The Keepers of Hamilton Palace Mausoleum and Their Families
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The Keepers of Hamilton Palace Mausoleum and their families Linda Kaden and Walter Smith September 2014 Copyright and Future Use of Work Product Applicable Law The applicable law relating to this report is the law of Scotland. This report remains the copyright of the Genealogists, Linda Kaden and Walter Smith. The Genealogists express written permission must be obtained to publish any part of the report in any format, printed or electronic. You further agree that if you make limited distribution of anything that includes our research, in whole or in part, you will report it accurately and credit the source. All attributions and copyright statements must be retained in any copy made. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thank you to: Joyce Adamson, daughter of Henry Swinburne Thomson for information relating to her parents, particularly her father’s employment as curator. Scott Broadfoot, South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture: Hamilton Reference Library for help to access The Hamilton Papers, Valuation Roll, Voters Roll, Newspapers Archives etc. Alastair McNeill, Senior Reporter, Hamilton Advertiser, for his article dated 17 July 2014 appealing for information about the Keepers of the Mausoleum. The Keepers of Hamilton Palace Mausoleum and their families On a site some 650 feet to the north of where the magnificent Hamilton Palace once stood the Mausoleum remains as a testament to the eccentric Alexander, 10th Duke of Hamilton for whom it was built as a family chapel and tomb. It was once described as the '...most costly and magnificent temple for the reception of the dead in the world - except for the Pyramids'. However, because of the mysterious echo in the finished building, the Mausoleum was never actually used as a place of worship as originally planned.1 Design work was begun in 1840 by architect David Hamilton. This work was superseded by David Bryce between 1848 and 1852 and the building was finally completed in 1858, 5 years after the death of the 10th Duke, at a cost of £130,000 by architects David Bryce and Alexander Handyside Ritchie. 2,3,4 Various architectural notes and sketches dated between 1854 and 1858 are an indication that the Mausoleum Lodge would have been built about the same time as the Mausoleum itself and so 1858 is a possible date for when the house was ready to be occupied by the Keeper. The abstract of Account of Expenses for building the Mausoleum, Lodge and the Gas Works at Smiddycroft does not separate the cost for the Keepers Lodge from that of the Mausoleum.5 Although now in very bad repair it was designated a Category B listed building on 19 September 1979.6,7 Much has been written about both Hamilton Palace and the Mausoleum. What follows is a short extract from Family History Research that discovered men who worked as Keepers of the Mausoleum and their families who lived with them in the Mausoleum Lodge until subsidence forced the keeper to be housed in a bungalow in Low Parks near to the golf course. 2 Arthur Nisbet , Keeper of Hamilton Mausoleum from about 1858 to March 1879 Arthur was born about 1800 in Hamilton, the second son of John Nisbet and Elisabeth Hamilton whose Marriage Banns were proclaimed in Hamilton on 12th and 19th February 1797.8 The family moved from Hamilton to the Parish of Dalserf where 3 more children (Elizabeth, Alexander and Marion) were born between 1803 and 1811 and in 1816 a son named James was born in Stonehouse.9,10,11,12 Arthur Nisbet married Barbara Roome Currie, daughter of William Currie and Marion Norris after Banns were proclaimed on 25 April 1830 in both Hamilton and Dalserf Parishes according to the Forms of the Church of Scotland. Arthur’s usual residence is recorded as Hamilton and Barbara lived in Dalserf.13 Later that year Barbara gave birth to a son named John in the Raploch Croft area of Larkhall.14 He was followed by Marion in 1832, William in 1836 and Elizabeth in 1842.15,16,17 Scottish Census records are evidence of the family living at Morgan Glen in 1841 and in 1851 at Glengowan, Larkhall, both within Raploch Croft. Arthur’s occupation is noted as Cotton Handloom Weaver.18,19 Valuation Rolls for 1855/6 record Arthur Nisbet as the tenant of a house and shop at Raploch Croft.20 It is not known exactly when Arthur took up employment as Keeper of the Mausoleum at Hamilton Palace but about 1858 seems likely. The record for the Scottish Census taken on 7th April 1861 shows Mausoleum Lodge was a house with 9 rooms with one or more windows. First Surname Age Relationship Birthplace Occupation Name Nisbet Arthur 60 Head Hamilton, Lanarkshire Keeper of the Mausoleum 1 Janet 56 Wife Dalserf, Lanarkshire Wife Marion 26 Daughter Dalserf, Lanarkshire Dressmaker Mausoleum Lodge. Census. 