Can we picture George, the forester?

George Buchan remains a mystery. We find only one direct record of him, although it appears twice - his burial record dated 7 April 1818. He is recorded in both the Parish of Borthwick, where I feel he died, and the Parish of Newbattle where he was buried according to the Borthwick record. But neither record mentions his age nor cause of death. At this time such information might have been given, and was given for others on the page containing George.

Also found in the Newbattle Parish Kirk accounts is payment for the hire of the parish mortcloth which would drape either his body or coffin prior to burial. It cost 6 shillings and 5 pence, the usual price for an adult. 

Excerpt from Geo. Buchan Newlandrig


Recorded on his children's baptism

Every other record of him is some-one else's. First we find him as the father of three sons being baptised in Borthwick. The top of the page says: "The following Register of children not being given in regularly, as under, and the dates of their births and baptisms may be depended upon, as accurate". Thank heavens for this minister's goal of accuracy. 

George is recorded as a "Wright of Dewarton" and Jean Johnston as his spouse. Generally the child is baptised within a few weeks of their birth. James's baptism was witnessed by the congregation. William's baptism was witnessed by Robert Scougal and George Pearson. George's baptism was witnessed by George Pearson and William Thomson. Three of Robert Scougal and Catherine M'clean's children are also on this page, James, Isabella and Robert. Another daughter, Catherine, would marry George Buchan and together they bring forth over half of all the Buchan dynasty. 

I wonder if he had to get confirmation from whoever had first recorded the baptisms. Also we don't have a date for when these children were recorded. One child was born in 1804, possibly another in 1808. At least two of George and Jean's children were born between 1802 and 1808 - an unnamed child and Isabella. Where were they baptised? There is no record of the baptisms of later children Andrew, Robert and Alexander all before 1816. The approximate births of these four named children is determined from their later death certificates, which all took place after civil registration began in1855. Helen was born in the week that her father George died in April 1818. Her birth and baptism was inserted into the Borthwick baptism records in 1854, along with the baptisms of her three nieces. Quite a few people did this prior to the introduction of civil registration the following year. Interesting that these insertions were all women.

Confirmation on death records of his children

Eight children of George and Jean died after 1855, all naming George Buchan and jean Johnston as their parents. George's occupation was noted as wood sawyer (William, George, Andrew, James and Helen), or forester (Isabella and Robert) or wood sawyer (Alexander).

Where did he work?

All the evidence suggests he was employed by James Dewar of the Vogrie Estate. The seat of this estate was located just 2 km away, it is now Vogrie Leisure Park. Only an estate would employ a wood sawyer or forester. He was probably brought to work on the estate about 1803/4 because he was living in the village for workers of the estate called 'Dewarton' which was developed in the late 1700s (or as early as 1751).

By 1808, the family was living in the village of Newlandrig, 1km further down the road from Dewarton. Here their unnamed child died, and was buried in nearby Newbattle Parish. George was living in Newlandrig when he died, and he too was buried in Newbattle parish.

AI generated image


What did a forester do according to Google AI:

In the 19th century, a forester professionally managed woodlands for timber production, conservation, and scientific silviculture, marking trees for felling, preventing illegal poaching, and increasingly adopting structured, sustainable planting techniques. They were essential for state-level forest management and often operated as law enforcers to prevent land encroachment and poaching. 
Key duties and roles of a 19th-century forester included:
  • Silviculture and Management: Implementing scientific, sustainable forestry practices and managing conifer plantations.
  • Tree Selection and Marking: Identifying specific trees for harvest and marking them using a Waldaxt (felling ax) or Waldhammer (hammer ax) with the forest office's insignia to ensure legal compliance.
  • Resource Protection: Acting as a "woodward" or law enforcer, protecting woodlands from illegal cutting, encroaching agriculture, and poaching.
  • Forestry Education and Science: Applying knowledge from early forestry schools, with experts in Scotland and on the continent influencing global forest conservation. 
Note: In the 19th-century UK, the term "Forester" was also prominently used for members of the Ancient Order of Foresters (founded 1834), which was a friendly society providing insurance and financial aid rather than tree management.
Forester was a title used widely during Medieval times. The forester usually held a position equal to a sheriff or local law enforcer, and he could act as a barrister or arbiter. He was often based in a forester's lodge, and was responsible for patrolling the woodlands on a lord or noble's property, hence the synonymous term 'woodward'. His duties included negotiating sales of lumber and timber and stopping poachers from illegally hunting. Frequently outlaws would take refuge in heavily wooded regions. When this occurred it was the duty of the forester to organize armed posses to capture or disperse the criminals and during war time foresters were used as scouts to spy on enemy troop movement. The pay and status of foresters was usually above average, reflecting the responsibility of their role in a medieval environment and economy.

Far more likely than the medieval roles, George was probably responsible for choosing and cutting down trees, and preparing them for future use such as in housing and furniture. His second son William became a joiner, the person who used the wood after it was so prepared.

The role of eldest son James

Following George's death in 1818, Jean was now a widow with eight children. She received money from the Parish until 1821. Poor law accounts of the Parish Kirk reveal that James was now working for Vogrie: "the eldest son gets 9 (shillings) per week constant at Vogrie". In 1855 he was working as a forester for the Vogrie Estate, according to a Valuation Roll of his rental in Newlandrig.



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