Master Baker Auchtermuchty/Burntisland

[david macdiarmid]

Hi Guy's looking for information on my Gr Gr Grandfather William Watson Born 1794 in Auchtermuchty Fife Scotland.He died in another town in Fife in 1874 namely Burntisland about 30 miles away.I do not know when the family moved from one town to another or where he learned his craft,but on any documentation i can find on him his occupation is Master Baker.Would there have been a register of Master Bakers?Does it still exist do you think? Or were there hundreds of Master Bakers employed in most towns at that time?I do know that on a Kirk in Burntisland there are panels all around celebrating the different trades of the time.Had this info for 30 years from old micro-fische, and never moved on with it,Any help as always,Greatly Appreciated,David

[SarahND]

Hello David,
I can't tell you about trade lists in Fife, but I'm sure others will be able to.

If I have the right man, he was already in Burntisland by the 1841 census, at which time he was a Baker Journeyman
By 1851 he is called Master Baker and in the 1861 and 1871 censuses just "Baker".

To find out exactly when the family moved you would need some sort of local directory. I note that in 1841 his father appears to be already dead (but of course it is hard to tell in that year-- at least he is not with the family). If you could find where he died it might help you narrow down the time of the move.

All the best,
Sarah

[LesleyB]

Hi David

Cupar Library have some trades directories for NE fife and also some of the FFHS publications connected with trades - might be worth a look to see what they have.

I note that the NLS site now has a collection of trade directories online
http://www.nls.uk/family-history/direct ... ost-office
- which may help some people's research, but there are none listed there for Fife.

Best wishes
Lesley

[david macdiarmid]

Hi Sarah and Lesley,I did think about Cupar Library but didn't know if they would hold stuff on Burntisland as well as Auchtermuchty.This little family of what looks like Mum,Janet.Sister Isabella (to Janet) and Son William ( to Janet) have upped sticks in Auchtermuchty anywhere between 1800,i guess,to 1841.And moved to Burntisland,The three of them can be found on the 1841 Cencus.By 1851 both ladies have gone,probably deceased and William is Married to Elizabeth Gunn (in 1843).He himself dies on 17th June 1874 at 13 Harbour Place Burntisland.William leaves behind his wife and Two Sons,Samuel and James.William's Father was Alex Leburn of Auchtermuchty,but the bold Alex was having babies with someone else at the same time as he was born, so i have to assume that William was Fatherless, in the true sense of the word.Maybe even the reason for the move from one town to another,who knows,