Brechin

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Brechin
W. Arnott & Betty Stevens Small Album
W A Stevens Large Album
A H Stevens
Rob Stevens
St Catharines

Cover of guide book of Brechin undated but it is from about 1934. - Colin Stevens' Collection (purchased 2003)

Brechin is a small but ancient city on the Eastern side of Scotland. For tourists, I suggest they stop and enjoy this ancient city, just off the A90 and contribute to the local economy.

We had Brechin connections with the STEVEN/STEPHEN, ARNOTT/ARNOT/ARNET; NEISH; KINNEAR; FAWNS; and probably SHIRESS. 

My ancestor, William Steven (with no "S" at the end) came from there in the mid-1800s and went to Brooklyn, New York, USA. His son William Arnott Stevens came to St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. 
"Brechin Church & Tower" - A 1790 drawing.
Note that the church is under repair. A man is shown working on the section entrance projecting out below the square tower. Lumber (?) is leaning against the church in places and at the left are the ruins of the Choir. The projecting transceptal chapels were destroyed in 1806 and replaced with vestigal chapels.  "Published by L. Hooper (?) July 18 1790. Artist's name appears to be "J. N. Sulp" - From the Colin MacGregor Stevens' Collection. Purchased in Oct. 2006.
 
Click on thumbnail photo to view. Image will likely shrink to fit your screen and will look funny but if you wait a moment, and hover over the bottom right corner of the image, an icon will appear that the bottom right "Expand to regular size" Click on this. A detailed image will appear and you can use your scroll bars to shift left-right and up-down. 

 

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Page from photo album made by William Arnott Stevens when he went to Brechin, Scotland in 1912 where his father had come from. Photo album is in Dr. E. M. Stevens' family papers.
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"Brechin Nave Built about 1250 A.D." - Photo by W. A. Stevens in 1912. 
The same view as on left in 2005 May. It is identified as the West Door. Above it to the right is the West niche. - Photo by C. M. Stevens
Brechin Cathedral in 1912, showing some tombstones. Photo by Wm. A. Stevens in 1912.
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Uncropped view of doorway to cathedral. May 2005. 
Colin Stevens standing at the foot of the old tower, which is about 1,000 years old. The door was up off the ground by about 7 feet for ease of defence. May 2005. 
Denburn, a valley, used at  one time as market garden and allotments now a type of park. South East of the Cathedral in down town Brechin. 1912 photo by Wm. A. Stevens.
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Old stones in old cemetery around Brechin Cathedral. 
George ARNOTT & Isabella KINNEAR stone. 
George ARNOTT & Isabella KINNEAR stone. 
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Hard to read from photo:
 
ERECTED 
BY
ALEXANDER ARNOTT
 
 
...
And of the said 
A______ ARNOTT
Who died ______ 1875?
Also of 
JAMES MITCHELL____ ANN MITCHELL
AND ____ MITCHELL GRANDCHILDREN OF 
THE ABOVE ____
...
WHO DIED IN INFANCY
...
AND MARY ANN ARNOTT WIFE OF THE ABOVE
WILLIAM MITCHELL DIED 20TH MARCH 1907.
Tablet on outside wall of Brechin Cathedral:
"TO THE BELOVED MEMORY 
OF
WILLIAM SHIRESS
For 52 years Solicitor in Brechin.
Born in Falkirk 1st January 1804.
Died in Brechin, 21st January 1881.
And of MARY WILL his Wife
Born in Jamaica, 18th February 1809
Died in Brechin 9th April 1847.
---------------------
"The sweet remembrances of the just
Shall flourish when he sleeps in dust."

Lower Tenements, now called River Street

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BRECHIN - An old etching from the Steven (Stevens) family souvenirs. c. 1855? Cathedral is on the far left. - Dr. E. M. Stevens' family papers.
A view of the Nether Tenements along what is now River Street in Brechin. Photo taken from the old bridge. This is where some of my ancestors lived.  - Colin Stevens' Collection (purchased 2003)
Brechin from the bridge. Valentine's colour postcard circa 1910. Colin Stevens Collection (purchased).
 
 
 
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View from the bridge looking away from town, downstream.
 
 
River Street in Brechin, May 2005. Note that the old Nether Tenements have been demolished and replaced.
Another view of River Street in may 2005.
 
 
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The old Brechin Bridge looking from town out into the country.
The old Brechin Bridge, similar view.
 
