The King of Bo'ness.

The above impressive monument in Bo’ness Cemetery commemorates

John Anderson, known in his day as the

‘King of Bo’ness’.

It was erected by his trustees and unveiled on Saturday 24^th December 1904

by Mr. William Thomson of Seamore.

The four family members are listed together on one face:

His sister Margaret on another:

John himself on another panel:

It is quite clearly stated that the family were buried in the Bo’ness Lower Churchyard

which unfortunately is not in a very good state of repair,

however, the Anderson Family’s stone was located.

Here are deposited the mortal remains of John Anderson, Teacher, Bo’ness

Who died 29^th January 1818 in the 55^th year of his age.

Also the mortal remains of Jean Paterson his spouse

Who died 20th January 1856 in the 88^th year of her age.

Our mother, active, cheerful and constantly occupied, sought pleasure nowhere

And found happiness and content everywhere.

Margaret Anderson, Cloth Merchant, eldest daughter of the above

Who died 16^th April 1862 in the 65^th year of her age, her body is here interred

Active in her habit, kindly in her disposition she was a sister highly to be prize

From experience a brother can well say so.

Also John Anderson, Merchant and Banker, Borrowstouness

Only son of the above John Anderson and Jean Paterson his spouse

Who died 14^th April 1870 in the 78^th year of his age.

The 1841 Census shows the family living at South Street, Bo’ness:

Jean Anderson, age 70, Cloth Merchant, born Bo’ness

John Anderson, age 45, Grocer, born Bo’ness

Margaret Anderson, age 40, Cloth Merchant, born Bo’ness

The 1851 Census shows the family still living at South Street, Bo’ness:

Jean Anderson, Head, age 82, House Proprietor, born Bo’ness

John Anderson, Son, age 56, Ship Owner, born Bo’ness

Margaret Anderson, Daughter, age 53, Post Mistress, born Bo’ness

Brother and Sister John and Margaret were still resident at South Street in 1861:

John Anderson, Head, age 66, General Merchant, born Bo’ness

Margaret Anderson, Sister, age 63, Cloth Merchant, born Bo’ness

According to his Death Certificate, John Anderson died at South Street

after suffering from Paralysis for 3 months.

The marriage of the parents and the births of John and Margaret are not found

on the IGI, (they may be on Scotland's People) but the fact that Margaret was listed as

‘eldest’ daughter on both the gravestone and the memorial indicated that perhaps

there had been another daughter. There was no sign of another family member on

any census, so by downloading John’s will, further details were found.

John Anderson and Jean Paterson did indeed have another daughter

born/baptised on the 2^nd October 1808 in Bo’ness who they named Agnes.

Agnes subsequently married Robert Whyte at Bo'ness on 30^th September 1840.

Presumably the couple moved to London directly after their marriage, living there for at least

the next thirty years as the following Census Returns show:

1841, Living at Bishopsgate Street Without, East London:

Robert Whyte, age 30, Hardwareman

Agnes Whyte, age 30

Ann Whyte, age 30

1851, Living at No. 22 Houndsditch, St. Botolph, East London:

Robert Whyte, Head, age 40, Hardwareman, born Scotland

Agnes Whyte, Wife, age 42, born Scotland

Annie Whyte, Sister, age 42, born Scotland

Jeanie Whyte, Daughter, age 7, born City of London

Agnes Whyte, Daughter, age 5, born City of London

Robert Whyte, Son, age 3, born City of London

1861, Living at 126 Lee Park, Christchurch, Kent

Robert Whyte, Head, age 50, Colonial Merchant, born Scotland

Agnes Whyte, Wife, age 52, born Scotland

Annie Whyte, Sister, age 52, born Scotland

Jeanie Whyte, Daughter, age 17, Scholar, born London, Middlesex

Agnes Whyte, Daughter, age 15, Scholar, born London, Middlesex

Robert Whyte, Son, age 13, Scholar, born London, Middlesex

Also living with them were a nephew and niece

James Sneddon, Nephew, age 8, Scholar, born Savannah, Georgia, United States

Annie Sneddon, Niece, age 6, Scholar, born Savannah, Georgia, United States

(No research has been carried out to confirm how these children were

related but they must have been from a sister of Robert Whyte)

Robert Whyte age 59 years, of 20 Lee Park, Blackheath,

late of 21 Duke Street, Aldgate, London, died 7^th December 1869

and was buried 14^th December 1869 at Norwood Cemetery,

Norwood Road, Lambeth, London.

1871, Living at 20 Lee Park, Christchurch, West Kent

Robert Whyte, Head, age 23, General Merchant, born London, Middlesex

Agnes Whyte, Mother, age 62, born Scotland

Annie Whyte, Aunt, age 62, born Scotland

Annie H. Sneddon, Cousin, age 16, Scholar, born Savannah, United States

Robert and Agnes Whyte’s second daughter Agnes married Thomas Ferguson

during the 1860’s, somewhere other than Scotland as there are no marriages

contained in Scotland’s People Index between 1855 - 1871.