1861. Scotland. Hamilton, Lanarkshire. 647/00. ED 22. p.1 On the other hand the enumerator of the 1911 Census recorded 5 rooms.21 It may have been 5 rooms with a total of 9 windows. Whatever is correct, Arthur and his family did not suffer from overcrowding as many other families did at this time. Not all records for the Hamilton Estates have survived. It has not been possible to find any documented evidence of what the duties of the Mausoleum Keeper were. However, the Hamilton Estates Records held by Hamilton Reference Library show Arthur Nisbet was paid two shillings a day and worked six days each week looking after the Mausoleum.22 When Arthur’s son John became ill and was unable to continue working as a Railway Pointsman, he along with his wife and 3 young children went to live with his parents in 1 *Arthur’s wife Barbara was mistakenly noted as Janet by the Enumerator of this census1. 3 Mausoleum Lodge where he died on the 14th July 1863. Arthur’s occupation is recorded as Park Warden on the death certificate so his responsibilities must have extended beyond the Mausoleum itself.23 The family suffered again when John’s eldest son Arthur, aged 10, died in Mausoleum Lodge on 16th July 1866 of Scarlatina Maligna, an acute contagious childhood disease. Arthur Nisbet, Keeper of the Mausoleum registered his grandson’s the death.24 According to the 1871 Census two grandchildren were living at Mausoleum Lodge with Arthur, Barbara and their daughter Marion (also known as Minnie). One was John’s 11 year old son William and Elizabeth, aged 5 the daughter of their son William. Surname First Name Age Relationship Birthplace Occupation Arthur 70 Head Hamilton, Lanarkshire Mausoleum Keeper Nisbet Barbara R 66 Wife Dalserf, Lanarkshire Wife Minnie M 36 Daughter Dalserf, Lanarkshire Dressmaker William 11 Grandson Dalserf, Lanarkshire Scholar Elizabeth 5 Granddaughter Dalserf, Lanarkshire Scholar Mausoleum Lodge. Census. 1871. Scotland. Hamilton, Lanarkshire. 647/00. ED 2A. p.1 On 8 January 1874 Arthur’s wife, Barbara died of Pneumonia (GROS Data 647/00 0010) A happier event took place in Mausoleum Lodge on 10th June 1878 when Arthur’s daughter, Marion married James Anderson, Inspector of the Poor for the Parish of Dalserf, a position he succeeded to when his father died. Prior to this he was a Weaving Agent. James was 56 years old and his bride was 45.25 Only 9 months later Arthur Nisbet died at his home. He was 80 years old and still working as Keeper of Hamilton Palace Mausoleum (GROS Data 647/00 0151) William Currie Nisbet, Keeper of Hamilton Mausoleum from 1879 to 1911 When Arthur Nisbet died in March 1879 his son William took up the post of Keeper of the Mausoleum, a position that still paid only two shillings a day. William had begun his working life as a Cotton Handloom Weaver and was a Coal Miner when he married Janet McGregor on 30th December 1859.19, 26 They named their first child Arthur but sadly he only lived 10 days.27 Three more children (Jane, Barbara and Elizabeth) were born before 26 year old Janet was struck down with a Bilious Fever and died on 6th April 1867 at their home at Larkhall Croft.28, 29 4 On 19th March 1869 William married Mary Morton Haddow at Woodend Cottage, Bothwell Road, Hamilton.30 Their first son, also named Arthur, died of Bronchitis on 6th December 1870.31 Three more children (Mary, Arthur and Marion) were born in Larkhall between 1873 and 1878. The family moved into Mausoleum Lodge when William became Keeper the following year.32 William’s wife Mary is not listed with her family on the 1881 Census. Surname First Name Age Relationship Birthplace Occupation Nisbet William C 44 Head Dalserf, Lanarkshire Keeper of the Mausoleum Elizabeth 15 Daughter Dalserf, Lanarkshire Domestic Servant Mary M 8 Daughter Dalserf, Lanarkshire Scholar Arthur C 6 Son Dalserf, Lanarkshire Scholar Mausoleum Lodge. Census. 1881. Scotland. Hamilton, Lanarkshire. 647/00. ED 21. p.2 She is listed [as a visitor] with James and Marion Anderson (her husband’s sister) at 34 Union Street, Larkhall.33 Mary gave birth prematurely to a daughter on 23 July 1882 and named her Janet.34 Sadly she only lived for 13 days (GROS Data 647/00 0319) On 2nd March 1886 William’s eldest daughter Jane married Richard Short, a Coachman from Alnwick, Northumberland, not in Mausoleum Lodge as may have been expected but in Larkhall. They married by Declaration in the presence of William Nisbet, Assistant Governor of the Poorhouse and Marion Norris Anderson, her father’s sister. Jane’s usual residence was given as 34 Union Street, Larkhall, home of this aunt Marion.35 Thirteen months later a daughter, named Janet was born to Jane and Richard in Mausoleum Lodge (GROS Data 647/00 0300) Jane’s marriage was short.