Old Age
Number 109, space 2
She is married to Abraham Archibald.
They got married on October 20, 1795 at Inveresk and Musselburgh, Midlothian, Scotland.Source 5
Child(ren):
1. Name: ROBERTSON Marjorie DOD: 02-Apr-1854 Age: 78 POD: North Leith COD: Old Age Info: Mother of Andrew Archibald DOB: 04-Apr-1854
POB: Newton MLN
There are so many mining families with ASTHMA listed as COD, which is more likely "code" for black lung. Abraham and Marjorie's Grandson Abraham b. 1821 Newton (son of Andrew Archibald b. abt 1797) married a Catherine Moffat who is in my Moffat tree.
2. Is this the correct Marjorie? The dates fit in, why did she die in Leith? Other clue is she was buried in Lair Number 109, space 2, adjacent to where Abraham was buried in Number 110, Space 2. Order gotten by Son, Andrew Archibald
3. Further investigation finds a North Leith Poorhouse, (and a South Leith Poorhouse) a newer North Poorhouse being opened in 1863, although an earlier establishment seems to have existed: See http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Leith/
4. It is not clear when Marjory Robertson was born. In the 1841 Census, she is found living in a house alone, in Squaretown, Newton, Midlothian. The 1841 census gives no further information than the County she was born, which is Midlothian. From the 1851 Census, she is living with Andrew Archibald, her son, at Four Houses Building, Adamsrow, Newton. Andrew's wife Janet Robertson, also born Cockpen, and their daughters, Jane and Isabella are also in the house. She died in 1854 at age of 78, which makes her birth date 1776. The only record in Scotlands People of a birth of Marjory or Margaret Robertson at that time in Cockpen (she was named as Margaret in the 1851 Census) is
*ROBISON, MARGARET, Parents DANIEL ROBISON & ELIZABETH CHISHOLM, Female, b. 26/02/1775, 676/10 182, Cockpen, in Poltonmains, Cockpen.*
although there are many other births with the name Margaret Robinson around that time, in the Edinburgh area! (See Media and Web Links above)
5. Ref: Scottish Coal Mining Ancestors, author Lindsay S. Reeks. Gateway Press, Baltimore 1986.
Abraham, b. 15 Sep., bp. 2 0ct. 1776, Newton p., wit: James Archibald, Thos. King [2]. M. 20 0ct. 1795, Inveresk p., Marjory Robertson, at which time, they owned their irregular m. [76]. This m. likely relates to the ancestor as their first son was bp. Andrew, as in the naming custom, on 16 Aug. 1796, Inveresk p. and witnessed by Andrew Archibald, likely his father [18]. Abraham Archibald d. 18 Nov. and was bu. 21 Nov. 1834, age 59 ys., which agrees with his birth year. His res. was Redrow, Newton p. Cause of death was given as asthma, and informant, Andrew Archibald, son [15]. Marjory Robertson, his wife, was bu. in Newton p., 4 Apr. 1854, age 78. Cause of death, old age, res. in North Leith p· Informant was Andrew Archibald, son.
Marjory Robertson | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1795 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Abraham Archibald | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Record for Andrew Archibald
Name: Andrew Archibald
Age: 54
Estimated birth year: abt 1797
Relationship: Head
Spouse: Janet Archibald
Mother: Margeret Archibald
Gender: Male
Where born: Inveresk, Midlothian
Parish Number: 696
Civil Parish: Newton
Town: Adamsrow
County: Midlothian
Address: Four Houses Building
Occupation: Stone Miner
ED: 5
Page:5
Household schedule number: 23
Line: 17
Roll: CSSCT1851_190
Household Members:
Name Age
Andrew Archibald 54
Janet Archibald 54
Margeret Archibald 76
Jane Archibald 17
Isabella Archibald 12
Record for Majary Robertson
1841 Scotland Census
Name: Majary Robertson
Age: 65
Estimated birth year: abt 1776
Gender: Female
Where born: Midlothian, Scotland
Civil Parish: Newton
County: Midlothian
Address: Square Town
Parish Number: 696
Household Members:
Name Age
Majary Robertson 65
04/04/1854 ROBERTSON, MARJORY (O.P.R. Deaths 696/00 0287 NEWTON)
1854 Newton
Register of Deaths and Burials in Newton Parish
Died April 2nd Buried April 4th Marjory Robertson North Leith, N Leith, Order got by Andrew Archibald, Son, COD Old Age, Age 78, Number 109 Space 2
North and South Leith
North Leith erected its own poorhouse in 1763 in the Citadel area.
After 1845, the parishes of North Leith and South Leith, separated by the Water of Leith, were administered by separate Parochial Boards and operated their own poorhouses which stood within a few hundred yards of each other.
South Leith
According to the 1848/9 Edinburgh and Leith Post Directory, South Leith appears to have briefly operated a poorhouse at 97 Giles Street. However, a new poorhouse was built in 1850 at the east side of North Junction Street. Its location and layout are shown on the 1876 and 1908 maps below.
