Balfours

[denmylne]

I intend to restore it. Im am upgrading the house next to it, where I live,  at the moment, but eventually I plan to start on the tower. It is actually in a lot better state than it looks, I have removed the tree from inside and the the rest of the vegitation has been knocked down with round up, This isnt a commercial enterprise, just a labour of love

[denmylne]

I cant find anything in the sherrif deeds for fife concerning balfours and ferry port, the name kirkcaldie seems more attached to the otherside of fife, pilmuir or dunfermline etc, I think you will need to have a look at the old parish records in fife, which unfortunatly are not online. Ill bear this name in mind when I next do a search and will post something here if I find something. sorry I cant be of more help

[sidsmith]

Hi Denmylne
Ferry Port on Craig is now known as Tayport and is about 3 1/2 miles across the Tay from Dundee in Fife
regards
sid

[Ruskie]

I intend to restore it. Im am upgrading the house next to it, where I live,  at the moment, but eventually I plan to start on the tower. It is actually in a lot better state than it looks, I have removed the tree from inside and the the rest of the vegitation has been knocked down with round up, This isnt a commercial enterprise, just a labour of love

I wish you the best of luck! I'm glad the tower has survived the removal of the tree and other vegetation. Please keep us up to date with your progress. Well done! You are to be commended and I am just a teensy bit jealous!!!!!! 

And to get back on topic - regarding my lone Balfour -:
James Balfour, shoemaker, living Meinside, Middlebie, had 2 daughters there in 1803 and 1806 - no other known children. Married Helen/Nellie/Ellenor Brown date and place unknown. Nothing found on SP. Nothing further known about James. If any Balfour researchers come across this family or can link their Balfours with James, I would be very happy to hear from you. 

[denmylne]

Thanks for that Ruskie, feel free to bring along a trowel, the tower will need several tons of lime mortar just to consolidate it

anyways, I managed to get a hold of Sir Andrew Balfours will and testament........NIGHTMARE???... It looks like its been written in hiroglyphics
this will take a while just to work out what is written.
In 1694, people would spell their own names in a variety of ways, In the same sentence???
I may be some time......

[Ruskie]

Thanks for that Ruskie, feel free to bring along a trowel, the tower will need several tons of lime mortar just to consolidate it

I would love to!  Next time I'm in your neck of the woods I will. No need to give me your address - I'm sure I'll be able to find it.  But as I live in Australia it's not going to be any time soon, so don't bother putting the kettle on just yet. Your story brings this to mind: http://www.rootschat.com/links/08bt/ Though it's not what I would have done with the place - it's over restored to my mind. 

Why don't you post Sir Andrew's will here on rootschat? There are some experts in reading old handwriting who I'm sure will be pleased to help.

If you go to the bar towards the top of the rootschat page and select [Forum], the fourth topic/subject heading is "Deciphering & Recognition Help". You can post the will here. I believe you are not allowed to post the whole document in one go, due to copyright issues, so you'll have to post it in sections of two or three or whatever you feel appropriate depending on the length of the will.

Good luck!

[denmylne]

Yeah, I was that grand designs, but that was a much bigger property than denmylne, and much newer, I didnt like what he had done either, it was filled inside with breeze blocks if i remember correctly and had an open room with a lounge on the top floor with one side of the roof missing. Denmylne fully restored would have only 4 bedrooms, as per its original state.

Thanks for the pointer with the translation of andrew balfours will, Ill post it online when i get a min tonight

[denmylne]

Hi SID
after a bit of research, I think if you dig you will find that the ferry port balfours nearest estate was Grange, this was one of the last aquisitions by the balfours of mountwhanney, there is a grange near denmlyne which may cause confusion, but if you look at Blaeu map of 1654 you will see that the estate of grange borders where the ferry port is now, i would look here

The translation of Sir andrews will is ongoing but ill post here any info i find, thanks for all the pointers guys

denmylne

[sidsmith]

Hi denmylne
Thanks for map details, it points to where my Balfours are from and its a pity that I can't find any more BMD records at the moment, but will keep trying.
I hope you have better luck with your will translation.
sid