Henry Fairbairn (1816 - aft. 1832)

Born 14 Aug 1816 in Musselburgh, Haddingtonshire, Scotland, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Died after 1832 after age 15 in Scotland, United Kingdom [uncertain]

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Biography

Henry was born on 14 August 1816, the son of George Fairbairn and Christian Clapperton. He was baptised in the parish of Inveresk and Musselburgh, Midlothian, Scotland, on 23 August 1816.^[1][2]

Research Notes

It seems likely that the following information applies to Henry, but there is only the age, name and locational match and nothing further to confirm that he is the same person:
On 18 April 1832 Henry, aged 15, was recorded as being in the Lock-Up House in Edinburgh together with a 19-year-old John Livingston who was also from Inveresk. Henry was a baker, 5ft and half an inch in height, with an oval face, pale complexion, brown hair, grey eyes, and a cut mark on his right cheek. John Livingston worked as a groom, was 5ft 6 inches, with an oval face, fresh complexion, fair hair, hazel eyes, and a cut mark on his left cheek.^[3] They were tried together on 18 May 1832 before the Sheriff Court in Edinburgh for Theft by H.B., meaning housebreaking, in Millhill. Millhill is still a street in Musselburgh with some attractive period buildings. It may have been a relatively well-to-do area busy with small businesses in Henry's time. Musselburgh lies adjacent to Inveresk and Henry and John may have been working in the area.^[4][5] They were sentenced to sixty days in prison.

It is possible that Henry went to England or emigrated further afield following his prison stay in order to make a fresh start. No marriage, death or census records appear to exist for this Henry Fairbairn on either Scotlands People or Family Search. It is possible that he died during or after his prison stay and no burial record was made or survived. There were multiple Henry Fairbairns (and variant spellings) in and around the Lothians, and his brother William went to Glasgow, but the records available are evidently for other men as the marriages were either much too early, comparatively late or the census ages were consistently quite different. There was however an age-matched man in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in England in the 1861 census, although he was recorded as having been born in Bamburgh, Northumberland, England:
In the 1861 census Henry, aged 46, a Flour Dealer, lived at 12 St Nicholas Church Yard, St Nicholas, Northumberland, England.

Henry Fairbairn Head Married M 46 Flour Dealer Bamburgh, Northumberland

Elizabeth Fairbairn Wife Married F 46 Belford, Northumberland

Mary Ann Fairbairn Daughter Unmarried F 22 Newcastle On Tyne, Northumberland

Margrate Jane Fairbairn Daughter Unmarried F 11 Scholar Newcastle On Tyne, Northumberland

Mary Mcguire Niece Unmarried F 12 Scholar Seghill, Northumberland^[6]

Beyond the connection of Henry having been a baker when he was 15 and this man being a flour dealer at age 46, no conclusive evidence has yet been found to confirm that they were the same person. Baptisms for children of Henry and Elizabeth as per the St Nicholas couple appear to give this Henry a middle name of John, which does not match what is certainly known for Henry. Newsam-80 10:41, 5 March 2024 (UTC)

Sources

1. ↑ "Church of Scotland: Old Parish Registers - Births and Baptisms"
   National Records of Scotland, Parish Number: 689; Ref: 100/299; Frame: 3375
   ScotlandsPeople (accessed 5 March 2024)
   Surname: FAIRBAIRN; Forename: HENRY; Parents/Other details: GEORGE FAIRBAIRN/CHRISTIAN CLAPPERTON FR3375 (FR3375); Gender: M; Birth Date: 23/08/1816; Parish: Inveresk and Musselburgh.
2. ↑ "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950"
   citing Digital film/folder number: 007908862; FHL microfilm: 1067756
   FamilySearch Record: FQMQ-1H5 (accessed 5 March 2024)
   Henry Fairbairn baptism on 23 Aug 1816, son of George Fairbairn & Christian Clapperton, in Inveresk and Musselburgh, Edinburghshire, Scotland, United Kingdom.
3. ↑ Prison Register, Edinburgh (Lock-up House) Prison, Midlothian, NRS Reference HH21/8/1 p. 67; Index, Scottish Indexes (https://www.scottishindexes.com/prisontranscript.aspx?prisonid=80106722: accessed 05 Mar 2024); Original Source: Prison Registers, National Records of Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland. Transcription of original document Newsam-80 10:41, 5 March 2024 (UTC):

   Date: 18 April 1832

   Names: Henry Fairbairn

   No.: 5[? but they nearly all seem to be]

   Sex: Male

   Age: 15

   Under Seventeen Years: blank

   Size: 5ft 1/2 inch

   Description

   Complexion: Pale

   Hair: Brown

   Eyes: Gray

   Visage: Oval

   Marks and Remarks: 1 Cut mark on R[ight] Cheek

   Trade: Baker

   Country

   County: Edinburgh

   Parish: Inveresk

   Whether Married or Single: Single

   Number of Children: blank

   Crime for which Committed for Trial: blank [but grouped with John Livingston from the line above, where it says “Theft by H.B.”]

   Place of Offence: Millhill

   By what Magistrate Warrant granted: Sh

   By whom Alimented Sh/B: Sh

   When Indicted: blank [next date above 7th June, next date below 17th May]

   Crime for which Indicted: blank

   When Tried: 18th May [here bracketed with John Livingston]

   Before what Court Tried: Sheriff

   Crime of which Convicted: Theft by H.B.

   Sentence or how otherways disposed of: 60 Days Imprisonment

   Remarks: Blank

4. ↑ Publication Account re Millhill in Musselburgh. Canmore. https://canmore.org.uk/event/1019278 : accessed 5 March 2024.
5. ↑ Historic Building Survey re 32-38 Millhill, Musselburgh, East Lothian. Headland Archaeology UK Ltd. https://i.rcahms.gov.uk/canmore-pdf/WP00004953.pdf : accessed 5 March 2024.
6. ↑ "1861 Census of England, Scotland and Wales"
   The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey, England; Reference: RG 9; Piece: 3822; Folio: 45; Page: 19; Schedule: 94
   FreeCen Transcription (accessed 5 March 2024)
   Census: 1861; County: Northumberland (NBL); District: St Nicholas; Civil Parish: St Nicholas; Ecclesiastical Parish: Saint Nicholas; Piece: 3822; Enumeration District: 3; Folio: 45; Page: 19; Schedule: 94; House Number: 12; House or Street Name: St Nicholas Church Yard.