The Manar Bible

The Manar Bible was purchased by Hugh Gordon in 1811 or shortly after, around the time that Manar had been built and he had married his wife, Elizabeth Forbes.

On the blank inside page at the front are written the details of Hugh Gordon of Manar's children. We know it is written by either Hugh or Elizabeth because one of the children is reported as being buried "in my mother's grave".

On the blank inside page at the back are written the details of James Gordon of Manar's children. This page has been written in three scripts, with the first script detailing James's children. A second script appears to have been added to report the exact date and time of the death of James's wife, Elizabeth Cruger (Lumsden) Gordon, who had moved with her two daughters Anne and Alice to Midmar Castle. A third script records the deaths of remaining children of James, written at a date in or after 1942.

Inside the Bible is a purple book mark, with a very simple piece of embroidery with the initials E.C.G. for Elizabeth Cruger Gordon. It was found on the pages of the last chapter of the Book of Ruth and the first chapter of the first Book of Samuel.

The Bible itself includes apocryphal books such as the Book of Susanna and the account of Bel and the Dragon. These were not typically part of the Protestant Bible and the Bible is more typical of a Catholic household (though we know that James Gordon was (at least publicly) a Protestant.

The Manar Bible was missing for years, but in 2017 Barbara (Dundas) Gordon, in an astonishing discovery, found out that the bible was being advertised for sale by a bookseller in Dorchester. Where it had been all these years is unknown. The Bible was purchased by Barbara and is now back in the family. It is leather-bound, in good condition, and it is a pleasure to know that it was part of our family's life all those years ago at Manar.

The Manar Family Bible - Transcript of

the Handwritten Family details inside the covers

The Gordon Family Bible at Manar - published in 1811, the year of the first child to be born at Manar

Front Inside Page:

Hugh Gordon late of Madras East Indies Married 2 of April 1807

To Elizabeth Forbes 5th Daughter of William Forbes of Echt in Aberdeen

First Child named Hugh born in Aberdeen 8th May 1808 and died 26 January

1809 was buried the 30th in my Mother's Grave in Aberdeen church yard

Second Child named Elizabeth born in Aberdeen 18th January 1810 Baptised by

Doctor Gordon 19 Feb

Third Child named Jane born at Manar 20 April 1811 Baptised by Mr [---]

of Inverury 1st of May

Fourth Child named James born at Manar 10th Sept 1812 Baptised by Mr [---]

of Inverury 17th October

Fifth Child named Robina born at Manar 10th October 1813 Baptised by

Mr [---] 2 November Housdale (?) 6th October 1818 and buried in her Brother's Grave aberdeen

Sixth Child named William born at Manar 5th July 1815 Baptised by

Mr [---] 8th Aug and died the 10th was buried in the same Grave with his Brother Hugh

Seventh Child named Hugh born at Manar 22 Sept 1816 baptized by Mr [---]

28th November _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Eighth Child name William born at Manar 24 August 1818 baptized by Mr [---]

19th October

Ninth Child name Ann was born 20th June 1821 baptized by Mr [---] of Inverury 15th

of July in presence of her Uncle Geo Forbes & Doctor Thomson

Tenth Child name Robina was born 6th of October 1822 & baptized by Mr

[----] [-----] Inverury 28th October in presence of Mr Gordon Rhynie & Mr Geo Garioch [--------]

Book Mark opening at the last chapter of the Book of Ruth and the first chapter of the Book of Samuel: Faded Purple Bookmark with simply embroidered 'E.C.G.'

Back Inside Page (in different and larger writing):

James Gordon of Manar married Sep 13 1836

Elizabeth Cruger Lumsden daughter of

Henry Lumsden of Tilwhilly- in Aberdeen

By Revd John Brown of St Paul's

1st Child Catherine, born at Manar, May 27th 1837

Died March 4th 1838- at Manar

2nd child Hugh, born at Manar June 20th 1838

Died at Lucknow May 28th 1858

3rd child Elizabeth born at Manar Jan'y 17th 1841.

Died July 19th 1857- in London

4th Child James born in Madeira April 11th 1843

Died July 7th 1860- in Edinburgh

5th Child Anne born at Manar June 2nd 1846

>>>>different handwriting post-1942 inserted here>>>> Died at Craig Rannoch, Torphins April 15th 1942 <<<<

6th Child Henry born at Manar Jan 21 1848

>>>>different handwriting post-1942 inserted here>>>> Died 1st Jan 1928 in London <<<<

7th Child William born at Manar Dec'r 11th 1849

Died Feb'y 10th 1850 at Manar

8th Child Mary born at Manar Sept 23rd 1852

>>>>different handwriting post-1942 inserted here>>>> Died April 18th 1938 at Montreal, Canada <<<<

9th Child Alice Elizabeth born at Manar Oct 5th 1859

>>>>different handwriting post-1942 inserted here>>>> Died January 25th 1942 at Craig Rannoch, Torphins <<<<

>>>>then an entirely different script, probably written between 1911 and 1928>>>> Elizabeth Cruger Gordon died at Midmar Castle

Monday Jan 2nd at 11.37 am 1911. born at

Aberdeen June 22 1816 <<<<