THE GANSONS IN FIFE

If one looks through the Fife telephone directory of today, one comes across a number of Ganson families, including J & E Ganson, the proprietors of Central Stores in Lower Largo, all related to one another, scions of John Ganson (1877-1923),and Mary Ann Watson, who were the progentors of the family in Fife. The family originally came from Caithness.

Ganson is a Caithness surname. Former variants include GAUNSON and GAWENSON, and are corruptions of what was originally Gavin's son - son of GAVIN (GAVEN). The surname has been traced back as far as 1563, when ALEXANDER GAWENSONE gave a charter of a tenement of land in Nairn to his brother-germain DONALD GAWENSONE [see Black's "Surnames of Scotland" (1946)].

The Ganson family in Fife has been positively traced back to DONALD GANSON, blacksmith in Thurso, and later in Wick. He was married to JANET MOODIE on Feb 13 1799. Tracing the line a further generation back has been difficult, but the following, all from Wick parish, are possibles:

(1) DONALD GANSON in Killimster, and MARY COCK, contracted in marriage, Dec 6 1753 ("William Buckard cautioner for the man and David Millar cautioner for the woman"). They were afterwards in Noss, where the following children were born to them [baptismal dates]: (A) DONALD - Oct 17 1762; (B) ELSPET May 5 1765; (C) ISABELLA - Dec 20 1767.

(2) ADAM GANSON in Wick, and ISABEL McNAUGHTON, whose son, DONALD, was baptised on May 14 1771 - witnesses, John Miller and David Swanson.

(3) WILLIAM GANSON in Noss [prob brother of (1)], matrimonially contracted, Dec 5 1778, to KATHERINE McDONALD in Gallowhill ("Cautioner for the man, Donald Ganson in Noss, and for the woman, John Swanson in Gallowhill"). They had at least 2 children - (A) DONALD - bap Jan 22 1780, witnesses - Donald Cock and David Harper; (B) ISOBELL - bap Aug 22 1783.

However, since the only recorded son of Donald Ganson and Janet Moodie was called ALEXANDER and since it was was then the Scottish custom in naming patterns to call the first-born son after the paternal grandfather, one would have expected this Donald's father to be an Alexander Ganson. The death certificate of an ISABELLA GANSON, pauper, formerly a domestic servant, who died at Craigton, Wick, on Feb 16 1861, aged 80, is interesting. Although no mother's name is given, her father is given as ALEXANDER GANSON, blacksmith. Right name, right trade. He is a more likely candidate for the father than the Donald Gansons above.

But to return to the known facts. On Feb 13 1799 DONALD GANSON, blacksmith in Thurso, was contracted in marriage to JANET MOODIE in Rattar, parish of Dunnet - witnesses, Morans Calder in Thurso, and John Moodie in Rattar. This Donald Ganson was a blacksmith in Thurso from at least 1799-1804, and afterwards in Wick (1807). The following children were born to them:

(1) MARGARET GANSON - bap Thurso, Dec 28 1799; Single, she has been found in the l851 Wick Census at 17 Bank Row, working as a seamstress, but later met with hard times, and died a pauper at Thrumster, parish of Wick, on Oct 25 1864, aged 65.

(2) JANET GANSON - bap Thurso, March 25 1802.

(3) BARBARA GANSON - bap Thurso, April 11 1804

(4) ALEXANDER GANSON - s of Donald Ganson, blacksmith in Wick, and Janet Moodie, was bap Wick, March 6 1807; d Leith, June 2 1878 aged 71; of whom more hereafter.

This is all that has been recorded in the Old Parochial Registers (OPR), kept by the Church of Scotland, on Donald Ganson and Janet Moodie. There have been no death registers kept for either Wick or Thurso parishes. A search was made through the Register of Inventories of the Sheriff Court of Wick (which recorded deaths with the inventories), but no Gansons were found.

