Ann(e) STEPHEN

[Forguette]

Ann/e STEPHEN had three sons with John RAFFAN all baptised Inverkeithny.
1815 May27 John RAFFAN.
1817 May19 Alexander RAFFAN.
1819 Mar11 James RAFFAN.
Address 1815 Newbigging.

John(snr) marries Catherine FORDYCE on 12Aug 1822.

What I'd like to know is WHO was Ann/e STEPHEN?
 Where did she come from?
 Where did she go?
TaVM.

[GR2]

I had a look to see if the minutes of the Inverkeithny kirk session were available on Scotland's People, but no. The accounts are, and on 25th June 1815 there is the following entry:

John Raffan & Ann Stevens penalty   1  "  "

They had to pay £1, so it might be that their first child was born out of wedlock or very soon after they married.

[Forguette]

Thanks GR2,
£1. seems a bit steep! What's that in today's money? Was that the standard penalty? Or did it vary?

EDIT: £1 is £91.33 today.
Go ogle is never my friend. I cannot find out how much an ag lab would be paid in 1815.
Does anyone know?

[Forguette]

I found 1800 or 1820 english farm workers, but not NE Scotland. Were the wages different?

[Forfarian]

Go ogle is never my friend. I cannot find out how much an ag lab would be paid in 1815.
Does anyone know?

The Statistical Accounts of Scotland

https://stataccscot.edina.ac.uk/static/statacc/dist/home

The Old Statistical Account was compiled in the 1790s and the New Statistical Account in the 1830s. Read up on your chosen parish(es) in both and split the difference?

(The OSA article on Inverkeithny is very poor. Some are much better.)

[Br1gau]

Hi,

Further reading of the Inverkeithny kirk session accounts (1779 – 1858) sourced by GR2 brings up:

1821 March 14th: Ann Stephen being in want, the Session agreed to allow her six pecks of meal and 4/-

1823 August 12th: the Session granted Ann Stephen 4/- and 10/6 worth of meal

1824 March 12th:  Ann Stephen granted 3/- and 5/- for meal

1824 August 12th: Ann Stephen granted 10/-

1824 November 23rd: Ann Stephen granted 12/9 for meal

1825 March: Received from the effects of Ann Stephen and Mary Sinclair £2 – 13s – 4d

[Forguette]

Thanks Forfarian, had a quick look at IK and Forgue, but so far no mention of wages for farm labs, or farmers. Will keep reading.

[Forguette]

Br1gau, thanking you verra muckle. So she didn't die 1820ish as I had presumed, and they surely never married either. Wonder why they were not penalised for the next two births also.
Can you ascertain from the amounts granted whether she had the children with her, or was alone? The statistical accts, state a somewhat higher rate of help to the poor than what she seems to have received.

[Br1gau]

It's hard to say if the children were with her, although I suspect not.  The parish would expect the boys' father to maintain them, especially after being fined, presumably for fornication! the parish poor fund being the last resort for Ann. 

The first entry found for Ann shows eleven women with grants ranging from 4/- to 12/- but on that occasion she had extra meal.  There are two men on the list, one getting a consistent  amount of £1-6-3d each time with a new pair of stockings on one occasion, and the other £1 suggesting they both had families to support.

The volumes themselves make for interesting reading, providing quite an insight into the times although it's a shame the kirk session Minutes aren't available for this parish.  Ann's first entry appears on page 125.  Do you have James' death cert?  His is the only one that gives his mother's maiden name:

RAFFAN JAMES, age 65y mmn STEPHEN, died 1884   150/ 16 Cullen, Banff

I think this may be John senior:
RAFFAN JOHN, aged 75y, mmn WOOD, died 1861 151/ 3 Deskford, Banff