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Thomas Stevenson Tweedie (1784 - 1855) of Quarter, Rachan and India

 Thomas Stevenson Tweedie (TH.1807) Laird of Quarter. Physician General in the East India Company. Proprietor of Indigo manufacturing concern in Bengal. Born 1784 at Glenholm, Peeblesshire, the eldest son of Alexander Tweedie and Anne Carmichael (AA.1782). Trained in Edinburgh as a surgeon and went to India in 1805/6 with East India Company. Had seven children by Harriet Matthews who was believed to be of mixed race and the daughter of Colonel Arnold Nesbit Matthews. No record of a marriage to her has been found and she is believed to have died around 1824. It is believed that the Indigo estates and therefore the families wealth were from her side of the family. Thomas returned to the UK in 1826/7 and married Benjamina Mackay the daughter of Charles Mackay in 1828. He had a further six children by her. He returned to India for further periods of service. Benjamina died 1890 in Peeblesshire. He died 1855 at Quarter, Peebles. In his will he disowned his first family and left all his extensive possesions and estates to his second family but with the collapse of the Indigo trade the families wealth was dispersed by 1895. His issue (a total of thirteen children) were -
  1. Alexander Tweedie (Ax.1828) Assistant Surgeon with the East India Company. Born 1908 at Sylhet, India. Sent to UK in 1920 and trained at Guy's hospital. Commended for his work in Cholera outbreak in London. Died in Benares in 1841 from a shooting accident shortly after his arrival in India. He did not marry.
  2. Thomas Tweedie (TL.1838) Deputy Magistrate in Bengal, India. Born 1812 at Sylhet, India. Sent to the UK in 1820 and returned to India in about 1827 to work in the Indigo business for his father. Left to become Deputy Magistrate around 1843 and died 1878 at Calcutta aged 67. He married (firstly) Lydia Wallis in 1838 and she died 1857. He married (secondly) Emmeline Eliza Jane Tiery in the same year in Calcutta and she died . .. He had issue -
    1. Lydia Mary Tweedie () Born 1839 and baptised at Calcutta.
    2. Lucy Maria Tweedie (xL.1864) Born 1844 and died 1870 in India aged 26 years.
    3. Frances Sophia Tweedie () Born 1845 in India.
    4. Thomas Wallis Tweedie (TE.1878) Indian Civil Service (Manager, Govn Court of Wards). Born 1848 at Duckin Ilhezapore, India and died in India 1917. Married Edith Lane the daughter of William Lane at Hazaribagh, India in 1878. They had issue;
      1. Thomas William Leonard Tweedie () Born 1879 at Barharwa, India.
      2. Charles Hungerford Lane Tweedie (CV.1927) Mining Engineer. Born 1880 at Hazarabagh, India. He married Violet Margaret Thompson at Middleton Row, Calcutta, India in 1927. He died at Calcutta aged 55 years in 1935.
      3. Charlotte Margaret Dicey Tweedie () Born 1850 and baptised at Calcutta.
      4. Mary Llewelyn Tweedie () Born 1858 and baptised at Calcutta.
      5. Emmeline Elsie Tweedie (xE.1882) Sometimes Elsie Emmeline. Born 1858 and baptised at Calcutta. Died 1882 at Chowringhee, Calcutta, India.
      6. Henrietta Sarah Jane Tweedie () Born 1860 and baptised at Calcutta.
      7. Madelaine Alexandra Tweedie () Born 1862 and baptised at Calcutta.
      8. Maurice Howe Tweedie (Mx.1885) Born 1865 at Dinagapore, India. Believed to be in living in Christchurch, New Zealand in 1915.
  3. Harriet Tweedie (xH.1835) Born 1815 at Sylhet, India and came to UK in 1826/7. Living at Quarter, Peebles in the house with grand-mother in 1841. Married 1842 to Dr. Veitch Sinclair and had seven sons and one daughter.
  4. Maurice Tweedie (Mx.1837) Born 1817 at Sylhet, India and came to UK in 1826/7. Believed to have returned to India and died of Cholera, unmarried.
  5. Anne Tweedie (xA.1839) Born 1819 at Hoshingabad, India and came to UK in 1826/7. Married Henry Oatts who was manager of the Porehatty indigo estates. Had several children and settled in Melbourne, Australia.
