Dick family around Forres, Morayshire, Scotland

[hayfam]

My ancestors lived in that area for 150 + years.  William Dick was born in C1790, birth registered at Edenkillie, but he was probably born at Dorsella Lodge, on the Earl of Moray's Darnaway Estate, & died there in 1874.  He married Janet McGrigor(McGregor) in 1814 at Dyke.  They had 11 children between 1815 & 1837 at Dorsella Lodge.  Robert 1815, James 1817, Jean/Janet 1820, Margaret 1821, Elizabeth 1823, Alexander 1826, William, 1829, William 1831, John 1833, Jessie 1835 & Isabella 1837.  I would dearly love to chat with anyone who may know of them & I have heaps more info. Darnaway Estate's papers could provide valuable information but I'm not sure how to access them.  I have been to the estate in 2013 but at that stage I didn't know how long the family had been associated with the Estate.  Several of William's family worked there as a shoemaker & servants, & I believe William himself may have been the gatekeeper, because Dorsella Lodge was the gatekeeper's lodging for many years, but is now in ruins in a obscure area of the estate.

[GR2]

In the censuses for 1841, 1851 and 1861, William Dick is described as an agricultural labourer. In the 1871 census he is described as a retired agricultural labourer. No sign of being a gate-keeper. I take it you have seen the census entries

[hayfam]

Yes, I know that all censuses say that William was an ag labourer, but to stay in that dwelling for so long must have been unusual for just an ag labourer?

[GR2]

Lodges were often built at the different estate entrances and occupied by estate workers without their necessarily being gate-keepers. Sometimes there were only gate-posts and no actual gate. I have come across foresters and gamekeepers in lodges. My own grandparents lived in such a lodge for some time, my grandfather doing a month's work a year on the estate as "rent", but working elsewhere for the rest of the year. William probably worked on one of the estate farms.

[hayfam]

Ok, thank you for that. Does anyone know where the Darnaway Estate papers may be stored, I am going to contact the estate directly, but I wondered if anyone near Forres might be able to help me please?

[GR2]

It would be very unlikely that a farm worker would appear in estate papers. A tenant farmer or crofter would be different. Have you looked for William Dick in the Valuation Rolls? That would tell you whether he was tenant of the lodge, or if he wasn't assessed being an occupying worker of the proprietor, or if the lodge were leased by the tenant or owner of a nearby farm for the occupation of a worker.

If you haven't used it, a useful site for folk from Moray is Libindx. It is run by the Moray Council. They might advise about estate papers.

[hayfam]

Thank you for that information, I have visited the Moray centre in Elgin several times & used their system many, many times, it is fantastic, I have also contacted thr Moray & Nairnshire Family History group & used their burial records which were very helpful.  Unofficially we were taken around part of the estate by a gamekeeper so I do know the lay of the land.  I think I will ponder what you have said & go from there??? unless you can give me any more hints?

[pearl dick]

hi i have researched my husbands family i say this loosely as i am still working on the various branches.  I have the Dick family in Drainie/Duffus 1640.s  Plewlands farm.  same area as your tree.

Have looked up burial records and the site is on the MOD lossiemouth. 

if can be of any help let me know and i,ll see what i,ve got.

thanks
Pearl Dick

[Grantandjane]

Hello I've just started researching the Dick family in Forres Moray so there are a lot of dead ends at the moment. My husbands grandmother was born in Forres and after thinking her maiden name was Mactavish I realise that she was actually born an Isabella Hay Mactavish Dick. Why would she carry two surnames and is this common? In your post I recognised some of my husbands families names Alexander, Jean and Isabella but I am still in the early stages. If any of this is familiar then please drop me an email.


Jane