I'm tracking down the ancestors of my wife's maternal line. David Buddo emigrated to New Zealand about 1874 and became a member of parliament. His father was Sir David Buddo, a surgeon in the Indian civil service who is credited with building Kinburn House in St Andrews in 1855 (now the St Andrews Museum). Curiously though, after his death in 1862, his estate does not include that fine looking house, amounting to just 497 pounds. In his will he states "There will not be much for him poor fellow, so let him learn something to live by . . . ". So one mystery to solve is whether he owned the house or just lived in it on his return from Bombay.
His will also refers to ". . my son David Buddo by Euphane Durward at present residing in the vollage of Drumlithie Kincardineshire as Mrs Robert Johnstone" . This suggests that either he was divorced or never married Euphane (also referred to as Euphemia Stevenson Dorward in a NZ obituary). Mystery No 2.
I've accumulated all the census and other records I can via the internet, dating from the earliest mention of a Thomas Buddo in 1590 in St Andrews through to the early 20th century. It is a small family line, living mostly in St Andrews with involvement in golf (ballmaking in 1610), as weavers in the 18th C and fishermen in the 19th C. My best guess of David senior's parents are Thomas Buddo (1755 - 1815) & Margaret Thomson. Previous generations most likely Thomas Buddo (1709-1780) & Margaret Gourlay (<1720-1800), preceded by David Buddo (1674 - )& Agnes Baxter, preceded by either Johne Buddo & Marget Carmichell or David Buddo & Jonet Johnston/Johnstoun.
