Is this photo taken in Fetterangus

[aeanorman]

Have been trying to discover for a long time if this photo taken of my gg grandfather Robert Hard was taken in Fetterangus. He was born in 1846 to Thomas and Mary Herd. When only quite young he went to sea changing his surname to Hard and came to Australia sometime in the 1880's. He returned to Scotland at least once when this photo was taken. Thomas was a crofter at Easter Toux (16 acres) and a one stage the family lived in the village of Fetterangus.
Any help on this would be wonderful.
Anne

[MonicaL]

Hi Anne

Thomas and Mary seem likely to have been in Fetterangus from at least 1895 up to Thomas' death in March 1905.

Scotlands People currently have an offer up 6 January letting you view the index results for Valuation Rolls. You then have to pay 2 units to view the image for an enty. See www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/Content/Help/index.aspx?r=554&2080 and also www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=708341.0

From the online Valuation Rolls currently available on SP, there seems to be:

1895   Owner & Occupier - Thomas HERD - HOUSE AND GARDEN VILLAGE OF FETTERANGUS, OLD DEER   /ABERDEEN COUNTY VR87 / 89 / 796

Two possible entries for wife Mary in 1905:

1905 Tenant & Occupier - Mary HERD, HOUSE FETTERANGUS, OLD DEER BANFF COUNTY VR91 / 83 / 312

1905 Tenant & Occupier - Mary HERD, HOUSE SPECIAL WATER SUPPLY DISTRICT OF FETTERANGUS, OLD DEER   ABERDEEN COUNTY   VR87 / 99 / 938

Any clues on when your ancestor came home to visit family?

1901 census shows:

Thomas Herd 77 Retired Crofter b. Old Deer, abdnsh
Mary Herd 77 b. Old Deer, abdnsh
Address: Fetterangus Village, Old Deer

Monica 

[flst]

If you search for Fetterangus Parish Church on google maps you'll find that it looks the same as the one in your photo. The streets must have changed as there appears to be houses built directly in front of the church nowadays. Certainly the houses in your photo look like the ones that used to be in Fetterangus  (or as the locals call it, Fishie). My great grandparents lived there in the 1900s too.
Regards,
flst

[aeanorman]

Thanks Monica and flst, I have checked out the valuation files for Thomas and his son Alexander but must admit I hadn't thought to look under Mary Herd. Mary died in March 1902 and Thomas in March 1905 so not sure the listing would be for her but might still be worth me checking.Think from what my grandmother told me Robert returned early in the 1900's  but don't know for sure.
Thanks for your help.
Anne

[Flattybasher9]

Flst, just curious but where are you getting the link showing the church in Fetterangus. My searches have brought up nothing that looks like the building in the photo. Double windows upstairs, single windows either side of the door.

Regards

Malky

[Forfarian]

If you look at the mid-Victorian and early 20th century six-inch Ordnance Survey maps at
http://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=16&lat=57.54882&lon=-2.01531&layers=5
the building in the position of the kirk in your photograph is not marked as a kirk, and the old kirk outside the village is shown as in ruins even then.

The only kirk mapped in the village of Fetterangus at any time is on the north side of the street. It is in the second edition of the six-inch map, and in all later maps, but not in the first edition six-inch map. Therefore it was built after the area was surveyed in 1869-70. See
http://www.scottishchurches.org.uk/sites/site/id/10092/name/Fetterangus+Parish+Church%2C+Old+Deer+Old+Deer+Grampian

The absence of any indication on any map of a kirk at the end of the street suggests to me that your original image is not Fetterangus village.

It is obviously a planned village, so it must date from the period between about 1750 and 1850, and the style of the kirk suggests to me that it is towards the end of that period rather than at the beginning. However I don't recognise it so I can't suggest where it might be.

[MonicaL]

Not sure about the building being a Kirk. Just as an aside, this is a photo of a property for sale recently on Gaval Street, referred to as the Old Post Office www.aspc.co.uk/search/property/310025/40-42-The-Old-Post-Office--Gaval-Street/Peterhead/

Not good on describing architectural references me  , but thought that the turreted windows on this modern photo were very much like the single turret and window on the photo with Robert. Not the same building you would think, we are looking at a single storey originally versus the two storey building described as the 'Old Post Office'. Just thought the turreted area was very similar really.

Anne, didn't know that Robert's mum, Mary, died 1902. With father Thomas also dieing in 1905, that may fit with your family references of Robert coming back early 1900s. Maybe linked to one or both of his parents' deaths?

Some old photos here http://tour-scotland-photographs.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/old-photograph-fetterangus-scotland.html (they look much older than your period).

Monica

[Forfarian]

Not sure about the building being a Kirk.

Very interesting images. But if it is the same place, the gable end of the building that looks like a kirk but might not be a kirk has been altered between the taking of the two images.

[MonicaL]

Don't think so much it is the same building as there are so many differences (never mind another floor!).  Just thought the turreted window style was so similar and maybe a style of the village.

Have tried to find Robert Herd/Hard on shipping manifests to try to help with dates, but no joy so far 

Monica