Aitken family papers
Primary maker
1. Henry Aitken of Darroch
2. Jessie Aitken
3. James Aitken
4. John Aitken
5. Henry Aitken of Darroch (jnr)
6. James Aitken of Darroch
7. Aitken Family
Production date
1743-1923
Description
Papers of members of the Aitken family - mainly of James Aitken, his son Henry Aitken of Darroch, and grandchildren James Aitken of Darroch, Dr. John Aitken, Jessie Aitken of Glenbervie and Walker Aitken.
Executry and Trust papers of various family members; progression of titles for Mungal & Merchistonhall, property in Bennetstown and Cow Wynd, Falkirk; correspondence and papers relating to maintenance of Glenbervie estate; accounts, vouchers and receipts for household expenses of James Aitken of Darroch; personal papers of Dr John Aitken, Russel Aitken & Walker Aitken, papers relating to mining interests of Henry Aitken of Darroch and James Aitken of Darroch.
Object detail
James (1) Aitken, (c.1778-1818) a writer and practising solicitor in Falkirk from at least 1792 was the son of Henry (1) Aitken and Elizabeth Scrimgeour. He married Janet Walker (d. 8 Aug 1841) and with her had three children: Henry (2) Aitken of Darroch, James Walker Aitken (d aged 24) and Robert Walker Aitken. After James Aitken’s death in 1818 James Russel, his apprentice, took over the business. He was shortly joined in partnership by Henry (2) Aitken of Darroch (c 1800-1860), and the business thereafter became known as Russel & Aitken.
Henry (2) Aitken of Darroch also had interests in mining and property. The lands of Lodge and Newfield-dyke were sold to himself and James Russel by Robert Inglis in 1836. Henry (2) Aitken appears to have been sole proprietor of the lands by 1846. Parts of Lodge were sold to the Slamannan Railway Co in order to construct the railway and other parts were sold to make way for a public road. He married Margaret Russel (d. 1860), daughter of his partner, James Russel, and with her had eight children : James (the sole partner of R & A for many years) Russel, Henry, John (a climatologist), Robert, Jessie, Catherine (d. 15 Jan 1838 aged 18 months) and Walker (a Major in the army).
James Aitken of Darroch, (b 1834) writer and solicitor in Falkirk, was the son of Henry Aitken of Darroch and the grandson of James Aitken of the firm of solicitors in Falkirk. He succeeded his father, Henry as proprietor of Darroch and as a partner in Russel & Aitken from 1862-1911. He was a wealthy man by succession and by his own endeavours in the law and as a mineral proprietor and farmer. His main leisure interest was shooting and one of his habits was to apply for particulars of shootings and estates to let all over Scotland. He was a Lieutenant in the Falkirk Company of the Stirlingshire Volunteer Rifle Corps. He also belonged to Stirling Golf club and East Stirlingshire Cricket Club.
Dr John Aitken LID; FRS; FRSE (1839-1919) of Ardenlea, Falkirk was a Climatologist. He was awarded the royal medal by the Royal Society of London, in 1917.
Jessie Aitken of Glenbervie was one of the eight children of Henry and Margaret Aitken of Darroch. A Curator was appointed for her in 1922 and she died in 1923 aged 80.
Catalogues for clients of Russel & Aitken are being added regularly to our website. http://www.falkirkcommunitytrust.org/heritage/archives/finding-aids/russel-aitken.aspx
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