The Farming BegbiesThe Begbie family name means "small field or place" (baig=small, by/bie=field)and is thought to be from the 10th century Norse settlement in the foothills of the Lammermuirs in Scotland. The original family might have been Norse, intermarrying with local families. What we do know is that "the lands of Begbie" were granted to the Mother House of the Nunnery of St Mary, Haddington, near Edinburgh, by Countess Ada of Northumberland. Ada was the wife of Prince Henry, heir to King David 1st of Scotland, who had given her the town of Haddington as a wedding present. She died in 1178. Throughout history the name appeared in a variety of forms, including Baikbe, Baikbie and Baigbie; Johnne and Williame Baikbe, we know, were summoned to appear before the Privy Council of Mary, Queen of Scots, to answer to charges of treason, most likely for having taken part in an unsuccessful rebellion against Mary (known as the Chaseabout Raid), during 1565.
Begbie Village, close to Bolton, lower left of mapWhether the Begbies had other land is not known; few official records exist of them being land owners after this. We do know of a Begbie family in Haddington who built a house called Tynepark in the 18th century and who had previously taken the road tolls for entrance into the town. Most Begbies, however, appear to have been tenant famers in family records which date from the sixteenth century.
Begbie Farmhouse, south view, as it is today
Begbie farm buildings, courtesy photographer Richard Webb
In my Family Tree I see, first, James Baigbie (1584-1621) who married Barbara Martine in 1608. Their 5th son, John (1617-1657) married Isobel Bell; their 4th son George (1656-1698) - by now the spelling of the name had been changed - married Jennet Cunninghame. Their 3rd son Alexander (1690-1735) married Margaret Walker. Their 5th son Alexander (1725-1783) was the first to break away from the farm, moving to Thames Street, London where he was a merchant. His 5th son Peter was a Broad Street, London, businessman. Bankrupted, he afterwards worked at the Stamp Office in Somerset Street, where he must have made a good impression, for he was granted a coat of arms.
The Bolton hearse carried many Begbies to the graveyardTenant farmers in those days had a hard but reasonably self-supporting life. The Border Country Begbies farmed Westfield Farm, Nether Bolton Farm, Houston Hall Farm, Phantasie Farm and Prestonkirk Farm - all of which were clustered around what is now Begbie Farm, near Haddington. The Begbie Farm Account Book 1729-70, which is kept in the National Library of Scotland, makes fascinating reading. Wages for example were around 11 Scots Pounds (18/4 Sterling) per half year and crops were wheat, oats and pease. The book deals largely with crops and wages; the Laird to whom rent was paid seems to have been Sir James Suttie of Balgone. 50 bolls of oats were paid as part-rent in 1729 and in the following year Sir James received 202 Scots Pounds and 49 bolls of oats. In 1763, two thraves of wheat straw thatch were delivered to the Laird. The Farm Book contains items as diverse as a note that, in 1770, 1 shilling was paid for a seat in the kirk in the fore-pew, a purchase of a gown for "Pegie" and a remedy for "Deafnes with headack & buzzing in the head. Peell a clove of garlick dip in hony and put into your ear at night with a little black wooll..."
