Mr Finlay Dun

[Russell]

Hi Folks
While sorting through old papers I came across some material relating to a Mr Finlay Dun. 6 Darnaway street, Edinburgh in 1885. If anyone has this gentleman in their close family tree send me a PM with some confirmatory details.
The booklet is of only passing historical interest to me and I'd like to pass it on as it has details about him which would add substance to a relatives life. It has been tucked away in my Mother's papers for the past half century and I remember seeing it as a teenager.

Russell

[SarahND]

Hi Russell,
He's no relative of mine as far as I know, but here is some additional information that might jog someone's memory (and come up in a google search

I'm assuming this is your man:

1891
Gorgie House, Edinburgh St Cuthberts
Finlay Dun, 60, Head, born Edinburgh, Secretary: Public Coy
Juliet F Dun, 26, Daur, born England
Isabel S Dun, 22, Daur, born England
Robert C Dun, 20, Son, born England, Student of Medicine
Margaret Macrae, 30, Serv, born Tain, Rossshire, Cook
Dolina Sutherland, 22, Serv, born Clyne, Sutherland, Tablemaid
Elizabeth Little, 20, Serv, born England, Housemaid

Judging by the children's birthplaces, I went to England to find him in earlier censuses:

In 1861 Finlay was in Long Compton, Warwickshire with his bride, at that time he was a Land Agent and Farmer of 500(?) acres employing 16 men and 5 boys.

In 1871 the family was still in Long Compton, Warwickshire, where all of the children were born.
Finlay was a Land Agent & Steward in this census.

The family was in Marylebone, London in 1881 and Finlay was an estate agent. His wife Janet Craig was born in Peebles.

He traveled to New York in 1886 and was listed as a U.S. Citizen However, I think this was a mistake because when he came earlier in 1882 he was supposed to be from England. Hmmm.

Looks like he died in Edinburgh in 1897.

Oddly enough, if you go back to 1851, Finlay is found to be a medical student in Edinburgh, the son of Finlay Dun, teacher of music, who was born in Aberdeen. Finlay Sr. has a short entry in the Dictionary of National Biography: "DUN, FINLAY (1795-1853), musician; educated at Edinburgh University; first viola player at the San Carlo Theatre, Naples; published solfeggi, 1829; edited collections of Scottish songs." Sounds like an interesting man.

On second thought, I think I will claim this family... all I have to do is come up with the documents

All the best,
Sarah

[Russell]

Hi Sarah, you have identified the very man. Farmer, Land agent, Horticulturalist applied for the chair of Agriculture at Edinburgh University in 1885. I have only just dug this document out of the pile of stuff so I hope a taker comes along.

russell

[trish1]

I have many ancestors of the name Dun - but unfortunately none by the name of Finlay - even going sideways back to the 1700s I cannot claim him - much as I have searched for a link.

Trish

[Russell]

That's a pity Trish I would love to pass this on to a long term member . I was interested in the info Sarah found listing him as a medical student. He did vetinary studies at the dick Vet College in Edinburgh. I wonder if the census enumerator couldn't spell 'vetinary'
Tried Googling 'Dun' and found more about horses than men Almost as discouraging as my 'Oman' searches.

Russell

[SarahND]

I wonder if the census enumerator couldn't spell 'vetinary'

He got round it by writing "Student Of Medicine." Didn't have to specify which kind of medicine, did he?

Cheers,
Sarah

[Russell]

Was this the first application of 'semantics' Sarah ? It hadn't been invented back then had it ?

Russell

[SarahND]

Fortunately we can still do things, even if we don't have a name for what we're doing!

[sheilajim]

Hi Russell

I also have a lot of Dunn relatives that lived in Stirlingshire. Unfortunately, none of them that I know of are called Finlay. I wish that he was related to me because I know little about my Dunn relatives.

[Russell]

That's a pity Sheila. I do hope that a relative does turn up. It's a bit like old photographs. they belong with the original family.
I discovered letters a year or two ago from a ships surgeon travelling to and from Australia. I was so excited for his descendants until Sarah did a bit of research and it appeared that there were no recent descendants. Now I don't know what to do with them

Russell