Duncan Livingston, slate quarrier at Balvicar

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Canadian Livingstone
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Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2009 9:00 pm

Re: Duncan Livingston, slate quarrier at Balvicar

Post by Canadian Livingstone »

Hi Margaret,

Regarding Barbara Livingston whom you suggest may be a sister of Donald's father Duncan Livingston b. abt. 1791 in Kilbrandon Parish, the 1871 Census indicates that she was born at Babricar which is probably a extremely bad transcription of Balvicar a slate mining village on the Isle of Seil. Duncan may well have originated from there also. I have every reason to believe that Barbara is probably Duncan's sister living with the family early on. For a time she was employed as a domestic servant. Later in her later years is living as a pauper in Colipool Village. She died sometime between 1871 and 1881 apparently but there does not seem to be a registration of the death at this time. A death record would have been useful to determine the names of her parents and therefore possibly Duncan Livingstones. As Barbara is residing with DUncan and family at Balvicar Isle of Seil in 1841 according to the census of thatyear then this 1871 information could be suggesting to us the possibility that your Livingstons were residing in this slate village prior to 1800. We also know from the birth information 29/07/1805 for Duncan's daughter Mary that Duncan and his wife Euphemia McInnis were at Balvicar at least as far back as 1805 and in all probability then Duncan and his Parents whoever they were lived there before that. And although my focus off late has been Dallermaig, certainly there is greater connection to Balvicar and Isle of Seil in terms of Duncan and the early family.

regards,

Donald
Canadian Livingstone
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Re: Duncan Livingston, slate quarrier at Balvicar

Post by Canadian Livingstone »

Hi Margaret,

I wonder if Duncan is listed in the 1830 list of Bredalbane tenants on the Isle of Seil?

regards,

Donald
jmlivingstone
Posts: 533
Joined: Thu Sep 10, 2009 10:34 pm

Re: Duncan Livingston, slate quarrier at Balvicar

Post by jmlivingstone »

Hi All,

Just found the following birth certificates;'

1. Barbara Livingstone, Stat Birth 515/00 0031, District of Kilbrandon & Kilchattan, on 11 Dec. 1880 at Ellenbeich, Kilbrandon, mother Isabella Livingstone, occ. domestic servant, birth registered by James Livingstone, uncle.

2. Jane Livingstone, Stat. Birth 515/00 0009, District of Kilbrandon & Kilchattan, on 12 March 1876 at Easdale, Kilbrandon, mother Isabella Livingstone, occ. domestic servant, birth registered by Donald Livingstone, grandfather.

John
Canadian Livingstone
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Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2009 9:00 pm

Re: Duncan Livingston, slate quarrier at Balvicar

Post by Canadian Livingstone »

Hi John,

Thanks for looking up that information. Wow. Looks like the Marquis of Breadalbane was a major landlord in the area and I see Barnayerry and Dallermaig mentioned. I the Maclea info for 1730 and the Livingston info for 1830 for the Isle of Luing from the Breadalbane Rental info but not for the Isle of Seil. We should probably get that information given that there were a number of Livingstons from that Slate Island. Also would be interesting to see where the Maclea Livingstons were located on the Isle of Seil in the during the 1730 period.

regards,

Donald
Canadian Livingstone
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Re: Duncan Livingston, slate quarrier at Balvicar

Post by Canadian Livingstone »

Hi Margaret and Sandra,

Some of the old slate workers cottages are apparently still standing at Balvicar. There is no cottage no. listed in the 1841 Census for Duncan's residence at Balvicar, but his sons Duncan Jr. Archibald and Archibald McIntyre 10 yrs later continue to reside together and all residing at Balvicar No. 6 according to the 1851 Census if that is any help to you. By this time Duncan is a shoemaker and Archibald a Tailor but it may be that they are living in the same cottage as they did in 1841 with their parents.

regards,

Donald
jmlivingstone
Posts: 533
Joined: Thu Sep 10, 2009 10:34 pm

Re: Duncan Livingston, slate quarrier at Balvicar

Post by jmlivingstone »

If anyone is researching info on the Greenock or Gourock areas, try looking under Gourock, I believe until at least the 1950's, large parts of Greenock, in some circumstances, came under Gourock for registration purposes for BDM's,

John
smcairnx
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Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2012 7:45 pm

Re: Duncan Livingston, slate quarrier at Balvicar

Post by smcairnx »

Hello,

Thanks to everyone who is contributing to this discussion and helping me find out more about my Livingston ancestors. Whilst I had aso know my great grandmother (Jane Linvingston 1976-1972) was from the Isle of Seil it was only recently I found out that she was a Livingston and less than a month since I found her birth certificate. I find it hard to believe that I know about her mother and her family, that she had sibblings, and the various locations which she stayed in. Two, three, fours, five heads are truly better than one !

There is much for me to follow up and consolidate and I am looking forward to building a picture of her life before she moved to Dundee to work in the Jute industry. I have also have a number of places to go to when I visit the Isle of Seil in July including Ardmaddy Castle and Grounds on the mainland. - though I suspect that I amy have to plan a return visit to fit everything in.

I know now that my great grandmother had four younger sibblings, including twin Kenneth and Isabella born in 1892, whom I will try and trace through Scotland's People and other sources. Early searches suggest that Kenneth and Isabella were taken in by local families as children and that Kenneth was sadly killed in action in France in 1816 - see http://warmemscot.s4.bizhat.com/viewtopic.php?t=876 for more details and photographs.

Once agains thank you all for all your help.

Best wishes

Sandra
Jill Richmond
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Location: Galloway, S.W Scotland

Re: Duncan Livingston, slate quarrier at Balvicar

Post by Jill Richmond »

Hi Donald,

Yes, the Earl of Breadalbane was a v ery large landowner with lands stretching from Perthshire, through Argyll and all the way to Mull. One of my forebears, not a Livingston, was one of his factors.

In the 1920s the Earl of Breadalbane of the day and his wife went to Monte Carlo. There, they gambled away his entire inheritance; money, land, the lot. It is said that they were driven away from their home, Taymouth Castle, in a horse and cart - a sad end to a wealthy and powerful family.

Incidentally,I have been very interested in this thread as my 3times great grandfather, Archibald and his wife, Mary McDougall, spent some time on the Isle of Luing prior to moving on to Craignish, but I have not so far been able to find any connection to the Balvicar Livingstons, though it is possible that there is one.

Regards

Jill
Jill Richmond
Canadian Livingstone
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Re: Duncan Livingston, slate quarrier at Balvicar

Post by Canadian Livingstone »

Hi Sandra,

I have enjoyed learning about your and Margaret's ancestors from the Slate Island of Seil as have others that visit this site. I have no doubt in the future that the information that you and Margaret have shared with the Maclea Livingstone Society Forum will be seen by other Livingston descendants whose ancestors worked in the slate Islands quarries. In previous years the forum has also been contacted Livingstons whose family have a connection to the Ballachulish quarry. Barbara Fairweather's book "Highland Heritage" focuses on Ballachulish and she does a nice history in this book on the Ballachulish slate industry.

regards,

Donald
jmlivingstone
Posts: 533
Joined: Thu Sep 10, 2009 10:34 pm

Re: Duncan Livingston, slate quarrier at Balvicar

Post by jmlivingstone »

Jill,

What I posted was a very small portion of the land owned by the Earl of Breadalbane, he appears to have had land across all of Argyll, I was only looking at Allt Dallermaig,in the Royal Commission report,

John
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