# Part Three: Discovering the Lewins, the…(oh you know what?, …Et Al.)

- Link: https://johnshistory.com/2022/05/20/part-three-discovering-the-lewins-the-oh-you-know-what-et-al/
- Published: 2022-05-20T16:50:29+10:00
- Author: John Macvean

## My Three Times Great Grandparents, Janet Swanston, William Lewins and their families.

Hello, welcome back, hope you enjoyed part two of William and Janet’s story. Now
to pick up where we left off again. I know lazy hey? I just used the same line as
part two but it works people. And I genuinely do hope you enjoyed it, I loved uncovering
all that wonderful family history.

The real star of the process for me is putting it together. Working out where one
piece might fit in with the others and when it does fit, oh it is gold. Because 
remember, there is not one scrap of a primary source anywhere, this is all digital
apart from the book on Berwick I purchased and shared in part one that showed William’s
birth place.

So, to where we left off last post. End of 1889, Janet and William have just celebrated
30 years living, working and raising a family together in the Deer Cottage on the
Kinnaird estate. We know they were involved in their families lives from the slivers
of family interactions we uncovered and we discovered both have siblings living 
their own lives a couple of hours ride south of them in the Scottish Borders where
they grew up.

There are major changes coming for Janet and William, as we work our way towards
the next census in 1891 and then on to 1901 and the new century, but before we dive
into that…..

The Aitkmans! Yay!!!!!

Just to remind us here is a copy of Mary Lewins ( my 4x Great Grandmother’s) death
registration. This is how we know that Margaret Aikman and William Faggot are Mary’s
parents. And I know, technically I should be saying the Faggots, but I got mixed
up thinking William was an Aikman, so you know what? My bad. The one Faggot and 
then the Aitkmans! Yay……

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/mary-lewins-death-
registration-1879.jpg?resize=1100%2C290&ssl=1)

_Figure 1: Courtesy of Scotland’s People _

While we are here talking about Mary’s death registration, I want to share this 
with you, a photo of her headstone. All thanks to my new Cousin, Randi Coulson who
shared it on Ancestry. It comes from the Scottish Monuments Inscriptions site. It
looks like it has definitely seen better days but thankfully there is a transcript
of the inscription provided as well.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/lewens-family-
headstone.jpg?resize=1080%2C1920&ssl=1)

_Figure 1a: Courtesy of Scotland Monumental Inscriptions _
[https://www.findmypast.com/transcript?id=GBPRS/SCOT/MIS/502189](https://www. ndmypast.com/transcript?id=GBPRS/SCOT/MIS/502189)

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/lewins-family-
headstone-transcript.jpg?resize=1100%2C773&ssl=1)

_Figure 1b: Courtesy of Scottish Monumental Inscriptions _
[https://www.findmypast.com/transcript?id=GBPRS/SCOT/MIS/50218](https://www.findmypast.com/transcript?id=GBPRS/SCOT/MIS/50218)

How lucky are we that a transcript was done before all that damage took place. As
you can see it was William’s brother, George who arranged for the headstone. Thanks
again Randi for sharing, this was a wonderful find.

Now that we have reminded ourselves of Mary’s death registration and confirmed her
parent’s names, the next step, of course, is what can I find out about my 5x great
grandparents, William Faggot, shoemaker, and Mary Aikman? Well as it happens, nothing
about William, but Mary is a different story. Ancestry has an unbelievably long 
line of ancestors going back. This rarely happens for me, so I’m sharing it here
for you.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/mary-faggot-ancestral-
line.jpg?resize=1100%2C422&ssl=1)

_Figure 2: Courtesy of Ancestry.com.au_

The final couple on the right of the tree are Richard Potter and Katerin Walker,
apparently my 13x Great Grandparents from Mary’s maternal line, Margaret Aikman.
The problem here is that there is no way to confirm these details, I mean we are
talking records going back to 1541. So I will just say, thank you, looks great, 
and welcome to the family tree.

I can find no birth registrations or marriage registration for Margaret or William
at this time, what I can confirm is that my 5x Great Grandparents did have all of
these children according to the info on Ancestry.com.au.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/margret-aikman-
family-tree.jpg?resize=627%2C512&ssl=1)

_Figure 3: Courtesy of Ancestry.com.au_

Armed with these names, I went searching and had the most amazing luck and found
all of their birth registrations in the one online book of births for the Northumberland
area.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/william-tuck-faggot-
birth-1790.jpg?resize=777%2C300&ssl=1)

_Figure 4: Courtesy of Ancestry.com.au_

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/sarah-faggot-birth-
reg-1793.jpg?resize=804%2C287&ssl=1)

_Figure 5: Courtesy of Ancestry.com.au_

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/margaret-faggot-
birth-reg-1795.jpg?resize=843%2C271&ssl=1)

_Figure 6: Courtesy of Ancestry.com.au_

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/barbara-faggot-
birth-registration-1802.jpg?resize=564%2C188&ssl=1)

_Figure 7: Courtesy of Ancestry.com.au_

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/jane-faggot-birth-
reg-1804.jpg?resize=621%2C269&ssl=1)

_Figure 8: Courtesy of Ancestry.com.au_

Pretty cool hey? But did you notice though, no registration for Mary, my 4x Great
Grandmother? Now we know she existed, she marries Thomas and has all those children,
and then we know she passes away in 1879 and those same parent details appear on
that registration. _William Faggot, shoemaker and Margaret Aikman_. I know, it could
be that we have the wrong William and Margaret with these birth registrations, but
I think I will hold on to them for the minute.

I went through another ten years of births just to make sure we didn’t have the 
date completely wrong and nothing.

I have another theory. If they are our William and Margaret, I think the Jane Faggot
registration may be Mary’s. It fits with the age on Mary’s death registration, she
is 75 in 1879, putting her birth at 1804. Also, I can find no marriage details for
Jane Faggot or children or death records for her. I could be wrong, but I think 
Jane is Mary, I’m buying it, and what a goldmine of information if it is true. Like
I said before it is so hit-and-miss, there is no information coming forth for William
and Margaret but all these details for all their children appear.

So now I will direct our attention back to Figure 2, above, the branch of the tree
going back to 1541. Scrap it, wipe it from your thoughts as it was a furphy. I have
just put together some details that confirm that this is not a branch of our family.
Let me explain.

