Thursday 2 June 2011

2nd: Where the Huttons led & what else I've learnt recently

Linda and I may not yet have fully confirmed Linda's suspicion that the Robert and Catherine (MITCHELL) HUTTON family she found emigrating to NZ is Robert, brother to the James married into our HENDERSONs, but we've had a lot of fun trying to find out.
As part of that trail I tracked down and contacted a descendant in Dunedin who has put us in touch with several others.
A chance comment along the way has led us to realise that she taught at my secondary school (Columba College), albeit several years after I'd left. I was amazed to hear that some of my teachers from some mumble years ago are still alive, although in their 90s, particularly as, of course, I thought they were about that age back then!

A separate interesting exercise has been a further attempt at unravelling Edinburgh FAIRBAIRN booksellers.
The Scottish Book Trade Index on the NLS site has a helpful lot of info on the assorted John FAIRBAIRNs but seemed to be lacking in some vital info.
I've convinced myself that the John, bookseller of 9 Hunter St actually married twice, both to Katherines, firstly BARCLAY, secondly ALEXANDER (relict of James PARLANE).
His second marriage has interesting connections in that Katherine ALEXANDER's niece Catherine WALKER married Jean Francois COINDET, who appears to have a noted place in medicine for treating goitre with iodine, with his son Dr Jean Charles Walker COINDET turning to psychiatry and having patients such as Richard Wagner and Liszt's mistress.
Haven't found any reference to the other son as yet, John Fairbairn COINDET other than in Katherine FAIRBAIRN alias ALEXANDER's 1811/1816/1822 will.