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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Berwickshire => Topic started by: Scotborders on Tuesday 07 February 12 16:49 GMT (UK)

Title: Annfield Inn, Channelkirk, Oxton
Post by: Scotborders on Tuesday 07 February 12 16:49 GMT (UK)
Seeking images or recollections of the Annfield Inn formerly located near Oxton on the Edinburgh Road. The structure was demolished, probably in 1970's, to accommodate improvements to the A68. My gg-grandfather was inn keeper from sometime in 1840's until dying there in 1872.
The (hopefully) attached sketch was prepared from someone's description for inclusion in "Lauderdale in the 20th Century".
Title: Re: Annfield Inn, Channelkirk, Oxton
Post by: lesleyegreen on Sunday 04 March 12 13:47 GMT (UK)
Hello

I have just noticed your post and although I don't have any pictures of the Annfield Inn, my Robertson family lived there between about 1875 and 1906. James Robertson (1842-1901) and his wife Agnes Anderson (1842-1906) moved there around 1875 as their fourth child Robert Robertson was born there in Oct 1875, as was their son, Alexander, in March 1880 and their daughter, Ann Robertson in 1882. James died there in 1901, folowed by wife Agnes in 1906. Both are buried in the churchyard at Channelkirk, with their son John Robertson and his wife Jane Calder.

In his will, James Robertson left £1308 to his wife, quite a lot of money in those days. So the Annfield Inn must have been a good business, as before this the Robertsons had worked on the land.

Regards
Lesley
Title: Re: Annfield Inn, Channelkirk, Oxton
Post by: Scotborders on Sunday 04 March 12 19:01 GMT (UK)
Hi Lesley
Yes, according to A. Allen's "History of Channelkirk" (1900) the Robertsons followed my Chalmers gggrandparents at the Inn (see extract below). I'm unaware of any record or hints of wealth generation by the Chalmers family. Their two sons, James (my greatgrandfather) and Andrew both went to work for the railways. Maybe your Mr Robertson watered-down the beer!!
Regards,
Jim

"Annfield, a quiet, solitary, licensed house at an inter-
. mediate distance between Glengelt and Carfrac Mill on
Edinburgh road, has no claim to that antiquity which is
a characteristic of so many places in the parish. It is of
the same age as the public road which passes it, and
which was opened in the year 1832. The name is said
to have been given to it by the proprietor, out of regard
to a much respected sister. It has always been a licensed
inn, and since it had existence, three tenants have held it
up to the present day, viz., Thomas Crooks, William
Chalmers, and the present tenant, James Robertson. It is
rented at £\2 per annum, and is the property of John
Borthwick, Esq. of Crookston."

Title: Re: Annfield Inn, Channelkirk, Oxton
Post by: lesleyegreen on Sunday 04 March 12 20:20 GMT (UK)
Hi Jim
That wouldn't surprise me.
The Robertsons have always been careful with their money!!
Still trying to see what was left and to whom when his wife died in 1906, after being granted the licence after James Robertsons death in 1901.
Lesley
Title: Re: Annfield Inn, Channelkirk, Oxton
Post by: lesleyegreen on Sunday 04 March 12 20:46 GMT (UK)
I was on a site earlier and saw that your William Chalmers came from Tinwald, Dumfriesshire.
What a coincidence as I was christened in that church and still live about 2 miles away.
Please let me know if you want any help about Tinwald.
Lesley
Title: Re: Annfield Inn, Channelkirk, Oxton
Post by: Scotborders on Monday 05 March 12 10:23 GMT (UK)
Hi Lesley

The coincidences that pop up in this caper never cease to amaze!

Google Maps indicates two churches: "Tinwald Parish Church" and "Tinwald Church" in the Kirk Brae/Kirk Bank corner - is that just an error? The one labelled "Parish" looks like the real thing.

Wm Chalmers' father, Andrew, was a blacksmith circa 1802,  so ever any sign of an old smiddy in the village?

I haven't yet established the birth and marriage places of Andrew, so don't know if they were local.

Cheers,
Jim
Title: Re: Annfield Inn, Channelkirk, Oxton
Post by: lesleyegreen on Monday 05 March 12 13:55 GMT (UK)
Hello
Only one church in Tinwald, it's a wee place, but probably called the Parish church. Has a great churchyard round it. Could hold some of your ancestors.
I have attached a photo.
Lesley
Title: Re: Annfield Inn, Channelkirk, Oxton
Post by: Scotborders on Monday 05 March 12 16:38 GMT (UK)
Thanks Lesley - Church built in 1763 or 1765, so bearing up well.

Yes, I see from the air photo that it is a quite substantial graveyard, and worth a look next time I'm west of where I usually am (Midlothian).

Jim
Title: Re: Annfield Inn, Channelkirk, Oxton
Post by: Reiver on Monday 04 February 13 13:10 GMT (UK)
Was William Chalmers a Miller and did he marry Elizabeth Farish? :)

Reiver
Title: Re: Annfield Inn, Channelkirk, Oxton
Post by: Scotborders on Monday 04 February 13 14:25 GMT (UK)
Hi -
No, William Chalmers was not a Miller (parents: Chalmers and Smith) or a miller (occupations: carting contractor and then inn-keeper). Although I have not found a marriage record, he had 8 children with "wife" Janet Little.
Regards,
Jim
Title: Re: Annfield Inn, Channelkirk, Oxton
Post by: Reiver on Monday 04 February 13 18:31 GMT (UK)
Jim
My apologies for the rather cryptic question.
When my Janet Chalmers married in 1811 she was 'of Tinwald'.  When she died in 1860 she was 86 and her parents were William Chalmers and Elizabeth Farish and he was a Miller.

