Edward White V Family - Person Sheet
Edward White V Family - Person Sheet
NameWilliam WHITE
Birth1783/1786, Arbroath, Angus, Scotland
Death13 Jan 1848, Arbroath, Angus, Scotland
Spouses
Marriage5 Feb 1830, Arbroath, Angus, Scotland
Marr MemoInfo from Family Search
Web Notes notes for William WHITE
1783-He was born about this year in Co Angus, Scotland. It appears he had two wives, as the second wife would have been too young to be the mother of his son, Charles, who was born about 1810. Not sure how many children were born to him by each wife. On his tombstone it indicates there are 5 unnamed children buried there who died young.
1810-His son, Charles, was born about this year.
1821-His daughter, Catherine, was born about this year in Arbroath.
1826-His daughter, Elizabeth was born about this year in Arbroath.
1830-His son, Edward, was born 26 Mar in Arbroath.
1832-His son, Charles, died at sea, and was buried at Arbroath Abbey Cemetery.
1833-His daughter, Helen, was born about this year in Arbroath.
1837-His son, James, was born about this year in Arbroath.
1839-His daughter, Ann, was born about this year in Arbroath.
1841-He is listed in the Scottish Census taken on 7 Jun 1841, FHL film #1,042,671, Co Angus, Arbroath Parish, enum bk 2, p20 as: William Whyte, 55, male, occupation manf. overseer, born in Co Angus, living on Millgate St with his [second?] wife, Ann, 35, born in Co Angus, daughter, Katherine, 20, flax spinner, born in Co Angus, daughter, Elizabeth, 15, flax spinner, born in Co Angus, son, Edward, 10, born in Co Angus, daughter, Hellen, 8, born in Co Angus, son, James, 4, born in Co Angus, and daughter, Ann, 2, born in Co Angus.
Arbroath is described in Encyclopaedia Britannica, v 2, 1910, p 339 as: A royal, municipal and police burgh and seaport of Forfarshire, Scotland, at the mouth of Brothock water, 17 miles N.E. of Dundee. Pop. (1891) 22,821. Leading industries include the manufacture of sailcloth, canvas and coarse linens, tanning, boot and shoe making, bleaching, engineering works, iron foundries, chemical works, shipbuilding and fisheries. The harbour was originally constructed in 1394, replaced in 1725, and enlarged in 1844. A signal tower, 50 ft high, communicates with the Bell Rock lighthouse on Inchcape Rock, 12 m. S.E. of Arbroath, celebrated in Southey's ballad. The principal public buildings are the town-hall, market house, gildhall, public hall, infirmary, antiquarian museum, and the libraries. The parish church dates from 1570, but has been much altered. The ruins of a magnificent abbey, once one of the richest foundations in Scotland, stand in High Street. It was founded by William the Lion in 1178 for Tironesian Benedictines from Kelso, and consecrated in 1197, being dedicated to St Thomas Becket. William was buried within it in 1214. Its style was mainly Early English, the western gable Norman. The cruciform church measured 276 ft long by 160- ft wide. The remains include the vestry, the southern transept, the famous rose window which is still entire, part of the chancel, the southern wall of the nave, part of the entrace towers and the western doorway. It was here that the parliament met which on the 6th of April 1320 addressed to the pope the notable letter asserting the independence of their country and reciting in eloquent terms the services which their lord and sovereign Robert Bruce had rendered to Scotland. The last of the abbots was Cardinal Beaton. At the Reformation the abbey was dismantled and afterwards allowed to go to ruin. Arbroath was created a royal burgh in 1186, and its charter of 1599 is preserved. King John exempted it from toll and custom in every part of England excepting London. Arbroath is " Fairport" of Scott's "Antiquary." On each side of the village the coast scenery is remarkably picturesque, the rugged cliffs - reaching the promontory of Red Head, a height of 267 ft, containing many curiously shaped caves and archways.
