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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Banffshire => Topic started by: princess1 on Tuesday 28 November 06 00:41 GMT (UK)
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Hi all,
Can someone please help........ if possible can anyone let me know the names of the "kirkyards" that surround Whitehills and Boyndie.
I have found on a site ANESFHS the MI section, but I can't work out where the cemetries (kirkyards) are back in the 1800's................
I have looked on Scotland maps but most of them are by council areas, and Whitehills etc is not listed.
I hope I have not been vague here it is not my intent. Living in Australia and never having been there I am in the hands of wonderful people like yourselves.
With kind regards
Princess 1
Australia
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The website http:/www.findagrave.com/forums/showflat.php?Number=626115 gives a comprehensive list of graveyards/cemeteries throughout Scotland. It mentions Boyndie (St.Brandan) Old Churchyard which has a Burial record/Lair plans from 1856. It contains 58 tabletop stones of which 9 are significantly decorated and over 100 upright stones from the early 19th-20th century.
There is also Boyndie New Cemetery which has Burial record/Lair plans from 1941.
I'm uncertain if Whitehills has a cemetery of its own or whether burials take place at Boyndie Cemetery. Perhaps some RootsChat member living locally can tell you.
To see a map which includes Boyndie and Whitehills go to www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/getamap and click 'I want to Get-a-map now'.
Enter the co-ordinates NJ655645 to see Whitehills.
Bervonian.
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i work in whitehills and to my knowledge there is only one churchyard in the vicinity and that is on a small road from the main banff raod towards whitehills - i drive past it once a week and i always think it seems like a strange forgotten place - its only small - its right next to a big noisy farm - but there is no sign on the gate what its called - although i think it must be the boyndie one. You know when u get a strange feeling about a place - like i always feel as though someone i know might be buried there - never heard anyone make any ref to it before you! Strange how things hapen like that...
I can find out what its called if u like
theres certainly not one in whitehills village itself as far as i know - this one is only a mile outside whitehills anyway so i would guess it would be that one they were buried in
Let me know what u want me to lookup
Alison
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Dear Alison,
I can't believe what you have told me.......... I have searched and searched for a kirkyard in Whitehills but to no avail. All our ancestors have been fisherman in Whitehills and with a common surname of Watson from that area, I am unable to ascertain from other kirkyards if my ancestors are buried in any of the yards i have found. Any information you can give me would be absolutely fantastic.
The name of the kirkyard would be a great start.....
I have a list of 39 kirkyards in Banffshire and have trawled through most of them
with no luck. Its hard when you don't actually know where the yards are!!!!
The names I am interested in are Watson/Lovie/Downie. If you come across any of those surnames I will let you know christian names if applicable.
Alison, thanks once again for your efforts and I look forward to your reply.
With kindest regards and wishes
Princess1
Australia
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Hi, i am 90% certain that the churchyard i mean is called Boyndie churchyard but can check tomorrow with some of my pupils who live in whitehills. I work at Whitehills primary school with a lovie family - common name around banff - in fact i used to teach her daughter!
Why do you think theyre buried in Boyndie - did you say they lived in Whitehills?
In any case I have the Boyndie monumental inscriptions infront of me here - so fire away with some names - theyre bound to be in this churchyard i think if they lived in whitehills...i dont know of any others....
Alison
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sorry- slip of finger!
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I have found on a site ANESFHS the MI section, but I can't work out where the cemetries (kirkyards) are back in the 1800's................
I have looked on Scotland maps but most of them are by council areas, and Whitehills etc is not listed.
Whitehills is in the parish of Boyndie, and it is about two miles west of Banff, the next parish along the coast from Banff. The old church was at Inverboyndie, which is about halfway between Whitehills and Banff. It's marked on modern maps.
Look for Inverboyndie at www.streetmap.co.uk. There is also a map of the graveyard locations on the ANESFHS MI pages.
The parish is in the County of Banff (or Banffshire; but never 'Banff County'). It is in the part of the County of Banff which became part of the short-lived Banff and Buchan District in 1975, and is now part of the 'new' Aberdeenshire.
