Henrietta Moodie

HENRIETTA NOODIE

The Moodie Book: 53

Death

Henrietta Heddle died at Queen Street, Edinburgh, on 2 July 1833, aged 39, leaving issue, and was buried in the Canongate Churchyard beside her father, Major James Moodie. The Moodie Book

Marriage

Henrietta Moodie married, as his first wife, on 28 November 1818, Robert Heddle, Esq of Cletts, and afterwards of Melsetter, he having purchased the estate for £20,000 at Public Roup (i.e. auction) in July 1818. Henrietta had previously been engaged to the son of Mr. James Bremner, the minister of Walls and Flotta.

Children

1. JOHN GEORGE HEDDLE of Melsetter, born 26th September, 1819.
2. JAMES ALEXANDER HEDDLE, born 16 February 1821, died at hackney, London, in 1830.
3. ELIZA DUNBAR HEDDLE, born 8 March 1825. Eloped with John Heddle Traill and was married at Sanday by his grandfather, the Revd. Walter Traill of Westove, on 30 March, 1841; had 2 children. Eliza Heddle (Mrs. J. H. Traill) died in Edinburgh on 31 July, 1844, and John Heddle Traill also died there, an officer of the Customs, on 23rd April, 1847.
4. HENRIETTA MOODIE 'Harriet' HEDDLE was born on 18 December 1824 and married, on 7th February, 1843, as his second wife, William Traill of Westness and Woodwick, by whom she had eight children.
5. ROBERT HEDDLE, born 4th October 1826; on 11 September 1855, married Jane, daughter of Dr. Duguid; had two children; Robert died at Kirkwall on the 28 August 1860.
6. (MATTHEW) FORSTER HEDDLE was born on 28 August 1828, married Mary Jane Mackenzie of St. Andrews on 6th July, 1858; had three sons and six daughters; he died on 19th November, 1897.
7. MARY BURY HEDDLE primus was born on 28 may 1830, and died at Kirkwall on 10 June, 1831.
8. MARY BURY HEDDLE secundus was born on 27 May, 1832, and died on 5 February, 1833.

Evidence from the National Records of Scotland

                   1

8 April 1812: Letter from Miss Jess (Janet) Moodie, eldest daughter of Major James Moodie of Melsetter, to her eldest brother Capt. Benjamin Moodie, Ross Militia, Thurso, concerning a Mr Campbell's proposal of marriage to their younger sister Harriet (Henrietta) and other family matters and referring to Malcolm Nicolson, her future husband. National Records of Scotland, Papers of Heddle family of Melsetter, Orkney, reference GD263/158

                   2

1815-18: Copy of edited extracts of letters from Henrietta Moodie to her friend Mary Bury regarding her engagement to the young clergyman Mr Bremner, to her family's financial troubles, the breaking off of her engagement, and her engagement to marry Robert Heddle, who has bought Melsetter from her father's Trustees. Reference is also made to Benjamin Moodie's plans for emigration to the Cape of Good Hope.National Records of Scotland, Papers of Heddle family of Melsetter, Orkney, reference GD263/162

Note: These extracts were prepared by her great grand-niece, Mrs WH Traill, from the original letters which were still in her possession in 1958. National Records of Scotland, Papers of Heddle family of Melsetter, Orkney, reference GD263/162