NISBET, Isabella Haimes (DNA Linked) ¹

   Cause of her death was cerebral haemorrhage and arteriosclerosis.⁴

   Other names for Isabella were GORDON, Isabella Haimes, GORDON, Isabella Hames Nisbet,³ GORDON MS NISBET, Isabella,⁵ NESBIT, Isabella,⁶ NISBET, Bella ⁷ and NISBET, Belle Haimes.

   User ID: A128.

  General Notes:

Isabella's birth was notified by her father, William Nisbet, who had been present where the birth occurred. He gave notice before the registrar, H. Murray, at Edinburgh on 16 February 1882.

The 1891 census did not include Isabella in the list of those living in her family's household. She was living as a 'boarder' (a census term) with Alexander and Jane Foster at 7a Brown Street, Edinburgh. Isabella was recorded as aged 9 years and was a scholar. She had been born in Edinburgh. The dwelling she lived in had one windowed room. She lived with an elderly couple: Alexander Foster was a cooper by trade, still employed, aged 66 years, and had been born in Leith; his wife Jane Foster was 64 years of age, and had been born in Edinburgh.

In 1901 the census recorded a 19 year old single woman called Isabel Nisbet living as a 'boarder' in the household of Alexander Foster, a Leith-born cooper aged 76 years, at 16 Roxburgh Place in the Canongate district of Edinburgh. Mr Foster's wife, aged 74 years, also lived there. Isabel Nisbet had been born in Edinburgh, and was a dressmaker machinist.
Note: It is clear from the evidence of both families that the relationship between Isabel Nisbet and the Fosters was more familial than the census term 'boarder' expresses.

'Bella Nisbet' was one of the witnesses at the marriage of her sister Rebecca to John Bell in 1904 in Edinburgh.

Isabella Nisbet continued to live with the Fosters until her marriage in 1906. So although the formal and official language of the census recorded her as a boarder in the Fosters' household, Isabella was in fact more of a daughter or granddaughter to them. Christina Whittaker, one of Isabella's daughters, testifies to this when she remarks in her memoir Midlothian Memories "Granny Foster spent the last years of her life living with my parents."

In her 1962 death certificate, Isabella Hames Nisbet Gordon was recorded as aged 80 years, and the widow of James Gordon, Foreman Oil Works.

In 2012 Pat Reid wrote to Patrick's People regarding Belle Haimes Nisbet:
"She was a witness to an ancestor's marriage in Leith, Edinburgh and I wondered if she was related to the family.
The marriage concerned was Ann Foster Carse to John Inglis Verth in 1905. What I found out was:
Ann Foster Carse's grandmother was Ann Foster, who was the sister of Alexander Foster with whom Isabella Haimes Nisbet resided at least between the 1891 and 1901 censi. Ann Foster married Thomas Carse. My connection to the Carse family is that Ann's parents were Elizabeth Dutton and William Carse. I descend from Elizabeth Dutton's sister, Agnes." ^{3 6 7 8 9 10}

  Research Notes:

7A BROWN STREET EDINBURGH

Isabella Haimes Nisbet lived at this address when the 1891 census was taken. The Fosters with whom she lived were not blood relatives. She was, nevertheless, living fairly close to blood relatives, or had been, at least, until 1890. For Isabella's paternal grandparents lived and died in 5 Brown Street, Edinburgh, a stone's throw from where Isabella was living with the Fosters. Indeed it is possible that she had been living with her paternal grandparents until 1890 when they both died. Alexander Nisbet died first, in the summer, then his wife, Isabella, after whom her granddaughter was named, in the winter.

Isabella's father lived very close to Brown Street, too, about a minute's walk away in Davie Street, where Isabella had been born. Though he and his second wife moved later, first to Buccleuch Street and then to Minto Street, the family remained within a couple of miles of each other at this early stage of Isabella's life.

  Medical Notes:

H. D. Leggatt BM certified the causes of Isabella's death.

G. S. Gordon, Isabella's son, who had been in attendance, gave notice of his mother's death before the registrar, H. L. Wood, on 14 May 1962 at the Sub-district office of Oxford. His residence was noted as 175 The Slade, Headington, Oxford. ⁴

  Noted events in her life were:

1. Time of birth: at 9.30 am.

Isabella married James GORDON (DNA Linked), son of George Strachan GORDON and Normina WINTON, on 29 November 1906 in 34 Blacket Place, Edinburgh, Scotland.^{1 2} (James GORDON (DNA Linked) was born on 18 April 1879 in Temple parish, Midlothian, Scotland and died on 14 July 1933 in The Gatehouse, Oakbank Oilworks, Mid Calder, Midlothian, Scotland.). The cause of his death was chronic myocardial degeneration or 'heart failure'.⁴

  Marriage Notes:

The marriage took place after banns according to the forms of the United Free Church of Scotland.

James Gordon was a bachelor of 27 years. His address was recorded as Marybank, Pumpherston, Midlothian. He was an oilwork labourer. Both of his parents were living.

Isabella Nisbet was aged 24 years and unmarried. She was a dressmaker, living at 16 Roxburgh Place, Edinburgh. Her mother was deceased.

The minister was Daniel Lamont of Newington United Free Church. The witnesses were Alex Gordon and Jeannie Deans Nisbet, probably brother of the groom and cousin of the bride.

The marriage was registered on 1 December 1906 at Edinburgh. ²