  6. John Tweedie (JR.1863) Paymaster in Chief in Royal Navy. Born 1822 at Kurnool, India. Came to UK in 1826/7. Educated in Edinburgh and joined RN in 1839. Married Robina Bell Duff Galloway at St. Martin in the Fields in 1863. She died at Southend in 1896. He died at Carlops, Peebles in 1907 aged 85 years. They had issue -
    1. Harriet Minnie Tweedie () Born 1865 at Greenock and died an infant.
    2. Veitch Sinclair Tweedie () Born 1867 at Edinburgh and died an infant.
    3. Arthur John Tweedie (AK.1887) Managing Director of Port Said and Suez Coal Company. Born 1864 at Greenock. Married (firstly) Kate Marion Besly at Suez, Egypt in 1887. Lived at Braunton, Devon. She died 1939. Married (secondly) Constance Harris in 1940. He died 1972 and had issue -
      1. Douglas Royle Tweedie (DE.1920) Born 1888 at Hertford. Married Ethelwyn Majorie Chanter at Braunton in 1920.
        1. Paul Peregrine Tweedie () Born 1921 at Alexandria, Egypt.
        2. Stephanie Clara Tweedie () Born 1924 at Braunton, Devon. Married Rhoderick Macleod. Living at Harelawslack, Dumfries in 1996.
      2. Doris Tweedie (LD.1922) Born 1891.Married Lucius French-Blake in 1922.
      3. John Norman Tweedie (JM.1924) Born 1898 and married Molly Keogh around 1924. He died 1984. They had issue -
        1. Diedre Tweedie () Born about 1926.
        2. Caroline Tweedie () Born about 1928.
        3. Constance Mary Tweedie () Born 1903 at Port Said.
  7. Mary Tweedie (xM.1845) Born 1825. Remained in India with her mother (persumed to be Harriet Matthews) when remainder of family left for the UK in 1826/7. (NB. Harriet Matthews may have been deceased by this date)
  8. James Tweedie (JJ.1858) Gentleman in Indigo business. Born 1831 at. . . . Married (firstly) Jane Aitkin White daughter of John at Kirkurd, Peebles. John White owned Netherurd and Drumelzier. She is reputed to have left James on their wedding night and never returned. She was buried in the Tweedie vault at Drumelzier in 1923 aged 89 years under her maiden name. Date of divorce unknown. He married (secondly) Emma Charlotte Cunliffe daughter of David Cunliffe of the Bengal Civil Service at Berrampore, India in 1863. She died 1910. James died 19... . James was effectively bankrupt in 1895 with the collapse of the Indigo trade and forced to sell the estates of Rachan and Quarter. They had issue;
    1. Thomas Cunliffe Tweedie (TE.1893) General Manager in Indigo concerns. Born 1864 at Glenholm, Peebles. Married (firstly) Emily Jackson M. Muspratt-Williams in 1893. He divorced and then married (secondly) Gertrude Eleanor Bateman at Calcutta in 1925. He died 1937 and had issue -
      1. Douglas Oswald Tweedie (DB.1927) Second Lieutenant in Black Watch. Planter. Born 1895 at Hazrapore, India. Fought and was injured in Battle of the Somme and later convicted of minor fraud (calimed to be as a result of the injury) in London in 1918. Married Bessie Rachel Hawes at Madras Cathedral in 1927. He has issue;
        1. David Tweedie () Living at Rachan House, Selwyn Gardens, Cambridge.
        2. Rosemary Tweedie () Married Neville Lee and living at Billingshurst, West Sussex.
    2. Amy Charlotte Tweedie () Born 1865 at Glenholm, Peebles.
    3. Herbert James Tweedie () Born 1867 at Glenholm, Peebles and died as an infant.
    4. Percy Charles Tweedie (Px.1888) Born 1868 at Glenholm, Peebles. Died 1938 at Hawkhurst, Kent aged 69 years.
    5. Laurence William Tweedie (Lx.1890) Born 1870 at Glenholm, Peebles. Drowned at Negrete, Buenos Aires in 1900.
    6. Francis James Tweedie (FG.1919) Planter. Manager of Dilli, Assam Tea Syndicate in 1917. Born 1872 at Glenholm, Peebles. Married Gertrude Agnes Scott at Hazaribagh, India in 1919.
