Guestbook

Please add a comment to my guestbook

1. Hi Claire,

   Congratulations on your site, it has obviously stirred memories in quite a few people who have connections with the area.

   My father, William Fairbairn, who worked and lived in Edinburgh, bought the house opposite the cove shop in about 1951 when I was about 8 and previously to that we had spent our holidays at the cove staying with Colin and Bel Fairbairn (brother and sister) who lived in the house next door. When I left school, I came to live at the cove and fished from there for quite a few years, along side Adie (Adam) Gray and his brother Tom. It is possible that I was the last Fairbairn to fish from the Cove. I knew Francis and Anne in the shop very well and their mother (Tina?) and Alf who later had the mink farm.

   I have several old photos of the cove and some people from those days, and I would love to hear from anybody that was there around that time. You can email me at kennyfairbairn@gmail.com

   (Posted on 2009-09-29 16:12:00 by Kenneth Fairbairn)

2. Hi,

   I am indeed a fairbairn and my grandfather was the son of William Fairbairn. Sadly he passed on Sunday and was interested learning more about my family. I already know that the Grassmarket mission in Edinburgh was set up by my great grandfather and that Mansfield College, Oxford was founded by one of my great great-grandfathers.

   Also, tachnically. If you trace the roots of the family then people within the Fairbairn clan are related to Neil Armstrong. I think my mother has a full family tree at home (its massive! Literally a few metres wide).

   (Posted on 2009-08-18 10:27:00 by John Raphael Fairbairn Barnes)

3. I came across your site while looking for Laing relatives. George Fairbain married my Mother's gr.gr.?Aunt mary.

   I am researching the Laing's of Co'Path. My Grandfather was born in Hawthorne Cottage.I believe it was Aunt Teeny that had the sweet shop. My mother is Daphne Laing daughter of Thomas Laing.

   I think you have done a great job putting together this site.

   Susan Valent

   N.J

   U.S.A

   (Posted on 2009-08-17 18:20:00 by susanv)

4. i am a relative off the late fairbairn family of the cove cockburnspath. my father robert fairbairn was born at the cove along with his brothers and sisters. my grandfather was a fisherman and my granmother was called marion who died in edinburgh when she was 35 years of age of cancer .i am very interested about my late fathers family and it would be wounderful to hear if any one knows anything about our late family

   (Posted on 2009-08-07 11:33:00 by marion mcdonald)

5. While researching my Fairbairn line I have come across your site. I have the line back to a Francis who married Isabel (Newton) Innerwick at Earlston, Berwickshire in 1785. I'm not sure now close that is to Cockburnspath or Eyemouth but if you or any of your guests are able to help with further ancestral history of my Fairbairns that would be appreciated. Francis and Isabel had three children at Earlston before moving to Maxton, Roxburghshire where another three were born. Thanks for enabling me to contribute to your site. John Qld Aust

   (Posted on 2009-07-29 07:35:00 by dudgeon)

6. Greetings from New Zealand ...

   I am helping my stepfather, John (Jock) Rae Fairbairn, to trace his family tree, and I have discovered his grandfather, Peter Fairbairn, aged 2 months, on the 1861 Eyemouth census on your site, so thanks so much! From this we find his great grandparents were James (born Cove) and Agnes (born Eyemouth) Fairbairn.

   Peter and Jock farmed at Totara Valley, Pleasant Point, South Canterbury, New Zealand, and Peter passed away a few years ago now. Jock has just turned 80 and is keen to find any further information regarding his ancestors.

   I visited Eyemouth in 1995 so he has mementos and photographs of this beautiful part of the world.

   I am happy to do any New Zealand research and have great links to gravesites and archives.

   Carol Burton, Christchurch, New Zealand

   (Posted on 2009-05-28 03:18:00 by Carol Burton)

7. Dear clare

   I have absolutely no connection with your family but I am fascinated by your tree and your website. I have been looking for a simple page to do a tree and they all have so much stuff on them. Yours is just what I want. Did you or someone build it for you specially?

   Hannah

   (Posted on 2009-03-17 15:37:00 by Hannah Bradshaw)

8. Dear Clare

   I just came across your wonderful website and thank you for puttiong it together. The accounts of the Eyemouth disaster were especially moving. (I just orederd "Children of the Sea" to gert more information. I have been doing research off and on for about 8 years now about the Fairbairns.

   My father, George (b. 1909; d. 1992) was the son of George Crow Fairbairn (b. 1874; d. 1911) and Christianna Maddock Putt (b. 1874; d. 1954). His grandfather was John Shaw Fairbairn (b. 1850 and died in the Eyemouth disaster). Before that came James Fairbairn (b. 1822; d 1870) married to Janet Paterson; James Fairbairn (b. 1793; d. 1875) married to JAne Anderson; and John Fairbairn (b. 1758) and married to Grizel Johnston. As youi know, they were all from the area in and around Cockburnspath, Scotland.

   I would be delighted to share research with others and wish you all the best.