I think we may be a generation or two adrift :)

My regards
Reiver
Title: Re: Annfield Inn, Channelkirk, Oxton
Post by: Scotproud on Tuesday 06 May 14 19:01 BST (UK)
Hello there - I was doing some research on my family and found this post.  I actually do have some photos of Annfield Inn.  My Mother was Sheila Robertson (daughter of James Robertson born 1902 who was the son of James Robertson born 1873 and Mary Russell Bowie Robertson) and thankfully Mom saved everything....including a very old photo of Annfield Inn as well as one from 1971.  As soon as I figure out how to post them on this site I will.  If it's not too much trouble, perhaps you can post a reply so that I know that someone is still reading this post.  Thank you.
Fiona
Title: Re: Annfield Inn, Channelkirk, Oxton
Post by: Scotborders on Tuesday 06 May 14 19:43 BST (UK)
Hi Fiona -
Yes, still "here" and very keen to see your Inn photos! My great-grandfather, James Chalmers, was born there. He worked for the railway and ended up in Hawick where I was born (a couple of generations later!).
Jim
Title: Re: Annfield Inn, Channelkirk, Oxton
Post by: Scotproud on Tuesday 06 May 14 20:18 BST (UK)
Hi Jim,

Thanks for letting me know.  So happy to speak with others about the Annfield Inn.  I actually live in America, as Mom came to the States in the 1960s.  I go overseas every chance I get (but not as often as I'd like).  I find it all very fascinating....the people, the stories, the photos, the history....I can't get enough.  Anyway, I will try to attach the photos to this post (fingers crossed)....

I am not sure who the people in the photo are and there is no date on the back.  I didn't realize that Annfield Inn was demolished in the 1970s.....the 1971 photo I have was probably one of the last photos taken of it...so sad.  Mom passed away in 1995 so unfortunately I can't ask her any questions....but my guess is that she went to visit it.  I'd always hoped I'd be able to visit it....but perhaps you can tell me what there now....is it just a big road?  Is there anything around where it would have been?  Do you live nearby?  Thanks for any information you can provide.

I can only send some of the photos along with this post....but I will do a second post with the other photos.

If I find any more photos or information I will certainly let you know.  By the way, if you are reading this Lesley I'd love to talk/email to you about the Robertson relatives. 
Regards,
Fiona

Title: Re: Annfield Inn, Channelkirk, Oxton
Post by: Scotproud on Tuesday 06 May 14 20:21 BST (UK)
Sorry.....I just viewed the post and didn't realize the photos were so big.....Hope you can see them properly.  Here is the photo from 1971.

Regards,
Fiona
Title: Re: Annfield Inn, Channelkirk, Oxton
Post by: lesleyegreen on Wednesday 07 May 14 13:39 BST (UK)
Hi Fiona
Lesley here, delighted to hear from you!!
Ask away about our branch of the Robertson Clan.
My father in law is the great grandson of the Robertsons who lived at the Annfield Inn, and we have two more generations after him, my partner Stuart and our son Cairn. We have been to Channelkirk a couple of times in recent years, to the Churchyard where some of them are buried. We live in Dumfries, about 80 miles away.
Would be delighted to here about your branch too, send me a private message and I will give you my e-mail address.
Regards
Lesley :)
Title: Re: Annfield Inn, Channelkirk, Oxton
Post by: elizabethh on Friday 12 May 17 18:39 BST (UK)
I have just been reading your your post on rootschat and see that it was about Annfield Inn. Channelkirk.  I have just been to Edinburgh to Scotlands People and doing research find that a relative - one William Burn Graham- who died as a result of an accident in 1946 has a given address of Annfield Inn Channelkirk............. This adds to my brickwalls.
Elizabeth
Title: Re: Annfield Inn, Channelkirk, Oxton
Post by: Neilr65 on Wednesday 13 November 19 19:57 GMT (UK)
Hi Lesley, 

I have just come across your post about the Annfield Inn and I wondered if you would be in a position to help me.
For a number of years I have been trying to trace details of my mother-in-law, who according to all records did not exist !!!.   Her DoB does not relate to her name in either Scotlands People or the National Archives in England.
She lived in Edinburgh but claimed to have been born in Berwick upon Tweed. When I was living in England and we used to take her down for a visit we would travel down the A68,  this would be in the mid 1970s.   As we traveled over Soutra and came down towards Channelkirk, the ruins of a building were still standing, and every time we passed she would tell us that was where she lived as a child, walking every day to Channelkirk School.  Now I believe that the building was the remains of the Annfield Inn.

Her name was Agnes Douglas Tait and according to her Marriage Certificate, her DoB was 15th September 1915.  Her father was George Tait (a fisherman) and her mother was Robina Tait (m.s. Robertson).

The first census she could possibly appear on would be 1921, not available till 2021, but I wondered if in your research you have a Robina Robertson associated with the Annfield Inn.

This has been a mystery which has been plaguing the family for about 15 years and it has always been a brick wall.    Unfortunately my wife passed away last year, but I would like to carry on with our family tree and hopefully pass it down through the generations.
Any help you could give would be gratefully appreciated

Neil
Title: Re: Annfield Inn, Channelkirk, Oxton
Post by: Neilr65 on Thursday 14 November 19 11:56 GMT (UK)
Hi Lesley,
Further to my last post, I forgot to mention that she told us she had been brought up by her granny in Channelkirk after her parents had died.   I have no idea of any dates unfortunately but I would imagine between about 1915 and 1925.

Regards
Neil