Both Donald Ganson and Janet Moodie were dead by 1851. Donald Ganson was dead in 1841, but Janet Moodie may have been the "Widow Ganson" recorded in the 1841 Wick Census in Bridge Street, aged 70. They had certainly both died long before the birth of Alexander's son, JOHN GANSON, in c 1852. For this John Ganson was the informant of his father's death at 19 Ferrier Street, Leith in 1878, and he was unsure of Alexander's parentage: he did not know the name of his grandmother, and he mistakenly gave DANIEL GANSON as the name of his grandfather. However, Alexander Ganson was the informant of his sister, Margaret's death in 1864, made his mark ("X") on the death certificate, and gave Donald Ganson, blacksmith (dec), and Janet Ganson, M.S. Moodie (dec) as the parents.

To go onto the next generation. ALEXANDER GANSON had been baptised in Wick on March 6 1807. He became a cooper in Wick parish, and later in the town of Wick itself. The best description of him from the various marriage/death certificates of his children is that of "fish-curer's cooper." Between c 1838-1840 he was resident in Whaligoe, south of Wick, but by 1841 he had migrated to the town of Wick, and is recorded in the 1841 Census in the High Street, South Side. By 1851 he had removed to Salton (or Saltown) Street, in the Pultenytown district of Wick, and this is where the family are to be found in 1861. By 1871 the family home was at 9 Bexley Terrace. In his declining years, Alexander Ganson, went to live with his married son, JOHN, at 19 Ferrier Street, Leith, where he died on June 2 1878, aged 71.

On July 2 1838 ALEXANDER GANSON had been contracted in marriage to CATHERINE BREMNER (1815-1888), baptised Wick, Sep 13 1815, dau of John Bremner and Helen Calder.

ALEXANDER GANSON and CATHERINE BREMNER had 9 children, but only the children born before 1844 have been recorded in the Wick parish OPR. This, together with the fact that Alexander Ganson and his wife were not members of the Established Church of Scotland congregation at Wick as is evident from a study of the Communion Rolls, which exist from the 1860's onwards, tends to suggest that Alexander Ganson and Catherine Bremner had left the Church of Scotland shortly after the Disruption of 1843, and may have joined either a Free Church or United Presbyterian congregation. Their children were as follows:

(1) CATHERINE GANSON - dau of A.G. "in Whaligoe," was b Sep 8 1838, and bap Dec 30th, "in presence of the Congregation at Bruan;" was a domestic servant at Pollock Shaws, when she m at Glasgow, Nov 24 1865, WILLIAM JACK, engine-fitter (journeyman), s of Wm Jack, engine-keeper, and Elizabeth Jack; she died Barrhead, Aug 9 1912, aged 74

(2) JANET GANSON - dau of A.G. "in Whaligoe;" was b Feb 7 1840, and baptised "within the congregation of Bruan;" appears to have died in infancy, for she does not appear in the 1841 or 1851 Census.

(3) HELEN GANSON - dau of A.G., "cooper in Wick;" was b Dec 16 1841; a dressmaker in Wick to at least 1871 (Census), shortly afterwards she removed to Leith, where she continued as a dressmaker, and where she m at No 9 Bowling Green Street, April 30 1875, HECTOR CAMPBELL, mason's labourer, s of John Campbell, farmer, and Catherine McKay; she died at Halmyre Street, Leith, on Nov 16 1921 aged 79, of cerebral haemorrhage, 4 days.

(4) JOHANN, or ANN GANSON - was b Jan 4 1844, dau of A.G., "cooper in Wick," and baptised JOHANN ("witnesses John Bremner and Ann Bremner, both in Wick"), but was always called ANN in the Census Returns, and also on her death certificate. Formerly a seamstress in Glasgow, she afterwards met with hard times, and died a pauper in the City Poor-House, Glasgow, on Dec 23 1876 aged 28.

(5) DONALD GANSON - b Wick, c 1848; carter; m to Alexandrine Macaulay; d Feb 6 1928; of whom more hereafter.

