LAIDLAW, William Tenant in Horsburgh Castle ¹

   Other names for William were LAIDLAW, William tenant of Common ³ and LAIDLOW, William.¹

  General Notes:

"Nov 3 1835 (died) Mr William Laidlaw tenant in Common"

The Inventory of his possessions that formed part of his last will and testament in 1836, referred to William Laidlaw as "the late Mr William Laidlaw formerly Tenant in Horsburgh Castle afterwards residing in Peebles who died on 30th October 1835". The value of the estate left by William Laidlaw was between £5000 and £6000. Elsewhere in the document he is referred to as "William Laidlaw Writer in Peebles", "Writer" being a Scots term for a man educated as a lawyer or solicitor. Towards the end of the document it refers to the debts owing to "Umquhile William Laidlaw formerly Tenant in Horsburgh Castle afterwards residing in Peebles at the time of his decease which happened at Peebles on the thirtieth day of October last.." ^{3 4}

  Research Notes:

SHIFTS IN FORTUNE

The sudden fall in the price of grain at the close of the Napoleonic Wars around 1815-1816, severely affected many tenant-farmers and may have pressed heavily on Laidlaw too.

William married Sarah ANDERSON, daughter of Adam ANDERSON and Margaret BALLANTYNE, on 9 Dec 1806 in Innerleithen, Peebleshire, Scotland.¹ (Sarah ANDERSON was born on 5 Nov 1779 ¹, christened on 8 Nov 1779 in Innerleithen, Peebleshire, Scotland,¹ died in Sep 1827 in Horsburgh Castle Farm, Innerleithen, Peeblesshire, Scotland ^{5 6} and was buried on 13 Sep 1827 in Innerleithen Churchyard, Peeblesshire, Scotland ⁷.)

William next married Sarah ANDERSON, daughter of Adam ANDERSON and Margaret BALLANTYNE, on 25 Nov 1773 in Rayne Parish, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.² (Sarah ANDERSON was born on 5 Nov 1779 ¹, christened on 8 Nov 1779 in Innerleithen, Peebleshire, Scotland,¹ died in Sep 1827 in Horsburgh Castle Farm, Innerleithen, Peeblesshire, Scotland ^{5 6} and was buried on 13 Sep 1827 in Innerleithen Churchyard, Peeblesshire, Scotland ⁷.)

  Marriage Notes:

"LEITH
ALEXANDER
MARY ELISABETH/GORDON
25/11/1773
236/ 20 175
Rayne"

from Index of Marriages




Old Parish Registers
Rayne parish Aberdeenshire
Marriages

"21 November 1773
Leith & Gordon
The matrimonial Banns of Alexr Leith Esqr of Glenkindy and Miss Mary Elisabeth Gordon daughter of the late James Gordon Esqr of Cobairdy were three times published and no objection being offered they were married on thursday (unclear) after being the 25th of Novr." ²