The following is a brief history of the flax/mill trade in Arbroath, in which the White family was generally occupied, taken from "History of Arbroath", FHL book, p 404-409:
In 1738 or 1739, a weaver near Arbroath, having got a small quantity of flax, unfit for the kind of cloth then usually brought to market, made it into a web, and offered it to his merchant. The merchant, Provost John Wallace, who had been in Germany, immediately remarked the similarity between the piece of cloth and the fabric of Osnaburgs, and urged the weaver to undertake the manufacture of more, which he reluctantly agreed to do. The experiment succeeded, and many hands were soon employed in the neighborhood of Arbroath. By 1742, the weavers in Arbroath were as numerous as all the other trades put together. Manufacture of Osnaburgs quickly became the staple of the town. In 1772, the population of Arbroath was about 3,500. Most were weaver of coarse brown linen. Local importation of flax in 1765 amounted to £15,000 Sterling. From Nov 1796 to Nov 1797, the manufacture of Osnaburgs and brown linens in Arbroath amounted to 953,090 yeards, valued at £44,005. Also, there were about 500 looms employed for the manufacture of sailcloth. Most of the sailcloth and linens manufactured at Arbroath were shipped to London, smaller quantities being sent to Glasgow and other ports. About 1793, weavers in Arbroath began to produce "scrims," so thin it was more a gauze than a linen. A weaver was able to weave about 40 yards of scrims per day. Before the introduction of steam power, it was a common arangement for the manufacturer to occupy a one-storey cottage, one end of which was his dwelling-house, the other being his weaving shop. The weaving-shop usually contained 4 looms. At one of these the master worked, and 2 journeymen and an apprentice had charge of the others. The pirns were filled by the master-weaver's wife and daughters. The master attended personally to the cleaning of his yards inthe tubs and "caves" of the plash-mill, which was built about 1740 and discontinued in 1863.
The first spinning-mill in Arbroath in which steam was introduced was about 1806. The period between 1820 and 1826 may be considered the halcyon era of the linen manufacturers. To meet the requirements of the growing trade, about 35 acres had large factories and streets and dwelling houses erected. Then were followed commercial disasters in 1825-26. There was a panic in Arbroath, for the trade was for many months almost at a complete standstill. A stranger at that time, wanting to see the Abbey, asked a group of citizens where he might see the "ruins of Arbroath." He was told "You are in the midst of them!" By 1827 trade had revived a good deal and wages had risen.
In 1833, there were 12 spinning-mills in St Vigeans, 1 mile from Arbroath, where William's second wife came from, and 4 in Arbroath. In 1842, there were 15 spinning-mills driven by 20 steam engines with an aggregate of 250-horse power in the parish of St Vigeans. These gave employment to 1240 persons, of whom 275 were flax dressers, and the remainder millworkers, 250 males to 715 females. Of the men, 110 were millwrights, foremen, overseers, etc. These mills consumed 5,500 tons of flax per year.
From 1836-1841 there had been a fall of 20% in the price of weaving, so wages went down, too. In 1841, the work week was 14 hours per day, 6 days per week. Many factories by then were unoccupied or partly filled; only about half or 2/3 of the weavers were employed. About 1847, power-looms for the weaving of sailcloth were introduced into Arbroath. In 1850 there was a local movement to raise funds to assist flaxdressers to emigrate,on the ground that machinery had superseded manual labour. The trade suffered severly in 1857. The civil war in America gave a great development to the linen trade, which brought prosperity to Arbroath. William's son, Edward, emigrated to the USA in 1866, shortly after the civil war. Perhaps that was one reason for his emigration.
1844-His daughter, Isabella, was born about this year in Arbroath.
1848-He died on 13 Jan and was buried in Arbroath Abbey Cemetery. His tombstone inscription is recorded in the book, "Pre-1855 Gravestone Inscriptions in Angus Co," FHL book 941.31v3a v2, p35, Arbroath Abbey Cemetery, stone #467: William White died 13 Jan 1848, age 65, with Ann Esplin, died 8 Nov 1886, age 83, son Charles died at sea 1832, age 22, five children died young, and daughter Catherine, died 7 Feb 1900, age 79. According to the same book, Arbroath Abbey monastery was consecrated to the name of St Thomas a Becket in 1178. Its founder, King William the Lion was buried within it in 1214. After the Reformation, the buildings were dismantled and no further burials took place in the church and chapter-house, but the old cemetery to the north, mentioned in 1517, continued to be used till the 20th century.