(6) JOHN GANSON - b Wick, c 1852; followed his father's profession of cooper, firstly in Wick (1871 Census), and afterwards in Leith; while his father was a fish-curer's cooper, he was a brewery cooper (journeyman) in Leith, and lived at 19 Ferrier Street; he m Leith, July 16 1875, ALEXANDRINA GROAT (she d April 26 1901), dau of George Groat, merchant seaman, and Jessie Millar. John Ganson d Leith, June 11 1930, of carcinoma of the stomach, aged 77.

(7) JESSIE GANSON - b Wick, c 1854; to Leith as a domestic servant, and m No 9 Bowling Green Street, Leith, March 5 1875, WILLIAM CAMERON, dock porter, afterwards marine stoker, s of Wilson Cameron, coachman, and Christina McArthay. Jessie Ganson died at Halmyre Street, Leith, on Feb 28 1940, aged 86

(8) ALEXANDRINA GANSON - b Wick, Aug 24 1857; d there, Jan 8 1859, aged 16 mths, of "supposed teething, 8 days."

(9) MARY ANN FOWLER GANSON - b Wick, March 24 1860; to domestic service in Leith, where an illegitimate daughter, MARY ANN FOWLER GANSON, was born to her, Jan 20 1879, at her brother (John's) residence of 19 Ferrier Street.

The direct line continued through the children of Child No 5, DONALD GANSON, and his wife, ALEXANDRINA MACAULAY. They had been married at Pultenytown, Wick, on Dec 30 1870. Alexandrina Macaulay had been born at Latheron, Caithness, dau of Donald Macaulay, crofter, and Barbara Mackay, and died at Middlefield, Edinburgh, on Oct 4 1922, aged 76.

Donald Ganson was a carter by profession: in a later certificate (1942) carter has given way to "haulage contractor." He has also been described as a pavement quarrier (1871), stone and general labourer, and, after he had retired from this physical work, found less strenous duties as a lavatory attendant (1914), and later (1928), as a night watchman. The family lived in Thurso from c 1873-81 (located in the 1881 Census in the Cowgate), and from c 1882 in Wick. By the middle 1890's probably all the family had removed to Edinburgh. Donald Ganson and Alexandrina Macaulay lived at Middlefield, and this was where Alexandrina died in Oct 1922, and where Donald Ganson died on Feb 6 1928 aged 83, from fractured ribs and a fractured skull, as a result of injuries sustained in a motor car accident. They had the following children:

(1) BARBARA McKAY GANSON - b Latheron, April 11 1871, dau of D.G., "pavement quarrier;" was a domestic servant at the Manse, South Leith, where she m Sep 20 1895 DAVID W WATSON, s of William Watson, labourer, and Susannah Watson; she died Buchanan Street, Edinburgh, Nov 11 1912 aged 38

(2) ALEXANDER GANSON - b Duke Street, Thurso, March 22 1873, a of D.G., stone labourer; a journeyman baker in Middlefield, Edinburgh, where he m at the Manse, South Leith, Sep 25 1896, MARY GARRIOCK NAPIER, domestic servant, dau of Peter Napier, shipping store-keeper, and Elizabeth Williamson Harvey. He was a carter at the time of his death at 6 Burns Street, Leith, on Feb 17 1904 aged 29. His brother, JOHN GANSON, was present at his death.

(3) DONALD MACAULAY GANSON - b Waterside, Thurso, June 29 1875, s of D.G., carter; d Duke Street, Thurso, Nov 2 1877, of bronchitis, 8 days.

(4) JOHN GANSON - b Duke Street, Thurso, Oct 11 1877, a of D.G., carter; an iron-driller and pit-head and coal-pit labourer, he m Edinburgh, June 4 1909 MARY ANN WATSON (she d Victoria Hospital, Dundee, Feb 10 1966), dau of William Watson, general labourer, and Susannah Watson, and sister of the David Watson, who had m Barbara McKay Ganson (1). The couple settled in Leven, and were the progenitors of the Ganson family in Fife. John Ganson died Glenlomond Sanitarium, Jan 12 1923, aged 45, from pulmonary tuberculosis (3yrs 6mths) and primary lateral sclerosis (3yrs 6mths), caused by gassing received during the lst World War.

