Everton Farm, Auchterless, Aberdeenshire
© Copyright Steven Brown and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
In the 1871 census Fisherford is preceded by Braestairie, and then by a number of households described as being in Overton:
35. Overton
Samuel Stephen, 71, farmer 170 acres
William Stephen, 35, farmer’s son
Ann Stephen, 32, farmer’s daughter
Margaret Stephen, 26, farmer’s daughter
Robert Ward, 22, farm servant
George Mitchell, 14, farm servant
James Peter (?), 12, farm servant
36. Overton
John Florence, 55, agricultural labourer
Isabella Florence, wife, 55
Mary Florence, sister, 62, assistant
37. Overton
William Robb, 23, farm servant
Ann Robb, wife, 25
George Robb, son, 4
Elizabeth Robb, daughter, 3
Mary Ann Robb, daughter, 3 months
Since the Stephen and Florence families were described in an earlier census as living ‘over Fisherford’, we can assume that this is synonymous with Overton, or Overtown as it appears on some maps. This was to the immediate north-west of Fisherford village and appears to be identical with present-day Everton.
In the census record, properties in Fisherford itself are listed immediately after those in Overton, as follows:
38.Fisherford
John Burns, 37, farmer 200 acres
Jane Burns, sister, 35
John Halls (?), 32, farm servant
Robert Gordon, 18, farm servant
Barbra Atkin (?), 17, general servant (domestic)
George ?? , 12, farm servant
39. Fisherford
George Gordon, 37, shoemaker and cooper
Barbara Gordon, wife, 30
Eliza Gordon, daughter, 10
George Gordon, son, 8
William Gordon, son, 3
40. Fisherford
Margaret Harper, wife, 29
William Robb, father, visitor, 63, agricultural labourer
Ann Harper, daughter, 7
Jessie Harper, daughter, 5
William Harper, son, 3
41. Fisherford
John Chalmers, 49, crofter of 6 acres
Mary Chalmers, 43, crofter’s wife
Charles Chalmers, son, 10
Arthur Chalmers, son, 8
Alexander Chalmers, son, 5
George Chalmers, son, 1
Robert Chalmers, son, 1
42. Fisherford
John Roy (?), 43, crofter of 6 1/2 acres
Mary Roy, 46, crofter’s wife
43. Fisherford
George Robb, 64, innkeeper and farmer 44 acres, all arable, employing 2 servants
Elizabeth Robb, 50, farmer’s wife
Barbara Robb, daughter, 25
Mary Robb, daughter, 21
Isabela Cruickshank Robb, daughter, 9
Jane Gammack Robb, daughter, 7
George Black, grandson, 4
44. Fisherford
Leslie Wight, 27, general merchant
Mary Ann, sister, 30, housekeeper
Fisherford is followed in the census by Auchinhove (home of Robert Porter and family) and then Ladybog, farmed by Charles Booth, age 46, almost certainly a relation of the Charles Booth who was farming at Fisherford in 1861. The latter, who would have been 77 by now, had probably died in the interim: perhaps his large farm had been taken over by John Burns?
George Robb’s circumstances seem to have improved: he is now farming 44 acres, compared to the 20 in earlier censuses, and he’s prosperous enough to employ two servants. The William Robb living at Overton was almost certainly George’s son, who married Ann Wight at St Thomas’ Episcopal Church, Tillymorgan, in 1866. Interestingly, Charles Booth was one of the witnesses.
I haven’t yet worked out the identity of the other William Robb mentioned in this record – the father of Margaret Harper, said to be visiting her at the time of the census. It’s possible he’s George’s brother, born in 1800, but I can’t be sure.
Ladybog Farm
© Copyright Steven Brown and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
