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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Dunbartonshire => Topic started by: AsH62 on Saturday 11 March 17 10:55 GMT (UK)
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Hi.
I am hoping that someone can help me with some local history and terminology.
My great grandfather James Masterton was a gardener and in 1891 he was working in Main's Garden Bothy, New Kilpatrick.
I have tried without success to find out more about what sort of place this was, please can someone tell me about the word 'Mains' in this context, was this the house and would it have been a big place. I was expecting to find the name of the estate or who it belonged to but so far I can only find a list of servants in different properties all starting with 'mains'.
James got married later that year and gave the address as Mains Milngavie, so I am assuming that this was the same place. Later in their lives Milngavie comes up time and time again.
I would really appreciate any help working out where he was at this time and what he was doing.
Thank you
Alison
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If you go to the National Library of Scotland maps website, click on "Series Maps" and select the 6" Ordnance Survey map for the period, you will probably find it.
"Mains" is common throughout Scotland, usually "Mains of [name of estate]" It was the name given to the main farm on an estate, often in the hands of the proprietor rather than leased out.
The place obviously has a large garden with a bothy where an unmarried garden worker can stay. It is even possible that a married man might stay there and go home on his days off.
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Possibly Main's used here with an apostrophe, is a surname?
Skoosh.
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Mains was an Estate to the west of Milngavie, which is located to the North and West of Glasgow. The attached ref (http://maps.nls.uk/view/74426625 (http://maps.nls.uk/view/74426625)) is to an 1861 OS. map. The Mains Estate is in the NE quadrant of this map.
Today, there is a large housing development in the area.
Istrice
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Thank you, all three of you, this is great.
I have no idea why but I couldn't find it on the map and now I have a brilliant image and can get a feel of what was going on.
I really appreciate the help, thank you.
Alison
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The family Douglas lived on the Mains Estate. They are buried in New Kilpatrick Cemetery. The most notable of that household was Brigadier General Archibald Campbell Douglas. If you need more info theres a webpage on the family.
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Now he sounds fascinating - thank you
Alison