Living

Family/Spouse: Erroll james Weddell. Erroll (son of Alexander McMillan Weddell and Eva Richardson) was born on 2 May 1912; died on 19 Oct 1944 in Italy; was buried in Cesena War Cemetery, Province of Forli, Italy. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Errol John Weddell was born on 18 Oct 1939; died on 8 Jan 1952 in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand; was buried on 10 Jan 1952 in East Taieri, Otago, New Zealand.
2. Living

Family/Spouse: Charles Alfred Ward. Charles was born about 1898; died on 30 Sep 1972 in Mosgiel, Otago, New Zealand. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• _UID: B6B643817C454042B36B58F6054CC99A9361
• Occupation: 30 Jul 913; Carpenter

John married Lily Agnes Rankin Shore on 30 Jul 1913. Lily was born on 5 Apr 1886; died on 24 Nov 1946 in Mosgiel, Otaga, New Zealand; was buried on 26 Nov 1946 in East Taieri, Otago, New Zealand. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• _UID: 20457EBA85FE4F689080830CB35794071B93

Other Events:

• _UID: 9B11F4CA2E604EF2983649BCCEF8E2C47763
• Residence: 1841, Torphichen, West Lothian, Scotland
• Occupation: 1851; Cobbler / Shoemaker
• Residence: 1851, Torphichen, West Lothian, Scotland

Notes:

Name: Thomas Aitken
Gender: Male
Birth Date: 12 Jan 1835
Birth Place: Torphichen, West Lothian, Scotland
Father: Peter Aitken
Mother: Janet Pearson
FHL Film Number: 1066638
1858 he emigrated to NZ, on board the Strathallen.
He was one of the earliest carpenters in the Otago district. His workbook covering the period 1864 -1875 shows that he turned his hand to many jobs, mainly farm work. It also recorded that he worked for many people including James Aitken, his future father-in-law.
Prior to 1872 most of Tom's work had been seasonal but now he was almost permanently working at the Mosgiel Woollen Mills and a number of houses in the locality.
In 1874 and 1875 he was engaged on the new railway station and goods shed. In the village there were new opportunities as the town began to develop.
Tom bought land in Bush Road, Mosgiel where he built his family home, at what is now 114 Bush Road.
The Timber for the house was hewn in an area known as Mosgiel Bush in Carlyle Road. The timber was pit sawn and the pits were still visible in the 1930's.
Thomas was a pillar of the community being involved with many good works in and around Mosgiel.
A school committee was elected in 1873. Two of the members were J. Smeaton and T. Aitken. In 1883 there was a big hotel fire. This highlighted the need for a good water supply. Tom served on the Mosgiel Borough Council from 1885 to 1917. Nothing eventuated, about the water supply until 1892 when the council appointed a sub-committee to investigate the best method of obtaining the water.
Tom became the Mayor of Mosgiel in 1900, serving as mayor until 1905-6.
As mayor he chaired patriotic meetings held for the purpose of raising funds to support the cause in the Boer War. Over 100 pounds were raised and within the week the figure had exceeded 250 pounds.
In 1903 he was president of a committee to form the Taieri Pipe Band.
Tom was a member of the Freemason and Druid Lodges, also a member of the Burns Club Choir and the Racing Club.
In July 1906 a public meeting was convened by the Mayor, Thomas Aitken, to form a Fire Brigade.
He died, at his home in Mosgiel, on 22 Oct. 1922.
A lot of the above information was from "The Pulse of the Plain - A history of Mosgiel", by W. R. Kirk, written in 1985.

Thomas married Christine Redpath Aitken on 13 Sep 1864 in East Taieri, Otago, New Zealand. Christine (daughter of James Allison Aitken and Isabella Galbraith) was born on 8 Mar 1843 in Lasswade, Midlothian, Scotland; died on 24 Aug 1924 in Mosgiel, Otaga, New Zealand; was buried on 26 Aug 1924 in Mosgiel, Otaga, New Zealand. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• _UID: DBB193A3962C4118A54460B103807FB992AA
• Residence: 1851, Lasswade, Midlothian, Scotland

Notes:

Christina was 8 years old when she arrived in NZ, with her parents and siblings, on board the Simlah

Christina was a member of the East Taieri Presbyterian Church from the time it was founded in 1854. Later she joined the Mosgiel Presbyterian Church as it was closer. She was also associated with the East Taieri School from its beginning in 1854.

