William Livingstone SSC

[Forfarian]

William Livingstone was born in Edinburgh in 1847, son of John Livingstone SSC and Eliza Hunter. John Livingstone SSC was born in Wishaw, possibly the son of William Livingstone, surgeon there.

The baptisms of William and three siblings are listed in the IGI and in the index at SP, but clicking on the links at SP goes to the front page of the Edinburgh Canongate register of baptisms 1831-1854, and I have failed so far to find the indexed records there or anywhere else.

By 1872, according to a report in the Hamilton Advertiser, William Livingstone SSC was clerk to the Commissioners of Police of the Burgh of Wishaw, and he appears in several more newspaper reports of court cases in the 1870s. He also conducted a prosecution in 1875 on behalf of Cambusnethan School Board, so he was obviously well established as a solicitor to the local authority.

On 7 November 1877 he married Clementina Wilson in Motherwell. He gave his occupation as Solicitor Supreme Courts and his residence as Thornlie Park, Wishaw.

Next sighting of him is in the 1881 census in Woodlands, Manitoba, where he is described as a barrister. In 1891 and 1901 he is described as a farmer. Clementina was interviewed later aboute her experiences as an immigrant to Manitoba, and her replies do not indicate that they had a cushy life. (What Women Say of the Canadian North-West. Experiences of Women Settled in All Parts of Manitoba and the North-West Territories. 1886. Reprint. London: Forgotten Books, 2013]

Thanks to helpful RootsChatters I now know that William died in Winnipeg on 7 October 1910 from injuries resulting from being gored by an angry bull on his farm. See https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=803723 for that thread.

What I am wondering is why a Solicitor Supreme Courts, who was evidently well established in the public domain in his father's native town, upped sticks and emigrated to the backwoods of Manitoba in 1881, at a fairly young age (early 30s), and became a farmer. Yet his death notices 30 years later still describe him as SSC. I've tried the British Newspaper Archive and BL 19th century newspapers, and The Scotsman, but I haven't come across anything - not even the usual report of a farewell celebration for someone about to emigrate.

Any ideas?

[Lodger]

Hi Forfarian,

You keep the easy ones for yourself and pass the difficult ones to us!
Have you tried the Hamilton Advertiser for a "farewell notice" it is also the County Newspaper and still covers most districts. The "Wishaw Press" may have been established by that time but I'm not sure.

What I can tell you is, that Robert Livingston M.D. and William Livingston surgeon, were on the list of petitioners to erect a Police Burgh in Wishaw in 1855. And, of the 80 eligible voters after the burgh was established (in 1855) No.41 was William Livingston, surgeon and No.42 was Robert Livingston M.D.  William Livingston was the Town Clerk 1871 - 1879.

In the 1893 Wishaw Directory, under the list of surgeons -
James Livingstone, Hill Street.
William Livingstone, Hill Street.
Robert Livingstone, Hill Street.
There was also a "land of houses" on Hill Street called Livingstone Square, it was still there in the 1925 street directory, 25 houses, tenanted by labourers, steelworkers and miners. (Gone now of course).

Also in the 1925 directory, there is a Mrs Jane and a Miss J.W.S. Livingstone at 17 Hill Street.

Finally, according to the records kept by the gravediggers at Cambusnethan Cemetery, there is an interment record for the ancient burial ground at Kirkhill, Netherton, for the following gentleman -

WILLIAM LIVINGSTON, surgeon, Wishaw. Aged 81 years, widower.
Parents - William Livingston & Margaret Shaw.
interred in the "Clyde" (burial ground) on 5th February 1866.

This is a very good indication that the Livingstons' had been in the parish for centuries. This old burial ground contained the original, pre-reformation parish church which was abandoned about 1640-ish and a new one built on higher ground in the parish, at Greenhead. (This is now a ruin)

Below is a very poor-quality picture of the Livingston headstone at Kirkhill, I took it quite a few years ago, lovely red granite but almost illegible because of the poor light. You can see where the camera flash has gone off, so I suspect this stone may well be inside one of the two private crypts that belonged to the local landowners - the Steuarts of Coltness and the Lockharts of Castlehill. The burial ground continued in use into the 20th century but only for old families that lived on these 2 estates. I'm sorry the picture isn't better. The Scottish Genealogy Society in Edinburgh has an unpublish MI list for this ground, transcribed in the 1970's by a chap named Brownlie.

Anything else I can help you with?

[Millmoor]

Suggest you search the newspaper archive for Wm. Livingston- articles in Glasgow Herald 3 and 14 Feb 1879 suggest bankruptcy.

William

[Forfarian]

Thanks, both.

Lodger, I prefer to think that I keep the mundane ones to myself and share the interesting ones

Millmoor, it hadn't occurred to me to search for Wm. I will do just that.

[Forfarian]

Having now had a look at all that, not only was William Livingstone SSC bankrupted in 1879 and had to sell his grand house, Thornlie Park, but he was also fined 10s in 1880 for allowing his staghound to bite a man named Broadley. A criminal conviction would rather scupper his chances of practising law again, and wouldn't do his standing in the local community any good.

So it's quite understandable that he sought a new life in Canada, though if the Manitoba newspapers are to be relied on he kept his head down and didn't get involved in anything that was newsworthy.

Lodger, I had a keek at the ruined kirk beside Greenhead Road and the cemetery three weeks ago on the way to Edinburgh after the Motherwell family history event, but I didn't know about the older one near the river. Thank you for that information.