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Robert Aitken

Robert Aitken

Male 1805 - 1874  (68 years)

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  • Name Robert Aitken 
    Born 15 Dec 1805  Torphichen, West Lothian, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Occupation 1841  [1
    Lime Burner 
    Residence 1841  Parkhead, Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Occupation 1851  [2
    Farmer (97 acres) 
    Residence 1851  Silvermines Farm, Torphicen, West Lothian, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Occupation 1861  [3
    Limeburner & Farmer Of 90 Acres Employing 2 Men 
    Residence 1861  Silvermines Farm, Torphicen, West Lothian, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
    Occupation 13Mar 1862  [4
    farmer 
    Occupation 1871  [5
    Farmer Of 93 Ac Employing 1 Man & 1 Boy 
    Residence 1871  Silvermines Farm, Torphicen, West Lothian, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location  [5
    _UID 2585986671ED4F8FA233890C23280722C24C 
    Died 17 Oct 1874  Silvermines Farm, Torphicen, West Lothian, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Cause: Dropsy 
    Buried 20 Oct 1874  Glasgow Rd Cemetery, Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I4904  My Big Tree
    Last Modified 24 Jul 2022 

    Father John Aitken,   b. 4 Jun 1772, Carriden, Bo'Ness, West Lothian, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 24 Apr 1840, Silvermines Farm, Torphicen, West Lothian, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 67 years) 
    Mother Elizabeth Donaldson,   b. Abt 1777, Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 31 Jan 1857, Silvermines Farm, Torphicen, West Lothian, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 80 years) 
    Married 11 Nov 1798  Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • Name: John Aiken
      Gender: Male
      Marriage Date: 11 Nov 1798
      Marriage Place: Linlithgow,West Lothian,Scotland
      Spouse: Elisabeth Donaldson
      FHL Film Number: 102990

      Name: Elisabeth Donaldson
      Gender: Female
      Marriage Date: 11 Nov 1798
      Marriage Place: Linlithgow,West Lothian,Scotland
      Spouse: John Aitken
      FHL Film Number: 102990

    Family ID F1583  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Ann Henderson,   b. 3 Oct 1809, Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 18 Jun 1880, Wester Tartraven, Torphicen, West Lothian, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 70 years) 
    Married 3 Oct 1828  Torphichen, Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location  [6
    Children 
     1. Catherine Aitken,   b. 1830, Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 14 Aug 1900, Broomparkwell, Torphichen, West Lothian, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 70 years)
     2. Janet Aitken,   b. 1832, Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 22 Jul 1905, Cragfoot Cottage, Bo'Ness, West Lothian, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 73 years)
     3. Reverend William Cuthbert Aitken,   b. 28 Feb 1834, Torphichen, West Lothian, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 13 Dec 1913, Newcastle, Northumberland, New Brunswick, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 79 years)
     4. John Aitken,   b. 1836, Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 3 Apr 1907, Spittalrigg, Haddington, East Lothian, Scotland, Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 71 years)
     5. Robert Aitken,   b. 1838, Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 16 Jul 1906, Drumcross, Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 68 years)
     6. Elisabeth Donaldson Aitken,   b. 1841, Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 4 Feb 1920, Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 79 years)
     7. David Aitken,   b. 1843, Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 12 Jul 1893, Drumcross, Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 50 years)
     8. Ann Aitken,   b. 1846, Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 20 May 1910, SAS Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 64 years)
     9. Mary Gibson Aitken,   b. 1850, Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 29 Jun 1896, 265 Saracen Street, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 46 years)
     10. James Aitken,   b. 1856, Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 11 Sep 1894, Drumcross, Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 38 years)
    Last Modified 21 Oct 2010 
    Family ID F1588  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Headstones

    Robert Aitken 20 Oct 1874
    Ann Henderson 21 Jun 1880

  • Notes 
    • The lease of Wester Tartraven Farm was granted to John in 1802, at a rent of 35 pounds. This lease was renewed for 20 years in 1820. This then takes us to 1840 when John died. There are no records as to who leased it from 1840 until 1847 when records show John's son, Robert, in possession.
      In 1832 he must already have been a man of property.
      The "List of the Electors of the County of Linlithgow" was produced in 1858. This listing states that "in 1832, 1837 and 1838, that Robert Aitken, Lime-burner, of Silver-Mine, Torphichen, Bathgate, was a tenant occupier".
      Who one actually voted for was recorded. In 1832 Robert voted for Sir A. Hope and in 1837 he voted for Captain Hope, in 1838 he voted for Mr Charles Hope.
      It is not surprising that Robert had voted that way. The land he leased, for farming and his lime burning business, was owned by the Hope family, the Hope's of Hopetoun, Earls of Linlithgow.
      Robert's father held the lease of Wester Tartraven and the Limecraig of Silvermine until 1840.
      I cannot find any record of who held the lease between 1840 and 1847, it was our Robert, according to Burke's Peerage.
      In 1844 he bought a house in Bathgate. Then in 1845 he bought the grounds and buildings on the east side of Engine Street and the south side of North Street.
      1847 must have been a momentous year for Robert and Ann.
      That year, Robert, acquired more properties in Bathgate.
      He signed a lease, for 18 years, for Silvermines farm.
      His wife, Ann, also acquired property in Bathgate in 1847. So she must have been a woman of some substance as well.
      Robert, Ann and their daughter Catherine all joined Torphichen Church.

      Cemetery: Bathgate, Glasgow Road Cemetery
      Interment Number: 2537
      Date of Interment: Tuesday, 20 Oct 1874
      Time: 3pm
      Name: Robert Aitken
      Occupation: Farmer
      Residence: Silver Mines
      Date of death: 17 Oct 1874
      Age: 69
      Cause of Death: Dropsy
      How conveyed to grave: Hearse
      Ground: Private
      Compartment: B
      Lair Number: 71
      Depth: 5 feet
      Charge: 5/-
      Other info: two spaces No. 71 & 72

  • Sources 
    1. [S73] 1841 Census (Reliability: 3).

    2. [S38] 1851 Census (Reliability: 3).

    3. [S12] 1861 Census (Reliability: 3).

    4. [S18] Marriage Cert (Reliability: 3).

    5. [S198] 1871 Census Scotland, Scotland. (Reliability: 3).

    6. [S77] Terry Stewart (Reliability: 3).