Other Events:

• _UID: 74DA5E471C4D4801B9A3A2A6A6922734DC54
• Occupation: 1841; Agricultural Labourer
• Residence: 1841, Torphichen, West Lothian, Scotland
• Occupation: 1851; Labourer
• Residence: 1851, Torphichen, West Lothian, Scotland
• Residence: 1856, 6 Bowyett, Torphichen, West Lothian, Scotland
• Occupation: 1861; Limestone Miner
• Residence: 1861, 6 Bowyett, Torphichen, West Lothian, Scotland
• Occupation: 1871; Dyker
• Residence: 1871, Bowyett, Torphichen, West Lothian, Scotland
• Occupation: 23 Aug 1875, Torphichen, West Lothian, Scotland; Stone Dyker
• Residence: 23 Aug 1875, Bishopry Cottage, 7 Bowyett, Torphicen, West Lothian, Scotland

Notes:

On 17 Jul.1814 Peter paid for the banns to be read. "Proclamation of Peter Aitken, in this parish (Torphichen) and Janet Pearson, in Linlithgow, twice in one day".

In 1832 he paid 6/8 for the use of the "best mortcloth used to the deceased Marion Liddell", his mother-in-law.

On the 1st Dec 1837, he was absolved by the Kirk Session at Torphichen, of the sin of drunkenness, using profane language and riotous behaviour but not before having held out for quite a while against the Session.
The following comes from the research of Graham Marshall, with great thanks.
" Peter was charged with the offences when he went to the minister, in Feb 1833, to arrange to have his son Robert baptised. The minister took the opportunity to report him to the Session ' in consequence of certain complaints as to the repeated instances of drunkenness as of late'.
Peter Aitken initially refused to play their games which led to the Session appointing a committee comprising the Minister, the Session Clerk and four Elders to sort him out.
Thus it was that Peter appeared before this Church Court in Torphichen on 25th March 1833 charged with one specific instance of his alleged offences and that on the night of New Years Day he had been in widow Arthur's house 'in a state of intoxication and of then or there having uttered profane oaths and of having conducted himself both in the said house and about the door in a riotous manner.'
He admitted that he had been in the house but denied that he had been intoxicated or uttered profane oaths or behaved in a riotous manner. The Session then called witnesses to prove their case.
First came widow Arthur (Agnes Walker widow of the late Thomas Arthur) who remembered Peter Aitken coming to her house about ten or eleven o'clock and that while he had been drinking he was in control of himself. It appears he sent her for a bottle of whisky and that she had brought him half a bottle and was sent for and found another, there is no mention of where she found them.
It seems the company were willing to share Peter's first bottle of whisky but not so the second, referred to in the Session Minutes as 'spirits in a bottle'. He appararntly tried to persuade Norman McQueen to take a drink but there was something about it that persuaded Norman to throw it on the back of the fire which displeased Peter Aitken who threatened to ' pit him up in the reek'.
There seems to have been a scuffle after that but there was conflicting evidence from the widow Arthur and others as to exactly what happened. John Brodie and Norman McQueen seemed to be involved asn so it seems was Peter. There seems to have been an attempt to take the disagreement outside which resulted in Norman being pulled into the house and Peter, being outside, hammering on the door to be let back in. John Brodie clearly had remained inside since he, it was claimed, had gone to the door and asked if they wanted him. It sounds as if William Aitken was also outside although the evidence hardly mentions him. Peter apparently answered 'No it was old Nany and young Nanny and Mary and that them to put them in the dam.'
The second witness, Paul McFail refused to take the oath so the proceedings were postponed until the following day to hear more witnesses; Agnes Arthur the widow's daughter, John Marshall and Margaret, his daughter.
Agnes seemed clearer than her mother about who was in their house on New Year's night. She told how Mary Gunn, Norman McQueen one of their lodgers, John Brodie another lodger and her mother were there when Peter Aitken came in with William Aitken (possibly his brother) but supported her mother's view that he was not drunk. She was also clearer about who left, listing Peter Aitken, William Aitken, Paul McFail and John Brodie. She, her mother and Mary Gunn then went to bed, however she later said she had been in bed all of the time and couldn't see all that happened. It seems that John Marshall came in towards the end of the incident and had the poker taken to him by Agnes who had risen from her bed to clear the house. His testimony added a touch of farce when he claimed to remember meeting Peter Aitken and going with him to James Aitken's (probably another brother) house then on to Philip Gunn's house but that he could not remember being in widow Arthur's house. His daughter Maggie cleared that one up when she told how she had collected her father from there and took him home.
There is something ironic in the choice of date to hear the evidence for the defence - April first.
Peter went first and he admitted using intemperate language but not fighting or being drunk. He called Philip Gunn who described Peter Aitken as 'except for himself, the soberest man in the company in his house on the night of the 1st of January'.
The evidence seemed to have little effect on the Session Committee who referred it to the Presbytery who met two days later at Linlithgow where Peter argued that the evidence given for and against him was contradictory. But did acknowledge that he 'had in face of much provocation spoken one unguarded word for which he was sorry and resolved to be on his guard'. But that was not enough for the Presbyters who 'resolved without a vote to appoint a committee of three to examine the extract minutes of the Kirk Session of Torphichen and report to next meeting of Presbytery what facts appeared to them to be substantiated by the evidence.'
The committee reported back in three weeks with a neat summary of what they saw as the evidence. They were 'clearly of the opinion that the evidence proves that Peter Aitken had been drinking freely in the house of Philip Gunn, that he came with others to the house of Widow Arthur and sent for whisky. But it does not seem proved that Peter Aitken was very much intoxicated; that it seems true that Peter Aitken did then use profane language and behaved in a riotous manner in the Widow Arthur's house and after outside of her door demanding admittance and that the witnesses brought by Peter Aitken do not in any respect rebut the evidence on the part of the prosecution.'
The Presbytery agreed with the findings and referred it back to the Session for action who in their turn referred it to the Minister, His success in dealing with Peter Aitken was complete. He took only another two an a half years to persuade Peter to apologise to session. Whether Robert and his sister " (Roobert and Catherin children of Peter who were born in this time)" were then baptised is not recorded but normal service was resumed with the baptism of the next child, Mary Ann in 1938."

