Haddington Clockmaker William Aitken

[Lorna1320]

It might be worth trying to view a copy of Donald Whyte's book on Scottish Clockmakers:

Clock & Watch Makers of Edinburgh & the Lothians, 1539-1900  ISBN: 0901061964

It might be available through your library. 

Nell

Nell - my Great-Great Grandfather James Thomson Muat was also a Clock and Watchmaker/Jeweller was I believe connected in some way (occupation wise) to John Aitken.  I've seen his named mentioned in the many legal documents that my Muat ancestors had written about their businesses in Haddington.

Lorna1320

[KydAitken]

WILLIAM AITKEN was my great great great grandfather. I have a clock inherited from my grandmother (born Aitken) made by William Aitken in 1831, I have the original invoice, signed by him.
It was the clock that stood in Liberty Hall in Haddington.
The clock is now in Cape Town, South Africa.

[gordon5]

That's quite something - so far as I recall the clockface on my brother's clock has a signature on it as well. I'll ask him to send me a photo of the face and pm it to you for comparison. It would be nice to know that it was an original.

[Jean-Jacques]

Hello,
I am a member of a French local history group. I am looking for information on William Aitken who would be born in 1774 in Haddington, possibly on November the 14th.
Indeed, in the small town where I live (Senonches, Eure-et-Loir, France), a William Aitken created an engine workshop specialized in hydraulic machines to be used specially in spinning mills.
He very quickly acquired high skills in his speciality and worked for renowned spinning mills such as Oberkampf in Paris, Richard Lenoir in Caen, Sykes à St Remi-sur-Avre.
He introduced in France the British model of the mills. In 1812, he obtained French citizenship and in 1815 he won the gold medal for Industry. (I found this reference: M. William Aitkens, from Senonches (Eure-et-Loir), hydraulic engineer, one gold medal. For the high services to improve hydraulic machineries, wool and cotton spinning mills, nail factories, oil, wind, water, paper mills, foundry, steam machinery. Unanimous gratefulness from every manufacturer of the country)
But I could not find anything on his backgrounds, who were his parents? Were they clock makers? This might explain why he was so gifted in mechanics. Why did he come to France? I would like to find his birth certificate. I don’t either know where and when he died. Did he ever come back to Haddington?
Would you have any pieces of information? Could you help me with this research?  I would be very grateful.
Sincerely yours,
Jean-Jacques (from France)

[tidybooks]

Hi Jean-Jacques,

I have found baptismal record on FreeReg2, I will post a link,

http://www.rootschat.com/links/01fo3/

He was born 14 Nov 1774, baptised 24 Nov 1774 to parents William Aitken (Gardener) and Alison Pringle.

Tom

PS  Having looked at the rest of this post, this maybe the person you are looking for, but no proof that he was a clockmaker. There are 1841 census details which have him born around 1796.

[Jean-Jacques]

Thanks a lot, it was really helpful: I found what I was looking for !