Charles Raeburn 1839-1894

Seedsman, born & lived all his life in Banff

Irvine Ancestry Family tree

1839. Baptised to William Raeburn & Eliza Bannerman in Banff on 21/5/1839-FMP

1841C. Charles Raeburn , 2, was living with his parents in High Street Banff

William	Raeburn	Male	30	1811	Banffshire, Scotland
Eliza	Raeburn	Female	25	1816	Banffshire, Scotland
Charles	Raeburn	Male	2	1839	Banffshire, Scotland
Margaret	McPherson	Female	15	1826	Banffshire, Scotland

1844. His mother died . The children were brought up by a housekeeper servant who lived to a great age, looked after by Charles 1839 and remembered by his son Charles 1876 as a frail old lady living on endless cups of strong black tea and forever knitting stockings- was this Christian Smith, the \~15 year old servant in the 1851C??

1851C.Charles Raeburn ,11, was living with his widowed father and a brother in 27 High Street Banff. William, 1812, seedsman, born Gamrie

William	Reburn	Head	Widower	Male	39	1812	Seedsman	Gamrie, Banffshire, Scotland
Charles	Reburn	Son	Unmarried	Male	11	1840	Scholar	Banff, Banffshire, Scotland
William	Reburn	Son	Unmarried	Male	9	1842	Scholar	Banff, Banffshire, Scotland
Christian	Smith	Servant	Unmarried	Female	15	1836	House Serv	Gamrie, Banffshire, Scotland

The business in Banff seems to have prospered at first. Anyhow, both boys got as good an education as one would expect sons of such a businessman to get in those days. Charles was kept at school till he was then the abnormal age of 15. Besides a very thorough grounding in the 3 Rs, he had learned a little Latin, the elements of land surveying and some botany. On leaving school he was taken into his father's business. William had a similar education and was articled to a lawyer in town . When Charles had finished 5 years apprenticeship under his father, he got a post in Edinburgh with the then leading firm of seedsmen in Scotland, Peter Lawson and Sons. He seems to have been well thought of by his employers, for when they opened a branch in Southampton he was sent there to organize it and, later, he was sent to London when they opened up there

1861C. Charles Raeburn , 21, seedsman, was living in St Cuthberts, Newington, Midlothian . Newington is an area of Edinburgh, Scotland, about 15 to 20 minutes walk south of the city centre, the Royal Mile and Princes Street.

William	Methven	Head	Married	Male	50	1811	Agent For Sewing Machine	Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland
Catherine	Methven	Wife	Married	Female	50	1811	-	Hawick, Roxburghshire, Scotland
Catherine	Methven	Daughter	Unmarried	Female	20	1841	-	Midlothian, Scotland
Robert	Methven	Son	-	Male	14	1847	Scholar	Midlothian, Scotland
John	Methven	Son	-	Male	11	1850	Scholar	Midlothian, Scotland
Thomas	More	Lodger	Unmarried	Male	24	1837	Managing Law Clerk	Kennoway, Fife, Scotland
Charles	Raeburn	Lodger	Unmarried	Male	21	1840	Seedsman	Banffshire, Scotland
Edward Henry	Anderson	Lodger	Unmarried	Male	22	1839	Druggist	Stirlingshire, Scotland

1864. His brother William, who had been sickly from childhood, died, aged 22, of consumption, Banff.- SP . Charles returns north for the funeral and found that his father was not at all well. His health was so poor that he could not give sufficient attention to the business & he begged his son to return home.

1865. Charles Raeburn marries Margaret Henderson in Kirkcaldy Fife on 28/11/1865 - FMP . Confirmed on b.c. of son Charles Raeburn in 1875 Lappenbusch tree owner is descended from their son, William Henderson Raeburn 1870

They started married life in rented rooms in Southampton

By 1866 they are in London , he working for Peter Lawson and Sons

1866. Janet Raeburn born St Geo Hanover Square Dec 1866 -no London Ancestry baptism 1867-1923 -lappy Ancestry tree

1867. Following his brother's 1864 funeral, Charles did not return home at once, but nearly 3 years later, on visiting his father and discussing matters with the family lawyer, &, on his return to London, with his wife, it was decided that he should throw up his job with Lawsons and take over the family business. It was a bold thing to do for the business, which had once been so prosperous, had suffered much through his father's long illness. On top of that was the fact that his father had become security for more than one neighbour in financial difficulty and had been left to pay up. Indeed, if all had to be sold up the estate would have been bankrupt. But he was a young man married to a clever, capable young woman, and together they decided to take the risk and they moved into the old house in Banff in October 1867 . His father, William Raeburn, died the following May 1868

Charles and Margaret had an uphill task. The business had run down, there were mortgages to pay off and a growing family to be clothed and educated. Charles set about it by adapting the business and technical knowledge he had gained in the south to the needs and conditions of the north and, gradually, he secured the confidence of the farming community around him. He was able to advise them as to the best type of seeds for their land and to help them in many other ways, and he went to great trouble to do it .

