Oddfellow / Church / Duke of Buccleuch Records? McLachlan

McBrucie · Post by **McBrucie** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 1:41 am

Hi,
I have just found a Obituary for my 3rd Great Grandfather George Blackstock McLachlan who died in 1911 aged 82.
It states that he worked for the Duke of Buccleuch for 50 years as the estate slater.It also states that for 44 years he was the secretary of Thornhill Lodge of Oddfellows (is this the same as the Masons?) He was also a Deacon at Virginhall United Free Church in Thornhill.

Does anyone have any tips on finding any records etc from the above information. I have all the available censuses for him already ,and also a picture.
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn11 ... achlan.jpg
<edited by LesleyB to give link to image, as opposed to embedded image>

Thanks for any advice

McBrucie

JustJean · Post by **JustJean** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 2:57 am

While the Masonic Order and the Oddfellows are similar in that they are fraternal societies they are indeed completely separate organizations...

http://www.ioof.org/

Best wishes
Jean

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 10:19 am

Hi McBrucie
Have you tired searching the catalogue at the National Archives of Scotland? There may be some estate and church records held there.
http://www.nas.gov.uk/onlineCatalogue/

e.g.
FS4/700 Oddfellows, Independent Order of, (Manchester Unity), Friendly Society Lodge "Loyal Logan", Cumnock, No. 6009 Thornhill District nd.

FS4/764 Oddfellows, Independent Order of, (Manchester Unity), Friendly Society Lodge "Loyal Park and Balkail", Glenluce, No. 6005 Thornhill District nd.

FS4/800 Oddfellows, Independent Order of, (Manchester Unity), Friendly Society Lodge "Ivie Mackie", Auchencairn, No. 6226 Thornhill nd.

No dates on any of the above, so you'd really need to go to Edinburgh to see them. Contact NAS a few days before going to ensure that the documents you wish to see are there - many are held in storage and two days notice is needed to produce them.

DS/UK/24995
Corporate name Thornhill United Presbyterian Church
Activity The Thornhill Antiburhger congregation dates in effect to 1776, when the Presbytery sanctioned a union between two small, seceder congregations at Thornhill alias Closeburn and Moniaive alias Glencairn. Moniaive had the larger congregation, and therefore at the start had the bulk of the Sabbath services. The first minister, James Pattison, was ordained in 1778. In 1804, the congregations were severed, and Pattison remained with the Thornhill congregation, whose church had been built c1784. The congregation joined the United Presbyterian Church on its formation in 1847. A new church was built in 1898. In 1900, on the union of the United Presbyterian Church and the Free Church of Scotland, the congregation became part of the United Free Church, still under the designation Thornhill. In 1924, it and the congregation of Penpont East united under the name Thornhill and Virginhall.
Dates 1847-1900
Non preferred term Thornhill Antiburgher Church 1804-1847

GD224 Papers of the Montague-Douglas-Scott Family, Dukes of Buccleuch 1165-1947
GD224/367 Free Church of Scotland; Sites 1841-1851
Reference GD224/367/10
Title Letter stating that the proprietors of lands near Virginhall were not asked for a site for a Free church and manse
Dates 1847
Access status Open
Level File
Extent 5 items

Best wishes
Lesley

Currie · Post by **Currie** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 11:29 am

Hello McBrucie,

On the morning of 21st October 1871, according to the Glasgow Herald of the 23rd, he would most likely have been standing in the rain with his family and all the others workers on the estate along the castle approaches to watch the departure of a closed carriage containing the Prince of Wales etc. They were given a day off for the occasion.

If you’re interested in that sort of article please send me a PM with an email address.

The Buccleuch Estates Limited appears to be the current owner of what is now the Queensberry Estate. They may still have employment records unless they’ve been sent to Archives somewhere or otherwise disposed of.
http://www.buccleuch.com/story/estates

All the best,
Alan

McBrucie · Post by **McBrucie** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 7:03 pm

Thanks JustJean,LesleyB & Currie.
This forum is really great!
Looks like a weekend in Edinburgh to find out more.
Thanks again.

McBrucie

Post by **AndrewP** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 1:39 am

McBrucie wrote:Looks like a weekend in Edinburgh to find out more.

You'd better make it a long weekend. NAS is only open Monday to Friday.

All the best,

AndrewP

McBrucie · Post by **McBrucie** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 1:41 am

AndrewP wrote:You'd better make it a long weekend. NAS is only open Monday to Friday..

OH!.....I see, thanks for that
time to book a few days holiday from work!

McBrucie

Post by **AndrewP** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 1:50 am

Hi McBrucie,

Have a read at the NAS website - http://www.nas.gov.uk/ - especially the bit about photos for a reader's ticket.

All the best,

AndrewP

McBrucie · Post by **McBrucie** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 1:19 am

Thanks Andrew. I will make sure I have the pictures before I go.

McBrucie

derekfrom france · Post by **derekfrom france** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 11:59 am

hi read somewhere perhaps on the Drumlanrig Castle site that access to their estate records are for scholars,they direct other mortales to the RAS
cheers derek

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Oddfellow / Church / Duke of Buccleuch Records? McLachlan

Oddfellow / Church / Duke of Buccleuch Records? McLachlan

buccleuch estates