   Bill Fairbairn

   CANADA

   bilito@cogeco.ca

   (Posted on 2009-03-08 16:03:00 by Bill Fairbairn (Canada))

9. Hi Clare,

   Wonderful site, I've put a link to it on the supplementary pages to the FAIRBAIRN Surname DNA Project (http://dnasurnames.info/p5.htm)

   My FAIRBAIRNs are the farming lot further south/inland, but every so often I wonder if there's any connection between the farming and fishing FAIRBAIRNs.

   Should you have any male FAIRBAIRN surnamed descendants of your John and Grizel (JOHNSTONE) FAIRBAIRN who may be interested in testing this out, send them along to the dna project.

   Usually "your" lot seemed to not venture inland much, so I was rather surprised to find one family of them right next door to one of my lot in Melrose, disguised as a butcher instead of a fisherman. Thought I'd found a new Walter for my lot, but no, he turned out to be the son of the "cousins" Alexander and Elizabeth (FAIRBAIRN) FAIRBAIRN instead.

   All the best, and keep up the good work

   Lorna

   http://familytree.lornahen.com/spFAIRBAIRN.htm

   (Posted on 2009-03-08 04:47:00 by LornaHen)

10. Hello and may I congratulate you on this wonderful website.

    My Grandmother was Mary Fairbairn (later McNamara) and she was born and lived in Cove. Her sister was Lena. I think there was another sister, Daisy. Mary and Lena (Eldridge) lived in Edinburgh and Lena had a son, Brian, who had muscular dystrophy and died in his early 20s in the early 1960s. Lena also developed muscular dystophy in later life. Mary, Lena and Daisy must have been born in the early 1900s. Mary had one child, my father, James, now deceased. I know nothing about Daisy.

    I remember visiting Cove and Co'Path when I was about 10 on my last visit to Scotland prior to my parents' divorce (I'm in my early 40s now). Thanks to this amazing website, I'm now able to read all about Black Friday and I'm trying to get in touch with anyone who might know more about my side of the family.

    (Posted on 2009-02-27 20:50:00 by jm)

11. Hi Clare, At this moment I do not have my family history available. My sister ,Anne, will add it as she has been digging into the family tree.

    The old pictures that your dad took have brought back fond memories of many trips doon callander place on the bogie, sometimes several bogies hitched together. I can remember one night starting right at the top of the street with a team of bogies and no lookout at the school corner and as we approached the corner "Hopie" the local bobby was at the corner ,so Cook had to take the "back road to Pathead", needles to say, as he swerved to avoid Hopie, the last bogie didnt make it through the gate and poor Robert Fairley got nabbed, the rest o us scattered.

    As for the picture of "Matilda", i can remember one saturday we were going for a spin and she wouldnt start. Between Alan and Frank they managed to find the problem was a dodgy fuel pump. The only way to keep her running was for someone to keep tapping the fuel pump with a heavy screwdriver. we needed to go to Tom Watt's, the local scrappie ( 4 miles away) so Frank sat with his feet inside the engine compartment with his bum on the bonnet tapping the fuel pump all the way there. She was a great old lady and i think that the Richardsons still hold the worl record for getting 11 guys into her at the one time. Ah, the good old days.

    You have made a great web page and i was delighted to see some old pictures of the area.

    I used to take a lot of pictures along wth Frank, he used to call me Instamatic Inuse.

    Give him, Alan and Ian my best regards.

    (Posted on 2009-01-23 21:55:00 by innesfairbairn)

12. Hi Clare.

    Nothing here to do with your family tree but.........

    Regarding the photo entitled 'Looking along Callander Place' I'd like to let you know that I now live in 7 Callander Place. I remember when your Gran used to play the organ in the local church and I used to stop and chat to your grandfather when he went to the local shop to pick up his paper.

    I know Alan (or 'Cook' as he was known around here) and Frank.I have spoken to Ian on the phone but dont know if I have met him. Frank told me how he climbed through the attic window and up onto the roof to take the picture. In fact it was Frank who e-mailed the picture to me. The guy who owned the car in the photograph still lives in the village but in a different house.

    The picture of the boys on the buggy going round the school corner is interesting as I am very good friends with Davie Darling. We've been on holiday with his family to France every year for the past 8 years and we are going again this year. Davie and his family live in Dechmont, Livingstone. Davie and myself are keen motorbikers and are often out for a trip together.

    We moved into 7 Callander Place just after Eck and Reenie (Excuse spelling) passed away which must be 18 years ago now. We have actually done very little to the house but the next couple of years will hopefully see full central heating put in and possibly some walls knocked down. We still have the coal fire at the moment.

    When we moved in and stripped the wall paper off, we found the names of Alan and Frank written on them.

    Please pass on my regards to Alan, Frank and Ian, and let them know I sent this in.

    Feel free to send an e-mail.

    David.

    (Posted on 2009-01-19 21:44:00 by David Brading 19-01-2009)

13. Hi there

    I too am decended from the Fairbairns of Cove. My Grandfather was Alexander Fairbairn.

