Marquis of Ailsa household -- Henry Smith, Stud Groom

[Anne Treadwell]

In the 1851 census, my gggrandfather Henry Smith, born about 1815 in Chackmore, Radclive, Bucks., was working as a Stud Groom for Archibald Kennedy Marquis of Ailsa when that family was living at The Priory in Reigate, Surrey.  I believe Henry had also worked for the family earlier as his daughter Eliza Ellen, my gg.aunt, was born/ christened in Kirkoswald in 1849.  Two older children were born in France, my gg.uncle Harry John about 1845 and my ggrandmother Anne Maria about 1847.  Does anyone know of any connections of the Kennedy family with France, perhaps through horse racing?  Family legend has it that Henry worked at some point for the Rothschilds -- does anyone know of a link between the Kennedys and the Rothschilds?  Henry was back in Scotland in 1861, but as a hotel-keeper in Ayr, apparently no longer employed by the Marquis.  I would be very grateful for any clues as to why my ancestor was born in France.

[jimmijam]

Hi Anne,

I don't have any information that would help directly, but have you tried contacting Culzean Castle Country Park, Maybole, this is where the Kennedy family were based till c1945. There may well be further information available there.

There is a website: http://www.culzeanexperience.org/general_information.asp

or alternatively at National Trust for Scotland 28 Charlotte Square, Edinburgh, EH2 4ET
Website: www.nts.org.uk

The current factor for Culzean Estates loaned the old records of CVulzean Estate to Ayrshire Archives and there is a record below concerning access (quotation from www.maybole.org.uk):

"One of the best collections of archives relating to the day to day life on a major South West Scotland estate has now been catalogued and is accessible by the public.

The Kennedy family kindly decided to deposit the Culzean and Cassillis Estate papers, previously held in Maybole Castle, with the Ayrshire Archives Service and it has been over a year’s work for them just preserving, sorting and cataloguing the documents prior to making them available to researchers and other interested parties.

Professor Michael Moss of Glasgow University, who has written a comprehensive book on the Kennedy family and Culzean and who had studied the papers while they were still in Maybole Castle, then went on to give a short description of the content of the papers.  He said that they were a collection from the 17th to the 20th centuries including maps, plans, journals, day books, farm records, correspondence and much more detailing the day to day workings of the estate and the lives of those both on the estate and who had cause to provide the estate with goods and services.  He gave several examples of the intimate details contained in some of the correspondence and spoke of the value of the archive to agricultural, social and family historians.

The Culzean and Cassillis Estate Papers can be accessed at Ayrshire Archives, Craigie Estate, Ayr (Tel. 01292 287584) during public opening hours which are currently between 10.00 am and 4.30 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays."

There is also a good archive in the main South Ayrshire Library of Carnegie Library, Main Street Ayr.

Also, which may help you indirectly, there is a Family History group that operates in Maybole. Maybole, if you're not familiar with the location, is a village some 6-8 miles east of Culzean, and the same family, the Kennedy's, own Maybole Castle and they leased Culzean Castle to the NTS.  Maybole has a very active community and there is a group there how are keen to help with family history research.  You can view them here:
http://www.maybole.org/history/index.htm

I hope that these leads helps you in your quest.

Best wishes, Jimmijam
 

[Anne Treadwell]

Thank you very much indeed:  you have provided many avenues for my further research -- the material by Prof. Moss looks particularly interesting.  I am most appreciative of your help.

Anne Treadwell, Nova Scotia, Canada

[jimmijam]

Hi Anne,
You're most welcome!
Best wishes, Jimmijam

PS Do let us know if you are successful...

[sarah]

Please see other duplicate post

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=362896.0