New biographical entries for:

• James Edward Bain
• James Darrough
• David Yates

Joseph Bain F.S.A Scot (1826 - 1911)

Joseph Bain was born on 19 June 1826, in Tranent, East Lothian. He was the first child and eldest third son of John Bain Esq and Isobella Todd. Joseph was the first of the Bains to be able to trace his heritage back to the Ancient Kings of Scotland.

Joseph like is father before him, grew up in Glasgow, living in Westport - most likely at Sweethope Estate - until 1841, when he was 15. In this year, Josephs grandfather and namesake died and his father inherited the Estate of Morriston.

Joseph was educated at the University of Glasgow, where he was a student in 1842. After completing his studies, he worked as was a writer in Glasgow for a number of years and was described as "younger of Morriston". He later returned to study, attending the Univesity of Edinburgh where he studied Law.

On 4 October 1853 Joseph married Charlotte Piper in Edinburgh Midlothian, the marriage is also recorded in Corstorphine, Midlothian.

Caroline was born in Edinburgh in 1832 the first daughter and eldest child of Edward Piper and Charlotte Mary Feather. She was christened there on 6 Jul 1832.

Joseph and Charlotte had 6 children (4 boys and two girls) between 1854 and 1866

After his marriage, Joseph stayed in Edinburgh as it was here his first two children were born. In 1858 the family was living in Row, Dunbarton, where their third child was born. It is unclear what the family - or at least Charlotte - was doing there at that time.

Joseph's mother Isabella died in 1857. Some time after her death but before the execution of her will in April 1860 Joseph returned to Glasgow to take up residence as the Proprietor of the Estates of Westport and Sweethope near Bothwell - these was most likely the same estate that both he and his father had grown up on. Isabella did not have a will and her total estate of £737 was vested in Joseph - as the eldest son - in 1860.

The family resided at Sweethope until at least 1863 when their fifth child was born. It is known that John sold the estate at some time during the 1860s, based on BDM evidence, it is likely that this occured around 1865, because their last child was born in Edinburgh in 1866 - on the 1881 census, Walters birth is also recorded as being in Sherborne, Dorset. One theory is that in distributing his estate John Bain Esq sold all his assets (including the Stage Line and the Estate in Westport). The timing of this event would fit with the family removing themselves from Sweethope.

In 1871 the family was living in Lynton, North Devon, and by 1881 Joseph had moved to London, where the family lived in the affluent area of 11 Bristol Gardens, London, Middlesex. Josephs sister, Isabella Todd Bain was living with them at the time - she was a school teacher.

Joseph, now in his 50s was working in the Public Record Office in London, where he became acknowledged as an Authority on Scottish History as a result of writing or editing a number of books that summarised the public records of Scotland. His titles include:

Joseph's collaborator on the "Rental Book of Diocese of Glasgow" the Rev Charles Rogers was married to Joseph's cousin Isabella Smith Bain. Isabella's was the great grandaughter of James Bain and Anne Turcan, brother to Joseph's grandfather Joseph Bain

Joseph and Charlottes children were all very well educated - the boys attended The Westminster School. Their eldest son John went to Oxford before pursuing an academic career; Edward became an officer in the Royal Navy; and Francis follows an academic career in India and gained renowned for a number of Sanskrit translations..

In 1901, Joseph had retired and was living with Charlotte at Cross Square, Cathedral Close in St David's, Pembrokeshire, Wales.

Joseph died in 1911 at the age of 85.

Associated Documents