Ref K5
See here for an alphabetical list of all surnames in the Cairns pages with links to the relevant text.
Our interest in this Scottish family arises because of Agnes Paterson, nee Cairns, (1866-1926) who married John Keith III (See Ref. K1) 28.6.1889 at Bonnyrigg, Midlothian, a little over two years after she had been widowed (as described in Ref. K1). She was a paper mill worker, the same as her groom, so she no doubt met him at work.
Cairns Hunter family
Agnes Cairns was born 10.11.1866 at Carrington, Midlothian (south of Bonnyrigg), the daughter of James Cairns, a coal miner and Mary Hunter (see Ref. K7). They had married 29.11.1861 at Craigo’er, Newton (Midlothian). Mary was a native of Newton but stated to a resident of Rosslin, Lasswade. It would seem that James was “making an honest woman” of Mary, because she had had their first child, John, (at Newton) 16 days before the wedding! At first John was not given his father’s name but when he was five months old an amendment was made to the register, citing James Cairns as the father but also labelling the entry “illegitimate”. James Cairns and Mary Hunter proceeded to have a further eleven children, details being at Appendix 1.
They were at Whitefaugh, Carrington, then around 1871 or 1872 they moved to Loanhead. By 1881, with ten children, they had moved back to Lasswade, i.e. to Ramsay Square, Loanhead, James Cairns still being a miner and in 1885 their twelfth child, Robert, was born, when his mother was around 42 and near to being, if not already, a grandmother. At this point James is described as an underground roadman. In 1901 they were at 8 Church Street, Lasswade, with sons Thomas and Robert, Mary’s 90 year old mother (also Mary) and a grandson. James was then a general labourer. In 1911 they were at 5 Lees Buildings, Lasswade, James being an old age pensioner and Mary disclosing that she had had 12 children of whom nine were still alive. Mary Cairns nee Hunter died 3.3.1915 at Station road, Loanhead of a malignant stomach. aged 72, the informant being John Cairns, her son. James Cairns died 22.7.1918 of cerebral apoplexy (two days) at 3 Station Road Loanhead, aged 81, the informant being his son Robert.
Cairns Main family
James Cairns was born 11.7.1836 at Thornton and baptised at Carrington Church, (Midlothian) the second son of John Cairns, a coalminer and Catherine (or Kate) Main (See Ref. K6). We know nothing of their marriage (pre-1824) but we believe they had at least six children – details in Appendix 2. The earliest places mentioned are Carnwath, Lanarkshire and Lasswade, Midlothian. At the 1841 Census John was a coalminer, at Thornton, Carrington, Midlothian. In 1851 they were at Whitefaugh, Carrington, with John still a coalminer but by 1861, aged 61, John was a carrier.
Catherine (Main) Cairns died 12.5.1868 at Carrington, aged 68 (67 in the register) and John died there 14.5.1873 there aged 73.
Cairns Walkinshaw family
John Cairns was born 19.4.1799 at Eddlestone, Peebleshire, the eldest child of David Cairns and Margaret Walkinshaw (See Ref. K51). David, of Harehope, Eddlestone, had married Margaret, of Linton, with banns being read 10.6.1798 at Eddlestone. Their considerable family is set forth in Appendix 3. They evidently moved from time to time but always within the area of Peebleshire that is now Tweddale in the Lammermuir Hills, south of Edinburgh. By 1841 Margaret must have been widowed (although we have not seen a death entry for David) as she was at Hamildean Cottge, Lyne, Peebles with two-year old James Cairns, in the home of daughter Mary, who had married John Pagon and had a son Thomas aged 0. In 1851 she still had James Cairns with her, aged 11 (born Carnwath, Lanark) at Newmill, Dolphinton, Lanark, where she was in the house of the youngest son Alexander. We do not know where Margaret was at 1861 Census but she died 3.9.1861 at Whitefaugh, Carrington, aged 80, with no cause given, the information being her eldest son John, who was resident there.
There are Cairns going further back. For instance, in Manor parish there are, in the 1770s, two families being established belonging to shepherds at Hundleshope. Andrew Cairns married Mary Ritchie in 1769 and a year later their first daughter Agnes was born. In January 1771 Adam Cairns married Janet Holliday and they named their first child, born three months later, Agnes also. Very likely brothers, either of these men is of the right age to be our David’s father but neither has been seen to have had a son David. There is also a 1773 marriage of John Cairns and Margaret Ritchie at Manor where we have only seen a child John born 11.10.1774. They could equally be David’s parents.]
December 2017
Appendix 1 to Ref. K5
James Cairns and Mary Hunter Family
James Cairns and Mary Hunter married 29.11.1861 at Craigo’er, Newton (Midlothian). They children as follows:
John Cairns (1861- ?? )
Born 13.11.1861 at Newton before parents married. Coalminer. Last seen 1881 at home unmarried.
