This story begins with an Ainslie. William Ainslie to be precise. Born 15 Feb 1827 in Galashiels in the Scottish borders, William was the son of James Ainslie and Ann Home. William Ainslie grew up to work at the woollen mill in Galashiels. As a young man, he met and married Janet Mercer and the couple married on 4 Jul 1856.
Two babies followed in quick succession. First came Jane in 1857 followed by Ann Home Ainslie in 1859. Sadly, their mum died just four weeks after Ann's birth. A widower with two young children, Janet's family rallied around and took in the nieces. William continued to work in the woollen mill rising to the position of wool finisher. And, on one of his trips to the woollen mill in Barnard Castle, he met Sarah Lendrem.
Born on 31 Jul 1851 in Barnard Castle to George Robert Lendrem and Jane Wigham, Sarah followed her older sisters into the woollen mill at Barnard Castle. Sarah was working at the mill when William Lendrem visited. The aged difference of 24 years did not stop the couple marrying in 1874. Their son, Robert Lendrem Ainslie was born in 1881 in Galashiels.
Both Robert and Sarah retained the Lendrem as a middle name for their entire lives.
Robert's father died in Galashiels in 1908.
And Sarah died in Edinburgh on 3 Dec 1923.
But not before she'd seen her son rise from a junior in the Sheriff's office in Galashiels, to become the Sheriff Clerk of the Peace for Peebleshire. But that's another story.
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