Park Balmedie, Belhelvie, Aberdeenshire

speleobat2 · Post by **speleobat2** » Sat Oct 03, 2009 12:35 am

Hi all,

A few days ago I received a notice from Ancestry that not one, but three family trees were now showing my great grandfather Malcolm Munro.

After investigating, there are two with distant connections and one with living Munro relatives--this of course is the one that hasn't answered my email.

However, I have been able to glean some information from all of them and that led me to finding Malcolm's grandfather and grandmother on the 1841 and 1851 Census records--under the name Minra.

Anyway, in 1841 Malcolm's grandparents' address is given as Park Balmedie, Belhelvie, Aberdeenshire. I gather from Googling that there is a park with significant sand dunes there now. My question is would there have been a park there in 1841 or should I take Park Balmedie 1841 to be a private estate?

Carol

nelmit · Post by **nelmit** » Sat Oct 03, 2009 8:32 am

Hi Carol,

A look at this map (choose sheet 77) from around 1867shows Balmedie House with grounds.

Regards,
Annette

Currie · Post by **Currie** » Sat Oct 03, 2009 1:28 pm

Hello Carol,

Here’s a notice from The Aberdeen Journal, Wednesday, February 28, 1849.

Possession in Belhelvie.
To be Let, for Nineteen Years from Whitsunday first,
THE Possession of PARK of BALMEDIE, consisting of about Seventeen Imperial Acres Arable, as formerly possessed by Malcolm Monro, and with additions to be made of about seven to eight Acres of Waste, and partly improveable Muir Ground.
The soil is fertile, with a sheltered south exposure. Reasonable encouragement will be given to an active Tenant of sufficient means.
The ground will be pointed out by ROBERT SHEWAN, at Balmedie House; and farther particulars learnt, on application to W. J. LUMSDEN, Esq., the Proprietor, or CLEMENTS LUMSDEN, Esq., Advocate, 2, Union Terrace, Aberdeen.
146, Union Street, 16th Feb. 1849.

If you want the image just send me a PM with an email address.

All the best,
Alan

speleobat2 · Post by **speleobat2** » Sat Oct 03, 2009 5:39 pm

Hi all,

Annette, thanks for the map! I was guessing that this was a farm or estate.

Allan, thanks for the newspaper article! I'll just print out what you posted.

I'm thinking now that Malcolm Munro probably died right around this time then. He was on the 1841 census, but his wife was listed as a farmer's widow on the 1851 Census. Unfortunately, the Munro family apparently couldn't afford or didn't choose to put a gravestone up for anyone in the family because there is no sign of them in the Belhelvie MI's booklet.

The name gets spelled both ways Munro and Monro regularily. One of my grandmother's sisters, Agnes Munro married a Monro in 1916 and became Agnes Munro Monro! Couldn't get it wrong after that!!!

Carol