Bakehouse, Wellington Street, Glencaple, Caerlaverock – a response!

Map (above) of Glencaple/ Caerlaverock reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland

Peter John Mclean Roberts was looking for some help from knowledgeable Caerlaverock locals (see previous post here) and asked the following question:

“On 1891 Scotland Census my great grandfather James Robb, schoolteacher & registrar, is shown as living at Bakehouse, Wellington Street, Glencaple, with his family. I was wondering if any of the local community knows which house and number Wellington Street it was, and if it is still there to-day?”

In response, Tom Brown recalled,

 
John found this particularly interesting, responding that “it still leaves the question of where in Wellington Street the Bake House might have been? Could it have been part of the bakery building or a completely separate building it would certainly appear to have been a fairly large building for after further research via the ancestry.co.uk website I find the following listed as address”:
 
Bake House, Wellington Street on 1891 Scotland Census:

Name                    Age                       Relationship                               Occupation

 

James Robb            51                         Head                                            School Master & Registrar

Mary Ann Robb     42                         Wife

William H Robb     16                         Son                                              Scholar

Janey M Robb         6                          Daughter                                    Scholar

Cecil Robb                3                          Son

Catherine Hyslop   21                                                                              Domestic servant

 

Margaret Halliday  49                        Head                                             Grocer

Robert Halliday       15                        Son                                                Scholar

James Connelly        10                       Boarder                                       Scholar

Lizzie Connelly           9                       Boarder                                        Scholar

Arthur Connelly          7                       Boarder                                        Scholar

Mary Connelly            4                       Boarder                                        Scholar

 

James Edgar             68                         Head                                             Master Mariner – retired

Mary Ann Edgar      66                         Wife

Mary Ann Grierson 26                         Niece                                              Domestic servant

James G Edgar            9                        Nephew                                          Scholar

Jacobina Edgar           7                         Niece                                              Scholar

 

“Another theory is that perhaps the building was not only for accommodation but also used for schooling and even Margaret Halliday’s Grocer’s shop?

By the 1901 Scotland Census I can find no reference to Bake House, Wellington Street”…

Tom suggested that we ask local Archivist Graham Roberts for his expert input.

Graham suggested that it would seem that the bakehouse was a separate (uninhabited) building, and that there has been a bit of a mix up with Ancestry, where it was assumed that all the households on that page of the census live in it.

‘The 1891 Valuation Roll (taken only a couple of months before the census) shows the Bakehouse being owned by Richard Samuel Merrick, baker. The property was only valued (rateable value) at £3 10s, whereas the other properties on Wellington Street were valued at between £5 and £16 – James Robb’s was worth £14 10s, James Edgar’s £16 and Margaret Halliday’s £8. I’m pretty sure the bakehouse wasn’t inhabited, and it would make sense (and fit with your information, Tom) that it was the building opposite what is now Pintail set at the east end of the garden below the words ‘Maxwell’s Hall’ on the map.’