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Author Topic: William SCOTT, writer (to the Signet) in Dundee in 1808, also Henry CLEPHANE W.S  (Read 5555 times)

Offline hurworth

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William SCOTT, writer (to the Signet) in Dundee in 1808, also Henry CLEPHANE W.S
« on: Tuesday 24 March 15 06:34 GMT (UK) »
They are named as Trustees on a will which was written in 1808.   

Would anyone know whether there a resource anywhere which has records of Writers?  It doesn't say that Henry CLEPHANE is in Dundee.  I'm curious to know a little more about their background if possible. 

Many thanks.   

Offline Forfarian

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Re: William SCOTT, writer (to the Signet) in Dundee in 1808, also Henry CLEPHANE W.S
« Reply #1 on: Tuesday 24 March 15 08:41 GMT (UK) »
Don't confuse 'Writer' with 'Writer to the Signet'. They are not necessarily the same thing.

'Writer' was the standard term for a practising lawyer. These days, in Scotland, the equivalent would be a solicitor. There are no specific resources that cover all writers.

A 'Writer to the Signet' was, specifically, a member of the Society of Writers to His/Her Majesty's Signet, and only a minority or writers would have become Writers to the Signet. See
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Society_of_Writers_to_Her_Majesty%27s_Signet and  http://www.thewssociety.co.uk/index.asp

If your writers were Writers to the Signet, they will be listed, with a brief biography, in the Society's list of members. I don't have my copy handy, but when I am reunited with it I will look up your William Scott and Henry Clephane.
Never trust anything you find online (especially submitted trees and transcriptions on Ancestry, MyHeritage, FindMyPast and other commercial web sites) unless it's an image of an original document - and even then be wary because errors can and do occur.

Offline hurworth

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Re: William SCOTT, writer (to the Signet) in Dundee in 1808, also Henry CLEPHANE W.S
« Reply #2 on: Tuesday 24 March 15 09:25 GMT (UK) »
Thank you forfarian.

I've had another look.  It says Henry CLEPHANE is a writer to the signet and William SCOTT is a writer. 

Offline ev

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Re: William SCOTT, writer (to the Signet) in Dundee in 1808, also Henry CLEPHANE W.S
« Reply #3 on: Tuesday 24 March 15 12:04 GMT (UK) »
Hi all ,

Scotlandspeople has an inventory for a Henry Clephane , Writer to the Signet , dated 1819 , Edinburgh Sheriff Court.



ev
Census information Crown copyright , All Census information from transcriptions - check original records , Familysearch/IGI is a finding tool only - check original records

Offline hurworth

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Re: William SCOTT, writer (to the Signet) in Dundee in 1808, also Henry CLEPHANE W.S
« Reply #4 on: Wednesday 24 June 15 06:39 BST (UK) »
Thanks ev.

This chart of the Clephanes of Carslogie has recently been uploaded, and I think that this Henry Clephane is the one on the chart, who died in 1818.  He's the son of George Clephane and Anna Jean Douglas.


http://redbookofscotland.com/Clephane%20of%20Carselogie.htm


I'm still not sure who William Scott, writer, is.  Sir Walter Scott was from a legal family and he was the guardian of Henry Clephane's nieces (the daughters of his eldest brother William), so I'm wondering whether he might be connected there.  Scott is such a common name though.

Offline hanes teulu

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Re: William SCOTT, writer (to the Signet) in Dundee in 1808, also Henry CLEPHANE W.S
« Reply #5 on: Wednesday 24 June 15 07:45 BST (UK) »
The 5th Volume of the "Highland Society of Scotland", published 1820, lists "Henry Clephane, W.S" as one of its members as at November 1820 - in spite of his death at Kirkness, October 1818.


His appointment to the Society was reported in the Caledonian Mercury, 2 Jul 1801.

Offline hanes teulu

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Re: William SCOTT, writer (to the Signet) in Dundee in 1808, also Henry CLEPHANE W.S
« Reply #6 on: Wednesday 24 June 15 07:57 BST (UK) »
The British Almanack and Glasgow Register 1801...

CLERKS to His MAJESTY'S SIGNET
1798 Hen Clephane

Royal Edin Artillery
2nd Lieuts
Hen Clephane

Offline hanes teulu

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Re: William SCOTT, writer (to the Signet) in Dundee in 1808, also Henry CLEPHANE W.S
« Reply #7 on: Wednesday 24 June 15 08:06 BST (UK) »
In the 1798 edition of the "Glasgow Almanack", H Clephane is a 1st Lieut in the Edin Royal Artillery

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Re: William SCOTT, writer (to the Signet) in Dundee in 1808, also Henry CLEPHANE W.S
« Reply #8 on: Wednesday 24 June 15 08:16 BST (UK) »
Leith Post Office Annual Directory 1815

Clephan (sic) Harry, esq, W.S, 67 Queen Street
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