This farm was located about 200 yds south of the present Palacerigg Country Park and is in fact the site of the present Golf Club House. In 1851 it was farmed by John Aitken (63) born 1788 in New Monkland. It was 25 Acres and 155 acres of Moor.
Elizabeth Sterling (65) as House Keeper born in East Kilbride
William Aitken (37) simply recorded as a son
Alexander Aitken (26) born Cumbernauld – a flax miller
Andrew Aitken (23) labourer
Matthew Hall (11) farm servant
In 1861 recorded as Blackmuir Knoll. John is now 73 and his sister Janet Aitken is there as a housekeeper. William is still there so may have needed care as no employment is recorded. Agnes Brown (14) is working as a dairy maid. There is also a young John Aitken listed as a lodger born in 1854. I suspect that he was a nephew of John on a visit but he also appears in the census as the son of Andrew and Jane Aitken from Airdrie. In 1891 there is a John Aitken, born in Cumbernauld, married to Maggie in Clydebank and working as an shipyard iron dresser and still in that job in 1901.
William came to an untimely end. In the Falkirk Herald of November 28th 1888, there is a report of the death of William Aitken at the age of 75. He was found in a field near to Tannoch having been to visit a Mr Dunlop at Waterhead and seems to have lost his way in “wind and rain and frightful darkness”.
