Hey Cjay,
I’ve struggled finding out more about the Veitch’s for a long time. At first I only knew of Robert Veitch who married Agnes Cameron Findlay in 1862, and died in 1897, at 21 South Norton Place, Edinburgh.
But Robert’s death certificate told me his parents were Elizabeth Currie, and John Veitch, printer.
Recently, DNA matches on ancestry.com, have shown me that Elizabeth’s grandparents were Peter Currie and Agnes Archibald. (As I am matched with a few people whose line is traced to the other siblings of Peter & Agnes).
Finding out more about John Veitch, printer has been a real struggle though.
Monica is right in pointing out the O.P.R. shows that there was a John Veitch, printer of Abbeyhill, Edinburgh, married to Elizabeth Currie, who had a child named Henry Duncan on 24 Nov 1826.
This is the earliest record I have ever ‘confirmed’ of John Veitch, printer.
So the fact that it seems his next son (our) Robert Veitch, was seemingly born in Dumfries, on 12 Mar 1831, confused me for so long! Edinburgh and Dumfries are so far apart, it didn’t really make sense!
This all changed when I found a thesis on Scotland’s regional print economy in the nineteenth century, written by Helen Sarah Williams. She explained printers passed through Dumfries for work, as printers often moved between printing centres.
One of the examples she gives to illustrate her point, is from the minutes of the Dumfries Typographical Union, which states: ‘John Veitch, Card granted June 17, 1833. Left his employment 11 June 1833.’
This made me realise John probably moved to Dumfries from Edinburgh to work, and he probably moved elsewhere again in the second half of 1833.
As a matter of interest, I think I have found the details of one piece of work John published during his time in Dumfries. A pamphlet, listing the catalogue of the Edinburgh Subscription Library, in 1842, lists: ‘The selector, or cabinet of literary extracts. John Veitch, Dumfries, 1833.’
Finding out where John went next, was incredibly difficult. There just didn’t seem to be any other records of him.
However, I eventually found him, with his name misspelled as John Vicht, printer, in the burial record of his wife Elizabeth Currie. She died on 8 September 1839, in Glasgow. John’s address at the time was Shuttle Street.
This is the last record I have ever found of John.
And for the longest time the next record I could find of his son Robert Veitch, was the 1871 census, showing him as a ploughman for the Allison Family, at Fulpaple, Loudoun, Ayrshire.
For so long, this didn’t ring true. Like how could the son of a printer in Dumfries and Glasgow, end up as a farm servant in Ayrshire!?
I was determined to find Robert in an earlier census to try understand why his life had taken the turn it had.
I eventually found Robert in the 1841 census. He was living with a Robert Veitch, farmer, at Kirk Bourn, Traquair, Peeblesshire. (I have assumed this was his uncle).
I suspect this means John died around the same time as Elizabeth Currie. It may also explain where and why Robert got into farm work.
The census also shows he is living with 3 siblings, who I had not known about until I found this record. They were Agnes, William and Jean.
I have found the death certificates for both Jean (d. 1866) and Agnes (d. 1895). Both name their parents as John Veitch, a printer, and Elizabeth Currie.
Agnes’s record is also witnessed by Robert Veitch (Jnr), Nephew (21 South Norton Place). While the Inventory at her death also confirms Robert Veitch (Snr) is her only brother.
Jane’s record is witnessed by, Robert Veitch, brother, 85 Abbeyhill, Edinburgh.
I hope you find all this information helps. I still have a lot to figure out. For example, I have yet to find out what happened to Robert’s brother William - the 1841 census is the only record I have.
Likewise I would like to find out more about the man I believe was John Veitch’s brother, Robert Veitch, Farmer. For example, can I confirm they were brothers, and find the names of their parents.
I’m also hoping it might be possible to find out more about John’s life at work in the minutes of more typographical minutes.
Best,
Kenny.
