'Highfield' Seafield St, Banff

[Fordyce]

I'd like to find out which house 'Highfield' is, especially where it is relative to the Seafield Bakery. Reason is that a William Robertson, a grain merchant, had lived there for many years and died there in 1925, and Jemina Legge née Watson who lived at the Seafield Bakery was the informant on her mother's death in 1920 where she (inexplicably) gave her gdfather's occupation as grain merchant. Wondering (a) how many grain merchants there were in Banff at the time, retired or otherwise, (b) did Jemina pluck a respected neighbour's respectable job rather than recording "don't know" or "would rather not say" in today's parlance?

[dowdstree]

The index on Scotlands People for the 1920 Valuation Roll has a William Robertson as Proprietor and Occupant of a house and stables at 29 Seafield Street, Banff.

There is still a bakery in Seafield Street and it is further down the hill from number 29 on the corner of Stuart Street. Don't know if that is where it was in the 1920's.

Might be worth a look at the valuation rolls.

Dorrie

[Fordyce]

Thanks dowdstree. (I only just noticed my original reply of a couple of days ago has failed to appear - don't quite understand why it didn't.)

The current Seafield Bakery is and was at no.6 and no.8; it was known as Leggie's. Jimmy Legge also owned no.4 ('Roseacre'), renting it out, and lived there for a while. No.29 is not that far away I suppose. The Banffshire Year Book for 1898 mentions William Robertson - I can't say for certain but he seems to be the only grain merchant in Banff at that date. It's academic at this distance in time, but there's at least a measurable chance Jemima Watson (forename is spelt thus, despite her nickname being 'Mina') got the idea of recording her gdfather's occupation as a 'grain merchant' instead of what it really was - a 'mason'.

[dowdstree]

Nice to hear from you Fordyce.

Looks like you are probably correct about Jemima Watson giving the wrong occupation for her grandfather on her mother's death certificate. As we know the information is only as good as given by the informant. Still wonder why she did that?

I know Banff reasonably well as my son lives there and we use the Seafield Bakery on occasion. In fact I will be holidaying in Whitehills in a couple of weeks time.

Dorrie