    He moved to Hull after marrying Gladys Jopling from Darlington. I am not sure of any dates. They had four sons, Alec, John, Barrie(my father. His birthday was 16 Aug 1926), and Adrian. They also had two daughters Zena and Jane. When I get more than 24hours in a day I may have time to do some more research into them all. Thought I would just add my 10 pennorth in case it helps anybody tie anything up. I do understand we lost relations through a fishing related accident.

    (Posted on 2009-01-04 19:41:00 by jackie21)

14. Hi, I was born in Edinburgh in 1949, with 2 brothers and 2 sisters, my family hail from the borders and Midlothian, I have researched the background and we are part of the Armstrong border clan.

    i now live in the Grampian area with my wife and 2 adult children with thier children.

    I am starting to lookj i nto my family history and we may find a connection.

    regards

    Ian

    (Posted on 2008-11-11 20:24:00 by Ian Fairbairn)

15. Hi Clare, I live in Perth Western Australia, It seems we are related too as I am Dorothy Nelson's neice. I only found my birth family in 2002 so this is all new to me & quite exciting. My husband & I went with Auntie Dot & her daughter to Cove, Cockburnspath, Eyemouth and St Mary's Church (where a lady showed us the Baptismal record book ) in September just past. Cove is so beautiful, it was such a calm day that it is quite impossible to imagine the terrible happening of Black Friday. The sea must crach up over those little cottages at the foot of the cliff. Love what you have done as you have gone back a bit further than we had, but I have since found that Agnes Lourie was the daughter of George Lourie 1601 of Innerwick,Haddingtonshire,Scotland, cannot find a mothers name yet. Thanks for all your work, keep it up. Best wishes,Doreen Field

    (Posted on 2008-10-21 07:36:00 by Doreen Field)

16. Have been looking at your family tree and my 3 x great grandmother is Magdalen Hall Anderson, sister of Jane(Jessie) who married your James Fairbairn.

    I have visited Cove, Cockburnspath and the rest many times and love it!

    I still have relations in the area.

    If you would like to see my tree please let me know.

    Regards Mike

    (Posted on 2008-10-20 13:12:00 by Michael Wilkins)

17. my daughter & I have visited Cove many times, your photography and portrayal of this unique place is FABULOUS!!. I believe my gt.gt.gt.grandparents to be John Fairbairn & Grizel Johnstone, my gt.gt. to be David Fairbairn & Alison Anderson, - my gt. is Paul whom I believe to be the 4th.son-(wife Barbara) -his son John was my grandfather --My father was James Robert. We were really excited to find your website.

    (Posted on 2008-10-13 15:53:00 by Dorothy Nelson -(nee Fairbairn) born 23-3-1921)

18. Hi

    I have just found your website through a link I was given. What a fantastic job and very organised.

    I too have ancesters who come from this area of Cockburnpath and a couple of people on your family tree link to mine, although I have not researched into them properly yet.

    My Dad is Thomas Fairbairn whose father was Alexander from Seaham Harbour. He

    moved with his father James from this area (I think)

    Keep up the good work.

    Best Regards

    Julie Chakravarty nee Fairbairn

    (Posted on 2008-08-31 18:36:00 by Julie Chakravarty nee Fairbairn)

19. I am a descendant of the Fairbairn's of Berwick. I found you during my search! Hello!

    (Posted on 2008-08-05 19:36:00 by Marie)

20. Hi, I am currently involved in helping to raise funds to place memorials along the East Coast to the fishermen and their families lost on Black Fiday, 14th October1881, memorials will be placed at Burnmouth, Eyemouth, St Abbs & Cove. The Fairbairn family all along the coast lost many of its men.

    (Posted on 2008-07-02 21:07:00 by Betty Gray)

21. Hi all,

    I am currently putting together a website about the men from Cockburnspath who fought in the First World War. Hopefully this will be finished soon, but still need to find anyone who can get copies of their fathe/grandfather etc who served during the war.

    Especially interested to speak to Geogina Nee Renwick as i need to find out more about the Fairbairns. I too am from the Cockburnspath area

    regards

    Douglas Steel

    douglassteel75@hotmail.com

    (Posted on 2008-05-04 19:30:00 by Douglas Steel)

22. Hello - my grandmother was a Fairbairn who lived at the Cove so am delighted to have found your website. I am so interested to find out as much as possible about her family. She died in October 1958 and was one of a large family - 7 sons who all went to the first world war and all returned. I don't seem to be able to link any of them to what you have on your website. I myself was born in Cockburnspath in 1951. Would be pleased to hear from you as I loved all you have done. Anne

    (Posted on 2008-01-12 09:15:00 by Georgina Anne Barnett nee Renwick)

23. I'm glad I came across your website. I found it very interesting and found out more informations about the Fairbairn Family. My grandfather was a fairbairn, his grandfather originally came from this part of Scotland and we are distantly related :)

    Thank you

    (Posted on 2008-01-10 01:35:00 by Dianne McDonald)

24. Your website is fantastic. It has inspired me to look into fining out about my own family tree. The links pages will be a great help to get me started.

    (Posted on 2007-11-11 21:05:00 by Marie Connor)