Peter Booth papers
Primary maker
George Booth
Production date
1857
Description
Legal papers, correspondence, accounts and notes relating to the executry of Peter Booth, the settlement of Peter Booth's estate and subsequent litigation with Robert Henderson, writer and factor of Peter Booth's estate.
Object detail
In December, 1816, Peter Booth petitioned to be admitted to the Lodge of Falkirk. When this was granted, he was entered as an apprentice Mason. In December, 1853, he was chosen Treasurer of the Lodge, and held that office until its affairs were wound up in 1838.
Peter Booth, was educated for the law, was admitted a Procurator on 28th October 1828 and practised in Falkirk. He entered the Town Council in November, 1846 elected Junior Baillie in 1847 and Senior Baillie in 1848, retiring in 1849. Peter Booth abandoned the legal profession and became a nurseryman like his brothers. On the death of his brother William, Peter succeeded to his properties.
The Booth family nursery business was extensive with nursery ground in the following areas: land now called Booth Place, lands of Comely Park (which became the property Thomas Cochrane of Rosehall), the field now called St Crispin, the field on which the old Poorhouse, Comely Park School, Neilson’s Aerated Water Manufactory were built, the field to the west of Pleasance Road, south of the Gate, leading westwards to the dairy at Burnhead, now Cockburn Street, Crichton Park, and the field on which Woodville House was built. The Booths' other nursery near or at Bells Meadows belonged to the Bells and was cut off by the railway.
Peter Booth’s elder brother, James Booth, carried on an extensive nursery business in Hamburg.
Peter Booth died intestate in March 1857. He had been unable to look after his business for some time before his death and appointed Dr G Hamilton, Falkirk and Mr Wyse as Factors, and they in turn appointed Robert Henderson, solicitor, to act for them. On the death of Peter Booth, which took place at Booth Place on 11th March, 1857, James Godfrey Booth, of Hamburg, eldest son of James Booth, succeeded to the whole of his uncle Peter’s heritable properties in Falkirk. George Booth, of Ostmarschen, near Hamburg, another nephew of Peter Booth, was executor of his estate and Russel & Aitken acted for him.
[Sources: Love's Notes vol 1 (James Love); notes from WFT Anderson, Russel & Aitken]
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