Margaret Henderson 1841- 1926
Daughter of a Kirkcaldy mason. Married a Banff seed merchant and settled in Banff. ~ 240 k between these 2 places . A strong character.
1841. Margaret Henderson was born to William Henderson & Janet R Ross 2/8/1841 Abbottshall -SP, not purchased - in Tyrie, part of Kirkcaldy/Kinghorn,, Fife -from censuses.
1851C. Margaret Henderson, 9, was living Tyrie Bleachfield, Kinghorn,Kirkcaldy, Fife with her parents and 2 sisters
| William | Henderson | Head | Married | Male | 43 | 1808 | Mason | Kinghorn, Fife, Scotland | |
| Janet | Henderson | Wife | Married | Female | 38 | 1813 | - | Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland | |
| Helen | Henderson | Daughter | Unmarried | Female | 15 | 1836 | Scholar | Kinglassie, Fife, Scotland | |
| Janet | Henderson | Daughter | - | Female | 13 | 1838 | Scholar | Abbotshall, Fife, Scotland | |
| Margaret | Henderson | Daughter | - | Female | 9 | 1842 | Scholar | Kinghorn, Fife, Scotland | |
| Janet | Bethune | Visitor | N K | Female | 0 | 1851 | N K | Not Known |
1861C.. Her family is at Townsend Place, Kirkcaldy, Fife. She , almost 20, a domestic servant at Comiston House, Colinton, Midlothian .
She was employed as housekeeper - presumably ~1862-1865 - at Comiston House, a large mansion on the outskirts of Edinburgh occupied by a rich couple , who seem to have kept open house for all the leaders of Edinburgh's intellectual society
| Anne | Souter | Head | Widow | Female | 56 | 1805 | Fund Holder | Forfarshire (Angus), Scotland | |
| Annie B C | Souter | Daughter | Unmarried | Female | 25 | 1836 | Fund Holder | Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland | |
| Jemima W | Souter | Daughter | Unmarried | Female | 22 | 1839 | Fund Holder | Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland | |
| Margaret | Henderson | Servant | Unmarried | Female | 20 | 1841 | Domestic Serv | Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland | |
| Agnes | Adamson | Servant | Unmarried | Female | 21 | 1840 | Domestic Serv | Armadale, Linlithgowshire (West Lothian), Scotland | |
| Ellen | Watson | Servant | Unmarried | Female | 16 | 1845 | Domestic Serv | Armadale, Linlithgowshire (West Lothian), Scotland |
She had none of her mother's fatalism and placidity but she had very much of her strong regard for order & form. To her there could be no greater sin than a departure from the conduct, beliefs & thoughts of established Society. . From her father she inherited an ample share of his argumentative propensity and was always ready to give reasons for her conduct or opinions. She had all her father's beliefs in material progress, but whereas his faith was in social material progress ( for he saw plainly that 'every man for himself and the devil take the hindmost' could only lead to a worse state of affairs), and he was, as far as individuals were concerned, a most tolerant & kindly man, Margaret was keen on individual advancement . She wanted a better world for herself and her family, let others look after themselves the best they could!. That was of course the philosophy at the time and we must not blame her much for it. In spite of it she was often very kind & helpful to her poorer neighbours. She had little schooling , nor do we know anything of her training after leaving school. The first available record of her is as housekeeper at Comiston House- but only a domestic servant there in 1861C. In this position she made up for her lack of schooling by thoroughly mastering the technique of house management. In that line she excelled. She not only knew how to cater, cook and serve according to the demands of Society at that time, but she could make preserves of all sorts and many old Scots dishes now completely forgotten . As a manager she was superb. Everything was planned and carried out with method and in the approved way.
1865. Margaret Henderson marries Charles Raeburn in Kirkcaldy Fife on 28/11/1865 - FMP, no fathers given,. mc from SP would confirm her father, but confident he was William: this confirmed by 1908 death notice for William Henderson Raeburn
They started married life in rented rooms in Southampton, her husband working for Peter Lawson and Sons, seed merchants
Charles & Margaret have 6 children: Janet Raeburn 1866; Williamina Liza Raeburn 1869; William Henderson Raeburn 1871; Charles Raeburn 1876 ; Helen Miller Raeburn 1879 & Margaret Raeburn 1882 .
