"If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men"--Romans 12:18
Picture from www.battleofprestonpans1745.org From left to right: Mary Jenkinson, Charles Edward Stuart, Beatrix Jenkinson.
Beatrix Jenkinson is relatively unknown. I have not yet found the date of her birth, death, or marriage (supposing she was married). She appears for a short time on the stage of history and disappears just as suddenly, leaving behind a reputation for kindness.
One thing that is known is that she had at least one sister named Mary and one brother. Her father was minister at Tranent Church in Scotland. In the year 1745, Bonnie Prince Charlie landed in Scotland to reclaim the crown of England, Scotland, and Ireland for the Stuarts. He raised an army of Highland Scots and marched on Edinburgh, which was defended by General Sir John Cope. On his march, Prince Charles stopped at Duddingston, where he met Beatrix and Mary Jenkinson. He called them the "bonniest lassies I have seen in Scotland".
On September 21, Charlie finally brought General Cope's army to battle at Preston Pans. In fifteen minutes the British were routed, with General Cope running for dear life. Only his subordinate Colonel James Gardiner continued the battle until he was wounded with a Lochaber axe. Colonel Gardiner was carried to Tranent Church and cared for by Beatrix Jenkinson until he died on the morning of September 22.
This, then, is all that is known of Miss Jenkinson, who met Prince Charles and cared for his enemy, Colonel Gardiner.
Beatrix Jenkinson married Patrick Dudgeon on 5 November 1751, they had 10 children - she is my great great great great grandmother
ReplyDeleteActually there's quite a lot more known about Beatrix Jenkison. Her father Rev John Jenkison was minister at Athelstaneford until his death in 1730, when Beatrix was 7. Her sister was born posthumously in 1730.
ReplyDeleteBeatrix was staying with her uncle, Charles Cunningham, at the Manse in Tranent during the battle of Prestonpans. Charles Cunningham had married the year before and his wife was pregnant at the time of the battle - their son was born in November 1745.
Beatrix was born in 1723 and married in 1751. Her husband was a tenant farmer at Drem - named Patrick Dudgeon and they had 7 or 8 children and many grandchildren.
Mary married before her, in 1747 to an Edinburgh schoolmaster named Andrew Laurie. Mary's eldest son John married Beatrix's younger daughter Mary and they had 3 children.
The ring that the Bonnie Prince is said to have given to one of the sisters is in the Museum of Scotland in Chamber St. It is a gold ring with 5 diamonds.
I think Mary Jenkinson married John Laurie 19 Nov.1849 (rather than 1847): Edinburgh OPR Marriage record: 'Andrew Lawrie - Schoolmaster in - & Mary Jonkieson d of the deceased Mr John Jonkieson late Minister of the Gospel at Atholstoneford ---'
ReplyDeleteI have come across this in my research into the great-granddaughters of the above, Beatrix & Mary Ovenston who married 2 brothers, John & Alexander Downie (relatives of mine).
Did either Beatrix or Mary Ovenston have children by their marriages to John and Alexander Downie?
ReplyDeleteWow! This gets better and better! I know about Flora MacDonald, Anne Farquison MacKintosh, and Clementina Walkingshaw, but I've never heard of the Jenkinson sisters nor their ring! Bonnie Prince Charlie was quite the flirt, wasn't he? Ha, ha!
ReplyDeleteAnd the fact that the above anonymous comment was left by Beatrix Jenkinson's great-great-great-great grandchild.....Wow! :-)
Beatrix was one of 8 children of John Jonkison (Jenkinson) Minister of the Gospel and Catherine Cunninghame (Cunningham). Beatrix also had two step brothers and two step sisters of whom where from John Jonkison's first marriage to Marion Veitch daughter of John Veitch of Dawyck.
ReplyDeleteHer youngest brother or sister wasn't named in the baptism record and was born shortly after the death of her father John Jonkison.
There is a bundle of information out there in regards to John Jonkison.
Her uncle Charles Cunningham was also a Minister of the Gospel.