Ross & Cromarty to Devon, Stuarts

[v.wells]

Since there is no Ross & Cromarty spot, I thought I'd just post here.

Samuel Stuart b. 1810 Kilmington, Devon - his parents were from Ross & Cromarty. How they travelled from there to Devon back then is incomprehensible! My sis thinks they may have taken a ferry and travelled overland some how. Anyhow, how would I go about researching the Stuart's from there.

And I have just answered my own ? of course I shalll try Scotland's People and start shelling out money for credits.

But of course any help from anyone else would be appreciated!

Vanessa

[v.wells]

I have received new info regarding the Stuart's of Ross & Cromarty.

Appently the Stuart's left Ross & Cromarty in early 1800's when land was taken from the crofters by the landowners for shooting rights. They travelled by boat down the west coast to Devon.

I have tried googling Scottish crofting rights and shooting rights taken by landowners in 1800's but all I ever get is the reversal of landowner rights in the 1970's.

Does any one know Scottish history for this time period? I have unsourced information that the parents were born in Devon in the 1770's which conflicts with these memoirs I have received. It could be that the memoir dates are off or the unsourced info is.

When did the crofters lose their land to the landowners? Can any one help? I have tried Scotlands people but no joy there or anywhere else.

[Peter_uk_can]

Hi Vanessa.. Have you tried Google "Highland Clearances" and also their Book Search which would give ISBN #'s.

Our Wpg library is rich in such books as it forms an important part in the birth of Canada.

[v.wells]

Hi Peter

I will try that googling thing again....

I did find one book an historical guide to Ross & Cromarty thru amazon but there was no delivery time, none in stock and I don't really want to purchase something that won't help me.

But I shall try again unless some else can shed some light on this?

[blue eyes]

Hi Vanessa,

On the site Ancestralscotland under Crofting 4th paragraph. Following some serious disputes with the lanlords the Napier commission was set up to look into the question of croft tenancies which led to the introduction of the crofters act 1886.
The 2nd link is to ScotlandGen Web Project Ross and Cromerty. Under history of the county there is paragraph about the crofters and the landowners.

https://www.ancestralscotland.com/roots/crofting.html


https://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~sctroc/geo.html

[v.wells]

Hi Julie

Have seen both of those but those are post-1810 and I am looking for pre-1810. My gg grandfather born in Devon 1810. Lore has it that the crofters were forced off their lands by the landowners for shooting rights. I have been unable to find anything that relates to or verifies this.

Thanks anyway.

[Peter_uk_can]

I found this under "First Scotland Clearances" search.

It refers to various events which were pre 1800


https://www.scottishhistory.com/artic...nce_page1.html

[blue eyes]

My 3x gt grandather came from Cromerty to Cornwall eary 1800's. I've no idea why, perhaps his was the same reason.

Have you tried the National Archives Scotland?

[v.wells]

Thanks Peter...I had been to this site before...I was looking for the wrong wording. Since my gg grandfather was a farmer this may explain things a little more clearly. I have bookmarked it to read later - 'tis dinner time here

To your greater intelligence and super sleuthing


Julie, maybe we've both gained a bit of knowledge regarding the clearances. Some of the stuff is too small to read and I have found it hard to peruse pages of this stuff - and probably missed what I needed to know what to look for!

[Crofter]

Hello Vanessa,

Being relatively new to this Forum, just over two weeks, I have just come across your posting re Ross & Cromarty.

Ross & Cromarty covers a huge swathe of the Highlands stretching from east to west coast and including some of the Hebridean Islands. It would helpful to know which part of this county your ancestors came from as different areas fared differently depending on who owned the land and on whether they were owners or tennants of their farm..

The period you are enquiring about was one of extreme turbulence in the Highlands of Scotland. The 1745 Rebellion had just been crushed and the whole of the Highlands were under military rule. The mere fact of being a Stuart in those times was risky business in itself.

Farming was basically cattle farming and the growing of wheat and oats. This became increasingly profitable towards the end of the century as the Napoleonic Wars in the continent closed off other sources of those products.

The policy was to increase farm holdings, making larger farms,at the expence of the local tenant farmers. Lowland and English landowners were encouraged to take possession of those farms, thereby displacing the local smaller farmers. The smaller farmer could make money out of selling out to the bigger farmer.

Once they made their fortunes they could afford to return south any way they liked, and sell their land on to the next Sassenach exploiter.

Those who were displaced, on the other hand, were encouraged to leave for the Colonies. The ships that brought goods back from the Colonies made regular stops off the coast of Scotland to load with human cargo, which was more profitable for them than go empty on their outward voyage. Your ancestors could be one of those who may have boarded in Scotland and decided to disembark in the south of England when their ship put in there.

How your ancestors got down south depends, therefore, on which group they belonged to. Hunting and shooting estates did not become popular until much later, mid-Victorian times, when it became fashionable.

Hope this helps a bit to describe the period you wish to know about.

Regards, Donald.