A comment from a friend regarding 'the Fortum & Mason's of Stornoway' led me to explore the early years of Hugh Matheson & his family. For reasons that will become clear, I have started in 1901:
1901
Hugh Matheson, 57, Baker & Grocer, 2 Francis St, b. Stornoway
Marion Matheson, 43, Wife, b. Dunvegan, Inverness-shire
(7 children, ages 3 to 16)
1891
Hugh Matheson, 47, Baker, 41 Cromwell St, b. Stornoway
Marion Matheson, 32, Wife, b. Durinish, Inverness-shire
(3 children)
1881
Hugh Matheson, 37, Baker, 25 North Beach St, b. Stornoway
Marian Matheson, 21, Wife, b. Durnish, Inverness-shire
(2 children ages 4 months and 5 years)
1871
Hugh Matheson, 27, Baker, Son, 48 Keith St, b. Stornoway
(Malcolm Matheson, 56, Shoemaker, b. Stornoway)
(Mary Matheson, 50, Wife, b. Stornoway)
1861
Hugh Matheson, 17, Baker Apprentice, 13 Cromwell St, b. Stornoway
(Ann Macdonald, 58, Shop Keeper (Baker's), b. Stornoway
(Malcolm Macdonald, 33, Baker (Master employing 2 boys), b. Stornoway
1851
Hughina Matheson, 7, Daughter, Keith St, b. Stornoway
(Malcolm Matheson, 36, Shoemaker, b. Stornoway)
(Mary Matheson, 31, Wife, b. Stornoway)
(3 more children ages 2 to 9)
1844 27th January Hugh Matheson b. Stornoway
1841
(Malcolm Matheson, 26, Shoe M, b. Ross & Cromarty)
(Mary Matheson, 20, b. Ross & Cromarty)
I am reasonably confident that these records display Hugh's location at the time of each census with the exception of that taken in 1851. There are no other Ross-shire born Hugh Matheson's who appear to 'fit' yet the person in the census of 1851 is female but of precisely the same age.
Possibly, Hugh and Hughina were twins, but the Old Parish Register only records Hugh Matheson, born on the 27th of January 1844 in Stornoway, and there are no records of a Hughina Matheson born anywhere in Scotland between 1842 and 1846. A further complication occurs because the 7 year-old Hughina is listed at the head of the children despite having an older sibling. It is a bit of a mystery but, whilst interesting in itself, need not distract us from the 'story' of Shoemaker's son Hugh Matheson who became the founder of, according to my source, Stornoway's finest emporium!
A photograph of the shop in Francis Street may be seen here .
(With thanks to Angela for inadvertently inspiring this entry!)
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