I was going through Scotland’s People (Scottish Births, Death & Marriages) certificates
just to ensure that I didn’t already have something downloaded for William Faggot
or Margaret Aikman and of course now that I’m aware of the Aikman name, this just
popped out at me from Mary Lewins 1851 Census.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/1851-mary-lewins-
and-family-census.jpg?resize=1100%2C511&ssl=1)

_Figure 9: Courtesy of Scotland’s People_

See that last line I highlighted? _Christian Aikman, Visitor_ and also a _recipient
of parish relief_, same as Mary. When I first saw this I wasn’t aware of the Aikman
tie, I didn’t even read it as Aikman. I think I thought it was Tinkman but now, 
I see it is _Aikman_, this has to be a relative. We know Mary’s mother’s name is
Margaret, so I’m assuming it is not her, maybe this is an elderly spinster aunt,
a sister of her mother?

I start digging and look at what I found.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/christian-aikman-
death-registration-1859.jpg?resize=933%2C406&ssl=1)

_Figure 9a: Courtesy of Scotland’s People_

A death registration for one Christian Aikman and look at that second last column,
the name I highlighted, _Mary Lewens_, and the word, _Nice_. I mean can we get any
luckier? If Christian had married, I would never have found this. How amazing and
not only that, but it also confirms Christian’s parents, Mary’s grandparents and
my 6x great grandparent’s names. James Aikman and Margaret but, unfortunately, again,
no maiden name listed. This confirmed information is what wipes that other branch
from our tree.

The other interesting thing here is that it places Mary in that time in between 
census nights. This is eight years past the last census, when Christian was visiting
with Mary in Ayton. At that time Christian was in her early eighties, the notation
on the census is too hard to read, but it could be 83. We now know that Mary is 
still involved with her Aunt all these years later. I can’t definitively say they
were still living together, but we could make that assumption, especially when you
take note of where she is living when she passes away.

Crossrigg farm. Why would a 91-year-old woman who was listed, as a recipient of 
parish relief eight years earlier be living on a farm if it was not with her farm
labouring niece and family? Again, I think we could make another assumption that
Mary is working and living at the farm and caring for her elderly aunt. This is 
one of those moments I mentioned earlier that I love when tiny slivers of information
come together to build up that picture of the family. In this case, for us, that
has been obscured for over a century.

Here is the map from the Border Family History Society showing where Crossrigg farm
is situated. This is the one I shared earlier in part two, where I marked in New
Mills, this is where Mary and Thomas were living when William (my 3x GGrandfather)
was born. (Just for context.)

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/crossrig-to-new-
mills-1.jpg?resize=1100%2C491&ssl=1)

_Figure 9b: Courtesy of Borders Family History Society_
_ _[http://www.bordersfhs.org.uk/hutton.asp](http://www.bordersfhs.org.uk/hutton.asp)

And here it is, Crossrig is still going. Google Maps will only get us to the top
of the t section there where the road coming up from Crossrig meets the main road.
I did manage to find an aerial shot of the farm as well. (Click on the image and
it will open up for a closer look)

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/crossrig-entrance-
aug-21-1.jpg?resize=1100%2C505&ssl=1)

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/crossrig-aug-21-
1.jpg?resize=1100%2C518&ssl=1)

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/crossrig-aerial-
aug-21-1.jpg?resize=1100%2C536&ssl=1)

_Gallery 1: Crossrig Farm, Hutton_

Just to tie this in, see figure 9b again? The other reason I shared this map in 
part one was that it shows _Dykesgatehead,_ where Mary and the family were living
at the time of the 1861 census, just two years after Christian’s death. Copy of 
the census to remind you below.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/1861-mary-lewins-
family-census-2.jpg?resize=775%2C338&ssl=1)

_Figure 9c: Courtesy of Scotland’s People_

It really was a small world our family inhabited back then. Dykesgatehead is just
below and slightly to the left of Crossrig. Here is a fantastic aerial shot of just
how close they are.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/dykegatehead-to-
crossrig.jpg?resize=946%2C530&ssl=1)

_Figure 9d: Courtesy of Google Maps_

If you compare this aerial shot with the map in Figure 9b it is fascinating to see
that not much has changed. The bends in the road are still there after all these
years.

There of course is one more major tie in for the family with Crossrig Farm. Not 
only is it the place that Mary’s maternal Aunt dies, but you might recall from part
two of this story (_I’m making you work for this aren’t I?_) that it is also where
Mary’s daughter, Margaret, is living in 1858 and the place where she marries William
Waite who is living and working on the farm as an agricultural labourer. I explained
in part two that there are no census details for the Waite’s at all after the marriage
registration in 1858, but it looks like Crossrig was part of the family story for
many decades.

This is a great example of what I was talking about at the beginning of this post,
pieces joining together. You should have seen me when I realised this one, I’m like,“_…
wait Crossrig? That is the same place where Mary’s other daughter was living.”_ 
Big idiot grin across my face. A copy of Margaret and William’s wedding registration
below.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/lewins-waite-marriage-
1858.jpg?resize=916%2C454&ssl=1)

_Figure 9d: Courtesy of Scotland’s People_

Now back to the little more I have on the Aikmans.

You will note from the birth registrations, (Figure 4-8) that all of Margaret and
Williams children are registered in Berwick-Upon-Tweed at the Scotch Church, Golden
Square. And the Minister that registered them, Reverend John Blackhall from the 
Golden Square, Scotch Church.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/rev-john-blackhall-
1790.jpg?resize=420%2C437&ssl=1)

_Figure 10: Courtesy of Google Books_
[https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/The_Universal_British_Directory_of_Trade/UQwHAAAAQAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=John+Blackhall,+Berwick,+minister&pg=PA284&printsec=frontcover](https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/The_Universal_British_Directory_of_Trade/UQwHAAAAQAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=John+Blackhall,+Berwick,+minister&pg=PA284&printsec=frontcover)

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/rev-john-blackhall-
1813.jpg?resize=381%2C141&ssl=1)

_Figure 11: Courtesy of British Newspaper Archives_

These were the only two listings I could find on Reverend Blackhall and this image
below is the only one I could uncover of the Golden Square. But what a beauty it
is! It just gives us an idea of what it most probably looked like for Mary, William,
Margaret and the rest of the family. And in case you have lost the thread of who
we are talking about, this is William Lewin’s, my 3x great grandfathers mother, 
Mary Lewins and her family.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/i2_wp_com-golden-
square-1.jpg?resize=960%2C682&ssl=1)

_Golden Square, Berwick-Upon-Tweed_
_Figure 12: Courtesy of the Northumberland Archives_
[https://i2.wp.com/www.northumberlandarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Golden-Square-1.jpg?w=960&ssl=1](https://i2.wp.com/www.northumberlandarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Golden-Square-1.jpg?w=960&ssl=1)

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/golden-square-
berwick-upon-tweed-1822.jpg?resize=1033%2C592&ssl=1)

_Golden Square, Berwick-Upon-Tweed_, 1822
_Figure 13: Courtesy of National Library
of Scotland_

Below is a really nice detailed map of the area from 1852. A few decades after Margaret
and William, but it doesn’t look like much has changed in this time either, when
you compare it to the 1822 one above.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/golden-square-
berwick-upon-tweed-1852.jpg?resize=1100%2C546&ssl=1)

_Golden Square, Berwick-Upon-Tweed_, 1852
_Figure 14: Courtesy of National Library
of Scotland_

Here is the square today. It has become the approach to and from the Royal Tweed
Bridge, built between 1925 and 1928. A century after Margaret and William’s time.(
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Tweed_Bridge](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Tweed_Bridge))

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/golden-square-
2022.jpg?resize=1100%2C638&ssl=1)

_Figure 14a: Courtesy of Google Maps_

Below is the site of the church where Margaret and William had their childrens baptism’s
registered and I’m sure would have been the site where they worshipped. I wonder
if any of that structure might be original parts of the church?

