James Moffat

James Moffat Provost of Forfar, JP, OBE

Parents:

• Birth*: James Moffat was born on 10 February 1848 at Forfar, Forfarshire, Scotland, .²
• He was the son of John Moffat and Agnes Rae.
• Baptism: James Moffat was baptised on 12 March 1848 at Forfar, Forfarshire, Scotland, .²
• (Groom) Marriage*: He married Margaret Lemon on 18 July 1870 at Forfar, Forfarshire, Scotland, .³
• (Deceased) Death*: James Moffat died on 11 May 1929 at Mount Feredith, Forfar, Angus, Scotland, , at age 81 1929 deaths in the district of Forfar in the county of Forfar, ref 99; James Moffat jute and linen manufacturer, ex-provost of Forfar, JP OBE widower of Margaret Lemon; died 1929 May Eleventh 1h 45m am at Mount Feredith, male aged 81 years, parents John Moffat yarn bleacher master (dec) and Agnes Moffat ms Rae (dec); cause arteriosclerosis as certified by A Kerr MD; signed Mabel Moffat Whyte grand-neice present, registered 1929 May 13th at Forfar signed John F Craib registrar.⁴
• Obituary: The obituary of James Moffat was was published on 13 May 1929 at Courier and Advertiser, Dundee, Angus, Scotland, . Forfar Ex-Provost Dead
  Mr James Moffat's Many Activities
  
  By the death of ex-Provost James Moffat, O.B.E., J.P., of Mount Meredith (reported in our later editions on Saturday), Forfar has lost one of its most public-spirited sond.
  Until a few years ago he was well known throughout Angus both as a public and businessman, and his death at the age of 81, after some months of illness, will cause deep regret.
  Ex-Provost Moffat was a native of Forfar, and served his apprenticeship as an engineer in Arbroath. He was assoociated for a long time with the firm of John Boath, Jun., & Co., Academy Street Works.
  Commencing manufacturing on his own account, he acquired from Messrs James Lowson & Son Haugh and Forfar Works.
  He was one of the outstanding men in the jute trade fro many years, and was a thoroughly capabale man of business. About three years ago he retired.
  
  Interest in Education.
  He was the son of the late Treasurer John Moffat, Forfar. All through hislife he took a keen interest in public affairs. He was one of the founders of Forfar Free Library, and was for many years an active memner of the Committee of Management of Forfar Savings Bank. At the time of his death he was chairman of this committee.
  In matters educational he was a prominaent figure. For a long period he was a member of Forfar School Board, Forfar Educational Trust and the County Secondary Education Committee. He was chairman of Forfar School Board when that body ceased to exist.
  When Education Authorities were set up in 1919 he was appointed chairma of Forfarshire Education Authority, and held this office for three years.
  During his term of office with the School Board the arts and crafts section was added to the Academy and the new North Scghool was built.
  
  Provostship record.
  He entered Forfar Town Council in 1906 and after a year of office was elected Provost. He remained civic head for the long period of 18 years, which is a record in Forfar Municipal history.
  As Provost during the strenuous years of the war he did valuable work on many of the committees which were set up at that time. He received the O.B.E. for his public services. He was one of the leading supporters of Forfarshire free gift sales for war purposes, and was vice-chairman of the trustrees.
  For many years he was chairman odf th eCounty Insurance Committee, a member of the County Territorial Gorce Association, and a director of Forfar Infirmary. He was an Hon. Sheriff-Substitute and a Justice of the Peace.
  
  A Unionist.
  During his tenure of office as Provost the War Memorial at Balmashanner was erected, and another important event was the conferring of the freedom of the burgh upon the Duke of York and Earl of Strathmore in September, 1923.
  Ex-Provost Moffat was a Unionist in politics, and was one of the leading figures in the local party's activities.
  He was a member of St James' Parish Church, and was the oldest elder.
  His wife died some three years ago, and he is survived by two daughters - Mrs Sievwright, whose husband is a minister in Broughty Ferry, and Mrs Cameron, whose husband is Professor of Anatomy in Dalhousie University, Hallifax, Nova Scotia.⁵

