Born - 18 June 1810, Carriden, West Lothian
Died - 19 Sept 1892, Carriden, West Lothian

Janet was born on 18th June 1810 to Thomas Fergusson and Ellison (later known as Alison) Easton in Carriden. Her father was a miner. It’s definitely fitting for the last person from this generation to be a miner!

Mining goes so far back in my story, much further back than I realised and with further research i found that it goes back to the 12th century in Carriden! “Amongst the earliest reliable accounts of the Scotch coalfield we find that in the twelfth century William de Vetereponte granted to the monks of Holyrood “totam decimam de carbonario meo de Carriden.” This is the name of a small brook flowing into the Firth of Forth, about three miles north of the ancient palace of Linlithgow. This was in the reign of William the Lion, during whose reign the monks of Newbattle worked coal on the margin of the Esk”. Roads at that time were virtually non-existent, giving Bo’ness a seaport from which coal could be transported down river to Leith and onwards to ports in Europe.

As this family was so prominent in Carriden I also have records for her siblings.

Her sister Alison Ferguson and William Robertson “enrolled their names…in order to marriage” on Aug. 16th, 1834. In fact, the marriage never took place due to “ the Bride having been killed in a coal pit on the 23 inst.” Old Parish Register. Her sister Grace married Peter Sharpe and had at least 6 children, she was one of the few who moved away, she lived her life in Bathgate. Thomas married Christian Pettigrew, they didn’t have any children of their own however their niece Helen Pettigrew lived with them, Thomas died aged only 56. The only records I have of her sister Mary is her working as a coal bearer at 16 and of her brother Archibald a coal cutter at 12!

Janet lived over 200 years ago and I have managed to find her in ever census. In the 1841 census Janet and her husband are living with her sister Grace and her husband. in the 1851 census they are living in the village and all 7 of their children are at home and by 1861 she was a Gran with some of her children plus her granddaughter Helen living with her. Unfortunately she lost her husband in 1869 so by 1871 she was head of the household, she was still surrounded by her family.

In the 1881 census she is 71 years old and 3 of her grown children and living with her, her address was cadell’s land main door 1st floor. Even on the last census, at 80 years old, she is living with her son and his family and her other son living next door.

Janet lived until she was 82 years old! What an fantastic life she lead surrounded by family.

Husband – Richard Hamilton

Daughter – Janet Hamilton