What happened between 1881 and 1891 to the ag lab's ?

[yonderpeasant]

 You have of course now set us all off on a Primrose gathering hunt!

[trish251]

Family name or no, certainly a given name, I must correct my previous comment.

1901 Scotland Dunoon, Argyll - Newfield Low Flat Victoria Crescent
Primrose McConnell 53 Head Male born Glasgow Lanarkshire  Living on own means
Robert McConnell 58 brother born Glasgow Retired Iron Garden Naks(?)
Rebecca McConnell 61 sister born Glasgow Living on own means

Trish

(might, of course, be a completely different family)

[Lydart]

Thanc goodness Rebecca is a female !

[stockman fred]

Could there have been TWO Primrose McConnells? The latest edition has a short biography which tells us the following;
Born Lesnessock Fm, Ochiltree, Ayrshire, 11th April, 1856. Son & Grandson of tenant farmers.
1870s, studied at Uni. of Edinburgh.Passed diploma in 1878, BSc (Ag)in 1886
Rented 600 acres at Ongar Park Hall Fm near Epping,Essex. The arable depression (cheap grain from America as per Stan's article) forced him to grass a big area down for livestock, including 60 dairy cattle. He had to move in 1905 "For the very good reason that I was losing more money than I could afford!"He also had a dispute with the landlords over the improvements he had made.
Next he farmed 500 acres at North Wycke, Southminster, Essex with 80 cows, 9 work horses, a pony three dogs and 2 tomcats as well as some chickens. He lectured on farming, travelled widely and wrote textbooks before his death in 1931. Of his sons Archibald and Primrose, the latter was killed in the final days of the Great War.
Fred 

[trish251]

I'm glad you mentioned that Fred - cause I think I found my listed family in 1861 and father wasn't Archibald. Then I checked 1841 and there were 25 men named Primrose - quite a common name 

Trish

[Lydart]

Good gracious !

[kerryb]

Ditto Lydart 

Kerry

[trish251]

But could he have "borrowed" the name - census is Thomas?
1861 Ayrshire Ochiltree Address: Lesnessock 
Archibald McConnell 38  head farmer of 250 acres emp 5 men 5 women 28? born Daily Ayrshire
Agnes McConnell 29  wife farmers wife born Wigtownshire
Thomas McConnell 4  son born Ochiltree
Elisabeth McConnell 2  dau born Ochiltree
John Murdock 9 nephew scholar born Daily Ayrshire
John Fergusson 23  serv ploughman born Monkton Ayrshire
William McGeachie 17  serv ploughman born Maybole Ayrshire
Ann McGill 23  serv dairymaid born Manchester
Margaret Morland 15   serv dom servant born ireland

BUT  on the IGI we have
PRIMROSE MCCONNELL Male Birth:  11 APR 1856   Ochiltree, Ayr Father:  ARCHIBALD MCCONNELL  Mother:  AGNES MILROY
ELISABETH MCCONNELL  Female Birth:  16 JAN 1859   Ochiltree, Ayr same parents

So I wonder who called him primrose and who completed the census? I shall be forced to check later years 
Perhaps one should check the image, but hard to see anyone transcribing Primrose as Thomas!

Trish

I couldn't find him in 1871, but by 1881 he is a boarder Cambuslang, Lanark & is a Professor of Agriculture - name given is Plunrise - so assume he is now  known as Primrose