HOME, Christian ^{1 2 3}

   Cause of her death was erysipelas and old age.

   Other names for Christian were GORDON, Christina and HOME, Christina.²

   User ID: M1.

  General Notes:

"HOME
CHRISTIAN
PETER HOME/CHRISTIAN STRACHAN FR169 (FR169)
F
08/07/1819
180 10 / 156
CLATT"

from Births and Baptisms


Old Parish Registers
Clatt parish Aberdeenshire
Baptisms

"Anno Domini 1819
8th July
Home
Christian lawful daughter of Peter Home and Christian Strachan in Mains of Tilliangus was baptised before witnesses David Henderson and Mary Home in Newbigging"


The 1841 census presents some difficulty in finding a totally conclusive citing of Christian Home. She was not living at home with her mother in Mains of Tilliangus, Clatt. A good possible citing of her is in the parish of Trinity College Edinburgh, a city where Christian resided in later life. The spelling of her name was rendered as 'Christina Hom', indexed as 'How'. The woman cited worked as a female servant, and had been born outside the county she was resident in, that is outside of the county of Midlothian. She lived in Carruber's Close, Edinburgh, near St Paul's, and was placed in the 20-24 years age group. Another young woman, also a female servant, aged 15-19 years, called Elizabeth Brash lived with her, possibly in a room provided by, or rented from, the main householder, a grocer called James King who had a (probable) wife called Margaret, both aged in the 30-34 years age group, and a (probable) son of 22 months.

Note:

The 1841 census did not publish relationships, so we have to have recourse to inference in that area, hence the 'probable'.


The 1851 census for Clatt in Aberdeenshire recorded Christina Home, with her son, George, and daughter, Georgina, comprising one of the households at Mains of Tullyangus. Christina was recorded as head of the household and as unmarried - 'U' in the census abbreviation. She had been born in Clatt and was recorded as 32 years of age. With regard to her occupation: 'knitting etc' was noted in the census return. Her son, George, was recorded as aged 5 years and her daughter, Georgina, as 3 years of age.


The census for Clatt in 1861 recorded Christian Home living at Overton of Tullyangus, a dwelling further up the hill from the Mains. Christian was a pauper who knitted for a living. She was born in Clatt. Christian's age was recorded as 39 years and she was recorded as 'Un', unmarried. In Christian's small household there lived with her a 9 year old scholar called William Downie, who had been born in the parish of Gartly in Aberdeenshire.


Christian Home and her grandson, Peter Gordon, were recorded in 1871 by the census of that year, living together at Mains of Tullyangus in the parish of Clatt, Aberdeenshire. Christian, the head of the household, was recorded as unmarried, aged 52 years, and born in Clatt. She was a 'Pauper (Knitter)' by occupation. Their house had two rooms with one or more windows. Peter Gordon was recorded as 3 years old and born in Keig parish, Aberdeenshire.


The 1881 census recorded as head of the household living in Overtown of Tullyangus in Clatt, Aberdeenshire, a woman, aged 62 years, called Christina Home. Her status was noted as 'U', unmarried. Living with her were her two grandsons: Peter Gordon, aged 13 years, and born in the parish of Keig, Aberdeenshire, and Peter Home Ross, aged 3 years, born in Clatt parish, Aberdeenshire. Christina was recorded as a knitter by occupation, and Peter Gordon was a scholar.


The census of 1891 for Liberton parish, Midlothian, near Edinburgh, recorded a Christina 'Gordon' as head of a household living in the High Street, the household consisting of herself and her 'son', Peter Gordon. One room of their home was windowed. Christina was recorded as being a widow of 70 years of age, and born in Clatt, Aberdeenshire. Peter Gordon was recorded as 23 years old, unmarried, and born in Clatt. He was a coal miner by occupation.


Christina Hume was living at 11 Drum Street Gilmerton when the 1901 census recorded her as head of a household that consisted of herself alone. The entry is indexed by the GRO as 'Hume', but close examination of the handwriting reveals an unclosed 'o', making it 'Home'. She was recorded as a widow of 91 years, whose birthplace was the parish of Clatt in Aberdeenshire. Her profession or occupation, offered with perhaps a hint of a smile, was entered as 'Home Duties'.


Christina died in 1912. Her recorded age then was 90 years. She was described as 'housekeeper' and 'single'. Both of her parents were deceased, of course. ^{3 4 5 6 7 8}

  Research Notes:

KIRK SESSION AND DISCIPLINE

The Kirk Session was a church court of sorts, although it also carried out works of charity, and promoted generally the fulfilment of Christian duties in the local society. It consisted of the parish minister, elders of the congregation, and a session officer who recorded minutes and administered any matters that arose. A moderator representing the Presbytery was sometimes present. It was in effect the law court of the 'godly society'; it administered justice and maintained discipline in the parish, for the spiritual well being of the souls therein.

