The Life of William Skene 1841-1925 in Aberdeen, Scotland |
| Our great ancestor William Skene (1841-1925) (and my father's namesake) was born the son of Jane Leslie Skene (1800-1875),
(widow of Andrew Skene), and Thomas Masson. Jane Leslie and Andrew Skene had been married on 19 September 1824 in Fintray, Aberdeen.
They had 3 children together: Christian Strachan Skene; Alexander Abel Skene; and Agnes Aitken Skene. Andrew died in 1836 in Upper Logie,
Aberdeen. Sometime after his death, Jane moved to the Woodside, Old Machar area in Aberdeen. She met Thomas Masson there. He was a wollen or cloth weaver,
possibly at Grandholm Mills. Anyway, along came William in 1841. Jane and Thomas never married. And it seems that William assumed the Skene name
(though up to this point, we have yet to find a birth or Christening record for him).
From historical accounts, William seems to be a very interesting person. At the age of 12, he lost his one arm in an accident at Grandholm Mills and was guaranteed a job for life there. And the guarantee was good, for he retired twice from there. From his children's birth records, William was a wool sorter. William married twice: first to Margaret Skethway and second to Isabella Massie and had several children with each wife. In a letter written by his granddaughter, Mary Skene Day to Mary Skene Trumble, she tells about him in greater detail. "He married twice and had a large family... He had one arm and was fitted with a heavy iron arm. It was amputated without anesthetic when he was twelve. It was caught in the machine when he was working. He worked in the same factory until he was seventy. He played the cornet at dances in the evening. He was very well known...One early morning 1 am or so, he was held up by a robber who said, "Your life or your funds." He felled him with his iron arm. This is a true story, we never tired of learning. He was a read, and we saw much of him." Anne Wynne-Jones tells another story, as told to her by her late mother: "Mum's most vivid memory was of a hot summer's day when she was playing outside the cottage. her granny brought her and William a 'jammy piece' (a hunk of fresh bread and jam). Whilst they were both busy chewing on the delicious hunk a fly settled rather riskily on William's bread. It stuck in the jam and buzzed alarmingly. "Granda, there's a fly on yer piece" mum alerted William. Without batting an eyelash he said "Aye, you've got to eat so much muck in yer life, lassie" and promptly swallowed the bread, jam and still frantically buzzing fly!" Now for Thomas Masson--we have a possible lead. There is a Thomas Masson who married Anna Cruickshank on 28 August 1824 in Old Machar, Aberdeen. They had three children together: Christina Masson; Thomas Masson; and Jane Masson. Anna died in 1851 and Thomas died 1858. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
William Skene |
William Skene with his 2nd wife Isabella Massie | Old Machar |