Robert Mackenzie Fisher ship's carpenter, the Ayrshire Poet

Parents:

• Birth*: Robert Mackenzie Fisher ship's carpenter, the Ayrshire Poet was born on 13 February 1840 at Prestwick, Ayrshire, Scotland, ; Robert McKenzie Fisher lawful son of William Fisher and Marion McKenzie, spouces, was born in Prestwick 13th February and baptised 4th March 1840.^1,2
• He was the son of William Fisher hand loom weaver cotton, engine driver and Marion McKenzie.
• (Groom) Marriage*: Robert Mackenzie Fisher ship's carpenter, the Ayrshire Poet married Jean Watson dressmaker, daughter of John Watson and Janet Buchanan, on 25 November 1864 at 4 Glencairn Street, Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland, ; 1864 marriages in the district of Kilmarnock in the county of Ayr, ref 162; 1864 on the 25th day of November at 4 Glencairn St Kilmarnock after banns according to the forms of the Church of Scotland; signed Robert Fisher ship carpenter bachelor, aged 24, residing 27 Govan Street Glasgow, parents William Fisher labourer and Elizabeth Fisher ms Henry; signed Jean Watson dressmaker spinster, aged 23, residing 27 Govan Street Glasgow, parents John Watson labourer and Jane Watson ms Buchanan; signed Thomas Martin minister of St Andrews Church Kilmarnock, wit William Fisher, Jessie Watson; reg 1864 November 28th at Kilmarnock Jas McDonald assistant registrar initialled JSG (Jas S Gregory.)³
• (Groom) Marriage*: Robert Mackenzie Fisher ship's carpenter, the Ayrshire Poet married Janet Watson Cullen confectioner, daughter of William Cullen and Janet Watson, on 29 October 1874 at 78 High Street, Aidrie, Lanarkshire, Scotland, ; 1874 marriages in the burgh of Airdrie in the county of Lanark ref 131; 1874 on the 29th day of October at 78 High Street Airdrie New Monkland after banns according to the forms of the Free Church of Scotland; signed Robert McKenzie Fisher shipwright jouneyman widower, aged 34, residing Barrow in Furness England, parents William Fisher engine worker and Marion Fisher ms McKenzie (dec); signed Janet W Cullen confectioner spinster, aged 22, residing 70 High Street Airdrie, parents William Cullen farmer (dec) and Janet Syme previously Cullen ms Watson; signed R M Lawson Free High Church Airdrie, wit Robert Dunlop, Christina Cullen; reg 1874 October 30th at Aidrie Will Whyte registrar.⁴
• (Erector) Memorial Inscription*: A Headstone was erected by Robert Mackenzie Fisher ship's carpenter, the Ayrshire Poet after 16 September 1888 at St Nicholas Churchyard, Prestwick, Ayrshire, Scotland, . Inscription reads by Robert McKenzie in memory of his father William Fisher d Sep 1888 aged 77; and his mother Marion McKenzie d Apr 1845 aged 32; also his g-father Robert McKenzie.⁵
  

  Headstone Prestwick St Nicholas
• (Deceased) Death*: He died on 24 July 1910 at Flowerbank, 21 Castlehill Road, Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland, , at age 70 1910 deaths in the district of Ayr in the burgh of Ayr, ref 315; Robert McKenzie Fisher shipwright married to 1st Jane Watson 2nd Janet Watson Cullen, 1910 July 24th 10h 40m am Flowerbank 21 Castlehill Road Ayr, male aged 70 years, parents William Fisher engine worker (dec) and Marion Fisher ms McKenzie (dec), cirrhosis of liver ...eites as cert by R Morton MD, inf William Cullen Fisher son present, reg 1910 July 25th at Ayr D Macdonald assistant registrar initialled WA (Wm Aitken registrar.)⁶

• Announcement*: He Marriages; At Low Glencairn Street, Kilmarnock, on the 25th ult., by the Rev. Thomas Martin, Robert Fisher, ship carpenter, to Jane Watson, both of Glasgow on 3 December 1864.⁷
• (Informant) Death: He registered the death of William Fisher on 17 July 1865 at Byres, Kilwinning, Ayrshire, Scotland, ; 1865 deaths in the parish of Kilwinning in the county of Ayr, ref 77; William Fisher single, 1865 July seveneteenth 5h 30m am at Byres Kilwinning; male aged 2 days, parents Robert Fisher carpenter and Jane Fisher ms Watson; debility from premature birth 40 hours as cert by David D Service MD surgeon; signed Robert Fisher father present; reg 1865 July 19th at Kilwinning John Service regstrar.
• (Informant) Death: Robert Mackenzie Fisher ship's carpenter, the Ayrshire Poet registered the death of Jean Watson dressmaker on 9 October 1871 at 26 Hamilton Street, Govan, Lanarkshire, Scotland, ; 1871 deaths in the district of Govan Church in the county of Lanark, ref 560; Jane Fisher married to Robert McKenzie Fisher shipwright, 1871 October 9th 8h 45m am at 26 Hamilton Street Govan; female aged 30 years, parents John Watson labourer and Janet Watson ms Buchanan; phthisis some time as cert by W M Gilmour MD, signed Robert McK Fisher widower present, reg 1871 October 10th at Govan Thomas Steel registrar.⁸
• (Informant) Death: Robert Mackenzie Fisher ship's carpenter, the Ayrshire Poet registered the death of William Fisher hand loom weaver cotton, engine driver on 16 September 1888 at 1 ... Street, Kinning Park, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland, ; 1888 deaths in the district of Kinning Park in the County of Lanark; William Fisher engine keeper widower of 1st Marion McKenzie 2nd Elizabeth Hendry, 1888 September 16th 10h 30m am 1 ... Street Glasgow, m, 77 years, fath William Fisher nailmaker master (dec), moth Agnes Fisher ms McWilliam (dec), cerebral haemorrhage senile decay as cert by Will Gordon MRCM, signed Robert Fisher son 1 Bute Place Paisley, reg 1888 September 17th at Glasgow Jas Cameron assistant registrar.⁹
• (Informant) Death: Robert Mackenzie Fisher ship's carpenter, the Ayrshire Poet registered the death of William Fisher on 4 April 1896 at 2 Darlington Place, Newton, Ayrshire, Scotland, ; 1896 deaths in the district of Ayr in the county of Ayr, ref 147; William Fisher ship-wright married to Jessie McMillan, 1896 April 4th 8h 30m pm 2 Darlington Place Newton Ayr, male aged 50 years, parents William Fisher cotton weaver (dec) and Marion Fisher, ms McKenzie (dec), acute pneumonia 8 days as cert by John Riddall surgeon, signed Robert M Fisher brother Allanvale Cottage Prestwick, reg 1896 April 6th at Ayr Arthur Morgan registrar.¹⁰

