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Borders Family History Society

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Hawick

Hawick Parish lies in south east Roxburghshire at the confluence of the River Teviot and Slitrig Water. The Parish of Wilton is to the north, the Parish of Cavers, the Parish of Kirkton lies to the east, the Parish of Teviothead and the Parish of Roberton in Selkirkshire is on the west.

Hawick was once the centre of the Border's thriving textile industry and noted for the production of high quality cashmere and merino wool knitwear. It is home to one of the best known Common Ridings - when the ancient custom of riding the marches of the town are comemorated - which can be traced back in to the election of the first Cornet in 1703

There are three ecclesiastical parishes in Hawick at present - Burnfoot, St Mary's & the Old Kirk and Teviot.

Old Parish Records cover the periods:

Births: 1634 to 1854.
Marriages: 1629 to 1800 and from 1821 to 1854.
Deaths: 1758 to 1841 plus 1652 (one entry).

St Mary's & Old Parish Church St Mary's and Old Parish Church

Local Pictures

Sales List

1841 census Hawick.
1851 census Hawick.
1861 census Hawick.
Hawick Death Records 1786-1795 by Nigel Hardie.
Hawick Death Records 1796-1809 by Nigel Hardie.
Hawick Death Records 1810-1820 by Nigel Hardie.
Hawick Prison Records 1844 to 1862.
Map Hawick 1897.

(See our sales list for full details and cost of postage.)

Volumes available for consultation within our Archive

Wellogate Cemetery Transcriptions - Hawick Archaeological Society.
St Mary's Churchyard Hawick MI Hawick Archaeological Society.
Companion to Hawick and District by R E Scott.
Hawick Characters by Robert Murray.
Street Names of Hawick by Lilias H Britton.
All these fine fellows by Derek Robertson (WW1 Casualties).
Borthwick Water by Kathleen W Stewart.
After Gallipoli by Gavin Richardson.
The Haig Maternity Home, Hawick 1931 to 1988 by Dr. A.M. Suttie.
The Churches and Graveyards of Roxburghshire by Dr. G.A.C. Binnie 2001.
Where Slitrig Dances by T.M. Hardie, The Southern Annual
Stocking Makers of Hawick by Graham Riddle, The Southern Annual 1961
Rutherford's Southern Counties Register and Directory 1867.
County Directory of Scotland 1912 - Borders Towns and Villages.
CD-ROM Hawick St Mary's and St, Cuthbert's Monumental Inscriptions by Scots-Roots 2008 (contains photographs of all stones).
CD-ROM Pigot's 1837 Directory of Berwickshire and Roxburghshire.
CD-ROM Land Ownership Commission Report 1872 - 1873.

Magazine Articles;

Please note that the heading Author includes persons who have compiled or transcribed records; and that the topics indexed, and the synopses are subjective opinions.
See the Sales List to buy copies of the magazines containing articles in which you're interested.

