Author Topic: Alexander Bain  (Read 12978 times)

Offline PLB

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Alexander Bain
« on: Monday 24 February 14 04:24 GMT (UK) »
My 4th great grandfather, Alexander Bain married Jean Geddes in Thurso, Caithness on 29 July 1792. I have got the marriage certificate. I have not been able to get details of the births of Alexander or Jean and do not know who their parents were. I think that they moved to Edinburgh after having 3 children in Thurso, and had a further 3 in Edinburgh. Any information, specifically on Alexander and Jean's parents would be greatly appreciated.

Offline Joyful

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Re: Alexander Bain
« Reply #1 on: Monday 24 February 14 06:35 GMT (UK) »
Hello PLB...Welcome to RootsChat :)

There is only one birth in Thurso for an Alexander Bain that I can see :)

Alexander Bain ch 5 May 1769 Thurso Caithness Father Donald Bain, Mother Isabel Gerry.

What are the names of their children, they may help to point in the direction of the parents.

Most Scottish families used at least a form of the naming pattern ;)

Joy
Added: Of course, he may not have been born in Thurso, just married there, the children's names
may help there :-\
Anderson R&C & Orkney, Jack, Patience, Hood R&C, McVicar Argll & Glasgow, Gourlay Glasgow, Docherty Glasgow, McNicol Argyll, Leask Orkney, Cumming Okney,
Tait Orkney, Brown Orkney, Sinclair Orkney, Craigie Orkney, Foulis Orkney, Beard Gloucester & Bundarra NSW, Pamplin Cambridge & NSW, Ashman Cambridge, McCarthy Ireland & Glen Innes NSW, Raleigh Ireland, Connelly Ireland, Waldron Ireland.
UK Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline spittalhill

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Re: Alexander Bain
« Reply #2 on: Monday 24 February 14 09:03 GMT (UK) »
Hi PLB,
I believe that Alexander Bain was the son of Alexander Bain, merchant, and Catherine Brims and was christened in Thurso on 31 Dec 1775. I am particularly interested in Alexander and Jean's son, Andrew Geddes Bain who went to South Africa with his uncle, Lt Col William Geddes in 1816, and was responsible, along with his son, Thomas, for the construction of many of the Cape Mountain Passes in the 19thC. I wrote an article about Andrew for the Caithness FHS magazine a few years ago, and will be going to South Africa shortly to drive these wonderful mountain roads which Andrew and Thomas built. Sadly, they are more famous in South Africa than back in Caithness.
Going back to Alexander and Jean, the only Jean Geddes who I can find who fits was christened on 28th Dec 1769 in Latheron parish, the daughter of Andreww Geddes.
If you send me a private message with your email address, I can send you a copy of the article I did.

Offline Joyful

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Re: Alexander Bain
« Reply #3 on: Monday 24 February 14 09:34 GMT (UK) »
 There you are PLB, what a great result for you 8) :)

Joy
Anderson R&C & Orkney, Jack, Patience, Hood R&C, McVicar Argll & Glasgow, Gourlay Glasgow, Docherty Glasgow, McNicol Argyll, Leask Orkney, Cumming Okney,
Tait Orkney, Brown Orkney, Sinclair Orkney, Craigie Orkney, Foulis Orkney, Beard Gloucester & Bundarra NSW, Pamplin Cambridge & NSW, Ashman Cambridge, McCarthy Ireland & Glen Innes NSW, Raleigh Ireland, Connelly Ireland, Waldron Ireland.
UK Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk


