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« on: Tuesday 07 January 14 00:03 GMT (UK) »
Hi there -I was greatly amused to find that people have been discussing the very minutiae that I have been hurting my head on for weeks... Christina Burnett was (very probably) my 5th Great grandmother. I would love to head further up to find their parents , but haven't been having too much luck with that.
I recently found a thread from 2001 where someone explained the source of the name Thurlow (Jim Shirer was the source). The explanation given was "Alexander Fraser was the head forester in the first quarter of the 19th century at the Philorth Estate, Fraserburgh. His employer was Sir George Fraser, later 16th Lord Saltoun. Sir George had married Catherine Thurlow, one of three illegitimate daughters of the Lord Chancellor Edward Thurlow (1731-1806) who was later 1st Baron Thurlow. Sir George and Lady Catherine had no family, so she asked Alexander when his seventh son was born to call him Thurlow."
It further went on to describe Alexander Fraser as having married twice firstly to Jean Bruce 17 July 1803 & secondly to Christina Burnett 19 January 1806. I can't see this as Jean Bruce had a child in Oct of that year (Although in life anything is possible). I see a lot of people use the Alexander Fraser/ Chrstn Burnett 1806 marriage document. I don't think this is Christina Burnett, so, I'm not sure if Alexander Fraser that married Jean Bruce also married Christina Burnett later than 1806 (and we just don't have the certificate).
Christina Fraser nee Burnett is listed as the mother on the death certificates of George 1814-60/ William Findlay 1816 – 1904 and Thurlow Fraser 1825 – 1889. Alexander Fraser's occupation on each of these is described as Forester (WFF), Gamekeeper (TF) and Wright (GF).
I believe that the Alexander Fraser on the certificates was born at Headroom Farm of Pittendrum, which is a short distance from the Philorth Estate (Frasers of Philorth) where Alexander was forester/ game keeper. This estate was the one that George Fraser and the illegitimate Thurlow story seems to come from.