Elisabeth Ferguson Dick

Elisabeth Ferguson Dick (b. ~1819, d.1898) married surgeon William Reid LFPS.Glasg and sewed a sampler, aged 7 (1825) at Mrs Barr's school 22 March 1831, she completed this only days before her future husband to be would be registered a licentiate of the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons Glasgow.

Elisabeth was the first daughter born of her father Walter Dick's marriage to Mary Donald. Both Walter and Mary's name feature in the sampler.

Elisabeth's father Walter Dick was a shawl manufacturer from Paisley and chose a selection of shawls for presentation to Queen Victoria shortly before the Great Exhibition of 1851. Elisabeth's daughter Mary Reid married surgeon William Graham Young in 1865, at that time William is shown as residing at 18 Monteith Row the same address of brothers R & J Dick of gutta percha fame/fortune

W & P Dick & Co shawl manufacturers

Walter Dick senior lived in Paisley at Greenhill house, Camphill and had commission warehouses at 19, 12, 9 Causeyside, Paisley

Walter Dick junior trained in medicine, he lived at 238-240 George Street, Glasgow. Testimonials of his character held by Glasgow University were provided by Andrew Duncan and Richard Duncan (possibly/probably in connection with the Baptist church). Walter Dick MD graduated in 1836 and for a while he or possible his father was a minister of the Baptist church there along with Andrew Duncan.

The testimonials held by Glasgow Uni cover the period 19 April 1831 to 29 July 1831 confirming Walter attended classes in Midwifery, Anatomy, Surgery, Materia Medica and Physic. They also attest to his time as Clerk to the Lock Hospital, one of the testimonials refers to other family members:

Glasgow, 28th December, 1831

These are to Certify, that we have been long and intimately acquainted with Mr Walter Dick's

family, and know that they have been brought up in a strictly sober manner.

His Son, Mr. WALTER DICK, we know to be an active assiduous young man, earnestly intent on

acquiring a thorough knowledge of the Medical Profession, to which he is enthusiastically

attached, and we can recommend him as strictly sober, both from inclination and education.

Andrew Duncan

Richard Duncan

Sadly Walter Dick MD died 18 June 1838

Peter Dick, brother of the above Walter Dick MD, lived firstly at 4 Monteith Row and then 11 Monteith Row

Photo of Family Sampler by Elisabeth F Dick 22 March 1831

Notes:

Elisabeth's husband, William Reid was a licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons Glasgow. William worked as vaccinator and later secretary to the Cow Pock Institute, he was also surgeon to the Buchanan Institute for destitute boys. William lived in Orr Street, West Bank Buildings and Morris Place; he worked from premises in Barrowfield Road, and periodically at the Cow Pock Institute near St Andrews Square.
Elisabeth's son Walter Dick Reid was a commercial traveller and manager for Belting Co. (Gutta-Percha) - possibly working in India or for an Indian company. IGI shows an entry for birth of Emily Jane Bull born 1865 to James Bull and Sarah (no surname given)
Elisabeth's daughter Margaret Thompson Reid lived in Rothesay for a while in "Aith" cottage, Marine Place and latterly 10 Mansefield Place. 10 Mansefield Place, Rothesay, was a tenement block containing sixteen separate dwelling houses. The whole tenement and many of the adjoining tenements are listed in 1935/36 as the property of William Hunter's Trustees, some of the sixteen flats were perhaps small room-and-kitchen or single-end type. Margaret died 21st September 1935 Rothesay. Margaret was executor of her mothers will in 1898 and held a bank account in joint names with her mother with Union Bank of Manchester Ltd
Elisabeth's son Henry Reid entered United Presbyterian Theological Hall in 1862, and graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1867. Henry was minister at Irvine Relief (West United Presbyterian Church) 1868 - 1886. After resigning, he left for Australia on board Falkland Hill. Henry applied to UP church in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, but having no commission or extract from minutes he was formally rejected 14.6.1887. Henry was editor of "Poems for the period" (1881) and president of the Burns club in Irvine (1881).
Elisabeth's son Andrew Thomson Reid worked for the firm of Reid Disley and company, carpet manufacturer at Bacup, Lancaster. Aged only 35 years at the time of his death, an inquest was held into Andrew's death but an open verdict returned by the coroner.
Elisabeth's nephew Rev. Peter Forester Slater was always proud of his great-grandmother who was "pit oot o the kirk" for her belief that love and not faith was the true basis of Christian Unity. Further researches have suggested that this was none other than Margaret Forester nee Brown of the Paisley Pen Folk in David Gilmour's reminiscences of the Pen Folk.

Extract from London Gazette 27 Jan 1899.

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