Mary Cairns (1862- ?? )
Born 21.12.1862 at Carrington. Worsted printer in carpet factory. Last seen at home 1881 unmarried.
Catherine Cairns (1864- ?? )
Born 12.11.1864 at Carrington. Worsted printer in carpet factory. Last seen at home 1881 unmarried.
Agnes Cairns (1866-1926)
Born 10.11.1866 at Carrington. See main text.
Janet Brydon Cairns (1869- ?? )
Born 15.1.1869 at Carrington.
Margaret Cairns (1871- ?? )
Born 27.2.1871 at Carrington.
David Cairns (1873-1911)
Born 23.10.1873 at Loanhead, Lasswade. Married Margaret Ralston at Cockpen 1896. Children Jessie (who died, aged 17 in 1914), James Joe, Mary, David and George (who died very young.) At 1911 Census widow Margaret at 25 Camp View, Cockpen, with the six children and two lodgers in accommodation where only two rooms had windows.
James Cairns (1875- ?? )
Born 1.8.1875 at Weekend Cottage, Loanhead, Lasswade. Last seen 1881 at home unmarried apprentice tailor
George Cairns (1878- ?? )
Born 15.1.1878 at Weekend Cottage, Loanhead, Lasswade. Last seen 1881 unmarried at home farm servant.
Jane Cairns (1880- ?? )
Born 11.5.1880 at Weekend Cottage, Loanhead, Lasswade.
Thomas Cairns (1882- ?? )
Born 14.5.1882 at Ramsay Square Loanhead, Lasswade.
Robert Cairns (1885- ?? )
Born 26.2.1885 at Ramsay Square Loanhead, Lasswade.
Appendix 2 to Ref. K5
John Cairns and Catherine Main Family
We do not know when or where John and Catherine married. We know of the following children:
Janet Cairns
Born11.4.1824 Carnwath, Lanark. Married James Brydon, shepherd
Margaret Cairns (?1827 – ??)
Born 22.8.1826 Carnwath. Married c. December 1846 John Currie, spirit merchant, later coal miner and had children at Carrington Peter 1851/52, John 1844/45 and Catherine 1849/50, at least. Deceased by the time Peter, a miner (a roadman, actually), married Violet Robertson, a paper mill worker, at Duke Street, Rosewell (Lasswade) Church of Scotland 31.12.1880. The bride was the daughter of James Robertson and Margaret nee Naysmith, born in Lasswade, and in 1881 was a printer in a carpet factory.
Mary Cairns (?1828- ?? )
Born Edinburgh 1828-29. There is a marriage “by Mr Duncan of Temple” entered in the banns book at Carrington 16.4.1852, which took place 30.4.1852 between Mary Cairns and James White (of Penycuik). This might be her.
David Cairns (?1834-1892)
Born 8.8.1833 at Lasswade. Coalminer. Unmarried. Informant of mother’s death in 1868 and father’s in 1873. In 1891 still at Whitefaugh, Carrington, with Margaret Gair, housekeeper. Died 7.10.1892 at Lasswade, aged 59.
James Cairns (1836- ?? )
Born 11.7.1836 at Thornton and baptised at Carrington Church 17.8.1836. See main text.
Catherine Cairns (1839- ?? )
Born 8.6.1839 at Thornton and baptised at Carrington Church 7.7.1839.
John Cairns(1842- ?? )
Born 29.7.1842 at Thornton and baptised at Carrington Church 14.8.1842. 1851 with eldest sister Janet, with own family in 1861 and subsequently as a coalminer. Married Janet Watson 12.4.1867 at Barleydean, Carrington and had children John (20.9.1867, Carrington), David (26.9.1869, Carrington), James, Agnes A and William.
Appendix 3 to Ref. K5
David Cairns and Margaret Walkinshaw Family
David Cairns and Margaret Walkinshaw had banns called at Eddlestone, Peebleshire, 10.6.1798 and had children baptised as follows:
John Born 19.4.1799 baptised at Eddlestone 22.4.1799. See main text.
William Baptised 4.1.1801 at Manor, Peebles.
David Baptised 25.11.1802 at Stobo, Peebles.
Margaret Baptised 11.10.1804 at Stobo.
Janet Baptised 26.9.1806 at Stobo.
Thomas Baptised 9.2.1811 at Newlands, Peebles.
Adam Baptised 27.11.1814 at West Linton, Peebles.
Mary Baptised 13.4.1817 at West Linton. Married John Pagon, hedger, 19.3.1841 at Manor. Children Thomas 1841 and Margaret 1843-44.
Robert Baptised 22.7.1819 at Newlands.
Alexander Baptised 4.8.1824 at Newlands.
November 2021
Young Family History 