Beatrice Thomson Wight

BMDB data

     Beatrice Thomson Wight was born on 14 Dec 1856 Maxton, ROX, SCT, Entry for 14th Dec in the Henderson birthday book² reads "Beatrice T W GIBSON."^1,2
     Beatrice Thomson Wight married John Walls Gibson, son of Andrew Gibson and Catherine Walls, on 27 Jul 1883 Sinton Hse, Gorgie, Edinburgh, MLN, SCT, cert. #296 reads: 27th Jul 1883 at Sinton House Gorgie, Edin, after banns according to the Forms of the Church of Scot.: John Gibson, joiner foreman (bachelor), 29, usual resid. 23 Union Pl, Edin. s/o Andrew Gibson, carting agent (dec) and Catherine nee Walls (dec.); Beatrice Thomson Wight, spinster, 27, usual resid. Sinton House, Gorgie, Edin, d/o Walter Wight, farmer and Helene (sic) Wight nee Sinton, dec. Min: Alex Williamson, Mintr of West St Giles. Wit: John J Turnbull (assumed to be John James Turnbull, grdson of Margaret Rankin nee Wight, and therefore 1st cousin once removed of Beatrice) and Janet Gibson (assumed to be John's sister). Registered 31 Jul 1883 at Edin.^3,4,5
     Beatrice Thomson Wight died on 15 Jul 1935 11 Briarbank Tce, Edinburgh, MLN, SCT, at age 78; cert reads: Barbara (sic - note in margin refers to register for corrected entries Vol 7 ? 45, 18 Jul, which entry will presumably show a correction to Beatrice, as this latter is what she is indexed under) Thomson Gibson, widow of John Gibson clerk of works, d. 5:20pm aged 78, of cerebral haemorrhage, 4 days duration, d/o Walter Wight and Helen m.s. Sinton, both dec., cert by Norman B Stewart MB, inf. son Andrew Gibson 64 Middleton Ave, Uphall, reg. 16th Jul
     Dth notice reads: At 11 Briarbank Terrace, Edin. on 15th Jul, Beatrice T Wight, widow John Gibson. Funeral today (Thurs) 18th Jul to North Merchiston Cem. Friends please meet cortege at cem. gate at 2:30pm.^6,7,1

Census/Where lived/Occupations

     The census of 7 Apr 1861 showed Hellen, Elisabeth, Margaret, Isabella and Beatrice and their brothers William and Peter in the household of their parents Walter and Helen Wight at the West End Farmhouse, Maxton, Par. of Maxton, ROX, SCT, enumerated as WIGHT: Walter, 44 b Maxton, farmer 20 acres & carter, wife Helen 42 b Southdean. Children, all b Maxton: Elisabeth, 17, William 15 farmer's son ag lab, Helen 13, Peter 10, Margaret 8, Isabella 6, Beatrice T 4 (place detail from Harry, although he only implies this was from this census.)^8,9
     The census of 7 Apr 1871 showed Elisabeth, Beatrice and Isabella and their brother Peter in the household of their parents Walter and Helen Wight on the Sth side of Kelso Rd, Maxton Village, Par. of Maxton, ROX, SCT, enumerated as WIGHT: Walter, head, mar, 53, farmer of 33 acres arable, b Maxton; wife Helen 49 farmer's wife b Southdean; Children (all b Maxton): Elizabeth 27 farmer's dtr; Peter S, farmer's son 20; Isabella, farmer's dtr 16; Beatrice T farmer's dtr 14; (entry before was for Walter's niece Mary with her husband John Thomson entry after a Peter & Grace Slater.¹⁰)
     The census of 3 Apr 1881 showed Beatrice as an unmarried 23 yr old, b. Maxton living with her brother Peter in the household of her parents Walter and Helen Wight Cottage, Maxton Village, Par. of Maxton, ROX, SCT.¹¹
     By Jul 1883 Beatrice Thomson Wight was living Sinton Hse, Gorgie, Edinburgh, MLN, SCT, when she married John (this being where her sister Jane lived.)⁵
     John and Beatrice T Gibson appeared on the census of 5 Apr 1891 5 Downfield Pl, St Cuthbert, Edinburgh, MLN, SCT, as GIBSON: John head, 34, clerk of works, b Dunfermline, FIF, wife Beatrice T, 34, b Maxton, ROX. Sons: Andrew, 6, scholar; Walter W, 4, both b Edin.¹²
     The census of 31 Mar 1901 showed Beatrice with her husband John, their sons Andrew, John and Walter, their dtr Helen 11 Briar Bank Tce, St Michael, Edinburgh, MLN, SCT, household enumerated as GIBSON: John, head, mar, ?46?, clerk of works, worker, b Dunfermline, FIF, wife, Beatrice, 45, b Maxton, ROX. Sons: Andrew, 17, scholar & assistant in mechanical engineers workshop; Walter Wight, 15, scholar; John Walls, 10, scholar; Dtr: Helen Robertson L, 9, scholar, all children b . Edin. House 4 rooms with one or more windows.¹³

Wills/bequests

     Helen, Jane, William, Margaret, Isabella and Beatrice were beneficiaries in the 31 Oct 1886 will of their father Walter Wight of Maxton, ROX, SCT, along with Alexander Whitson.⁴

All the other info

     Beatrice and John are shown in a photo taken cir. 1913 Edinburgh, MLN, SCT, together with Helen, Andrew, John and Walter; (year guessed: Andrew and Walter not in uniform, so presumably prior to WWI; 1913 puts Helen at age 21, which looks about right - poss. her 21st? R S Webster was certainly a photographer in Edinburgh at this period.)¹⁴
     I wonder why Beatrice's dtr Helen has Robertson as a 2nd name? Investigations to date have found no obvious connection to any Robertson families, but Beatrice's younger sister also had the same 2nd forename.¹⁵