1810-His son, Charles, was born about this year.
1821-His daughter, Catherine, was born about this year in Arbroath.
1826-His daughter, Elizabeth was born about this year in Arbroath.
1830-His son, Edward, was born 26 Mar in Arbroath.
1832-His son, Charles, died at sea, and was buried at Arbroath Abbey Cemetery.
1833-His daughter, Helen, was born about this year in Arbroath.
1837-His son, James, was born about this year in Arbroath.
1839-His daughter, Ann, was born about this year in Arbroath.
1841-He is listed in the Scottish Census taken on 7 Jun 1841, FHL film #1,042,671, Co Angus, Arbroath Parish, enum bk 2, p20 as: William Whyte, 55, male, occupation manf. overseer, born in Co Angus, living on Millgate St with his [second?] wife, Ann, 35, born in Co Angus, daughter, Katherine, 20, flax spinner, born in Co Angus, daughter, Elizabeth, 15, flax spinner, born in Co Angus, son, Edward, 10, born in Co Angus, daughter, Hellen, 8, born in Co Angus, son, James, 4, born in Co Angus, and daughter, Ann, 2, born in Co Angus.
Arbroath is described in Encyclopaedia Britannica, v 2, 1910, p 339 as: A royal, municipal and police burgh and seaport of Forfarshire, Scotland, at the mouth of Brothock water, 17 miles N.E. of Dundee. Pop. (1891) 22,821. Leading industries include the manufacture of sailcloth, canvas and coarse linens, tanning, boot and shoe making, bleaching, engineering works, iron foundries, chemical works, shipbuilding and fisheries. The harbour was originally constructed in 1394, replaced in 1725, and enlarged in 1844. A signal tower, 50 ft high, communicates with the Bell Rock lighthouse on Inchcape Rock, 12 m. S.E. of Arbroath, celebrated in Southey's ballad. The principal public buildings are the town-hall, market house, gildhall, public hall, infirmary, antiquarian museum, and the libraries. The parish church dates from 1570, but has been much altered. The ruins of a magnificent abbey, once one of the richest foundations in Scotland, stand in High Street. It was founded by William the Lion in 1178 for Tironesian Benedictines from Kelso, and consecrated in 1197, being dedicated to St Thomas Becket. William was buried within it in 1214. Its style was mainly Early English, the western gable Norman. The cruciform church measured 276 ft long by 160- ft wide. The remains include the vestry, the southern transept, the famous rose window which is still entire, part of the chancel, the southern wall of the nave, part of the entrace towers and the western doorway. It was here that the parliament met which on the 6th of April 1320 addressed to the pope the notable letter asserting the independence of their country and reciting in eloquent terms the services which their lord and sovereign Robert Bruce had rendered to Scotland. The last of the abbots was Cardinal Beaton. At the Reformation the abbey was dismantled and afterwards allowed to go to ruin. Arbroath was created a royal burgh in 1186, and its charter of 1599 is preserved. King John exempted it from toll and custom in every part of England excepting London. Arbroath is " Fairport" of Scott's "Antiquary." On each side of the village the coast scenery is remarkably picturesque, the rugged cliffs - reaching the promontory of Red Head, a height of 267 ft, containing many curiously shaped caves and archways.
