Orchard Keeper

[AnnieMack]

I've just found ancestors who kept/worked the orchard at Cambuskenneth Abbey. I am quite excited as that is way different from the rest who were mainly carters or weavers.

It is only a half hour drive from here too!

Annie...off on a tangent

[Russell]

Right Annie

While you're off on your tangent what I'd like to know is:
Is it a walled garden ?
What kind of fruit they grew?
Was it a commercial enterprise - or were they munificent and handed it out to the needy poor ?



You would need about three weeks at the NAS plus a course in Secretary Hand to find answers probably.
I'll not expect an answer on Saturday

Russell

[AnnieMack]

Blinkin eck! I never thought of any of that lol! Her hubby was a dairyman and died a month before the census so I was clutching at straws that she might still be there.

So many more questions .....!

A

[LindaChapman]

Annie,
I live in Cambuskenneth and have done a bit of research into its people and houses, including the orchards. If you like to give me the name and dates of your ancestor I can see whether I have any references.
Linda M Chapman

[AnnieMack]

Oh thanks Linda! I will dig out all my bits of paper and get in touch very soon.

Annie

[AnnieMack]

Dwelling: Cambus Kenneth

Mary MORRISON
Head
Widowed 60 F
Keeper Of Orchard
Born: Logie, Clackmannan, Scotland

Agnes MORRISON
Daughter
Unmarried 18 F
Works At Home
Born: Logie, Clackmannan, Scotland

Isabella MORRISON
Daughter
Unmarried 20 F
Works At Home
Born: Logie, Clackmannan, Scotland

Mary MORRISON
Daughter
Unmarried 25 F
Dressmaker
Born: Logie, Clackmannan, Scotland

Lilias MORRISON
Daughter
Unmarried 39 F
Serv (Housekeeper)
Born; Logie, Clackmannan, Scotland

William MORRISON
Grdson
Unmarried 18 M
Gen Lab At Home
Born: Logie, Clackmannan, Scotland

Mary's husband Robert died in 1881, he was aged 70 and his death cert says he was a dairyman and place of death was Cambuskenneth Abbey.

Hope you can find something about this lot! This information was from the 1881 census.

Thank you!

Annie

[LindaChapman]

Annie,
The Morrisons were at Tower Orchard, which was the one next to the Abbey. At one time there were four orchards in the village. Have you ever been to Cambuskenneth? If not you ought to try to get here and I could show you roughly where the orchard was.
Mrs Morrison shows up as tenant in valuation rolls for 1881 and 1882.
The orchard was owned by Cowane's Hospital, as was much of the village at one time. Stirling Council Archives have some of Cowane's minutes which include a report that in 1884 Mrs Morrison requested a reduction in her rent. This was probably refused since she gave up the tenancy in January 1885.
Tower Orchard Cottage till exists thought it has obviously been altered extensively. There is a painting in the Smith Art Gallery and Museum which the donor claimed is of the cottage. I would like to think that he is right but am doubtful. The house and the background do not quite fit. It is a pity since it includes some people and was painted around the time your family was there. Again, you might like to go and look at it. It is hanging just beside the door to the lecture theatre.
I am sorry that I do not have anything more to offer.
Linda

[Currie]

I’m not sure if this is any help or not but there’s an article in the Glasgow Herald, Tuesday, February 3, 1885

STIRLING.—LET OF ABBEY FERRY AND TOWER ORCHARD.—On Saturday, in the Council Chambers, Cambuskenneth, Abbey Ferry was exposed for let by public roup on a seven years' lease at the present rent of £32 per annum. After some competition Mr Burgess, spirit dealer, King Street, became the lessee at £38. At the same time the Tower Orchard at Cambuskenneth, extending to seven acres, was let to the present tenant for a period of 15 years at £25 for the first term of five years, £40 for the second term, and £55 for the third term. This is an average reduction of upwards of 40 per cent. on the old rent.

Another in the Liverpool Mercury, Saturday, February 2, 1856

CLEVER CAPTURE BY AN OLD WOMAN. —On Tuesday, an old woman who has an orchard at Cambuskenneth Abbey, near Stirling, observed a man enter the outhouse in which she kept her fowls. As he did not soon come out again she went over, and, locking him in, sent for a policeman. When discovered, the fellow had cut the heads off three of the fowls. He was in a dreadful passion, bitterly cursing his greenness for having been so simply caught in his own trap by an old woman. He was, after some resistance, lodged in Alloa gaol.—Edinburgh Courant.

There’s probably a moral to that story.

There are over 120 references to Cambuskenneth in “19th Century British Library Newspapers”

Hope it helps,
Alan

[AnnieMack]

Wow!

I haven't been near the pc all week and when I came on to see if there were any new messages I found this fntastic response from you both! I will need to get myself down to Stirling archives and Cambuskenneth very soon.

Thank you so much!

Annie

[LynnSkelton]

Annie,
I live in Cambuskenneth and have done a bit of research into its people and houses, including the orchards. If you like to give me the name and dates of your ancestor I can see whether I have any references.
Linda M Chapman

Hi Linda,

I realise it's quite some time since you posted this................but I have just unravelled some of my Mum's notes from conversations with her Mother, and have disovered that my Grandfather had "Hamilton" cousins that lived at the Tower Orchards.

Andrew Hamilton moved from Lesmahagow Lanark between 1901-1903, where he was a Fruit Grower. It appears from what I have found on Scotlandspeople that his wife died in the Royal Infirmary Stirling (Usual Res. was Craigbank Causewayhead) on 7th June 1903 - she was Margaret (Morton) Hamilton aged 36. Andrew lived on until 26 Oct 1915 when he died aged 75 at Tower Orchards Cambuskenneth - his daughter Bella aged 16 had presided him in death on 29 January 1915.

My Mum had written that her Father had Hamilton Cousins living in Cambuskenneth - referred to as Market Gardners - her notes say that when my Grandparents visited in the early 1930's shortly after their marriage there were 2 sisters & 1 brother (all unmarried) living and working as Market Gardeners. These 2 I believe were probably Andrew (born c. 1878) s/o the said Andrew above & sisters Katie (born 1884) & Jeanie (born c.1886).

My Mother's notes also mention another married sister - Andrew's wife Margaret (Morton) was actually his 2nd wife who bore him 4 more Girls - Marion born c.1894; Margaret born c. 1896; Bella born 1898 - (Died 1915 as above) ; & Helen born 1901 - all these girls were living in 1901 in Lesmahagow with their Parents before moving to Cambuskenneth, so not sure which might be the married one.

If your research has any further information on any of the above names I would be very appreciative of anything you may be able to pass onto me. My Mum still has a living sister in Glasgow and a Cousin in Canada, who are finally interested in their ancestors in their later lives.

Many Thanks,
Lynn

P.S. New to this site, so hope I've done everything the correct way!