Robert Reid of Easter Kittochside

ROBERT REID OF EASTER KITTOCHSIDE

Building Contractor: Mason and Wright in Kittochside

Robert Reid of Easter Kittochside is the fourth son and youngest child of John Reid of Wester Kittochside His baptism was registered on 14 December 1707, at East Kilbride in Lanarkshire, Scotland. [National Records of Scotland, East Kilbride Baptisms, 1688-1749, reference OPR.643/1] The name of his mother is not recorded in his baptismal record, but it seems quite likely, probable even, that she was a sister of John Small of Crookedshields It is certainly true that Robert's older brother John Reid of Wester Kittochside is identified as the "nephew & nearest of kin" in the testament dative of the before mentioned John Small of Crookedshields [National Records of Scotland, Glasgow Commissary Court, The Testament Dative and Inventory of John Small of Cruiketsheill, parish of Cambuslang, reference CC9/7/51] Image of Testament

His New House in Kittochside

On 26 June 1731 Thomas Taylor, portioner of Wester Kittochside, sold a small plot of land to Robert Reid: "mason and wright in Wester Kittochside". The land sold was part of Thomas Taylor's twelve shilling six penny land of old extent of Wester Kittochside and, according to the feu charter issued by him, Robert Reid had already built a house upon it. The charter describes Reid's purchase thus: "all & haill that dwelling house in the sd Kittochsyde lately built by himself with the yard adjacent thrto". The land was to be held by Robert Reid and his heirs or assignees of Thomas Taylor and his heirs or assignees: "free from all burden or payt of Cess Teinds Schoolmasters Sallary & othrs whatsomr except the Blench thrin and after spectt". The deed was drawn up by William Bogle, writer in the Kirkton of Kilbride, and it was witnessed by John Reid "apprentice to Robert Reid" by Robert Reid himself and by his brother german, William Reid. [National Records of Scotland, Particular Register of Sasines for the Sheriffdom of Lanark, reference RS42/14 (part 1)/87v]

On 3 June 1749 Robert Reid sold this house to James Whyte, tailor in Kittochside but the feudal superiority remained with Thomas Taylor of Wester Kittochside. [National Records of Scotland, Particular Register of Sasines for the Sheriffdom of Lanark, reference RS42/16/148v-149r]. Thomas Taylor of Wester Kittochside subsequently sold all of his twelve shilling six penny land of old extent to William Reid of Wester Kittochside (1726-64) and with it went the feudal superiority of the house which Robert Reid had built. One hundred and thirty years or so after Robert Reid had built this house, William Reid of Wester Kittochside (1787-1873), a grandson of the first mentioned Wlliam, left this house to his younger brother Robert: "(12 August 1863) John Reid of Castlehill to his brother, Robert Reid of Peelpark.....All and haill that dwelling house in the said Kittochside built by Robert Reid mason there with the yard adjacent thereto purchased by him from the deceased Thomas Taylour Portioner of Kittochside which is a part and pendicle of the said Thomas Taylour's twelve shilling six penny land of old extent of Wester Kittochside lying within the parish of Kilbride and Sheriffdom of Lanark". [National Records of Scotland, Glasgow Sheriff Court Wills, reference SC36/51/66]

The lands called Braehead

On 31 January 1734 he purchased the lands of Braehead from the Reverend Mr. John Smith, Minister of the Gospel at Fintry. A sasine made in his favour was registered at Hamilton on 24 May 1734 [National Records of Scotland, Particular Register of Sasines for the Sheriffdom of Lanark, reference RS42/14/215v-216r]. He held these lands until 1776, after which he conveyed them to his: "trust disponees". The sasine in favour of his creditors, Robert Hamilton in Kirkton of Kilbride and others, was registered at Hamilton on 7 February 1776.

The lands called Dykehead

On 1 May 1776 Robert Reid of Easter Kittochside sold, with the advice and consent of his trustees, the twenty shilling lands of Dykehead to James McLehose, maltman in Glasgow, and in return he and his wife, Janet Strang, and two of their children, John Reid and Helen Reid, were granted a liferent annuity of £8 Sterling. [National Records of Scotland, Particular Register of Sasines for the Sheriffdom of Lanark, reference RS42/20/376r-376v]

The lands called Duncanrig

On 18 May 1750 Andrew Rankin sold the thirty-three shilling four penny land of old extent of Duncanridge to Robert Reid, portioner of Kittochside, and James Smith of Thornton. This land had previously belonged to James Wardrop of Duncanridge but his creditors forced him to sell it to Andrew Rankin. The sasine in favour of Robert Reid and James Smith of Thornton was registered at Hamilton on 9 August 1750. [National Records of Scotland, Particular Register of Sasines for the Sheriffdom of Lanark, reference RS42/15/371r-372v]

The lands called Easter Kittochside

Robert Reid had a charter from the crown which confirmed his possession of the four pound land of old extent of Easter Kittochside, in the barony of Kilbride. The warrant was issued fron Chancery on 23 Fenbruary 1753. National Records of Scotland, reference SIG1/142/9

Contract to build a new parish Church for East Kilbride

On 12 April 1774, at a meeting held in the Fox and Hounds (A local hostelry now known as the Montgomery Arms), the heriors of Kilbride awarded a contract to build a new church to Robert Reid, who undertook to build it after the style of the Shettleston Church and at a cost of £570. The work was completed in 1775. [The Kirk in our midst. By Louise Reilly. Published by the East Kilbride News in the edition for Friday 18 October 1985, p. 9]

Retirement

Robert Reid of Easter Kittochside was still alive on 1 May 1776. On that date, with the advice and consent of his trustees, he sold his twenty shilling lands of Dykehead to James McLehose, maltman in Glasgow, and in return he and his wife and two of their children, a son named John Reid and a daughter named Helen Reid, were granted a liferent annuity of £8 Sterling. [National Records of Scotland, Particular Register of Sasines for the Sheriffdom of Lanark, reference RS42/20/376r-376v]. It cannot be regarded as certain but it is possible that he retired to Rutherglen, where his wife Janet Strang appears to have died.

Marriage

Robert Reid of Easter Kittochside married Janet Strang, daughter of James Strang of Burnhouse. They were booked for proclamation of marriage at East Kilbride on 17 April 1736. [National Records of Scotland, East Kilbride Marriage, 1688-1748, reference OPR.643/1] and they were married soon after, probably on 26 April 1734, the date upon which they subscribed to their marriage contract [National Records of Scotland, Particular Register of Sasines for the Sheriffdom of Lanark, reference RS42/14./299v-300r] It cannot be regarded as certain but it seems quite likely, probable even, that it was his wife who died in Rutherglen on 1 March 1780. [National Records of Scotland, Rutherglen Deaths, 1698-1819, OPR.654/1]

Children

They had seven children, six of whose names have been identified from the old parochial registers. Janet Strang's name is not mentioned in the baptismal record of the last three but she was still alive on 1 May 1776 and there seems hardly any doubt that she was the mother of all six. Janet Strang and her husband had a seventh child, a daughter named Helen. There is no baptismal record for Helen but she and her parents and her older brother John were alive on 1 May 1776, the date upon which James McLehose, Maltman in Glasgow, gave them a liferent annuity of £8 Sterling which was secured upon the twenty shilling lands of Dykehead [National Records of Scotland, Particular Register of Sasines for the Sheriffdom of Lanark, reference RS42/20/376] The names of the children follow:

1. John Reid of Easter Kittochside
2. Janet Reid
3. Mary Reid
4. James Reid
5. Mary Reid
6. Robert Reid
7. Helen Reid