Thomas Mutch and Margaret Lamb
Thomas Mutch was born in the parish of Peterhead, the son of Alexander Mutch, farmer, and his wife, Elizabeth Logie.
Margaret Lamb, the daughter of William Lamb, shoemaker, and his wife, Christian Keith, was born in the village of Longside in 1820. She was baptised on Sunday 17th December.
The 1841 census shows Thomas with his parents at Downiehills, Peterhead.
The 1841 census shows Margaret in Longside staying with her parents and brother, Alexander.
Thomas and Margaret’s marriage recorded in Peterhead on Monday 9th December 1850.
The Mutches had the following children:
James, born Saturday 8th March, baptised Monday 21st April 1851,
Margaret, born Saturday 2nd October, baptised Tuesday 26th October 1852,
Christian, born Wednesday 10th May, baptised Wednesday 28th June 1854,
Thomas, born Monday 24th September 1855,
George, born Monday 23rd November 1857,
Robert, born Thursday 1st September 1859,
Alexander, born Saturday 31st May 1862,
Mary Ann Arthur, born Wednesday 27th July 1864,
Jane, born Monday 11th June 1866
The 1851 census shows the family living at Collielaw, Peterhead. Thomas is described as “farm overseer - Wellington Place”. The rest of the household consists of his wife, Margaret, and their son, James. The census, however, calls James “Thomas”, and gives his age as three months instead of three weeks.
They were still at Wellington Place in 1855 when Thomas was born. By 1859 they were at Blackhill.
The 1861 census shows the family at Blackhill, Peterhead. The house has two rooms with a window. Thomas is described as an agricultural labourer. The rest of the household consists of his wife, Margaret, and their children, James, Margaret, Christian, Thomas, George and Robert. The three oldest are at school.
The 1871 census shows the Mutches at Berryhill, Peterhead. The house has three rooms with a window. Thomas is described as a farmer of ten acres. The rest of the household consists of his wife, Margaret, and their children, “Christina”, Thomas, Robert, Alexander, Mary and Jane. Robert, Alexander and Mary are at school.
The 1881 census shows the family still at Berryhill Croft. Thomas is described as a farmer of ten acres. The rest of the household consists of his wife, Margaret, their children, Margaret, described as a housemaid, and Jane. They have two grandchildren staying with them: John Mutch, aged eight, who is at school, and Barbara H. Cruickshank, aged four.
The 1891 census shows the Mutches living in St Peter’s Street, Aberdeen. The house has two rooms with a window. Thomas is described as a retired farmer. The rest of the household consists of his wife, Margaret, their sons, Robert, who is a railway guard, and Alexander, described as a granite polisher, and their grandson, John Mutch, who is a railway fireman.
Thomas Mutch died at Fetterangus, Old Deer, on Monday 27th July 1896, aged 78. The cause of death was diarrhoea and heart failure. The death was registered by his son, Thomas, who gave his own address as Nethermill, Cruden. Thomas senior is described as a pauper, formerly a crofter. His mother’s surname is given wrongly as “Glennie”, not Logie. He was buried at Peterhead on Wednesday 29th July.
Margaret Lamb died at Fetterangus, Old Deer, on Friday 11th March 1898, aged 77. The cause of death was general weakness. The death was registered by her son, Thomas, who gave his own address as Uppermill, Cruden. She was buried at Peterhead on Tuesday 15th March.
The Mutches are buried in the old cemetery, Peterhead, in lair C 124. The first burial there was on 20th May 1755: Robert, the one year old son of George Mutch, Clubscross.