John Park Cheyne

     John Park Cheyne was born, 28 March 1872, at 06:00 AM, in Fish Cross Street, Fraserburgh, Fraserburgh Parish, Aberdeen, Scotland. His father registered the birth on 16 April 1872.¹

William Cheyne, Betsy Cheyne, Jessie Cheyne, Alexander Cheyne, John Park Cheyne, George Cheyne and Robert Cheyne were listed as children in the household of James Cheyne and his wife, Margaret Cheyne on the 1881 Scotland Census, at 42 Cross Street, in Fraserburgh, Fraserburgh Parish, Aberdeen, Scotland. He was listed as 10 years of age, born in Fraserburgh Parish and a scholar.²

The attached is a studio photo of John Park Cheyne, when he was fourteen, taken in Fraserburgh, about 1890.

Alexander Cheyne and John Park Cheyne were listed on the 1891 Scotland Census at 41 Arlington Street, in Glasgow, Barony Parish, Lanark, Scotland. They were boarders in the household of James Glennie, mason. Alexander was listed as 22 years of age, born in Fraserburgh and a draper's assistant; John P. was 19, born Fraserburgh and a grocer's assistant.³

John Park Cheyne married Sarah Sophia Armitage 1896, in Ashton-Under-Lyne Parish, Lancashire, England. A marriage of Sarah Sophia Armitage was listed on the England Civil Registration Index: 1837-1983 as having taken place in the last quarter of 1896 in Ashton-Under-Lyne Parish, Lancashire, England. A similar listing for John Park Cheyne appeared same quarter, same volume, same page, but the location was Aston, Warwick. Did the transcriber mistake Aston and Ashton?⁴

The John Park Cheyne family, studio photo taken at Oldham Parish, Lancashire, England, about 1898.

John Cheyne and his wife Sarah S. Cheyne were listed on the 1901 England Census, at 60 Quail Street, in Clarksfield, Oldham Parish, Lancashire, England. He was head of household and a grocer's manager. Also present were his children, Ernest Cheyne and Margaret Cheyne.⁵

The attached is a studio photo of the John Park Cheyne family, taken in Fraserburgh, about 1908. From the left Sarah, Margaret, Alexander, Ernest and John Park Cheyne; the older boy was Laurence Armitage.

The John Park Cheyne family, studio photo taken at Fraserburgh, Fraserburgh Parish, Aberdeen, Scotland, about 1910. The oldest boy was Laurence Armitage, an adopted son (and Sarah's nephew).

Both Ernest and his father, John Park, worked at Mechans Limited, Scotstoun, Glasgow from January 1915 until January 1917. They worked 12 hour shifts during the War. Times were very hard and they barely made enough money to feed the family.

John Park Cheyne died 12 February 1917 at 12 midnight, of pulmonary tuberculous, at 18 Windeer Cottages in Scotstoun, Scotstoun & Yoker Parish, Lanark, Scotland. His death record listed him as 44 years of age, a milling machineman and married to Sarah Sophia Armitage. His son, Ernest Cheyne, recorded his death. His parents were confirmed to have been as herein recorded.⁶