Census & Directory Entries

Member of Household	6 June 1841	Robert Mackenzie Fisher ship's carpenter, the Ayrshire Poet was listed in the 1841 census at Prestwick Proper, Ayrshire, Scotland, . Marion Fisher, 25, Ayrshire; Robert Fisher, 1, Ayrshire.11
Member of Household	30 March 1851	They was listed as a member of the household of William Fisher hand loom weaver cotton, engine driver and Elizabeth Hendry in the 1851 census at Kirk Street, Monkton, Ayrshire, Scotland, . Robert Fisher, son, 11, scholar, Prestwick Ayrshire; William Fisher, head, mar, 39, hand loom weaver (cotton) Newton Ayrshire; Elizabeth Fisher, wife, mar, 34, weaver's wife, Ireland.12
Member of Household	7 April 1861	They was listed as a member of the household of William Fisher hand loom weaver cotton, engine driver and Elizabeth Hendry in the 1861 census at 6 Temple Hill Street, Dundonald, Ayrshire, Scotland, . Robert Fisher, son, unm, 21, ship carpenter, Ayrshire Monkton; William Fisher, head, mar, 49, labourer at harbour, Ayrshire, Ayr; Elizabeth Fisher, wife, mar, 44, Tyrone Ireland; 2 rooms with windows; John Gibson, lodger, inm, 40, labourer at harbour, Ayrshire Mauchline; Hugh Trimble, lodger, unm, 21, labourer at harbour, Tyrone Ireland.13
Head of Household	2 April 1871	He was listed as head of household along with spouse Jean Watson dressmaker in the 1871 census at 26 Hamilton Street, Govan, Lanarkshire, Scotland, . Robert McKenzie Fisher, head, mar, 31, ship joiner, Ayrshire Prestwick; Jane Fisher, wife, mar, 30, Ayrshire Kilmarnock; James Carson, visitor, 12, store keeper, Ayrshire Prestwick; also in the household were William Pollock Fisher.14
Head of Household	3 April 1881	He was listed as head of household along with spouse Janet Watson Cullen confectioner in the 1881 census at 12 Greyfriars Street, Dumfries, Dumfriesshire, Scotland, . Robert McKenzie Fisher, head, mar, 41, bookseller & stationer employing 2 men, Prestwick Ayr; Janet Fisher, wife, mar, 29, Old Kirkpatrick Dunbarton; Agnes Syme, serv, unm, 16, domestic servant, Glasgow Lanark; also in the household were John Watson Fisher, William Cullen Fisher joiner, Mary Cullen Fisher stationer and Robert McKenzie Fisher draper.15
Head of Household	5 April 1891	He was listed as head of household along with spouse Janet Watson Cullen confectioner in the 1891 census at Bute Place, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland, . Robert Fisher, head, mar, 51, shipwright, employed, Ayrshire Prestwick; Janet Fisher, wife, mar, 39, shipwright's wife, Renfrewshire Paisley; 4 rooms with windows; also in the household were William Cullen Fisher joiner, Mary Cullen Fisher stationer, Robert McKenzie Fisher draper, Marion Fisher stationer, James Fisher joiner, David Fisher and Walter Fisher.16
Head of Household	31 March 1901	He was listed as head of household along with spouse Janet Watson Cullen confectioner in the 1901 census at Flowerbank House, 21 Castlehill Road, Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland, . Robert Fisher, head, mar, 61, ship carpenter, worker, Ayrshire Prestwick; Janet Fisher, wife, mar, 48, Renfrewshire Paisley; 5 rooms with windows; also in the household were William Cullen Fisher joiner, Mary Cullen Fisher stationer, Robert McKenzie Fisher draper, Marion Fisher stationer, James Fisher joiner, David Fisher and Walter Fisher.17

Notes

• Residence*: Robert Mackenzie Fisher ship's carpenter, the Ayrshire Poet lived in 1874 at Barrow in Furness, England, .⁴