Thomas Aitken

1835 - 1922  (87 years)

• Name	Thomas Aitken
  Born	12 Jan 1835	Torphichen, West Lothian, Scotland
  Gender	Male
  Residence	1841	Torphichen, West Lothian, Scotland   [1]
  Occupation	1851
  	Cobbler / Shoemaker
  Residence	1851	Torphichen, West Lothian, Scotland
  _UID	9B11F4CA2E604EF2983649BCCEF8E2C47763
  Died	22 Oct 1922	Mosgiel, Otago, New Zealand
  Buried	25 Oct 1922	East Taieri Cemetery, Otago, New Zealand
  Person ID	I6703	My Big Tree
  Last Modified	19 Jun 2024

  
  

  Father	Peter Aitken,   b. 11 Jun 1792, Linlithgow Bridge, West Lothian, Scotland ,   d. 23 Aug 1875, 7 Bowyett, Torphichen, West Lothian, Scotland  (Age 83 years)
  Mother	Janet Pearson,   b. 1792, Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland ,   d. 9 Jul 1888, Torphichen, West Lothian, Scotland  (Age 96 years)
  Married	17 Jul 1814	Torphichen, West Lothian, Scotland
  	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
  Family ID	F2184	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Christine Redpath Aitken,   b. 8 Mar 1843, Lasswade, Midlothian, Scotland ,   d. 24 Aug 1924, Mosgiel, Otago, New Zealand  (Age 81 years)
  Married	13 Sep 1864	East Taieri, Otago, New Zealand
  Children	1. William Aitken,   b. 1 Oct 1863, Bush Rd, Mosgiel, Otaga, New Zealand ,   d. 24 Mar 1947, New Zealand  (Age 83 years)   2. James Allison Aitken,   b. 12 Oct 1867, Bush Rd, Mosgiel, Otaga, New Zealand ,   d. 23 Nov 1964, Invercargill, Southland, New Zealand  (Age 97 years)   3. Peter Thomas Aitken,   b. 29 May 1870, Bush Rd, Mosgiel, Otaga, New Zealand ,   d. 14 Oct 1896, Bolobo, Congo, Africa  (Age 26 years)   4. Isabella Aitken,   b. 7 Aug 1872, Mosgiel, Otago, New Zealand ,   d. Nov 1964, 114 Bush Rd, Mosgiel, Otaga, New Zealand  (Age 92 years)   5. Janet Pearson Aitken,   b. 28 Sep 1874, Bush Rd, Mosgiel, Otaga, New Zealand ,   d. 29 Jan 1961, Mosgiel, Otago, New Zealand  (Age 86 years)   6. Robert Aitken,   b. 4 Dec 1877, Mosgiel, Otago, New Zealand ,   d. 9 Jul 1946, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand  (Age 68 years)   7. Margaret Aitken,   b. 28 Dec 1879, Bush Rd, Mosgiel, Otaga, New Zealand ,   d. 23 Dec 1949  (Age 69 years)   8. John Aitken,   b. 12 Jun 1882, Bush Rd, Mosgiel, Otaga, New Zealand ,   d. 12 Sep 1969, Mosgiel, Otago, New Zealand  (Age 87 years)   9. Andrew Allison Aitken,   b. 14 Apr 1884, Bush Rd, Mosgiel, Otaga, New Zealand ,   d. 15 Apr 1968  (Age 84 years)   10. Christopher Aitken,   b. 14 Sep 1886, Bush Rd, Mosgiel, Otaga, New Zealand ,   d. Aft 1977, Wanganui, New Zealand  (Age 91 years)
  Last Modified	7 Oct 2007
  Family ID	F2310	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• 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.

  
  

• Sources

  [S73] 1841 Census (Reliability: 3).