From Woodside to the Hundred Acre Wood

Today, 8^th August, marks the bicentenary of James Milne’s birth at Woodside, Rothiemay to parents Alexander Milne and Janet Ingram.  Alexander’s first marriage to Margaret Brown in 1802 had produced three children, but it seems that Margaret died prematurely, since an entry in the Rothiemay parochial register records Alexander’s subsequent remarriage to Janet Ingram in 1810.  This union resulted in the birth of  nine offspring: Ann (1811), John (1813-1819), William (1814), Isobel (1817), James (1819), John (1821), Robert (1823), Jane (1828 and Keturah (1832).

Two of Alexander’s sons are noted in a register of missionaries published by the London Missionary Society (LMS) which shows that both William and James travelled to Jamaica to undertake missionary work.  William had graduated in 1834 as Master of Arts from King’s College in Aberdeen and undertook further studies in England before his appointment to Jamaica in 1839.  It is unclear whether James embarked on a university education prior to his appointment to Jamaica in 1840.  The brief biographies in the register indicate that James devoted his entire life to mission work in Jamaica, where he died in 1873.  His elder brother William, however, returned to the UK in 1849, having married in Jamaica and produced two sons. 

A search of the UK census for 1851 led to the discovery of an expanding Milne family in the Hertfordshire village of Baldock, where William was described as “Independent Minister, M.A.’ and his wife Harriet was a governess, born in Salisbury, Wiltshire.[1]  William’s birthplace is simply shown as ‘Scotland’, but there is no mistaking the fact that his elder sons, John Vine Milne and Robert Milne, were born in Jamaica.  A third son, Alexander, had joined the family in Baldock just four months before the census date.

By 1861 William was clearly moving up in the world.  The family were now living in the London suburb of Tottenham, where William was an ‘Inspector of Schools’.[2]  This time his birthplace was precisely recorded as Rothiemay.  Three more children had arrived since their days in Baldock, their birthplaces indicating brief stays in St. Albans and Bushey. 

According to the LMS register, William died in 1874 and searches of English civil registers revealed that Harriet survived her husband by only four years.  

William's son John Vine Milne was easily traced in 1881: he was now established as a schoolmaster at Henley House in affluent Hampstead.[3]  By this time John and his wife Sarah were parents of two very small children, David and Kenneth.  The immediate household included John’s brother Alexander, now a schoolmaster, as well as Sarah’s mother Sarah Heginbotham, whose roots were in Derbyshire.  The full census listing gives the names of four domestic servants, as well as a dozen or more scholars. 

  

Moving on to 1891, the census schedule indicates that Henley House School occupied two houses, where John was now employing two teaching staff.[4]  Alan A. Milne, aged 9, is the newest member of the family and a scholar, like his two elder brothers.  With eight more scholars listed, they have plenty of young company, as well as a cook, housemaid, parlourmaid and a footman to attend to their needs.

By 1901 John had moved to Kent, where he had charge of  a school at Streete Court, Westgate on Sea.[5]  His brother Alexander was also doing very well for himself, as ‘Principal of Boy’s Private School’ at Hastings in Sussex.[6]  The full schedule for University School in Holmesdale Gardens extends to two census pages, including numerous teaching and domestic staff, as well as a couple of dozen boarding pupils.  Alexander is by now married to Georgiana and their home is shared with their four small daughters, plus a nephew, Alan Milne aged 19 years, an undergraduate at Cambridge. 

A search of the 1911 census found that John Vine Milne and his wife Sarah had settled into retirement in the Essex village of Steeple Bumpstead.[7]  A couple of domestic servants shared their home, where Rosalie Polineni was visiting from France.  The other member of the household was Alan Alexander Milne, a journalist aged 29, who was working at home on his own account, as well as for ‘Punch’.  He was destined to make a name for himself as A. A. Milne, who created the ‘Winnie the Pooh’ stories for his son, Christopher Robin Milne.  The Hundred Acre Wood was the setting for many of the adventures featuring Winnie the Pooh, together with his various friends and of course their human companion Christopher Robin.

So if you have Milne ancestors from Woodside in Rothiemay, why not celebrate the literary connection by playing Pooh sticks next time you're in the area?

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[1] GRO Census 1851, Piece 1707, Folio 98, Page 15.

[2] GRO Census 1861, Piece 794, Folio 21, Page 35.

[3] GRO Census 1881, Piece 172, Folio 65, Page 32.

[4] GRO Census 1891, Piece 113, Folio 95, Page 26.
[5] GRO Census 1901, Piece 820, Folio 53, Page 36.

[6] GRO Census 1901, Piece 868, Folio 31, Page 22.

[7] GRO Census 1911 RG14PN10495 RG78PN560 RD204 SD1 ED1 SN159.

