Joanna Elizabeth Peter

MISS JOANNA ELIZABETH PETER OF CROSSBASKET (1805-53)

Miss Joanna Elizabeth Peter of Crossbasket is the only child of Lieutenant-General Thomas Peter of Crossbasket, and his second wife, Barbara Cunningham. She was born on 18 June 1805, probably at Glasgow in Lanarkshire, Scotland, for her baptism was registered there on the same day Glasgow Baptismal Records Her baptismal record reads as follows: "General Thomas Peter, Coll: of the Canada Regt: & Barbara Cunninghame, a l. daur: Joanna Elizabeth bn: 18th. Witn: Coll: David Shank & Alexander Houstoun Esqr." [Registrar General for Scotland, New Register House, Edinburgh, Glasgow Baptisms, 1800-11, reference OPR.644/20]

Namesakes

Joanna Elizabeth Peter was evidently named after her maternal grandmother, Joanna Houston, the daughter of Alexander Houston of Jordanhill. Her second given name coincides with the first given name of her mother's older sister, and this suggests that both she and her aunt were named with a maternal ancestor in mind, quite probably Elizabeth Rae, the daughter of Robert Rae of Little Govan. Moreover, her maternal great-great-grandmother was Elizabeth Dunlop, and so it would seem that the General and his wife may have had more than one good reason for wishing to perpetuate the Christian name Elizabeth.

Calderwood Castle

It's not yet clear if Joanna Elizabeth Peter ever lived at Crossbasket. She was probably born in Glasgow, where her baptism was registered, but her father was evidently in residence at the time of his marriage to Barbara Cunningham in 1803, for his intention to marry was published at Kilbride. It seems reasonable to conclude, therefore, that the General and his new wife may have set up home at Crossbasket.The probability of this, when coupled with Joanna Elizabeth Peter's subsequent marriage to Captain Alexander Dirom, suggests that the Peter family were on friendly terms with their near neighbour, Sir William Maxwell of Calderwood, Baronet, whose lady, Hannah Leonora Pasley, was the aunt of Joanna Elizabeth's future husband. Indeed, it is not impossible that they were first introduced to each other, while they were both still children, during a visit to Calderwood Castle.

Craigmaddie

On 21 August 1826, shortly before her marriage to Captain Alexander Dirom, Miss Joanna Elizabeth Peter of Crossbasket: "daughter of Lieut-Gen.Thomas Peter, residing at Craigmaddie" took formal possession of the house and lands called Craigmaddie, with the Mansion House and Offices, and other Houses and Buildings thereon, which were located "in the parish of Baldernock, and Strathblane". Her infeftment followed from a disposition made in her favour by Laurence Craigie, merchant in Glasgow, which was executed at Glasgow on 11 November 1825 [Stirlingshire Sasine Abridgements for 1826, abridgement number 2054, which cites P.R. 122.38]. Laurence Craigie acquired Craigmaddie from James Black, merchant in Glasgow, whose disposition in Craigie's favour is dated 13 December 1822 [Stirlingshire Sasine Abridgements for 1823, abridgement number 802, which cites G.R. 1269.177].

The place-name Craigmaddie is said to derive from the Gaelic words meaning Rock of the Wolf. The old castle of Craigmaddie belonged to the Galbraiths of Butternock in ancient times. It passed from them to the Hamiltons of Buthernock, whose chief seat it was until they moved to Bardowie in 1550. Hamilton Memoirs, page 212

Joanna Elizabeth Peter, Mrs. Alexander Dirom, was still in residence at Craigmaddie when her first child, Madeline Barbara Elizabeth Dirom, was born on 19 December 1827. The child was likely baptised at Craigmaddie too. Her baptism was certainly registered at Baldernock: "Madeline Barbara Elizabeth lawful Daughter of Captain Alexander Dirom, Craigmaddie, and Joanna Elizabeth Peter, born 19th Decemr 1827 baptized 6th Feby 1828" [Registrar General for Scotland, H. M. New Register House, Edinburgh, Baldernock Baptisms, 1820-54, reference OPR.471/2]. She probably sold Craigmaddie soon after the death of her father, Lieutenant-General Thomas Peter of Crossbasket, who died there on 21 December 1828 [Donald Whyte, Notes on the Peter Family of Crossbasket, Newsletter of the Glasgow & West of Scotland Family History Society, Issue Number 44, Autumn 1995, page 7].

Comely Bank near Edinburgh

At the time of her husband's death at Madeira on 21 January 1837, Joanna Elizabeth Peter owned a house in Comely Bank near Edinburgh. This was probably one of the Georgian town houses designed by Thomas Brown (architect) in 1817 [Wikipedia: Comely Bank] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comely_Bank Joanna Elizabeth and her husband may have used the house from time to time in the years immediately following their marriage, but it was rented out at the time of his death: "Half years rent of House at Comely Bank near Edinburgh, belonging to Mrs Dirom, the widow of the deceased, Current at the time of his death and falling to him jure mariti £14.00.00" [National Archives of Scotland, H. M. General Register House, Edinburgh, Dumfries Sheriff court Wills, The Inventory and Mutual Settlement of Alexander Dirom, Esquire, Cleughhead, registered 14 August 1837, reference SC15/41/6].

