Charlecote Park Franks Forage No 12.    The Ramsay Connection   In the family name of Ramsay Cameron Fairfax-Lucy, have you ever wondered where the name Ramsay fits in? What are its origins? The following may answer some if not all of the questions. In August 1711, John Ramsay married Jean Don in Dundee. Two of their 11 children, Lelias (b1721) and Robert (b1722, eventually Robert Ramsay of Camno ad Arthurstown) are relevant to this research. Lelias married George Williamson (b1712) c1750 and they had five sons; the fourth, Thomas, who married his cousin Elizabeth, was born in January 1756. Left is David Martin’s portrait of Robert who married Jean Montgomerie in November 1749. (Jean was descended from the 1st Earl of Eglinton and is the root of the use of Montgomerie in the family name.) Of the two sons, I can find nothing of the elder, John (b1752). The younger, Robert (b1760) inherited the estates and later became Robert Ramsay of Maxton. Of the five daughters, Jean (b1751) and Isobel (b1763) died unmarried. Margaret (b1754),  Katherine (b 1756) and Elizabeth (b1753) all married; Elizabeth marrying her cousin, Thomas Williamson on 7th June 1785 at South Leith Church. Three weeks later on 28th June, Robert junior married Archibald Montgomerie Hagart in the same church. (See forage number 4, Two Archibald Montgomeries.) Robert and Archibald had no children and the Maxton estate was inherited by Thomas Williamson through his wife (Robert’s sister) as directed in Robert’s will. Thomas assumed the name Ramsay thereby the family name became Williamson-Ramsay. Thomas and Elizabeth had seven children; three sons and four daughters. The second son, also Thomas (b 1798) joined the East India Co. Civil Service and served in Bombay (See forage No. 10, The Silver Centrepiece). He never married and died in London in August 1871. The eldest son, George also never married and the youngest, Robert married Julia Head. Of the four daughters, Jane and Elizabeth both died unmarried. The second daughter, Katherine, married twice and the third daughter, Archibald Montgomerie, married Sir Henry Fairfax, 1st. Bt. On the death of Elizabeth in 1876, the Maxton estate passed to Sir Henry Fairfax who assumed the additional name of Ramsay. I trust that this all makes sense!  Robert Ramsay of Camno and Arthurstown was born and married in Dundee where his children were born. Those of his children that married did so in Edinburgh or Leith. What is unknown to me is when they moved from Dundee and when Robert assumed the title ‘of Camno and Arthurstown’. Camno is an estate about 15 miles north-west of Dundee which may have been sold when his son Robert bought Maxton in 1810. This is conjecture. The Ramsay’s and Williamson were wine merchants operating in partnership in Leith. There is still a bit more foraging to do on this; let me know if you can shed light!                                                                                                           Frank Storr Some of the information is based on family tree details from Chris Purvis and Ted Veitch to whom I extend thanks. Frank would welcome comments and any additional information you may have on ‘Frank’s Forages’. Contact him by email on n.splurge@btinternet.com You can also leave comments in the Tuesday Day Leader’s pigeon hole.