Service family at Duns and Coldstream

[Glen in Tinsel Kni]

I can't really help with any of the land ownership queries i'm afraid. 

Clockmill and Duns Castle both sit on the same side of Duns, the edge of the Castle estate and Clockmill are separated by a short walk. I know there are some quite old houses within the castle estate grounds, presumably in use by workers on the estate at some point.

I don't know if the textile bleaching is an important link but all the sites you mention seem to have had some link to the industry or textiles in one way or another.

A useful site for all things historical relating to Scottish places can be found on the following link,

http://www.geo.ed.ac.uk/scotgaz/gaztitle.html

The word search will bring up various results and the tabs on the right of the screen (once you get the hang of them) can lead to some really useful transcriptions and historic descriptions, many from the 1870-1890 period. Some places also have descriptions of listed buildings etc (Coldstream being one example).


Rumour has it that i descend from a disowned member of the Hay (Duns Castle) family, there are common names with that Hay family to mine but i have a long way to go before i can prove or disprove a link and probably a jump back at least three generations on my current findings.

[Glen in Tinsel Kni]

Just to add Hatchednize is a farm 2-3 miles west of Coldstream on the main Edinburgh road, quite a distinctive row of labourers cottages close to the farm too but quite probable that they are post 1851.

[terry h]

Hi GD 

Here's the photo I promised.

 Robert W Service First Kelso Laddie 1937

Terry

[Glen in Tinsel Kni]

Hi Terry

Nice image, doubtless someone will ask what First Kelso Laddie means, and posted just as this years Streamer will be gearing up for his big week.

[terry h]

Hi Glen,

Hope you get a good week weather wise. I well remember my first visit to Coldstream week. Went for a drink, Coldstreamer at the bar,  'here's the oslek lassies'....where       duh 

Have a good one

Terry

[Glen in Tinsel Kni]

 
I had to read that twice before the penny dropped 

I doubt it can be any wetter than last year anyway, Flodden was a floodin'.

[Beckey]

According to my wife, "Kelso Laddie" was the same as all the Border Towns as "Riding of the Bounds" under different names, similar to the Salmon/Herring Queens Berwick/Eyemouth.

I can do the Hay family 1841-1861 if of any use to anyone.

[Geordie daughter]

Thanks for the lovely pic, Terry. What a good looking young man! I have a pic of John looking very stern and patriarchal, but I'm not sure my technical skills are up to posting it.

Glen, thank you for all the info you've given me. I didn't know the places where my lot lived had links with the textile industry, or that Clockmill was so close to Duns Castle. I really envy you your local knowledge!! I managed to find out a bit more about Hatchednize Farm last night, and suspect I'll be spending a lot of time on that Scottish Gazette site today.

John Service must have done well for himself as a chemical works foreman, considering he was the son of an Ag. Lab. My mum tells me they were well off enough to afford a maid; her mum's sister Elvie was brought up by her grandparents (their mother was very ill after the birth of one of the younger children) and never had to lift a finger, apparently, so it was a great shock when she married and had children of her own.

[Glen in Tinsel Kni]

I'm guessing a bit at the textile links to be honest, the area has long links to wool and textiles even though nowadays it's hanging on by a thread really (pun intended). There are still several places with "mill" in the name around the area, most alongside some form of stream or flowing water but i would think a few where milling wheat. It's not something i have really looked at in detail.

Chirnside mill was really connected to paper, the old mill buildings still forming a large part of the site used by the current owners. The link below is to a photograph available under a creative commons licence and shows the old buildings within the modern complex.

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/122185


Berwick, or more accurately Spittal had a chemical works in the 1800's too, largely to supply the needs of the bleaching industry.
Sorry, it's all a bit vague and general but it sets the scene for the area for you.