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This genealogy information is based upon research by William Alexander Gatherer and Nigel Adam Gatherer.
Send comments to Nigel Gatherer (gatherer@argonet.co.uk)
Started March 1999 - under construction.
( 9) Peter GATHERER (1670-1710) note
( 8) James GATHERER (1699) note
( *) Jean NAUGHTIE (1701)
( 7) Elspeth GATHERER (1725)
( 7) George GATHERER (1726)
( 7) James GATHERER (1732) note
( *) Elizabeth MUNROE (?? ?? ????)
( 6) George GATHERER (19 04 1769)
( 6) Annie GATHERER (27 02 1771)
( 6) James GATHERER (15 03 1773)
( 6) Alexander GATHERER (23 11 1775)
( 6) James GATHERER (30 04 1778)
( 6) John GATHERER (09 03 1783)
( *) Helen GEORGE
( 5) George GATHERER (1813)
( 5) Alexander GATHERER (1816-1858)
( *) Margaret GILES (?? ??? ????)
( 4) James GATHERER (1841)
( *) Isabella MITCHELL (?? ?? ????)
( 3) Charles GATHERER (c.1879)
( 3) Alexander GATHERER (c.1883)
( 3) Lachlan Mackay GATHERER (01 11 1886-22 10 1962)
( *) Jessie ALEXANDER (?? ??? ????) [019] ALEXANDER tree
( 2) Catherine Mary (Molly) GATHERER (25 01 1908) [029]
( *) Edward (Eddie) LINDLEY (?? ?? ????)
( 1) Edward (Ted) LINDLEY (10/6/1929) [032]
( *) Sheila TRIPPET (?? ?? ????)
( 0) Craig LINDLEY (?? ?? ????)
( *) Gail ?-------? (?? ?? ????)
(-1) Martin LINDLEY (?? ?? ????)
( 0) Fiona LINDLEY (?? ?? ????)
( *) Tony ?------? (?? ?? ????)
(-1) Ryan ?------? (?? ?? ????)
(-1) Vanessa ?------? (?? ?? ????)
( 2) Lachlan Mackay (Lachie) GATHERER (21 07 1914-31 05 1985) [024]
( *) Margaret E (Peggy) ADAMS (11 11 1922)
( 1) Catherine Margaret GATHERER (09 10 1949)
( *) Peter BYDAWELL (19 06 1947)
( 0) Gareth BYDAWELL (02 06 1975)
( 0) Kathryn BYDAWELL (12 06 1977)
( 0) Megan BYDAWELL (21 08 1978)
( 0) Mark BYDAWELL (05 06 1984)
( 1) John GATHERER (01 10 1951)
( *) Anne FRANG (22 12 1952)
( 0) Jean GATHERER (06 09 1972)
( 0) Gregory GATHERER (13 12 1974)
( 0) Christopher GATHERER (29 09 1978)
( 2) Jessie Alexander GATHERER (13 11 1911) [027]
( 2) James Alexander GATHERER (20 07 1916-08 05 1969) [020]
( *) Hazel DOBSON (?? ?? ????)
( 1) Alexander Stuart GATHERER (16 04 1949)
( *) Barbara ?------? (?? ?? ????)
( 2) Isabella (Ella) GATHERER (18 01 1921)
( *) Harold OUGH (?? ?? ????)
( 2) William Alexander (Bill) GATHERER (23 05 1924) [006]
( *) Jemima Mackay (Maimie) FORREST (15 05 1926) MENZIES Tree
( 1) William Lachlan (Kell) GATHERER (02 12 1950) [002]
( *) Bianka DADSWELL (02 02 19??)
( 0) Lorna GATHERER (30 10 1979)
( *) Margaret DAVIS (?? ?? ????)
( *) Sara BHASKARAN (08 08 1962)
( 1) James Forrest GATHERER (27 09 1955) [003]
( *) Catherine Jane EBDON (03 04 1961)
( 0) Peter James GATHERER (26 06 1990) [008]
( 0) Adam John GATHERER (02 05 1992) [009]
( 0) Lindsey GATHERER (?? ?? ????)
