AITKEN to WHAITE - Person Sheet
AITKEN to WHAITE - Person Sheet
NameWilliam AITKEN 450, GGG Uncle
Birth Date10 Nov 1849
Birth PlaceFalkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland
MemoSee Baptism record
Chr Date24 Nov 1849451 Age: <1
Chr PlaceFalkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland
MemoShows witnesses of John Aitken and William Aitken. Who were they? [research required]
Reside Date2 Apr 1871452 Age: 21
Reside PlaceFalkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland
Memoat 104 Bank Street. .Living with him was his mother AITKEN HARRIET, who is listed as household head, 64, widow. William, son , 27, is a merchant.
Reside Date26 Dec 1878 Age: 29
Reside PlaceFalkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland
MemoBank Street, He was witness on his mother's death certificate so it likely he still lived with her or nearby. He couldn't be found in the 1881 or later census.
Death Datebef 1910 Age: 60
MemoMary, his wife was recorded as a widow on her death record. Most likely William died before 1881, as not found in census, unless overseas. Living at time of death of mother in 1878. Most likely death between 1879 and 1881 but no Scotland death found that fits. Perhaps he went overseas for a new life. This possibility was investigated although a number of potential persons were found no conclusive connection was found.
Occupationmerchant (1861, 1871), Grain Merchant (1874)453,454
FatherJames AITKEN (1796-1865)
MotherHarriet RITCHIE (1807-1878)
Spouses
Birth Datebef 22 Sep 1848
Birth PlaceFalkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland
Chr Date22 Sep 1848455 Age: <1
Chr PlaceFalkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland
MemoAs Margaret parents James Muirhead & Elizabeth Kerr.
Reside Date3 Apr 1881456 Age: 32
Reside PlaceFalkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland
MemoLiving with her mother Elizabeth and brother John was Mary Aitken, 29, married in Bute Street. Her occupation was recorded as Shopkeeper Fleshers. Mary was recorded as married not a widow, so where is William? No record has been found of him in Scotland, or elsewhere in 1881census or after.
Reside Date31 Mar 1901457 Age: 52
Reside PlaceFalkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland
MemoLiving Wellpark, Bute Street, Falkirk was Mary AITKEN, 46, married. At the same address Alex BOYNE, 36, boarded. He was a butcher & single.
Death Date14 Jun 1910458 Age: 61
Death PlaceFalkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland
MemoWidow of William Aitken, grain dealer at Bute Street Falkirk, age 60. Cause was angina pectoris congestion of lung. Informant was brother James Muirhead of Russel Street. The fact that Mary’s brother was informant strongly suggests that Mary had no children.
OccupationWoolen Winder (1871), flesher storekeeper(1881 >)
Alias/AKAMargaret (Baptism 1848)
FatherJames MUIRHEAD (<1814-1859)
MotherElizabeth KERR (ca1819-1890)
Marr Date30 Mar 1874459
Marr PlaceHutchesontown, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Marr MemoAt 100 South Wellington Street after barns according to the forms of the Church of Scotland. William Aitken, Grain merchant, 24 of 4 Bank Street, Falkirk married Mary Muirhead, 24 of Grahamston by Falkirk. Williams parents were James Aitken, Grain merchant (deceased) and Harriet Ritchie. Mary’s parents were James Muirhead, Flesher (Master)(decreased) and Elizabeth Kerr. The witnesses were Thos Arnott and Maggie Watson.
Notes for William AITKEN
460There is a 1891 census entry for William & Mary Aitken where William was a Wine & Spirit Merchant . A subsequent search also found William & Mary in 1881 with this William. As Mary was living with her mother, in Falkirk, at the time of the 1881 census the “wine and Spirit Merchant is not our William.

Can’t find William in any census after 1871. William was alive at time of mother’s death in December 1878. Wife Mary was living with her mother in 1881 but haven’t found her in 1891 census. In 1901 she was still living in Bute Street. Mary died in 1910 where she was a widow and William was recorded as a grain dealer, deceased.

This suggests either William was dead before 1881 or he was overseas but nothing has been found to support these possibilities.

Most likely died 1879-1881 but if later had died prior to 1910 according to Mary’s death record.

As his siblings went to New Zealand the possibility he died there was checked but no likely record found. As he was a grain dealer USA or Canada are possibilities, but nothing has been found to support this.

If Mary ever went overseas no return to Scotland has been found as she died in Scotland in 1910 as a widow.
Notes for William & Mary (Family)
461Land owned by James Aitken, husband of Harriet Ritchie left in his will to all his children was in North Falkirk next to land owned by Robert Muirhead, cloth merchant. Was this the same Robert Muirhead who was a grandfather of Mary Muirhead?

In the 1861 census there was a MUIRHEAD, Robt, Head, Widower, M, 85, 1776, Cloth Merchant, born Larbert, Stirlingshire living in Bank Street. He had a son Thos born, 1818. In 1851 Robert lived in Bank street, a retired Draper and a daughter Mary, born 1815 lived with him. In 1841 in Bank street, a draper with wife Helen and son Alexander and daughter Mary. Therefore unlikely to be grandfather of the Mary who married William Aitken.


Note that Bute Street, where the Muirhead Butchers was situated is a little north of the Falkirk centre.

It is unlikely William and Mary had any children. Certainly no children reside with Mary in any census.
Last Modified 19 Apr 2021Created 9 Dec 2024 using Reunion for Macintosh
Aitken - Whaite [version 10.1] created 9 Dec 2024 by P H Whaite
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