1869. Williamina Eliza Raeburn born Banff 15/4/1869-SP . Exact date from Lappy tree

1870 William Henderson Raeburn born Banff 11/11/1870-SP, but exact date from googling him !- his descendant,a ggranddaughter, owns the Lappy tree

1871C. Cannot find, Charles, Margaret or Janet, Williamina & William on FMP nor Ancestry- tried again 8/2/2017 & 28/5/2019 . 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 Raeburn, 31, seedsman ,b. Banff, Margaret H , 29, b. Abbotsdale, Fifeshire, Williamina, 1, b. Banff, William 4 mths b.Banff, Janet R Henderson , 60, mother in law b. Fifeshire, Kinglassie, a boarder and a servant . Janet Raeburn, 1866, missing here

Gradually Charles became known as one who knew his business and whose advice was worth following. Then a piece of nursery ground, some 14 acres, a mile from the town, became vacant and, greatly daring, he leased it at £5 per acre. The park, nearer town, was not very good land and it was being eaten away by buildings. So it was given up and everything possible done to make the nursery a success. At that time landowners were wealthy and many of them spent large sums on tree planting on their estates. So Charles specialised in raising from seed such trees as fir, beech, larch, sprice and oak. He was able to build up a connection which spread over much of England as well as the south of Scotland. The old house in Banff which he had inherited was a large rambling building and Margaret helped the family income by letting with attendance some of the rooms. She was a 1st class cook and her experiences at Comiston House enabled her to see that the rather pretentious tastes of those Northern Gentry who could afford to pay were fully met

As the years passed, the business prospered and the family grew. All mortgages were paid off in the later 70s and in the early 80s it was resolved to move on. The old house was inconvenient in many ways and badly needed modernising . The shop under it, under William, had become more a general store than a seed shop.

1868. Banffshire Journal 22/9/1868 - FMP Newspapers

It was Charles' ambition to have a purely seed and nursey business and Margaret's desire to have a modern house from which money could be made to pay for the education of the family. So the old house was practically rebuilt with a large comodious seed shop and a smaller grocery shop on the ground floor and, in all, 12 rooms on the 1st & 2nd floors.

1873-1874

Received this email on 31/7/2022

1875. Charles Raeburn born to Charles & Margaret on 15/7/1875 in High Street, Banff

1879. Helen Miller Raeburn born

1879. Charles Raeburn, seedsman, was elected a Police Commissioner for the second or Graystairs Ward of Banff - FMP newspapers

1881C Charles Raeburn , 41, seed merchant employing 1 man and 1 boy, , was living with his wife & 5 children in High Street, Banff

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

But gradually northern farmers found their prosperity ebbing away. Prices fell, rents had to be reduced and landowners no longer had money to spend on afforestation. Charles found his tree-raising business dwindle. He did his best to find alternative lines. He cultivated strawberries on a big scale both for the fruit, and to rear young plants for the southern market. It entailed much labour and a doubtful profit, and there is little question that, but for the income from the house, the domestic budget would not have balanced. Beaten and worried, Charles carried on maintaining the high standards of service he had practised all his life. In his business nothing but the best was good enough and he still insisted on everything being done as it ought to be regardless of cost. His old customers never ceased to deal with him, but their custom was smaller. Nevertheless, it was treated as carefully as of yore whether it was profitable or not. In 1890 he fell ill with some kidney trouble which his doctor was unable to deal with, and although he rallied somewhat and was able in 1891 to make a tour of his old customers for tree seedlings in England, he gradually became weaker and worse and died in July1894.

1891C. Charles Raeburn , 51, seed merchant, was living with 2 of his children 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,

His wife, Margaret, is visiting her parents in Kirkcaldy with 3 other children.

1894. Charles Raeburn, ~55, of 29 High Street, Banff, dies on 20/7/1894 . Probate of £205. Buried in New Cemetery, Banff on 1/8/1894 . No obituary on FMP Newspapers

Gravestone Banff of William Raeburn, ( Charles' brother) merchant, died aged 22, in 1864: & of Charles Raeburn, died aged 55, July 1894 and mentioning his wife, Margaret Henderson, died aged 84, in 1926- in Kirkcaldy

From the Family History, the "Banffshire Journal" wrote:

We regret to announce the death of Mr Charles Raeburn, seedsman, which took place yesterday morning. Mr Raeburn had been in delicate health for about two years and a half. He was struck down by paralysis and for the past two years had been completely laid aside from business. While his friends hoped he would recover, it had been evident for the last several weeks that recovery was almost hopeless. Mr Raeburn was a native of Banff, of which for several years he was one of the best known townsmen . He was taught under his father the nursery and seed business. In early life he entered the services of the eminent firm of Messrs. Peter Lawson and Sons, nursery men and seedsmen, Edinburgh, the head of which firm was for several years the Lord Provost of the city. He was subsequently transferred to the London branch of the establishment, where he was for 6/7 years. After holding an appointment at Southampton, he returned to Banff in 1868, and since his father's death had conducted the seed and nursery business and in addition a grocery business in a very honourable and successful way. About a year ago he disposed of the former branch to Messrs. Kerr and Simpson. He was for a term of 3 years a member of the Town Council, and was for a number of years Secretary of the Banffshire Horticultural Association, in which he took a great deal of innterest and for which he did a great deal of good service. He was a gentleman of great public spirit and energy and did good service on behalf of many institutions . He is survived by his widow and a family of 2 sons and 4 daughters for whom general sympathy is expressed

*. Southampton preceded London

** Kerr developed 'Kerrs Pink' potato. The seed business was still carried on in Banff under the name of Raeburn, up to the 1950s at least

Like his father before him, Charles' outstanding characteristic was sterling honesty, not only in the letter but in spirit

1897 His eldest daughter, Janet Rosa/ Ross? Raeburn, married Andrew Braid, seedsman on 21/7/1897 at Shell Villa, Kirkcaldy -FMP newspapers

1901C His widow is living 61, High Street, Banff

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

1908. His widow still living High Street, Banff but she has returned to her native Kirkcaldy by the time of her death in 1926

 

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