Surviving burial records are at the Registrar's in Banff http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/registrars/offices/banff.asp but be aware that Aberdeenshire Council registrars charge £10 per hour for access to[/b] the burial ground books.
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one of my pupils from whitehills confirms that that churchyard between banff and whitehills is inverboyndie - and that there is only a new churchyard in whitehills and no others in the area - she knows the area well
Alison
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hi - remember your whitehills/boyndie query?
Do you want me to go and look in that churchyard for watson/lovie/downie?
Let me know people your searching for and il have a look
Alison
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I have also had trouble locating graves of ancestors.
My Strachan line seemed to travel though the countryside. It sort of starts of at Blackhills/St. Fergus in 1791 and gradually works though the small villages to Boyndlie/Strichen before reaching Fraserburgh in the 1890s.
There are lots of little graveyards spread out across this area.
I'm still looking for the grave of Robert Strachan (1848-1929) but then he could be anywhere in between.
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I just came to this thread. I have Lovies, Watson, Findlays and Strachans in my family tree. I think we must be related Princess. Do you have James Lovie (1806) married to Hannah Gow in your tree? My GG Grandfather was David Lovie (1829) married to Ellen Shepherd. Her parents were Charles Shepherd and Janet Strachan (AKA Jess). I have birth, death and marriage certificates for all of them and I am happy to share.
Cheers
Wendy
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Hi everyone
Im a Watson from Whitehills and have compiled quite a bit of my family tree - there are Watsons, Ritchies, Lovies, Nicols and Wisemans.
I'd be happy to help with any questions about Whitehills and a good record collection online is Scotlands people . com - most whitehills records of births, marriages and deaths are there - it can get a little confusing though because all the common names (watson lovie findlay pirie) are all very old names squeezed into a very small community. e.g. my great great grandparents both had the middle name Lovie and the last name Watson before they got married.
There is also a good history here at the Statistical Accounts of Scotland:
http://stat-acc-scot.edina.ac.uk/sas/sas.asp/?monospace=&twoup=&nohighlight=&account=2&transcript=&session-id=07119555443e285c120480103dd1a5c9&naecache=5&accountrec=012955&navbar=&action=publicdisplay&parish=Banff&county=Banff&pagesize=
(should work if you copy and paste i think)
Note that Whitehills is now in Aberdeenshire, it was Banff and Buchan and even further back was the Parish of Boyndie (which even earlier was called "Boidie". There are still areas here refered to as Boyndie and InverBoyndie.
As far as graveyards the modern Boyndie graveyard is about half a mile towards Banff and the older Boyndie Kirkyard is very close by and unused (and un looked after) in an area now known to locals as Inverboyndie.
Whitehills has been a fishing village for over 200 years however it is no longer as boats got bigger and the newest harbour is now used as a marina for yatchs (has been for about 6-7 years if i remember properly).
As well as all this id be excited to find relatives further afield.
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Greetings
My wife is decended from Williamina Watson, daughter of John Watson (dob 24 Mar 1824) and Janet Watson (dob 29 May 1831). they lived in/around Whitehills, Banff, Scotland. Seems we are somehow related. Would like to see how. She is trying to find kin living in area. We are going to the area in June 09 (we live in California USA).
-Dean & Heather
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Just wanted to clarify some additional information.
My great-grandmother is: Williamina Watson McIntosh (maiden name: Watson),
born 11 May 1861, of Whitehills, Banff.
According to old census records we located, Williamina is one of 14 children. (siblings: James, Elizabeth, Jane, Ann, Helen, Janet, George, Mary, Elspet, Margaret, John, Olivie, and Henriette Watson).
Williamina's parents:
John Watson, born 24 March, 1824. He was from Boyndie, and was also buried there. He was a fish curer and cooper.
Janet Watson, born 29 May, 1831. From Boyndi.
To confuse things, Janet's maiden name was also Watson. Her parents were James Watson and Jane Urquahart.
John's parents: George Watson, born 1797 and died 18 August 1874 in Boyndie; and
Helen Adamson, born 1796, and died 24 July, 1872, in Boyndie.
