Robert Purves (1848 - 1911)

Born 4 Jan 1848 in Swinton and Simprin, Berwickshire, Scotland

Ancestors

Died 25 Nov 1911 at age 63 in Swinton, Berwickshire, Scotland

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Biography

Robert Purves was born on or before the day of his baptism on the 4th January 1848, in Swinton and Simprin, Berwickshire, Scotland, the son of John Purves and Isabella Scott.^[1]

On the 30th March 1851, the 3-year-old Robert was living with his family at No 71, Swinton. Also home at the time were his father: John (29), a Master Tailor; his mother: Isabella (31); and his siblings: 5-year-old James; and 11-months-old Jane.^[2]

On the 7th April 1861, Robert (13), an Agricultural Labourer, was living at 24 Main Street, Swinton. Those home at the time were his father: John (40), a Tailor; his mother: Isabella (44); and his siblings: James (15), a Journeyman Tailor; Jane (11), William (8), and John (6), all three at school; and 3-year-old Agnes Helen.^[3]

Robert was a Tailor and Clothier.

On the 2nd April 1871, Robert (23) was a boarder in the household of Houghtel, Northumberland-born John Palmer (21), a labourer in a provision warehouse, at 35 Willington Terrace, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, England. Also in residence were Palmer's wife: Walsingham, Durham-born Mary Ann née Hume (24); their daughter: 9-months-old Alice; John Palmer's brother: Ribblesworth, Durham-born Joseph Palmer (15), a butcher's apprentice; and fellow boarder: Thrisbrigton, Northumberland-born James Thompson (22), a provision warehouseman.^[4]

He married May Cockburn on the 22nd June 1877, in Swinton,^[5] subsequently having three known children, two daughters: Alice Hopper (1880–?), and Isabella Scott (1883–1947), and a son: John (1878–?).

On the 3rd April 1881, Robert (33), a Tailor & Clothier, was living with his family in Swinton. Home with him were his wife: May (35); and their children: 3-year-old John; and the baby: 3-months-old Alice.^[6]

On the 5th April 1891, Robert (43), a Tailor & Clothier, was living on South Side, Swinton, with his family. Also at home were his wife; May (46), listed as Mary; their children: 13-year-old John; 10-year-old Alice; and 8-year-old Isabella; his nephew: John Purves (16), Tailor's Apprentice; and Ednam, Roxburghshire-born William Kinghorn (15), also a Tailor's Apprentice.^[7]

On the 31st March 1901, while May and the children were at home in Swinton, Robert (53), a tailor and clothier, was visiting his sister Jane (49) and her family on Grey Street, All Saints, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, England. Others in residence at the time were his brother-in-law: John Murray Purves (52), employed as a caretaker; their daughter: 15-year-old Agnes Helen Purves, a draper's assistant; and the household staff: Houghton Le Spring, Durham-born Ethel Simpson (21); and Newcastle on Tyne-born Kate Hannah Wall (24).^[8]

Robert Purves, retired Draper and Clothier, passed away on the 25th November 1911, at Swinton, Berwickshire, Scotland, aged 63 years.^[9]

In his Will, confirmation of which was granted at Duns on the 26th January 1912, to John Purves, Draper and Clothier of Swinton, his son, and Daniel Henderson, Bootmaker, also of Swinton, Executors, Robert left an estate valued at £1240 17 s 2d.^[10]

