Outseats Cottage

The cottage in Outseats Courtyard was occupied from 1834 onwards by the Meffett (later Meffet) family. The Meffets were the gardeners, at Outseats House. The 1841 Census confirms that the family was then as follows:

Name	Sex	Age	Occupation
John Meffett	M	30	Gardener
Janet Meffett	F	30
William Meffett	M	8
Elspit Meffett	F	5
John Meffet	M	2
Margaret Cruickshank	F	20	Servant
Jessie Moffat	F	2
James Smith	M	20	Gardener

All were born in Aberdeenshire. (Source FreeCen search). Note that in the 1841 census ages were rounded down to the nearest 5 for people aged 15 or over. Elspit Meffett, later Elsie, was eventually to marry William Thom, see below.

Note that the Enumeration District was different for Outseats House and the Cottage at least for the period 1841 to 1861. This I believe is as the entrance to the house was then to the North, in what was then variously described as Ruthrieston Road in 1861 or just as Outseats in 1841. The cottage was consistently in Hardgate. The boundary of the Enumeration District was along Hardgate from Duthies Brewery to Ruthrieston Burn near Fords of Dee. Thus the cottage being on Hardgate was in one district but the house being behind Hardgate, and with its entry being into another road behind Hardgate, was in a different district.

Name	Sex	Age	Occupation
John Meffet	M	44	Gardener
Janet Meffet	F	43	Gardeners Wife
Elspet Meffet	F	16	Scholar
John Meffet	M	15	Scholar
Janet Meffet	F	12	Scholar
James Meffet	M	8	Scholar
Alexander Meffet	M	4	Scholar
William Rea	M	19	Gardener
Isabel Davidson	F	22	House Servant

Both John (younger) and William were later to die at sea, John in 1863 aged 27 and William in 1880 aged 47. Their deaths are recorded on John Meffets grave.

In 1861, the Meffets were resident at the cottage as before. As mentioned above the enumeration district was different to that applying to Outseats House. The 1861 residents were as follows:

Surname	First name(s)	Relation	Sex	Age	Occupation	Where Born
Meffet	John	Head, married	M	53	Gardener	Old Machar
Meffet	Jefsie	Wife	F	52		Old Machar
Meffet	Elspet	Daughter	F	23		Old Machar
Meffet	Jefsie	Daughter	F	21		Old Machar
Meffet	Alexander	Son	M	15	Scholar	Old Machar
Williamson	George	Servant	M	13	Domestic Servant	Old Machar
Barley	Allan (?)	Servant	M	12	Domestic Servant	Aberdeenshire, Tarland

Name	Married	Relation	Age	Sex	Occupation	Birthplace
John Meffet	M	Head	62	M	Market Gardener	Old Machar, Aberdeen
Jessie Meffet	M	Wife	61	F		Old Machar, Aberdeen
Jessie Meffet	U	Dau	28	F		Old Machar, Aberdeen
James Meffet	U	Son	27	M	Seaman	Old Machar, Aberdeen
Alexander Meffet	U	Son	25	M	Writer	Old Machar, Aberdeen
Jessie Meffet		Grand Dau	4	F		Carrickfergus Ireland
William Martin	U	Servant	15	M	General Servant	Kincardine, Banchory Devenick

John Meffet died on 23 June 1879, aged 72 and is buried locally in Allenvale Cemetery, with his wife, who died 20 February 1881, aged 74. Jefsie had become Jessie by that time, and on the grave her maiden name is confirmed as Smith. The grave faces Outseats House, so that John could continue to admire his gardens!

The residents at the cottage, Old Hardgate Road, Pitmuxton were as follows in 1881

Name	Married	Relationship	Age	Sex	Birthplace
Jessie Meffet	U	Head	39	F	Old Machar, Aberdeen
Alexander Meffet	U	Brother	35	M	Old Machar, Aberdeen
Jessie Meffet	U	Niece	14	F	Carrick Fergus Ireland
Elsie Meffet		Niece	7	F	Old Machar, Aberdeen

Note that the cottage and the house still appeared in non contiguous parts of the census in 1881

Johns' daughter Jefsie, by then, Jessie, died 24 April 1917 aged 76 and his son Alexander, died on 28 November 1920 aged 75.

Alexander married Martha Finlay Jarvis who died 5 January 1904, aged 44. They had children, Alexander and Martha, who both had long lives, dying on, 19 November 1991 aged 100 and 24 August 1992 aged 97, respectively.