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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Topic started by: hurworth on Tuesday 24 March 15 06:34 GMT (UK)
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They are named as Trustees on a will which was written in 1808.
Would anyone know whether there a resource anywhere which has records of Writers? It doesn't say that Henry CLEPHANE is in Dundee. I'm curious to know a little more about their background if possible.
Many thanks.
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Don't confuse 'Writer' with 'Writer to the Signet'. They are not necessarily the same thing.
'Writer' was the standard term for a practising lawyer. These days, in Scotland, the equivalent would be a solicitor. There are no specific resources that cover all writers.
A 'Writer to the Signet' was, specifically, a member of the Society of Writers to His/Her Majesty's Signet, and only a minority or writers would have become Writers to the Signet. See
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Society_of_Writers_to_Her_Majesty%27s_Signet and http://www.thewssociety.co.uk/index.asp
If your writers were Writers to the Signet, they will be listed, with a brief biography, in the Society's list of members. I don't have my copy handy, but when I am reunited with it I will look up your William Scott and Henry Clephane.
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Thank you forfarian.
I've had another look. It says Henry CLEPHANE is a writer to the signet and William SCOTT is a writer.
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Hi all ,
Scotlandspeople has an inventory for a Henry Clephane , Writer to the Signet , dated 1819 , Edinburgh Sheriff Court.
ev
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Thanks ev.
This chart of the Clephanes of Carslogie has recently been uploaded, and I think that this Henry Clephane is the one on the chart, who died in 1818. He's the son of George Clephane and Anna Jean Douglas.
http://redbookofscotland.com/Clephane%20of%20Carselogie.htm
I'm still not sure who William Scott, writer, is. Sir Walter Scott was from a legal family and he was the guardian of Henry Clephane's nieces (the daughters of his eldest brother William), so I'm wondering whether he might be connected there. Scott is such a common name though.
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The 5th Volume of the "Highland Society of Scotland", published 1820, lists "Henry Clephane, W.S" as one of its members as at November 1820 - in spite of his death at Kirkness, October 1818.
His appointment to the Society was reported in the Caledonian Mercury, 2 Jul 1801.
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The British Almanack and Glasgow Register 1801...
CLERKS to His MAJESTY'S SIGNET
1798 Hen Clephane
Royal Edin Artillery
2nd Lieuts
Hen Clephane
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In the 1798 edition of the "Glasgow Almanack", H Clephane is a 1st Lieut in the Edin Royal Artillery
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Leith Post Office Annual Directory 1815
Clephan (sic) Harry, esq, W.S, 67 Queen Street
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Leith Post Office Annual Directory 1815
Clephan (sic) Harry, esq, W.S, 67 Queen Street
Thank you. So Henry/Harry lived in Edinburgh, not Dundee. That is very helpful.
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He was at Queen's Street in 1798 - but may have been No 63, not 67.
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My mother Mary Elliot Oliver (Scott) was the daughter of John Elliot Scott born in Dundee who was son of William Scott, Solicitor in Dundee. To the best of my knowledge he was not a WS - happy to provide further information about him if necessary.
JO
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Thank you JO. I can see an announcement in the newspaper when the daughter of a John Elliott Scott married in 1863, but that seems too early to be the correct family.
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I had forgotten my undertaking to check the List of Members of the Society of Writers to Her Majesty's Signet for William Scott, but I have now done so. There is no listing of William Scott in Dundee.
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In my copy of the book LIST OF WRITERS TO H.M. SIGNET 1594-1890
Page 40: CLEPHANE, HENRY. 30th January 1798.
Apprentice to William Lumsdaine.—Fifth son of George Clephane of Carslogie, Fifeshire.
Died 18th October 1818.
Page 182: SCOTT, WILLIAM, of Teviotbank. 23d May 1808.
Apprentice to William Riddell.— Only son of John Scott of Glenormiston, Peeblesshire,W.S.
Born 1782. Died 18th August 1841.
Mar. (1) 22d September 1808,Miss Jordan of Edinburgh; and (2) 9th October 1816, Margaret, second daughter of Dr, Duncan, Edinburgh.
Page 181: SCOTT, JOHN, of Glenormiston. 26th February 1784.
Apprentice to Cornelius Elliot.—Youngest son of William Scott of Woll, Roxburghshire.
Died 24th March 1803.
Mar. Beatrice Caverhill