JAMES ROBERTON (1800-1881)
We have done quite a lot of research into James, so here goes!
James was born 21 June 1800, at Ladyrig, Roxburghshire where his parents Andrew Roberton (1756-1830) and Christian Pringle (1764- 1853) lived and farmed. James was married twice, firstly to Mary OLIVER and secondly to Mary Ann DARLING.
He married Mary OLIVER on 22 Nov 1831, parish of Yetholm. Ref 811/3. They had 7 children, Andrew, Margaret Richardson, [died young], James, Thomas, Robert and George. In the 1841 census for Roxburghshire at Ladyrig [taken 6 June, ref 1841/803, and note for adults ages were rounded down to the nearest 5]: James Roberton 35 farmer; Margaret Oliver 50; Mary Roberton 30; Andrew Roberton 8; Margaret Roberton 6; James Roberton 3; Robert Roberton 1; NK [George?] Roberton 3mo, plus servants. So Mary’s mother Margaret Oliver was living with the family.
Notes on the descendents from James ROBERTSON and Mary OLIVER:
Andrew born 1833 died 11 Apr 1870 aged 37, marr Margaret Seton
Margaret Richardson, born 24 Nov 1834, bap Jan 1835 died 22 Mar 1903 aged 69
Robert, born 27 May 1836, bap 29 June died 18 Mar 1837
James born 1837 died 18 April 1856 aged 17
Thomas, born 3 Jan 1838
Robert Oliver, born 27 Sept 1839 at Ladyrig, bap at Yetholm
George born 1841 died 18 Jan 1848
Mary Oliver and James Roberton’s son, Robert Oliver Roberton [1839-1896] married Isabella Kay, and they had five children: James, Margaret, Robert Andrew [1873-1967], Mary and John- through James we get to Hamish, David’s fathers relative and friend, who farmed at Morebattle Tofts, and who gave David’s father John the picture of James Roberton.
James R and Mary Oliver also had five other children, being Robert [1836- 1837], Andrew [1832-1870], Margaret Richardson [1834-1903], James [1838-56] and George [1841-48]
The eldest child of Robert and Isabella was James Roberton [1867-1936] who married Jane Stevenson and they had a daughter Mary and a son Robert James, known to us as Hamish. David remembers Hamish visiting the farm in Wiltshire. Hamish married Christian [Chris] Laidlaw and they had two daughters Frances Ann and Elizabeth Jean, both born in the 1930s. Robert Oliver Roberton took over the farm at Ladyrig when his father James retired to Kelso and to become in volved with the British Linen Bank, subsequently the Bank of Scotland.
The second son John [1872-1923] was also a Tenant at Ladyrig, and he married Elizabeth Cowe. They had two daughters and a son- Lorna, who we don’t know much about, Elizabeth [Betty] and Robert Kay- he died in Italy in WW2 aged 34. Betty was born in 1912, and she married Robert Reginald Tweedie who farmed and also raised race horse, getting a 2nd with ‘Freddie’ in the 1966 Grand National. David and Joan visited Betty in 2006, where they saw the pictures of various Robertons- she was born at Ladyrig and was annoyed that the current owner was planning to make the steading into new homes. Betty and Reg had two sons- [Robert] John who farms at Buchtrig, which the Tweedies purchased because John said he would like to live there; David spent 6-8 weeks there lambing in 1966 before he went to Newcastle to study Agriculture; he already knew about lambing, albeit not about Scottish hill farming . For some years afterwards, David sent John bundles of Hazel sticks, a rare commodity in the Cheviout Hills, for John to make walking sticks and shepherd’s crooks with antler and horn handles. John married Dianna Davidson, and they have three children, at least one of whom continues with the farm and John lives in a house next to the main farmhouse so they can be near but not too near. The farm runs right up to the border with England, which is just ‘over the hill’ and is several miles up a farm track so totally private and probably inaccessible in winter as well- a true borders hill farm indeed.
The youngest son of Robert Oliver Roberton of James was Robert Andrew Roberton [1873-1967] and he married Ada Mina Calder in 1899. They had one son James Stuart Roberton [1900- 1985] who married Margaret A Parkin in 1926; they had two children Pamela and Frances Stuart Roberton, who David and Joan visited at Yetholm Mains where he, like his father before him, farmed until 2006 when he retired. He was living in a bungalow built nearby.
Mary Oliver [born in 1810] died 26th Feb 1848 and James subsequently married Mary Ann Darling 31 Oct 1849 at Roxburgh [ ref 803/2]. It is possible that James was already involved with William Darling, Many Ann's father, in relation to work as William was in Banking and had a lot of stocks and shares.
Notes on descendants of James ROBERTON and Mary Anne DARLING:
Mary Jane, born Ladyrig 29 July, 1850
Jane Pringle born 2nd Jan 1852 at Ladyrig
Ellen Margaretta born 8 Sept 1853
Agnes Christina born 3 Aug 1855 at Roxburgh
Elizabeth Kay, born 1857, died 6 Dec 1863 aged 6
In the 1851 census [ref Roxburgh 803/3/4] , James is described as 50, farming 900 acres and employing 30 labourers. Mary Ann [32] is living there, as is son Andrew [18], daughter Mary Jane 8 months; Margaret Darling [29] is a visitor. By 1861, James is living at Ladyrig with Mary Anne Darling and of his sons from his first marriage only the youngest Robert remains there with them.
