Robert William Laing ^{1675,2203,2204}

  General Notes:

1901 Census record,
Civil Parish of West Calder, Midloathian, Scotland

No. 121 name of house: Brucefield, rooms with 1 or more windows: 2

Alexander Laing, Head, married, age 45, Pitheadman, born Linlithgowshire, Blackburn
Jane Laing, wife, age 39, born Linlithgowshire, Bathgate
John Laing, son, age 15, assistant checkweigher (pithead), born Linlithgowshire, Blackburn
Alexander Laing, son, age 13, scholar, born Blackburn
Jane Laing, daughter, age 11, scholar, born Midloathian, West Calder
Ann S Laing, daughter, age 8, scholar, as above
Henry A Laing, son , age 5, scholar, as above
Elizabeth W Laing, daughter, age 3, born Midloathian, West Calder
William B Laing, son, age 1, ditto
Robert Laing, son, age 1 month, ditto

No. 122, name of house Brucefield, rooms with 1 or more windows: 2

Robert Laing, Head, married, age 37, coal miner -Hewer?, born Linlithgowshire, Whitburn
Catherine L Laing, wife, married, age 35, born Lanarkshire, Glasgow
John Laing, son, age 6, scholar, born Midloathian, West Calder
Andrew Laing, son, age 4, born Midloathian, West Calder
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Grandaughter Eva May Laing says that Robert Laing and his wife came to Canada in 1922.
Also that daughter May Laing came from Scotland.
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LAING, ROBERT, death registration, registration # 1941-09-587077, B.C. Archives film B13171

Died March 23, 1941, age 77 yrs 8 mo. 16 days, , Kelowna B.C. ,
born July 7, 1863, Blackburn Scotland
occupation fruit farming, widowed, residence, RR#1 Kelowna B.C.
residence is B.C. and in Canada: 19 years
buried March 25, 1941, Kelowna Cemetery
cause of death: cerebral Hemorrhage.
name of father JOHN LAING, b. Scotland
name of mother ROBINA BAILY, b. Scotland
informant was JOHN LAING, relation to deceased: son
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  Noted events in his life were:

• Occupation, 1894, Coalminer.

• Residence, 1894, Loganlea, West Calder, Scotland.

• Residence, 1901, West Calder, Scotland. ¹⁴³⁴

• Immigration, 1922, from Scotland. ²²⁰⁸

• Occupation, 1941, Winfield, B.C. Fruit Farmer (orchardist)

Robert married Catherine Louisa Henderson Fraser, daughter of Andrew Buchanan Fraser and Mary Paterson, on 1 Jun 1894 in Springburn Church, Glasgow, Scotland ^2200,2201.^,2209 (Catherine Louisa Henderson Fraser was born on 28 Dec 1863 in High Church, Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland,^{1434,2210,2211} died on 10 Dec 1940 in Kelowna, B.C. ²²¹² and was buried on 12 Dec 1940 in Kelowna Cemetery.)

  Marriage Notes:

Marriage Certificate, Robert Laing and Catherine Louisa Henderson Fraser,

Robert Laing , Bachelor Miner, Logantia by West Calder, Scotland, marriage to Catherine Louisa Henderson Fraser, spinster, No. 90 Finlay Drive, Dennistown, married 1 June 1894 in the Parish Church of Springburn. (note Springburn Church is in Glasgow, Scotland. jca).
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The Blackburn Boat People Print this page.

Extract from the West Lothian Courier Friday January 16th 1987

Its 60 years since the boat people of Blackburn emigrated to British Columbia, Canada. Most were related through blood or marriage to two of Blackburn's main families, the Ried's and the Andersons. Every year at Pitt Meadows, Vancouver there is a wonderful get together, called the "Ried - Anderson Picnic" when the occasion is recalled.

Many travel hundreds of miles to attend, with their new descendants to be with old friends. Some of course are no longer alive and are ver much missed.

The now intermingled Canadian/Scott's recall memories, while older ones explain to the younger all about the clans of Scotland. The "wean", the baby held in Jessie Ried's arms on the left of the picture lifts his accordion and his younger brother Harry joins in with "The Rowan Tree". "John Anderson My Jo" "Loch Lomond" and all Scotland's old traditional songs. The party always ends with everyone making plans for the next year's.
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