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

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