Robertson Family Line
John Robertson 1680`s
I have not been able to determine much about John, I believe that he was a merchant and lived in Leith or Edinburgh. I have found an investment that he made to the Darien Settlement Project. This was a project to set up a settlement in New Caledonia near Panama. He would have lost most of his money in this scheme.
Thomas Robertson 1700-Unknown
Thomas was born around 1700 in Edinburgh, Scotland not much is known about his father or mother. By 1714 he was working as an apprentice to Alexander Steven learning the trade of wig making. His father would have paid Alexander for this apprenticeship.
On 22nd March 1724 he married Mary Steven, daughter of Alexander and their first child was born in March 1725. They had six children: Margaret, Thomas, Laurence, Mary, Helen and John.
I have been unable to determine the date of his death.
Thomas Robertson 1728-Uknown
Thomas was born 17th November 1728 in Edinburgh.
He married Mary Ross but I have been unable to find the records for this but it would have been sometime around 1757 as after this date they have eight children: Thomas, Mary, John, Mary, Robert, Alexander, Margaret and Thomas.
Like his father he was a wig maker, likely learning his trade as an apprentice at an early age.
I have been unable to determine the date of his death.
Thomas Robertson 1757-Uknown
Thomas was born 18th December 1757 in Edinburgh, on 18th February 1780 he married Margaret Berry. They would have five children: Elizabeth, Marion, John, Isobel and James.
Thomas was a wig maker and in 1788 takes on Henry Auchinleck as his apprentice for 6 years.
I have been unable to determine the date of his death.
James Robertson 1789-1845
James was born on 26th October in Edinburgh.
James worked in Edinburgh as a hairdresser and perfumer after being an apprentice for Duncan Robertson in 1779, he completed his training in 1804. By 1809 he has his own business on Princes Street and advertises for help
He had moved to High Street when on the 30th December 1822 he was assaulted in his shop and robbed.
In 1826 James married Helen Johnston, she was likely pregnant at the time as their first child was born not long after the marriage. It is also likely that he was married before as he had two sons before this marriage: Thomas (1819-1819) and Thomas. This is confirmed in James and Helen`s will where they state that everything should go to their children James and Jemima and only a few shillings are left to Thomas
The only thing we do know that in 1841 James was living with his wife Helen and two children Jemima and Thomas on Clerk Street, Edinburgh.
James appears in another article in that reported he had been threatened due to his voting preference.
On the 19th October 1845 James died in Edinburgh infirmary from Inflammation, this could have been heart or lung problems.
Thomas Robertson 1825 – 1911
I am unable to find any records for the birth of Thomas but this was around 1825 in Edinburgh.
It would appear that sometime after 1841 Thomas moved down to Newcastle maybe as an apprentice learning the shoemaking trade or if he was already skilled then Newcastle would have provided working opportunities.
In 1845 he met and married Ann Storey and they lived in Painter Heugh just off Dean Street. They had 3 children Elizabeth, James and Walter. Unfortunately, in 1852 Elizabeth died on 16th April after the birth of Walter. Then followed 10 days later by Ann on the 26th. This would have left Thomas, James and Walter on their own, Thomas would have been compelled to remarry to provide a mother for 2-year-old James.
Oddly Walter died in 1852 at only a few months of age in Whitechapel, London. Was Thomas in London at the time? He did have relatives in Londan, had he asked them to care for Walter? I suppose we will never know.
Thomas married Mary Skinner on 26th September 1853 and they had 7 children William, Thomas, John, Jemima, Gordon, Archibald and Frederick.
Further tragedy occurred when in January 1884 at the age of 4 his son James dies, Thomas no longer has any surviving children from Ann.
By 1861 the family are living in Blandford Street in Westgate and Thomas is still working as a shoemaker the family will live here until in 1891, they move to Villa Cottage and Thomas is listed as unemployed possibly due to his failing eyesight.
In 1894 his wife Mary dies and Thomas moves in with his son Gordon and his family on Gloucester Road, Elswick.
He is still living with Gordon in 1911 where the census states that he has been blind for 2 years, in July that same year Thomas passes away.
John Robertson 1862 – 1938
John was born in 1862 in Newcastle upon Tyne.
He began work at an early age as a currier, probably helping his father. A currier is a specialist in the leather processing industry. After the tanning process, the currier applies techniques of dressing, finishing and colouring to a tanned hide to make it strong, flexible and waterproof.
On 17th May 1885 he married Jane Newby, from the marriage certificate we can determine that they lived on the same road. They will have 5 children Frederick, Mary, Emily, Margaret and William.
In 1891 they are living on Corporation Street and John is working as a leather shaver, but by 1901 the family are living on Grafton Street and are launderers. It is unknown as to why the change in occupation.
The family moved to Addison Street then to Douglas Terrace by 1911. Douglas Terrace was listed as a 2 roomed house one of which would have been the kitchen this would have had to house all 6 of the family. This might offer a clue to the financial situation of the family, by 1938 John had passed away.
William Robertson 1901-1963
William was born on 31st October 1901 at 1 Addison Street, Newcastle upon Tyne.
He joined the merchant navy and worked as a seagoing wireless operator. He has listed as the ships he sailed on before his marriage:
1925 – Knebworth – destination America and Wales.
1926- Dashwood – destination Argentina and Hull.
In June 1926 he married Elizabeth Hope and the had 2 children William and Mary. Straight after the marriage William was back at sea and on 1st November 1926 the ship Dashwood ran aground off the coast of France. The news article states that the distress message was sent by the wireless operator, this would have been William.
After the birth of William, he was back at sea serving on:
1928 – Farnham
1932 – Capulet – an oil tanker bound for Trinidad.
1933 – Atlantic
1934 – Newton Pines – destination Singapore and Alexandria
1934 – Birtley -Aberdeen, Rotterdam and Hamburg
1935 – Nunturton
1935 – Cedrington Court – destination Cardiff and Argentina
1936 – Royston- destination Scotland
1939 – Olavus – destination Cork and Hull
By 1939 the family are living on Fallowfield Avenue and William was listed as attached to the SS Rondo, this ship regularly goes between Newcastle and London. The SS Rondo later sank but William was no longer working on this ship.
It is unknown what William would have done during WW2 as he was too old to enlist and fight, he may have contributed to the war effort in some other way but we do not know. We do know that in Scotland he worked for the Air Ministry, this could explain his move to Scotland, he would have been able to use his wireless operator skills. This information still remains classified.
William and Elizabeth moved to Aberdour, Scotland sometime in 1950s and it is very possible that William worked at the local Air Ministry. They lived in west end, Aberdour and they named their bungalow “Capulet” possibly after the ship William sailed on.
On 25th October 1963 William died of myocardial infarction and the death was registered by his son William.
William Robertson 1927 – 2009
William was born 18th September 1927 in Newcastle upon Tyne.
In 1939 he was living at 193 Fallowfield Avenue, in 1945 after the war he joined the RAF. William was a special private in the RAF training as an engineer whilst working on the planes. His service would have lasted 5 years and he would have been a qualified engineer after his service. He was stationed at RAF Leeming in Yorkshire.
By 1950 his 5 years in the RAF had ended, William met and married Elizabeth Goldie, they had two children Christine and Pamela.
William worked as an engineer for a drilling company.
On the 18th February 2009 William passed away.