By 1866, the family was in London, but back in Banff by October 1867
1866. Janet Raeburn born St Geo Hanover Square Dec 1866 -no London Ancestry baptism
1867. The family return to Banff, her father in law dying in May 1868
1871C. Cannot find, Charles, Margaret or Janet on FMP nor Ancestry. In 2019 it would appear that Ancestry has no Census covering Banff- this ODD! . But have -2019- purchased this from SP and,
at 28 High Street, Banff , Charles, 31, seedsman ,b. Banff, Margaret H , 29, b. Abbotsdale, Fifeshire, Williamina, 1, b. Banff, William 4mths b.Banff, Janet R Henderson , 60, mother in law b. Fifeshire, Kinglassie, a boarder and a servant . Janet Raeburn, 1866, missing here
1876. Charles Raeburn born to Charles & Margaret in High Street, Banff
1879 . Helen Miller Raeburn born
1881C Margaret Raeburn, 39, is living High Street, Banff with her husband and 5 children
| Charles | Raeburn | Head | Married | Male | 41 | 1840 | Seed Merchant Employing 1 Man & 1 Boy | Banff, Banffshire, Scotland | |
| Margaret | Raeburn | Wife | Married | Female | 39 | 1842 | - | Kinghorn, Fife, Scotland | |
| Janet | Raeburn | Daughter | - | Female | 14 | 1867 | Scholar | London, Middlesex, England | |
| Williamina E | Raeburn | Daughter | - | Female | 11 | 1870 | Scholar | Banff, Banffshire, Scotland | |
| William H | Raeburn | Son | - | Male | 10 | 1871 | Scholar | Banff, Banffshire, Scotland | |
| Charles R | Raeburn | Son | - | Male | 5 | 1876 | Scholar | Banff, Banffshire, Scotland | |
| Helen M | Raeburn | Daughter | - | Female | 2 | 1879 | - | Banff, Banffshire, Scotland | |
| Jane | Ross | Servant | Unmarried | Female | 19 | 1862 | General Servant |
1882. Margaret Raeburn born . She was the last of the 6 Children of Charles Raeburn & Margaret Henderson
In her own house in Banff Margaret trained several girls who afterswards occupied very good posts. She always had the choice of all the more intelligent and ambitious of those seeking such work. As a mother she inspired her children with awed reverence rather than love. She was anxious that they get on in life, but she had very little belief in education as a means to that end. Their was strong difference of opinion between her and her husband on this point. Her faith was in WORK for its own sake and the discipline it provided. She was intolerant of any labour saving innovation- it would onlyencourage the unforgivvable sin of laziness. But, in spite of her hardness, Margaret could be extremely kind and considerate to elderly indigent people, and for many years she kept several such supplied with milk, food and comforts which otherwise they would never have had
1887' Her father died
1891C . Her husband & 2 of their children are in High Street, Banff .
| Charles | Raeburn | Head | Married | Male | 51 | 1840 | Seed Merchant | Banff, Banffshire, Scotland | |
| Williamina | Raeburn | Daughter | Unmarried | Female | 21 | 1870 | Shop Assistant | Banff, Banffshire, Scotland | |
| Charles | Raeburn | Son | - | Male | 15 | 1876 | Scholar | Banff, Banffshire, Scotland | |
| Margaret | McLaren | Servant | Unmarried | Female | 17 | 1874 | General Serv Domestic | Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, |
1891C. Margaret is visiting her widowed mother in Kirkcaldy with 3 other children. Townsend Place, Kirkcaldy, Fife
| Janet | Henderson | Head | Widow | Female | 81 | 1810 | - | Kinglassie, Fife, Scotland | |
| Jessie | Henderson | Daughter | Unmarried | Female | 52 | 1839 | - | Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland | |
| Janet | Raeburn | Granddaughter | Unmarried | Female | 24 | 1867 | Teacher Of Music | England | |
| Nellie | Raeburn | Granddaughter | - | Female | 12 | 1879 | Scholar | Banff, Banffshire, Scotland | |
| Margaret | Raeburn | Daughter | Married | Female | 49 | 1842 | - | Kinghorn, Fife, Scotland | |
| Maggie | Raeburn | Granddaughter | - | Female | 8 | 1883 | Scholar | Banff, Banffshire, Scotland |
