Righto, next question! Robert TAIT and Elizabeth SHIELLS's son George was born 1839 when they were living at Leith: "Births and Baptisms May 1839 Tait May 2 Robert Tait, Foreman, Wightman's Land, Duke Street, Leith, and Elizabeth Shiells his spouse, had a lawful son named George born 21st April 1839 & Baptized 5th May 1839 by the Rev James Grant of South Leith. 1st ch." Would this mean that he was a Foreman who lived where his work was at Wightman's Land, or that he was a Foreman in his work elsewhere but lived at Wightman's Land? I can't find very much about Wightman's Land - does anyone know what sort of place it was? I checked the 1841 census for the address and it seems pretty substantial. There are two or three pages of occupants, all with varying occupations. Was it a farm or something? The name seems to indicate a property of some kind, but it sounds odd to have an address in a street if it was a farm. It's hard to tell whether it was somewhere that a lot of people lived (while working elsewhere), or whether it was a place where a lot of people lived *because* they worked there. Thank you, Loretta Melbourne, Aus.

Hi Loretta, Back then "Lands" did not only refer to countryside, but also to city Tenement Property Blocks comprising of several storeys of "flats"( apartments nowadays). These would usually be rented out and therefore would have multiple occupation, with very often large families living in only one or two rooms. The tenants would work elsewhere. The owner's name was often given to the buildings as in "Wightman's" land. Hope that this helps. Regards Margaret(frae bonnie Scotland)

Snip Subject: [MIDLOTHIAN] Robert TAIT of Wightman's Land, Duke Street, Leith > Righto, next question! > > May 2 > Robert Tait, Foreman, Wightman's Land, Duke Street, Leith, and Elizabeth > Shiells his spouse, had a lawful son named George born 21st April 1839 & > Baptized 5th May 1839 by the Rev James Grant of South Leith. > 1st ch." Good morning Loretta, Apologies for coming into the "conversation" late just read your query. Have just finished checking the same question for a friend whose family lived in ""Wightman's Land" in 1890's. This was my answer "WILLIAM WIGHTMAN Burgess of the City of Edinburgh. Master Wright . Wightman, or his family, owned a tenement block in DUKE STREET , Leith , in the 19th C. Was known locally as "Wightman's Land" At this stage cannot identify which No. Will be in NAS later this week and will check the Sasines for the details In earlier times "Lands" did not only refer to fields , but also to tenement blocks built with several storeys of "flats" These would usually be rented out with very often families living in only one or two rooms. The owner's name was often given to the buildings as in "Wightman's" land. Duke Street was named in 1818 after Charles , Earl of Dalkeith. the 4th Duke of Buccleuch." Trust this is of some help and interest. Regards John John D. Stevenson Edinburgh Scotland