Temple Village Midlothian

[TempleDrysdale]

Hi Templar:

I wonder what the background is that the Drysdale's were able to acquire burial plots in Thee Temple Churchyard in th mid-1800's. Were old plots covered over? Was this a fundraising exercise for the new church across the road?

[Eleesavet]

Hi Archie,

Thank you for your kind offer.  If it is still open, can you give me details of families named Sandilands if any?  I know they were in the Midlothian area.

Many thanks.

Best wishes.

Liz

[Templar75]

Hi Liz,

         it would help if you could give me dates please that would help in some way of tracking them down, however, I have Sandilands in the Temple Parish area and these are the ones I have come across.

George Sandilands married to Helen Baillie there is no marriage for them in this Parish so this will have to be found later, their children are as follows.

Margaret Sandilands born Temple 1738 no date given she was Christened 1 October 1738

Helen Sandilands born June 1743 no actual day is given she was Christened 12 June 1743

Agnes Sandilands born Temple 1745 no date given she was Christened 3 June 1745.

Regards.

Archie.



 

[themitch123]

I'm descended from a number of families with Temple connections; my 4 x gr grandfather JAMES PRINGLE and his descendents had HUNTLY COT FARM in Temple Parish; his son, my 3 x great uncle William, and his descendents had TEMPLE FARM.

JAMES PRINGLE, who was originally from Heriot, married ELISABETH RAMAGE, the daughter of RICHARD RAMAGE, the shepherd in Outerston, and his wife, my 5 x great grandmother MARY MURRAY.

MARY MURRAY died in 1799 aged 34, indicating a birth year around 1765, and is buried in Temple churchyard. WILLIAM PRINGLE and his family are also buried in Temple churchyard.

I'm trying to establish whether my 5 x great grandmother MARY MURRAY is the same MARY MURRAY who was the daughter of JAMES MURRAY and HELEN CALDERWOOD and was born in Tweedsmuir in 1765.

There are a number of facts and coincidences which indicate that my MARY MURRAY, buried in Temple, and the one born in Tweedsmuir are one and the same but I have no concrete evidence of this and am very keen to find some in order that I can confirm parts of my family tree.

MARY MURRAY from Tweedsmuir's parents, JAMES MURRAY AND HELEN CALDERWOOD never married. I can find no record of HELEN CALDERWOOD or her daughter MARY MURRAY in the Tweedsmuir area after the baptismal entry made in 1765.

In 1779, in Temple, a HELEN CALDERWOOD married ROBERT STIRLING. This may be a coincidence but if this is the same HELEN CALDERWOOD who previously had a daughter, MARY MURRAY, with JAMES MURRAY in Tweedsmuir this might explain my Mary's presence in the Temple area and her subsequent marriage to RICHARD RAMAGE.

I don't think that the family name MURRAY was a common one in the Temple area which could also indicate my Mary having moved there from another area.

HELEN CALDERWOOD and ROBERT STIRLING had a daughter, Alison, who married ROBERT HERRIOT in 1802.

MARY MURRAY and RICHARD RAMAGE'S grandaughter, MARY PRINGLE, daughter of JAMES PRINGLE and ELISABETH RAMAGE, married a JOHN HERRIOT a few generations later, possibly indicating previous links between the families.

ELISABETH RAMAGE died at TEMPLE FARM in 1895, aged 97, however I have no idea where she is buried. I certainly didn't find any evidence of her possible burial there when I searched Temple churchyard last year.

I'm also keen to establish the parentage of my 4 x great grandfather JAMES PRINGLE of HUNTLY COT FARM, who was born in HERIOT, I believe, around 1788. I'm hoping someone might be able to enlighten me.

Any info on any of my ancestors would be most welcome.

Many Thanks,

Craig Mitchell

[Templar75]

Hi Craig,

             James Pringle born July 1788 no actual day given, Christened 9 July 1788 at Herriot by Crookston Midlothain, Parents were John Pringle and Janet Lees.

John Pringle and Janet Lees were married at the same place above on 27 August 1780.