My husband, son and I, will be travelling to the Boyndie area in June 2009, and staying at the Bryden B&B which apparently is right near to the Boyndie cemetary. Hopefully we will be able to fill in some gaps and additional information. I would love to learn a bit more about the history of the Boyndie and Whitehills area and possibly meet a long lost relative! Or find copies of old pictures of the Watson family.
My greatgrandmother, Williamina, married a William McIntosh, moved to Killearnan (on the Black Isle), where my grandfather, Andrew McIntosh, was born and raised.
I would greatly appreciate any information about any Watsons in the Boyndie/Whitehills area that may also be desendants of my Watson line, and may know some old stories about the family. With 14 children, I am sure there must be a lot of stories as well!
Heather McIntosh Case
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Hi - I am a Watson! My granny was Helen Marlow (nee McDonald), daughter of Mary Ann McDonald (nee Watson), daughter of Ann Watson (b 12.07.1848 Banff - d 04.02.1921 Edinburgh), daughter of John Watson (b 1806? Whitehills - d 14.06.1862 Banff) and Helen Dow of Banff. John Watson was the son of George Watson Wright and Mary Smison.
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I think what makes it so hard to research our geneology, is that there are so many people who share similar and common first names, as well as last names in the Whitehills/Banff area! I think the Ann Watson in your family, was not the same Ann Watson as in our family, as my great-grandmother's sister, Ann Watson was born 1852. She was the daughter of a John Watson, like your ancestor, but her mother (my great, great grandmother) was a Janet Watson, (whose maiden name was also Watson!), and not a Helen Dow. Also, the John Watson in our family, was the son of George Watson, (ie not Watson Wright) and George's wife was a Helen Adamson, and not Mary Smison. But all of their first names are similar - Helen's, George's, Ann's, Mary's etc. Likely your relatives knew my relatives though, as I can only imagine that it was a small community back then.
Do you have any stories about the Banff area that were handed down to you from your family? And were they also fishermen or fish curer's and coopers? I wonder if there is an old school house that may have been used back in the 1800's, that might still be there today? I'd love to hear about any stories you may have of Whitehills or Boyndie.
Heather McIntosh Case
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My Strachan line seemed to travel though the countryside. It sort of starts of at Blackhills/St. Fergus in 1791 and gradually works though the small villages to Boyndlie/Strichen before reaching Fraserburgh in the 1890s.
Don't confuse Boyndie with Boyndlie. They are two different places altogether. Boyndlie is much further east than Boyndie, and it is in the old County of Aberdeen, not the County of Banff like Boyndie.
I would expect the Boyndlie burial books, if any, to be in Fraserburgh, but I'd be surprised if they go back as far as 1829. I know that the St Fergus ones are in Peterhead, but being under Aberdeenshire Council they all charge £10 an hour just for access to the books >:(, so I have not attempted to look at any of them.
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I know this strand is kind of old but it came up in my search for more information on the Watson/Lovie line. From the internet research I've done, I've found a James Watson (b1779 Boyndie) married to a Margaret Lovie (b1778 Boyndie). There same to be a few Watsons (William and John) of the same line who drowned on the same day 1st Jan 1843. I'm presuming they were all fisherman. They died in Whitehills.
Has anyone come across this or have further information on what happened to them?
Thanks
Emily
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Hi, not sure if I can help but I live in Whitehills if you need any research...