The history of this bridge. 
 
 
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Church Street, Brechin, post card circa 1905. Colin Stevens' Collection (Purchased 2003). The "Unionist Club" /  "W S LOW & COMPANY" (grocer apparently) and A. Belford, Baker.  Another example of this card was postally used in 1909.  Published by Valentine. The building with the clock is now the City's Museum. The clock is still there. 
High Street, Brechin post card mailed August 3, 1905. - Colin Stevens' collection (Purchased 2003)
 
 
 
 
River Street (Nether Tenements) about the early 1900s.
 
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The same intersection in May 2005, but looking in the opposite direction. 
Looking from entry road to new cemetery back into town.
 
River Street from the opposite end (i.e. Bridge end) in May 2005. 
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St. Ninian's Square, Brechin. Colourized post-card, probably early 1900s.  - Colin Stevens' Collection (Purchased 2003)
Brechin Cathedral from High Street. Valentine's company Post-card from early 1900s # B 1219.  - Colin Stevens' Collection (Purchased 2003)
An old church called St. Columbus, in South Esk Street, just outside the gates of the new cemetery. The church was closed up when this photo was taken in May 2005 and is sill closed in February 2008 according to a correspondent in Brechin.
 
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St. Ninian's Square in May 2005. The iron fence around the park has gone. The old railway station is in the background. 
St. Ninian's Square looking down the road. Monument and old train station are on your left out of sight. 
 
Entrance to the new cemetery.
 
 
 
 
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An old school taken in May 2005.
Looking from the old school.
 
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Steven (Stevens) family heirloom. A pocket watch winding key with the business name of G. A. MOIR, BRECHIN. - In possession of Dr. E. M. Stevens..
 
 
 
 
 
 
Steven (Stevens) family heirloom souvenir of Brechin. This French Ivory (?) item is called a Stanhope and is less than 2" high. If one looks through the hole, one will see a microdot with four (4 !!!) post card views of Brechin. In possession of Dr. E. M. Stevens.
 
History of Stanhopes - The Stanhope was invented by Charles, 3rd Earl Stanhope (1753-1816) and microphotography was invented in 1839. The combination of the two was patented in 1859. A book "Stanhopes: A Closer View" by Jean Scott gives much more history. See www.stanhopes.info/who_made_stanhopes.html
 
Church Communion Token - "WEST FREE CHURCH - BRECHIN - 1843" "LET A MAN EXAMINE HIMSELF - I COR.XI.28.Size: 1-1/4" at widest point. This one was purchased on eBay. I do not know if this was our family's church or not. 
- Colin Stevens' collection (Purchased 2003)
 
 
 
 

Upper Tenements (now Montrose Street)

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Old "Upper Tenements" now Montrose Street. Looking West, towards the downtown. May 2005 photo. 
Montrose Street looking out of town, East, towards Montrose.

 

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Marriage record of William Steven and Margaret Arnott.  They were living in the Upper Tenements (now Montrose Street - see photos above taken in May 2005) at the time. By trade he was a Slater (i.e. a roofer).
 
QUOTE:
 
"Steven and Arnott    
16 January 1841. William Steven, Slater,
Nether Tenements, and Margaret Arnott also
residing there - both of this parish, were con=
tracted in order to marriage, and having
been regularly proclaimed, were married on
the 22nd said January."
 
Found by Colin Stevens 2003 via Latter Day Saints' microfilm.
 
 
 
 
Birth record from the Parish of Brechin in Angus County, Scotland of the birth and baptism of the three children of William Steven (sometimes misspelled as Stephen in the register) (his occupation is given as "Slater" (I.e. He worked on slate rooves) and his wife Margaret Arnott. This is in the 1849 section of the register, and all of the children were registered at the same time.
 
EXTRACTED INFORMATION:
 
Isabella Kinnear Born   8th December 1841 and baptized on the 12th December 1841.
Mary Arnott - Born 7th April 1844 and baptized 14th April 1844.
William - Born 25 August 1846 and baptized 2nd September 1846.
 
Found by Colin Stevens 2003 via Latter Day Saints' microfilm.
 

LINKS

http://members.aol.com/ewalker01/brechin/HOME.HTM 

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?grid2map?X=365000&Y=765000&zoom=5 

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?grid2map?X=359500&Y=760500&zoom=3 

 
Copyright © Colin Stevens Updated: August 24, 2008
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