Elizabeth Selkirk Kidd (1854-30 November 1939) kekulé 9

Historical Context 

Elizabeth Selkirk Kidd was born in the middle of the Crimean War (1853–1856), lived through the Great War of 1914 to 1918 and died three months after the start of the Second World War. She was born in the reign of Queen Victoria and in her long life she lived through the reigns of Edward VII, George V, Edward VIII and into reign of George VI.

DNA Status

Elizabeth Selkirk Kidd is a confirmed DNA ancestor.

Inscription on back: “5 Russell Place, Edinburgh.
To Allan from Mother, with best love, July 31, 1916″.

Biography 

Elizabeth Selkirk Kidd was born about 1854 in the parish of Haddington in East Lothian, Scotland. [1] Before the introduction of Statutory Birth Registration in Scotland in 1855, [2] the registration of births, marriages and deaths was not compulsory and the birth of Elizabeth, like those of four of her elder siblings, does not seem to have been registered. Her four younger sisters had their births registered in 1856, 1858, 1861 and 1863. [3]

Following the addition of “other” church registers to the ScotlandsPeople site in mid 2017, [4] a baptism for Elizabeth’s eldest sister, Catherine was found in the register for Leith Saint Andrew’s Place United Presbyterian Church. So, it is possible that the other children were also baptised in the United Presbyterian Church, although no records have yet been found. [5]

Elizabeth’s first appearance in the official records was in the census of 07 April 1861 when she was recorded as being aged 5, a scholar and living at Amisfield East Gate in the parish of Haddington in the Country of East Lothian in Scotland. [6] The gate led to Amisfield House, a mansion built by the Earl of Wemyss in the 1750s. The House was demolished in 1928 and the grounds were sold to Haddington Town Council in 1969. [7]

Amisfield Park, East Gate, Haddington.

By the next census in 02 April 1871, Elisabeth was registered as aged 17 (putting her birth before the introduction of Statutory Registration in 1855) and working as a General servant, domestic for Alexander Stewart, Farmer of 230 acres at Meiklerigg in the parish of Stenton in East Lothian, Scotland. [8]

Meiklerigg Farmhouse, near Stenton.

A year and a half later, on 02 December 1872, she was at 11 Manderston Street in Leith, where she gave birth to an illegitimate son named Alexander Sharp. [9] She was described as a Domestic Servant while the father was Alexander Sharp, a clerk, who was living at 11 New Montgomery Street. Both the mother and father registered the birth of the child. The exact identity of the father is not known, but one possible candidate died aged 20 of Tuberculosis, which might explain why the couple never married or had any more children together. [10] Alexander Sharp lived initially with his grandfather, George Kidd and aunt, Catherine Kidd. He eventually moved to England and had at least twelve children from his two marriages. [11]

Manderson Street, Leith.

By 27 July 1878, Elizabeth Selkirk Kidd was back in Haddington and gave birth to an illegitimate son named Nicol Kidd, presumably after her elder brother Nicol Kidd and/or grandfather, Nicol Selkirk. This time the name of the father was not recorded. The child was born in the Nungate, on the east bank of the river Tyne, and the birth was registered by Elizabeth’s elder sister, Catherine. Sadly, Nicol Kidd died when he was only 6 days old, after suffering from obstruction of bowels for one day. The death, like the birth, was registered by Elizabeth’s elder sister, Catherine. [12]

Nungate Bridge, Haddington

At the census of 03 April 1881, Elizabeth was recorded as being aged 27, a Cook, Domestic servant, and living in the household of Helena S. Livingstone at 14 Ann Street in Edinburgh. [13]

Ann Street, Edinburgh.

A year later, on 02 June 1882, Elizabeth Selkirk Kidd married John Craig Old at 5 Forbes Street in Edinburgh. The marriage was celebrated by James Aitken after Publication according to the Forms of the United Presbyterian Church with as witnesses, William Old, the groom’s elder brother, and Georgina Kidd, the bride’s younger sister. The groom was described as being aged 22, a Coal Depot Banksman living at 70 Saint Leonards Street in Edinburgh, while the bride was described as being aged 27, a Domestic Servant, and living at 2 Richmond Street in Edinburgh. [14]

Forbes Street, Edinburgh.

