The Thorburn family

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Archibald Thorburn, a farmer and writer, lived at No. 8 from about 1867 to 1869.1 He was born on 13 June 1838 and baptised at Lauder on 24 July 1838, son of Robert Thorburn in Kedslie and Elizabeth Vallence.2 In 1861, he was described as a land office clerk, lodging at 47 Great King Street, Edinburgh.3 Archibald Thorburn was appointed Carrick Pursuivant to the Lord Lyon King of Arms in 1864.4 Though he retained this position for the remainder of his short life, he appears to have returned to farming in the Borders on leaving No. 8. In the 1871 census he was recorded a farmer of 1,000 acres at Headshaw, Ashkirk, Roxburghshire.5 He died there on 12 December 1872, aged 34.6

He married Sarah Jane Anderson on 7 January 1862, at Kirkliston.7 She was born in Edinburgh 03 January 1837, daughter of Michael Anderson, a teacher, and Jane Hogg.8 She was recorded in the 1871 census at the farm of Headshaw, Ashkirk, Roxburghshire,9 but returned to No. 8 with her children in 1874.10 Though she was listed at No. 8 in the Post Office Directory until 1883,11 she died there on 17 September 1881.12

Archibald Thorburn and Sarah Anderson had five children, all born in Edinburgh. Four were recorded at No. 8 in the 1881 census,13 but their eldest daughter, Jane Thorburn, had died at No. 8, aged 12 years, on 12 February 1877.14

Robert Thorburn, the only son of Archibald Thorburn and Sarah Anderson, was recorded at No. 8 in the 1881 census, aged 18 and without an occupation. He was listed there in the Post Office Directory 1884-1887.15 He was born in Edinburgh on 04 November 186216 and died unmarried at Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada on 17 October 1936.17,18

Elizabeth Thorburn was born on 08 August 1865 at Greenside Cottage, Easter Road, Edinburgh.19 She married James Walter Scott Hunter, a commission agent, on 13 March 1890 at the Royal Hotel, Princes Street (her usual address being 8 Malta Terrace).20 She died on 14 March 1946, in Edinburgh.21

Sarah Thorburn was born in Edinburgh on 19 December 1866.22 She was recorded staying with her sister Isabella at Leven, Fife in the 1901 census.23> She died unmarried on 31 January 1945.24

The youngest, Isabella Thorburn, was born on 14 October 1868 at No. 8 Malta Terrace.25 She married Robert Graham, a post master, on 07 March 1895 in The Royal Hotel, Princes St., Edinburgh.26 They were recorded at Leven, Fife in the 1901 census.27 She died in Glasgow in 1941.28