Alison
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Hello all,
I have just discovered that my GGG Grandfather James Robertson, was buried in Boyndie graveyard in June 1839. It followed a fishing accident in which three out of the four men in the boat died. This is a report from the Edinburgh Caledonian Mercury in June of 1839:
MELANCHOLY ACCIDENT.—THREE LIVES LOST.—On Thursday last, the 30th ultimo, a coble, belonging to the salmon fishing station of Messrs Hogarth, adjacent to Whitehills, left the harbour at Blackpots, about eleven o'clock forenoon, for the purpose of bringing on shore their bag-net, which, owing to the violence of the surf, was apparently driving among the rocks, where it would have been soon torn to pieces. The coble was manned by four men, Charles Maclean, James Robertson, and two lads from Rosemarkie, near Cromarty, who, proceeding towards the net, the boat swung round broadside on to the wave, and was struck by a heavy sea, and three of the men precipitated into the water. One of them regained the boat, which had (relieved of the men) again righted, but was full of water. This young man being an excellent swimmer, rashly resolved, by the assistance of the boat, to clear himself of the incumbrance of his clothes, and swim on shore, which, having partly effected, the boat being then sunk to the gunwales, he left her to make the attempt; but the tide then running strong, and the surf very violent, he was soon exhausted, and with much difficulty reached the rocks, where he was dashed by a tremendous wave upon the very first rock he reached, and killed on the spot; his body has not yet been recovered. The two others, for a very brief space, were seen struggling violently in the surf, but soon disappeared. One of them kept hold of the boat, and drifted with her on shore, but so exhausted that up to this day (Monday) his recovery is doubtful. The two bodies recovered were decently interred in the church yard of Boyndie. Charles Maclean and James Robertson have left widows and families, in poor circumstances, to deplore their sudden and untimely fate. In the end we deem it fair to state, that the fishermen of Whitehills, on learning the catastrophe, hastened to the spot, boldly facing the raging surf, to afford assistance, so far as practicable; but we are sorry to say the fate of the unfortunate sufferers was sealed before their arrival.
:'(
Would anyone in the area know any more about where he is buried? I visited the Whitehills village last month but this was unfortunately before I knew anything about this accidental death.
Apart from the fact that James married Jane Urquhart in june 1837 and fathered a son, William in 1838, this is all I know about him. Any help would be most welcome.
Thanks
Gordon
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Hi
I could not believe my eyes when i saw your mail !!
I have spent years trying to trace my Grandmother - Alexina Ritchie ( b 12/11/1891 illegitimate = father, Alexander Paterson )
Have now found that her mother was Jane Ritchie who married Alexander Clark 13th September 1892 ( as Alexander Paterson had died ! )
Jane's parents where James Ritchie & Margaret Watson.
All the males seem to have been fishermen in Whitehills, Boyndie.
Please reply if you have any info or links with these families
Regards
Bill
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Hello, I have just joined this forum & saw your postings. Are you still looking for your family in Banff area? I was there in 2007 & have photos of Whitehills/Inverboyndie/Banff new & St Marys kirkyard Banff. I have a headstone photo of a George LOVIE d 1940 & his wife Helen SLATER d 1955. Also Henry WATSON, shipmaster, d 1908 & his son Henry Jnr, d 1950 which I am happy to forward on to you if they are of any relevance.
Regards
Far Away
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Hi
Yes i am still trying to find info on my Grans family in the Whitehills/Inverboyndie/Banff areas, i would love to see any photo's of the area.
I intend to go there when i retire & try to get the feel of what it was like in the past !!
Many Regards
Bill
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Yes i am still trying to find info on my Grans family in the Whitehills/Inverboyndie/Banff areas, i would love to see any photo's of the area.
See http://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/NJ6565 and surrounding area.
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hi - remember your whitehills/boyndie query?
Do you want me to go and look in that churchyard for watson/lovie/downie?
Let me know people your searching for and il have a look
Alison
Hi Ali - long time no message, I have just got back into looking again (the winter here is keeping me inside!!)
Are you able to look into the Inverboyndie Cemetery for me? Any Watson/Downie/Lovie
headstones would be of great help and importance.
Once again thank you for your help with my query ;D
With kind regards
Kim (Australia)
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Hi
Yes i am still trying to find info on my Grans family in the Whitehills/Inverboyndie/Banff areas, i would love to see any photo's of the area.
I intend to go there when i retire & try to get the feel of what it was like in the past !!
Many Regards
Bill
I've only just come to this thread, but as a child in the 1970s used to visit Whitehills frequently.
I made a recent return visit there in July/August 2010, partly to attend a local history event in Banff, at Banff Castle, and while I was there took a few photographs.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldnick/sets/72157624693849714/
As to the comments about the two Kirkyards, they were pretty much sorted out accurately some way back up the thread. My experience is that the old yard (next to the farm) is very atmospheric, but pretty well useless due to the erosion of the stones. The new yard is well maintained, and slightly better protected and is well worth a visit. I have stood in it on bleak wet days for a couple of family funerals though.