John Craig Old and Elizabeth Selkirk Kidd went on to have ten children:

  1. Maggie Selkirk Old, who was named after her maternal grandmother, was born on 04 May 1883 at 5 Forbes Street in Edinburgh. She died aged just 11 weeks on 22 July 1883 at the same address after suffering from Whooping cough for 1 month. [15]
  2. Janet Stratton Craig Old, who was named after her paternal grandmother, was born on 04 May 1884 at 5 Forbes Street in Edinburgh. She went on to marry Walter Ritchie Brotchie and had three children. [16]
  3. William Old, who was named after his paternal grandfather, was born on 02 January 1886 at 102 Saint Leonards Street in Edinburgh. He went on to marry Jane Alexander and had four children. [17]
  4. John Craig Old, who was named after his father, was born on 11 February 1888 at 137 Saint Leonards Street in Edinburgh. He went on to marry Jessie Grant McDonald Marr and have seven children. [18]
  5. Elizabeth Selkirk Kidd Old, who was named after her mother, was born on 03 February 1890 at 137 Saint Leonards Street in Edinburgh. She went on to marry David Hay, but the couple did not have any children. [19]
  6. Susan Selkirk Kidd Old was named after her mother’s elder sister. She was born on 12 March 1892 at 137 Saint Leonards Street in Edinburgh. She went on to marry George Willard and the couple had one son. [20]
  7. Allan Old was named after his father’s elder brother. He was born on 12 February 1894 at 137 Saint eonard’s Street in Edinburgh. He went on to marry Christina Elder Scott and had five children. [21]
  8. Georgina Selkirk Kidd Old appears to have been named after her maternal grandfather, George Kidd. She was born on 18 February 1896 at 137 Saint Leonard’s Street in Edinburgh. She died aged just 8 on 12 November 1904 at 17 Parkside Street, Saint Leonards, in Edinburgh. The cause of death was Pulmonary tuberculosis and was certified by B.M. Cunningham, M.B. [22]
  9. Mary Finlayson Old was named after her father’s younger sister. She was born on 26 December 1898 at 137 Saint Leonards Street in Edinburgh. She went on to marry Alexander MacKenzie and have two children. [23]
  10. Margaret Selkirk Kidd Old was named after her mother’s younger sister. She was born on 15 March 1902 at 17 Parkside Street in Edinburgh. She was married twice, first to Andrew Matheson Liddle, who died after a street accident, and then to Finlay MacDougal Watson, but does not appear to have had any children. [24]
137 Saint Leonards Street, Edinburgh.
17 Parkside Street, Edinburgh.

Elizabeth Selkirk Kidd’s husband John Craig Old died aged 69 on 29 October 1929 at Longmore Hospital in Edinburgh. The cause of death was Carcinoma of pelvic colon, Secondary carcinoma as certified by W.R. Dodds Fairbairn M.D. [25]

5 Lord Russell Place, Edinburgh.

Elizabeth Selkirk Kidd died aged 83 on 30 November 1939 at 5 Lord Russell Place in Edinburgh in Newington district of the city of Edinburgh in the county of Midlothian in Scotland. The cause of death was Femoral hernia, Senile dementia and Cardiac failure as certified by Patrick D. MacLaren M.B. [26]

Sources 

  1. Scottish census reports from 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901 & 1911
  2. Statutory Registers of Births, Deaths and Marriages
  3. Statutory Birth Registers
  4. News Article: Release of Presbyterian Church Records
  5. Other Church Registers
  6. Scottish census report from 1861
  7. Amisfield Garden History
  8. Scottish census report from 1871
  9. Statutory Birth Register
  10. Statutory Death Register
  11. [English census reports]
  12. Statutory Birth Register
  13. Scottish census report from 1881
  14. Statutory Marriage Register
  15. Statutory Registers of Births, Marriages & Deaths
  16. Statutory Registers of Births, Marriages & Deaths
  17. Statutory Registers of Births, Marriages & Deaths
  18. Statutory Registers of Births, Marriages & Deaths
  19. Statutory Registers of Births, Marriages & Deaths
  20. Statutory Registers of Births, Marriages & Deaths
  21. Statutory Registers of Births, Marriages & Deaths
  22. Statutory Registers of Births, Marriages & Deaths
  23. Statutory Registers of Births, Marriages & Deaths
  24. Statutory Registers of Births, Marriages & Deaths
  25. Statutory Death Register
  26. Statutory Death Register for Elizabeth Selkirk Kidd KIDD ELIZABETH SELKI 83 1939 685/6 715 Newington