Unfortunately there is no burial record for Elisabeth Ramage are you definitely sure she was buried there, but there again the records were poorly kept.

As I have mentioned earlier on this site there are a few stones that have not survived either badly damaged or just rotted away.

Regards.

Archie.

 

[themitch123]

Hi Archie,

Thanks very much for your speedy response to my request for info!

Elisabeth may well not have been buried at Temple but she definately died at Temple Farm; I have a copy of the Statutory Death Entry, reported by her son William Pringle who was the farmer at Temple Farm at the time. His own family stone in the churchyard at Temple is still intact.

Thanks also for the info on James Pringle's parents. I had thought previously, by a process of elimination, that they might be his parents but had no proof of this. Unfortunately, I neglected to keep notes as to where I sourced my info from a lot of the time so am not sure where I found this initially.

You wouldn't happen to know who John Pringle's parents were would you or where I might be able to find out?

As to my trying to confirm Mary Murray's parentage.....something that may interest you having noted your own background re the Knights Templars etc.... if I can prove that Mary Murray is indeed the daughter of Helen Calderwood and James Murray in Tweedsmuir then I have almost categorical proof that she is descended from a number of families with Templar or Crusader connections such as the St Clair's of Rosslyn (and me too!!)....for instance, she'd be a 16 x great grandaughter of Sir William St Clair of Rosslyn who died at the Battle of Teba.

Thanks Archie,

Craig

[Templar75]

Hi Craig,

            I don't know if you could read the stone as sometimes the sunlight can make them unreadable, anyway this is what is on the stone :

Mary Murray Spouse to Richard Ramage, then Shepherd in Outerston died 3rd May 1799 aged 34 years. so she was a very young woman.

I would imagine that Elisabeth is buried beside her husband or perhaps her father, however, I have as you will see below added all the Pringles I have at Temple burial ground.

George Pringle died 13th June 1909 aged 58 years, his Wife Agnes
Wilson died 17 April 1911 aged 58 years, their Daughter Agnes died
6th March 1926 aged 42 years.

MURRAY : In case they are related to you.

In memory of Andrew Murray who died 5th January 1841 aged 71
years, also Mary Melrose his Wife who died – September –
Jonathan Murray their Son died 11th March 1857 aged 9 years.

Janet Craig Spouse to William Pringle, Wright in Temple died 10th
February 1810 aged 58 years, also Jean Pringle their daughter
Spouse to James Smith who died 15th June 1824 aged 32 years, also
the above William Pringle died August 6th 1828 aged 79 years.

William Pringle Farmer Temple Farm died 8th August 1917 aged 76
years, his wife Jessie Turner died 30th March 1920 aged 76 years.
Their eldest son Thomas James Pringle Husband of Jane Duncan
died at Temple Farm 19th February 1941 aged 63 years. The above
Jane Duncan died at Temple Farm 30th January 1949 aged 70
years, their third son John Pringle Farmer Huntlycot died at
Eddleston 17th October 1952 aged 69 years.

If you don't have photos of the headstones I can send them to you ?.

Regards.

Archie.

[themitch123]

Hi Archie,

Thanks once again for taking the trouble to send me info, I'm very grateful!

Thanks also for the photos offer but I managed to take a few pics of the Mary Murray and William Pringle headstones when I was there last year (my very first visit to Temple) .....they are definately my family....the other Murrays I don't think are related in any way... but thanks anyway!

Interesting re the William Pringle you mentioned who was a wright in Temple (husband of Janet Craig)....my Pringle ancestors who had the Temple and Huntlycot farms originally had a cartwrights business based in Heriot.....I think the coming of the railways caused a decline in business and their subsequent move into farming. Not sure if this William is related in any way though.

My search for the definitive proof of Mary Murray's parentage continues!!!

Best Wishes,

Craig

[Eleesavet]

Hi Archie,

I am sorry I did not get back to you sooner to say thank you for your response to my request for details on families named Sandilands.  Your response and willingness to help further was appreciated.

Unfortunately, I dont have the time to continue with my research on Sandilands.  I therefore will leave it for now and get back to you when I have more time available.

Best wishes.

Liz