In the 1851 census living at
One House Buildings, Cramond, Midlothian is the entry for William Henderson,
aged 30 living with his parents, John, 58 and his wife Alison, 56. Also at
that address on census night were his sisters Margaret, aged 28, Eliza, 22
and Sarah who was 17. I read with sadness that William was stated as being
of weak intellect.
I next found William in a book of memorial inscriptions for Cramond Church
Cemetery. His headstone reads 'Erected by the Parishioners of Cramond and
other friends in memory of "Cramond Willie" {William Henderson} who was for
many years a faithful messenger between Cramond and Edinburgh. In character
and conduct he was an honest and upright man. Born 4 March 1821 and died 21
Nov 1879'
Sarah, who married Peter Conly was William's sister and my grgrgrandmother
and her daughter Elizabeth came to NZ in 1892 with her husband John Wallett.
My family never made the history books or were famous but I am proud that I
can add William to my family tree and that "Cramond Willie" is part of my
family history.
Noeleen
Sutton |