Author Topic: Friars Court?  (Read 2753 times)

Offline Lee Morgan

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Friars Court?
« on: Wednesday 02 May 18 14:39 BST (UK) »
Hi,

I have a record of a marriage which took place in Friars Court, in 1877. The groom (my great-great-great-grandfather, Murdo Urquhart) is also listed as living at this location.

Friars Court seems to have been in Friars Lane. Given that this is such a tiny street, can anyone give me information about it? Thanks!

Offline Ruskie

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Re: Friars Court?
« Reply #1 on: Wednesday 02 May 18 14:49 BST (UK) »
In Scotland couples often married in the bride's home. Was Friar's Court also given as the bride's address? Were either of the parties or their families living there in the 1871 or 1881 census?

Offline Lee Morgan

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Re: Friars Court?
« Reply #2 on: Wednesday 02 May 18 15:11 BST (UK) »
Thanks Ruskie, I was unaware of that. But no, his bride is living around the corner in Glebe Street. Could the ceremony have been held in the groom's house maybe?

Both are recent arrivals to the area, from Wester Ross.

Offline Lee Morgan

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Re: Friars Court?
« Reply #3 on: Wednesday 02 May 18 15:12 BST (UK) »
I'm guessing Friars Court may have been a building in Friars Lane?


Offline conner395

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Re: Friars Court?
« Reply #4 on: Wednesday 02 May 18 21:29 BST (UK) »
I'm guessing Friars Court may have been a building in Friars Lane?

Certainly would seem to be so - there is no sign of it on the (very detailed) OS Town plan of Inverness dated 1867, but the 1873 Street Directory does list it -  with 8 householders, first being a lady who is lodging-house keeper - and in between 12 and 18 Friars Lane.
Note: Back then street numbering was consecutive (down one side of street and back up the other).

The next Street Directory, 1899 (by which time streets had been renumbered as odd one side and even the other), shows Friars Court as being on North side between 16 and 18, with six householders. I would think it was a tenement-type building behind Friars Lane which has long since gone - the current Telephone Exchange (built 1930s) now covers the site. Neither street directory has anyone called Urquhart as a householder.

The 1927 Directory shows Friars Court as being between 16 and 20 Friars Lane, and comprising 1, 1a, 2, 3 and 4 - so presumably flats in a tenement. By 1930 there were only 1, 1a and 2, There is no listing for Friars Court in 1931 - only a gap in numbering of Friars Lane - goes from 16 straight to 20 and then 28. so likely demolished or derelict by then.
Dave Conner
retired police officer / force historian (volunteer)
(Northern Constabulary)
Inverness, Scotland

Researching Police History of the Scottish Highlands and Islands
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Offline Ruskie

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Re: Friars Court?
« Reply #5 on: Wednesday 02 May 18 23:30 BST (UK) »
Conner, can you provide a link to that (or another good) map please? Before I signed off last night I was going to suggest looking for a map so I am glad you have found one.  :)

Lee, it could be something as simple as there was more room at Friar's Court. Friar's Court may have been the groom's residence or even the residence of another relative. Couples also often married at the Manse - but there may have been a cost involved with that (someone else will be able to advise), hence marrying at someone's home.

Courts (in England at least) were often very basic housing with shared washing facilities behind a main road, sometimes centered around a "yard". If you google key words like tenement court and slum you will see some images to give you an idea of what it might have looked like. Many have been demolished.

Here is a link to some images (Liverpool rather than Scotland I'm afraid, but you get the general idea):
http://streetsofliverpool.co.uk/tag/courts/

Some images of Glasgow Closes - Plate 28 shows a 'Court':
http://special.lib.gla.ac.uk/exhibns/month/Mar2006.html

Offline conner395

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Re: Friars Court?
« Reply #6 on: Thursday 03 May 18 00:04 BST (UK) »
Conner, can you provide a link to that (or another good) map please? Before I signed off last night I was going to suggest looking for a map so I am glad you have found one.  :)

National Library of Scotland - 1867 Inverness OS Street map - with the facility to zoom really close in to see the astounding detail (and the choice of various overlays which you can vary the transparency level of using the slider bar). Truly a wonderful resource.
http://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=18&lat=57.4808&lon=-4.2311&layers=88&b=1
Dave Conner
retired police officer / force historian (volunteer)
(Northern Constabulary)
Inverness, Scotland

Researching Police History of the Scottish Highlands and Islands
(Northern Constabulary area)

Offline Lee Morgan

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Re: Friars Court?
« Reply #7 on: Thursday 03 May 18 00:12 BST (UK) »
Thanks, Conner, that's exactly what I was looking for.

I couldn't find a Friars Court in any of the maps I had seen online, so thanks again for that. We'll be visiting Inverness next weekend so I'll have a look in person, even though there's nothing to be seen of Friars Court today.

Ruskie, when I first saw Friars Court mentioned as the marriage venue I imagined an official building but then I noted that the groom lived there to. Seemed odd but the other meaning (that of a yard/tenement) makes more sense.

Cheers.

Offline Rosinish

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Re: Friars Court?
« Reply #8 on: Thursday 03 May 18 00:50 BST (UK) »
Can I just ask if there was an actual house/flat no. attached on the MC for Friars Court?

Annie
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