( 1) Nigel Adam GATHERER (21 05 1957)
( 1) Andrew Alexander Menzies (Andy) GATHERER (15 08 1960)
( *) Morag Janette MCINTYRE (26 08 1961)
( 0) Imogen Fiona GATHERER (16 08 1990)
( 0) Ilona Sophie GATHERER (01 04 1993)
( 2) Margery GATHERER (02 09 1926)
( *) George COUTTS (04 09 1926)
( 1) Laura Alexander COUTTS (09 02 1956)
( *) Gordon FETTES (03 04 1953)
( 0) Caroline Jean FETTES (22 11 1990)
( 0) James George FETTES (01 07 1993)
( 1) Kathleen Morrison COUTTS (09 05 1958)
( *) Graeme DUNCAN (11 10 1958)
( 0) Barbara DUNCAN (29 07 1986)
( 0) Beverley DUNCAN (29 08 1989)
( 1) Marion Rothney COUTTS (19 04 1960)
( *) Alan FYVIE (21 08 52)
( 0) Claire Laura FYVIE (21 05 1981)
( 0) Aimee Margaret FYVIE (29 03 1988)
( 0) Hannah Margery FYVIE (05 09 1990)
( 1) Margery Grant COUTTS (05 01 1963)
( 2) Alexander (Sandy) GATHERER (05 03 1929) [030]
( *) Kathleen JONES (?? ?? ????)
( 1) Christopher GATHERER (?? ?? ????)
( 1) Nicholas GATHERER (?? ?? ????)
( *) Maureen ?------? (?? ?? ????)
( 0) Charlotte GATHERER (?? ?? ????)
( 0) Alexander GATHERER (?? ?? ????)
( 1) Amanda GATHERER (?? ?? ????)
( *) Paul CROCKETT (?? ?? ????)
( 5) Francis Alexander GATHERER (1823)
( 6) William GATHERER (30 07 1785)
( 6) Robert GATHERER (16 04 1790)
( 8) Joan GATHERER (1703)
by W A Gatherer
From some days' work in the Public Record Office, Edinburgh, I have established a direct line of descent from Peter Gatherer, floreat c.1650-1710. I have not yet found Peter's birth, but I have found many Gatherers born and married during the 17th Century (see my note on Peter). I have not pursued female spouses but I can record some data (see my notes passim).
In his book, The Surnames of Scotland (New York Public Library, 1946) George F Black says that Gatherer is "a name of uncertain meaning"; but in other works it is suggested that it means "at the gate" (indicating a location). The name Thomas de Gaderar is in the Domesday Book (1066), where he is described as a hundreder, the bailiff of a part of a county. Black says that Gadderar of Cowford were an ancient family in Moray. (Various spellings occur throughout the centuries: Gadderar, Gedderer, Gadrer, Gatherar, Gatherer; but there is no doubt that they are all versions of our family name. In the 17th and 18th centuries in some parish records, one spelling will occur for decades, and then the modern spelling crops up to be succeeded again by an older spelling). Black's earliest record is Alexander Gadderar in 1521. I have found a succession of Gatherers attending Aberdeen University circa 1520-40, and Gatherers who were mentioned in the Register of the Privy Council during the 16th century. Thomas Gaderar was prebendary (a clergyman with the rank of a canon) of Talarisy in 1539 and clerk of the diocese of Moray in 1545. William Gatherer was provost of Elgin c.1560 (and probably was the provost who welcomed Mary, Queen of Scots to Elgin in 1562). In the Moray Commissariat Record between 1684 and 1800 there is mention of five persons called Gatherer. A Margaret Gaddyrrer was a resident of Inverness in 1556. Alexander Gadderar was an innkeeper in Spynie in 1595 (and his ale charges had to be 'regulated'). In the 1590s, an Alexander Gatherer was the Sheriff of Moray and was assassinated (probably because he had remained a catholic). In 1679 a Janet Gaderar in Kinneder (north-west Aberdeenshire) was accused of child murder. It is significant that every occurrence of the name during the 15th and 17th centuries locates the family in the north-east of Scotland, mainly in the counties of Elgin, Banff and Aberdeen.
In the Northern Scot newspaper on 18 February, 1961, there was an article relating to the murder of John Gatherer, farmer at Netherbyre, Pluscarden, in 1713, by Andrew McPherson, a deserter from the Army.
JAMES b.1699 at Drainie. (see note 2)
1724: at Drainie, m. Jean Naughtie (b.1701 at Forgue).
JAMES b.1732 at Drainie. (see note 3)
1768: m. Elizabeth Munro at Kilbarchan.
JOHN b.1783 at Houston and Killellan. (see note 4)
1807: m.Helen George at Keith.
ALEXANDER b.1816 at Keith, d.1858 at Rothiemay. (see note 5)
1841: m. Margaret Giles at Rothiemay.
JAMES b.1841 at Rothiemay. (see note 6)
1863: m.Isabella Mitchell at Grange.
LACHLAN b.1886 in Huntly. (see note 7)
1911: m. Jessie Alexander at Ythanwells.
