Jessie Anderson Sim Laidlaw (1887)

Born 1887 in Ladybank, Fife, Scotland

Ancestors

Biography

Jessie Anderson Laidlaw's birth was registered in 1887 in the Collessie district of Fife.^[1]

In the 1891 census Jessie Laidlaw (4) was in Collessie, Fife, Scotland.^[2]

LAIDLAW ROBERT 1891 M 35 COLLESSIE FIFE

LAIDLAW MAGGIE C 1891 F 29 COLLESSIE FIFE

LAIDLAW JESSIE 1891 F 4 COLLESSIE FIFE

LAIDLAW MAGGIE 1891 F 2 COLLESSIE FIFE

LAIDLAW ROBERT 1891 M 0 COLLESSIE FIFE

Jessie studied at St Andrews University.

The University of St Andrews alumni office records Robert Laidlaw’s daughter Jessie’s academic life below. Unusual for a woman in those days.

"I can confirm that Jessie Anderson Sim Laidlaw graduated on April 1907 with an MA. According to the matriculation slips her home address was Melville Road, Ladybank. She studied the following subjects while here:

1904-05 Latin, French and Mathematics

1905-06 Latin, Natural Philosophy and Chemistry

1906-07 Logic and Education"

She migrated to Rhodesia, where she worked as a typist. In 1944 she returned to the UK for a visit on board the steamship Saxon.^[3]

In 1950 she appears on a passenger list returning to the UK from South Rhodesia - intended country of future permanent residence Scotland. Her occupation was listed as typist.^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ Birth Registration: "Statutory Register of Births"
   National Records of Scotland, Ref: 416/16
   https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/ (accessed 27 June 2023)
   Surname: LAIDLAW; Forename: JESSIE ANDERSON; Mother's Maiden Name: MCLACHLAN; Gender: F; Year: 1887; RD Name: Collessie.
2. ↑ 1891 Census: "Scotland Census, 1891"
   National Records of Scotland, Ref: 416/ 4/ 9
   https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/ (accessed 27 June 2023)
   Surname: LAIDLAW; Forename: ROBERT; Year: 1891; Gender: M; Age at Census: 35; RD Name: Collessie; County / City: Fife.
3. ↑ Passenger List: "UK and Ireland, Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878-1960"
   The National Archives in Washington, DC; London, England, UK; Board of Trade: Commercial and Statistical Department and Successors: Inwards Passenger Lists; Class: Bt26; Piece: 973; Item: 10
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry au Record 1518 #4864145 (accessed 12 February 2024)
   Name: Jessie A Laidlaw; Arrival Age: 44; Birth Date: abt 1887; Port of Departure: South Africa; Arrival Date: 2 Jun. 1931; Port of Arrival: Southampton, England; Ports of Voyage: Durban [Natal]; Port Elizabeth [Algoa Bay]; Cape Town; Lobito; Ship Name: Saxon; Shipping Line: Union-Castle Mail Steamship Company Ltd; Official Number: 148766.
4. ↑ Passenger List: "UK and Ireland, Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878-1960"
   The National Archives in Washington, DC; London, England, UK; Board of Trade: Commercial and Statistical Department and Successors: Inwards Passenger Lists; Class: Bt26; Piece: 1264; Item: 212
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry au Record 1518 #188425 (accessed 12 February 2024)
   Name: Jessie A S Laidlaw; Arrival Age: 63; Birth Date: abt 1887; Port of Departure: Bluff Harbor, New Zealand; Arrival Date: 12 Sep. 1950; Port of Arrival: Plymouth, England; Ports of Voyage: Napier; Melbourne and Cape Town; Ship Name: Wairangi; Shipping Line: Shaw, Savill and Albion Company Ltd; Official Number: 168508.