John Laing 61 Montpelier Rd c1855 to 1869. Just like to thank all on MyB&H for their assistance with info on the above, Andy, Marilyn, Simon, and others whose names escape me for the moment. We have just spent a few days in Scotland and done a bit of research there; John Laing’s father was David Laing whose family had a couple of farms at Craigo’er (now Craigour) and Edmonstone Mains, either side of the Old Dalkeith Rd (now the A7) just south east of Edinburgh. There is little to be seen there today as the City has expanded and Craigour is a modern housing estate and the new Edinburgh Royal Infirmary now stands on what was part of Edmondstone. However local research revealed that most of this family are in nearby Newton churchyard and their large memorials and the inscriptions thereon were most revealing. It appears that David went to Jamaica where he and his brother, also John, uncle of ‘our’ Brighton John, had a plantation at St George Parish. David did not stay long in Jamaica but returned to England in 1800 where he died in London on 24th Sept 1800 aged only 39, his youngest child, also David, being born some six days later. This David went on to become a very well-known CofE vicar and was responsible for the building of Holy Trinity Church Haverstock Hill London. Our John also had three sisters, Isabella, Mary Ann, and Janet. Janet we may have found in Newton churchyard (inscription dated 1822)along with, we presume, her grandparents. So we have got back another generation or two in the elusive Laing family. But unfortunately so far haven’t been able to find out any more about Elizabeth Sarah Humphies, or her connection with the Potter family of Brighton and Chailey (all in Ringmer churchyard) and the Waters family. I will add a bit more later if anyone’s interested.TCS.
