Grace AITKEN, nee Tennant, Edinburgh

[Danchaslyn]

Oh, I've had a moment to reflect, and realise the following:-

As John Aitken, a widower, b. 'about 1826'  (Can anyone please give me his exact birthdate?), married Grace Tennant, b.1831, Edinburgh, a Draper on 19/8/1867, he was 41, it was his second marriage, and for her, age 36, it was her first marriage.   

Now I realise, that their first three children were illegitimate, namely John Aitken, b.13/5/1861, Robert, b.11/5/1863, and Elizabeth, b.3/8/1865.

Only the last two children, Thomas, b.4/41871 and Richard, b.12/5/1874, are legitimate.

So, at age 29, she's living in the Manse, a Seamstress, and a year later, by 1861 she's given birth to John Aitken, the first of their five children!  And, she and John Aitken Snr, marry only six years later!  Why?     

Cheers

Danchaslyn

 

[Danchaslyn]

 

Hi

Can anyone please tell me if John and Grace Aitken of West Linton, together brought up his three sons, from his first marriage, namely William Aitken, b.Penicuik, 31/10/1852, Archibald Aitken, b. Penicuik, 19/2/1855 and John Aitken, b.Penicuik, 8/3/1857, together, with their subsequent five children?   

Also, any subsequent history on William, Archibald, and John, ....John Aitken snr's sons from his first marriage to Janet Bain?     

Cheers

Danchaslyn

 

[Akwaba]

Old mother died in 1876 

[saxonw.]

That's very interesting the social mix of the road: you wouldn't get that in England. Back to what I said a little earlier dressmaker was often a euphemism for the oldest trade.  A Not saying that is correct  But history does have some ladies who  were exceedingly successful but  dressmakers  who made dresses were exceedingly poor and usuallly tended to work in families or areas where there were many of them:often attached to dressshops. The odd thing is the boys names: I would ahv expected them to have her name when born if Mr Aitken doesn't turn up until later and although they may well be known as Aitken I would be surprised if that was the name when they were born. Have you checked any of the certificates?

[Danchaslyn]

 

Hi akwaaba

Absolutely mind boggling.......................but, again, thank you very, very much for all your hard work, time and trouble.    

What a lot of brain cells this is going to take to unravel...............mind you, jumping way ahead, I think John and Grace Aitken, Grace as a Draper, and her daughter, Elizabeth, a Draper also, end up at 9 Deansfoot Road, West Linton, Peeble-Shire, Scotland.  (thanks to previous info from fellow Rootschatters), in my Aitken, Peebles Topic    

I found on the www a bookshop at 9 Deansfoot Road, West Linton, currently, and Mrs A and margmo1 of Rootschat have given great assistance with localities.  Could the Manse have been next door, or very, very close by?    Perhaps the United Presbyterian Church is still in West Linton to-day?  

Grace's fourth child, and third son Thomas, became a Reverend, and his eldest son, Douglas Aitken, b. St Helena, became a medical doctor, and founder of a Presbyterian mission hospital, way in the bush, in South Africa.  Adds up, don't you think?

Think you are absolutely right with the 1861 family, W Linton.

Thanks again

Danchaslyn

 

[Danchaslyn]

 

Hi saxonw

You've just confirmed what I thought you meant yesterday, bout some dress shop ladies, I thought that is what you meant, but wasn't sure!!!!   

This searching is proving to be very difficult to fathom, and to follow, for pea brains like myself!!!       

Please, please help me out.......I'm lost....   

Cheers in confusion

Danchaslyn

 

P.S.  -  please, how about some simpler answers to simple questions, i.e John Aitken Snr's actual, full birthday???

Kidding!!

No, would love his birth date and all the rest, as confusing and colourful as it is!!!!!       

[KirstyG]

It might be a good idea for someone who has been participating in this thread to summarise (without violating copyright ) What has been found so far and confirmed by documents to help anyone else who may wish to follow this family in future or help out just now. The copyright editor has just made it unreadable unfortunately...

Kirsty

[KirstyG]

West Linton is now a conservation village and is pretty much as it was 100 years ago, so any addresses may well still be there.

http://www.west-linton.org.uk/

http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/204240/details/west+linton+former+united+presbyterian+church+manse/

http://www.scran.ac.uk/database/record.php?usi=000-000-495-041-C

[Danchaslyn]

 

KirstyG

Thanks for your support and your two postings.......................how lovely to hear that West Linton is as it is to-day and thank you for the links, much appreciated.   

I'm completely confused by the deletions, as nothing that was posted by any of the participants was in any way different, as I said, to whatever I've seen, anywhere, all over RootsChat.   

As you said, what is left, you cannot work with, and I for one, have lost out completely, as I don't know, and now can't find, or follow up on anything, that was so helpfully posted by others.   

Just when I thought we were getting somewhere!     

Cheers

Danchaslyn