Blackpots harbour is featured in one of the shots taken around the site of the old Blackpots brickwork, now sadly a static caravan site. By my time in the area as a child Blackpots Harbour was deserted, and the brickworks on its last legs. Whitehills harbour was then active as a fishing harbour. The fishing industry there died and the harbour was dead for a few years, it now seems much more lively again as a pleasure marina.
I hope the pictures are interesting. I'll keep an eye onthis board in case you have any questions.
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Just come across this post.Someone from Australia was asking for photos
of Cemetery.Use 'Google Earth' they have it under 'Old Boyndie Cemetery'
a half mile west of Banff Links Caravan site.
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Possibly of more direct use, two days ago I found in the Aberdeen & North East Scotland FHS archive a typed copy of a transcription made of all the stones in Boyndie graveyard in 1885. 41 pages, 333 stones. It'll keep me busy for weeks.
Posted fro a B&B in Boyndie!
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Hello Princess
It seems as though you have at least a 6 years head start on me as I am only just getting to William Watson and Jean Lovie. I am a direct descendant via John Watson and Helen Watson and with Helen's parents being George Watson and Helen Watson it is driving me insane, & I have only been at it for a couple of months! Anyway I am hoping that after 6 years you are a fountain of knowledge and that you can help me progress the Watson research.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
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Spikeynige
Could you give a few dates for the names you've posted - we may well have overlaps.
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Hi Nick
Here goes!
Princess1 had William Watson (1773) married to Jane Lovie (26/8/1783).
Jane Lovies parents were John Lovie and Jean (Jane) Watson.
William Watson's parents?
William & Jane's children:
Alexander 17/5/1822
James 30/1/1820
William 15/2/1815
These three emigrated to Canada in 1848 I am told.
Jean 5/1/1810
George 30/10/1812
Henry 19/2/1825
John b17/7/1817 d23/4/1906
John married (28/12/1851) Helen Watson b17/1/1828 d12/8/1919
Helen parents were George Watson and Helen Watson
John and Helen had children:
William 1855
John 1/5/1858
Henry (Harry) 17/5/1867
Helen 1871
George b12/11/1852 d4/7/1906
George married (6/7/1880) Margaret Innes Paton b 31/8/1858 d5/2/1937
What do you think have we got a match?
Spikeynige
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To the best of my knowledge there are two graveyards at Whitehills. There's the new graveyard on the road between Whitehills and the main Banff to Elgin road and the old graveyard on the road that leads from Whitehills to Inverboyndie.
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Possibly of more direct use, two days ago I found in the Aberdeen & North East Scotland FHS archive a typed copy of a transcription made of all the stones in Boyndie graveyard in 1885. 41 pages, 333 stones. It'll keep me busy for weeks.
Posted fro a B&B in Boyndie!
A few years later: I'm not seeing a reference to the Boyndie graveyard on the ANESFHS website.... Any chance you can check to see if there's a Helen (or Hellen) Christie (or Gordon - that was her maiden name) please? She died in 1875. Thank you!
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hello,
I am uncertain as to how old this post is. The old church in White Hills is gone however the graveyard remains. I was there in 1999. I have pictures of the remains of the church and many, many of the headstone with some of family names(Watson, Findlay) you are looking for. There is another cemetery they call the new cemetery. Please contact me via email at kimolyn@cfl.rr.com.
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Having read the responses I have interest in common with many, and collectively we could find out, and add to, our respective families. I am researching family from Whitehills with the surnames names of 'Ritchie' and 'Findlay' (common village names) as I understand. Dateline, of late 19th century through to the 1980s? I am a "Findlay" and was associated with the village, but have lost touch with extant family members over the years. My mother was born 1911, and raised in the village, but moved away and finally resided in north east London.
Happy to correspond with, and exchange information in strict confidence.
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I have both Findlay's and Ritchie's in my family tree. I would be interested to share information.
Best regards,
Kim