Today the John Neilston Institution as a place of education is but a mere memory, even though the building proudly dominating the skyline of Paisley still exists. But who was John Neilson of Nethercommon?
John (born 14 December 1778[1], died 12 November 1839[2]) was descended from the Neilson’s of Rashiecrook in Erskine Parish, though he had been brought up in Paisley. He was baptised on the 20Nov 1778 in the Laigh (Low) Parish Church, now Paisley Arts Centre.
His parents, John Neilson (Snr.) and Elizabeth Sclater were married in November 1766 in Inchinnan[3] where in the Proclamation of Banns it is stated that John was from Paisley and Elizabeth was from Inchinnan Parish. Elizabeth was born on the 4 Dec 1740[4] in Inchinnan; her father is recorded as Thomas Sclater[5], while John Neilson (Snr.) was born in Erskine and baptised on the 11 Dec 1737[6] to James Neilson and Janet Sclater.
John and Elizabeth had 5 children: Marion, Mary, Jean, James and John who left a Trust Deed setting out his instructions for the formation of an Educational Institution in Paisley.
John (Snr) was a grocer in Paisley with his shop at 12, The Cross with his house above where John (Jnr) and his siblings were brought up.
John (Jnr) most likely attended the Laigh Parish School on Storie Street, where the teacher was William Bell who was also the Session Clerk of the Laigh Parish. John would have attended the Grammer School from around the age of 8. The school then situated on the south side of School Wynd, was the second incarnation of the buildings on School Wynd, the first being constructed on the site of the St Nicholas Chapel in 1586, and after it received a Royal Charter in 1743, plans were made for replacement buildings on the same site which began in 1753. In 1802, a third incarnation of the Grammer School opened on Church Hill replacing the 1753 buildings.
When of age, John and his elder brother James were both apprenticed to his father, and both were enrolled as Burgesses of Paisley. Their father paid their fees of 10 shillings and 6pence for James as the oldest and most likely to inherit the business, and 1 pound and 1 shilling for John as the less favoured son regarding inheritance On the 11 October 1810 John (Jnr) was admitted as a member to the Paisley Merchants’ Society, and in 1812 both brothers became partners in the family business, now named John Neilson & Sons. John (Snr) death is not recorded in the records, but even in 1812 he would have been the fair age of 75.
Through time the grocery business was successful, such that in 1821 the company was able to loan the Paisley Taylors’ Society £1,500 to help improve their property at 6 Moss Street.
In 1831, James died and was buried in the burial ground of the Abbey, to the north of the Choir ruins. This left John, alone and in 1833 a fire broke out at the Cross, destroying many properties, including that of the Neilson’s. Following the fire John purchased the Nethercommon Estate by the banks of the River White Cart
John lived out the remainder of his life at Nethercommon, dying on the 6 November 1839[7] though, though the Abbey Parish death records place his death on the 12 November. John was buried in the same lair as his brother in the Abbey’s burial ground. Writing in 1902 Metcalf states that the headstone was badly decayed, but it had been replaced the trustees for a marble one inscribed:
“To the Memory of James Neilson, Merchant in Paisley who died July 1831, and to his Brother John Neilson of Nethercommon, who died 6th November 1839, aged 61 years”
In the years that followed John’s death his Trustees would set out to follow his wishes stated in his Trust Deed and set in process the selection of a site, construction and opening of the John Neilson institution in 1852.
The story of the school will feature in future posts.
Sources
[1] ScotlandsPeople.gov.uk OPR Births 573/ Paisley Low Parish, Page 136, accessed 16 Sept 2024
[2] ScotlandsPeople.gov.uk OPR Deaths 559/ Abbey Parish, Page 80, accessed 16 Sept 2024
[3] ScotlandsPeople.gov.uk OPR Marriages 566/Inchinnan, Page 158, accessed 16 Sept 2024
[4] ScotlandsPeople.gov.uk OPR Births 566/ Inchinnan, Page 13, accessed 16 Sept 2024
[5] Metcalf, 1902 The John Neilson Institution, Metcalf, 1902 The John Neilson Institution – Metcalf states that he believed Elizabeth’s family were the Sclaters of Sclaterbank, now known as Caversbank, a well-known family in Paisley. The official records show she was from Erskine.
[6] ScotlandsPeople.gov.uk OPR Births 563/ Erskine, Page 107, accessed 16 Sept 2024
[7] According to William Metcalf, The John Neilston Institution, Club Edition, page 26, 1902