1894. Her husband, Charles Raeburn, dies , having been ill for 2+ years.
After his death, Margaret sold his business - though the Seed part of it had already been disposed of- but not the house and she reaimed in occupation for 18 years- thus up to~1912- managing her late husband's estate and her own in an efficient business like way. But the time came when the house was too big for her and one maid, and she moved to Kirkcaldy to bee near her daughter Janet and her son Charles , both married there. There, with advancing years, she mellowed considerably and lived quietly and comfortably till, at the age of 85, she died peacefully.
1896. Her mother dies
1901C. . Margaret Raeburn, 61, widow, is living High Street, Banff with 2 daughters. Helen Miller Raeburn was named after her aunt, Helen Henderson 1836, who married W illiam Millar.
| Margaret | Raeburn | Head | Widow | Female | 59 | 1842 | - | Tyrie, Fife, Scotland | |
| Helen Miller | Raeburn | Daughter | Single | Female | 22 | 1879 | King's Scholar | Banff, Banffshire, Scotland | |
| Margaret | Raeburn | Daughter | Single | Female | 18 | 1883 | Pupil Teacher | Banff, Banffshire, Scotland | |
| Mary | Ross | Servant | Single | Female | 16 | 1885 | General Servant Domestic | Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland | |
| James | Reid | Boarder | Single | Male | 49 | 1852 | Advocate (Sherriff Substitute Of Bauff) | Lochwinnoch, Renfrewshire, Scotland |
1911. Still in Banff, aged 69, in 1911C
~1912. Margaret Raeburn moves back from Banff to her native Kirkcaldy to live in her parents' old house, Shell Villa . . Her Will was registered in Cupar, Fife, when written in 1919
1920. An announcement that Mr John Hunter, organist of Abbotshall has now removed to Shell Villa, Townsend Place - FMP Newspapers
1926. Margaret Henderson Raeburn, of Shell Villa, Townsend Place, 84, dies Kirkcaldy 15/3/1926 [thus before 27/3/1926 when claims on her estate were invited] -SP. She left £5000- FMP Newspapers . Probate of £5156 , her son, Charles Raeburn, engineer, of 2 Sutton Road, Heaton Norris, Stockport , one of the executors
Gravestone Banff of William Raeburn, merchant, died aged 22, in 1864, of Charles Raeburn, died aged 55, July 1894 and of his wife, Margaret Henderson, died aged 84, in 1926
Would love a photo of Shell Villa!
On 22/5/1926 there was notice of an Auction of her possesions: Rosewood piano, Mahogany wardrobe, china cabinet, Chest of Drawers, Parlour Suites, Bookcase, Sofa, Couch, Parlour Chairs, Toilet Tables & Washstands, carpets, pictures, Mantel Mirror, Hand Sewing Machine, All Brass, Oak and Mahogany Beds, Bedding, Painted wardrobe, Kitchen Cipboard, Linoleum, Mangle, Crockery, Cutlery and Spoons, Cooking Utensils and a large variety of other articles
On 25/9/1926, sale of Desirable Upper Flat, Shell Villa, 3 bedrooms, sitting room, kitchen & bathroom(h&c) and garden Rental £30. Feu £1.1.9. No casualties. For Sale by private bargain, immediate occupation
Shell Villa seemingly taken over by James Duff, Ladies & Gents Outfitter & General Draper by 1927 but Alex Aitken also advertises music lessons there in August 1927