During his time at Ladyrig and also at Kelso, James was involved with many local charities and societies, including the Horticultural Society, The Industrial Ragged School, the Union Poorhouse, the Colportage Scheme, the local library, the Association for Analysing and Testing Manures [Southern Counties Register and Directories 1866 pp80-95]. He published articles on various aspects of agriculture.
Abbey Bank was the Darling family home, so it appears that once James had retired from farming at Ladyrig, sometime after 1861, he moved into Abbey Bank and worked in Banking at the British Linen Bank.
The census for Ladyrig 1861/ 803/ED3/12 includes:
James Roberton, HoH, married 60 b Roxburgh, farmer of 850 acres employing 13 labourers, 2 shepherds and 2 boys and 12 women.
Mary Ann Roberton wife aged 42 b England
Robert Roberton unmarried son 21 b Roxburgh Farmers son
Jane P Roberton dau 9, b Roxburgh
Ellen M Roberton dau 7 b Roxburgh
Agnes C Roberton dau 6 b Roxburgh
Elizabeth K Roberton dau 4 b Roxburgh
plus a Governess and four domestic servants all born locally
In the 1871 census for Abbey Bank [ref 803/ED3/13], James, now 70 is described as 'Farmer and Banker', Mary Ann is now 52, his daughter Margaret [from first marriage, born 1835] is living with them, still unmarried at 35, and Jane P [aged 19], along with three servants. In the census at Ladyrig, Robert Roberton [32] is farming the 850 acres, along with his wife Isabella [35], son James [3], daughters Mary J [1] and Margret A S [4 months], plus Robert's sister-in-law Agnes Kay.
The 1881 census [ref 793/5/153/19] has James in just before he died a few days later. All at 3 Abbey Green, Abbey-bank are: James 80, Mary Ann 62, Margaret ) 46, Mary Jane 30, Ellen Margaretta 27 and James’ sister-in-law Margaretta S 59 [born in England]; there are also 3 servants.
In May 1881, James died. His death certificate [ref no 793 entry 48 Kelso] describes him as: Bank agent, formerly farmer and tenant at Ladyrig for 40 years, married 1st Mary Oliver and 2nd Mary Ann Darling; he died of cerebral haemorrhage & fatty heart May 7th at Ohrs 15 mins aged 81 years at Abbey Bank, Kelso and his father is given as Andrew Roberton, deceased, mother Christian Roberton M/S Pringle deceased. Informant Robert Roberton, son, of Ladyrig, Kelso
By 1891 in the census [ref Roxburgh 803/3/10], Robert Oliver Roberton [51] is still living at the Ladyrig farmhouse, with Isabella [56], children James [23], Annie [20], John 18, plus their servants. There are several families in the various cottages- Richardson, Mathison, Middlemiss, Luke, Meagle and Wilson. Ladyrig continued to be farmed by Robert Roberton [James son from first marriage to Mary Oliver] and his descendants [including Hamish] and only left the family in the 1980s. Betty Tweedie [nee Roberton] was born there in 1912. Now [2006 when Joan and David visited], the steadings are being rebuilt as 'executive homes' but using the reclaimed stones.
By the 1891 census [Kelso Woodmarket 793/sched 6/22] 10 years after James Roberton had died, Mary Ann was still living at Abbey Bank, aged 72 and 'living on private means', with her unmarried step-daughter Margaret aged 56, and unmarried daughter Mary aged 40. A granddaughter and grandson are visiting- Hilda G Harvey [9] and Thomas R Harvey 2], presumably children of Ellen Margueretta who had married William Harvey.
In 1897 James Roberton (1867-1936) the grandson of James Roberton with first wife Mary Oliver and son of Robert Andrew Roberton married Jane White Stevenson. Their son Hamish was a great friend of David’s father John Harvey. It is likely that the Roberton portrait came from Abbey Bank as it would be unlikely that a descendent through the Oliver side would have parted with it. It seem likely that James’ second marriage to Mary Ann DARLING was prehaps a little hasty following his first wife’s death and this possibly caused a rift in the family. The picture is clearly of James as an older man so presumably was painted when he was living at Abbey Bank. It is therefure curious that it was James’ grandson Hamish who actually had this picture rather than it being passed down through James and Mary Ann’s daughters- unless he was involved in helping clear things out at Abbey Bank.
In Morebattle, ref 258 is the following MI: Joan thinks it should read eldest son of Robert Oliver Roberton.
To the memory of JAMES ROBERTON of Morebattle Tofts eldest son of ROBERT ANDREW ROBERTON Ladyrig 1867-1936 his wife JANE WHITE STEVENSON 1870-1935 also in loving memory of their only son ROBERT JAMES ROBERTON of Morebattle Tofts 1901-1972 and of his dear wife CHRISTIAN KENNEDY LAIDLAW. 1905-1985.
Click for main ROBERTON page; Click for all-Harvey page; Click for home page
Below is a copy of the Probate register for James and three pictures- the first of Abbey Bank, the second of Ladyrig and the third of the Ragged School that James helped charitably.
