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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Roxburghshire => Topic started by: patrexjax on Wednesday 12 September 18 13:02 BST (UK)
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Hello all. I am new to this board and know precious little about Hawick. However, I have discovered that I have connections to both the Best and Inglis families who owned/operated the above two inns in Hawick sometime in the mid 1850's, possibly. The background is that Harriett Paxton b 1806 at Velvet Hall, Northumberland married James Best, a carrier from Hawick. James was the oldest son of Thomas Best and Margaret Rae. In 1851, Margaret Rae Best b 1781 in Stitchel is an innkeeper on High Street in Hawick in the Grapes, I believe. James Best and his wife, Harriet both died in 1842 and 1843, leaving their surviving daughter, Anne Best, at age 21, to be living in the household of William Brown and his wife, Elizabeth (nee: Taylor), who was also a daughter of Thomas Best and Elizabeth Rae. My puzzle is this....WHAT property did Ann Best own?? Since Margaret Rae Best died in 1855,I am thinking that Ann could have inherited that inn. I don't know how to go about knowing if that is true AND to make matters worse, Ann Best is totally missing from any census after I spotted her in 1861. Nor could I find a marriage for her. Any help will be greatly appreciated! Thanks so much for all you marvelous Rootschatters do! Sincerely, patrexjax
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There is an entry in the Valuation Rolls online at www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk which shows in 1855:
Anne BEST Proprietor - HOUSE YARD AND GARDEN HIGH STREET in Hawick
VR011600001
Can't see anything else so far.
As an aside and background, you might find this of interest if you haven't come across it before https://thehawickpaper.co.uk/2017/10/29/the-lost-hostelries-of-hawick/
Monica
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Hello MonicaL! THANK YOU! That certainly wasn't the inn I thought she might own, but I am delighted to know more about Ann Best's property. Yes, I had seen that article you linked...in fact, when I googled Margaret Best's name, that is one of the links I found. That article is quite enlightening and is the source of my first learning how the Best and Inglis families were intertwined; I might also add that another collateral line, Boiston, has surfaced whereby Andrew Boiston acquired ownership, too. Thanks to your find, MonicaL, I feel even more confident that Anne Best would surely have remained in the Hawick area since she had a viable means of support for herself. Again, sincerest thanks for your find! ;D patrexjax
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High Street Hawick:
https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=18&lat=55.4233&lon=-2.7859&layers=168&right=BingHyb
In the census if you follow the enumerator's route down the High Street you may be able to work out where the "inn" is, or was, located.
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Hello Ruskie! My oh my! What a marvelous set of maps! I have never encountered such a wonderful manner of identifying a location! Isn't this modern age of computers and such wonderful?? THANK YOU! Sincerely, patrexjax
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Town plan of Hawick:
https://maps.nls.uk/townplans/hawick.html
Sadly, not many places are identified, and I can only see The Crown named.
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Hello Ruskie! My oh my! What a marvelous set of maps! I have never encountered such a wonderful manner of identifying a location! Isn't this modern age of computers and such wonderful?? THANK YOU! Sincerely, patrexjax
You are welcome patrejax. The NLS maps are wonderful. You can select different map categories too, remove the side by side option, you can zoom and scroll, and use an overlay of old/modern maps. Lots of features. :)
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The indefatigable Douglas Scott in his wonderful Hawick Word Book (online) has this to say about the Grapes:
the Grapes (thu-gr¯aps) n. the Grapes Inn,
previously at 16 Buccleuch Street, which was the
main centre in Hawick for the carrying trade, before
the coming of the railway. It once had a private
well, which others were sometimes allowed
to use. The inn was erected by a carrier named
John Hargreaves, after he acquired the property
in 1820. John Beck was the proprietor in 1825,
Robert Hobkirk in 1837 and Margaret Best in
1855. Most of the buildings have been greatly
altered, but a turretted staircase and workshop
survive.
regards,
Lesley
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Lots more BESTs in the wordbook too. See:
http://www.astro.ubc.ca/people/scott/book.pdf
Lesley
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Hello Sunlaws! Thanks so much for the link to the wordbook. I have barely scratched the surface of this book, but suffice to say, the author does have my James Best and Harriet Paxton in it with additional tidbits! I can see that this will be most important for me to go through ALL of my collateral surnames in this book. A real goldmine of information. THANKS SO MUCH. ;D Sincerely, patrexjax
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Patrexjax This is an extract from St Marys cemetery which should interest you.
"5. H..S.-E<rected in memory of HERRIOT PAXTON, spouse to J-ames Best, carrier,"
"\Hawick, who died on the 13th of June 1842, oaged 35 years. and of THOMAS BEST,"
"the.ir son, who died on the 9th of February 1843, aged 81 (years), and . . . . 4"
"months, - (and)' the above JAMES BEJIST, died in Kelso, 24 184-, aged 34 years."
"James went from High Stree.t every Tuesday to Kelso and Berwick."
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Hello alan 14578 and THANK YOU so much for this MI reading. So now I know that in addition to being buried at St. Mary's Cemetery there is apparently an MI. That is wonderful information and I thank you profusely. ;D Most sincerely, patrexjax