New Deer Cemetery Records - Milne Family

[Barrie Green]

Would like to find out where my g.g. grandmother Margaret Milne (nee Thomson) is buried. She lived all her married life at New Deer, had married John Milne on 22 July 1799 at New Deer and died 24 March 1855 at New Deer, a widow.
Also her husband John Milne, b.1771 Entryhead, Strichen and died possibly somewhere  about 1851 - 1855.
Unable to get them on Deceasedonline under New Deer.
Have been told a long time ago that the New Deer Cemetery records were unobtainable at that time. All this had been in my 'Too Hard Bucket' ever since!

All suggestions gratefully received!

Thanks - Faith

[GR2]

I have checked the monumental inscriptions for New Deer and there is no mention of a Margaret Thomson. Have you found them in the 1851 census?

[Barrie Green]

Hi GR2
1851 Census has John living at Turfhill, just on the boundary with New Deer, 79yrs, farmer, 10 acres born Strichen.
Also Margaret. his wife, 72 yrs, b. New Deer, also daughter Jean/Jane 39 years and g. daughter, Mary Morrison, 11 years.

Margaret died at New Deer, so I thought they'd be buried there. We have walked both the cemeteries twice when over from N Z, found no headstones to them but thought Burial Records could eventually locate them.

Always hopeful, Faith

[Forfarian]

thought Burial Records could eventually locate them.

It's quite common for burial records not to have survived, especially in a rural parish.

According to http://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/guides/old-parish-registers/list-of-old-parish-registers#List%20of%20OPRs there are no surviving records of burials at that time in the New Deer parish register, though there are some earlier burials.

There is a possibility that the records of New Deer Kirk Session might include lists of payments for mortcloths*. These are in the National Records of Scotland, catalogue number CH2/1119, and the volume you want is CH2/1119/4. They have been digitised but are not yet accessible online.

*A mortcloth is a piece of fabric used to cover the coffin during the funeral. Most parishes had one or more, which were hired out to parishioners for a fee. The accounts of the Kirk Session often record these fees as income, with the name of the deceased, the date and the fee paid. These records may be the only record of a death befor 1855.

[flst]

They may indeed be buried in New Deer, but without a headstone. Not everyone could afford one. I am wondering if you've found out where their daughter was buried? If they'd bought a plot she may be in the same grave as her parents. Sometimes families have adjoining plots. Have you come across a Milne grave next to an unmarked grave for instance? Also remember that even if someone is mentioned on a headstone they are not necessarily buried there! I sympathise with you as I have a similar problem with my ancestors
Regards,
flst

[Barrie Green]

Thank you both, fist and Forfarian for your suggestions. I will keep the mortcloth list in mind and hopefully like so many  aids these days, it will come on line. Yes, Forfarian, the grave/no headstone/ double up in grave question etc certainly tests our limitations but perhaps one day.... especially when like most of my ancestors, they were ordinary people who never owned land until they came to N.Z.Then they worked so hard and helped build a nation - we are so proud of them.
I will chase the daughter up however - I thought of that when I was posting the first post on Rootschat, I couldn't find her either ages ago either.

So grateful for your suggestions. Thank you.

Faith

[Richardj]

There is a grave digger record for New Deer for a John Milne of Turfhill who was buried on 24 May 1853.  He was "laid into graff at head of George Robertson's lairstone Allathan".  This is lair 438 which also contains a Mary Knox died 1809 - my records of lairs are incomplete.  There is a gap in the grave digger records between 3 October 1853 and 7 January 1857. 
There is no mention of Margaret in any of the records I have.
Richard

[Barrie Green]

Grateful thanks Richardj for your 'sleuthing'! I am delighted with your findings and that will be my John Milne - perfect! As his wife died in 1855 in New Deer as well, she will most probably be in those 2 missing years of the gravedigger's records. Where did you access these results? Have not heard of them before but a  bit on Google says they were the 'rough' notebook the gravedigger kept himself and luckily for me and  with all credit to you it has now answered a question in my family research!.

The Knox, Robertson, Mackie and Milne families all intermarried so I will now 'dust off' my records and get them sorted.

Thank you very much for your time spent over this and best of luck with your own family searching.

Faith

[Richardj]

Some years ago I undertook a task for ANESFHS to try to cross reference the MI's, OPR and grave digger records for New Deer.  I was given data bases of the OPR and digger records so haven't actually seen them myself.  I ended up with a linked spreadsheet of the data and also included the few lair records that I had.  This was sent to the ANESFHS although I don't know what happened to it.  I retained a copy which I find most useful.