• (Witness) Inventory: He was a beneficiary of the inventory of John Adamson; inventory held; extensive property, promisary notes, shares, loans (debtors) and business assets totalling £2771/11/6; executors James Moffat manufacturer in Forfar, Isabella Moffat or Adamson widow West High Street Forfar, John Moffat commission agent in Manchester, Thomas Esplin West High Street Forfar; trust disposition & settlement granted by deceased 14th October 1896, registered at the Sheriff Courst of Forfar 7th April 1896. Executors swear to pay Estate Duty to the Inland Revenue. Executors (and their survivors and acceptors, the major number being a quorum) are instructed to 1) pay all my just and lawful debts and sickbed and ..., 2) if my wife survive me deliver to her in liferent for her alimontary liferent the whole household furniture, books, plate, bed and table linen and whole other houehold effects to belong to me at my death and pay her during all days and years of her life the free income of the residue of my means and estate hereby conveyed with power to my trustees to advance her such sum or sums out of the capital of my said means and estate, from time to time, as they may consider necessary for her more comforatble maintenance and support 3) on the death of me and my wife, or as soon as therafter convenient, realise and convert into cash the residue and remainder of my means and estate hereby conveyed adn divide and pay over the free proceed threof equally to and among my lawfull children; and in the event of any of my children dying before the period of division leaving lawfull issue, such issue shall be entiteled equally among them, to the share to which ther parent would have been entitled if in life; and in the event of any of my said children dying before the said period of division without leaving lawfull issue, the share of such decease so far as unpaid shall fall to and be divided equally among the survisors and survivors of my said children jointly with the lawful issue of any of then who may have deceased leaving children such issue suceeding equally among them to the share to which teir parent would have been entitled if in life, and I provide that it shall be lawfuk to and in the power and option of my trustees if they shall se think fir to advance and pay before the arrival of the period of division foresaid to and for behoof of my childre many of then any part not exceeding one half of the estimated share to be payable to him ot her for establishing a son in business or fitting out a daughter on marriage or otherwise for the behoof of my children and upon such balance in trust at the rate of three percentum per annumshall be payable to my Trustees during the life of my wife, and I provide and declare that all sums advanced or which may be advanced by me in loan to my said children or any of them, or to any husband of my daughters for which vouchers may be held by me at my death or which may be ebited to them in my books or in my memorandum or writing left by me and all sums which may be chargeable and charged against my estate in repect of any obligations which I have come under or may come under for any of my said children or any husband of any of my daughters shall be debts due to my estate and deducted from the provisions hereby made in favour of my said children or any of them succeeding to them respectively such debts of any husband of my daughters being deducted from the share of their respective wives or of those succeeding to them respectively but no interest which may be due up to the date of my decease upon any such advance chall be charged against my said children or their for...d and after my death interest thereon shall be charged at the rate of three percentum per annum, etc etc. Investments and properties can be managed by the trustees for as long as they think proper and they can employ and renumerate a factor or law agent if felt necessary. Solicitor William Gordon JP. Using the retail price index for 2006 (latest date available) the estate equates to £216,903.16 in today's terms. [July 2008]⁶
• (Informant) Death: James Moffat registered the death of John Moffat on 23 October 1925 at 23 Montrose Road, Forfar, Forfarshire, Scotland, ; 1925 deaths in the district of Forfar in the burgh of Forfar, ref 124; John Moffat jute and linen manufacturer Major Territorial Force JP married to Harriet Smith, died 1925 October Twenty-Third 4h 0m pm 23 Montrose Road Forfar usual residence Parkview Forfar; male aged 53 years parents James Moffat jute and linen manufacturer Provost of Forfar JP OBE and Margaret Moffat ms Lemon; cause cerebral haemorrhage as certified by David Myles MBChB, signed Jas Moffat father Mount Feredith Forfar, registered 1925 October 24th at Forfar signed John F Craik registrar [RCE].⁷

Census & Directory Entries

Member of Household	30 March 1851	They was listed as a member of the household of John Moffat and Agnes Rae in the 1851 census at South Side East High Street, Forfar, Forfarshire, Scotland, . James Muffat Son - Male 3 1848 - Forfar, Forfarshire (Angus), Scotland; John Muffat Head Married Male 35 1816 Callander Worker Forfar, Forfarshire (Angus), Scotland Agness Muffat Wife Married Female 39 1812 - Forfar, Forfarshire (Angus), Scotland.8
Member of Household	7 April 1861	They was listed as a member of the household of John Moffat and Agnes Rae in the 1861 census at Academy Street, Forfar, Forfarshire, Scotland, . James Moffat Son - Male 13 1848 Linen Lapper Forfar, Forfarshire (Angus), Scotland; John Moffat Head Married Male 45 1816 Bleacher Forfar, Forfarshire (Angus), Scotland Agnes Moffat Wife Married Female 48 1813 - Forfar, Forfarshire (Angus), Scotland.9
Head of Household	2 April 1871	He was listed as head of household along with spouse Margaret Lemon in the 1871 census at Smith's Land, Montrose Road, Forfar, Forfarshire, Scotland, . James Moffat Head Married Male 23 1848 Commercial Clerk Forfar, Forfarshire (Angus), Scotland Margaret Moffat Wife Married Female 24 1847 - Huntly, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.10
Head of Household	3 April 1881	He was listed as head of household along with spouse Margaret Moffat in the 1881 census at 42 West High Street, Forfar, Forfarshire, Scotland, . James Moffat, head, mar, 33, linen & jute manufacturer master, Forfar; Margt Moffat, wife, mar, 34, Huntly Aberdeenshire; also in the household were John Moffat, Elizabeth Stewart Moffat, Agnes Rae Moffat, Mary Lemon Moffat and Mary M Crabb.11,12
Head of Household	5 April 1891	He was listed as head of household in the 1891 census at St Anns, St JAmes Road, Forfar, Forfarshire, Scotland, . James Moffat Head Married Male 43 1848 Linen & Jute Manufacturer Forfar, Forfarshire (Angus), Scotland Margaret Moffat Wife Married Female 44 1847 - Huntly, Aberdeenshire, Scotland; also in the household were John Moffat, Mary Lemon Moffat, Betsy Ritchie and Helen Lumsden.13
Head of Household	31 March 1901	He was listed as head of household along with spouse Margaret Lemon in the 1901 census at Mount Ferideth, Lour Road, Forfar, Forfarshire, Scotland, . James Moffat Head Married Male 53 1848 Manfr Of Linen & Jute Goods Forfar, Forfarshire (Angus), Scotland Margaret Moffat Wife Married Female 54 1847 - Huntly, Aberdeenshire, Scotland; also in the household were John Moffat, Elizabeth Stewart Moffat, Agnes Rae Moffat, Mary Lemon Moffat, Mary Cattanach and Annie Duncan.14