Title	Synopsis	Size Description	Issue No	Author
The Leyden Family	From USA, an article on the name Leyden with particular reference to Dr John Leyden.	less than 1 page	12	Ronald Spencer
The Turnbulls of Minto Cleuchead, Burnfoot and East Middle	From Hawick to Australia: Extracts from a book of more than three hundred pages.	3 pages or more	26	Mrs. Robyn Crossle
James Paris Lee 1831--1904 His Rifles reigned supreme	Born in Hawick, the very man who designed the Lee Enfield rifle, emigrated to Canada. The Percussion Cap, a development by Rev Alexander Forsyth.	2 pages or more	3	Donald Whyte
The Miller Family of Hawick, Scotland and Delaware County, New York	This Miller family who emigrated from Hawick or Roberton; they set up a farm in the Catskill mountains of New York.	2 pages or more	34	C. Raymond La Fever
Australian deaths recorded in Hawick Advertiser part 2 1874-1890	Deaths in the Hawick Advertiser; it also covers other parts of the Borders.	4 pages or more	37	Marjorie Gavin
More Canadian Intimations in the Hawick Advertiser 1864-1868	List of deaths in Canada mainly of persons who had connections with Hawick and the surrounding area.	1 page or more	45	Marjory Gavin
Canadian Intimations in the "Hawick Advertiser" 1855 - 1898	A list of births and marriages of Canadians intimated in the Hawick Advertiser between 1855-1898, with brief additional notes on some items.	4 pages or more	47	Marjory Gavin
American Intimations in the Hawick Advertiser Births 1859-1900 and Marriages 1855-1872	Births and marriages in America of people originally from Hawick and surrounding area.	4 pages or more	48	Marjorie Gavin
Australian Intimations in Hawick Advertiser	Deaths 1862-1900, in Australia of people originally from Hawick and surrounding area.	8 pages or more	55	Marjorie Gavin
New Zealand Intimations in Hawick Advertiser - Deaths 1860-1900	Deaths 1860-1900, in New Zealand of people originally from Hawick and surrounding area.	2 pages or more	57	Marjorie Gavin
Scottish Borders Council Archives - Hawick Heritage Hub	Information about the new �state of the art� Council archives due to open in May 2007.	2 pages or more	63	Rachel Hosker
1849	A report on Hawick in the year 1849, the year the Border Railway reached Hawick but also the year of the cholera epidemic. Includes contemporary reports on the epidemic and names of a number of those who died.	4 pages or more	77	Anne Golden
Hawick Through Time by Alastair Redpath	A review of the book 'Hawick through Time' by Alastair Redpath.	less than 1 page	86	Peter Munro
Hawick and District from Old Photographs	Some notes on the recently published book 'Hawick and District from Old Photographs', by Alastair M Redpath.	less than 1 page	89
Two Brothers-in- Law	An account of the conflict and subsequent reconciliation of two members of the Haddon family of Hawick.	2 pages or more	94	Enid Cruickshank
Newspapers published in the Borders	Border newspapers published in the Borders, 65 in total.	2 pages or more	5	Peter Elliot
Death in the Borders: 19th Century Border Murder Cases	This is the review of a book by Norrie McLeish, 'Border Murder Cases' with a great deal of research that has gone into this volume. Gypsies, landlords, and farm workers.	2 pages or more	30	Norrie McLeish .(Review by Hugh K. Mackay)
The mole catchers of Lilliesleaf	The story of a mole and rabbit catcher in the Lilliesleaf area.	1 page or more	18	Mrs S.J. Hodgkinson
Sidelines on the Borders Railway	Nowadays, the only railway line in the Borders is the main east coast line in Berwickshire. Lady Gibson has discovered, however, that the history of the railways has plenty of interest for family historians.	1 page or more	11	Jane Gibson
James Augustus Henry Murray (1837-1915)	Biography of James Murray, a linguist, philologist, teacher. He was one of the founders of the Oxford English dictionary.	1 page or more	45	Valerie Mackay
American Intimations in Hawick Advertiser - Marriages 1876-1900	Marriages in America of people originally from Hawick and surrounding area.	2 pages or more	50	Marjorie Gavin
American Intimations in Hawick Advertiser -Deaths 1857-1878	Deaths in America of people originally from Hawick and surrounding area.	5 pages or more	51	Marjorie Gavin
American Intimations in Hawick Advertiser - Deaths 1879-1889	Deaths in America of people originally from Hawick and surrounding area.	3 pages or more	52	Marjorie Gavin
American Intimations in Hawick Advertiser - Deaths 1890-1900	Deaths in America of people originally from Hawick and surrounding area.	3 pages or more	53	Marjorie Gavin
It�s in the blood	Notes about why Anne, a member of the Society council, became interested in family history.	1 page or more	57	Anne Turnbull
Miscellaneous Intimations in Hawick Advertiser - Births 1854-1900	Previous compilations of intimations have related to events in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the USA. These relate to births in other locations, of people originally from Hawick and surrounding area.	3 pages or more	58	Marjorie Gavin
James Wilson, economist 1805-1860	Some notes on the life of James Wilson, noted economist, to whom a statue has recently been erected in Hawick.	1 page or more	95	Ronald Morrison
Canadian Intimations in the "Hawick Advertiser" 1857 � 1863	Deaths extracted from the 'Hawick Advertiser' of people connected to the Borders, and other places in southern Scotland. Continued in issue 43.	1 page or more	40	Marjorie Gavin
