Banffshire (Rathven Parish) Baptism - Anna Bennet

[Lee Ross]

Hi everyone,

Hoping I can please get some help decipher the placename on the attached baptism record for Anna Bennet on 11th Aug 1746 in Rathven.

My transcription:

Anna, daur to John Bennet & Anna Clark in ?Bleocockmuir? was baptised, witness James Cuy in Wakerdales (Walkerdales) &c

I have a marriage record of John Bennet and Anna Clark in 1735 Wakerdales (Walkerdales) so I'm guess the place is somewhere close to there near Rathven, Banffshire. I however can't find the baptism records of Anna's known siblings James Bennet (1741-1824 - father of James Gordon Bennett, publisher of the New York Herald) and Margaret Bennett (1754-1856, married John Chapman of Ryeriggs) in the either OPR or the Catholic records, the Bennetts were a Roman Catholic family.

I'm also curious about the cross symbol on the right hand side - is it a symbol of a Catholic baptism? Or that she died shortly after the baptism?

Any help would be appreciated!

[Flattybasher9]

"Cockmuir" is 3.3 miles South of Elgin.

Malky

[Lee Ross]

"Cockmuir" is 3.3 miles South of Elgin.

Malky

Hi Malky - I did find a few Cockmuirs around, which might be possible but I just feel like they're all too far away when the witness is from Walkerdales (where the parents were also married), not impossible tho. I also think there's another half to the word on the line above.

Thanks
Lee

[Forfarian]

I agree that is has to be somewhere in the parish of Rathven. The Cockmuir south of Elgin is in a different county, let alone parish, and the clerk would certainly have noted that if it had been so far away. There are several Cockmuirs in various parts of Scotland (Aberdeenshire, Lanarkshire, West Lothian, Midlothian) besides the one south of Elgin.

I reckon it's possibly the place shown as Blaemuir on the first edition of the Ordnance Survey six-inch map - see https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=16&lat=57.6499&lon=-2.9560&layers=5&b=1

It's still marked on the modern maps but seems to have been renamed Glen Mor. See https://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/NJ4362 and click twice on the map to enlarge it enough.

The 1855 valuation roll lists Blaemuir, proprietor Sir William Gordon of Letterfourie, tenant John Bennet. Some of the archives relating to Gordon of Letterfourie are in the University of Aberdeen archives, and it is possible that they might include for example estate plans showing Blaecockmuir.

The 1851 census shows John Bennet and his wife Isabella Wiseman at Blaemuir.

I can't help with the baptism of James Bennet, but this may be of interest: https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6275125

As might this: 1783, February 9. Thomas Bennet in Walkerdales and Isobel Burges in the parish of Belly were matrimonially contracted consigned pledges and after proclamations were married February 28th. [Rathven Parish Register] This couple had a daughter Helen who married John Russell and had ten of a family in Keith.

The cross just looks like a fancy way of writing 'and'. Are there any more on the same page?

[Lee Ross]

Hello,

Thanks so much for your reply - I do like the idea of Blaemuir (maybe it was a shortened or alternative version over time). Burnside of Letterfourie is very nearby Walkerdales and thanks for tracking down the tenant John Bennet, that's a good sign. Maybe one day when I'm over in Scotland, I can have a look at University of Aberdeen archives.
I'd like to connect this John as well as the Thomas Bennet of Walkerdales you mentioned. There's also a Peter Bennet (that married Margaret Mitchell) at Burnside of Walkerdales. There might also be a connection to the Lobban family, a few Bennett marriages.

The cross is interesting because it's against 3 other baptisms on the page...and just looks a little to elaborate to nothing, but I haven't seen it on any other baptism records so far.

Thanks
Lee

[Forfarian]

Sorry, I was trying to modify my last post but the whole thing has disappeared. However the modification was to say that Elizabeth Bennet who married John Burgess in Thornybank was not one of the RC Bennets in Walkerdales. She was a Protestant from Newmill, Keith.

[GR2]

The 1797-98 Farm Horse Tax Roll for Rathven shows these Bennets:

James Bennet, Bank
James Bennet, Mains of Buckie
Alexander Bennet, Rathven
James Bennet, Mains of Rathven
William Bennet, Plach Dubs
John Bennet, Rathventown
James Bennet, Buckie

In addition:

James Bennet was tenant in Cuffurach in 1800
John Bennet was tenant in part of Broadley in 1800/1827 [£5 10/-]

And, from the minutes of the kirk session:

James Bennet was censured for antenuptial fornication with Janet Craigins in 1804

[Fordyce]

There was a place named Bleacockmuir - it seems to have been adjacent to Walkerdales. I have reference to it in 1741. In 1745 it's been written as Blairockmuir. It's a pretty fair bet that the placename had become Blaemuir by the time of the OS. The OS Name Book shows that James Bennett was tenant Blaemuir - "An ordinary sized dwelling house with a court of farm offices, garden, and an arable farm attached, in the occupation of James Bennett".

I cannot see any connection of my family with your family, but two maybe of mine were at Blaemuir in 1841 in h/h Alexander Bennett farmer: Ann Geddes female servant and John Geddes ag lab.

Cannot help with the baptisms of the Bennett siblings you mention but I've got notes of Margaret Chapman d/o John Chapman & Margaret Bennett - Margaret Chapman married George Geddes crofter/farmer Broomhill Keith - she was his second wife.

[Flattybasher9]

There are also, Nether, Upper and Greens of Blairock.

Malky