Parents of John Keay, Perth

Under Construction

In a previous post we saw details on John Keay's death certificate (1905) in which his parents are named as James Keay (Manufacturer) and Margaret Keay, nee Caw.


In this post I'm beginning to set out information about James & Margaret Keay who lived in Perth.

James Keay was born in Perth on Boxing Day, 1823 and was baptised in Perth on the 4th January 1824. He was recorded as a KAY.

In 1841, James Keay would be found as a single man somewhere...aged around 16? In the records held by Scotlands People, I found a youth named James Keay (15) living with a farming family in Forteviot, (SW of Perth).
He may also be the 15-year-old lad James KAY living with (perhaps his Granny?) Katherine Taggart (70) on the East side of Pomarium, Perth.

I also found the parents John & Margaret Keay (in 1841) living on the East side of Leonard St., Perth. John (45) was a weaver, as was his son William (15). Also in the household were his wife Margaret & 3 daughters. This could be James' parents? {NB all ages are rounded up in 1841.}

Valentine Sweethearts?
In the Old Parish Registers for the East parish of Perth (a snippet above for you), we can see that James Keay & Margaret Caw contracted to get married on February 14th, 1846. They married on the 5th of March, 1846 (by the Minister of the second relief church of Perth - Presbyterians).
Their entry tells us that James was a weaver, and that Margaret's father was William Caw (a Fisher of Perth), and her elder {relative?} was Thomas Dow.
The couple would have been aged ~22 and ~19. Their first child, Ann was born around 1847.

In the 1851 Census, James & Margaret Keay are seen in Perth living at Leonard St., Parish of West Church.
Head of household, James Keay, a Weaver, aged 27
Wife, Margaret Keay, a Winder, aged 24
And their children, all born in Perth -
Ann, aged 4
John, aged 2 - {our John, born ~1848}
David, 3 months old.
(So James, then was born in 1824. Margaret was born at Scone in 1826 as Margaret Todd CAW. The majority of the households in the area were set up in this way - men of the house were Weavers, women were winders, e.g. Weft Winders.)

In the 1861 census, I find the family at 7 9 {sic - so perhaps 7-9, rather than 79, it's not a big street} Cross St, Perth.
James is a 37-year-old Hand Loom Weaver. There are 6 children in the house, and the two oldest were already Cotton Hand Loom Weavers - Ann (14, ), John (12), David (10), William (8), James (3) and Robert (1).

Frustrated that I can't find entry for the family in the census of 1871.

In the 1881 census, the family are seen at 64 Pomarium, Perth (West Church Parish).

James Keay (57) - born Perth; Silk, Cotton & Woolen Manufacturer- Employing 25 Weavers
Margaret Keay 54 - wife, born Perth
James Keay 23 - son, born Perth, Master Dyer
Charles Keay 19 - son, Dyer
Margaret Keay 16 - Dyer's Finisher
Isabella Keay 12 - scholar
Maggie Smith 11 - granddaughter {child of Ann's??}
{not yet got the details on where their older children are living, except for our John Keay.}

In 1891, James Keay (Cloth Manufacturer, 67) and Margaret (64) were living at 47 Kinnoul Causeway, Perth with son James (Warehouseman, 34) and Daughter Claud (Mantle Maker {lace?}, 22?)

We know that James Keay was a partner of the manufacturing firm Bell and Keay in Perth.
James died in 1898, whilst Margaret died in 1902.

James' work as a Manufacturer
Link here to see the 1837 Pigot's Trade Directory for Perth.
It lists many Merchants, Dyers, etc. Rather too early to see Bell & Keay of Leonard St., although a Mr Adam Bell is listed by himself as a Cloth Merchant at 230 High St.

It does list the jewellers Robert & Robert KEAY of 29 George St., Perth.
Also David KEAY, the innkeeper of The Seaman's Tavern, South St., Perth;

Chris Paton has done a deal of research on Weavers in Perthshire, and has listed (here) the names of Weavers from an 1837 Directory .
The only Keay listed under Weavers is William Keay of Dovecotland.
The only Bell listed is the Adam Bell (see above).

Historic Scotland have a copy of the accounts of a Perthshire Mill (Stanley Mills, North of Perth, on the Tay) from 1876 - it has some interesting details about the wages etc. See their page on the heritage site here - it has quite a lot of details. Interesting to see one of the buildings is named Bell Mill.

We know from the will of James Keay, that he had retired or ended his connection with "Bell & Keay" before his death in 1898. Perhaps the business had 'folded' {sorry!}.

He passed on control of his estate to three men; James Keay his son; John Crerar, draper, of 10 Leonard St.; and Andrew Johnman, draper.