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/golden-square-
presbyterian-church-site-2018.jpg?resize=1100%2C735&ssl=1)

_Figure 14b: Courtesy of Google Maps_

Talking of Margaret and William’s time, it is very hard to be certain when that 
actually was. As I have already mentioned, there is next to nothing recorded about
them except for the birth notices of their children. Just to be certain, I have 
scoured everywhere searching for birth, marriage and death records for both, and
it is a complete brick wall.

Some trees in Ancestry have death dates noted for both of them in 1828, but there
are no sources attached, so I have nothing to confirm where these dates came from.

What we can be certain of, from the birth registrations, is that their firstborn,
their son William, was born on the 17th December 1790 and by that time they are 
living in Berwick, and William, Senior, is a shoemaker. The assumptions that we 
might be able to make from this are, that Margaret and William were married most
likely, sometime in the preceding years, that they themselves might have been born
anywhere from 1760-1770, William maybe earlier than that, and that is it. The rest
of their story is buried for the moment, more likely than not forever, but you never
know.

This is Berwick-upon-Tweed, the ancient town that Margaret and William lived, worked
and brought their family up in, over two hundred years ago.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/berwickupontweed.
jpg?resize=775%2C356&ssl=1)

_Old Bridge entrance into Berwick-Upon-Tweed_
_Figure 15: Courtesy of Wiki Page___
[https://people-dont-have-to-be-anything-else.fandom.com/wiki/Berwick_upon_Tweed,_Northumberland,_England,_UK?file=BerwickUponTweed.jpg](https://people-dont-have-to-be-anything-else.fandom.com/wiki/Berwick_upon_Tweed,_Northumberland,_England,_UK?file=BerwickUponTweed.jpg)

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/berwick-upon-tweed-
old-bridge-entrance-aug-2021.jpg?resize=755%2C333&ssl=1)

_Old Bridge entrance into Berwick-Upon-Tweed_ _2021_
_Figure 16: Courtesy of_ _Google
Maps_

Golden Square is to the left and behind the trees in the photo above. Of course 
this is the Old Berwick Bridge indicated on the bottom of the map in Figure 13 ,
also above. This bridge, which you can see is still in use, it is a Grade 1 listed
stone bridge built between 1611 and 1624. That is 200 years before Margaret and 
William. Damn!

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/copy-of-old-bridge-
at-berwick-upon-tweed.jpg?resize=990%2C618&ssl=1)

_Old Bridge entrance into Berwick-Upon-Tweed_
_Figure 17: Courtesy of_ eBay[ https://i.ebayimg.com/d/w1600/pict/363602985411_/BERWICK-UPON-TWEED.jpg](https://i.ebayimg.com/d/w1600/pict/363602985411_/BERWICK-UPON-TWEED.jpg)

So that is the end of our journey with the Aikmens and Faggots for the moment. Not
bad when you consider we got all the way back to the mid to late 1700’s from basically
no information at all.

Let us swing back to Janet and William and make our dive into the rest of their 
story. This next article from 1890 shows the first of the big changes that happen
to them and the family.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/w-lewins-presentation-
from-friends-1890.jpg?resize=693%2C563&ssl=1)

_Figure 18: Courtesy of British Newspaper Archive_

It might not have a photograph attached, but wow, I can just picture it from the
description above. What fantastic information it contains on William and Janet and
it gives us a great look at what is happening to them at this time.

The big news, they have closed the chapter on their life at Kinnaird. It mentions
that William has been working there for 32 years. That means he most likely started
just after he and Janet were married in 1858. 32 years after that brings them up
to a leaving date somewhere in 1890.

They are now living in Brechin in Jan 1890, so that fits the time line. I can’t 
confirm if this means they are already situated in the home in Church Street as 
yet. (mentioned in previous post) But they have definitely started on the next chapter
of their lives and I can confirm, if they were in the Church Street property, they
were not there for long. The next article below will explain all.

Just quickly before that, I can’t tell you how much I wish I could find that watch
and coffee pot. What family treasures they would be. A bit of a teaser, the watch
does make an appearance again, will share the details very soon.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/caldcots-farm-
lease-to-w-lewins-1890.jpg?resize=827%2C281&ssl=1)

_Figure 19: Courtesy of British Newspaper Archive_

Ànother amazing sliver of history. Three months after the coffe pot and watch presentation,
Janet and William are leasing the Caldcots farm from the Earl and at a reduced rate.
I think we can assume from this that they were held in high esteem by the Earl. 
I do have to wonder though! What was the reason for them leaving? In terms of workload
I cant imàgìnè that there would be such a huge difference between being the Park
Keeper at Kinniard and running a farm. So a quieter life doesn’t seem feasible.

It took some digging, but I evetually found the area that Caldcots Farm was situated
in, and it too is still going. It is about 4kms or 2.15 miles to the north of the
Deer Keeper’s Cottage, the house thàt Janet and William lived ìn for over three 
decades.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/park-keepers-lodge-
to-caldcots-distance.jpg?resize=1100%2C607&ssl=1)

_Map showing Caldcots Farm to the north of the Deer Keeper’s Cottage on the Kinniard
Estate_
_Figure 20: Courtesy of Google Maps_

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/caldcots-farm-
1903.jpg?resize=1023%2C683&ssl=1)

_Caldcots Farm 1901_
_Figure 21: Courtesy of National Library of Scotland__ _[https://maps.nls.uk/view/82882899](https://maps.nls.uk/view/82882899)

So of course Google Maps doesn’t come anywhere near the area to get a look at the
property today, but I did find a random photo of the farm taken by a family on a
holiday, back in 2010 who shared it on Wiki commons.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/field_trees_and_caldcots_farm_-
_geograph.org_.uk_-_112067.jpg?resize=604%2C448&ssl=1)

_Caldcots Farm_, _Brechin, 2010_
 _Figure 22: Courtesy of _[By Dominic Dawn Harry and Jacob Paterson, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9261944](https://johnshistory.com/?page_id=3862)__

Thanks to Dominic, Dawn, Harry and Jacob Paterson for sharing and giving us the 
glimpse of the property where Janet and William were living. The next article I 
found related to an incident that happened in the area that William was obviously
a witness to.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/william-lewins-
assualt-at-work-1890.jpg?resize=636%2C586&ssl=1)

_Figure 23: Courtesy of British Newspaper Archive_

It is so random what actually comes up, yep that broken record again.

