I pick up the story as my Bolt ancestors are forced to leave there home, there family and the many friends of the Shetland islands to start a new life many miles away.
In 1852 my 4th great grandfather, Laurence Hughson Bolt aged 49 arrives in Leith, Scotland recently widowed and with a young family. In 1856 my 4th great uncle Francis Bolt aged 25 arrives in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. In 1860 my 3rd great grandfather, Archibald Barclay Bolt now aged 18 year leaves his family in Leith and arrives at North Shields, England. and finally my 1st Cousin 5x removed William Mouat Bolt arrives in Dunedin, New Zealand aboard the sailing ship Nelson in 1863 aged 26.
Leith; Scotland, is a district to the north of the city of Edinburgh and is sited on the coast of the Firth of Forth. The medieval settlements of Leith had grown into a burgh by 1833, and the burgh was merged into Edinburgh in the 1920s.
In the mid 19th century the port was one of the most valuable enterprises, handling the Scottish herring trade, with exports peaking at 388,899 barrels in 1907.
I begin in Leith a growning burgh of Edinburgh with the arrival of Laurence Hughson Bolt my 4x great grandfather.
He was born on 19 September 1803 in the town of Lerwick, Shetland the son of a Blacksmith.
Laurence was a Merchant Seaman travelling the world but always returning to his home port of Lerwick where his wife Grace looked after their six children.
LAWRENCE HUGHSON BOLT b: 19 Sep 1803 Lerwick, SHI - d: 6 Jun 1890 Leith, MDL son of Francis Bolt and Catherine Bolt (nee Anderson)
He 1st married Grace Ganson 12 Nov 1829 Lerwick, Shetland they had seven children Francis b: 10 Oct 1830 Lerwick, Shetland - d: Dec 1895 Melbourne, Australia John b: 12 Aug 1832 Lerwick, Shetland - d: 1838 Lerwick, Shetland Laurence b: 12 Nov 1835 Lerwick, Shetland - d: unknown Ann Elizabeth b: 4 Jul 1838 Lerwick, Shetland - d: Australia Archibald Barclay b: 26 Jan 1841 Lerwick, Shetland - d: 21 Jul 1921 Okeford Fitzpaine, Dorset, UK Jane Margaret b: 14 Apr 1847 Lerwick, Shetland - d: unknown Unknown Child b:unknown - d: unknown His 2nd marriage was to Ann Ganson 11 July 1853 they had two children John b: 1852 Leith, MDL d: 31 Oct 1885 Leith, Midlothian, Scotland Grace b: 18 Oct 1856 Leith, MDL d: 7 Jan 1937 Leith, Midlothian, Scotland
After a long illness Grace died on 21 November 1850 aged just 48. A short period of time passes, Laurence, now at the age of 50 he married his wife's sister Ann Ganson on 11 July, 1853. The family move and settled down in South Leith, a Major Port East of Edinburgh on the South side of the Firth of Forth. Laurence and Ann have two more children; John born in 1853 and Grace born in 1856.
John Bolt born 1853, became a ships carpenter and on 21 June,1872 he married Jane Grafton. They lived at 11 Sheriff Brae, South Leith. (Photo left)
Housing at that time was very poor, four or five floor tenement buildings housing several families and No. 11 Sheriff Brae was no different, records show that in 1891 six families lived at that one address, even though times were hard John and Jane had seven children; Lawrence born 18 July 1873, Mary Ann born 1875, Jane born 1877, Grace born 21 June 1878, John born 1881, Elspeth born 1882 and Anne born 1886.
On 25 December 1894 Lawrence born 1873, occupation Vanman and the eldest son of John and Jane Bolt married Catherine Steward Dougan they had three sons; John, Lawrence and Thomas. As I said times were hard, disease and malnutrition was rife, young John at the age of 4 died on the 19 June, 1897. In 1899 Catherine Steward Bolt died aged just 23, cause: Shock and Exhaustion after a difficult labour, some 7 days. At this point in time I do not know if the birth was successful. Lawrence's two remaining sons also lived a short life. The two citations below are taken from the Commonwealth War Graves Commissions web site. After the loss of his two sons and his wife, Lawrence with his two remaining sons went to live with his parents in North Leith.
In Memory of Corporal LAWRENCE STEWARD BOLT 11632 1st Battalion, Highland Light Infantry who died age 20 on 1 May 1915 Son of Lawrence Bolt, of 7 Hamilton St, Leith, Edinburgh. Remembered with honour YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
The city of Ypres in northern Belgium was destined to become the most fearsome killing ground of the Great War. Known universally to the troops as the Salient (this to describe any feature which jutted out from the series of trench lines which ran 600 miles from the North Sea coast to the Swiss border). Soldiers who were posted here approached Ypres with a sense of dread. They knew the chances of their surviving were remote.
In Memory of Private THOMAS BOLT 14982 12th Battalion, Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment) who died age 20 on 22 December 1916 Son of Lawrence Bolt, of 7 Hamilton St, Leith, Edinburgh. Remembered with honour FAUBOURG D'AMIENS CEMETERY, ARRAS
In 1890 at the age of 87 Laurence Hughson Bolt died an inmate at the William Simpson Asylum in the parish of St Ninians, Plean, Stirling, Scotland.
Laurence and family are Buried in Rosebank Cemetery, Leith.
History: William Simpsons Asylum was established in 1832. "We have a long history of providing caring and supportive residential services for men from the armed services who have developed mental health and/or alcohol related problems".
William Simpsons sits in 7 acres of well maintained private grounds including a cultivated walled garden and large floral gardens with arbours and sitting areas. We are well known and supported by the local community and are only a 10 minutes walk from the village of Plean.
In acknowledgement, I would like to thank Peter and Carol Stobbs for the image of Sheriff Brae and acknowledge my sincere gratitude to Marion Benjamin for her research into the Bolt family of Leith.