Mary Cochrane was born c. 1830, in Dalry, Ayrshire.

At the time of the 1851 census, Mary was a dressmaker, aged 20, born Dalry, living in the family home at Old Manse, Dalry.

Mary Cochrane married Francis Ross at Dalry on 1^st July 1856: ‘Marriage (after Banns) was Solemnized between us according to the Forms of the Free Church.’ Mary was a dressmaker (spinster), 26, usually resident at Manse Close, Dalry.

Mary Cochrane was widowed after less than two years of marriage, when Francis died in 1858, after suffering from consumption for upwards of a year.

In 1861, Mary Ross was living in New Street, Dalry, in premises having two rooms with one or more windows. She was a widow, aged 30, a grocer, born Dalry. Living with her was sister Jane Cochran, unmarried, dressmaker, 25, also born Dalry.

Mary contracted a second marriage, on this occasion to Aulay Steele, on 30^th November 1875. She was entered as aged 43 and usually resident at 21, Granville Place, Glasgow. (Aulay and Mary subsequently lived in Granville Street, Helensburgh. The fact that Mary was twice associated with addresses containing the name Granville is remarkable but is presumably an absolute coincidence.)

Mary Steele, married to Auley Steele, commercial traveller, died on 21^st June 1901 at 1^h 45^m, at Stockbridge, in the Parish of Symington, Ayrshire. Her age was entered as 69. The cause of death was certified as apoplexy. The informant at Symington on the 25^th was Mary McCutcheon, the deceased’s housekeeper.

Testamentary Writings

Mutual Trust Deed and Settlement, 1895

The Mutual Trust Deed and Settlement subscribed by Aulay Steele and Mary Cochrane or Ross or Steele at Helensburgh on 28^th March 1895 also made provision for the succession to Mary’s estate. Legacies were again made subject to the ‘destination to issue and survivors’ and provisions relating to the term of payment which had generally been applied in connection with those bequeathed by Aulay.

The Trustees were directed, at the first term of Whitsunday or Martinmas occurring not less than six months after the death of the surviving spouse, or sooner if in a position to do so, to divide her estate into two equal parts and to subdivide the first of those parts equally. The first of these, amounting to a quarter of the estate, was to be divided equally between ‘James Cochrane Junior, Mary Cochrane or Blair Dalry, Ayrshire, Robert Cochrane, Pitt Street, Glasgow and Jane Cochrane or Fulton, William Cochrane and Thomas Cochrane all residing at Dalry Ayrshire all children of Thomas Cochrane, Dalry Ayrshire brother of me the said Mary Cochrane or Ross or Steel’.

Since Thomas was not himself a beneficiary, it might reasonably be inferred that he was already deceased in 1895 but in fact he was still alive and did not die until 1911.

The other half of the first half, again a quarter of Mary’s aggregate estate, was to be set aside for the liferent use of her sister, Jean Cochrane or Kidd, also of Dalry. On the death of Jean Cochrane or Kidd, or on the death of the surviving spouse, in the event that Jean should predecease him / her, the Trustees were directed to divide the share liferented by Jean equally among her children, ‘Thomas Kidd, Teacher, Larkhall and Jeanie Kidd and Annie Kidd both residing at Dalry Ayrshire’.

The remaining half of the estate was to be set aside and invested for the behoof of Mary’s brother, James Cochrane Senior and Sarah Wylie or Cochrane, widow of Mary’s late brother Robert Cochrane, both also of Dalry, to be divided equally among them and to the survivor of them. Thereafter, the said half of the estate was to be divided equally between the childen of Thomas Cochrane and Jean Cochrane or Kidd.

Codicil, 1897

The purpose of the Codicil of 1897, subscribed by both parties on 18^th May, was to revoke the provisions of the Deed of 1895 with regard to the estate of Mary Cochrane or Ross or Steele and to substitute a different set of provisions.

The essence of the change of substance is that James Cochrane Senior and Sarah Wylie or Cochrane both drop out of the picture, although no explanation or commentary on the altered circumstances is given. James had died on 8^th May, ten days previously. Sarah may also have died, or perhaps fallen out of favour, in the intervening period; if so, this has yet to be established. The whole of Mary’s estate was now to be divided between the children of brother Thomas Cochrane and sister Jean Cochrane or Kidd, much as it had originally been intended that one half of the estate would be subdivided between them.

On this occasion, the Trustees were directed to divide Mary’s estate into two equal parts and to pay one of these equally to and among the children of Mary’s brother, Thomas Cochrane of Dalry, namely ‘James Cochrane Junior Grocer, Dalry; Mary Cochrane or Blair, Dalry, Robert Cochrane, Pitt Street, Glasgow and Jane Cochrane or Fulton, William Cochrane and Thomas Cochrane all residing at Dalry’.

The other of the two equal parts was to be set aside and held for the behoof of Mary’s sister, ‘Jeanie Cochane or Kidd, residing at Dalry’ and that thereafter this share, liferented by her, was to be divided equally among her children, ‘Thomas Kidd, Teacher, Larkhall and Jeanie Kidd and Annie Kidd, both residing at Dalry.’

Forebears

Parents

Mary Cochrane’s parents were Thomas Cochran and Jane Crawford.

Thomas Cochrane, merchant, and Jean Cochrane MS Crawford, both deceased, were recalled on their daughter Mary’s 1875 death certificate. (Check this)

Brothers and Sisters

Mary Cochrane had three brothers and one sister, known from the Mutual Trust Deed and Settlement subscribed by Mary and her husband, Aulay Steele, at Helensburgh on 28^th March 1895, together with the Codicil signed by the same parties, again at Helensburgh, on 18^th May 1897.

They are also known from the 1851 census; Thomas, born c. 1823; Robert, c. 1827; James, c. 1832; and Jane, c. 1835, all born in Dalry.