In the 1861 census two grandchildren, William aged 5 and John aged 7 months were living with Peter and Janet
In the 1871 census, grandchild William aged 18 was living with Peter and Janet

His daughter-in-law, AINNIE Aitken, reported his death.


Residence:
In 1856 the family resided at 6 Bowyett in the parish of Torphichen, along with William Aitken the illegitimate son of their daughter Janet and Andrew Cape

Peter married Janet Pearson on 17 Jul 1814 in Torphichen, West Lothian, Scotland. Janet (daughter of John Pearson and Marion Liddell) was born in 1792 in Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland; was christened on 11 May 1794 in Torphichen, West Lothian, Scotland; died on 9 Jul 1888 in Torphichen, West Lothian, Scotland; was buried in 1888 in Torphichen Churchyard, West Lothian, Scotland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• _UID: 2A35A9C662254443BD0CC49B09F7FB717084
• Residence: 1841, Torphichen, West Lothian, Scotland
• Residence: 1861, 6 Bowyett, Torphichen, West Lothian, Scotland
• Residence: 1871, Bowyett, Torphichen, West Lothian, Scotland
• Residence: 1881, Bow Yett, Torphicen, West Lothian, Scotland

Notes:

John Aitken was the informant on his mother's death certificate, in 1888.

Notes:

Married:
Banns were called at Torphichen and once at Linlithgow. i.e. Torphichen where Peter was residing and Linlithgow parish where Janet resided.

Name: Peter Aitken
Gender: Male
Marriage Date: 17 Jul 1814
Marriage Place: Torphichen,West Lothian,Scotland
Spouse: Janet Pierson
FHL Film Number: 1066638


Name: Janet Pierson
Gender: Female
Marriage Date: 17 Jul 1814
Marriage Place: Torphichen,West Lothian,Scotland
Spouse: Peter Aitken
FHL Film Number: 1066638

Other Events:

• Occupation: Farmer
• _UID: 2543982B2D6D44F0A52BD186B987F6439920
• Emigration: 1851, Scotland
• Occupation: 1851; gardener
• Residence: 1851, Lasswade, Midlothian, Scotland
• Immigration: 23 Nov 1851, Otago, New Zealand

Notes:

James, his wife, and three children sailed to NZ, on board the "Simlah", They departed from London and travelled via Wellington, on the north island of NZ, then on to Dunedin, Otago, in the south island. They travelled steerage class and arrived at Port Chalmers, (Dunedin), 23 November 1851.
Taking up land at East Taieri they called it Woodside. This was just off Bush Road, on the Riccarton Road, towards Silverstream

When the McNab Run was available for settlement in 1875, James and his two sons Peter and Thomas took up "Hawthornden".

.

James married Isabella Galbraith on 15 Mar 1842 in Scotland. Isabella was born in 1819 in Birse, Aberdeenshire; died on 14 Jan 1903 in New Zealand. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• _UID: D6AA73D279944E6D9E819BA13CF5AF5C24FA
• Residence: 1851, Lasswade, Midlothian, Scotland

Notes:

Isabella, her husband, and three children sailed to NZ, on board the