Mary-Ann Hustwick

William, son of Thomas Hustwick died in 1868 aged 81.  He was survived by eight children, but the one that concerns my family is his eldest daughter Mary-Ann Hustwick.  In his last years William lived with his Grandaughter Barbara Marshall Hustwick who at 26 had married (as his second wife) James Spence, merchant at the Cross, living in Lemanacre.

The Spences evolve into a large family group related by marriage to Geddes’, Williamsons, Marshalls and Thomsons.  Hence George Marshall Spence, late of Lemanacre and solicitor with Stewart & McIssac, Elgin was my father’s first cousin and of course the earlier marriage of William Hustwick to Barbara Marshall involves an extended Marshall family.  Rob Wallen and I are also distantly related.  Too confusing to explain.

However, Mary-Ann Hustwick aged 19 marries a young man of 32, son of a farm labourer from White Gates, Culbeg, Croy.  Her husband, Hugh Rose Thomson, started his working life as an apprentice vitner with a wine and spirit supplier in Elgin, but after he married and was presumably living in Garmouth, the Caledonian Bank decided to nominate a banker to the village.  This no doubt was because of the high finance involved with ship owing and building. The village was required to nominate a trustworthy resident of their choice to become bank manager and Hugh Rose was chosen.

Unfortunately, few personal details are known of my Great Grandfather other than that he was an industrious and religious man.  It appears he was good with figures for in addition to becoming Bank agent he provided loans to those wishing to purchase shares in vessels.  Hugh was related by marriage to the Winchesters, Marrs and Hustwicks and of course would know all the shipbuilders, smiths and block makers and so be able to assess their commercial prospects and financial stability.  He was also an insurance representative for the ship owners and a coal agent for the two villages.

Both villages were fortunate to have an agent who was intelligent and trustworthy to handle their affairs and as a token of their respect this extract from a newspaper on his retirement reads as follows:-

“ …to accept this gold watch as a token of their esteem for his abilities as a man of business and more particularly for his services as a Sabbath school teacher for over twenty years.  Mr Thomson has done much good for the district in which he lives.  He was the founder of a savings bank, an institution of great importance to the locality – was the originator of three libraries, two of which are in flourishing operation – has devoted much of his talents and means to the rising generation, and to his exertions may be attributed the establishment of a regular penny-post office in the village, on a basis which affords the community all the advantages of Mr Hill’s penny postage scheme.”

His name appears in many of the parish records and also on the framed list of elders hanging in the church hall.

Sadly it seems Hugh’s health was not strong.  His retirement came at an early age and his eldest son William Hugh took over as Bank manager and agent for a short time.  Hugh Rose died in 1854 aged 53 years.  Unfortunately William’s health was little better and he died in 1871 at the age of 35 years.

Like his mother and father-in-law, William and Barbara Hustwick, Hugh Rose and his wife Mary-Ann had nine children.  One stillborn, one drowned at eight, one died at eleven and six survived to adulthood.

Their youngest son, Hugh was my paternal Grandfather.

Mary-Ann could no longer remain in the Bank House after the death of her son William Hugh in 1871, by which time she was fifty-seven.  She went to live with her eldest daughter Barbara Marshall Spence (nee Thomson) married to James Spence at Lemanacre.

From Garmouth & Kingston Newslettter Dec 2006