Offline PLB

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Re: Alexander Bain
« Reply #4 on: Tuesday 25 February 14 01:03 GMT (UK) »
Thank you for your assistance. My records show that the children of Alexander Bain and Jean Geddes were: Helen b in Thurso in 1793, Andrew b in Thurso in 1797, David b in Thurso in 1801, Donald b in Thurso in 1802, John Adam b in Edinburgh in 1805, Margaret b in Edinburgh in 1807, and Henrietta b in Edinburgh in 1809. Is it possible to determine why the family moved to Edinburgh? Were they caught up in the Highland clearances? Is there any way of finding out if Jean Geddes was related to the "Thomas Geddes" who was the first Lowland sheep farmer to go north of the great glen? (Refer "the Highland Clearances" by John Prebble, Pg 24)
In relation to Andrew Geddes Bain, he is indeed very well known in South Africa. In the late 1970s I cycled the garden route in the Cape, including his most famous pass, "Bains Kloof". It is a beautiful area and an astounding achievement. I understand that there is now a modern bridge that goes straight over the valley. There is a plaque recognising Andrew Geddes Bain. The exploration and road building achievements of Andrew Geddes are well documented in South Africa, as well as his humerous publications, "Kaatje Kekkelbek" about life among the Hottentots. The Wikipedia article on Andrew Geddes is reasonable except that it refers to him as being an only child which I don't think is correct. I have some newspaper cuttings from the 1960s. There was a play in Cape Town in 1968 written by Guy Butler called "Cape Charade, starring Frank Shelley as the indomitable, dominating, good-humoured engineer and geologist."
Thomas Charles Bain, Andrew's son, was usually overshadowed although his road building achievements were possibly greater. I have cuttings from newspapers in the 1960s about some of his achievements, as well as an article published in the S.A. Survey Journal (I think in the 1960s). Unfortunately I do not have electronic copies of these cuttings and articles. Happy to share any of the detail if it will assist your research
Pat

Offline spittalhill

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Re: Alexander Bain
« Reply #5 on: Tuesday 25 February 14 09:19 GMT (UK) »
Hi Pat,
The internet articles about Andrew Geddes Bain all say that his parents died when he was a child, and that he went to live with his aunt and uncle in Edinburgh. As I was unable to find any trace of them or Andrew's siblings in Caithness after the births, I am afraid I took it that they had died there - there is very little on deaths in Caithness pre-1855. I was aware of the other siblings born in Caithness, so this is new to me that they went to Edinburgh. Which of the children are you descended from and where are you located. A few years ago I was in contact with one of Thomas Bain's descendants in Australia, who gave me access to his family tree.
Lt Col Geddes died on campaign in Ceylon, I think, but his widow's will, which I have read, can be accessed at Scotland's People. Lt Col Geddes is commemorated on the headstone of his daughter, Jane Mitchell Geddes, in Dean Cemetery, Edinburgh. You can view it online on the Gravestone Photographic Project website.
Meanwhile, I am looking forward to driving the Bains' mountain passes next month. Have you seen Graham Ross's book, The Romance of The Cape Mountain Passes, which describes them in detail.
Regards
Will

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Re: Alexander Bain
« Reply #6 on: Tuesday 25 February 14 09:36 GMT (UK) »
Will,
I am descended from Andrew Geddes Bain and Thomas Charles Bain, who's granddaughter Marjorie Bain married my grandfather Hendrik Johannes Visser.
I was born in South Africa, where fortunately my mother kept some newspaper cuttings on Andrew Geddes and Thomas. I now live in Australia. My brothers second name is Geddes.
Pat

Offline spittalhill

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Re: Alexander Bain
« Reply #7 on: Tuesday 25 February 14 10:27 GMT (UK) »
Hi, I found you on the tree which another descendant of another of Thomas Bain's granddaughters, who also lives in Australia, allowed me to view!

Will

Offline weebird

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Re: Alexander Bain
« Reply #8 on: Tuesday 25 February 14 15:50 GMT (UK) »
Hi, I often go to the library in Wick which has the archive records for Caithness and records of BDM's. If there is any yhing specific you want to find out, let me know and I will see what I can find

Shirley
Sayer- Maidenhead
Symmonds- Maidenhead
Brown - Maidenhead & Pontefract, Yorkshire
Bird- Reading/ Beenham
Hall- Warwickshire, Reading
Webbs- devon
Williams- devon