Barbara Batten & the Shirrefs Gordon of Craig Castle

[Forfarian]

1871 census: Torryburn, Kintore lists Alexander Shirrefs, 69, retired Lt-Colonel Madras Army, with wife Mary Agnes, 58, born London, and family including Anne, 22, born Banchory.

There is a baptism of Anne Shirrefs, daughter of Alexander Shirrefs and Mary Agnes Rist, in Strachan on 15 October 1849. (Strachan is the next parish to Banchory.)

The Dundee Courier announced on 4 February 1876 the death of Alexander Shirrefs:  At 12 Viewforth Terrace, Edinburgh, suddenly, on the 30th ult, Lieut. Colonel Alexander Shirrefs, formerly of the Madras Array, second son of the late Alex. Shirrefs, advocate, Aberdeen, aged 74.

On 25 November 1892 Home News for India, China and the Colonies announced the death of his widow: Nov 16, at 131, Warrender Park-road, Edinburgh, Mary Agnes Rist, widow of the late Lieut-Col Alexander Shirrefs, HEICS, 79.

None of which explains why James Francis Gordon Shirrefs should have succeeded Francis Gordon in the estate of Craig. You'll probably need to get a copy of Francis Gordon's will to explain that.

[Reigate1999]

There is an article in the Aberdeen Press and Journal of 21 January 1939 , reprinted in the Aberdeen Weekly Journal of 26 January 1939,from T B Rudmose-Brown of Ardpatrick, 94 Rathfarnham Road, Dublin who says he is researching the family of his late wife, who was a daughter of James Francis Gordon Shirrefs-Gordon, 14th of Craig. Among the other people he asks about is Barbara Shirrefs-Smith, adopted daughter of Miss Shirrie Lumsden-Shirrefs of Blairmormond and Knowsie, who was the daughter of George Lumsden-Shirrefs (really Barclay) and Mary Smith. He asks who Barbara Shirrefs-Smith and Mary Smith are, and goes on to say that Barbara is said to have been a daughter of William Smith, of Heywood Place, Liverpool, and to have been a first cousin of her husband.

Thank you for your welcome Forfarian and thank you SO much for your research, I’m very grateful as I wouldn’t have been able to go that far myself! I now know what the link is, which is fantastic.

I am now curious about Barbara Shirrefs-Smith, does the source you are referring to suggest that she and her husband, James Francis Gordon Shirrefs-Gordon, were first cousins?

And who are George Lumsden-Shirrefs (Barclay) and Mary Smith, the parents of Barbara Shirrefs-Smith or the parents of Miss Shirrie Lumsden-Shirrefs?

[Forfarian]

I am now curious about Barbara Shirrefs-Smith, does the source you are referring to suggest that she and her husband, James Francis Gordon Shirrefs-Gordon, were first cousins?

That is in the letter from T B Rudmore-Brown.

I suggest that you go to www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk, invest in some credits, and use some of them to view and download the 1861 marriage certificate. This should confirm the parents of James Francis Gordon Shirrefs as Alexander Shirrefs and Mary Agnes Rist, and the parents of Barbara Smith as William Smith and Elizabeth Purvis Porteous.

It should also say if the couple were cousins, though I don't see how they can be first cousins when there are no matching surnames among the two sets of parents.

There is an announcement in the Aberdeen Weekly Herald of 14 December 1861: At Aberdeen, on the 12th inst, by the Rev Wm Ross, of Kintore, James Francis Gordon Shirrefs, Her Majesty's Madras Army, second son of Colonel Alexander Shirrefs, Toryburn, late Assistant Commissary-General, Madras Army, to Barbara Shirrefs Smith, of Knowsie House, Aberdeenshire, youngest daughter of William Smith, Haywoods Place, Liverpool.

And who are George Lumsden-Shirrefs (Barclay) and Mary Smith, the parents of Barbara Shirrefs-Smith or the parents of Miss Shirrie Lumsden-Shirrefs?

I think they must be the parents of Miss Shirrie.

There is a stone in Lonmay Kirkyard that reads: Erected to the memory of George Lumsden Shirrefs of Blairmormond d. 25 Apr 1830 aged 81 and Margaret Smith his spouse d 28 Oct 1839 aged 77. Also Isabella their eldest dau d 24 Dec 1842 aged 47. John their eldest son d 11 May 1852 aged 57 and Alexander their 2nd son d 9 Dec 1853 aged 56. Also Shirrie L Shirrefs their youngest dau d 16 Feb 1870 aged 72.

Interestingly the family members at Knowsie in 1841 are John L Shirrefs, 45; Isabella Shirrefs, 45; and Shirrefs Lumsden, 35.

[Forfarian]

Sheriffs Barclay, daughter of George Barclay and Margaret Smith, was baptised in Aberdeen on 9 September 1797.

Their other children were also baptised in Aberdeen
Isabel, 16 March 1792
John, 7 December 1793
Alexander, 22 December 1795.

George died as George Lumsden Shirrefs in 1830, so he must have changed his surname some time between 1797 and 1830.

[Forfarian]

I found this in an online copy of The Gordons of Craig by John Malcolm Bulloch, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 9 December 1929.

[Forfarian]

This has some information about the Barclay-Lumsden-Shirrefs connection

http://www.glenbuchatheritage.com/picture/number915.asp

[Forfarian]

I've been looking at all this, and I think the only way it all makes sense is if William Smith was the nephew of Margaret Smith, wife of George Barclay who changed his name to Lumsden-Shirrefs.

However I can't think offhand of any way to prove the connection.

Anyone have any ideas?

[Reigate1999]

I've been looking at all this, and I think the only way it all makes sense is if William Smith was the nephew of Margaret Smith, wife of George Barclay who changed his name to Lumsden-Shirrefs.

However I can't think offhand of any way to prove the connection.

Anyone have any ideas?

I think you are right, looks like their common ancestors are Barbara Smith’s great-grandparents. I will see what I can find on Ancestry for births, deaths and marriages etc!

Thank you again for all your research!

[Forfarian]

I think you are right, looks like their common ancestors are Barbara Smith’s great-grandparents. I will see what I can find on Ancestry for births, deaths and marriages etc!

Don't bother with Ancestry; it doesn't have access to the original documents. For this sort of search, go straight to the source: www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk. You can search the indexes free of charge.

See https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=714261.0