armagh20 wrote:
Hello Tim
I am born and bred in Blairgowrie,but left Blair a long time ago,I found this ref to the Blairgowrie Book by accident I was going to do some family research for my wife but?? that can wait.
My surname is Center my grandfather had a Smithy in the town,in Croft Lane,long gone,there was also a big house on the right hand side down Croft lane towards the Wellmeadow,have you come across any reference to the Center Family,early 1900s
There was also a house owned by the family down towards Rosemount,the Gatelodge.
Any information about my family I would be very gratefull.
Geo Center
I thought it best to start a new thread for you instead of sidetracking Boomeranger's thread on the Robertson family. You also might get better response than I can give you if the name of your family is in the topic title.
Unfortunately, I'm not Blairgowrie born. I was raised "up the glen" (near Kirkmichael), and went to school and spent money in the shops at Pitlochry. I only moved to Blairgowrie a few years ago.
My maternal ancestors originally come from Aberdeenshire (we believe), then spent a couple of generations in Angus (Forfarshire) before my great grandfather, James Davidson, moved to Blairgowrie in 1913 and opened a butcher's shop. He happened to be located on Perth Street, on the corner with Croft Lane (where Heart of Blair was at the time the Google street views were made), and he lived above the shop before renting a house on Newton Lane in later years. It seems he was a popular butcher, as I've been told by a few older members of the town that they would always be sent to buy some meat from "Mr Davidson". So your grandfather may have bought his Sunday roast from my great-grandfather!
My grandfather worked in the bank opposite, and in later years moved to Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) to work in a bank where my mother was born and raised. My mother did spend some childhood holidays in Blairgowrie picking berries and spending time with her cousins. It's possible she knows something of your family, and I will ask, but it isn't a surname I've heard or come across.
I'm sure you will have seen Croft Lane on Google street view. Sadly it's more car parks than crofts these days -- very functional!
As you'll understand now, my research is focused on the Angus (Monikie and Dundee) area, as well as Aberdeenshire. So there isn't much I can offer in the way of help for you. But if there's anything I can do for you here (taking photographs for example), then do let me know.
Tim
PS In the unlikely event that you ever come across a picture with my great grandfather's butcher shop in it, I'd love a copy! I'll update this thread once I've spoken to my mother.