I found another mention of Ruth R Lewins winning another show award for Collie Dogs
in the August. Interestingly she is not listed as living at Caldcots but at 103 
Market Street Brechin.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/ruth-r-lewins-
3rd-prize-for-collies-1890.jpg?resize=655%2C357&ssl=1)

_Figure 24: Courtesy of British Newspaper Archive_

This is the property in 2020.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/103-market-st-
brechin-2020.jpg?resize=1088%2C578&ssl=1)

_103 Market St, Brechin 2020_ 
_Figure 25: Courtesy of Google Maps_

It looks like the 1970s render has hit hard and wiped out any original structures
that might have been there. Ruth is 15 years of age at the time of this mention 
in the Dundee Courier, and I wonder if she is staying here with other family members
to finish up her studies at school while her parents are starting up business on
the farm? Could be, as she turns up in some future articles, as residing at the 
farm.

The next mention relates to the marriage of the Earl and Countess of Southesk’s 
youngest daughter, Katharine, in August 1890. I’m not sure if Janet and William 
attended the wedding, but they did provide a present to Lady Katharine and her husband
Mr Courtenay Morgan, who was the 1st Viscount of Tredegar.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/lady-katharine-
morgan.jpg?resize=760%2C900&ssl=1)

_Lady Katharine Agnes Carnegie _
_Figure 25a: Courtesy of Twitter User, _@GwynethErika
[https://twitter.com/GwynethErika](https://twitter.com/GwynethErika)

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/courtney-morgan.
jpg?resize=358%2C449&ssl=1)

_Courtenay Morgan, 1st Vicount of Tredegar_ 
_Figure 25b: Courtesy of Tredegar House
on WordPress _[https://tredegarhouse.wordpress.com/2013/03/07/the-beginning-of-the-end-a-centenary-at-tredegar-house/](https://tredegarhouse.wordpress.com/2013/03/07/the-beginning-of-the-end-a-centenary-at-tredegar-house/)

I have given a condensed version of the article below, but if you read through the
names of the people providing gifts there are some very recognisable historical 
names. And there below the Ladies Bowes Lyon and amongst Sir Coutts Lindsay and 
the Earl of March is William Lewins, my 3x Great Grandfather.

 * ![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/marriage-of-
   lady-catherine-carnegie-1890-pg1.jpg?resize=588%2C461&ssl=1)
 * ![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/marriage-of-
   lady-catherine-carnegie-1890-pg2.jpg?resize=574%2C444&ssl=1)
 * ![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/marriage-of-
   lady-catherine-carnegie-1890-pg3.jpg?resize=581%2C466&ssl=1)

_Gallery 1: Courtesy of British Newspaper Archive_

I so hope that he gifted them a framed painting of a bull or cow of the famous Southesk
breeding stock. This is actually very exciting to stumble upon. If you recall in
part two of this post I shared the article that mentioned that William was a talented
artist and had built up quite the collection of bovine oils, well I recently saw
that the current Countess of Southesk who manages the Kinniard Estate socials, shared
a very interesting post on accommodation that is available in the castle. Check 
out what it is hanging on the wall and the name of the room.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/bullroom-1-1.jpg?
resize=794%2C244&ssl=1)

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/bull-room-3.jpg?
resize=1100%2C825&ssl=1)

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/bull-room-2.jpg?
resize=1100%2C825&ssl=1)

_The Bull Bedroom, Kinniard Castle _
_Figure 26-28: Courtesy of Kinniard Castle _
[https://www.facebook.com/Kinnairdcastle/posts/5749947141701335](https://www.facebook.com/Kinnairdcastle/posts/5749947141701335)

How amazing is that? I know, it is an incredible long shot, as it is over 130 years
ago William made the gift of the oil painting and probably closer to 150 years ago
since he started painting his collection, but did I think that maybe these might
be examples of his work when I first saw them? You bet I did.

I know they won’t be, but wow, imagine if they are. I’m going to message the Countess
and ask. I have held off doing just that because I don’t want the chance that they
are his, to disappear. Nuts hey?

I nearly forgot with my excitement of the Bull Bedroom, to share how I was able 
to confirm that I had the correct Caldcots Farm?

Well, the Ordinance Survey Book provided again. Remember how I said it took some
time to find Caldcots? It was an article written five years later than this time
period we are discussing now that mentioned William, Caldcots and another farm called
Windyedge which gave me the confirmation that we needed. I know this sounds a bit
cryptic, but I don’t want to spoil the surprise of what I know is coming in that
article.

Here is the page from the Ordinance Book that lines up those points of confirmation
for us.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/os000100014-00011-
00095-.jpg?resize=1100%2C737&ssl=1)

_Figure 29: Courtesy of Scotland’s Places _
[https://catalogue.nrscotland.gov.uk/SPData/image.aspx?p_filename=OS000100014-00011-00095-](https://catalogue.nrscotland.gov.uk/SPData/image.aspx?p_filename=OS000100014-00011-00095-)

With this information firmly in mind, I then went searching on the National Library
of Scotland’s maps site and these fabulous maps below just lined up perfectly with
the very information above, which was brilliant.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/windyedge-caldcots.
jpg?resize=828%2C618&ssl=1)

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/windyedge-arrat-
school.jpg?resize=864%2C606&ssl=1)

_Figure 30-31: Courtesy of National Library of Scotland _
[https://maps.nls.uk/view/82882899](https://maps.nls.uk/view/82882899)

Did you notice how Arrat School was the third listing in the book below Windyedge
and there it is on the map. So we can definitively say that this is where my 3x 
Great Grandparents were living in 1890, where they were beginning the next chapter
of their lives as farm tenants.

They weren’t alone either, as you will see from the 1891 census below.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/1891-lewins-family-
census-3.jpg?resize=736%2C321&ssl=1)

_1891 Lewins Family Census _
_Figure 32: Courtesy of Scotland’s People_

They still have William, Leonard, and Herbert with them and Ruth has returned from
103 Market St, Brechin. The article below is the one I referred to earlier which
I initially discovered, that confirmed Ruth was living at Caldcots.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/ruth-r-lewins-
certificate-1893.jpg?resize=635%2C450&ssl=1)

_Figure 33: Courtesy of British Newspaper Archive_

You will note that Janet (my 2x GGrandmother), Mary and Eliza, their other three
daughters, are not listed on the census as they have left the family home and are
all now married by this time.