The majority of cases that came before the Session concerned sexual misconduct: fornication and illegitimacy, adultery and promiscuity. Those in error, by the standard of Christian principles, were called to account; responsibility and repentance for their transgressions were made public, in order that justice and order could be restored for the individuals concerned and the community at large.

The disciplinary apparatus of the Free Church of Scotland mirrored that of the Established Church. In cases of illegitimacy, mothers could sue in the civil court the fathers of their children who did not take up their responsibilities. However, this was an expensive option, not afforded by many, and the results were often unsatisfactory.


WILLIAM DOWNIE

This may have been the child of George Downie and Jessie Stewart or Stuart, baptized in the parish of Gartly Aberdeenshire in 1847, about five miles north of Clatt.


LIBERTON/GILMERTON

These are now part of the residential suburbs of Edinburgh, situated a few miles south of the city centre. In Christian Home's time they would have been villages, surrounded by farms, country estates and open countryside. Coal mining and limestone excavation were occupations that brought people into the villages, and contributed to the ongoing development of them in the 20th century.

  Medical Notes:

J. Christie Forbes LRCP&S(E) certified the causes of death.

Peter Gordon, grandson of the deceased woman, gave notice of her death before the registrar, H. Duncan, at Liberton on 18 May 1912.

Christian had a temporary relationship with George GORDON (DNA Linked), son of Peter GORDON and Jean GRANT. (George GORDON (DNA Linked) was born in 1810 in Rothes parish, Moray, Scotland ^{9 10}, baptised on 4 November 1810 in Rothes parish, Moray, Scotland ¹¹ and died 10 December 1885 at 11.00 am in St Swithin Street, Aberdeen, Scotland ¹².). The cause of his death was bronchitis over 1 month 14 days and dilatation of the heart of unknown duration.

  Marriage Notes:

George Gordon and Christian Home never married. In later life Christian Home continued to style herself 'single' or 'unmarried', and George Gordon married someone else soon after his relationship with her. This is a not untypical pattern in North East Scotland at that time. Their children George Strachan and Georgina were their 'natural' children, conceived and born outside marriage. Christian Home never married anyone else.



"Voluntarily compeared Christian Home, an unmarried woman, residing at Mains of Tullyangus, and acknowledged that she had been guilty of the sin of fornication. Being solemnly exhorted to speak the truth and interrogated, she declared that George Gordon an unmarried man residing at Hardgate of Clatt had been guilty with her and was the father of the child. Voluntarily compeared also the said George Gordon, and acknowledged that he had been guilty with Christian Home & that he was the father of the child. After a suitable admonition both parties were dismissed for the present." (! June 1845)

"Sederunt the Rev. James Walker, Modr., Messrs James Wilson, John Sangster, the Rev. John Minto, Elders, Mr Minto, Cler.
Tokens of the admission to the Communion were given to 9 individuals, and their names added to the roll.
Thereafter compeared George Gordon and Christian Home, acknowledging their sincere sorrow for the sin of which they had been guilty. The said Christian Home having produced a certificate bearing the she had been admitted a member of the Established Church, at Glasgow, and had, during her residence there, maintained an irreproachable character, received a suitable admonition and was absolved.
George Gordon also produced a certificate of good character from his native Parish. The Minister reported that the said George Gordon, having formally waited upon him & expressed his desire not only to be absolved from Church censure but also to be admitted into full communion with the Church, had been examined by him as to his knowledge of the ordinance of the Lord's Supper. The Session being satisfied as to his religious knowledge, the Moderator after a suitable admonition, absolved him from censure and admitted him to the privileges of the Church." (Saturday 26 July 1845)

from Minutes of the Kirk Session of the Parish of Clatt




Old Parish Registers
Clatt parish Aberdeenshire.
Baptisms

' Gordon & Home
12 June 1845
George Gordon, Wright, lately residing in Hardgate of Clatt, and Christian Home at Mains of Tullyangus, had a natural son born on the twelfth day of June, Eighteen hundred and forty five, named George Strachan, and baptized on the twenty ninth day of July following by the Rev. James Walker; Witnesses, Robert Gordon, Senr., Gordonston, and George Leggat, Farmer, in Mains of Tullyangus.'




George Gordon and Christian Home's daughter, Georgina, was born in the parish of St Nicholas, Aberdeen, in May 1847. George Gordon's name was recorded in the entry of her birth, not in her baptism, in the Parish of Clatt, Book of Birth and Baptisms, as

"George Gordon, Wright, late at Hardgate of Clatt."
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