In 1871, they are listed as living at Old Deer, Aberdeenshire as follows:

Thomas Ferguson, Head, age 42, Farmer of 287 Acres, born Old Deer, Aberdeen

Agnes Ferguson (nee Whyte), age 25, Wife, born London, England

Robert Ferguson, Son, age 2, born Old Deer, Aberdeen

William Ferguson, Son, age 8 months, born Old Deer, Aberdeen

Agnes’ mother is with the Ferguson Family in 1881

Living at  46 Don Street, Old Machar, Aberdeen

Thomas Ferguson, Head, age 52, Insurance & General Accountant, born Old Deer, Aberdeen

Agnes Ferguson (nee Whyte), age 35, Wife, born England

Robert Ferguson, Son, age 12, Scholar, born Aberdeen

William Ferguson, Son, age 10, Scholar, born Aberdeen

Agnes E. Ferguson, Daughter, age 8, Scholar, born Aberdeen

James Ferguson, Son, age 6, Scholar, born Aberdeen

Thomas Ferguson, Son, age 3, born Aberdeen

Agnes Whyte, Mother(-in-law), age 72, Annuitant, born Bo’ness, Linlithgowshire

Note that Thomas has changed occupations!

1891, still living at 46 Don Street, Old Machar, Aberdeen

Thomas Ferguson, Head, age 62, Accountant & Insurance Agent, born Old Deer, Aberdeen

Agnes Ferguson (nee Whyte), age 45, Wife, born England

Robert Ferguson, Son, age 22, Student of Medicine, born Aberdeen

Agnes Whyte, Mother-in-law, age 82, Annuitant, born Bo’ness, Linlithgowshire

Agnes Whyte (nee Anderson) widow of Robert Whyte

Died at 46 Don Street, Aberdeen on the 13^th of April 1892 aged 83 years

Her cause of death was attributed to Senile Changes,

Thomas Ferguson, her son-in-law was the informant.

She was the last member of the Anderson Family of Bo’ness.

Referring back to the Will of John Anderson, he stipulated “We direct that the
Monument or Grave Stones in the Parish Church Yard of Borrowstouness
that (…?) where are deposited the mortal remains of John Anderson, Teacher
and Jean Paterson his wife our father and mother and their children,
and that of James Paterson our Maternal Grandfather and Margaret Muir

his spouse and their children shall in all time coming be kept in good repair,
be painted yearly and the stones and inscription thereon when injured or
worn out be  (renewed?) and that the Grave Stone in the Easter Meeting House
burying ground of Borrowstouness erected in memory of Margaret Anderson
our Aunt shall be in like manner, attended to yearly and the Dyke and Door
of said Burying Place shall be kept in proper repair or repaired when necessary ….”
"And In reference to the grave stones of our relations shall also apply to the stone
at the south west corner of Borrowstouness Parish Churchyard that marks where are
deposited the remains of Henry Paterson, our mother’s Uncle …..”

The gravestones of his grandparents his aunt and uncle to which he refers to

have not been found.

Bo'ness Lower Churchyard

Amongst many other requests, his Trustees were instructed to:

Pay his sister Agnes £500 annually.

Pay his cousins James Paterson, Merchant in Bo’ness

and his sister Anne Paterson £16 annually.

Established a fund named The Anderson Bequest “for sincere intention and being that the

same shall give great Relief to parties residing in the town and Parish of Borrowstouness

from their Poor Rates and also to assist respectable young people with a small sum of

money on their setting out in the world”.

Also, Bo'ness Academy was established with the name Anderson Academy.

The school was opened as Bo'ness Anderson Academy Higher Grade Public School in 1893.

Previously it was an infant school. Classes up to 3rd year of secondary were taught.

John’s sister Margaret had also left a will in which she bequeaths her entire estate to her brother.

She left a total of two thousand, one hundred and thirty six pounds,

 Twelve shillings and eleven pence ha’penny, which in 2005, would have the

same spending worth of just over ninety two thousand pounds.

(Calculated by using the National Archives ‘Currency Converter’ (Old money to new)

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/currency/default0.asp#mid

Again by using the above ‘Currency Calculator’ the sum left by John Anderson was

Three thousand, eight hundred and seven pounds, eleven shillings and four pence

which would have the same spending worth of just over

one hundred and seventy four thousand pounds.

John Anderson was a Merchant, a Ship Owner (of three whaling ships),

the first chairman of Bo’ness Gas Company, and later in life

a Bank Agent for the Royal Bank of Scotland.

Hardly surprising that he was thought of as the

‘King of Bo’ness’!

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