Death

Joanna Elizabeth Peter died on 18 May 1853, at Cleuchhead near Annan in Dumfriesshire, Scotland [National Archives of Scotland, H. M. General Register House, Edinburgh, Dumfries Sheriff Court Wills and Inventories, 1806-1925, reference SC15/41/9].

The Request for Marriage Proclamation

Miss Joanna Elizabeth Peter of Crossbasket and Captain Alexander Dirom gave notice of their intention to marry to their respective parish ministers. Joanna Elizabeth's request for marriage proclamation was booked at Baldernock in Stirlingshire on 28 October 1826 Baldernock Marriage Records and Captain Alexander Dirom's request was booked at Annan in Dunfriesshire on 30 October 1826 Annan Marriage Records

The marriage booking at Baldernock reads as follows: "Dirom & Peter 28th October 1826: Captain Alexander Dirom Parish of Annan Dumfries-shire and Joanna Elizabeth Peter of this Parish gave in their names for Proclamation & were married" [Registrar General for Scotland, H. M. New Register House, Edinburgh, Baldernock Marriages, 1820-54, reference OPR.471/2]. The marriage booking at Annan reads as follows: "(1826 October) 30th Captain Alexander Diram & Joanna Elizabeth Peters were lawfully married" [Registrar General for Scotland, H. M. New Register House, Edinburgh, Annan Marriages, 1820-54, reference OPR.812/3].

The Marriage

Miss Joanna Elizabeth Peter of Crossbasket married Captain Alexander Dirom on 2 November 1826 [The Genealogy of the Kittybrewster: The Dirom Family They were married at the bride's home, at Craigmaddie House in the Stirlingshire parish of Baldernock [Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine (William Blackwood, Edinburgh and T. Cadell, Strand, London, 1827), Vol. XXI., January-June 1827, page 119].

The Marriage Intimation

A marriage intimation was published in volume twenty-one of Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine: At Craigmaddie, Captain Alex. Dirom, 8th or the King's Regiment, to Joanna Eliza, only child of Lieut-General Peter [Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine (William Blackwood, Edinburgh and T. Cadell, Strand, London, 1827), Vol. XXI., January-June 1827, page 119].

The Marriage Contract

The marriage contract between Miss Joanna Elizabeth Peter of Crossbasket and Captain Alexander Dirom is mentioned in the testament dative and inventory of her deceased husband. The date of the contract is not mentioned but it most likely belongs to the period immediately before they were married on 2 November 1826. It is referred to in the context of a share in the Glasgow Tontine Assembly Rooms which Joanna Elizabeth’s father, the late General Thomas Peter, had transferred to her deceased husband in order to meet part of his obligation under the terms of the contract. Reference is also made to a Bond for £2000, the annual interest from which was granted to Alexander Dirom, under the terms of the same contract. The Bond which provided the income, which was executed on 2 August 1828 and 20 August 1828, was arranged by William McDowall of Barr (afterwards William McDowall of Garthland, twentieth laird of the barony of Garthland, who was Joanna Elizabeth’s first cousin on her father’s side), William Cunningham of Lainshaw (Joanna Elizabeth’s first cousin once removed on her mother’s side), and Laurence Hill, Writer in Glasgow, all three of whom are identified as Trustees in Joanna Elizabeth’s marriage contract [National Archives of Scotland, H. M. General Register House, Edinburgh, Dumfries Sheriff court Wills, The Inventory and Mutual Settlement of Alexander Dirom, Esquire, Cleughhead, registered 14 August 1837, reference SC15/41/6].

Children

Joanna Elizabeth Peter, and her husband, Captain Alexander Dirom, had seven children who were born during the ten year period 1827-37 Kitybrewster: The Dirom Family Their last child, a son named Alexander, who was named after his father, was born on 22 June 1837, five months or thereabouts after the death of her husband. The children's names follow:

1. Madeline Barbara Elizabeth Dirom
2. Barbara Leonora Dirom
3. Thomas Alexander Pasley Dirom of Luce and Mount Annan
4. Christina Anne Dirom
5. Isabella Macdowall Dirom
6. Leonora Anne Dirom
7. Alexander Dirom

Evidence from the Sasine Register for Stirlingshire

                                       1

Joanna Elizabeth Peter, daughter of Lieutenant-General Thomas Peter, residing at Craigmaddie, seised 21 August 1826 in the lands called Craigmaddie with the Mansion House and Offices and other Houses and Buildings thereon, parish of Baldernock, and Strathblane, on disposition by Laurence Craigie, Merchant, Glasgow, 11 November 1825 [National Archives of Scotland, H. M. General Register House, Edinburgh, Printed Sasine Abridgements for Stirlingshire, abridgement number 2054, sasine registered 2 September 1826, reference P. R. 122/38]

                                       2

Elizabeth Cunningham, daughter of Alexander Cunningham, Merchant, Glasgow, residing at Craigmaddie, seised 21 August 1826 in the lands called Craigmaddie with the Mansion House and Offices and other Houses and Buildings thereon, parish of Baldernock, and Strathblane, in security of £2500 on Bond and Disposition by Joanna Elizabeth Peter, daughter of Lieutenant-General Thomas Peter residing, at Craigmaddie, 21 August 1826 [National Archives of Scotland, H. M. General Register House, Edinburgh, Printed Sasine Abridgements for Stirlingshire, abridgement number 2054, sasine registered 2 September 1826, reference P. R. 122/44]