American Intimations in Hawick Advertiser - Marriages 1872-1875	Marriages in America of people originally from Hawick and surrounding area.	less than 1 page	49	Marjorie Gavin
New Zealand Intimations in Hawick Advertiser - 1861-1896	Births and marriages, 1861-1896, in New Zealand of people originally from Hawick and surrounding area.	2 pages or more	56	Marjorie Gavin
Tales of a Borderman	A continuation (from issue 80) of Andrew Haddon's recollections and tales handed down.	4 pages or more	84	Enid Cruickshank
Family History Records	An archivist from the Heritage Hub in Hawick discusses a range of records that can be used to provide a fuller picture of our ancestors.	5 pages or more	70	Juline Baird
The Chisholm Highland Connection	The story of the Chisholm family, their involvement in medieval wars and their move from the Borders to the Highlands.	5 pages or more	73	Gregory Lauder-Frost
Auld Edward Dearsden 1799-1875	An account of the life of Edward Dearsden, who was killed by the horse of Thomas Kennaway during the Hawick Common Riding, the family and in particular his great grandson, William James Dearsden, who originally had a cycle agent's shop in Hawick but who went on to develop a very successful photographic business and who during WW2 flew and worked with Barnes Wallis, the inventor of the bouncing bomb.	3 pages or more	81	Anne Golden
Dr. John Haddon - World Tour 1882	An account by the author of a talk given to the Society of a world tour undertaken in 1882 by his ancestor, Dr. John Haddon, a successful medical practitioner from Hawick.	2 pages or more	81	Andrew Haddon
John Thomas Rochead	Some notes on the life of John Thomas Rochead, architect, with particular reference to his work at Hawick.	3 pages or more	85
Sir Thomas Brisbane	From a request to Kelso Museum for details on Sir Thomas Brisbane. A history of Makerston and the City of Brisbane. He was also a keen astronomer. Very interesting.	2 pages or more	8	Zilla Oddy
A Border Tragedy - Hawick 900 Court of Record and Civil Records	An article on cases of Breach of Promise.	5 pages or more	86	Norrie McLeish
At The Beginning	A tale of one man's delve into family history from the UK to Canada and beyond.	2 pages or more	1	Peter Elliot
Border - Line Experiences Of a Canadian Researcher	The Ainslie born in Lilliesleaf and how a trip from Canada to research the family ended in a book.	2 pages or more	10	Robert L. Morden
Emigration from the Borders	Emigration opportunities available to Borderers in the late 19th century, to Australia, Canada, and the United States.	2 pages or more	32	Marjorie Gavin
More Canadian Intimations in the 'Hawick Advertiser'	Deaths (1869-1900) extracted from the 'Hawick Advertiser' of people connected to the Borders, and other places in southern Scotland. Continued from issue 40.	8 pages or more	46	Marjory Gavin
Australian Intimations in Hawick Advertiser	Births 1858-1897, Marriages 1854-1900, Deaths 1853-1862, in Australia of people originally from Hawick and surrounding area.	8 pages or more	54	Marjorie Gavin
Miscellaneous Intimations in Hawick Advertiser - 1855-1900	A list of marriages of people from various places (including Argentina, Australia, Bermuda, Burma, Canada, Chile, China, France, Hong Kong, India, Italy, South Africa, Trinidad) intimated in the Hawick Advertiser between 1855-1900, with brief additional notes on some items.	3 pages or more	68	Marjorie Gavin
New Collections at the Heritage Hub	County council records, diaries & estate papers were identified amongst the backlog of un-catalogued material at the Scottish Borders Archive.	4 pages or more	69	Juline Baird
A Young Hawick Entertainer - Charles Stainton	The life of Charles Stainton who first appears in the Hawick Criminal Records aged 9 in 1903, who went on to become a music hall artist with the Sutcliffe Troupe.	3 pages or more	87	Elma Fleming
Family History in "The Gladstaines Bible"	This is the very old history of the Gladstains in the Hawick area in and around 1645 through to 1850. Few families can go back that far with as much confidence in the manuscript as this one.	3 pages or more	27	Michael Robson
Old Books with Hawick Connections	A description of two old books about Hawick from the author's library. One is a library book that was never returned. Speculation about the culprit reveals many family relationships.	2 pages or more	74	Anne Golden
More Canadian Intimations in the 'Hawick Advertiser'	Deaths (1863-1864) extracted from the 'Hawick Advertiser' of people connected to the Borders, and other places in southern Scotland. Continued from issue 40.	less than 1 page	43	Marjory Gavin
Alexander Turnbull and his Family	If you have any Turnbulls in your family and you think that you came from the Borders, this is a must for you. Turnbulls from Galashiels, Selkirk and Hawick.	5 pages or more	25	Jane Gibson
A Teri Forever- My Rich Border Heritage	Nostalgia about Hawick, and the revelation that some of her ancestors came from southern England, she has researched back to 500 on her direct paternal line and from 1699 on other lines.	3 pages or more	66	Anne Golden
Granny's Bawbees and other coins (part 2)	The writer traces the history of coinage in Scotland and talks of shop cheques or tokens particularly instancing Co-operative stores and also mentioning J A Game's tea shop in Hawick.	3 pages or more	78	Peter Munro
Hawick Through Time	A review of the book 'Hawick through Time' by Alistair Moffat.	1 page or more	85	Enid Cruickshank

