TWEEDLEY, Thomas Nicholson

   Other names for Thomas were TWEEDLEY, Thomas, TWEEDLEY, Thomas Nickelson,^{8 9} TWEEDLIE, Thomas, TWEEDLIE, Thomas Nicholson and TWEEDLY, Thomas.

  General Notes:

Thomas was recorded in the 1841 census aged 9 years. He was born in Ireland. The first child in his family to be born in Renfrewshire was his younger brother William.

John's father, Thomas Tweedley, was the informant of his birth. He gave notice of it at Neilston on 6 March 1855 before John Gardiner, registrar. In the additional information provided by the 1855 birth certificate format, it was also stated that Thomas himself was a shoemaker aged 22 years and had been born in West Arthurlie. He and his wife had married at Barrhead in 1851.

His son, John, died in 1883. Thomas was recorded as a shoemaker in his death certificate.

The death certificate in 1893 of James, the son of Thomas and Margaret, says Thomas was a shoemaker.

In 1897 Thomas' wife died and she was then a widow of 58 years of age. Thomas was recorded as a shoemaker.

In the 1931 death certificate of his daughter Margaret, Thomas was again recorded as a shoemaker. ^{7 10}

Thomas married Margaret Duncan PARKHILL on 21 Jun 1850 in Neilston, Renfrewshire, Scotland.¹ (Margaret Duncan PARKHILL was born on 14 Mar 1830 in Crofthead, Neilston, Renfrewshire, Scotland ¹¹ and died 28 February 1897 at 3.30 pm in 37 Kelburn Street, Barrhead, Renfrewshire, Scotland ⁹.). The cause of her death was congestion of the brain and gastric atrophy, both of 14 days' duration.

  Marriage Notes:

In his son John's birth certificate of 1855, Thomas Tweedley stated that he and his wife were married in Barrhead in 1851. ⁷

Thomas next married Alexander Nicholson TWEEDLEY, son of Thomas Nicholson TWEEDLEY and Margaret Duncan PARKHILL.^{2 3 4 5} (Alexander Nicholson TWEEDLEY was born on 30 Apr 1859 in Neilston, Renfrewshire, Scotland ¹¹.)

  Marriage Notes:

"Mary (Gordon), married, 8 December (contract 8 November) 1643, to Alexander Irvine of Drum."

from Scots Peerage (vol 4)




"This Alexander Irvine died on the 18th September, 1687, leaving by his first wife, Lady Mary Gordon, one son and four daughters. Two sons had died in youth. By his second wife, Margaret Coutts, he left one son and three daughters. By his first marriage he had:-(1) Alexander, who succeeded him; (2) and (3) Robert and Charles, who died young; (4) Mary, married to Patrick, Count Leslie, of Balquhain; (5) Margaret, married to Gilbert Menzies of Pitfoddels; (6) Jean, who, some years after her father's death, was married to Alexander Irvine of Murthill, afterwards of Drum; (7) Henrietta, married to Alexander Leslie of Pitcaple. By the second marriage he had:-(1) Charles, who died a minor in 1693; (2) Catherine, married to John Grey of Gallowhills; (3) and (4) Anne and Elizabeth, who died in their minority, unmarried."

from The Irvines of Drum

Note:

This author notes two different daughters named Margaret who married 'Gilbert Menzies of Pitfoddels', one daughter of the 8th Laird, and one of the 11th Laird. Only the first seems to fit the dates. ^{4 5}

Thomas next married about 1681-1682.⁴

  Marriage Notes:

"Having lost his first wife, Lady Mary Gordon, the laird of Drum married, about the year 1681 or 1682, a pretty and youthful country girl, Margaret Coutts, who, according to the old ballad of 'The Laird of Drum,' was the daughter of a shepherd. At the time of the marriage he must have been about sixty-three years of age, and she about sixteen. His relations, it would appear, were annoyed at this union, and took no pains to conceal their feelings; and it is not improbable that their conduct, resented by him then, was revenged on them afterwards, when he altered the old destination of the lands, and excluded the heirs male and their descendants who stood next in succession to the family then in possession."

from The Irvines of Drum




"The eleventh laird's first wife had apparently been somewhat aristocratically aloof but, after she died, he spotted a young shepherdess on his estates, some forty-seven years his junior. Sixteen-year -old Mary Coutts was not one to sell her virtue short so, despite general disapproval, the two were married and the old laird enjoyed six years of bliss before dying not long before his seventieth birthday in 1687. This story is recorded in the traditional ballad 'The Laird of Drum'."

from The Irvine Family ^{3 4}