Stephens Buildings Peterhead

[andyliebnitz]

I have tried various internet searches with no luck.  I am trying to find out about the Stephens Buildings in Peterhead, where I believe my great-grandfather was born in 1886 (as well as two of his siblings).  I think they were in St Peter Street. 

What were they?  The oldest child was born elsewhere in Peterhead, so the family must have moved there at some point after 1880 (maybe had to?).

Any information would be appreciated.

[MonicaL]

Hi Andy

Welcome to RootsChat 

Doing an address search on the 1881 census indicates some kind of multi occupancy building - at least 6 households. Some of the address descriptions:

- Stephens Buildings 1st Back Stair 2nd Floor
- Stephens Buildings 3rd Back Stair 2nd Floor
- Stephens Buildings Back House

A few more refences to the 2nd floor (busy floor - what about the ground floor I wonder!)

Monica

[ev]

hi andy

welcome to rootschat 
just to add to what Monica has found
there is mention of a ground floor and attics as well at stephens buildings

also a jas(james?) stephens buildings on H(high ?) street
with quite a few families there as well

ev

[andyliebnitz]

Monica, ev

Thanks for the replies.  The father of these children I am referring to (my great-great-grandfather, Charles Luis Liebnitz) was a seaman originally from Memel, Prussia (now Klaipeda, Lithuania) who came to the UK sometime between 1850 and 1880 and ended up in Peterhead.

I wonder if these buildings were some sort of lodgings for the poor.  I have just quite recently started trying to trace the family so am still at a fairly early stage.  This website certainly seems to be a useful thing though.

Thanks again for the replies - I may well have more questions as I go on!

Andy.

[ev]

could this be them in 1881 ?
2 barclays buildings drainie elgin
alexander edward 61 fisherman born drainie elgin
jane edward 58 wife b. drainie
betsy liebnech 30 daughter sailors wife b. drainie
lewis liebnech 1 grandson b. peterhead aberdeen

ev

[andyliebnitz]

Back after a (very!) long time.  I have found out quite a bit more in the mean time.  I now know that the people in Drainie in 1881 are indeed the wife and child of my great great grandfather, and her parents.  The child Lewis (Luis) was ill at the time, and the father was away at sea at the time, so (I assume) she went to be with her parents in Lossiemouth.  Luis in fact died 5 days after the census was taken.  The mis-spelling of the names was due to the fact that the Edward (mother's) family were illiterate, and the father was away at sea.

Moving on, I am now trying to find out about the father's arrival in Peterhead.  His name was Charles Luis Liebnitz, born in Memel, Prussia around 1850.  We are told he and his brother arrived together as youngsters (possibly 12 and 9), although I can't find any record in previous census.  I know the brother (possibly Henry) ended up in Wales.  I also know that they were helped by the local scoolmaster and minister when they arrived, including sending and receiving letters to and from their family back in Memel.  Unfortunately we have no records of this.  Any advice on where/how to pursue this would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Andy.

[GR2]

Peterhead had its own poorhouse, so these are not poor-lodgings. It was common for a tenement, multiple occupancy building, to be called after the parson who owned it or who had originally built and owned it. This is just a building owned or built by a Mr Stephen. Black's Buildings in Aberdeen, for example, were built by James Black in 1789 and were still known as Black's Buildings when they were demolished in 1957.

Graham.

[andyliebnitz]

Thanks for the clarification.  I had suspected that was the case now that I'm a bit more up to speed on the whole family research thing.

[buchaner]

  Stephens buildings were at harbour st Boddam four miles south of peterhead

 
    They were demolished quite a few years ago and houses were built on the site

    I hope this is of some help

    John