Author Topic: James Heatley-Clerk of sessions help?  (Read 1647 times)

Offline worth

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James Heatley-Clerk of sessions help?
« on: Monday 21 September 15 14:30 BST (UK) »
Hi all
I am trying to find, without a lot of look, the above James Heatley. I THINK he was married to Mary Leitch between 1841 and 1851 in Edinburgh as they had a daughter around 1845 called Jemima Heatley also born in Edinburgh, by 1851 Mary was back to her maiden name of Leitch, a widow and living with her parents and daughter in Midlothian. Mary was married to a James Middleton in 1854 but again by 1861 she was back to her maiden name of Leitch, and still a widow. James Heatleys occupation on his daughters marriage and death certificates say he was a Clerk of session, what does this occupation mean and is there any lists of names anywhere online that I can check it against and maybe pin point James somewhere. I cannot find a birth certificate for Jemima Heatley or a marriage for James and Mary Leitch anywhere either so any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance
Dawn

Offline ev

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Re: James Heatley-Clerk of sessions help?
« Reply #1 on: Monday 21 September 15 15:27 BST (UK) »
Hi ,

1841 Census transcription(FreeCEN) has a James Heatlie 50 assistant clerk of session in Midlothian.




ev
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Offline ev

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Re: James Heatley-Clerk of sessions help?
« Reply #2 on: Monday 21 September 15 15:59 BST (UK) »
Scotlandspeople has an Inventory in the Wills section dated 3rd June 1847 for a James Heatlie , assistant clerk of session , residing in Edinburgh.




ev
Census information Crown copyright , All Census information from transcriptions - check original records , Familysearch/IGI is a finding tool only - check original records

Offline worth

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Re: James Heatley-Clerk of sessions help?
« Reply #3 on: Monday 21 September 15 18:22 BST (UK) »
Hi ev
That looks like it could be the correct James, is there a link to the 1841 census transcription that you found please as nothing comes up when I try Freecen x Im off to check the will transcription out xx
Dawn


Offline MonicaL

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Re: James Heatley-Clerk of sessions help?
« Reply #4 on: Monday 21 September 15 19:11 BST (UK) »
Worth, Ev is offline at the moment. The entry she mentions from FreeCen in 1841 www.freecen.org.uk/cgi/search.plshows exactly as she says with no spelling variations:

James HEATLIE   50 Assistant Clerk Of Session b. outside of county        
Agnes FERGUSON 40  b. outside of county    
Address: 8 St Bernard Row, Edinburgh St Cuthberts

Monica  :)
    
        
Census information Crown Copyright, www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline MonicaL

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Re: James Heatley-Clerk of sessions help?
« Reply #5 on: Monday 21 September 15 19:25 BST (UK) »

...James Heatleys occupation on his daughters marriage and death certificates say he was a Clerk of session, what does this occupation mean and is there any lists of names anywhere online that I can check it against and maybe pin point James somewhere.


He could have been an Assistant/Clerk of Sessions for either the Presbyterian Church in Edinburgh or in a legal capacity. Not clear really from what we have so far.

A modern job spec in respect of the Presbyterian Church, but really the job has not changed that much  ::) www.churchofscotland.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/3133/session_clerk.pdf

Or from here www.walterscott.lib.ed.ac.uk/biography/law.html

As Clerk of Session, his duties involved reducing to written form decisions orally pronounced from Bench, authenticating registered deeds by signatures, and looking up law papers and authorities. These were no mechanical, clerical tasks; each element of Scott's work required considerable erudition. Scott was sketched at his work as Clerk of Session by his fellow Advocate Robert Scott Moncrieff (right) in an image which contrasts starkly with more idealized portraits of the writer. (See Links at the foot of this page for more information on the Courts of Session.)

Monica
Census information Crown Copyright, www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline MonicaL

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Re: James Heatley-Clerk of sessions help?
« Reply #6 on: Monday 21 September 15 19:29 BST (UK) »

... by 1851 Mary was back to her maiden name of Leitch, a widow and living with her parents and daughter in Midlothian...


In Scotland, married women never lost by law their right to go by their maiden surname. This is one of the reasons why in Scotland married women's maiden surnames feature so strongly in all sorts of documents and registrations.

Particularly around this time of the mid 1800s, quite common to see a widow go by her maiden surname in all sorts of documentation such as censuses etc.

Monica

PS: Cannot see anything in newspapers of the period and area that will add more so far...
Census information Crown Copyright, www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline worth

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Re: James Heatley-Clerk of sessions help?
« Reply #7 on: Tuesday 22 September 15 11:51 BST (UK) »
Brilliant you guys, that is the James Heatlie I was looking for thanks for all your help x
Dawn