Blinkbonny, West Calder

[jo brennan]

Hello,

My great grandmother immigrated to Australia 1892 from Scotland aged 8.  The family obviously held the name Blinkbonny close to their hearts, as my great grandmother named her house this, as did my grandfather who was born in Australia.  Obviously she had spoken fondly and often to him about Blinkbonnie.

In the 1871 census, the family is in Wishaw, and once again in 1881.  My great grandmother was born 1884 in Wishaw, though her fathers usual residence was West Calder at her birth.  A few years later, her sister was born Front Street, Mossend, West Calder.  I have found her uncle living in 1881 West Calder, residence Blinkbonny.  So can make a connection to the name through this.  My problem is that by googling Blinkbonny, I can see reference to a Blinkbonny Mine (the family were miners), but that doesn't jump out as being a fond memory, I can see Blinkbonny Gardens on google earth - is there anything else anyone knows related to this name to make a connection??

Was there miners cottages at Blinkbonny Mine perhaps, hence the uncles address??

Many thanks.
Jo

[jessden]

There are several place in Midlothian called Blinkbonny. One of these was in West Calder parish (nowadays this area is in West Lothian). Go to the National Library of Scotland website - www.nls.uk -  and then click on Collections, Maps, view maps and then County Maps and then Midlothian. Chose the 1 inch Ordnance Survey map from the 1890s which is listed as having the parishes in colour.  Then go to Sheet 31, Airdrie. If you start in the top right hand corner and pan down you will come to an area coloured pink where the margin shows "West Calder PH". (Most of West Calder is on Sheet 32) Look for some the area marked 10 SE in large letters.  Blinkbonny is slightly above these letters.

Hope this helps. I don't know the area and so cannot comment on its attractions or otherwise. It looks from the map to be a fairly isolated place and even if it was near a coal mine your great grandmother might well have had fond childhood memories of the open countryside around there.  Her parents might have thought otherwise because of the isolation of the place.

jessden

[jo brennan]

Thank you Jessden,

Those maps are fantastic, there are so many names that are familiar to me from the census' that I could not locate. 

Without your instructions on navigating to the correct page, I would have been lost I'm afraid, so many thanks for taking the time!

It may well be that the open countryside was attractive.  Perhaps if they moved from Mossend to Blinkbonny (or if she spent time with her Uncle and his family at Blinkbonny) it may have been pure bliss by comparison

Once again, many thanks for taking the time to point me in the right direction.

Jo