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Topic: Stonemasons of Dumfriesshire (Read 1068 times)
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Gibson1900
RootsChat Extra
Posts: 15
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Can anyone tell me what is the best way of finding out more information about stonemasons in Dumfries town and shire around the late eighteenth and first half of the nineteenth century? My great-great-great grandfather Alexander Gibson (1805-1878) was a stonemason in Dumfries, and possibly his father before him in the Glencairn or Holywood area. Was there a guild and are there lists of members anywhere?
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« Last Edit: Sunday 24 May 09 09:33 UTC (UK) by Arranroots »
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purplekat
RootsChat Member
Posts: 149
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Hi Gibson
I'm also interested in this subject as my great grandfather was also a stone mason in the area during the mid 19th century. I'm planning to go to the Dumfries area around Easter. I don't know how much I will be able to pack in to one day as I want to go to Moffat, Lockerbie and Leadhills and possibly fit in Dumfries, (if not I will go there on a different day), I will see if I can find any info one this subject and let you know.
Jean 
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Gibson1900
RootsChat Extra
Posts: 15
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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That would be very interesting! We also have a Leadhills connection - Alexander Gibson's mother, Mary McCall, was born there on 15 April 1782 (not sure if there is necessarily a stonemason connection there). We would be interested in any lists of names, sources, etc, so I wish you luck in your searches!
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bill0765
RootsChat Extra
Posts: 25
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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hi
my ggggrandfather robert clark b1796 became a mason by1861 before he was a miller possibly in annan but he may have moved away because one of his sons james moved to blyth and became a master mariner .
bill
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purplekat
RootsChat Member
Posts: 149
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Hi Gibson and Bill
Sorry it's taken so long to get back to you but, due to family illness, I didn't manage to get to Dumfries over Easter, however I'm still planning to go.
I phoned the Ewart library and was told that they do not have apprentice records but they do have some local directories. I'll let you know what I can find out.
Jean
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Gibson1900
RootsChat Extra
Posts: 15
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Sorry to hear about your family illness. Best of luck!
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Maggie1895
RootsChat Member
Posts: 138
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For what it's worth (probably not a lot!) my great grandfather James Paterson was a Master Mason, and family has been in Dumfriesshire for a long time. He was born in Johnstone (or Johnstonebridge, it gets called both) in 1818 into a agricultural family but was listed as a Mason in the 1841,51 and 61 census, although he was also a farmer, and later Roads Surveyor for Upper Annandale. I get the impression that Agriculture and Masonry went hand in hand, and wondered if in such a rural area that was normal?
Good luck with your search, both of you -
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tegan
RootsChat Extra
Posts: 84
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Hi I also have stonemasons in my tree also from Dumfriessire, I also noticed that we may have a family link regarding The surname of Boyes
Regards Sharon
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purplekat
RootsChat Member
Posts: 149
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Hi everyone
I managed to get to the Ewart Library in Dumfries last week, however my apologies as I didn't manage to look at any apprentice records. I discovered that one of my ancestors, my gg grandmother, lived to be 100, she was born in 1812 and died in 1913, there were a number of newspaper reports about her and it took a lot longer than I thought to find and print them. In the afternoon I was visiting a lady who had a photo of her.
I do intend to go back in the future and have kept a note of the names here. I would recommend a visit to anyone who gets the chance, the staff are very friendly and helpful.
Gibson1900 - I noticed that therre are Gibsons living next door to my gg grandparents in Leadhills in the 1851 census. James and Mary with their two year old daughter Janet.
Jean
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Gibson1900
RootsChat Extra
Posts: 15
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Hello, thank you for writing, that is very interesting! Do you know the ages and other information (eg. place of birth) for James and Mary?
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purplekat
RootsChat Member
Posts: 149
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Hi Gibson 1900
James is a leadminer born in Crawford, Lanark, not sure if the age reads 20 or 29, Mary is a hand flowerer, (embroiderer), also born in Crawford, again age difficult to read could be 20 or 28.
Let me know if you think it could be one of your Gibson's. I think their daughter, Janet Gibson, may have married John Hope in Leadhills in 1873.
Jean
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Gibson1900
RootsChat Extra
Posts: 15
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Dear Jean
It is hard for me to say, because my own information has so many gaps, so I cannot definitely say they are ours, but cannot discount them either. It is interesting, though, because the parents of the Alexander Gibson with whom I began this thread were James and Mary Gibson. She was born in Leadhills and her father, Robert McCall, was a miner there (that is the furthest back I have been able to trace them on the basis of authenticated documents). Thank you for your help and please continue to report any breakthroughs you might make!
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purplekat
RootsChat Member
Posts: 149
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Hi Gibson
I will keep you informed if I find any info, I have been to Leadhills, I would have liked to look around the graveyard but didn't have time as we where on our way to Moffat. I am planning to go back to visit the graveyards of Leadhills and Crawford as my 100 year old g g grandmother was born in Leadhills and brought her family up there until they moved to Moffat, where her husband Robert was from.
I am interested in the Gibson family because I noticed a boy named David Blyth Hope on the Leadhills war memorial, (my g grandfather was named David Blyth), I checked the 1901 census and found that his parents were Janet and John Hope, I checked for their marriage, (wondering if Janet was a Blyth), obviously her name came up as Gibson, she is the right age to be the baby Janet of the 1851 census living next door to the Blyth's, but I don't know this for certain, (but it is a very small place)
I thought maybe her son could have been named after family friends but I haven't yet ruled out a family connection as there are two sons of Lucy and Robert Blyth as yet unnamed and unaccouted for, finding them is the basis of my next bit of research.
Jean
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Gibson1900
RootsChat Extra
Posts: 15
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Hello Jean
Thank you for writing – that is indeed an interesting tale about your 100 year old gg grandmother! I wonder if there was something in the air (it being so high up?), because my gggg grandmother Mary McCall herself died only in her 81st year! I wonder if you could also keep a look out for the name McCALL in your Leadhills searches? I have Mary McCall (1782-1863) and Allison McCall (1785-?), born in Crawford & Leadhills to Robert McCall (miner) and Isabel McKonnen/McConner (possibly born in Closeburn, 1779).
So the James Gibson you found was born around 1831 or 1822, depending on how you interpret the census? He could very well be one of mine, because so many of my Dumfries Gibsons go off the radar, and sometimes the reason is because of the Leadhills (= Lanark) connection through their mother. For example, I have a Robert Gibson (c. 1819-1848), son of James Gibson (1773?-1832), who for some reason died in Wanlockhead.
I did try making enquiries at the local museum, but I think they are a bit understaffed!
Museum of Lead Mining
Wanlockhead, ML12 6UT
Tel: 01659 74387
Fax: 01659 74481
Web: www.leadminingmuseum.co.uk
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