Janet, you might remember, moved to Australia and soon after was married to George
Nicoll. Mary by now was married to Alexander Hardie, and they had two infant daughters,
Janet and Ethel. They were living at 2 Elizabeth St in Langholm. Langholm is 200
miles away back in the Borderlands district and 2 Elizabeth St is still standing,
although the render and dreaded aluminium windows have hit this ancient building
too, by the look of it.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/2-elizabeth-st-
langholm-2009.jpg?resize=1054%2C812&ssl=1)

_No 2 Elizabeth Street, Langholm_, 2009
_Figure 34: Courtesy of Google Maps._

This building of tenement housing runs along the river Esk from the Langholm Bridge.
Langholm Archives had some really nice early 20th century photos of the area. In
each of the photos below, this building is the first one on the left over the bridge.
No 2 is the third door down from the corner. This is where Mary, Alexander and the
kids were living when Janet and William were starting life at Caldcots.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/3109-langholm-
bridge.jpg?resize=500%2C318&ssl=1)

_Figure 35_

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/3105-langholm-
bridge.jpg?resize=480%2C400&ssl=1)

_Figure 36_

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/2070-langholm-
bridge.jpg?resize=500%2C315&ssl=1)

_Figure 37_

_Figure 35-37 Courtesy of Langholm Archives _

[https://www.langholmpicturearchive.com/register.php](https://www.langholmpicturearchive.com/register.php)

Eliza their third daughter had made the moved to Australia too but after Janet. 
Before I share what I found of Eliza’s time in Australia I just want to quickly 
go back to the 1881 UK census. I just found this and didn’t want to miss adding 
it to Eliza’s story. Just to refresh our memories here is the copy of the Lewins
1881 Census.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/1881-lewins-census.
jpg?resize=1100%2C489&ssl=1)

_Figure 37a: Courtesy of Scotland’s People_

You’ll note that Janet, my 2x great grandmother is gone. She of course is at this
time teaching at the Battle Hill Ladies Seminary in Hexham, discussed in my earlier
post. Mary Constance is still at home but the other person missing is Eliza Beatrice.
It took some time, but I found her. She is working as a domestic servant at the 
Hirsel.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/eliza-lewins-1881-
census.jpg?resize=476%2C455&ssl=1)

_Figure 37b: Courtesy of Ancestry.com.au_

The Hirsel is the ancient family seat of the Earl’s of Home. Built in 1611, it has
had a number of updates since then but it too still stands today. I also found a
brilliant photo of the head gardener and his team taken only 19 years after Eliza
left, I’m sure not much had changed and it maybe that Eliza might have been dressed
like the woman in the photo and may have even know some of these faces.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/the-hirsel-coldstream.
jpg?resize=900%2C510&ssl=1)

_The Hirsel_
_Figure 37c: Courtesy of The Castles of Scotland _[https://www.thecastlesofscotland.co.uk/s/cc_images/teaserbox_2470480284.jpg?t=1478096050](https://www.thecastlesofscotland.co.uk/s/cc_images/teaserbox_2470480284.jpg?t=1478096050)

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/the-hirsel-img_3296.
jpg?resize=900%2C600&ssl=1)

_The Hirsel, 2020 Figure _
_37d: Courtesy of Stravaiging around Scotland _[http://www.stravaiging.com/history/castle/the-hirsel/](http://www.stravaiging.com/history/castle/the-hirsel/)

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/head-gardener-
gardeners-at-the-hirsel-1900.jpg?resize=599%2C779&ssl=1)

_Figure 37e: Courtesy of Coldsteam History Society _
[https://www.coldstreamhistorysociety.co.uk/general/the-hirsel-lennel-and-lees/#uael-gallery-10](https://www.coldstreamhistorysociety.co.uk/general/the-hirsel-lennel-and-lees/#uael-gallery-10)

Having seen these photos and now knowing a small amount of her parents stories, 
it is really apparent to me they were all living the real life version of Downton
Abbey. I can sort of understand how Eliza made the decision to take the opportunity
to travel to the other side of the globe at such a young age. Hopefully not by herself.

Back to the Australian side of Eliza’s story. Unfortunately her immigration / arrival
record has not surfaced as yet, but I did find a marriage index for her for the 
9th of June 1889 marrying Alexander Mudie Allan, in Annandale, a suburb of Sydney.
Luckily for us, they printed a marriage notice at the time, which I found in Trove.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/allan-lewins-wedding-
1889.jpg?resize=689%2C240&ssl=1)

_Figure 38: Courtesy of National Library of Australia_

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/hunter-baillie-
memorial-church-1930.jpg?resize=727%2C909&ssl=1)

_Hunter Baillie Church, 1930s_

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/hunter-baillie-
memorial-church-2022.jpg?resize=1100%2C791&ssl=1)

_Hunter Baillie Church, 2022_

_Figure 39: Courtesy of Dictionary of Sydney Figure 40: Courtesy of Google Maps_

 [https://dictionaryofsydney.org/media/3091](https://dictionaryofsydney.org/media/3091)

At the time that Eliza and Alexander walked down the aisle, the church had only 
been completed and open for four months.

By the night of the 1891 UK census, Sunday the 5th April, Eliza and Alexander already
had one daughter, Lena Rosamond Lewins Allan, she was fourteen months old and another
daughter on the way. Janet, who would be with them two months later. Janet is the
niece who will become flower girl for my 2x great grandmother, Janet at her second
wedding to Eddie O’Connor. (Mentioned in my previous post)

Following are the birth notices for both Lena and Janet.

 * ![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/allan-birth-
   1890.jpg?resize=778%2C243&ssl=1)
 * ![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/allan-birth-
   1891.jpg?resize=659%2C249&ssl=1)

_Figure 41 & 42: Courtesy of Trove, National Library of Australia_

I was trying to find where the Ormiston was in Henson Street but I had no luck. 
I was just about to give up and then I saw this small description on a recent real
estate listing.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/the-ormiston-description.
jpg?resize=387%2C224&ssl=1)

_Figure 43: Courtesy of Harris Tripp _
[https://agentboxcdn.com.au/clients-data/1262/public_html/media/lt/1/1P0340/152754937960653584-rsd.jpg](https://agentboxcdn.com.au/clients-data/1262/public_html/media/lt/1/1P0340/152754937960653584-rsd.jpg)

This address enabled me to find its exact location. It is actually situated on the
corner of Henson St & Junction, I imagine back in the day it would have been gardens
in the Henson Street side, and now it is two huge blocks of flats that look like
they were built in the early 20th century. The turret in the photo below, is the
top of the Ormiston.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/the-ormiston-2020.
jpg?resize=1100%2C641&ssl=1)

_Corner of Junction St & Henson St, Summer Hill, 2020_
_Figure 44: Courtesy of Google
Maps_

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/ormiston-henson-
st-summer-hill.jpg?resize=1100%2C733&ssl=1)

_The Ormiston, 2020_
_Figure 45: Courtesy of Harris Tripp _[https://agentboxcdn.com.au/clients-data/1262/public_html/media/lt/1/1P0340/152754937960653584-rsd.jpg](https://agentboxcdn.com.au/clients-data/1262/public_html/media/lt/1/1P0340/152754937960653584-rsd.jpg)

How amazing is that? 130 years ago my 2x great grand aunt, Eliza, gave birth to 
two of my 1st cousins, 3x removed. Eliza and Alexander go on to have a further three
daughters and a son. Not sure where they were born at this stage but Eliza and Alexander
live in the Summer Hill area for the next 40 years.

