The grave of Robert Haddow in Loudoun Parish churchyard, Newmilns

Much of the information included on this page is thanks to the diligent researches of Claude Wrathall. According to the age which was entered on his death certificate, Robert Haddow was born in either 1781 or 1782 at Douglas, Lanarkshire. Neither his birth nor his baptism appear to have been recorded in the OPR.

Robert Haddow was married to Lilias Cochrane at Loudoun on the 8th of January 1803.

He was a 'Flesher (Master)', according to the death certificate of his daughter, Lilias Haddow. An 1849 OPR entry in connection with the death of his son Archibald designates him as a 'flesher in Newmilns'. It is however clear that earlier in his career he had been a tailor. He is designated as such in connection with his children's baptism records at least until 1822 and the burial records for five of his children between 1812 and 1828. Perhaps he inherited his father's farm and changed careers. Note however that Robert was designated as a flesher in connection with the birth of Archibald, on the 3rd of August 1824. It may be that for some time he carried on the two occupations in tandem.

As narrated in the Mutual Disposition and Settlement concluded with his wife in 1849, Lilias Cochrane, Robert entered into a tack or long lease with Thomas Brown Esquire of Waterhaugh, dated the 6th of December 1837, under the terms of which he acquired tenure of 'all and whole the Lands of Hillhead in the Parish of Loudoun and County of Ayr '.

At the time of the 1841 census, he was resident in Main Street, Newmilns, Ayrshire. His age was listed as 55, and he was stated to be a farmer, born in Scotland, but not in Ayrshire. Also residing with him were his wife, identified only as 'Mrs Robert Haddow', also aged 55, and born in Ayrshire; his sons Matthew, aged 25, for whom no occupation was entered, Robert, aged 20, a flesher, and Alexander, aged 19, also a flesher; and daughters Lilias Haddow, aged 13, and Elizabeth, aged 9.

Again as narrated in the Mutual Disposition and Settlement, Robert extended his landholding when on the 3rd of June 1847 he entered into a further tack with Thomas Brown Esquire. The lands acquired on this occasion were 'all and whole the Darnyhill Parks, High Darnyhill Parks; Gradscroft Park; and Millers Croft park'.

In 1851, he was still resident in Main Street, Newmilns. Somewhat inconsistently, his age is entered as 73. He is designated as a flesher and farmer holding 60 acres, and his place of birth is designated as Douglas, Lanarkshire. Also resident in the household was his wife Lillias and their daughter Elisabeth, unmarried, aged 18, and engaged as a housemaid, and a granddaughter, Ann Haddow, aged 5.

Robert Haddow died on the 20th of January 1856 at Main Street, Newmilns, at 5.30 in the afternoon. He was entered as a 'grazier', married, and aged 74. Cause of death was disease of the trieuspid valves of the heart, a condition from which he had been suffering for two months. The informant was Adam Haddow, his son.

He was buried in Newmilns three days later, on the 23rd of January 1856. The OPR entry for that date reads:

'Robert Haddow Snr farmer and Graser & flesher Newmilns interred in the northmost Graff but one in his own Lair in Newmilns Churchyard'

The gravestone can still be identified, but it contains very little information.

I am reliably informed that people of the name Haddow ran a butcher's shop in Newmilns up until the 1950s or '60s.

Testamentary Writings

'John Hendrie writer in Galston' compeared at Ayr on the 24th of May 1856 and produced an Inventory of the deceased Robert Haddow's personal estate together with a Mutual Disposition and Settlement, subscribed by Robert Haddow on the 2nd of April 1849 and by his spouse, Lilias Cochrane or Haddow, on the 2nd of October in the same year. The Mutual Disposition and Settlement was modified by a Codicil subscribed by both parties on the 12th of December 1855. (Scotland's People, ref. SC6/44/23)

In addition to various items of heritable property, Robert Haddow left a total moveable estate valued at £2,175 17/–. This was made up as follows:

