find a common ancestor to link this Catherine's family and Donald McLean. I have a fairly extensive family tree for the Donald McLean in Loftus, right back to a Kenneth McLean 1758. But cannot find out where Kenneth was born as no birth certificate. Donald married a relative of Catherine McLeans (born 1780 ish) husband Alexander Martin, called Sarah McRae (1849) whose grandparent David Shaw lived next door at Scorguie and parents lived next door to him Allan and Sarah McRae. Once married in 1875 they moved back to Loftus and then up to Golspie, in 1880 ish. What brought him to this area where he met her? Was it this common ancestor? I see there is a Donald McLean at a large farm Achnagair Kirkhill in 1841. Is this Catherine's relative as she is buried in Kirkhill.
Any help to sort out this mystery would be greatly appreciated.

Does anyone have any information on Alexander Martin and Catherine Mclean his wife.
They were living just outside Inverness on Beauly Firth side in the early 1800s and they are buried in Kirkhill. Where were they from. Trying to find a link to my other relative Donald McLean in Loftus
Thanks.

Hi Belem,
Thank you for that very interesting information and it really does fill in some more of the picture. Very interesting that the milling process is similar to milling flour and obviously a transferable skill. Will have to get this book to help understand the alum industry. Great that you got in touch with someone from the Local History Group. Thanks for passing the information on,
Woodvillecaz .

I too have wondered how they have moved up socially so quickly. Have you seen this site..http://www.communigate.co.uk/ne/loftushistory/ It lists Alexander McLean as clerk in the Loftus 1840 section of the page. Also I have a copy of Kenneth 1750s marriage certificate which lists him as labourer and it is signed by him but in my opinion it is an educated signature for a labourer of the day (no disrespect to labourers intended here). In another directory it lists Alexander as gentry but haven't been able to locate where I found this info yet.