Accidental death of John Smith

We are extremely concerned, to state, that on Tuesday morning, the 12th instant, Mr JOHN SMITH, a man of the most respectable character, who has for many years acted as Manager of the Printing Works of Messrs. Gordon, Barron, & Co. lost his life, by falling in to one of the Canals on their premises at Woodside.  He had risen very early, and after having been employed for some time in the Counting House, had gone to draw some water, for the purpose, as is supposed, of washing himself.  By the extreme force of the current acting powerfully on the vessel he had used, together with the slippery state of the ground, he must have been instantaneously dragged into the Canal, and from thence, most unfortunately carried to the River. The strictest search has been made, and is still making, for the body, but as yet without success.  - The above account differs in some respects from that given in a contemporary print; but we are authorised to say, this statement is correct.

Published in the Aberdeen Journal, Wednesday 20th November 1816.

Ann Wylie & Rachel Campbell: prison sentence

On Monday last, Ann Wylie and Rachel Campbell, lately servants to Messrs Gordon, Barron, & Co. at their Cotton Mills, Woodside, having been convicted before the Sitting Magistrate of stealing from the Manufactory of their said masters, were sentenced by him to be confined in Bridewell for the space of Six Calendar Months; and to stand on the Pillory for one hour, previous to their imprisonment in Bridewell.

Published in the Aberdeen Journal, Wednesday 7th August 1816.

Woodside Smithy

Sale This Day.

DWELLING HOUSE AND GROUND FOR SALE.

Upset Price Reduced to L.210.

There will be exposed to sale, by public roup, within the Lemon

Tree Tavern of Aberdeen, on Wednesday the 5th of October

curt. at 6 o-clock p.m.,

THAT commodious DWELLING HOUSE & SMITHY at Woodside, presently possessed by Thomas Nicholds and others; with a Piece of GROUND adjoining.  The House was built within these two years; is two stories high, with Garrets above.  It is well divided, and calculated for a Public House.

For particulars, apply to Thomas Sangster, Advocate, Aberdeen.

Published in the Aberdeen Journal, Wednesday 5th October 1814.

John Warrack, Woodside

MEETING OF CREDITORS.

A Meeting of the Creditors of JOHN WARRACK, Merchant in Woodside, is to be held on Wednesday the 18th current, at 6 o'clock evening, within the Writing-Office of Andrew Robertson, Advocate, Correction-Wynd.  As matters of importance are to be discussed, a full meeting is wished.  And it is requested, that the Creditors will, in the mean time, lodge their Claims with Mr Robertson, or John Duguid Milne, Writer in Aberdeen, that an accurate statement of Mr Warrack's affairs may be made out.  

Published in the Aberdeen Journal, Wednesday 11th May 1814.

Court cases of William Law, John Brebner & John Henderson

The Circuit Court of Justiciary was opened here on Wednesday last, by the Right Hon. Lord Gilles.

William Law, sometime residing in Links of Arduthie, in the County of Kincardine, charged with house-breaking and theft, was outlawed for not appearing.

John Brebner, accused of Forging or Counterfeiting Notes of the Bank of Scotland, and of using and uttering the same, knowing them to be forged and counterfeited.  The prisoner denied the forging and counterfeiting, but pleaded guilty to the uttering and vending as libelled; and the Advocate Depute having restricted the libel to an arbitrary punishment, he was sentenced to seven years transportation.

John Henderson, late servant at the Printfield, Woodside, near this city, accused of one act of theft and house-breaking, and two other acts of theft, denied the first charge, and admitted the two last.  The Advocate Depute having also in this case restricted the libel to an arbitrary punishment, and no proof being led, the prisoner was accordingly found guilty upon his own confession, and sentenced to fourteen years transportation.

Published in the Aberdeen Journal, Wednesday 29th September 1813.

William Strath, Fyvie, convicted

Some years ago, Messers. LEYS & Co. and GORDON BARRON, & Co. put up a considerable number of LAMPS on the turnpike leading from town to Woodside, and places adjacent; and having since lighted and upheld them at their own expence, to the advantage, convenience, and comfort not only of their own servants, but of the public at large.  Occasionally a few were broken by idle boys; but nothing of any importance till lately, that they found about Nineteen demolished in one night.  Rewards were offered for discovery of the culprits, and all means used for their detection.  At last, owing to the activity of SIMON GRANT, Constable, (to whom the public have been often indebted), it was found out, that William Strath, cattle-dealer, Jackstown, parish of Fyvie, was a principal in these disgraceful proceedings.  He was accordingly apprehended on a warrant from the Justices of Peace, brought to town, and upon his own confession, fined in Twenty Guineas, and sent to Bridewell for three months.  Some of his accomplices are discovered, and will be immediately proceeded against in the same way.  And it is to be hoped that these salutary corrections will put an end to lamp-breaking, both in town and country.

Published in the Aberdeen Journal, Wednesday 25th March, 1812.