The entrance at the south-west was flanked by the Parochial Offices. In the main building to the rear, males were accommodated in the north-western portion, and females in the south-eastern. Separate school rooms for boys and girls lay at the outer ends of the male and female wards. The governor's quarters lay at the centre, with a chapel to the rear. A further range to the rear contained workshops on the men's side, kitchens and storerooms at the centre, and laundry on the women's side.
North Leith
The foundation stone of the North Leith poorhouse was laid on 15th August 1860. The building was situated on a two-acre site at the west side of North Junction Street, a few hundred yards from the North Leith parish church. Its location and layout are shown on the 1876 and 1908 maps below.
A news report on the scheme was published in July 1862:
New Workhouse, North Leith.—The North Leith Parochial Board having obtained a piece of ground measuring about three acres, in North Junction Street whereon to build a poorhouse and offices for the Board and their servants, the buildings were commenced in July 1860, according to plans prepared by the late Mr. Peter Hamilton, architect, Edinburgh, and they have now been satisfactorily completed. The poorhouse, situated in the centre of the ground, with the front to the south, is plain, substantial, and commodious. The principal portion of it is two storeys high, 140 feet long and 45 feet broad; and the height from the floor to the ceiling on the ground-floor is 12 feet, and in the upper flat 13 feet. The whole arrangements for ventilation have been completed by Mr. William Cunning, ironmonger, Queen Street, Edinburgh, after a plan of which he is the inventor. The grounds, enclosed with high stone walls, are laid out in a tasteful and useful manner. The late Mr James Hume, builder, Leith, was the contractor for the mason work; Mr. Andrew Cunningham, wright, Leith, for the joiner work; Mr Peter Innes, plasterer, Edinburgh, for the plaster work; Mr. Fortune, slater, Leith, for the slater work; and Mr Law, plumber, Edinburgh, for the plumber work. Some consider the house a model poorhouse, and already several deputations from distant parochial boards have come to inspect it. The cost of the house and furnishings amounts to about £7,000.
The new poorhouse was intended to accommodate up to 120 inmates. The design comprised two long parallel ranges, each two storeys in height. Male wards were placed in the north-eastern wing, and females in the south-western. The Governors quarters were located at the centre, with a dining-room cum chapel to the rear joining the two ranges. The smaller north range contained laundry and workshops and sick-wards, with a small dead-room (mortuary) at the north of the site. No school-rooms were included. The entrance to the site was at the east side beside the Parochial Offices on North Junction Street.
North Leith site, 1908
From 1894, the North and South poorhouses were brought into common management under Leith Parish Council and there seems to have been some rationalisation of the use of the two sites. By 1900 the North Leith building was being referred to as 'Leith Parish Hospital'. It would probably have been rather quieter for the sick than the South Leith building which was located next to an engineering works.
The South Leith site was acquired by the managers of Leith Hospital (a voluntary hospital) and the poorhouse demolished in 1911 to let more light into their premises. The building in the photograph below formed part of Leith Hospital — the poorhouse was on the gardens in front.
South Leith former poorhouse site from the west, 2001.
© Peter Higginbotham.
Seafield Road Poorhouse
In around 1906, North and South Leith became united for poor law purposes. A new poorhouse was erected in 1906-8 on Seafield Street at the south side of Seafield Road to accommodate about 650 inmates. It was the last poorhouse to be built in Scotland.
Leith Seafield Road site, 1932
A lodge stood at the entrance to the site at the north.
Leith entrance lodge from the west, 2001.
© Peter Higginbotham.
The main administration and accommodation blocks were at the northern part of the site.
Leith administration block from the west, 2001.
© Peter Higginbotham.
Leith memorial stone, 2001.
© Peter Higginbotham.
Leith administration block window, 2001.
© Peter Higginbotham.
Leith ward block from the south, 2001.
© Peter Higginbotham.
A connecting corridor ran down the centre of the site to a cruciform infirmary complex at the south.
Leith infirmary block from the west, 2001.
© Peter Higginbotham.
During the First World War, the site was taken over for use as a military hospital and nurses' home with a separate nurses' dining room and wooden operating theatre being added. In August 1918, it was transferred to the use of the United States Navy. From 1930 it became known as the Eastern General Hospital.
By 2001, the site was operating only as a day hospital, and finally closed in 2007. Later that year, large parts of the buildings were destroyed by fire, with the remainder likely to be demolished.
1795 ARCHIBALD, ABRAHAM MARJORY ROBERTSON (O.P.R. Marriages 689/ 0130 0055 Inveresk and Musselburgh)
1795 Inveresk and Musselburgh. Archibald Abraham and Marjory Robertson were irregularly married at Edinbr. Octr. 20th 1795. The parties appeared before the Session and their Marriage was confirmed by Dr. Carlyle Novr. 29th 1795