Kingskettle School

[Daonnachd]

Hi,

My father and his sister were attending this school in 1911. They are on the 1911 census as boading with a Margaret Chalmers, Rumdewan, Kettle, which is I understand the same road as the school.

The attached school records show Margaret Chalmers as their guardian. Does anyone know how this might have come about? Both children were born in Leith, so I don't understand how they ended up in Fife.

Their mother Maria was in the Seafield (Edinburgh) Workhouse in 1911, their father having died in 1907, and their stepfather having died in 1910. before. She had two daughters by  her second husband, both of whom died in the same workhouse, so I understand why my father and his sister would have been sent away, but by whom and why to Fife?

Also can anyone please look at the attached and tell me what school is referred to in the document for Christina (Kirsty) and on Lindsay's, what the reason for leaving is. I note they both left on the same date, but the reasons for discharge seem different.

Thanks for any ideas,

Lindsey

[shanghaipanda]

For Lindsay I see Rumdewan and the latter school is Freuchie

For Christine I see Rumdewan, Cults Primary and "left the district"

[Daonnachd]

Thank you Shanghipanda,

I worked out Freuchie, though don't understand why he would have moved there, and now you say it, I can see Christina's first school was Cults, but Cults Primary is in Aberdeen. (Unless there's another Cults that I'm not aware of.)
Their Grandparents on their mother's side did come from Aberdeen, but I am yet to find any reason why Christina would have gone there.

[flst]

Their mother may have had to go out & work after her husband died. It makes sense for the children to have been brought up by their grandparents. You should try & view the school admission records for Cults.
regards,
flst.

[shanghaipanda]

There is indeed a small parish of Cults in Fife.
Wikipedia:  Cults, Fife is a small parish in the centre of the County of Fife, Scotland. It lies mainly in "the Howe of Fife," and about 4˝ miles SW of Cupar. The parish is about 2⅓ miles long and 1⅓ miles wide.

[Daonnachd]

I didn't realise there was another Cults! Thank you I'll look it up.

It would make sense if they were with grandparents, but they, and no other members of the family had ever lived in Fife as far as I can make out, and by 1900 they had either died, or were living in Edinburgh, so I can't understand why the children were in Fife.

I can't find ANY family in Fife, and I've checked on the lady they boarded with, and she seems to be no relation at all. I don't think she could be a family friend as she lived in Kettle all her life.

It seems my father lived in Fife from the age of 4 until his mid to late teens so probably didn't really know his mother as she died when he was 10. 

My dad never spoke about his family except for his sister who he clearly loved. If asked about others in his family, or where he grew up, he would offer very short ambiguous answers. Indeed I was always under the impression he grew up in Leith or Portobello.

I know Christina ended up in Leith by 1925, and my Dad lived in Colinton in 1927, which suggests to me they had no ties in Fife.

I can't help thinking they might have been taken away - just like Boy Georges Grandmother.

[Rosinish]

Would these be relations, from VRs?

PATON ALEXANDER
Occupier
HOUSE AND GARDEN RUMDEWAN, KETTLE
1915
VR010100061-
   
PATON WILLIAM
Tenant Occupier
HOUSE AND GARDEN RUMDEWAN, KETTLE
1915
VR010100061-

Annie

[Rosinish]

PATON ALEXANDER
Tenant Occupier
HOUSE AND GARDEN RUMDEWAN, KETTLE
1920
VR010100066-

Annie

[Rosinish]

PATON ALEXANDER
Tenant Occupier
HOUSE AND GARDEN RUMDEWAN KETTLE
1925
VR010100071-

Annie