Mary (May, Molly, Mally) HOPKIRK

Mary was born 17 April 1799 and baptised 4 August 1799, the youngest daughter and eleventh child of James HOPKIRK and Anne WRIGHT.

Mary never married. By the time she was 26 years old all her older siblings, except brother Robert(2 years younger), were off on their own.
Mary and brother Robert shared the family home located next to the Melrose Freemasonry.Lodge on High Street for their whole lives.
After their mother Anne Wright Hopkirk died on 19 March 1833 at age 72, it was just father James and children Robert and Mary in the home on Main Street(renamed High Street prior to 1851)
The 1841 census was taken days before James died in June of 1841, living siblings Mary and Robert on the home on High Street. After Robert passed away in 1863, Mary spent the her last 26 years alone in the home on High Street, and all her siblings children had long since departed the Melrose/Gattonside area.
From the 1841 census we find May Hopkirk, age 40, living on Main Street in Melrose,  with her father James, age 85, a shoemaker and borther Robert, age 40, a shoemaker.
From the 1851 census we find Mary, age 51, a housekeeper, living on High Street in Melrose with her 53 year old boot and shoemaker brother Robert, employing 4 workers. Also living in the residence is their 22 year old nephew William who is learning his craft as a "Boot Closer" and probably one of the 4 employees. William is listed as born in Edinburgh and is probably the son of their brother Walter.Hopkirk.
In the 1861 census it is just the two unmarried siblings Robert, age 64 a Bootmaker, and Mary, age 62 a housekeeper. The home is listed as having 5 rooms.
From the 1881 census Mary is living on her own and her occupation is listed as "Rent From Houses & Bank Interest"

Mary passed away on 4 November 1889 at age 90.

The following is information from Mary's will which was processed during the months of November 1889 through January 1890.
The will was created 1 April 1863, so the executors should all be living at that time.

Pages 1 and 2 of the will (Start of the inventory of the Nary Hopkirk Estate.)
Pages 3 and 4 (Start of cash in bank, and list of tenants: William Hart, Watchmaker and Miss Waugh, Confectioner)
Pages 5 and 6
Pages 7 and 8 (Names 4 executors of her Estate: brother James Hopkirk(b 1784) of Jedburgh, Alexander Monard, shoemaker of London and son of her deceased sister Margaret,  Allan Freer, and Thomas JOhn Dunn, both "Writers" in Melrose.  By the time of Mary's death, only Alexander Monard was still living.
Pages 9 and 10 (states location of her home on High Street as being bordered by the Mason Lodge of Melrose and the yard formerly belonging to David Spence on the East, property formerly belonging to David Spence on the North, the property formerly of William Davidson and thereafter of James Walker on the West, and the High Street and property of William Davidson now of Mrs. Jane Dunn and John Freer on the South.
Pages 11 and 12 (Her father's will was dated 21 January 1836 and recorded after his death(June 1841) on 6 August 1842. As mentioned in Isabella Home Hopkirk's letter of June 30, 1841, it wasn't until after James(1756-1841) death did they know there was another will created after their mother Anne Wright Hopkirk's death in 1833. Also, the proceeds of her estate are to be divided into 5 equal shares: 1/5 to brother William's(1781-1857) children, 1/5 to brother James(1784-18??) children, 1/5 to brother David's children, 1/5 to brother Walter's children, and......
Pages 13 and 14 and the remaining 1/5 share going to sister Margaret's son Andrew Monard, shoemaker of London.
Pages 15 and 16 signed by Mary Hopkirk and witnesses Angus Sutherland and Wm. Aitchison
Pages 17 and 18
Pages 19 and 20 confirmation of Andrew Monard, Shoemaker, as Executor, residing at 19 Portland Street, Soho, London
Pages 21 and 22
Pages 23 and 24 finalized on 2 December 1889 by Wm. Elliot, Sheriff Clerk.


Home

This page was last updated on 3 May 2017