Sources

1. ↑ Birth and Baptism — Scotland's People Church registers – Old Parish Registers online index search Births and Baptisms: Surname: PURVES; Forename: ROBERT; Parents/ Other Details: JOHN PURVES/ISABELLA SCOTT FR561 (FR561); Gender: M; Date: 04/01/1848; Parish Number: 755/; Ref: 30 147; Parish: Swinton and Simprim (payment is required to view the actual registry entry)
2. ↑ Scotland Census, 1851 General Register Office for Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland. Scotland Census. Reels 1-217. Parish: Swinton; ED: 1; Page: 18; Line: 18; Roll: CSSCT1851_197; Year: 1851. Name: Robert Purves; Age: 3; Estimated Birth Year: abt 1848; Relationship: Son; Father: John Purves; Mother: Isabella Purves; Gender: Male; Where Born: Swinton, berwick; Parish Number: 755; Civil Parish: Swinton; Town: Swinton; County: Berwickshire; Address: No 71; Occupation: Tailor (master); ED: 1; Page: 18; Household Schedule Number: 90; Line: 16; Roll: CSSCT1851_197
3. ↑ "Scotland Census, 1861," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VBWZ-R8F : 3 February 2020), Robert Purves in household of John Purves, Swinton, Berwickshire, Scotland; from "1861 England, Scotland & Wales census," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012.); citing p. 14, PRO RG 9, The National Archives UK, Kew, Surrey; FHL microfilm 103,812.
4. ↑ Census Returns of England and Wales, 1871. The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Kew, Surrey, England: Public Record Office (PRO), 1871. Class: RG10; Piece: 5070; Folio: 42; Page: 80; GSU roll: 848421. Name: Robert Purvis; Age: 23; Estimated Birth Year: 1848; Relation: Boarder; Gender: Male; Where born: Scotland; Civil parish: Westgate; Ecclesiastical parish: St Philip; Town: Newcastle upon Tyne; County/Island: Northumberland; Country: England; Registration district: Newcastle Upon Tyne; Sub-registration district: Westgate; ED, institution, or vessel: 3; Household schedule number: 446; Piece: 5070; Folio: 42; Page number: 80
5. ↑ Marriage Registration — Scotland's People Statutory registers – online index search Marriages: Surname: PURVES; Forename: ROBERT; Spouse Surname: COCKBURN; Spouse Forename: MAY; Year: 1877; Ref: 755/ 4; RD Name: Swinton (payment is required to view the actual registry entry)
6. ↑ Scotland Census, 1881 General Register Office for Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland. Scotland Census. Reels 1-338. Parish: Swinton; ED: 2; Page: 8; Line: 11; Roll: cssct1881_310. Name: Robert Purves; Age: 33; Estimated Birth Year: abt 1848; Relationship: Head; Spouse's Name: May Purves; Gender: Male; Where born: Swinton, Berwickshire; Registration Number: 755; Registration district: Swinton; Civil parish: Swinton; County: Berwickshire; Occupation: Tailor & Clothier; ED: 2; Household schedule number: 46; Line: 11; Roll: cssct1881_310
7. ↑ Scotland Census, 1891 General Register Office for Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland. Scotland Census. Reels 1-409. Parish: Swinton; ED: 2; Page: 3; Line: 9; Roll: CSSCT1891_378. Name: Robert Purves; Age: 43; Estimated Birth Year: abt 1848; Relationship: Head; Spouse's Name: Mary Purves; Gender: Male; Where born: Swinton, Berwickshire; Registration Number: 755; Registration district: Swinton; Civil parish: Swinton; County: Berwickshire; Address: South Side; Occupation: Tailor & Clothier; ED: 2; Household schedule number: 10; Line: 8; Roll: CSSCT1891_378
8. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1901," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XSMR-TX2 : 21 May 2019), Robert Purves in household of John Murray Purves, All Saints, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, England, United Kingdom; from "1901 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing All Saints subdistrict, PRO RG 13, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
9. ↑ Death Registration — Scotland's People Statutory registers – online index search Deaths: Surname: PURVES; Forename: ROBERT; Age at death: 63; Mother's Maiden Name: SCOTT; Year: 1911; Ref: 755/ 8; RD Name: Swinton (payment is required to view the actual registry entry)
10. ↑ National Probate Index (Calendar of Confirmations and Inventories), 1876-1936 Commissary Clerk of Edinburgh under the Sheriff Courts Act, 1876. Name: Robert Purves; Death Date: 25 Nov 1911; Death Place: Swinton, County of Berwick; Confirmation Date: 26 Jan 1912; Confirmation Place: Duns, Scotland

• "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XTBC-B3J : 16 September 2021), Robert Purves, .

• Family records and birth, marriage, death certificates or certified copies, journal entries, letters, held by family members.