1 I have not yet found Peter's birth, but the following occurrences in the OPRs (Old Parish Records) place the family in Drainie in the county of Elgin during the 17th century, and Peter was probably among them (some of the records are torn and some are faded).
| 1644 | Patrick Gatherer (sic) in Covesea had a lawful daughter | |
| 1647 | Patrick Gadderar in Covesea had a son named Alexander. | |
| 1649 | William Gadderar had a natural daughter named Mary. | |
| 1672 | Thomas Gadderar in Plowland had a child named John | |
| 1674 | Thomas Gadderar was witness to a baptism of John Dean's 'bastard child' named Isabel. | |
| 1675 | Thomas Gadderar at the Windmilne had a son baptized William. | |
| 1677 | Thomas Gadderar at the Windmilne had a son named William. | |
| 1677 | Alexander Gatherer (sic) in Covesea had a daughter named Elspeth. | |
| 1680 | Thomas Gadderar at the Newmilne had a daughter named Janet. | |
| 1681 | Thomas Gatherer had a son named John. | |
| 1682 | William Gatherer had a daughter (name faded). | |
| 1683 | Alexander Gatherer at the Windmilne had a son named William. | |
| 1684 | Alexander Gatherer in Kinneder had a daughter named Janet (it was here that Janet Gatherer was charged with child murder in 1679). | |
| 1684 | Thomas Gatherer in Windmilne had a daughter (no name entered). | |
| 1686 | Thomas Gatherer at Windmilne had a daughter named Isabel. The witnesses were Alexander Gatherer and Thomas Gatherer in Covesea. | |
| 1687 | William Gatherer in Littlemilne had a son named William. | |
| 1688 | Thomas Gatherer at Windmilne had a son named Alexander. | |
| 1689 | Robert Gatherer at Windmilne had a son named James. | |
| 1690 | Thomas Gatherer at Windmilne had a son named Alexander. | |
| 1690 | John Gatherer at Littlemilne was baptized. The witness was 'Thomas Gatherer brother to the said John in place of father'. | |
| 1691 | Alexander Gatherer at Windmilne had a daughter named Isabel. The witness was 'Thomas Gaderar his brother'. |
2 This James was the father of James (1732). He lived in Covesea, a village near Lossiemouth in the parish of Drainie. He had a younger sister called Joan born in 1703. His father, Peter Gederer (elder) died in 1710 at Covesea and was buried in Ogston. These Gederers were respectable enough folk, as we know from parish records of marriages and deaths. Examples:
| 13/11/1715 | James Gadderer and Margaret Young were "matrimonially contracted and consigned their pledges viz 30 shillings and a plaid consenting to the forefaulting thereof if they had a penny wedding, fiddling, dancing and they were maried Nov. 29th and got up their pledges." | |
| 11/08/1703 | "James Riach in Giles and Christian Gaderer in Covesea were matrimonially contracted and he consigned for himself and her of...money to the value of three pounds Scots, consenting that the same be forfeited if he had a penny wedding, fidling, dancing, drunkenness, plays, or any irregularities thereat, contrar to acts of parliament and assemblys, was married Aug. 17th and forfeited their pledges by having a penny wedding." (At a penny wedding, or penny-bridal, the guests contributed to the cost of the feast. It was frowned upon because it tended to be too wild.) |
3 James Gaderer had an older brother, George (b.1726), who settled in Elgin, probably as a writer (a lawyer), and an older sister, Elspeth (b.1725); this name recurs throughout the 18th century. In 1720 (16th May), a James Gadderer in Covesea "three days agoe... gone out of his father's house and being found the next day at the shoar lying dead among water and buried at Hogstoun (Ogston)". This James cannot be the father of JG (b.1732) but could have been an older brother or uncle. Parents did sometimes name a child after a dead sibling.
Covesea (locally pronounced Caw-sea) was a small village in the parish of Drainie (or Drainy), on the coast of the Moray Firth, north of Elgin and west of Lossiemouth.
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4 In the 19th century there occurs a series of Gatherers in the Paisley district. I do not know anything about the provenance of this family. Seeing John's birth at Houston and Killellan, I was dubious whether he was in our direct line, but the marriage of James (1732) to Elizabeth Munro confirmed that he was; and John's marriage to Helen George at Keith in 1807 provided further confirmation that there was a connection between the families. In 1775 James and Elizabeth had a son called Alexander - John's elder brother - baptized at Kilbarchan.