    7. Gerald Scott Tweedie (Gx.1894) Major in Royal Scots in 1912. Born 1874 at Peebleshire.
  9. Benjamina Tweedie (JB.1862) Born 1833 and married John Swift (later JP for County West Meeth) in 1862. Had issue Mary Elizabeth and John L'estrange.
  10. Charles Tweedie (CA.1865) Indigo and Tea planter. Director of Jaipur Tea company. Born 1835 and married Ada Frances Cunliffe the eldest daughter of David at Marylebone in 1865. He died 1928 aged 93 years. They had issue -
    1. Mina Frances Tweedie (xM.1886) Born 1866.
    2. James Walter Tweedie (JA.1898) Indigo Planter and later Manager of Jaipur Tea Company. Born 1869 at Porechattie, Japore, India. Married Alice Bertha Cummings the daughter of R. T. Cummings. They had issue;
      1. Mabel Eileen Tweedie () Born 1899.
      2. Charles Maxwell Tweedie (CV.1934) Tea Planter. Manager of Assam Tea Company, India in 1940. Born 1900 at Dibrugah, India. Married Veronica Cara Westmacott at Calcutta in 1934.
      3. Norah Gertrude Tweedie () Born 1902.
    3. Ada Mabel Tweedie (WA.1902) Born 1871 and married William Starbuck Griffith of Milford Haven in 1902.
    4. Mary Dorothea Tweedie (MM.1902) Born 1880 and married Morton Barnet MD of Crieff in 1902.
  11. William Thomas Tweedie (WM.1864) Born 1838 and married Mary Cope the daughter of Francis Cope. Married (secondly) Alice Lyle around 1886. He died at Marylebone in 1912 aged 74 years and left issue -
    1. Claude Francis Tweedie (CN.1886) Born 1865 and married Nellie Louise Jewett in 1886. He died in 1898 and his will proved in 1908 'of Hayward, California'. He had issue -
      1. Marion May Tweedie () Born 1889.
      2. Herbert William Tweedie () Born 1890.
      3. Nina Viola Tweedie () Born 1892.
      4. Walter Ervin Tweedie () Born 1896.
    2. Lilian Tweedie (xL.1884) Born 1866 and died 1884 aged 18 years at Dover, without issue.
    3. Marion Elizabeth Hammond Tweedie.(xM.1884) Born 1867 and died 1882 aged 15 years at Kensington, without issue.
    4. Mina Tweedie (xM.1882) Born 1868 and died 1884 aged 16 years at Dover, without issue.
    5. Herbert William Tweedie (Hx.1888) Born 1870 and died 1888 (in Tasmania, Australia?).
    6. Charles Cope Tweedie () Born 1871 and died as an infant.
    7. Katherine Mary Tweedie () Born 1873.
    8. Evelyn Ada Tweedie () Born 1877.
    9. Francis Douglas Tweedie (Fx.1898) Born 1878. 2nd Brabant's Horse, killed in action at Steynsberg, South Africa in 1901 aged 23 years.
    10. Eva Katherine Tweedie () Born 1887.
    11. Charles William Tweedie () Born 1889.
    12. Lilian Mary Tweedie () Born 1893.
    13. Herbert Maurice Tweedie () Born 1896.
  12. Annie Elizabeth Tweedie (CA.1868) Born 1847 and married (firstly) Charles Ringwood of Bengal in 1868 and had issue. Married (secondly) John Crumpe and had issue.
  13. Mary Hay Tweedie (DM.1879) Born 1854 and married Douglas William Giffard MD in 1879 and has issue -
    1. Douglas Henry Rendell Giffard ()
    2. Colin Hay Giffard ()
    3. Gordon Carmichael Giffard ().

I am indebted to Rhoddy Macleod of Harelawslack for the extensive research undertaken on this family. His wife Stephanie is descended from the first family of Thomas Stevenson Tweedie.



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The numbers in parenthesis '()' shown after each name refers to the information held in the Tweedie database. There may be additional information or the source of the information held in the database for those names.



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