Map of Hawick from UK Great Britain, Ordnance Survey one-inch to the mile (1:63,360), 'Hills' edition, 1885-1903
by kind permission of the National Library of Scotland.
Use the control at the top left of the map to zoom in or out and drag the map left, right, up, or down as you wish.

Map of Hawick from UK Ordnance Survey Historical Maps from 1919-1947
by kind permission of the National Library of Scotland.
Use the control at the top left of the map to zoom in or out and drag the map left, right, up, or down as you wish.

Other Sources

A Sketch of the History of Hawick by Robert Wilson 1825.
The History of Hawick by Robert Wilson (second edition)1841.
Annals of Hawick AD.1214-1814 by James Wilson 1850.
Hawick and its old memories by James Wilson 1858.
Hawick in the early sixties (1860s) by James Edgar 1913 - contains list of:
- Otters 1861
- Rifle Corps Volunteers 1860
- Shareholders in Corn Exchange
- Burgesses in 1860
Pictures of the Past of Auld Hawick by J. J. Vernon and J McNairn 1911.
Braid Hawick - 'the Hawick dialect' by Elliot Cowan Smith 1927.
Hawick in bygone days by James Turnbull 1927.
Provosts of Hawick 1861 to 1931 by James Edgar 1933.
The Story of Hawick by William S Robson 1945 (revised 1947).
Hawick as it was (photographic record) published by Hawick Archaeological Society and Hawick Camera Club.
The History and Antiquities of Roxburghshire and adjacent Districts by Alexander Jeffrey 1864.
The Statistical Accounts of Scotland 1791-99 vol.8 p.521: Hawick, County of Roxburgh (click "browse scanned pages" and insert Parish name)
The Statistical Accounts of Scotland 1834-45 vol.3 p.380: Hawick, County of Roxburgh (click "browse scanned pages" and insert Parish name)
Two Centuries of Borders Church Life by J Tait Kelso 1891.

Scottish Borders Archives, The Hub Hawick

School Records

Newmill Public School Log Book 1896-1968 (Ref - R/ED/2/26).
St Mary's Infant School Log Book 1874 to 1916 (Ref - R/ED/2/29).
Dean School Log Book 1913 to 1936 (Ref - R/ED/2/25).
Photographs of school groups Hawick c. 1900 (Ref - SBA/68/1-2).
School Board Minute Book 1873 to 1947. (Ref - R/ED/1/24-35).
St. Cuthbert's Episcopal School Log Book 1941 to 1956 (Ref - R/ED/2/28).
do admission register 1934 to 1956 (Ref - R/ED/3/36).
St. Mary's Infant School admission registers 1898 to 1967 (Ref - R/ED/3/39-4)1.