References

  1. PO Directories 1867-68 and 1868-69.
  2. Baptisms (OPR) Scotland. Lauder, Berwickshire. 24 July 1838. THORBURN, Archibald. 748/ 30/ 92. Ancestry collection ‘Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950.’ https://ancestry.co.uk: accessed 20 October 2023.
  3. Census records. Scotland. St Andrew, Edinburgh. 07 April 1861. THORBURN, Archibald. 685/2 57/ 3. Ancestry collection ‘1861 Scotland Census.’ https://ancestry.co.uk: accessed 20 October 2023.
  4. Court of the Lord Lyon. ‘Carrick Pursuivant.’ https://www.courtofthelordlyon.scot/carrick.htm: accessed 20 October 2023.
  5. Census records. Scotland. Ashkirk, Roxburgh. 02 April 1871. THORBURN, Archibald. 781/ 1/ 5. Ancestry collection ‘1871 Scotland Census.’ https://ancestry.co.uk: accessed 18 October 2023.
  6. Probate records. Scotland. Edinburgh. Confirmation ad omissa. 11 February 1873. THORBURN, Archibald. Ancestry collection ‘Scotland, National Probate Index (Calendar of Confirmations and Inventories), 1876-1936.’ https://ancestry.co.uk: accessed 20 October 2023.
  7. Marriages (SR) Scotland. Kirkliston, West Lothian. 07 January 1862. THORBURN, Archibald and ANDERSON, S. J. 667/ 01. Ancestry collection ‘Scotland, Select Marriages, 1561-1910.’ https://ancestry.co.uk: accessed 20 October 2023.
  8. Baptisms (OPR) Scotland. Edinburgh. 03 March 1837. ANDERSON, Sarah Jane. 685/1 570/ 270. Ancestry collection ‘Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950.’ https://ancestry.co.uk: accessed 20 October 2023.
  9. Census records. Op. cit.
  10. PO Directory 1874-75.
  11. PO Directory 1883-34.
  12. Probate records. Scotland. Edinburgh. Confirmation. 13 March 1882. THORBURN, Sarah Jane. Ancestry collection ‘Scotland, National Probate Index (Calendar of Confirmations and Inventories), 1876-1936.’ https://ancestry.co.uk: accessed 20 October 2023.
  13. Census records. Scotland. St George, Edinburgh. 03 April 1881. THORBURN, Sarah J. (Head). 685/1 117/ 10. Ancestry collection ‘1881 Scotland Census.’ https://ancestry.co.uk: accessed 18 October 2023.
  14. Death announcements. The Scotsman. 20 February 1877. THORBURN, Jane. p. 8, col. 6. https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk: accessed 18 October 2023.
  15. PO Directories 1884-85, 1885-86 and 1886-87.
  16. Births (SR) Scotland. Leith South, Midlothian. 04 November 1862. THORBURN, Robert. 692/2 896. Ancestry collection ‘Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950.’ https://ancestry.co.uk: accessed 18 October 2023.
  17. Deaths index (CR) Canada. Kamloops, British Columbia. 17 October 1936. THORBURN, Robert. https://familysearch.org: accessed 01 May 2021.
  18. Death announcements. The Scotsman. 02 January 1937. THORBURN, Robert. p. 18, col. 7. https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk: accessed 18 October 2023.
  19. Births (SR) Scotland. Edinburgh. 08 March 1865. THORBURN, Elizabeth. 685/2 671. https://scotlandspeople.gov.uk: accessed 01 November 2023.
  20. Marriages (SR) Scotland. St Andrew, Edinburgh. 13 March 1890. HUNTER, James W Scott and THORBURN, Elizabeth. 685/2 103. https://scotlandspeople.gov.uk: accessed 01 November 2023.
  21. Death announcements. The Scotsman. 15 March 1946. HUNTER, Elizabeth Thorburn. p. 6, col. 1. https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk: 01 November 2023.
  22. Births (SR) Scotland. St Andrew Edinburgh. 19 December 1866. THORBURN, Sarah. 685/2 989. Ancestry collection ‘Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950.’ https://ancestry.co.uk: accessed 01 November 2023.
  23. Census records. Scotland. Leven, Fife. 03 April 1901. GRAHAM, Robert (Head). 456/3/34. Ancestry collection ‘1901 Scotland Census.’ https://ancestry.co.uk: accessed 01 November 2023.
  24. Deaths (SR) Scotland. Edinburgh. 31 January 1945. THORBURN, Sarah. 685/2 74. https://scotlandspeople.gov.uk: accessed 01 November 2023.
  25. Birth announcements. The Scotsman. 15 October 1868. THORBURN. p. 8, col. 4. https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk: accessed 18 October 2023.
  26. Marriages (SR) Scotland. St Andrew, Edinburgh. 07 March 1895. GRAHAM, Robert and THORBURN, Isabella. 685/2 65. https://scotlandspeople.gov.uk: accessed 18 October 2023.
  27. Census records. Scotland. Leven, Fife. 03 April 1901. GRAHAM, Robert (Head). 456/3/34. Ancestry collection ‘1901 Scotland Census.’ https://ancestry.co.uk: accessed 01 November 2023.
  28. Deaths index (SR) Scotland. Partick, Glasgow. GRAHAM, Isabella. 644/14 66. https://scotlandspeople.gov.uk: accessed 01 November 2023.

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