KAIGO/KEGO

[pulhamdown]

Hi Thomas.  I can give you quite a bit of info on the Kegos.

First off, your Isabel, the one that married Thomas Cuthbertson,  was born on 12/03/1797.  Her parents were James Kaigo and Agnes Mc Farlane.  They had 6 children altogether:

William ( b1787), John ( b1789), Robert ( b1791), Ann ( b1794), Isabel ( b 1797), and James ( b1799).

I am descended from Robert, who married Margaret Marshall on 23/02/1810.

James Kaigo was born on 30/03/1766 to James Kego and Jean Mitchell.  They were married on 14/06/1765.  These two are the ones who have their name written on the  stone lintel above the window of the cottage in Eaglesham.  This is the picture on your profile.  BTW, I believe that the cottage is owned by the National Trust for Scotland, but I have been unable to confirm that.

James Kego was born on 7/11/1731, and had a sister called Isabel, who was born on 1/11/1728.  Their parents were James Keagow and Margaret Borland.  We have now reached the extent of my knowledge of the Kego family.

The name Kego is quite interesting.  I have not yet reached any conclusions, but I don`t believe that it is indigenous to Scotland.  My father used to say that there was Huegenot blood in the family, but no proof was ever found.  Also, the work for silkworm  in Japanese is Kego.  Now, the history of the Kegos seems to revolve around spinning and weaving, possibly even silk spinning.  The Huguenots were also renowned as spinners and weavers in mainland Europe, and came over to Britain to escape religious persecution.  Maybe, someone else can chip in here, but it may prove to be tricky one to solve.

I was in touch with a guy in South Wales a while back, who had an Uncle who was known as "Dai Jap", on account of his having" slitty eyes"!  He was also related to the Kegos from Eaglesham.

Colin     

[Thomas 23]

I am also descended from a Thomas Cuthbertson born 1836 who is shown on the 1871 census with his family in Glasgow.  Thomas is stated as being born in Ireland.  On other documents it seems that the Cuthbertsons were all thread mill workers and eventually settled in the Paisley area.

There may not be any connection, but it is not often I've seen the surname Cuthbertson and thought I would reply.

Cuthie.

Reply. Hi Cuthie
Thanks for your message and sharing about the Cuthbertsons. I've got details of a few more in our tree that I thought I would share. I don't know if there is a link either but you never know.

Thomas Cuthbertson b. 1798 Eaglesham (muslin weaver) m Isabella Kego b. 1797
their son Thomas Cuthbertson b 1822 (weaver) Eaglesham m Janet Forbes b.1824 (Lanark)
their daughter Margaret Cuthbertson b. 1853 (farm servant) m William Cunningham b.1852 Douglas Lanarkshire (ploughman). As a side we have a poem written about William Cunningham called the ploughman of High Craig

[cuthie]

Hi Thomas - thanks for replying to my post.  I don't suppose there is any connection, but one never knows.  I have Cuthbertsons on both sides of my family which makes it a wee bitty confusing.

Hope you get on alright with your search.

Regards,
Cuthie.

[Thomas 23]

Hi Thomas.  I can give you quite a bit of info on the Kegos.

First off, your Isabel, the one that married Thomas Cuthbertson,  was born on 12/03/1797.  Her parents were James Kaigo and Agnes Mc Farlane.  They had 6 children altogether:

William ( b1787), John ( b1789), Robert ( b1791), Ann ( b1794), Isabel ( b 1797), and James ( b1799).

I am descended from Robert, who married Margaret Marshall on 23/02/1810.

James Kaigo was born on 30/03/1766 to James Kego and Jean Mitchell.  They were married on 14/06/1765.  These two are the ones who have their name written on the  stone lintel above the window of the cottage in Eaglesham.  This is the picture on your profile.  BTW, I believe that the cottage is owned by the National Trust for Scotland, but I have been unable to confirm that.