Would you believe the other two houses they lived in are still standing. The Lynton
in Bartlett Street and then, where they spend over 20 years of that 40 years, 26
Henson St, Summer Hill. It is also the home where Alexander dies in 1932.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/lynton-1-bartlett-
st-summer-hill-1.jpg?resize=1017%2C805&ssl=1)

_Lynton, 1 Bartlett St, Summer Hill, 2020 _
_Figure 46: Courtesy of Google Maps_

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/26-henson-st-summer-
hill-allan-home-1.jpg?resize=1100%2C657&ssl=1)

_26 Henson St, Summer Hill, 2019 _
_Figure 47: Courtesy of Google Maps_

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/allan-alexander-
death-notice-1932-1.jpg?resize=599%2C212&ssl=1)

_Figure 48: Courtesy of National Library of Australia_

Unfortunately there is no death notice for Eliza in the press, but I did find the
Australian Death Index listing for her that states she passed away in 1942 in Rozelle,
another suburb of Sydney. I imagine she probably moved to be close to one of her
children after Alexander’s death. I haven’t discovered that part of their story 
as yet.

Back to William and Janet and the 1891 Census, the one other person missing from
the family listing is Alfred Noel Lewins. Alfred actually emigrates to Australia
in 1884. I found this out from his obituary.

Alfred passes away on the 19th March 1895 in Fremantle, Western Australia at 26 
years of age.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/alfred-noel-lewins-
death-notice-1895.jpg?resize=634%2C475&ssl=1)

_Figure 49: Courtesy of the British Newspaper Archive_

You can certainly say that Alfred packed in a fair amount in his short life. I was
excited to read this about him emmigrating to Australia and wonderded immediately,
if Eliza his sister, might have traveled out with him. This would still put her 
in Sydney in plenty of time to meet Alexander Allan and for their wedding to take
place in 1889. Alfred’s travel details remain hidden, just like Eliza’s so there
is no way to confirm this as yet but hopefully this is what happened.

Of course at this time their sister Janet is already married to George Nicoll, a
successful Steamship owner and living in Sydney Australia. It is interesting to 
note that Alfred’s obit states that he entered the shipping business. Who better
to assist with that than a brother-in-law running his own shipping business? I can
just imagine them all at the family compound, Blink Bonnie setting out on their 
new lives out from under the long family history of servitude.

Alfred is the third child of Janet and William’s to pass away before them. It is
heartbreaking to think that the last time they would have seen him most likely would
have been 11 years earlier in 1884 when he left for Australia. I wonder how long
it took for this tragic news to reach them back in Scotland?

So that is everyone accounted for off the 1891 census. William and Janet next appear
in a wonderful little article about a ploughing day organised for them by their 
community to help them out. I think it really comes through the esteem they were
held in when you read the story and it also gives us, I think, a real insight into
the type of people they were.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/ploughing-day-
1891-pg1.jpg?resize=633%2C561&ssl=1)

_Figure 49a_

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/ploughing-day-
1891-pg2.jpg?resize=643%2C483&ssl=1)

_Figure 49b_

_Figure 49a & 49b: Courtesy of the British Newspaper Archive_

The next listing I have for Janet and William is this article for a sale of surplus
West Highland cattle at Kinniard and a luncheon held by the Earl and Countess of
Southesk. Look who appears as one of the guests in page 3. (Quick reminder, it’s
a gallery so click on the image, and it will open up to full size.)

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/sale-at-kinniard-
pg1.jpg?resize=504%2C428&ssl=1)

_Figure 50_

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/sale-at-kinniard-
pg2.jpg?resize=497%2C574&ssl=1)

_Figure 51_

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/sale-at-kinniard-
pg3.jpg?resize=502%2C558&ssl=1)

_Figure 52_

Sale at Kinniard Article from Dundee Advertiser

_Gallery 3: Courtesy of British Newspaper Archive_

No mention of Janet attending, but hopefully she was there as well.

There are no further articles that I can find of the Lewins, until 1893 with a single
listing in the Scots Directory confirming that they were at Caldcots.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/william-lewins-
caldcots-scots-directory-1893.jpg?resize=606%2C315&ssl=1)

_Figure 53: Courtesy of The British Newspaper Archive_

Another two years passes without any further mentions until the reports of Alfred’s
death come in which we discussed earlier in this post.

At the time of the next article below, William and Janet are exactly five years 
into their nineteen-year lease of the farm, and obviously their situation has become
challenging.

By the way, this next article is the one I found first that I was being cryptic 
about earlier. This article mentioning Windyedge enabled me to pinpoint on those
maps the farms and confirm that Caldcots was in this area. And of course its topic
is the thing I didn’t want to spoil for you.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/caldcots-ad-for-
lease-1895.jpg?resize=618%2C411&ssl=1)

_Figure 54: Courtesy of The British Newspaper Archive_

Yes, they are leaving and they still have 14 years to go on their lease. I know
it is 127 years too late, but I’m so sad for them. I wonder what the circumstances
were that lead to this decision. I scoured the British Newspaper archive again, 
and I was lucky to find this article.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/william-lewins-
caldcots-creditors-1895.jpg?resize=701%2C396&ssl=1)

_Figure 55: Courtesy of The British Newspaper Archive_

Obviously the finances took a big hit in running the farm and the result was bankruptcy.
When you consider that for thirty years they most likely would have enjoyed a stability
that being the Park Keeper of the Earl of Southesk would have brought them, this
financial disaster must have been so distressing and hard to bear. If that wasn’t
bad enough, look at what happens to them less than a month later.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/fire-at-caldcots-
1895-pg1-1.jpg?resize=553%2C535&ssl=1)

_Figure 56: Courtesy of The British Newspaper Archive_

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/fire-at-caldcots-
1895-pg2-1.jpg?resize=550%2C418&ssl=1)

_Figure 57: Courtesy of The British Newspaper Archive_

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/farm-fire-1895.
jpg?resize=492%2C500&ssl=1)

_Figure 58: Courtesy of The British Newspaper Archive_

Oh what a disaster. William is about to turn sixty and Janet sixty-two, and here
they are after all those decades of hard work with basically nothing to show for
it except a huge amount of debt and what I can only imagine must have been an overwhelming
sense of humiliation. Two months after the fire, the sale of what they have left
happens.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/farm-stock-sale-
1895.jpg?resize=519%2C483&ssl=1)

_Figure 59: Courtesy of The British Newspaper Archive_

It did cross my mind that maybe the fire was deliberately lit, but to what end? 
I don’t know enough about insurance and bankruptcy to know if the outcomes of the
creditor’s meeting, discussed below, are a good result. I choose to believe that
it is just terrible bad luck and timing.

