Balchers, King Edward and Duncan family

[mcbearuk]

We have bought the house formerly attached to the Farm and Estate known as BALCHERS in the Parish of King Edward.  We are attempting to write a history of Balchers as part of the restoration of the house.  We are particularly interested in the DUNCAN family who lived at Balchers for around 200 years from 1750.
If anyone has anything that might help please let me know, on here or...................

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[MonicaL]

Hi mcbearuk

Welcome to RootsChat 

This link here has a number of monumental inscriptions for the Duncan family at Balchers. Use your 'find' tool and search for Balchers.

www.clan-duncan.co.uk/monumental/duncan-kingedward-cemetery.html

A good way forward would be look at the census entries for the family at Balchers. Not sure if you have gone down this route already. http://freecen.rootsweb.com/ has now 100% of the 1841 Aberdeenshire census on line, and up to 86% of the 1851 census entries.

Monica

[mcbearuk]

Thanks Monica,

we had already explored the kirkyard inscriptions and started on a family tree. 

The 1841 and 51 censuses are very interesting and helpful.  We will look at the pay to view records for the later censuses.

I gather that the last of the Duncans - 'Old Mrs Duncan' , who lived well into the 20th century, was a well kent character in the Parish and a leading light in the Horticultural Society.  I am hoping that I can find more about her - press cuttings, photographs etc.

I wonder if there are any Duncans still living in this area?

[MonicaL]

If you are particularly interested in history so recent into the 20th Century, have you thought to contact the local history group/library. They may well have archives that give you more information on the family. The local history reference library is also likely to have newspaper archives that you could research.

Monica

[GR2]

You have probably looked in this already. There is a book by James Godsman called King-Edward, Aberdeenshire The Story of a Parish. You do have to check out what it says as there are many errors, largely due to the author's trying to cover so much ground. There is an entry for Balchers on page 250 and entries for the crofts on Balchers on page 254.

[KirstyG]

I have a scrapbook of clippings from the late 1800s (mostly from the Banffshire Journal) which includes several articles by James Lawrence who was a friend of "Mr Duncan of Balchers" and mentions him several times. If you send me a PM I can give you more details and arrange to send you copies if you like.

Kirsty

[mcbearuk]

Kirsty
that sounds like a really good insight into the Duncans of Balchers.   If you can scan and email or xerox the pages I will meet all costs.  Please contact me on (*) and I will give you our telephone number and address - atho that it easy, its (*)!

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[Sandie Cottell]

Hi just found your quest re Duncan  family at Balchers.  My grandfather and his family were linked with them in the early 1900s. I have letters to my grandfather from Patrick Duncan photos and a story that one of his sisters Mary Ann Morrison married the last Patrick Duncan and I am unsure but there is a story that he was the last governor of India, not validated.  We are coming to Scotland in late August and would like to see the places and to give a copy of our records.

Hopping this is helpful.

Sandie

[mcbearuk]

Sandie
thanks for your reply!
We would be delighted to see you in August, show you around and discuss what we know of the history of Balchers and the Duncans. 
Unfortunately I am getting a little too old to keep the house and garden going as we would like, so we have decided to sell Balchers and move into a smaller retirement house later this year.  This does mean that Balchers is currently up for sale, so you can have a look at the brochure about the place by going to the website of Mcewan Fraser Legal and typing Old House of Balchers into the search box.

We converted the servants wing at Balchers into a holiday cottage, it has 2 bedrooms and sleeps 4, if you are coming up for a few days you mat find staying there interesting!

Regards

Scott McIntosh