Calling Caithness

[tishgibbons]

My g.g.grandfather's brother, Charles Mitchell, died in Castletown, Olrig, Caithness on the 8th of May 1926. He was a gamekeeper and although born in Aberdeenshire, had worked there, in Ireland and on the Blair Estate in Culross in Fife. I understand that the Blair estate was taken over by Lord Carlow during or after WW1 and I presume that that is when Charles moved to Caithness.

Where in or near Castletown would he have worked - still a gamekeeper according to his death certificate? The address given is something-field, Castletown, Olrig.

Was he buried in Castletown? He was Church of Scotland, his wife a Roman Catholic and she (a native of Eigg) died in 1949 in Dalmuir, Dunbartonshire.

Did any of the family remain in Olrig? The informant on his death certificate, Angus William Mitchell, his son, moved sometime afterwards to Glasgow and then to Fife. Another son Charles is also in Dalmuir at the time of the mother's death.

I've e-mailed the same query to Caithness FHS but given the expertise on this site and the help I've got over the years, I couldn't avoid putting it here too. Hope no one minds

Tish

[AndrewP]

The address given is something-field, Castletown, Olrig.

Hi Tish,

I took a look at the certificate and believe the place to be Tansfield. There is such a place just outside of Castletown. See the following map.

--> Current OS map showing Tansfield, Castletown <--

All the best,

AndrewP

[tishgibbons]

Andrew,

thank you very much - yes it must be Tansfield. I had looked at a map but hadn't spotted it - had seen Hayfield but doubted it was the right one. Thanks for going to the trouble.

Tish

[tishgibbons]

A member of Caithness FHS has contacted me to advise that Charles is buried in Lair 94 in the new part of Olrig cemetery. If anyone is in that area and by chance comes across the grave, I'd love to know the inscription and/or have a photograph (Presuming there is a headstone, of course). also would still like anyone to guess where a gamekeeper might have been employed in Tansfield or thereabouts.
Thanks
Tish

[kinsearcher]

A house of this name stands in Castletown. I have pictures of it which can be seen here:-

http://ourmissinglinks.proboards83.com/ ... thread=433

James.

[tishgibbons]

Thank you James. I'm at work now but I'll take a look later - looking forward to it. I see you have Mitchell in your list of names - any connection with mine of Aberdeenshire?

Tish

[kinsearcher]

Massie:Maitland:Gerrie:Ironside:Bisset:
Mitchell:Skene:Cheyne:Cardno:

All Aberdeenshire, as stated in signature - essentially centred on Fraserburgh.

[tishgibbons]

Mine came originally from Crathie but I don't know from where prior to Peter Mitchell marrying there in the late 1700s.

[kinsearcher]

As you are at work, this discussion should also wait, right?
I also have Bowman.

James.

[tishgibbons]

James,

my sincere apologies - I got so busy I never thought to reply and I haven't logged on for a while. In the meantime, I have traced (with help from people on this site) the descendants of Charles Mitchell and am in touch with his grandson and family. We've spent the Summer exchanging letters and photographs and marvelling at the family resemblances. I've been so excited with all of this that I totally forgot anything else. Now that I'm down off cloud 9 (!) my Bowman connection is via one Mary Bowman who married my g.g.g.g.grandfather, Peter Mitchell in Crathie around 1900. They had a large family including William (father of the aforementioned Charles and my direct ancestor). I'm unclear about Mary Bowman's background - she turns out not to be who I thought she was originally. Where do your Bowmans hail from?

Regards

Tish