Hi Graham, Yes, the Chopin visit is an interesting episode in the history of the castle! A bit sad though, because he was or became ill during his stay... As for delays in selling property, perhaps it appreciated in value during that interval? Have written to the Johnstone Learning Centre to find about obtaining a couple of works of local history. Hope to hear something soon. Carolyn On 4-Apr-10, at 7:41 AM, grfm@optusnet.com.au wrote: > Hi Carolyn, > My conection with the Houston family is a very minor one. My g/ > grandfather > sold his property, "Iverton" to George Ludovic Houston in 1872 for > 120pounds - 20 years after he came to Australia. I have no idea as > to the > delay in selling! > Frederick Chopin stayed at Johnstone Castle in September 1848 - he > was the > guest of the 5th Laird of Johnstone Castle, and there was at least > one more > Laird after that. Chopin had tutored the 5th Laird's wife in piano > in > Paris. During his stay at Johnstone he gave a concert in Glasgow on > September 27th. The George listed in the 1891 Census, and born about > 1847 > would probably be the son of the Laird who hosted Chopin and the > one to > whom my g/grandfather sold his property. > After WW2 most of the land around the castle was acquired for > housing so > that today only the Keep remains. > Cheers, > Graham (Melbourne, Australia) > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Carolyn Perkes" <cperkes@videotron.ca> > To: <SCT-RENFREW@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Saturday, April 03, 2010 7:11 AM > Subject: Re: [SCT-RENFREW] HOUSTON > > >> Greetings, >> >> This is my first post to the Renfrew list. >> >> I too am interested in the Houston family who lived in Johnstone >> Castle because I have an ancestor, Jessie Polson whose marriage >> record >> of 1873 in Glasgow states she was working as a domestic at Johnstone >> Castle. After reading a little about the Houstons and Johnstone >> castle >> on a few sites, including the one below, I see that my ancestor must >> have been working for the last laird, George Ludovic Houston, and his >> family. >> >> I'd very much like to learn more about the Houstons, their >> involvement >> in the cotton industry and coal mining, the castle itself, the >> working >> conditions of their servants, etc. >> >> http://www.johnstonecastle.org/documents/Johnstone%20Castle%20Brochure.pdf >> >> Regards, >> >> Carolyn (Montreal Quebec) >> >> *************************************************************** >> http://wikimapia.org/2030685/LocheedTower >> >> There were probably several with this name >> >> Cheers!!! >> >> Don Muirhead >> Port Dover, ON CA >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: sct-renfrew-bounces@rootsweb.com >> [mailto:sct-renfrew-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Brian Keanie >> Sent: Wednesday, December 30, 2009 4:18 PM >> To: sct-renfrew@rootsweb.com >> Subject: [SCT-RENFREW] HOUSTON >> >> The 1891 census shows George Ludovic Houston as being 44 years of age >> living >> in Johnstone Castle making him born about 1847. >> >> Wilkipedia meantime states that George Ludovic Houston as the Laird >> of >> Johnstone donated land for the two squares in 1782 which suggest that >> there >> were two George Ludovic Houstons. >> >> Could someone please shed whatever light might be available on this/ >> these >> gents. Thanks >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> SCT-RENFREW-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' >> without the >> quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to SCT-RENFREW-request@rootsweb.com > with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and > the body of the message Carolyn Perkes, PhD French > English translation Education, Environment, Public and Professional Affairs, Communications, Children's Literature