Scottish National Archives, Edinburgh

Hawick Old Parish Church

Proclamations 1855 to 1901 (Ref - CH2.975/7).
Minutes 1700 to 1704, 1711 to 1725, 1756,1768, 1786 to 1788, 1790, 1798, 1807,1815, 1821 to 1826 and 1833 to 1960 (Ref - CH2/1122).

Hawick Free Church

Maps

1768 Division of Hawick Common - William Grieve (Ref - RHP.722).
1802 Map showing line of march between John Allan's and Mrs. Oliver's property (Ref - RHP/562/18).
1853 Plan of Slitrig Water and its junction with the Teviot (Ref - RHP 1479/1).
1854 Plan of Slitrig Water from Mr. Elliot's cauld to its junction with the River Teviot (Ref - RHP.1479/3).

Scottish Catholic Archives, 16 Drummond Place, Edinburgh

Hawick St. Mary's and David Church 1793 to 1937.

Hawick Archaeological Society

1857 Hawick in Olden Times - newspaper report.
1858 Historic memorials of Hawick and Upper Teviotdale - newspaper report.
1858 Historical tracings of Hawick previous to 1600.
1859 Hawick in the Sixteenth century - newspaper report.
1859 Historical tracings of Hawick since 1600 - newspaper report.
1860 Hawick in the Covenanting period.
1861 Hawick in the 18th. century - newspaper report.
1862 Longevity of the natives - newspaper report.
1863 Of the name Hawick.
1867 Social conditions in 1767.
1874 Reminiscences of Hawick.
1875 Hawick and the Borders 300 years ago.
1877 Early political movements in Hawick.
1884 Ancient History of Hawick.
1888 Hawick in the 18th. century.
1890 Old Hawick.
1900 Parish and Kirk of Hawick 1711 to 1725.
1908 Works relating to or published in Hawick.
1908 Pictures of Hawick prior to the days of photography.
1918 Pictures of Hawick as described by travellers of different periods.
1921 Hawick of 90 years ago.
1929 Hawick and its people - profiles with photographs.
1929 Lapsed Trades of Hawick by John W Kennedy.
1933 Triple Freedom Ceremony.
1934 The cholera visitation of 1849 by Richard Laidlaw.
1934 A Chapter of local history - the Hawick Burghs 1868 to 1918 by James Edgar.
1935 Account book 200 years old 1935.
1935 Some of my earliest recollections by Mrs. John Smith.
1937 Drumlanrig Night fifty years ago.
1937 Sir James Douglas of Drumlanrig and the Charter.
1938 Local pictures of the past.
1940 Hawick and its people in the Victorian period by James Edgar.
1941 Hawick's prominent men in Victorian times by James Edgar.
1944 Hawick gill.
1950 Extracts from the diary of James Grieve of Branxholm Park (1751 to 1838).
1951 Hawick tradition.
1956 Reminiscences from Allan S Watt.
1957 A Hawick miscellany.
1960 Mid Victorian Hawick - a look back to the 1860s.
1967 Wages and conditions in the Border woollen industry about 1890 by G Gulvin.
1962 Buildings of historical interest.
1973 Old customs and local tales.
1979 Directories and other yellowing pages.
1980 Parish of Hawick Statistical Account 1793.
1982 Kirks and Town of Hawick.
1981 Hawick - a hundred years syn.
1985 Some Hawick changes since the Second World War.
1989 Old Hawick sketch c. 1862.
1989 Short account of the Town of Hawick (printed in 1828).
1992 Aerial photograph of the Town c 1925.
1994 Diary of Mary S Kennedy who visited Hawick in 1907.
1997 Early days of John C. Goodfellow (written in 1901).
1998 My life among the Terries.
2002 Hawick excavations on the internet.
2006 Sesquicentenary dinner - Toast to Hawick 2006.

