MENZIES, Gilbert of Findon, 'Banison Gib', Provost of Aberdeen ^{1 3 4 5}

   User ID: Z514.

  General Notes:

"Gilbert was served heir to his father on 3rd October, 1508, his stepmother being found entitled to a terce of the lands."

"Menzies lived in a house in the city known as Pitfoddels' Lodgings, which occupied the site now taken up by the Union Bank at the top of Marischal Street, and was the scene of more than one eventful incident in the city's history. The first of these was the murder, on 7th January, 1527, of Alexander Seton laird of Meldrum, by the master of Forbes, who, eleven years later, was executed for attempting to shoot the King with a culverin, as he passed through Aberdeen to hold a justice ayre. Two years later the house was laid in ruins by an accidental fire, when a large new building of stone, with turrets, was erected on the same site. This house was probably the first stone building in Aberdeen. An edifice of such a character was then considered a mark of the greatest opulence, and it is recorded that in 1545, one of the inhabitants defying Menzies said 'he did not care for all the power of the provost or his stane house.' In 1530 Menzies, along with four of his sons, and certain of the citizens of Aberdeen, was charged before the High Court of Justice with killing a servant of Alexander Forbes, heir-apparent of Brux; but was, with the others, acquitted through its having been satisfactorily proven that the Forbeses were the aggressors."

from Estate of Pitfodels




"Gilbert Menzies ... was served heir to his father in the various properties which he held in October, 1508."

"As already noticed, the Menzies family had acquired considerable hold over the lands of Pitfoddels, upon which they had several wadsets, and it seems to have been an object with them to get the whole property into the family. An opportunity to effect this occurred in the Provost's lifetime, and he does not appear to have been slow in availing himself of it. Provost Alexander Reid (50), of Pitfoddels, left an only daughter, who thus became his heiress, and it seems to have been agreed between Menzies and Reid that Mariote, or Marion, the daughter of the latter, should wed Thomas, the son and heir of Gilbert, so that in them the whole property might become united. After Reid's death, his widow, Margaret Crawford, did her best to thwart Menzies in the carrying out of the alleged arrangement, and considerable litigation took place in the local courts over the custody of her step-daughter, Marion Reid, who was at the time a minor. Menzies, however, appears to have got his way in the dispute, for he produced the King's letters in his favour, granting him the ward and marriage of the young heiress, and after having his right fully acknowledged he allowed the relict of Provost Reid to keep her step-daughter on finding sufficient caution.

from Aldermen and Provosts ^{3 6}

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Provost, 1505, of Aberdeen. ³

2. Provost, 1507-1513, of Aberdeen. ³

3. Provost, 1516-1520, of Aberdeen. ³

4. Provost, 1522-1524, of Aberdeen. ³

5. Provost, 1526-1532, of Aberdeen. ³

6. Provost, 1536, of Aberdeen. ³

Gilbert married Bessie LESLIE, daughter of David LESLIE of Pitcaple and Unknown.¹ The marriage ended in separation. (Bessie LESLIE was born about 1473.)

  Marriage Notes:

"David Leslie, first Baron of Pitcaple, granted a charter to Robert Culan, burgess of Aberdeen, of an annual rent of four merks Scots, from the half of the lands of Crechmond, with the mill, in the regality of the Garioch, 16th April 1472. He left no lawful issue, but he had an illegitimate daughter, Bessie, married, first, to Gilbert Menzies of Findon, from whom she was separated, and, secondly, to the Laird of Landro, in the Mearns."

from Family of Leslie

Note:

1

This 'failed' alliance is not referred to in Aldermen and Provosts, but the date and name suggest it was this Gilbert Menzies.

2

The 'Laird of Landro in the Mearns' has not yet been identified. 'Landro' may refer to Ballandro or Balandro, near Johnshaven in Benholm parish, Kincardineshire. If so, the 'laird' may refer to one of the Lundin/Lundy family. ^{1 3}

Gilbert next married Marjory CHALMERS, daughter of Alexander CHALMERS of Murthill and Cutls, Provost of Aberdeen and Elizabeth CULLEN.^{2 3} (Marjory CHALMERS was born about 1473.)

  Marriage Notes:

"Gilbert Menzies was married to Marjory Chalmers, a daughter of Provost Alexander Chalmers, and by her he had the following family : Thomas, his heir, Alexander, Andrew, David, John, Gilbert, and a daughter, married to John Dempster of Auchterless."

from Aldermen and Provosts




"Gilbert was ... was known by the sobriquet of Banison Gib, and was married to Marjorie Chalmers, daughter of the laird of Murtle, by whom he had several children."

from Banchory Devenick ^{2 7}