The following is a brief history of the flax/mill trade in Arbroath, in which the White family was generally occupied, taken from "History of Arbroath", FHL book, p 404-409:
In 1738 or 1739, a weaver near Arbroath, having got a small quantity of flax, unfit for the kind of cloth then usually brought to market, made it into a web, and offered it to his merchant. The merchant, Provost John Wallace, who had been in Germany, immediately remarked the similarity between the piece of cloth and the fabric of Osnaburgs, and urged the weaver to undertake the manufacture of more, which he reluctantly agreed to do. The experiment succeeded, and many hands were soon employed in the neighborhood of Arbroath. By 1742, the weavers in Arbroath were as numerous as all the other trades put together. Manufacture of Osnaburgs quickly became the staple of the town. In 1772, the population of Arbroath was about 3,500. Most were weaver of coarse brown linen. Local importation of flax in 1765 amounted to £15,000 Sterling. From Nov 1796 to Nov 1797, the manufacture of Osnaburgs and brown linens in Arbroath amounted to 953,090 yeards, valued at £44,005. Also, there were about 500 looms employed for the manufacture of sailcloth. Most of the sailcloth and linens manufactured at Arbroath were shipped to London, smaller quantities being sent to Glasgow and other ports. About 1793, weavers in Arbroath began to produce "scrims," so thin it was more a gauze than a linen. A weaver was able to weave about 40 yards of scrims per day. Before the introduction of steam power, it was a common arangement for the manufacturer to occupy a one-storey cottage, one end of which was his dwelling-house, the other being his weaving shop. The weaving-shop usually contained 4 looms. At one of these the master worked, and 2 journeymen and an apprentice had charge of the others. The pirns were filled by the master-weaver's wife and daughters. The master attended personally to the cleaning of his yards inthe tubs and "caves" of the plash-mill, which was built about 1740 and discontinued in 1863.
The first spinning-mill in Arbroath in which steam was introduced was about 1806. The period between 1820 and 1826 may be considered the halcyon era of the linen manufacturers. To meet the requirements of the growing trade, about 35 acres had large factories and streets and dwelling houses erected. Then were followed commercial disasters in 1825-26. There was a panic in Arbroath, for the trade was for many months almost at a complete standstill. A stranger at that time, wanting to see the Abbey, asked a group of citizens where he might see the "ruins of Arbroath." He was told "You are in the midst of them!" By 1827 trade had revived a good deal and wages had risen.
In 1833, there were 12 spinning-mills in St Vigeans, 1 mile from Arbroath, where William's second wife came from, and 4 in Arbroath. In 1842, there were 15 spinning-mills driven by 20 steam engines with an aggregate of 250-horse power in the parish of St Vigeans. These gave employment to 1240 persons, of whom 275 were flax dressers, and the remainder millworkers, 250 males to 715 females. Of the men, 110 were millwrights, foremen, overseers, etc. These mills consumed 5,500 tons of flax per year.
From 1836-1841 there had been a fall of 20% in the price of weaving, so wages went down, too. In 1841, the work week was 14 hours per day, 6 days per week. Many factories by then were unoccupied or partly filled; only about half or 2/3 of the weavers were employed. About 1847, power-looms for the weaving of sailcloth were introduced into Arbroath. In 1850 there was a local movement to raise funds to assist flaxdressers to emigrate,on the ground that machinery had superseded manual labour. The trade suffered severly in 1857. The civil war in America gave a great development to the linen trade, which brought prosperity to Arbroath. William's son, Edward, emigrated to the USA in 1866, shortly after the civil war. Perhaps that was one reason for his emigration.
1844-His daughter, Isabella, was born about this year in Arbroath.
1848-He died on 13 Jan and was buried in Arbroath Abbey Cemetery. His tombstone inscription is recorded in the book, "Pre-1855 Gravestone Inscriptions in Angus Co," FHL book 941.31v3a v2, p35, Arbroath Abbey Cemetery, stone #467: William White died 13 Jan 1848, age 65, with Ann Esplin, died 8 Nov 1886, age 83, son Charles died at sea 1832, age 22, five children died young, and daughter Catherine, died 7 Feb 1900, age 79. According to the same book, Arbroath Abbey monastery was consecrated to the name of St Thomas a Becket in 1178. Its founder, King William the Lion was buried within it in 1214. After the Reformation, the buildings were dismantled and no further burials took place in the church and chapter-house, but the old cemetery to the north, mentioned in 1517, continued to be used till the 20th century.