'1st Cash in the house --- 133 8 4
2nd Household furniture and other Effects in the deceaseds house, as valued by Robert Morton Licensed Auctioneer and appraiser Newmilns confirm to Inventory & appraisement dated the 30th Jany 1856 --- 65 1 -
3d Fresh & Salt Beef and Ham & Bacon in the deceased Shop Sold at --- 15 17 6
4th Cash at the Credit of the deceased in his Deposit account with the Union Bank of Scotland at Galston, and interest to the date of his death --- 306 8 -
5th Cash at the Credit of (the) deceased Deposit account with the Western Bank of Scotland at Newmilns and interest to the date of death --- 1031 6 11
6th Twenty shares of the Capital Stock of the Newmilns and Greenholm Gaslight Company the selling price of which on previous sales was £1 per share --- 20 - -
7th Debts due the deceased upon the following documents with interest to the date of death Vizt
Promissory note Granted by the Preses and Treasurer of the said Gas Light Company dated 30th July 1852 payable on demand --- 305 15 1
Promissory note granted by the Manager of the Free Church of Scotland of date 16th April 18?? (third and fourth digits unclear) payable on demand --- 108 1 4
Promissory Note granted by the Magistrates & Council & Treasurer of the Burgh of Newmilns of date 20th Dec 1854 and payable on demand --- 40 2 10
8th Debts due the deceased at the time of his death all since paid --- 142 6 -
9th Sub rent due by Stephen Veitch for houses & part of lands of Hillhead at Whitsunday 1856 --- 11 10 -
10th House rent due by Richmond Nisbet Black Smith in Newmilns --- 1 - -

Amount of Estate in Scotland £2175 17 –'

The executors nominated under the terms of the will were two sons of the deceased, 'Adam Haddow and Robert Haddow Fleshers and Graziers Newmilns' as well as one 'Hugh Brown Grocer in Newmilns'. It was Hugh Brown who appeared before the Commissary Depute of the Commissariat of Ayr and deponed under oath.

Under reservation of a liferent in favour of Lilias Cochrane or Haddow, there was provided as follows:

In favour of Adam Haddow 'all and whole the Kitchen & Backroom the street floor & the East Room upstairs in the property after described all as at present occupied by myself.'

In favour of 'Robert Haddow my third Son' 'all and whole the two west rooms upstairs in the said Property, as presently occupied by me.'

In favour of Adam and Robert equally, 'all and whole the shop garden ground and whole Back Buildings connected with and belonging to the property after described all as presently possessed by me'.

It is not easy to determine where exactly these properties lay, beyond that they were in Newmilns, very probably on Main Street, as they are demarcated in terms of a convoluted conveyancing description. Postal addresses had clearly not yet been invented.

Also in favour of Adam, a tack (or long lease) in respect of certain lands was assigned. This arrangement had originally been entered into with one 'Thomas Brown Esquire of Waterhaugh Proprietor of the lands therein aftermentioned' under an agreement dated the 3rd of June 1847. The lands in question were:

'all and whole the Darnyhill Parks, High Darnyhill Parks; Gradscroft Park; and Millers Croft park all as presently possessed by me, and that for the whole term of years to run after my decease, But always with and under the reservations burdens conditions declarations and for payment of the Rent therein mentioned...'

Also in favour of Robert:

'a Tack dated the sixth day of December Eighteen hundred and thirty seven entered into between the said Thomas Brown Esquire on the one part and me on the other part whereby the said Thomas Brown in consideration of the rent and under the reservations and for the term of years therein written let to me and my heirs all and whole the Lands of Hillhead in the Parish of Loudoun and County of Ayr all at present possessed by myself But always under the reservations burdens conditions and declarations and for payment of the rent therein written...'

Robert Haddow was clearly a man of some substance, since in addition to being the proprietor of his own house and commercial premises occupied by himself, he also sublet certain houses and parts of the lands of Hillhead to one Stephen Veitch and additionally leased a house in Newmilns to Richmond Nisbet, a blacksmith.

Provision was also made for certain specific legacies:

In favour of Adam and Robert, 'equally between them the whole Stock and Dairy Interests of every description upon the lands described in the Tacks above assigned'.

It was further provided that:

'The whole Household Furniture and Effects in the different rooms or apartments are to remain in their places and be the property of the respective Disponees to whom the rooms or apartments are conveyed'.

The sum of twenty pounds sterling in favour of each child of the marriage was payable at the first term of Whitsunday or Martinmas that shall occur after a lapse of six months from Robert Haddow's death, but subject to the request that the beneficiaries should allow these sums to remain unpaid during their mother's lifetime that she might have the full benefit of the interest therefrom.