{His son James Keay was described as a Master Dyer in 1881 on the census, and a Manufacturer in this 1898 will.}
The will allowed his wife Margaret (Caw) Keay a sum of 30 shillings a week. The remainder of the estate, after the death of his wife was to pass equally to all his children (listed). It is useful here to find that his daughter Margaret (Keay) Allen had already died by the year 1898 (so her share went to her children).
The duty on James' estate was £87, 2s, 1d. There are also exact details of his savings and a valuation of his share of Bell & Keay (which was still owed to him). Total estate was thought to be almost £3000.

We learn that Bell & Keay was located at Leonard St., and that he lived at 47 Kinnoul Causeway at the time of his death.


Articles in the Edinburgh Gazette may help us add some flesh to the bones here.

• Was this the partner, Bell?

In 1872, we see the bankruptcy of the business of John Bell, a leather merchant in Perth (David Keay was one of the solicitors involved!). 

• About Bell & Keay:

A brief mention in this notice from 1870 about James Keay being part of the bankruptcy proceedings for a Dundee draper Melrose.  Tells us that James is just one of the partners of Bell & Keay.
This notice from Feb 1897 tells us that the business passed from James Keay Snr to James Keay Jr.  It also tells us that the business also had premises in Glasgow, and that James Snr was then the only partner in Bell & Keay. Presumably Bell had died? James Keay Snr died in 1898.

Post Office Directory
Bell & Keay as a Manufacturing company were listed in the Post Office Directory (view a selection here at www.nls.uk) and they are found at 87 Leonard St., Perth in the year 1900, and the note "h. Friar Street" was added after the entry - h for 'home'??
In the listing for the Manufacturers, we find there are 5 such companies for Perth.  The word Wincey is added after Bell & Keay entry.

• The earliest directory listed was 1837: no entry for Bell & Keay.
• In the 1858-9 directory - no entry for Bell & Keay.
• In the 1862-3 and 1865 entries, Bell & Keay are listed at 83 Leonard St, Perth as manufacturers. William Bell (of Bell & Keay) was also listed at 118 Canal St, whilst James Keay (of Bell & Keay) was listed at 9 Cross St.

• In the 1866-7 entry, Bell & Keay are listed at 83 Leonard St, Perth as manufacturers. William Bell (of Bell & Keay) was also listed at 118 Canal St, whilst James Keay (of Bell & Keay) was listed at 31 Cross St.

• In the 1872, the 1874, and the 1878 entries, Bell & Keay are listed at 87 Leonard St, Perth as manufacturers. William Bell (of Bell & Keay) was also listed at 118 Canal St, whilst James Keay (of Bell & Keay) was listed at 64 Pomarium.

• In the 1885 entry, Bell & Keay are listed at 87 Leonard St, Perth as manufacturers. James Keay (of Bell & Keay) was also listed at 52, Leonard St.

• In the 1895-96 entry, Bell & Keay are listed at 87 Leonard St, Perth as Wincey manufacturers, and h. 47, Kinnoull Causeway.
• 1903 - John Keay  as a dyer at 13 Union Lane, and Mrs John Keay as Laundress at 31 Cross St. (also in 1905-6).
• 1906-  Bell & Keay are listed at 97 Leonard St, Perth as Manufacturers (wincey).

• In the last entry (1911-12), Bell & Keay are listed at 97 Leonard St, Perth as Woolen Warehousemen, and h. Albany Pl., Craigie. {This address doesn't ring a bell, yet - perhaps it will bear fruit in April 2011 when the Scottish Census for 1911 becomes available!}

The children of James and Margaret Keay
Ann (born 1846)
John (our John) - (1848), married Mary Innes. Worked as a Dyer.
David (1850)
William (1853) married Agnes, had a large family. Worked as a painter.
James (One boy James born in 1855; died as an infant. One born in 1857.)
Robert (died as an infant)
Charles Caw Keay (1862) married Ann Thompson from Aberdeen. Worked as a Dyer.
Margaret (1865) - died by 1898.
Isabella (1869) - lived in 61 King’s Park Rd, Cathcart, in 1927.
perhaps more...?

More on John & Mary...
See this post about James' oldest son, and then more about his children.

More on William & Agnes...
The lovely people at War Graves Photographic Project have a record of the following member of the Keay family in Perth, who died 1915 of a sickness contracted whilst fighting in France during WW I. He was Sgt William Keay, son of William & Agnes Keay, husband of Anne (click here to see his entry). Also more on the post about WWI military records.

More on Charles & Ann...
See this post on them & their son James.


More?
Find out more about the next generations - parents of James Keay and Margaret (Caw) Keay ...later!