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5 John and Helen had a son George in 1813 and a son Francis Alexander in 1823, both born in Keith. They also had a daughter Margaret (b.1813 in Keith). In 1851 Margaret became a nun in Glasgow, taking the name Sister Mary Margaret in the Order of St Francis. She died on 18th April, 1885 aged 75, in the convent in Charlotte Street, Glasgow. Alexander (b.1816) married Margaret Giles at Rothiemay in 1841, and their son James was born that year. In the same year another Alexander Gatherer married a Margaret Jales (sic) at Forgue! I have no knowledge of these persons. James Gatherer married Isabella Mitchell at Grange in 1863, and the certificate records that James's father, Alexander, an agricultural labourer, was deceased. In searching for Alexander's death I came upon the death of an Alexander Gatherer who died in George Street, Edinburgh in 1861. He was registered as a pauper, formerly French Polisher. His father was Robert Gatherer and his mother was Agnes Common (nothing of whom is known to me) and he died of 'organic disease of the stomach'. Our Alexander died in 1858 at Rothiemay at the age of 42 (though this age is given as 39 on the death certificate). He and Margaret had eight or nine children, whose names and dates I am now researching.
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6 On the marriage certificate James's occupation is given as Farm Servant, and Isabella's as Domestic Servant. She signed the certificate with a cross; this is likely to mean that she was illiterate. In the Census for 1891 the following information is given:
Other households included in the 1891 Census were:
Adam Gatherer
Wife: Jane
Residence: Bleachfield Street
Daughters: Margaret; Annie
Son: Adam
Daughter: Isabella
I presume that James and Isabella had sons and daughters who had left home by 1891. Some may have died; some may have been born after 1891.
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7 There are other distinct lines bearing the name of Gatherer; I have not established their connections (but see note 4 regarding the Paisley line).
The following are the occurrences I have come across in the records:
| 1797 | John | born in Earlston. Father Alexander | ||
| 1821 | Andrew | Parents James Gatherer and Susanna Faulds. | ||
| 1823 | John | same parents. | ||
| 1831 | William | same parents. | ||
| 1833 | Peter | same parents. (This is probably the Peter Gatherer whose name graced the wall of a bottling factory visible from the Glasgow to Greenock railway for many years.) | ||
| 1835 | Robert | |||
| 1840 | James |
| 1836 | John | Parents John Gatherer and Mary Mavor. |
| 1790 | To Alexander: daughter Elspeth. | |
| 1792 | To Alexander: child Isabel. | |
| 1793 | To Alexander: daughter Jean. | |
| 1794 | To Alexander: (a Tailor in Elgin): a son, Alexander. | |
| 1797 | To Alexander: a son, John. Mother Elizabeth Russel. | |
| 1797 | James, born in Elgin, Parents John Gatherer, Writer, and Mary Thomson. | |
| 1797 | John, born in Elgin. Parents Alexander Gatherer and Eliz. Russel. | |
| 1821 | William, born in Elgin. Parents George Gatherer, Weaver, and Jean Petrie. | |
| 1836 | George Maclachlan. Parents George Gatherer and Harriet Maclachlan. | |
| 1839 | Peter Maclachlan Gatherer b. in Elgin to parents George (Writer in Elgin) and Harriet. | |
| 1840 | George and Harriet had a daughter named Harriet Gordon. | |
| 1842 | They had a son named Alexander Gordon. | |
| 1844 | - a daughter, Isabella Gordon. | |
| 1845 | - a son, Arthur Brander. |
| 1802 | George Gedderer, natural son to James Gedderer in Jeanston and Jannet Petrie in Tillaminit (Witness, William Gedderer in Thrappitknowes). | |
| 1806 | Adam Gedderer m. Ann Milne in Gartly. | |
| 1806 | Adam, lawful son to Adam Gedderer and Ann Milne in Corncatterach. | |
| 1821 | George Gatherer baptized at Marnoch, Parents: William Gatherer and Jane Barclay. | |
| 1834 | William Gatherer baptized at Gartly. Parents Adam Gatherer and Jane Gartly. | |
| 1835 | a child Gatherer (no forename recorded) born at Gartly. | |
| 1837 | Adam Gatherer born at Gartly. Parents Adam Gatherer and Jane Gartly. | |
| 1844 | John Gatherer born. Parents Adam Gatherer and Jane Gartly. |
John and Adam erected a monument in memory of their mother, Jane Gartly. Adam owned the Pitsligo Arms Hotel, New Pitsligo; William went to America. John went to Australia. 1872 m. Jane Miller at Hotham, Melbourne. Family: Jane (d.1940), Margaret (b.1873, d.1961), Jean (b.1876, d.1965)), Adam (b.1878, d.1965), John (b.1880, d.1912), Eleanor (b.1882), Reginald (b.1889, d.1959). [Donald Gatherer Williams, great nephew of Eleanor, is still alive (in 1996): we have met three times. -WAG]