Dunnikier - Parkland - Thomson

[rebeccareardon]

Hi All
My ancestor, a John Thomson m. Janet SMith 10/2/1827. They emigrated to Australia in 1839 on the Moffatt from the Kirkcaldy-Dysart region where they were born and had 6 children.
At times they refer to themselves as of "Dunnikier" and at times of "Parkhead". I know Dunnikier was an Estate so I assume he may have lived in one of hte cottages.
Question: How are Dunnikier and Parkhead related? WAs Parkhead originally part of Dunnikier Estate?
Thanks for your help

[MonicaL]

Hi Rebecca

Pathhead was a village in its own right, known for the manufacture of nails. Some background here www.wikiwand.com/en/Pathhead also from google books www.rootschat.com/links/01ry6/

Have you looked at any of the images of James and Janet's children's christenings? They may contain more info (or not as the case may be, a little bit like a lucky dip the OPRs!).

Monica

[MonicaL]

This is always a good resource for place names https://scotlandsplaces.gov.uk/digital-volumes/ordnance-survey-name-books/fife-and-kinross-shire-os-name-books-1853-1855/fife-and-kinross-shire-volume-103/7

Further details, including map www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/21898

Monica

[maddys52]

A map here from 1854
https://maps.nls.uk/view/228777640

"Dunnikier House" and "Dunnikier muir", Pathhead, but no "Parkland".

see also:
https://fife-placenames.glasgow.ac.uk/placename/?id=717

[MonicaL]

Gosh, I saw Parkland and converted it to Pathhead in my head 

Monica

[hdw]

Dunnikier Park in Kirkcaldy has a big house which was built in the 1790s and called Dunnikier House. Later it became Dunnikier House Hotel, and more recently still it has been re-named Oswald House Hotel after the former landed family Oswald of Dunnikier. We had my sister's wake there in January.

The name Parkhead or Parkland may well refer to the Dunnikier estate and park in former times.

Harry

[rebeccareardon]

Thank you all for your feedback. The link to Scotland Places was particularly useful and it seems  part of Pathhead was on Dunnikier Estate, hence hte interchangeability of where he was from between Dunnikier and Pathhead.

Monica - I looked at the christenings of all hte children. Unfortunately they all say Dysart so it is not much help in narrowing down. But Newspaper article in Australia narrow it to Dunnikier and Pathhead.

Thank you so much everyone.

I

[maddys52]

That's good to have that resolved, so it was Pathhead and not Parkland in the newspaper account you mention?

[rebeccareardon]

The newspaper article said of Parkhead but I think it should have said Pathhead. Other articles say he was of Dunnikier so putting 2 and 2 together, I have concluded Pathhead is correct. The birth records unfortunately do not show the village