Berwickshire Naturalists' Club

Vol. 7 Hawick its Antiquities by James Brydon.
Vol. 11 Hawick its Manufacturers by D Watson.
Vol. 11 Tower Hotel.
Vol. 28 History of Hawick.
Vol. 28 The Book of Hawick Songs and Verse.
Vol. 28 Picture of Hawick by W. E. Wilson.
Vol. 28 Pictures of the Past by J. J. Vernon.
Vol. 28 Hawick described by travellers by J Sinton.
Vol. 28 Barony of Hawick and the Lovell family.
Vol. 38 Hawick and the Mote Hill by R. E. Scott.
Vol. 38 Derivation of the name.

The Southern Annual

1957 Street of History and Romance in "Hawick among the Hills by Madge Elder (available in Society Archives).

Websites

A description of the parish from The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, 1868
Hawick On-line
Hawick Common Riding
Hawick Rugby Club
Bill McLaren 1923 - 2010 the Voice of Rugby.
Jimmie Guthrie 1897 - 1937 1930s motor-cycling star
James Wilson's Register of Deaths in Hawick 1827 to 1860
Stobie's Map of Roxburghshire of 1770
The RCAHMS website Scotland's Places contains details of;

Farm Horse Tax 1797-1798.
Medical Officer's of Health Reports 1891.

Place and Farm names in Census Records

1841 census: Hawick, Laurie's Yard, Purdom's Yard, Wilton Mills, Millport, Towerknowe, Allers, Sandbed, Booglie Barns, Weensland, Haugh Head, Greenabraeheads, Crow Byres, Nixons Mill, Crumhaughhill, Burnflat, Meikle Whitlaw, Little Whitlaw, Broomhill, Hawick Muir, Hawick Shiels, Southfield, Allanhaughmill, Raes Knowe, Newbigging, Whitchesters, Fenwick, Hayskye, Branxholm, Goldielands, Marters House, Longbalk, Lynwood, Carlanrig, Falnash, Dryden, Parkhead, Lairhope, Hislop, Ramsaycleughburn, Rashygrain, Commonbrae, Blackcleugh, Commonside, Bankhead, Tiendside, Commonside Lynn, Slatehill, Hayknow, Quarrelhall, Valesburn, Newmill, Branxholm Braes, Woodfoot.

1851 census:Hawick, Backdamgate, Kilnpath, Tannage, Mill Port, Commonhaugh, Howegate, Loan, Myerslaw Green, Village, Weensland, Haugh Head, Bramble Hall, Leafy House, Lynwood, Upper Lynwood, Parsonage, Rockville, Whirtup, Crowbryres, Greenbraehead, Mickle Whitlaw, Little Whitlaw, Flex, Douthfield, Allanhaugh Mill, Raesknowe, Newbigging, Whitchesters, Haysyke, Branxholme Bridge End, Goldielands, Martin's House, Wester Longbalk, East Longbaulk, Crummuch Hill, Guthriehall, Burnflat, Newmill, Bramxholm, Cowlady, Branholm Woodfoot

1861 census: Hawick, East Bank, Bramblehall, Weensland, Haughhead, Backdamgate, Mill Bank, Allars House, Millpath, Crescentfoot, Stonefield, Rockvale, Lynwood, Cowbyres, Greenbraeheads, Stilrig Bank, Kirkgate, Howegate, Lynnwood, Whitlawhaugh, Meikle Whitlaw, Little Whitlaw, Flex, Broomhill, Hawick Moor, Pilmuir, Haggishall, Burnflat, Crumhaugh, Longbaulk, Vales Burn, New Mill, Damfoot, Branxholm Braes,Scatterpenny, Branxholme Woodfoot, Martins House, Goldielands, Hay Syke, Fenwick, Whitchester, Raesknow, Allan Haugh, Hawick Shiel, Southfield, Sand Bed, Tower Knowe, Myreslaw Green

Population

The population has been recorded as follows:

1755 - 2713
1801 - 2798
1811 - 3688
1821 - 4387
1831 - 4970
1841 - 6573
1851 - 7801
1861 - 8276

Roxburghshire map

Local Pictures

Hawick
Hawick (before 1908)

Hawick from Wellogate

Tower Knowe, Hawick

Tower Hotel and High Street

So far as we are aware, the copyright on these pictures has expired. However, if you wish us to remove the images and you can demonstrate that you hold the copyright, please contact us.