James Whittet (1792)

Born 23 Dec 1792 in Balhepburn, Parish of Rhynd, Scotland

Ancestors

Biography

James Whittet was born on 23 Dec 1792 in Balhepburn, Parish of Rhynd, Scotland, son of William Weetet (1769 - ) and Margaret Low (1773 - ). ^[1]

His siblings were:

1. Mary Weetit (1791 - ~1856)
2. William Whittet (~1797 - 1846)
3. Andrew Whittet (1802 - 1853)
4. Charles Whittet (1807 - 1858)
5. May Whittet (~1809 - 1862)
6. David Whittet (1812 - 1852)
7. Peter Whittet (1814 - )
8. Alexander Whittet (1816 - 1877)

James married Elizabeth Jackson (~1797 - 1867).

Research Notes

Original details:

“LAWR. ADAMSON, Ses. Clk.”

From the fact that his father had removed his residence to the city of Perth before 1802, and that the birth of his youngest brother, Alexander, is recorded in the sessional books there in 1816, we know that his life from early youth was passed in the Fair City. At that time Perth was somewhat famous as a publishing centre, and the printing trade was of considerable importance. The Perthshire Courier was begun in 1809 by the Messrs. Morison, and in their printing office James was put to learn the trade which he followed as life occupation. The printing office was then situated at 25 High Street, known as the Old Ship Close, and he was not a little proud when, many years after, he became the proprietor by purchase of the premises in which he had first learned his trade. His first essay in business, however, was in an attic of the house No. 4 South Street, where he lived on the first floor. His business soon developed into larger proportions, and he removed to St. John Street, to premises over the “Cross Keys Tavern,” which was at that time a great resort of the country carriers, and stood where now stands the shops immediately south of the Central Bank building. Here he became the first printer of the Perth Constitutional, a paper issued by the Conservative party in the heated controversy about the time of the Reform Bill, about 1835. This was not of long continuance, however, the projectors becoming their own printers. He shortly after became contractor for printing another venture in the newspaper way, this time in the interest of the Liberal, or Radical, party, the Perth Chronicle. He had meantime purchased the premises in 25 High Street, above referred to, and the newspaper was printed and issued by him from the same quarters where the Courier, had first seen the light, and where he had his first introduction to the art of printing. The company again instituted their own printing plant, however, when he at once resigned the stock held by him in the venture, and thereafter continued to prosecute the business in commercial work, which he did very successfully until his death, which occurred on January 1, 1840, by accidental drowning, in the forty-seventh year of his age.

He, his widow (who died November 1867, aged seventy), and four of their children rest in the Greyfriars burying-ground, in the City of Perth. This is hallowed ground, being the site of a religious house, the Gryfriars Monastery, founded in 1460, but destroyed in 1559 during the turbulent period of the Reformation, when, after a famous sermon by John Knox, delivered in St. John’s Church, the “rascall multitude,” as he described them, rose en masse and tore down the altars and the monasteries with which the city abounded. The Greyfriars Monastery was thoroughly swept away, and in 1580 the grounds were appropriated for a public burying-ground. The following is the entry in the kirk session register concerning it, “The Greyfriars Burying Ground extends to about three and a half acres, was set apart as a burying-ground on 20th December, 1580.” The oldest tombstone bears date 1580.

Sources

1. ↑ The record of the birth of James, in the sessional books of the Parish of Rhynd, agreeable to an extract there from in the possession of his son, (Robert, vii.), is as follows:

   “James son of William Weetit and Margaret Low, in Balhepburn, was born the twenty-third day of December, seventeen hundred and ninety-two, and baptized the Sabbath following. Extracted from the register of Births and Baptisms of this Parish of Rhynd, the fifth day of May, eighteen hundred and sixteen years.