Robert Middlemass (1819 - 1904)

Born 21 Feb 1819 in Traquair, Peeblesshire, Scotland

Husband of Helen Elliot (Matthewson) Middlemass — married 3 Jun 1851 in Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland

Descendants

Died 23 Oct 1904 at age 85 in Peebles, Peeblesshire, Scotland

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This profile is part of the Dalrymple Crescent, Edinburgh, Midlothian One Place Study.

Biography

"Robert Middlemass was born in Peebles in February 1819. He married Helen Mathieson from Ettrick in June 1851. She was about ten years younger than him. They had seven children, all of whom were born in Edinburgh: John, born in March 1852, Agnes in October 1853, Christiana in November 1855, Helen in October 1857, Mary in October 1859, Jane in October 1861, George in March 1864, Robert in June 1866 and Annie in June 1868.

In 1866 the photographer David Doull took a photograph of John and two of his sisters, probably Jane and Mary. David Doull also took photographs of the children of Robert’s brother, James Middlemass who lived at 8 Dick Place. James Middlemass and his brother Andrew, owned J. & A. Middlemass, wholesale and retail clothiers, robemakers, shirtmakers and outfitters of 16, 18, 20 South Bridge. In 1871 Robert was living in the house, which had twelve rooms, with Helen and the nine children. They had two servants, Janet Hodge, 31, from Kilconquhar, Fife, and Isabella Cunningham, 18, from Falkirk.

In 1876 the architect Charles Leadbetter extended or modified the house, which was now known as Rathan, and by the 1881 census it had 16 rooms. The Journal of Decorative Art of 1877 described it as a ’luxurious decorative scheme by Joseph Shaw & Co’.

At the time of the 1881 census, Robert was visiting a friend, Robert Stewart, a farmer who lived near Peebles. Helen was staying in the house with four children: Christiana, Mary, Robert and Anne. They had three servants: Jane Campbell, 27, from Elgin, Isabella Wilson, 24, from Linlithgow, and Elsie Irving, 18, from Forres.

Robert was away again at the census of 1891, when Helen was living with four unmarried children: Christiana, now 35, Jane, 29, Robert Lee, 24, also a biscuit manufacturer, and Annie, 22. Also at the house was Agnes, whose married name was Johnston, and her son, Henry, aged 4. There were two servants, a housemaid, Joan Puddock, 17, from Grange in Banffshire, and a laundry maid, Jane Lawrie, 21, from Kirknewton.

In 1901, Robert, now 82, was at home at the time of the census, but Helen was not. With Robert was his son, Robert Lee. Young Helen was a widow aged 42, and was staying at the house with her two children: Robert M Donald, 18, who was a laboratory apprentice, and Helen E Donald, aged 16 and at school. There were two servants. Elizabeth Milne, 20, from Ruthven, Banffshire, and the cook, Jane McCall, 27, from Ireland."^[1]

Robert died on 23 Jan 1904 in Peebles, Peeblesshire, Scotland. and is buried in Grange Cemetery, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland.

Census: Occupation: biscuit manufacturer, Address: 12 Dalrymple Crescent. 30 Mar 1901. Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland. Age: 82.

Census

SCOTLAND 1901
12 Dalrymple Crescent/25 Findhorn Place

Sources

1. ↑ Lamb, Joanne Myra. Dalrymple Crescent, A Snapshot of Victorian Edinburgh, T&J Lamb, 2011, ISBN 978-0-9566713-0-1

• "The Grange Cemetery records", CD Publication: Scottish Genealogical Society
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/151212841/robert-middlemass: accessed May 19, 2024), memorial page for Robert Middlemass (1818–23 Oct 1904), Find a Grave Memorial ID 151212841, citing Grange Cemetery, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh, Scotland; Maintained by GariochGraver (contributor 47469430).