(5) MARY ANN FOWLER GANSON - b 19 Ferrier Street, Jan 20 1879; she was in fact the illegitimate daughter of Donald's sister, Mary Ann Fowler Ganson, but has been included as one of Donald's children, for she lived in family with them (listed Thurso 1881 Census, aged 2); she appears to have been unaware of her illegitimacy, or at least did not record the fact to the Registrar, for she gave the names of Donald Ganson and Alexandrina Macaulay as her parents on her marriage in Edinburgh in 1905 to ROBERT MILLAR, letter-press printer, s of Thomas Millar, brass finisher, and Jessie Olsay. And their names also appeared as her parents on her death certificate. She died at 1301 Govan Road, Glasgow, on Dec 13 1942 aged 62.

(6) CATHERINE McKAY GANSON - b Cowgate, Thurso, March 25 1880, dau of D.G., general labourer; d 32 Bank Row, Pultenytown, Wick, Aug 11 1888, as a result of "poisoning from overdose of purgative medicine, l 1/2 days."

(7) DANIEL GANSON - b Anderson Lane, Wick, July 20 1882, a of D.G, general labourer; no further information traced; the family believes that he emigrated to either Canada or America.

(8) WILHELMIA BREMNER GANSON - b Anderson Lane, Wick, Nov 29 1884, dau of D.G., carter; a purse-maker, she died from TB at Croall's Yard, Middlefield, Edinburgh, on Dec 1 1903 aged 19

(9) PETER MACAULAY GANSON - b Anderson Lane, Wick, Nov 21 1886, a of D.G., carter; d Anderson Lane, Dec 7 1887, from measles and bronchitis.

(10) JESSIE GANSON - b Bank Row, Pultenytown, Wick, July 23 1889 dau of D.G., carter; a message-girl, she d Croall's Yard, Middlefield, Edinburgh, on Oct 21 1904 from phthisis, 3 months.

(11) MARGARET ANN GANSON - b Bank Row, Pultenytown, Wick, Nov 24 1891, dau of D.G. , carter; was a wine merchant's assistant in Edinburgh, when she m at 165 Rose Street, July 17 1914, DONALD FRASER, shoemaker, son of Donald Fraser, cab proprietor, and Marjory Dallas; the couple later settled in Bearsden; Mgt Ganson d Leith Hospital, Dec 16 1975.

The direct line continued through JOHN GANSON and MARY ANN WATSON. They settled in Leven, and were the progenitors of the Ganson family in Fife. They lived firstly at 4 Murray Place (1909), then 6 Carmichael's Court (c 1915-19), and latterly at 27 North Street (1923). Their children were:

(1) JOHN GANSON - b 4 Murray Place, Leven, Jan 10 1908; was a golf-club maker in Leven; m Saline, Oct 13 1931 AGNES GRAY CAMPBELL YOUNG, of Venture Avenue, Dunfermline, dau of James Young, timber merchant, and Agnes Muir Campbell

(2) DONALD GANSON - b 6 Carmichael's Court, Aug 15 1915; golf-club; maker in Leven (lived 33 Linwood Drive); m to Anne Dewar McLagan Cooper, dau of Rbt Cooper, blacksmith, and Mary Cooper; d Victoria Hospital, Dec 17 1981 aged 66.

(3) ALICE WATSON GANSON - b 6 Carmichael's Court, July 22 1919; d Aug 1 1919 aged 10 days.

[A J Campbell, Editor]

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CENTRAL STORES

(PROPRIETORS: J & E GANSON)

MAIN STREET, LOWER LARGO

Telephone:320217

Orders Taken & Delivered Daily

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