Agnes Fairbairn

BMDB data

     Agnes Fairbairn was born cir. 1818 at Morebattle, ROX, SCT, (not obvious in Morebattle OPR).³
     Agnes Fairbairn married John Davidson, son of male Davidson and Ann Collins, on 14 Nov 1839 at Chirnside, BEW, SCT, OPR entry reads: "John Davidson of Chirnside and Agnes Fairbairn of Edrom Parish were married". The entry immediately preceding this was the marriage of Andrew Jeffrey and Margaret Hogg, their future son-in-law's parents.⁴
     Agnes Davidson died on 22 May 1884 at Chirnside, BEW, SCT; Cert reads: "Agnes Davidson, married to John Davidson paper mill worker, died 1884 May 22 10 30 pm Chirnside, 67, d/o Walter Fairbairn, labourer, dec. and Agnes, m.s. unknown, dec; of natural decay, not certified. Informant John Davidson, widower, present.
Memorial card reads: 'In affectionate remembrance of .... who died at Chirnside 22 May 1884 aged 67 years.^2,5'

Census/Where lived/Occupations

      In Nov 1839 Agnes Fairbairn was living in the Par. of Edrom, BEW, SCT.⁴
     Agnes Davidson appeared on the census of 1841 at Little Billie, Par. of Bunkle, BEW, SCT, with John Davidson, as DAVIDSON: John 24 ag lab b BEW; Agnes 25 b SCT (sic); Agnes 1 b SCT; Margaret HUNTER 15 ag lab b BEW (NB enumerators were instructed to round ages down to the nearest multiple of 5).⁶
     John and Agnes Davidson appeared on the census of 30 Mar 1851 at Harelawside, Coldingham, BEW, SCT, as (all Davidson): John, head, farm servant, 33 b Chirnside, BEW, Agnes wife 33 b Morebattle, BEW (sic). Children: Agnes, 11, scholar b Morebattle; Allison (should be Helen!), 9, b Bunkle, BEW; John, 7, scholar, b Chirnside, BEW; Mary, 5, Walter, 2 both b Edrom, BEW; Jas (should be Adam!), 1m b Coldingham, BEW.³
     The census of 7 Apr 1861 showed Agnes with her husband John, their sons James, John, Walter, Adam and George, their dtrs Hellen and Mary at Chirnside, BEW, SCT, household enumerated as John, head, ag lab, 44 b Chirnside; Agnes wife, 43, b Morebattle; Children: Hellen (sic) 19, paper mill worker, b Buncle; John, 16, paper mill worker b Chirnside; Mary 14 paper mill worker b Edrom; Walter, 12, paper mill worker b Edrom; Adam, 10, scholar b Coldingham; George, 6 scholar, James, 3 both b Dunse.⁷ Agnes Davidson was likely to be at ?Chirnside, BEW, SCT, in 1871.
     John and Agnes Davidson appeared on the census of 3 Apr 1881 in Doughty House, Chirnside, BEW, SCT, as John, head, paper mill labourer, 64, b Chirnside, Agnes, wife, 64, b Morebattle, ROX. Dtr Hellen (sic) 39, unm, paper mill worker, b Bunkle, BEW.⁸

All the other info

     It is likely that Agnes Davidson and Adam Davidson are the people in the photograph cir. 1858 at Dunse, BEW, SCT, as the photo is of a mother and child, found in the Davidson photo album and taken at a known locale for the family.⁹