My cousin Jennifer married Ian on 4th July and we were there to enjoy the celebration. A fantastic day in superb surroundings. Congratulations to you both.
Ian’s middle name is Leith and it turns out he is descended from the Leiths of Leith Hall. The hall is now owned by the National Trust and you can view more information about it on their website.
Jenny and Ian kindly sent me a document entitled Family Tree of Leith and Leith-Hay of Leith Hall and I set to work to incorporate it into The Williams Family Tree database. Little did I know what I was letting myself in for!
With the aid of The Peerage, Electric Scotland, Patrick’s People, and a few other websites I have taken Ian’s ancestry back a further 10 generations! Apparently, it all started with the De Leyth Clan arriving in Scotland from France in the fourteenth century. They settled around the Midlothian and changed their name, taking it from the port of Leith of Edinburgh.
Leith Hall
It seems that a William Leith, who died in 1371, married Jane, the daughter of Donald, 12th Earl of Mar. Then came Laurence Leith of Barnis (1380-1437), Provost of Aberdeen (1401, 1403, and 1411). Some 9 generations later we arrive at John Leith of Barnes (1570) who married Marjorie Forbes, daughter of Arthur and Margaret Forbes and the start of the Leiths of Leith Hall. John and Marjorie had two sons, Alexander ‘HardHead’ Leith (ancestor of Leiths of Bucharne Blair which I have yet to research) and James Leith of Barnes and Leith Hall – also known as James Leith of New Leslie (just to confuse things further!).
Suffice to say that my research is still underway and I am actually updating the database as I write this blog. Amongst others, the Leith family has links to James II King of Scotland, James IV King of Scotland, and Bamber Gascoigne.
King James IV of Scotland
Arthur Bamber Gascoigne
My work continues and no doubt there will be a lot more of the Leith family added to The Williams Family Tree in the fullness of time.
Phil.
Hello my name is cami Leith-Ross I would like to know more about the Leith family that I can’t find online my clan is Leith.
Hello, Me. Bernard Jackson, son of Letitia Jackson, ( Nee Clark, 1906- 2004) Daughter of Norman and Louise Leith Hay Clark. I believe This Norman ( my grandad died 1910 ) was son of father of same name. Letitia and her brother Claude (1898 -1984 ) were taken from home in Westminster to Chase Farm Orphanage in Enfield North London in 1911.
They also have connection to Rigby Hall in Lincolnshire and the Massenburg family. At present i am unable to find connection to Leith Hall as my research has taken me to the west country and Plymouth area.
any information would be gratefully received, Regards Bernard
My name is Craig Leith. My father was Robert Harold Leith(deceased 2016). My Grandfather was Arthur Cedric Leith (deceased 1972). I am heading to the County of Leith on the 27th July 2024. I would like to speak with someone regarding my family history. I am there until 29th July and will be departing on the 30th back to Australia. If someone could help me out I would greatly appreciate it.
Regards
Craig Leith
My 2x great-grandfather was James B Leith, born in Stromness, Orkney in 1847. His family moved to Outagamie, Wisconsin in 1860 (father John Leith, mother Elizabeth (Seatter) Leith. I have not been able to see if they are cousins to the Leith-Hay family or not, but can attest their origins from Stromness, Kirkwall and South Ronaldsay. Interested to see if you know of any connections to this side of the Leith family. Thanks!
Ben Russ
Jenison, Michigan
Hello
Can you explain to me the connection between Bamber Gascoigne (RIP) and the Leith’s of Leith Hall. My father was at university the same time as him (same college) and dad always said there was a connection.
Thanks
Alex
Alex Burgh aka Leith
Hi Alex,
James Leith of Barnes and Leith Hall aka James Leith of New Leslie was Arthur Bamber Gascoigne’s great aunt’s husband’s 5th great-grandfather!
Bamber’s great aunt was Louisa Henrietta Valvida O’Neill (1879-1965). She married Charles Edward Norman Leith-Hay of Rannes and Leith Hall (1858-1939).
Bamber’s mother was Mary Louisa Hermione O’Neill, the daughter of Louisa’s brother Capt. Hon. Arthur Edward Bruce O’Neill.
I hope all that makes sense to you.
So, who was your father and where do you fit in to the Leith family tree?
Kind regards,
Phil.
Hello Phil,
My mother came from the Leith-Hay family. of Leith Hall.
My mothers Aunt Henrietta Leith-Hay, gave Leith Hall to the
National Trust, upon the death of her husband, and only son
Charles, both dying in 1939.
She gave it to the trust as her line ended here
Henrietta lived in the Hall, until her death in 1965.
I have been twice to Leith Hall and am very proud of the
connection.
Regards, Nigel Fuller
13 Bellevue Street
Fairlight NSW 2094 Australia
Hmm is anyone else experiencing problems with the
images on this blog loading? I’m trying to determine
if its a problem on my end or if it’s the blog. Any feed-back would be greatly appreciated.
I don’t have a problem viewing the images and I have not had any other complaints. Are you still experiencing problems? If so, please get in touch and I’ll try to sort it out for you.