The Chalmers Family (continued)

by John Dall Chalmers 1987

David Chalmers

This was my great-great grandfather about whom the following details are known:

• he was born in Lochgelly in July 1795 to FRANCIS CHALMERS (a tailor) and JANET RAMSEY.
• he was apprenticed in 1805 to John Hay, slater of Milnathort (see indenture(1))
• in January 1812 (only 6 months short of the 7 years indenture) he was released from the Indenture "in consideration for a certain sum of money."
• from the Family Bible(3)he married MARGARET AYTON McGREGOR and they had 11 children.
• in 1826 he established the firm "D.CHALMERS & Sons" in Kinross.
• he lived in Kinross (owner and occupier) in the house in Brewery Lane and died on 22-Dec-1876. (See Recording of Will (4))
• in February 1840 he bought 4 burial lairs (No. 564-567) in the churchyard of the West Church, Kinross to bury his daughter JANET and presumably he and his wife are also buried there.

Since his name appears at the end of the verse on the inscription of his daughter JANET's headstone, I assume he composed the verse and must therefore have had an artistict bent.

The question arises "Why did he leave John Hay for a certain sum of money when he had only a few months of the Indenture to go?" At this time he was 16-1/2 years old.

Since the first three children were baptised in Orwell parish (1821-1825) presumably he married (1820- ), lived (and worked?) in Milnathort possibly with his brother FRANCIS CHALMERS who lived and ran a slaters business in Back Loan, Milnathort. (From Valuation Roll, 1872-73 ((5)).

His fourth child HENRY was born 24-Mar-1827 and was baptised in Kinross Parish Churh and presumably the family had moved to Kinross by this time. This bears out the fact above that he started the family firm in Kinross in 1826 - which is further confirmed by the heading of a Time Sheet which was still used in my fathers time.

I seem to remember my father saying that this DAVID CHALMERS had built the house in Brewery Lane - certainly he was owner occupier according to the 1872-73 Valuation Roll (((6)).

The date of his death was ascertained from the Register of Wills for the year 1876 and on checking in the copy of the "Kinross-shire Advertiser" covering the date 22-Dec-1876 the announcement therein confirmed this. Despite further investigation no further details were obtained from this source.

I am grateful to the staff of Perth and Kinross District Council in the Sandeman Library in Perth for their help in the above and in the County Buildings, Kinross for the information regarding the purchase of the lairs in the churchyard.

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1. Held by David E.V.Chalmers (See Appendix 1)

3. Held by David E.V.Chalmers (See Appendix 3)

4. Note by John Dall Chalmers (See Appendix 4)

5. Note by John Dall Chalmers (See Appendix 5)

6. Note by John Dall Chalmers (See Appendix 6)