Occupation of Peter Farquharson (1819-1891) in 1851 census

[ysabeau]

Found the above in 1851 census living @ B*garrow, Inveranon, Banffshire with his widowed mother and siblings.

His occupation was "Clk Duke Richmonds Fact".....any ideas as to what this means ?

To date, cannot find him in 1861 census, but in 1871 + 1881 he was living @ Chapel Street, Old Machar enumerated as unmarried and a House Proprieter.



Ysabeau

[ellenbrora]

Hi Ysabeau

At a guess, Clerk to the Duke of Richmond's Factor (kind of Estate Manager).

Regards

Ellen.

[ysabeau]

Hi Ellen

Thank you.......now all I have to do is find out the "estate" where he was employed

Ysabeau

[JAP]

Ysabeau,

Peter is presumably the Peter FARQUHARSON, 20, in a household with John (55) and Sarah (50) FARQUHARSON, etc at Bogarrow, Inveravon, Banffshire in the 1841 census on FreeCEN.

Googling finds that the Duke of Richmond and Gordon owned extensive lands in Inveravon (including the Estate of Glenlivet).  Here is just one URL (though it doesn't mention Bogarrow):
http://users.tinyonline.co.uk/amchardy/McHardy/McHardyMiscellanea2.htm
(do a search on the page for Richmond)

On the following page is a present day development application for Bogarrow Farm, Glenlivet, Ballindalloch, Banffshire AB37 9DJ:
Click here for page

If you enter the postcode in Streetmap UK and then zoom out, it shows Bogarrow.

JAP

[ysabeau]

Hi JAP

Peter was the brother of my gr-gr-grandmother Mary Farquharson. Their younger brother James farmed Bogarrow after their parents death, until his death in 1885. In 1901 census his son Robert was enumerated there.....

Thank you for all the sites....from them I established Bogarrow Farm is close to Gallow Hill and Minmore, an area very involved in the production of whisky......

Googling Gallow Hill, Glenlivet I read that a James Skinner, factor of the Duke of Richmond, was apparently instrumental in setting up a proper distillery there and think I have found JS in 1861 census enumerated @ Drumin House, a couple of entries down from Bogarrow Farm......

Ysabeau





 

[JAP]

Hi Ysabeau,

Yes, Glenlivet a very famous name - and I'd noticed from the Streetmap UK map that Bogarrow is conveniently placed adjacent to a distillery!  A search for Glenlivet on Streetmap brings up a map on which both Bogarrow and Drumin appear.  Your ancestors probably grew barley ('bere') for whisky production.  At the following site:
http://theglenlivet.com/society/experience/popup.html
there is mention of James Skinner, the Duke's factor, and he is reported as writing in 1827:
"  ...  George Smith the distiller has lately been in the South Country with a cargo of Whisky, and complains so much on the decline of his market there that I am told he has refused delivery of some bere he sometime ago bought from the tenant of Bogarrow.  ...  "

I see that James SKINNER, factor, appears in the 1841 census on FreeCEN in Inveravon at Drumin - his household is ED 5, Folio 5, Page 5.   The FARQUHARSON household is the same ED and Folio but Page 2.

Regards,

JAP

[ysabeau]

Hi JAP

Found/printed the 1841 census for Drumin last night......and living there as a female servant was Elisabeth Farquharson, aged 20 years.

Am thinking she could be the sister of Peter, Mary and James although my records show she was born 1815.

Just think.....I may have ancestors who were involved in the production/distribution of bootleg whisky......how exciting !!!!

Ysabeau

[JAP]

Hi again Ysabeau,

Yes, I noticed Elizabeth.  Quite a few FARQUHARSONs in the area ...

Assuming that she's the Elizabeth, daughter of John FARQUHARSON and Sarah GORDON, bap 12 Sep 1815 in Inveravon according to the IGI, the age of 20 in 1841 would be very close.  The census date was 6 Jun so, if Elizabeth was (say) born after 6 Jun in 1815, she would still have been 25 at the date of the census (think that's right counting up on my fingers).  So the census age of 20 is really only a year out given that, in 1841, ages of persons aged over 15 were supposed to be rounded down to the nearest 5 (which it looks as though was done in the SKINNER household though not all enumerators followed the rule).

Reading the history of the valley on various sites on the Internet, it seems that there would have been many illicit stills before the excise men cracked down on them.  George Smith, however, seems to have been a licensed distiller (and was relieved from his financial distress by the Duke) ...  But yes, I wish I had ancestors connected in any way with production of The Glenlivet (or any other single malt in the Glenlivet valley or anywhere else at all!!).  My children's paternal ancestors (or at least close relatives) in Glencolumbkille in Co Donegal seem to have had a certain involvement with the poteen!

JAP