McManus 168

James Guthrie was the son of Charles Guthrie, farmer at East Coull^[1][2] in the parish of Tannadice^[1] and his wife, Isobel or Isobella Lyell.^[1] Rather unusually, his parents were not together in the census reports of 1841 or 1851, which would seem to set a pattern for the family.

Isobella Guthrie was living at Mains of Fintry with her sons James, a merchant, Robert, a clerk, Alexander, a flax spinning manager and two daughters in 1841.^[4] She seems to have been keeping house for her sons, then in their twenties. James had arrived in Dundee in 1827 and served his apprenticeship with the Brown Brothers, flax spinners, of West Ward Mills,^[10][17] in what is now North Lindsay Street. He then set up in business, on his own, as a yarn and cloth agent.^[10][18]

However, by 1851, the tables had turned and James was head of the house, living with his mother, brother Alexander and three sisters at Waterloo Cottage, on the corner of Annfield Road and Blackness Road^[5]. James later became the business partner of his brother Alexander, who operated Seabraes Spinning Mill.

James married Elizabeth Maria Barbara Drimmie, daughter of Daniel Drimmie, managing partner of Panmurefield Bleachworks, in 1855.^[3][19][20] Elizabeth was twenty, James was forty three and they were to have ten children between 1855 and 1879.

James’ father died in 1857, alone, in bed, at the Tannadice farm^[21] and his mother, Isobel, died shortly afterwards. James became a partner in his brother’s firm and it became known as ‘J and A Guthrie’^[10] and, together, they bought Seabraes Mill, just off the Perth Road in Dundee^[14] described as “A large mill in which is carried on the spinning of tow & flax. A small steam engine 35 horse power, turns the machinery.”^[22] By 1861, they employed 220 men.^[6][23]

In 1861, shortly before James bought a subscription to the Albert Institute, the family was living at 41 Magdalen Yard Road in Dundee^[6]. Except, Elizabeth Guthrie was not at home. She was at 5 Castle Street in Brechin, at the home of her married sister, Jane, with her two oldest children, James and Elizabeth.^[24] James was at home, alone, apart from his 10 month old daughter Mary and three servants^[6].

The street where James lived is described in the Ordnance Survey Name Books around the time the family were resident there –

“In the southern portion of Dundee extending from Perth Road
A narrow road, well, paved, and supplied with gas lamps, extending from Perth Road to Magdalen Green. Along its south side is a range of handsome houses, three storeys high constructed of sandstone, with railed in areas in front, and gardens behind.”^[25]

In 1871, James still lived in Magdalen Yard Road and was, this time, alone with his children, James, Elizabeth, Mary, Bella, Alexander, Emma and Robert and three servants.^[7] The children’s mother was in Edinburgh, staying with her stepmother, Isabella, who was only seven years older than Elizabeth.^[26]

By the census of 1881, the family was living at the mansion, Hope Park, in Broughty Ferry,^[8] having moved there by 1874. Surprisingly, Elizabeth was at home too. James was 69, his wife was 46 and they had a 2 year old child.

One might imagine her travels from home had been a Victorian form of contraception but in fact, she continued her visits after the death of her husband in 1889^[14].

Two of James’ sons, appropriately named James and Alexander, eventually took over the running of the business.^[14] Their uncle Alexander, who died in 1880, had not married or had children, so they inherited the firm.