For ages I hadn't been able to find much on John ........ and then in June 2015, I found a lot of information. I had first discovered him through the Marriage record of his daughter, Margaret Richmond. This gave the name of her parents as John Richmond and Janet Barr. For a long time the only direct record I had for John was his Marriage to Janet Barr, but I also had the Birth records of two of his children, although annoyingly, not of my direct ancestor, his daughter, Margaret. If I had any doubt about whether I had found the correct John Richmond, they were dispelled by the name of his first daughter - Isabel Fraser Richmond. Both Isabel and Fraser are names that feature later in the line - e.g. Margaret Richmond's daughter, in my direct line, is called Isabella Fraser Brand Campbell. The 'Brand' comes from Isabella's father's line and the 'Fraser' from her mother's line.

Re John's marriage to Janet Barr, initially i recorded that I had found two entries for this event, a year apart and I had worried about that. However, on checking again through 'ScotlandsPeople' in 2020, I was only able to find one record.

In 2015, I decided to see if I could track John (and Janet) through the Censuses. I started with 1851 and found him, followed quickly by the 1861 and 1841 Censuses. Amongst other information I gleaned from the Census records was that his place of birth was Stevenston in Ayrshire. Through that information, I was able, at last, to find his Birth record, in 1810.

KEY EVENTS AND DATES

John was born in Stevenston, Ayrshire to John Richmond and Isbell Frazer. The actual record reads:

Richmond -

Births & Baptisms for 1810

John son to John Richmond Coal Hewer Stevenston &

Isbell Frazer born June 23rd bap'd July 1st.

View the record.

Marriage - 15th September 1832

John married Janet Barr in Houston & Killearn in Renfrewshire. Given that their first daughter was born in April 1833, Janet would already have been pregnant at the time of the wedding. The actual record reads:

August 25 -

Proclamation of Marriages in 1832

John Richmond and Janet Barr, Parishioners, booked their names

for proclamation of banns, on purpose of marriage, & were

married on 15th September thereafter.

View the record.

24th April 1833

John's daughter, Isabel Fraser Richmond, was born in Houston & Killearn. John's occupation was 'Carder'. The actual record reads:

Richmond -

John Richmond Carder Houston and Janet Barr his spouse had a

child born 24th April named

- Isabell Fraser

In the actual record the second 'l' in 'Isabell' was scored through.

1st September 1836

John's son, also John, was born in Houston & Killearn. By this time John was a Tea Dealer in Crossley, which appears to be quite a change in occupation from a 'Carder'. The actual record reads:

Richmond -

John Richmond Tea Dealer Crossley & Janet Barr his wife had

a son born 1st September named

- John

1839

Details from Census and other records suggest that John's daughter and my direct ancestor, Margaret, was born in this year, but her place of birth is uncertain. Some of the records say it was in Houston, Renfrewshire, but others say Edinburgh. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find the record of her Birth anywhere in Scotland.

1841 Census

The Census records that John, aged 30, was living at 16 Calton Street, "South Leith part of the Sacra Parish of Lady Glenorchy's". John's occupation was "Post Office Runner" - yet another significant change in job. Living with him were his wife, Janet aged 29 and his children Isabella (8), Margaret (3) and John (6 months). The record for the young John is interesting, because I have a Birth record for a John born in 1836. Clearly, this cannot be the same John, so I wonder if the '1836 John' died in infancy and if this' newer John' was named in his memory? There is however, no record of the birth of a second John, nor a record of the death of the first John. There is, however, a record of a John Richmond, who died aged 10 months in Leith in 1841. The father is also named as John Richmond. It seems likely that this is the second John.

View record.

18th September 1841

As noted above, from the 1841 Census, it looks like John's son John, who was born in 1836, had died by the time of the Census. This is because there is a record of a John aged 6 months in the Census. The Census took place in May 1841 and I have found a record of a John Richmond dying in Leith 4 months later, aged 10 months. He died from "Water on the Brain" and his father is recorded as John Richmond.

View record.

1851 Census

This Census is a mine of information. John is recorded as living at 3 Catherine Street, in the Parish of St Cuthberts, Edinburgh. He was aged 39 and was employed as a "Messenger G.P.O. His place of birth is given as "Ayrshire, Stevenson". A number of interesting people were living with them, John's mother and a lodger who may have gone on to be the father of two of Janet's grandchildren. John's mother, Isabella Richmond, was aged 79 and a widow. She was described as an "Annuitant" (one who lives on an annuity) and her place of birth was recorded as Loanhead, Stirlingshire.

Janet, his wife, was aged 38 and was employed as an "Embroideress. Her place of birth was given as "Renfrewshire, Houston". Also living there were his daughters Isabella (17), Margaret aged 12 and a Scholar and Mary aged 8 and a Scholar. The lodger is called John Wallace, a Shoemaker aged 20, born in "Haddingtonshire, Dunbar". He is an interesting character because in the 1861 Census, two of John's grandchildren with the surname 'Wallace' were living with him.

View record.

1861 Census

The Census records that John was living at 2 Gilchrist Lane, Parish of Greenside, Edinburgh. John was aged 50, having been born in "Ayrshire, Stevenston". His occupation was given as "Messenger G.P.O.". Also living there was his wife, Janet, aged 48, born in "Renfrew, Houston", as well as their children Margaret, aged 22 and a Domestic Servant; Mary, aged 20 and a widow and also a Domestic Servant; David, aged 5 and a Scholar; and their grandchildren - James Wallace (8), John Wallace (7) and Janet Bradley Richmond (11 months). The name 'Wallace' suggests that they may be the children of John Wallace, the lodger who was recorded as living in John's house in the 1851 Census. What is more interesting is that they may have been Mary's children. She is now a widow, but if they were hers, the oldest, John, would have been born when Mary was 12.

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17th June 1864

John's daughter, Margaret, married David Campbell at 2 Gilchrist Lane, Greenside Row, Edinburgh. She was 25 years old and lived at 7 Comely Green Park, Edinburgh. Her parents, named as John Richmond and Janet Barr, were still alive. John's occupation was recorded as 'Messenger, General Post Office, Edinburgh".

1871 Census

The Census records John as living at 24 Greenside Street, Parish of St Andrews, Edinburgh. I'm wondering if this is actually the same house in which they've lived for the past 20 years or more, as the entries either side of his are for 2 and 4 Gilchrist Lane. Anyway, John is aged 60 and is described as a "Messenger G. P. Office". His place of birth is confirmed as Ayrshire. His wife, Janet, is aged 58, born in Renfrewshire. Also living there were his son, David, a Painter aged 18 and two grandsons - J James Wallace, also aged 18 and a Brass Founder and Robina Richmond, aged 8 and a Scholar. The son and grandsons were all born in Edinburgh.

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Death - 28th December 1880

John died at 5 a.m. at Laurie's Close, Giles Street, Leith. He was aged 70 and his occupation was recorded as Messenger General Post Office. His condition was described as being "Married to Janet Barr". The cause of John's death was recorded as "Paralysis 12 months". John's parents were given as John Richmond, Coal Miner, (deceased) and Isabella Richmond M/S Fraser, also deceased. The informant was John's daughter, Margaret Campbell, living at Hillhousefield.

View the record.