McDiarmid census data

1851 : Data for Claggan in the parish of Kenmore

Robert MacDiarmid, Head of Household, aged 37, Sheep Farmer (6 acres), born Kenmore, Perthshire.
Margaret MacDiarmid, Wife, aged 27, Farmer's Wife, born Kenmore, Perthshire.
John MacDiarmid, Son, aged 1, born Kenmore, Perthshire.
Peter Robertson, Servant, aged 26, unmarried, Farm servant, born Dull, Perthshire.
Isabel McEwen, Serving Maid, aged 28, unmarried, General Servant, born Kenmore, Perthshire.
Hugh McLaren, Shepherd, aged 20, unmarried, born Comrie, Perthshire
Margaret Scott, Serving Maid, aged 17, unmarried, born Kenmore, Perthshire

1861 : Data for Auchnafree

There are 3 houses in the cluster, providing accommodation for 22 people, 11 males and 11 females.

The Shooting Lodge, occupied by the Gamekeeper, Daniel Stalker and his household, is the main property with 24 rooms with one or more windows. Daniel, aged 46, and his wife Elizabeth, 44, have 2 sons (John aged 14 & Duncan aged 9), both of whom are described as scholars and attend school; 4 daughters (aged 16,11, 7 & 3); and one servant.


I have assumed Robert McDiarmid (the surname is now spelled this way) and his family lived in the farmhouse, a property with 7 rooms with one or more windows. The occupants listed are:

Robert McDiarmid, Head of Household, aged 47, Grazier, born Kenmore, Perthshire.
Margaret McDiarmid, Wife, aged 37, Grazier's Wife, born Kenmore, Perthshire.
Ann McDiarmid, Daughter, aged 7, born Kenmore, Perthshire.
Grace McDiarmid, Daughter, aged 5, born Kenmore, Perthshire.
Cathrin McDiarmid, Daughter, aged 1, born Kenmore, Perthshire.
Christina McIrish, General Servant, aged 23, unmarried, born Dull, Perthshire.
Thomas Stewart, Shepherd, aged 27, married, born Kenmore, Perthshire.


Interestingly neither John nor James were staying at the family home on the day of the census.

The third property, possibly Larichfraskhan (see the 1871 Census), is occupied by Duncan McDiarmid, also described as a Grazier, and his family. Duncan is aged 48. I believe he is Robert's cousin, and that his wife Christina, who is 42, is Robert's sister. They have two sons: Archibald, aged 4; and John, aged 1. Also living with them are William Wilson, aged 22, a shepherd - unmarried; and Ann McGregor, a General Servant, aged 23 - unmarried.

1871 : Data for Auchnafree in the parish of Monzie

Again there are still 3 properties in the cluster providing homes to 22 people in all - 11 males and 11 females.

The Stalker family (Donald, his wife Elizabeth, two sons Peter and Duncan and two daughters Mary Ann and Elizabeth) still occupy the Lodge, now called Auchnafree Lodge.


Robert McDiarmid and his family occupy Auchnafree farmhouse; and Duncan McDiarmid, his wife Christian and three servants (a Dairymaid, a Farm Servant and a Shepherd) occupy Larichphraskin (the spelling seems to be phonetic!).


Resident in the Auchnafree household are:

Robert McDiarmid, aged 58, Partner Farmer (alongside Duncan McDiarmid at Larichphraskin), 20 acres arable, 12,000 acres of hill pasture, & servants.
Margaret McDiarmid, aged 48, Farmer's Wife.
John McDiarmid, son, aged 21, Student of Medecine.
James McDiarmid, son, aged 19, Farmer's Son.
Grace McDiarmid, daughter, aged 15, Farmer's Daughter.
Margaret C McDiarmid, daughter, aged 9, Scholar & Farmer's Daughter, born Perth - Monzie.
Janet McDiarmid, daughter, aged 5, Scholar & Farmer's Daughter, born Perth - Monzie.
Betsy Campbell, aged 2, niece (born Killin).
Janet Fletcher, aged 21 (unmarried), general domestic servant (born Fowlis Wester).
George Dow, aged 58 (unmarried), servant - tailor (born Dull).
John Beattie Ross, aged 31 (unmarried), vagrant (also described rather brutally as an "imbecile").

1881 : Data for Auchnafree

The Enumeration District is described by the Enumerator, Mr John Cairns, as follows: "Part of the Civil Parish of Monzie and of the School Board District of Amulree comprehends the whole of the Estate of Auchnafree except a small part of hill containing no houses. Is bounded on the North by the Parishes of Kenmore and Dull; on the West by Killin; on the South by Comrie, Monzievaird and Crieff; and on the East by Crieff. Includes the Shooting Lodge, Gamekeeper's Cottage, two Farm Houses (joint tenants) and three Shepherd's Huts at Larichlourie, Dalriach and Croft Gorrie. Is traversed only by Bridle Roads and Footpaths."

Occupying one of the farm houses is Duncan McDiarmid now aged 69, his wife Christina and thir daughter Grace (aged 28 and unmarried) and two sons Archibald, 24, and John, 21. The family have 2 servants, Malcolm McLure, a Shepherd, and Margaret Porteous, a General Servant. In the other farm house are:

Robert McDiarmid, aged 67 (now a widower), Grazier and Joint Farmer (with Duncan McDiarmid) of 15,000 acres of which 80 arable.
John McDiarmid, son, aged 31, unmarried, MB Edinburgh (not practising).
James McDiarmid, son, aged 29, unmarried, Farmer.
Ann McDiarmid, daughter, aged 27, unmarried, Farmer's Daughter.
Grace McDiarmid, daughter, aged 25, unmarried, Farmer's Daughter.
Maggie McDiarmid, daughter, aged 19, unmarried, Farmer's Daughter.
James Livingstone, aged 29, unmarried, Servant - Shepherd (born Dull).

The census also records that two of Robert's daughters, Catherine and Jessie, are residing at 20 Burrell Street, Crieff. Catherine, aged 21 and unmarried, is described as the head of the household, though only a visitor, whilst Jessie (Janet), aged 15, is described as a boarder and lodger and a scholar.

By this time Donald Stalker, the Gamekeeper, has died and his son Peter, now aged 40 is the Head of the household, supporting his widowed mother, Elizabeth, and three unmarried sisters. He is in charge of the Lodge and working as the Gamekeeper.

It is notable how many of the younger generation in all the households remain unmarried in their 20s, 30s and 40s.

1891 : Data for Morenish

James McDiarmid, aged 39, Farmer, unmarried.
John McDiarmid, aged 41, brother, unmarried.
Ann McDiarmid, aged 37, sister, unmarried.
Catherine McDiarmid, aged 31, sister, unmarried.
Margaret McDiarmid, aged 29, sister, unmarried.
Janet McDiarmid, aged 25, sister, unmarried.
Duncan Cameron, aged 22, servant & shepherd.
John McLean, aged 18, servant & ploughman.

1901 : Data for Morenish Farm

John McDiarmid, Head, single, aged 51, Farmer, Employer.
James McDiarmid, Brother, single, aged 49, Farmer, Employer.
Ann McDiarmid, Sister, single, aged 46, Housekeeper.
Catherine McDiarmid, Sister, single, aged 41, Housekeeper.
Margaret McDiarmid, Sister, single,aged 39, Housekeeper.
John Cameron, Servant, single, aged 31, Shepherd.
Donald Campbell, Servant, single, aged 27, Ploughman.

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