I’m aware I only know Janet and William through these few discoveries, but I can’t
imagine that they would put their reputation with the Earl, his family and their
community at risk after all those decades. They certainly come through in what I
have shared in these few posts, I feel, as being very honourable hard working people.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/william-lewins-
creditors-meeting-1896-b.jpg?resize=515%2C381&ssl=1)

_Figure 60: Courtesy of The British Newspaper Archive_

There is no other mention of them for the next four years. This has basically brought
us back to the point where in part one of these three posts I discovered Janet’s
death registration, at the beginning of 1900. Copy below to remind you.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/janet-lewins-death-
registration-1900.jpg?resize=1100%2C170&ssl=1)

_Figure 61: Courtesy of Scotland’s People_

The following article is the last mention I can find of William in the British Newspaper
Archive attending the funeral of his local priest. This is ten months on from Janet’s
passing, which places him still in Scotland at the end of 1900.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/rev-clark-funeral-
pg1.jpg?resize=581%2C499&ssl=1)

_Figure 62: Courtesy of The British Newspaper Archive_

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/rev-clark-funeral-
pg2.jpg?resize=571%2C312&ssl=1)

_Figure 63: Courtesy of The British Newspaper Archive_

The big question now is, when did he leave for Australia? My first anchor point 
for William in Australia is an electoral roll listing in 1903-1904.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/william-lewins-
electoral-roll-1903.jpg?resize=953%2C181&ssl=1)

_Figure 64: Courtesy of Ancestry.com.au_

I know this is the correct listing for William, as Blink Bonnie the house that Janet,
his daughter and George, his son-in-law live in, is in William St and of course 
their surname is Nicoll, and there it is, printed right there. My thinking is that
he most probably arrived sometime in 1902 in order for his name to appear in this
listing for 1903. Unless Janet arranged it for him in anticipation. Damn, shot that
one down already.

I do have a second anchor point that gives us a firm date of him being in Australia.
Remember I said ages back that the watch that William was given as a gift by his
colleagues at Kinniard on his leaving, was going to make another appearance? Well,
here it is. Thirteen years later and on the other side of the globe.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/william-lewins-
watch-stolen-1903.jpg?resize=767%2C322&ssl=1)

_Figure 65 : Courtesy of Trove, National Library of Australia_

What a family treasure that would be to find. William must have been heartbroken
to lose it. I wonder if it ever made its way back to him?

Oh wow, this is incredible! I just put in the date from the article above when William
was at the Sydney Cricket Ground, 12th December 1903, not expecting anything to 
come up. And this amazing amount of information just appeared. It was the first 
test match of the English Cricket teams tour of Australia in 1903-1904. It was a
six day test match and Saturday the 12th was day two.

There happened to be an American Photographer in the crowd, Melvin Vaniman, on the
Saturday and he took a glass slide of the event. This is what I was “wowing” about.(
[https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/england-marylebone-cricket-club-tour-of-australia-1903-04-61702/australia-vs-england-1st-test-62473/full-scorecard](https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/england-marylebone-cricket-club-tour-of-australia-1903-04-61702/australia-vs-england-1st-test-62473/full-scorecard))

 * ![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/26597065459_816ba9fe6c_6k.
   jpg?resize=1100%2C363&ssl=1)
 * _Sydney Cricket Ground, Day 2 of Test Match, England v Australia, Saturday 12th
   December 1903_ 
   _Figure 66: Courtesy of AussieJeff Flickr Page_[https://www.flickr.com/photos/88572252@N06/26597065459](https://www.flickr.com/photos/88572252@N06/26597065459)

Somewhere, in that crowd is my 3x Great Grandfather, William Lewins, who I have 
no photo of but I now know, was in this very spot 118 years and almost 6 months 
ago, to the day. (Today is 27th May 2022) Bloody hell! that is so exciting.

No wonder the watch was stolen, I can only imagine with so many people packed in
the pick pockets would have been having a field day.

The ESPN link above has a whole heap of stats about the test, apparently on that
day there was a batting record set that held for over 111 years.

I’m definitely going to print out a copy of that photo with the Police notice on
the robbery and frame them. What a gift. This is one of those windows into the past
that I love so much. So I have calmed down a little bit now, so let us kick on with
the rest of the post.

Armed with the knowledge that William was definitely in Sydney on the 12th of December
1903 and still in Scotland November 1900, I started my search for him in the passenger
and emigration lists.

I found a listing for a Mr W. Lewin travelling to Australia from London on the Orient
Line, RMS Oroya.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/oroya-w-lewins-
1900.jpg?resize=260%2C179&ssl=1)

_Figure 66a: Courtesy of Trove, National Library of Australia_

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/rms-oroya-postcard.
jpg?resize=504%2C317&ssl=1)

_Figure 66b: Courtesy of _Hippostcard
[https://www.hippostcard.com/listing/the-orient-pacific-line-rms-oroya-ships-1904/11105502](https://www.hippostcard.com/listing/the-orient-pacific-line-rms-oroya-ships-1904/11105502)

I was willing to forgive the missing s from the end of Lewin, but the Oroya arrived
in Sydney on the 14th September 1900 and as William is attending the funeral in 
November 1900 in Brechin, this is not him. Damn.

Unfortunately, I can find no entry details for William into Australia and nothing
in Trove in the collection of online newspapers of the time in any incoming passenger
lists. I did however have some luck finding another anchor point that narrows down
the potential travel date that William might have left Scotland and also confirms
that he definitely wasn’t on the Oroya. Look at this little gem below, thanks Scotland’s
People, again.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/william-lewins-
census-1901-with-mustard-family.jpg?resize=995%2C434&ssl=1)

_Figure 67: Courtesy of Scotland’s People_

How is that? There he is appearing in the 1901 UK Census, taken on the night of 
Monday the 1st of April. Listed as, _Father in Law, retired Farmer_, born in _New
Mills_ and still at _1 Church Street, Brechin_ the house where Janet passed away.
Here is the house again, just because I can.