As regards any residual sum left over, there was stipulated for 'the whole interest or annual rent arising therefrom to the said Lillias Cochrane in the event of her surviving' and the principal sum to be divided equally among 'our whole children' and 'payable at the first term of Whitsunday or Martinmas that shall occur after a lapse of Six months after the death of the survivor of us'.

This position was modified under a Codicil subscribed by the parties at Newmilns on the 12th of December 1855, in terms of which thirty pounds sterling (each) was bequeathed to both Robert and Lilias Hood, son and daughter of 'our deceased daughter Agnes Haddow or Hood';

'and to our three daughters Mary, Lillias and Elizabeth Haddow all the Bed and Body Clothes Sheets and Drapery of every description whatsoever share and share alike and to our daughter Mary the Press in the Kitchen and to our daughter Lillias the Press up Stairs and to our daughter Elizabeth the two chests of Drawers...'

It was further provided that:

'we also declare that as we have already given to our son Alexander the Portion we intended for him he is therefore to be excluded and is hereby excluded from any Participation to the legacies Bequeathed in the within testament'

And that:

'we also declare that as we have given to our daughter Mary Since the date of the within Testament the sum of One hundred and Seventy Pounds Sterling from her share as Bequeathed to her in the within testament declaring that this also shall stand part of the within testament...'

Forebears

Robert Haddow's death certificate discloses that his father was also named Robert Haddow and that his mother was Elizabeth Tait, the variants Elisabeth and Tate also being attested. It would seem from the births of their other known sons and daughters that at the time of Robert's birth, they had been resident in the Douglas area for at least fifteen years, and continued to be for at least another five. Since Archibald and Marion were described as 'Lawful son and daughter', it is clear that Robert and Elisabeth were married at some time prior to the 27th of April 1767. It appears that the marriage records for the relevant period in Douglas parish have not been preserved.

Both were deceased by the time of Robert junior's death in 1856, and Robert senior had been a farmer. Note however the OPR entry for the baptism of Adam on the 19th of April 1769. This identifies Robert senior as a 'weaver in Glespin'. It may be that a shift in career took place, or else that Robert senior maintained a smallholding.

Robert and Elizabeth were still resident in Glespin in 1771, though by 1773 they were in Hazleside. In 1787, they were in Scroggyhall.

As Robert was not the only one of their children who ended up in Newmilns, it is surmised that Robert and Elizabeth removed there with their family at some time between 1787 and 1799.

Brothers and Sisters

Robert had a number of brothers and sisters who were baptised in Douglas parish. He was the seventh of eight known children.

Archibald and Marion Haddow, presumably twins, were baptised on the 27th of April 1767.

A further brother, Adam, was baptised on the 19th of April 1769.

It may be taken that the first Adam did not survive infancy, as a further Adam was baptised on the 7th of April 1771.

Alexander was baptised on the 12th of September 1773.

Jean was born on the 22nd and baptised on the 25th of February 1776.

George was born on the 24th of October 1787.

Adam Haddow was married twice. He was married to Mary Cochran at Loudoun on the 20th of December 1799. It is surmised that Mary was the sister of Lilias Cochrane, Robert's wife.

Mary died in 1814, and she was identified in the OPR entry as as the the 'wife of Adam Haddow Marchant Newmills'. Adam next married Catherine Campbell at Loudoun on the 18th of November 1815.

Adam Haddow was buried on the 7th of November 1836 at Loudoun. He was designated in the OPR entry as a 'Marchant Newmilns'. His second wife, Catherine Campbell, followed him to the same plot ten years later. The gravestone has been located in the parish churchyard in Newmilns, but is unfortunately badly worn, and only partially legible. However, a transcript held at the Dick Institute in Kilmarnock preserves the information that Adam died on the 4th of November 1836, aged sixty-five years, which corresponds precisely to his known date of birth. The transcript also states that Catherine Campbell died on the 8th of September 1846, aged 57.

It is also noted that Elisabeth Haddow or Peden, wife of 'Alexander Peden Jnr. Ironmonger Newmilns' was buried in Loudoun on the 2nd of August 1854. It is surmised that Elisabeth was another of Robert's sisters, although this cannot be positively verified.