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Sorry, found the answer but can't see how to delete a post

Hi Coreen,

Can I pick your brains once more?

Have you fathomed the relationship between Elizabeth Smith, nee Grant of Rothiemurchus, author of Memoirs of a Highland Lady, and Margaret Grant, wife of George William Gillio?

Also, thick as I am, I cannot make sense of this quote from her book; 

"...Mrs. Gillio, with her pretty little dark daughter* and her Hindoo maid. She was the daughter of Major Grant of Craggan, whom the fortunate General William had educated and sent for to India. She had come home with her children, and... "

* Is this a euphemism for mixed race?

Who is General William, and why did he educate Margaret Grant? Was she orphaned and brought up by the General? And was he 'fortunate' because he was "General William Grant was a footboy in my uncle Rothie's family", one of the locals who was given a chance to 'better themselves' or just because of his connection to Margaret?  I see there is a note "P. 238. A certain William Grant. — It was when Doctor William Grant was living at the Doune that there befell a quarrel in the kitchen between the cook and the turnspit; she came crying to her master that the boy had raised a knife at her and cut off her hair; he meanwhile took to his heels, and Doctor William, coming to the door, saw him running down the avenue at top speed. "Come back, you black thief, till I give you your wage!" shouted the Doctor in Gaelic. "Wait you till I ask for it," called back the boy. This was how General William Grant came to enlist" but I don't know what was on p.238.  You wouldn't think such a connection would leave Margaret so close to the author as to be a regular visitor. Did the servants generally take the master's name or was this coincidence?
 
Do you know who Margaret Grant's parents were, other than Major and Mrs.?


I had a quick look at the Dupree family, as in James Dupree who married Marian Johnson Wright; it looks as though they were a Huguenot silk weavers with several mentions on the net. One has an Isaac Dupree [James's grandfather?] as a weaver at 28 Elder Street ["a highly valued house"] who "undertook to raise a body of twelve of his workmen to resist the Young Pretender".
Another of an Isaac Dupree of 'Spittlefields', silk weaver, going bankrupt in 1855.  [London magazine or, Gentleman's monthly intelligencer..., Volume 24 - which elegantly printed "b--kr--ts"]

One website has MJ Wright's in-laws as Noah Dupree and Jane Wright but the only marriage I can see that fits has the wife as Jane Deacon. There was mention of a Noah Dupree in connection with a Mr Wright regarding the dealings of the House of  Lords.

Any idea where the Johnson middle name came from?

Sorry, what a lot of questions, though some are merely rhetorical.

All the best,
James.

Hi Coreen,

Oh dear, I ever more confused. Was Francis Brooke Norris Isabella Gilio's husband, I haven't actually seen his forenames? If so the Asiatic Journal recorded her death [definitely death and not burial] as occuring on July 22, 1836; "At Colombo, Isabella, wife of Francis Brooke Norris, Esq., H.M. surveyor-general, aged 27."  So we're back to your DoD of 1836. [Unless FBN went for the younger model, and they often did - if he were just a little older than Isabella 'H.M. surveyor-general' looks like quite an acheivement.]

As for reading the date on the image I posted, it's no less blurry at this end but I'd say it was 21-6-1839, which is a different day, month and year to the one above??? It's certainly not 22-7-1836 is it.

Another thing I noticed; Amelia Gillio must, obviously, have gone to India before October 1823 when she wed there, therefore the "Misses Gillio" who were reported to be departing for India on board the Katherine Stewart Forbes in the July 1824 issue of The Oriental Herald [if it's monthly it is presumably up-to-date] must be Margaret and Isabella. I'm surprised to find Margaret marrying on January 26, 1825* if she was still in England just six months before. Still, I guess the women were shipped out to India to find a husband, though it seems it was generally a death sentence. Or would the marriage have been arranged beforehand?

* on FamilySearch as 'Gillid'.

Regards,
James.

PS. I expect you've seen this but I've answered my own question as to FBN's age;

Deaths Mar 1879
Norris  Francis Brooke  78  Kensington  1a 78

Hello again,

I see you have Isabella Gillio's dates as 1809-1836 and, while I expect you're right, I thought I'd show you this from Historical records of the Survey of India, Volume 3, which, unclear as it is, appears to have her death as 1839.

I hope the image attaches and you can see it, I've not done such a thing before. I cannot see the rest of the entry.

James