James Kego was born on 7/11/1731, and had a sister called Isabel, who was born on 1/11/1728.  Their parents were James Keagow and Margaret Borland.  We have now reached the extent of my knowledge of the Kego family.

The name Kego is quite interesting.  I have not yet reached any conclusions, but I don`t believe that it is indigenous to Scotland.  My father used to say that there was Huegenot blood in the family, but no proof was ever found.  Also, the work for silkworm  in Japanese is Kego.  Now, the history of the Kegos seems to revolve around spinning and weaving, possibly even silk spinning.  The Huguenots were also renowned as spinners and weavers in mainland Europe, and came over to Britain to escape religious persecution.  Maybe, someone else can chip in here, but it may prove to be tricky one to solve.

I was in touch with a guy in South Wales a while back, who had an Uncle who was known as "Dai Jap", on account of his having" slitty eyes"!  He was also related to the Kegos from Eaglesham.

Colin     

Hi Colin

Many Thanks for sharing your Kego knowledge. It was very interesting especially about the possible Huguenot connection and the Japanese translation. Incidentally there is a strong protestant history and a link with blood type B, which globally has the highest proportionate distribution by far in South Korea and China! I think you must have spoken to one of my brothers previously. As you say, let's hope someone can chip in with some more Kego info!

Regards
Thomas 23

[longshanks]

I'm not connected with the name, but have an interest having written a local history of the area "Eastwood District History & Heritage"(p97-100 and127-132 on Eaglesham village around that time). I have a rough transcript of the Kego tack for the house and garden that carries the inscription.

James Kego 1771/5 weaver 44.5 falls at 3d a fall (160th of an acre) otherwise stated as 1 rood (quarter acre) and 4.5 falls. Single steading  Lot 19 in west corner of 4th division between Andrew Gilmour on east and the Earl's land on south and William Symon on the west, fronted by the street bounding the said row north. On condition to build a house within 5 years not less than 18 feet wide, no lower than 8 feet with tabling on top of the wall, and to take an equal length of the old village as a source for materials. £5 penalty and loss of tack if failing to complete on time, and to keep in tenantable repair. To include an 8 foot wide entry to yards at rear and to maintain 24 foot length of the road in front.  Ainslie's Plan of the Town of Eaglesham 1789 shows Kego's plot as described.

It has always been my understanding of the name, along with another name found in Renfrewshire - Algeo - that these were Italians who served in the Scottish army who were allowed to settle in Scotland, but I do not know the authentication.

James Kego was a weaver which, until the advent of a cotton mill in the village in 1791 was the main industry.  He may have come into the area attracted by good terms for pursuing his trade there. The weaving trade slumped in the 1820s and many weavers were left destitute and migrated out.

Carmunnock is in Lanarkshire but only about four or five miles north-east from Eaglesham.

Hope this helps

[pulhamdown]

Thanks very much for your info.  It`s interesting about the origin of the two names, Algeo, and Kego.  The internet search engines have loads of references to Italy re the Algeos, but nothing on the Kegos.  I`ve got quite a few Kigos dating back to the mid 1600s in Dundee, so as I live near to Dundee, I`ll go and do a bit of nosing around in Dundee one day.    Most of my Kego and Currie  ancestors seem to have left Eaglesham by the 1840s or 50s, due to the lack of work, and the men had become stone masons in Leith.  No doubt building their own houses in Eaglesham had taught them a thing or two about stone work!  There is some talk in the family of there being Huguenot blood in the Kego side of the family, but possibly knowing a bit about their religious views does not help much in tracing their origins!  There was a fair influx of weavers in the late 1700s, and early 1800s from Europe, so still no further on.  Just as a further complication, I was adopted, and have only recently discovered my past, so many relatives who could have helped are no longer alive.   
Anyway, thanks again
Colin

[Skoosh]

Goldie61 has a thread, "Handloom weavers, photo & tongue-twister!" with relevance to the Eaglesham Kego's. Good pic' of a weaver therein.

Skoosh.

[Thomas 23]

Many Thanks Skoosh