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The Society of Solicitors in the Supreme Court was set up in 1784, and still operates from premises in Parliament House. One of its attractions was always the generous pension (relative to the contribution paid) that widows received. To this day, an annual payment of £40 generates a widow's pension of over £1200 a year, and the widows are treated to an annual tea at the SSC Society's expense.

Many 19th century SSCs were landlords, and indeed the last such tenancy only came to an end around five years ago. The Society's archivist is currently working on biographies of all members since its inception, and these should be online later this year.

Teárlach:

Records show that Angus Mackay Mackenzie, farm servant, Knockbreack, married Effy Macpherson of Durin on  24th December 1812, so the marriage you refer to must presumably have been some time after Effy's death.

There's reference to a Jean Done (sic), wife of George Mackay rather Mackenzie, tenant in Croispol, having a son Angus on 26th October 1790 but that doesn't seem to be the same branch of the family

Thanks for the quick reply.

That is the correct family - my great great grandfather was James Bryden (1829-71) who moved to Edinburgh, married Mary Steven or Dunn (1829-1900), and died of Bronchitis in Edinburgh Royal Infirmary on 9th November. At the time of James' death Adam is listed as a collier, but not as deceased. As he would be around 67 years old there's no reason to expect he wouldn't still be alive, and possibly living with a sibling (he was one of thirteen) or one of his surviving children. I haven't been able top locate a date a date and place of death.

Well, the Free Church records of births, baptisms and marrages available online only cover 1843-1855. However, if your ancestor Johan MacKay was  born out of wedlock in 1879, it seems likely that her mother Margaret was born sometime around 20-30 years before that, and would appear to be one of -

1847 Sep 26 Margaret to James MacKay Lerin & Margaret MacKay
1848 Mar 19 Margaret to John MacKay Macritchie & Jean MacKay
1849 Nov 3 Margaret to James MacKay cottar Erriboll & Catherine Morrison

These are the only three Margaret MacKays recorded as baptised in Durness in the whole period above, so it seems likely that one of these three was Johan's mother. Not sure if that's any help.