![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/church-st-brechin.
jpg?resize=813%2C580&ssl=1)

_Figure 68: Courtesy of Electric Scotland_
[https://electricscotland.com/history/brechin/index.htm](https://electricscotland.com/history/brechin/index.htm)

Number 1 is on the left and the building just set back from the one on the immediate
left of the picture. Presumeably 1a as listed on the census is the door next to 
that. All this information is lining up with the information we know, which is brilliant.
And if that wasn’t enough to convince you we have the correct William, look who 
he is listed living with on the census. His daughter Ruth and her husband, William
Mustard, and William’s five grandsons. According to Scotland’s People website, William
and Ruth marry in 1895.

What a fantastic find. Now we can be certain that William was still in Scotland 
on the 1st of April 1901. This still doesn’t help me with pinning down his departure
date, but now we are able to narrow it down to somewhere between April 1901 and 
say anywhere from September, October, or November 1902 in order to get into that
Electoral listing of 1903, thats if Janet didn’t help of course.

Well that is it people, the end of the story for the moment.

Remember, I started this journey in part one with William’s death, and we have now
worked our way back to that starting point but now we have a really wonderful picture
of William, Janet and the family that we had no idea about, and it was just sitting
out there in the digital ether waiting to be discovered.

What a fantastic time I have had again, sharing with you their stories. I knew next
to nothing about this side of my family nine months ago and slowly over this time
they themselves, their lives and the places they lived have come into focus. I am
so looking forward to my next visit to Sydney to check out the family properties
in Summer Hill and so looking forward to getting over to Scotland and England to
visit all these new family sites.

After uncovering where Janet and William began their lives and finding the house
where Janet’s story ended, I think this is a fitting way to finish this post, a 
picture of the house where William passed away on the 21st of October, 1916 at the
age of 80. Blink Bonnie, William Street, Canterbury (Earlwood).

 * ![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/img_20180531_171128.
   jpg?resize=1100%2C825&ssl=1)
 * _Figure 69: Courtesy of State Library of NSW _
   [https://collection.sl.nsw.gov.au/record/74VvRXNjB4kO](https://collection.sl.nsw.gov.au/record/74VvRXNjB4kO)

 * ![](https://i0.wp.com/johnshistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/img_20180531_171225.
   jpg?resize=1100%2C825&ssl=1)
 * _Figure 70: Courtesy of State Library of NSW_
   [https://collection.sl.nsw.gov.au/record/74VvRXNjB4kO](https://collection.sl.nsw.gov.au/record/74VvRXNjB4kO)

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## Comments

### By: keble6

- Link: https://johnshistory.com/2022/05/20/part-three-discovering-the-lewins-the-oh-you-know-what-et-al/#comment-257
- Published: 2022-05-29T00:34:44+10:00

Great story! Thanks, keep up the good work. Rob

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### By: keble6

- Link: https://johnshistory.com/2022/05/20/part-three-discovering-the-lewins-the-oh-you-know-what-et-al/#comment-258
- Published: 2022-05-29T00:50:00+10:00

Hey John,

Great post, many thanks! I will read more later, but could you tell me please where
you found the (online) records of Berwick’s Scotch Church?

Hope you are all well 🙂

Cheers,

Rob

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### By: John Macvean

- Link: https://johnshistory.com/2022/05/20/part-three-discovering-the-lewins-the-oh-you-know-what-et-al/#comment-261
- Published: 2022-05-29T15:30:15+10:00

Thanks, Rob, glad you enjoyed, and thanks for taking the time to read it and sharing
your thoughts on the post.

In relation to the Church records, they are on Ancestry. Just take the title and
put it into the document search feature, or if you happen to have it saved to one
of the children in your tree you should be able to search it that way.

Cheers
 John

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### By: Karen Tyler

- Link: https://johnshistory.com/2022/05/20/part-three-discovering-the-lewins-the-oh-you-know-what-et-al/#comment-259
- Published: 2022-05-29T07:57:39+10:00

Oh WOW… more amazing work from you Mr John. I gotta say how much I love seeing the
then and now photos… really interesting. Congratulations on some incredible work.

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### By: John Macvean

- Link: https://johnshistory.com/2022/05/20/part-three-discovering-the-lewins-the-oh-you-know-what-et-al/#comment-260
- Published: 2022-05-29T15:25:36+10:00

Thanks so much Ms Kay, really appreciate your feedback. John

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### By: annemacvean@icloud.com

- Link: https://johnshistory.com/2022/05/20/part-three-discovering-the-lewins-the-oh-you-know-what-et-al/#comment-262
- Published: 2022-05-30T22:22:23+10:00

What fun you’ve had, John! I’m a bit jealous reading the extracts from the papers
that cover places my mother’s relatives who remained in the Dundee area frequented,
because your family there had family names that are less common. Mine were Millars
and Andersons – terribly common in that part of the world, I found, one time I was
looking through a Scottish newspaper site. I mean one day to learn more about how
to read the matches that keep being posted to me from the Family Tree DNA people.
Mum was told once by a doctor that she had ‘viking blood’ in her veins (I forget
what made him say that) and there are a great many Scandinavian names coming up 
as close matches for her. But of course, on that side of Scotland, that would hardly
be surprising!

You mentioned the ‘Ladies Bowes Lyons’ in your post. Was that just because you fancied
the phrase, or do you know who they were?

Cheers,

Anne

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### By: John Macvean

- Link: https://johnshistory.com/2022/05/20/part-three-discovering-the-lewins-the-oh-you-know-what-et-al/#comment-263
- Published: 2022-05-30T23:31:14+10:00

Hi Anne, thanks for taking the time to read. Yes very lucky with names, I do have
a couple of Smith’s in the tree and yeah, just had to give up.

Bowes Lyon, of course, Queen Mums family. Also it is the family my 6x GGrandfather
was Butler to. The Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne at Glamis Castle. So hope you
get to narrow down your searches Anne, it is such great fun when you track something
down.

We are all well, hope you are too.
 Cheers John

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### By: Alex

- Link: https://johnshistory.com/2022/05/20/part-three-discovering-the-lewins-the-oh-you-know-what-et-al/#comment-283
- Published: 2022-06-25T12:27:34+10:00

Such a full and interesting life. Wonderful images and imagery x

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### By: John Macvean

- Link: https://johnshistory.com/2022/05/20/part-three-discovering-the-lewins-the-oh-you-know-what-et-al/#comment-284
- Published: 2022-06-25T14:32:36+10:00

Thank you Sweet. Always happy to hear what you think. X

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