Temple Village Midlothian

[Templar75]

Hi Dave,

             I never took any photos when I was there and I won't be back for a while as I am busy doing other things, the Council should chase the chap who owns the wall but as we know local councils are like Snails.

There is no point in raising the stone until the wall is rebuilt, once that is done the chap will raise all the stones up himself, so I am afraid we are in Limbo at the moment regarding this.

Cheers.

Archie.

[DuncanM]

Hi Archie,
wondering if you have any mention of Shiel family? Locations I have are Outerston and Halkerston nearer Borthwick but may have been linked with Temple?
Thanks
Duncan

[Templar75]

Hi Duncan,

  These are dates they were baptised,  WILLIAM SHIEL 03 JUN 1823 - ISABEL SHIEL 05 JUN 1825 - GEORGE SHIEL 07 OCT 1827 Temple parents GEORGE SHIEL and ALISON KNOX sometimes as Know.

These are all proper Birth dates MARGARET SHIEL 24 JUN 1850 Borthwick - GEORGE SHIEL 15 APR 1854 Borthwick parents WILLIAM SHIEL and ALISON DICKSON.

GEORGE SHEIL 01 SEP 1853 Borthwick parents GEORGE SHEIL and AGNES NEILSON.

I am afraid there are none of them buried at Temple.

I will get back to you on Sunday as it's 1.35 am here.

Cheers.

Archie.

[Templar75]

Hi again Duncan,

ISOBELL SHEILL married   CHARLES CRAIGE 24 OCT 1695 at Temple.

WILLIAM SHIELS married MARGARET LYELL 29 APR 1743 at Temple.

MARY SHIEL married JAMES HUNTER 05 JUN 1840 at Temple.


GEORGE SHEIL married AGNES BURN 11 AUG 1774 at Borthwick.

WILLIAM SHEIL married ALISON DICKSON 14 MAY 1847 at Borthwick.

MARY SHIELL married JAMES IRVINE  11 DEC 1840 at Borthwick.

JAMES SHIELLS married HELEN RUTHERFORD  16 DEC 1836 at Borthwick.

ANN SHIELL married JAMES YOUNG  29 MAY 1855 at Borthwick

Cheers.

Archie.

[dottyaussie]

hi Archie well I must say that is a brilliant map you have put on here as it was my 5x GGrandfather Richard Cornwall who was blown up at the Mill. It is great to be able to see now where places were in relation to where he died.
Are they planning on lifting any of the headstones at the old kirkyard in Temple ?? I really hope so because one of my Cornwall's headstone is lying down at the back of the kirkyard behind the church which we saw when I took my dad there last year when he visited from Australia

Sandy

[Templar75]

Hi Sandy,

             glad you liked it and I hope it helped you find them without any problem, sad to say that the Midlothian Council will not re-erect the stones, I have asked them many times and nearly causing a battle in the office, they say that written permission must be granted by the family and the cost would be put on to the family.

I asked the Council if I went down with my three sons to re-erect them would that be Ok sadly they said no it would not, I wanted to start a project for the kids in the village through the school to adopt so many stones each, my plan was to plant flowers at each of the headstones, some of the villagers said no it would not be Ok, I thought it would not only add colour to the site but also in remembrance to those lying there.

I have as you can see put up a map and placed an arrow pointing at the Mill.

If I can help you with anything please get in touch.

Cheers.

Archie.

[Jean2011]

Dear Archie,

I am keen to trace my paternal grandfather's "roots".  He was George THOMSON, born 17th May 1856 at Esperston (a farm?), where his father was a ploughman.  From your records and researches can you give me more information on THOMSON'S in Temple and district? 

I should be very grateful.

Sincerely,

DJT

[Templar75]

Hi JDT,

            I have nothing on your grandfather at all, I have Thomsons who were married to the Tait family who ran Temple Farm or at least worked there, as far as I know they were Tenant Farmers leasing Farms from the Dundas Estate.

It would seem that your Thomsons did work at Temple farm according to 1861 Census and lived there so George's father must have moved down towards the village, they lived in what was called the Temple Farm Hind's House.

The Family are : James Thomson aged 39 and born around 1822 at Ancrum, Roxburgh he is down as a Farm Servant, his wife is Elisabeth born 1818 at Peebles, Mary Thomson daughter born 1847 at Temple, Hannah Thomson daughter born 1849 at Temple, Elisabeth daughter born 1854 at Temple then your grandfather George.

As George's father was a Ploughman he would be much sought after if he was a good one, in this case I think he would nave been, at times though Ploughmen were down as Farm Servants and their trade was not properly revealed.

Here is what I have on your family the Thomson burials also a photo of the Headstone.:

On the stone it reads :

Thomas Thomson died October 1852 aged 1 years 6 months,
William Thomson died February 1861 aged 2 years 6 months,
Mary Thomson died 19th August 1864 aged 18 years. John Gunn
who died 6th March 1878 aged 32 years. John T Thomson died 24th
December 1878 aged 34 years. James Thomson died 30th May 1883
aged 34 years. Hannah Thomson or Gunn died 31st October 1885
aged 36 years. Elizabeth Tait or Thomson died 29th January 1890
aged 72 years. James Thomson late of Temple Farm died 15th
August 1894 aged 73 years.

Sorry about the condition of the stone, as you see it is covered by Lichen which is against the Law to remove.

Cheers.

Archie.

[Jean2011]

Thank you very much, Archie for prompt reply and photo.  Your info ties in very well with a little info I already have but adds to it very helpfully on origins of James THOMSON and Elizabeth TAIT, my great grandparents.

My grandfather, George THOMSON, became a Headmaster in Glasgow and he, his mother and father, and sisters  Hannah and Elizabeth are buried in Cathcart cemetery.  The record there describes James as a Land Steward, (by anecdote -  for the Pringles).  Does that seem right to you?

I am quite new to this.  Can you tell me please, are Esperston and Temple Hind farm near to each other?  I imagine James moved about a bit for available work, a better position, and to support the growing family.

Another family anecdote which is interesting is that there was some kind of accident - with a cart or carriage- near to the gate of Arniston House, which had serious consequences for the family.  Dates and persons involved are unknown.  I wondered about 1878, the year of death of two youngish men (30+) on the gravestone, John T Thomson and his brother-in-law John Gunn.  Do you have the Death Certificates ?