My 3x great-grandfather, James Reid (1844-1924) had fifteen children – three to Mary Ann Smith who died in 1874, and twelve to Isabella Smith. They had a full house of children for many years.

The map below shows how the Reid family moved south from Aberdeen, and marks the places they lived between 1869 and 1921, identified through addresses given on birth registrations and the census. You can use the map controls to zoom in and explore the five locations in Aberdeen, one in Inverbervie, two in Montrose, and four in Arbroath.

I challenged myself to find out what happened to each of the Reid children and their descendants. Rather unusually for the time, except for one baby daughter with his first wife, James’ other fourteen children all grew to adulthood. Although two children died relatively young, the others lived longer.

Several children remained relatively close to home in south-east Scotland, and the rest joined the Scottish diaspora in England, the USA, Canada, South Africa, and Australia.

Mary Ann Reid (1869-1870)

James and Mary Ann’s first child was named after her mother. She was born in Aberdeen and died there as a tiny baby, at the age of six months and 20 days. Her death from diarrhoea, a not uncommon illness, must have been a dreadful experience for both Mary Ann and her parents.

James Reid (1870-1955)

James junior was born in Aberdeen, and eventually followed in his father’s footsteps on the railway, becoming a railway engine fireman. James married Jane Bowman Ferrier in Arbroath in 1893 and they had four sons – James (Jimmy), Hector, Harry, and Edward (Ted). They emigrated to South Africa in 1908, not long after Ted’s birth. James appears to have worked in the gold mines there, most likely as a train driver. James and Jane both died in South Africa in the 1950s.

Mary Ann Reid (1872-1959)

The third child born in Aberdeen to James and Mary Ann was another daughter named Mary Ann. She married William Mills, a wood turner, and had six sons and one daughter who were all born in Scotland – William (Bill), James (Jim), George, Harry, John, Leslie (Les), and Mary. At one point it appears the family had a restaurant in Dundee’s Lochee, however they emigrated to the USA in the 1920s. Members of the family returned to visit Scotland at various times, and William senior died in Dundee, Scotland. Mary Ann may have died in New York, however I haven’t been able to confirm that yet. Her children all settled in the USA, many of them living in the Florida region, with jobs including architect, jeweller and watchmaker, accountant, and stenographer.

Lilly Reid (1876-1955)

Twin to Isabella, and born in Aberdeen, Lilly worked as a flax spinner, general servant, and weaver. In 1902 Lilly married Edward Spalding McKnight, who worked for a canvas manufacturer. They had two children – John, a marine engineer in the merchant navy, and Agnes. Lilly died in Arbroath aged 78.

Isabella Reid (1876-1957)

Born in Aberdeen, and twin to Lilly, Isabella worked as a dressmaker. She married Thomas Jamieson, a clerk, in 1899 and they had four daughters and a son – Olivia, Elizabeth, Isabella, Josephine, and Douglas. Douglas remained in Scotland, Olivia moved to England, and Elizabeth, Isabella and Josephine emigrated to New Zealand where they married. Isabella died in Arbroath aged 80.

John Reid (1877-1919)

Born in Aberdeen, John was a plumber and gas fitter who worked in England prior to his marriage to Mary Rose Laing in 1906. John and Mary didn’t have any children. John, who was living in London during World War I, joined the army training reserve in 1915. An incident in November 1917 led to his arrest and hospitalisation. The cause is unknown, perhaps he had PTSD or a brain tumour, but I’ve not found information which explains anything specific. John was subsequently discharged from the army as medically unfit, and transferred to Kingseat Asylum in Aberdeen. He was then transferred to the Royal Asylum in Montrose, closer to his family. John died there in January 1919, aged 41, and is buried in the Sleepyhillock Cemetery.

Robert Reid (1879-1948)

Robert was born in Inverbervie, and worked as a railway engine stoker and labourer. He emigrated to Ontario, Canada around 1908 when he was in his late twenties. He lived there until his death in 1948. It’s unknown what prompted this move to Canada, where as an older man he worked as a salesman in a tobacco shop, and caretaker of a service station. According to Robert’s death certificate, he never married.

Henry Palmer Reid (1880-1949)

Henry was born in Inverbervie and worked as a locomotive cleaner and later as an engine driver. He emigrated to South Africa sometime before 1915, and worked as an engine driver in the gold mines. Henry married twice, the first time to Williamina Easton nee Heron, the second to Emily Elizabeth Newman. Henry had no children, and died in South Africa in 1949.

Margaret Lindsay Falconer Reid (1881-1956)

Margaret was born in Inverbervie, also known as Bervie, and as a young woman worked as a sailcloth weaver. On New Year’s Day in 1903, she married David Ritchie, who worked as a contractor manager. Margaret and David had one daughter and two sons – Constance (Connie), David (Donal), and James (Jim). Margaret, David, their children, and one grandchild, emigrated to Australia in 1924. Margaret died in Albury in 1956.

Elsie Reid (1882-1952)

Elsie was born in Montrose and like her sister worked as a sailcloth weaver as a young woman. Elsie married grocer James Ramsay Finlayson in 1906 and they had three sons and two daughters – Robert (Bob), Elsie, John, Isabella, and James (Jim). Elsie died in Dundee aged 69.

Jessie Reid (1885-1977)

Jessie, a dressmaker, married bank teller James Matthewson Williamson in 1910. They had at least three children – Isabella (Ella), Olivia, and James (Jimmy). Jessie died in Arbroath at the age of 93.

Elizabeth Reid (1886-1972)

Elizabeth was born in Montrose. She married artist and art teacher Robert Timmis in Arbroath in 1914. After their marriage they lived in Liverpool, and had two children – Jean and Richard. Jean remained in Liverpool, and Richard was a quantity surveyor who emigrated to South Africa. Robert Timmis became well known for painting scenes of everyday Liverpool life. He produced landscapes, portraits, and still life paintings, and had work exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts in London. Elizabeth was 86 when she died in Liverpool, twelve years after her husband.

William Reid (1887-1917)

William was born in Montrose. He joined the navy shortly before his sixteenth birthday, almost ten years before World War I. During WWI, William was part of the Battle of Jutland, for which he was mentioned in despatches and highly commended for services rendered in action. William died aged 29 on 9 July 1917, killed by an internal explosion aboard HMS Vanguard which was anchored in Scapa Flow, off the Orkney Islands.

David Raitt Reid (1890-1957)

David was born in Arbroath. He worked as a plumber and gas fitter, like his older brother John. In 1911, the census shows David living with his sister and brother-in-law in Cambridge, England. David married Eveline Freeman in Northampton, England in 1915. They lived in Northampton where they raised a family of two sons and three daughters – David, Iris, Elsie, Evelyn, and Robert. David remained in Northampton for the rest of his life, and died aged 66.

George Reid (1891-1947)

George was born in Arbroath and worked as an iron turner. George married Mary Scott in 1914 and they had a son and two daughters – Richard who was in the merchant navy, Gladys, and Aileen. George remained in Arbroath and died there aged 55.

If you’re related to any of these members of the Reid family, I’d love to hear from you.

Selected references

Sources for my Reid family research can be provided on request. They include births, marriages and deaths, census records, and newspaper articles.